Science Based Targets. "Net-Zero for Financial Institutions". Accessed December 06, 2021. https://sciencebasedtargets.org/...
Posted on 06/12/21
Recent Abstracts
- Hirsch, Peter, and Christian Schempp. "Categorisation System for the Circular Economy".
European Commission.
March 2020.
https://op.europa.eu/...
The lack of a commonly accepted and sufficiently inclusive definition and circularity measurement methodology hampers the transition to a more circular economy in numerous ways. To counter this, this circular economy categorization system was proposed comprising 14 circular categories organized in four high-level groups and a set of minimum criteria. The 14 circular categories contribute to increasing resource efficiency and decreasing environmental impacts throughout project value chains. This can be achieved by applying or enabling one or more of the 9 circular economy "R" strategies or principles – the “9 R’s”: Refuse, Rethink, Reduce, Reuse, Repair, Refurbish, Remanufacture, Repurpose, and Recycle.Posted on 10/10/22
- Hamdan, Hasan A.M., Poul Houman Andersen, and Luitzen de Boer. "Stakeholder Collaboration in Sustainable Neighborhood Projects—A Review and Research Agenda".
Sustainable Cities and Society.
(May 2021).
https://doi.org/...
Stakeholder collaboration in neighborhood projects facilitates networking and knowledge transfer. Construction companies participate in the task definition, research institutions contribute to feasibility testing, civil society organizations (CSOs) reinforce environmental approaches, and international partners increase funding, experience, and political support. Collaboration leads to the success of community development projects. Successful neighborhoods are realized through development projects and stakeholder collaboration from a project perspective. Although community involvement may create tension and trigger a series of protracted and contentious negotiations between residents or their representatives and local authorities, it has various benefits for the realization of sustainable projects, including acceptance and marketing opportunities.Posted on 05/10/22
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OECD.
"OECD Toolkit for a Territorial Approach to the SDGs". July 01, 2022.
https://www.oecd-ilibrary.org/...
This action checklist helps government policymakers in uptaking, implementing, and localizing the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), as a tool for better policies and living quality. It covers (1) policies and strategies, (2) multi-level governance, (3) financing and budgeting, (4) data and information, and (5) stakeholder engagement. The toolkit can be used by all stakeholders in a city, region, or country, including policy-makers at all levels of government, business, civil society, research, academia, and youth. It is intended for policy-makers to engage the stakeholders in dialog on localizing the SDGs and helps them in learning from peers and international best practices.Posted on 03/10/22
- Weyler, Rex. "The Great Carbon Capture Scam".
Greenpeace International.
(June 01, 2022).
https://www.greenpeace.org/...
The oil industry invented “net zero” as the perfect alternative to slowing oil production to halt global heating. The netting deducts some carbon from total CO₂ emissions to create “net zero emissions”. The oil industry thereby claims to capture and store CO₂, while using this “captured carbon” for enhanced oil recovery, resulting in more carbon emissions. The industry profits from “carbon capture”, netting the oil companies billions public subsidies, and has made it integral to its business planning and strategy. It allows the companies to act as though they are addressing the climate issue while increasing public-subsidized oil production.Posted on 30/09/22
- Chen, Qian, Haibo Feng, and Borja Garcia de Soto. "Key Approaches to Construction Circularity: A Systematic Review of the Current State and Future Opportunities".
Dubai, UAE: The International Association for Automation and Robotics in Construction (IAARC).
2021.
http://www.iaarc.org/...
Construction circularity is identified in 1) material design, 2) building design, 3) construction and facility management, 4) urban sustainability development, and 5) system precondition. These five broad categories represent different levels of circularity implementation in construction and can be further decomposed into 15 key approaches to realizing circular economy strategies. Although each approach to construction circularity has its potential and advantages, it is difficult to devise a comprehensive circular construction approach that treats all aspects properly. This review shows the necessity to integrate stakeholders, service centers and plants, transportation networks, and local authorities to realize construction circularity at all levels.Posted on 28/09/22
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Ellen MacArthur Foundation.
"Material Circularity Indicator (MCI)". Accessed (September 26, 2022).
https://ellenmacarthurfoundation.org/...
The Material Circularity Indicator (MCI) allows companies to identify circular value from their products and materials and mitigate risks from material price volatility and material supply. It enables users to analyze and evaluate a range of environmental, regulatory, and supply chain risks for their designs and products. MCI measures how restorative the material flows of a product, which can be aggregated up to the product portfolio and company level. It is a comprehensive company-level circularity measuring tool that may be used by product designers as well as for internal reporting, procurement decisions, and the rating of the entire company.Posted on 26/09/22
- Thelen, David, Mike van Acoleyen, Wouter Huurman, Tom Thomaes, Carolien van Brunschot, Brendan Edgerton, and Ben Kubbinga. "Scaling the Circular Built Environment: Pathways for Business and Government".
Arcadis, Circle Economy, and WBCSD.
https://docs.wbcsd.org/...
The private and public sectors need to create a level playing field for circular materials, products and services to become the new normal in the built environment. The transition to a circular economy calls for introducing new valuation methods and implementing long-term policies that encourage the scaling of circular solutions. Standardization, new forms of collaboration, and co-creation processes are essential elements required for the transition. Digital innovation, education and information sharing can further drive the change in mindset and culture for turning the circular built environment into reality. But, the transition to circularity in communities is fraught with various barriers.Posted on 23/09/22
- Johnsson, Filip, Ida Karlsson, Johan Rootzén, Anders Ahlbäck, and Mathias Gustavsson. "The Framing of a Sustainable Development Goals Assessment in Decarbonizing the Construction Industry – Avoiding “Greenwashing”".
October 01, 2020.
https://www.sciencedirect.com/...
To avoid the use of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) for greenwashing, construction projects must include both long-term and short-term factors in assessing their SDG sustainability. However, companies rarely use SDG assessments as a tool for decisions for real change towards more sustainable and equitable corporate practices. SDG assessments must be transparent on dealing with the long-term climate target, to keep them from contributing to yet another layer of greenwashing. This paper presents an approach for a thorough – “non greenwashing” – way of an SDG assessment, with the objective of helping construction companies and others minimize future business risks.Posted on 21/09/22
- Halper, Jason, Sara Bussiere, and Timbre Shriver. "Asset Management Industry Confronts the Challenges Presented by Climate Change Transition".
The Harvard Law School Forum on Corporate Governance.
(February 28, 2022).
https://corpgov.law.harvard.edu/...
Climate change transition and a rapidly evolving regulatory landscape confront the asset management industry with considerable challenges and present risks and opportunities for investing. Asset managers must strengthen disclosure of the climate-related risks and opportunities and support “sustainability” initiatives while continuing to maximize financial returns for investors. This article suggests that asset managers consider the recommendations published by such investor-led organizations as the PRI Association, Ceres, and GFANZ until regulators issue better ESG guidance. Asset managers should also follow the Task Force on Climate-Related Financial Disclosures (TCFD) framework and recommendations, which are gaining increasing acceptance among asset managers and regulators.Posted on 19/09/22
- Barnes, Rachel. "Talking a Good Game: Stop Paying Lip Service to Collaboration".
Campaign.
(May 12, 2016).
https://www.campaignlive.co.uk/...
Collaboration with businesses, public institutions, and civil society organizations is generally seen with a thumbs-up or a comment on a social media posting. Individuals often express interest in engaging in a collaborative initiative, but seldom follow through with collaborative action. This article suggests that we usually only pay lip service to collaboration. Although we know we need to work together, we fundamentally don’t want to – the bitter reality of competition. The sustainable development of business, communities and society is all about collaborating to realize shared goals. True collaboration is complex, but the benefits for all stakeholders can be significant.Posted on 16/09/22
- Nidumolu, Ram, Jib Ellison, John Whalen, and Erin Billman. "The Collaboration Imperative".
Harvard Business Review.
(April 14, 2014).
https://hbr.org/...
The earth’s atmosphere, natural resources, and biological ecosystems are of fundamental value to business and society, much of which is destroyed through the ways we use these complex and fragile systems. Meeting the challenges of climate change, resource depletion, and ecosystem loss calls for improved collaboration and innovative models that create stakeholder value and drive systemic change. Collaboration starts with the groups of key stakeholders, the linking of self-interest to shared interest, productive competition, and trust. For the sustainable development of businesses, communities and society, each participant must recognize the benefit that it can realize when shared interests are met.Posted on 14/09/22
- Acharya, Devni, Richard Boyd, and Olivia Finch. "From Principles to Practices: Realising the Value of Circular Economy".
ARUP.
https://www.arup.com/...
This report demonstrates to real estate investors and construction clients the value and process of implementing circular economy principles in the built environment. How value is created from real estate assets is determined and established by investors and construction clients through investment requirements, tenure models and design briefs. Investors and construction clients are best placed to lead the transition to a circular built environment. They have the greatest capacity to influence decision-making, set direction, and catalyze action throughout the value chain. Policymakers rely on them to develop an evidence base of the benefits of a circular economy.Posted on 09/09/22
- Committee on Environmental Policy. "Applying Principles of Circular Economy to Sustainable Tourism".
Economic Commission for Europe.
May 05, 2022.
http://journals.sagepub.com/...
The circular tourism model must be implemented immediately for us not to exceed the ecological ceiling through the polluting practices of our current linear tourism model and to ensure tourism does not fall short on the social factors. As the tourism has a multiplier effect, it could be a catalyst to move the whole economy towards a circular economy. This paper proposes three actionable recommendations that are linked to the challenges and solutions: (1) building a network of role-model circular tourism destinations, (2) establishing a shared circular tourism indicator framework, and (3) investing beyond digitalization in data- and AI-driven innovation.Posted on 07/09/22
- Honic, Meliha, Iva Kovacic, Philipp Aschenbrenner, and Arne Ragossnig. "Material Passports for the End-of-Life Stage of Buildings: Challenges and Potentials".
Journal of Cleaner Production.
(October 15, 2021).
https://www.sciencedirect.com/...
Global consumption of non-renewable resources is increasing and shortages of primary raw materials and reduction of space for final waste disposal are raising urgent issues for our communities. The unsustainable use of resources is resulting in strategies for maximizing recycling rates and minimizing environmental impacts and energy consumption due to the extraction of primary materials. A material passport (MP) at a building’s end of life (EOL) supports construction sustainability and circularity and encourages the recycling and reuse of building materials, rather than their disposal as waste. This paper illustrates the workflow compilation process and use of an EOL material passport.Posted on 05/09/22
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GrünStattGrau.
"GrünStattGrau". Accessed September 02, 2022.
https://gruenstattgrau.at/...
The platform is an interface between network partners from the public sector, science and research, and community stakeholders that shares best practices in developing sustainable communities. It inspires and advances the deployment of technologies, competencies, and services and furthers the affordability of tools and their broad application. Moreover, it promotes quality assurance and encourages a new awareness of the range of benefits of greened buildings in the context of climate change and energy. By greening buildings, we make an important contribution to climate change adaptation efforts and help to shape and deliver green, smart and liveable cities of the future.Posted on 02/09/22