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The valorisation of urban biowaste can contribute to a circular and sustainable resource management. However, biowaste valorisation is not inherently sustainable. This study employs the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) to investigate the sustainability implications of biowaste valorisation. A narrative literature review provided an overview of the current scientific knowledge on interactions between biowaste valorisation and selected SDG targets. Then stakeholder interviews yielded insights into such interactions in a national context. Our findings show the potential for 19 synergies and 11 trade-offs between biowaste valorisation and 20 selected SDG targets that are addressed in detail. Although the synergies outnumber the trade-offs, different context-dependencies influence the nature and strength of the interactions. We highlight three types of context-dependencies relating to governance. This study informs the scientific community and decision-makers on planning for sustainable biowaste valorisation that addresses context-dependencies. The insights can guide countries and cities at early transition stages towards biowaste valorisation., QC 20240325

The generation of solid waste, more specifically municipal solid waste (MSW), has been considered one of the major global environmental problems since urbanization started. Among Scandinavian states, Denmark and Norway have placed in the top positions (1 and 2 respectively) for high MSW production. Sweden has a steady plan for MSW management/treatments by practising material recycle, biological treatment and energy recovery. The aim of this review is to compare municipal waste generation between Sweden and the rest of Scandinavia. A systematic literature review was performed by screening academic and public articles to assess factors for better MSW management based on technological solutions. Key results include the importance of new tariffs and legislations, producer responsibilities for electronic products, municipality involvement, distribution of responsibilities, and infrastructure developments for better MSW management in Sweden. The application of modern technologies have also been considered for MSW management in Sweden. Societal participation (willingness, awareness and concern) in Sweden also plays a significant role in MSW management. A better packaging system, application of interactive visualization (gamification) in waste sorting, public awareness, and infrastructure development could significantly improve the waste sorting process and conversion of waste management from a linear economy towards a circular economy.

Urban areas face growing sustainable challenges arising from stormwater issues, necessitating the evolution of stormwater management concept and practice. This transformation not only entails the adoption of a multifunctional, holistic, and sustainable approach but also involves the integration of water quality and quantity considerations with governance and management aspects. A means to do so is via decision support tools. However, whilst existing studies using the tools by employing sustainability assessment principles or as indicators to plan blue-green infrastructures and strategies, uncertainties remain regarding how decision support tools encompass governance and management dimensions. The aim of this review study is to provide much-needed clarity on this aspect, in doing so, a systematic review of decision support tools used in sustainability assessment within the stormwater management context is conducted, focusing on their abilities to include governance and management. Findings encompass governance aspects, such as actors, discourses, rules, and resources considered, and explore how these relate to long-term management. The results reveal the recognized potential of decision support tools in facilitating governance and management for sustainable stormwater management, however, future research and efforts need to be allocated in: (i) Exploring practical challenges in integrating all sustainability assessment pillars with consistent criteria into decision support tools, to determine the optimal use of all criteria in fostering open and informed stormwater governance and management. (ii) Understanding how to engage diverse stormwater actors with future decision support tools, to secure ownership and relevance. (iii) Using retrospective (ex-post) sustainability assessments to provide more tangible knowledge and to support long-term management., Validerad;2024;Nivå 2;2024-04-09 (joosat);Full text license: CC BY

To address climate change, energy security, and waste management, new sustainable energy sources must be developed. This study uses Aspen Plus software to extract bio-H2 from food waste with the goal of efficiency and environmental sustainability. Anaerobic digestion, optimised to operate at 20–25 °C and keep ammonia at 3%, greatly boosted biogas production. The solvent [Emim][FAP], which is based on imidazolium, had excellent performance in purifying biogas. It achieved a high level of methane purity while consuming a minimal amount of energy, with a solvent flow rate of 13.415 m³ /h. Moreover, the utilization of higher temperatures (600–700 °C) during the bio-H2 generation phase significantly enhanced both the amount and quality of hydrogen produced. Parametric and sensitivity assessments were methodically performed at every stage. This integrated method was practicable and environmentally friendly, according to the economic assessment. H2 generation using steam reforming results in a TCC of 1.92 × 106 USD. The CO2 separation step has higher costs (TCC of 2.15 ×107 USD) due to ionic liquid washing and CO2 liquefaction. Compressor electricity consumption significantly impacts total operating cost (TOC), totaling 4.73 × 108 USD. showing its ability to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, optimize resource utilization, and promote energy sustainability. This study presents a sustainable energy solution that addresses climate and waste challenges.

Global resource extraction raises concerns about environmental pressures and the security of mineral supply. Strategies to address these concerns depend on robust information on natural resource endowments, and on suitable methods to monitor and model their changes over time. However, current mineral resources and reserves reporting and accounting workflows are poorly suited for addressing mineral depletion or answering questions about the long-term sustainable supply. Our integrative review finds that the lack of a robust theoretical concept and framework for mass-balance (MB)-consistent geological stock accounting hinders systematic industry-government data integration, resource governance, and strategy development. We evaluate the existing literature on geological stock accounting, identify shortcomings of current monitoring of mine production, and outline a conceptual framework for MB-consistent system integration based on material flow analysis (MFA). Our synthesis shows that recent developments in Earth observation, geoinformation management, and sustainability reporting act as catalysts that make MB-consistent geological stock accounting increasingly feasible. We propose first steps for its implementation and anticipate that our perspective as “resource realists” will facilitate the integration of geological and anthropogenic material systems, help secure future mineral supply, and support the global sustainability transition., Validerad;2024;Nivå 2;2024-01-16 (hanlid);Funder: Norwegian University of Science and Technology;Full text license: CC BY

To facilitate this transition, firms operating in the electric vehicle (EV) battery ecosystem must reassess their value creation, capture, and delivery methods. Although EV battery second life presents a promising solution for circularity, many vehicle manufacturers and stakeholders in the battery ecosystem struggle to adapt their organizations internally and externally due to a lack of insights into suitable circular business models. The purpose of this study is to identify viable archetypes of circular business models for EV battery second life and examine their implications on company collaborations within the EV battery ecosystem. Three main archetypes of circular business models are identified (i.e., extending, sharing, and looping business models) and further divided into eight sub-archetypes. These models are elucidated in terms of key business model dimensions, including value proposition, value co-creation, value delivery, and value capture. The paper provides visual representations of the necessary interactions and collaborations among companies in the EV battery ecosystem to effectively implement the proposed business model archetypes. This research contributes to the theory of circular business models in general, with specific relevance to EV battery circularity., Validerad;2024;Nivå 2;2024-02-12 (joosat);Funder: Knowledge Foundation in Sweden [1602, 2019]; Excellence in Production Research (XPRES), manufacturing engineering in Sweden [0219, 2016];Full text license: CC BY

The upscaling of novel carbon dioxide removal, such as bioenergy carbon capture and storage (BECCS), to gigatonne scales is an urgent priority if global warming is to be limited to well below 2 °C. But political, economic, social, technological, environmental and regulatory uncertainty permeates BECCS projects and deters investors. To address this, we explore options to improve the robustness of BECCS deployment strategies in the face of multi-dimensional uncertainties. We apply Dynamic Adaptive Planning (DAP) through expert interviews and Robust Decision Making (RDM) through exploratory modelling, two decision making under deep uncertainty methods, to the case of Stockholm Exergi, an early mover aiming to deploy BECCS at a combined heat and power plant in the capital of Sweden. The main contributions of the research are to 1) illustrate how a quantification of robustness against uncertainty can support an investment decision to deploy BECCS 2) comprehensively cover uncertain vulnerabilities and opportunities of deploying BECCS, and 3) identify critical scenarios and adaptations to manage these uncertainties. The main conclusions are: investing in BECCS is relatively robust if assessing performance across many scenarios and if comparing the worst-cases of either investing, or not doing so. Not investing could miss out on up to € 3.8 billion in terms of net present value. The critical uncertainties of BECCS can be managed by strengthening biomass sustainability strategies and by gaining support for negative emission trading regulation on carbon markets, e.g., voluntary or Paris Agreement Article 6. Even in vulnerable scenarios of average electricity prices above 82 €/MWh, if trading regulation is implemented before 2030 and if negative emission prices exceed 151 €/CO2, investing in BECCS performs better than not doing so in 96% of cases. We suggest that facility-level parameters and cost-reductions are of little importance for BECCS investments and upscaling. It is r, QC 20240125

The transition towards a circular economy necessitates the development of tools for evaluating circularity. This paper proposes an approach with three important indicators—industrial waste, energy use, and IT material waste—to solve the challenge of evaluating circularity in the Swedish automobile industry. Each indicator includes a number of scores and sub-scores allowing for a thorough evaluation of circularity at product level. Qualitative and quantitative data are gathered to calculate scores for individual aspects of the indicators, which are then combined into an overall product score using a weighted average, and associated with an accuracy measurement reflecting the quality of the input data. The sensitivity of circularity indicator values to data availability underscores the importance of accuracy metrics, while placing a priority on simplicity, usefulness, and adaptability. This framework incorporates knowledge from scientific literature, business reports, and sustainability specialists. The result is an overall product circularity score. Such a scorecard can be crucial in accelerating the transition to circularity and sustainability since it highlights areas that need improvement. The framework's development incorporates feedback from sustainability experts, while interviews with industry professionals and data testing ensure its practicality for companies. The framework is designed to be adaptable and scalable to suit industry requirements. Companies are encouraged to adopt it as an internal tool and take ownership to drive circularity initiatives effectively., QC 20240215

The maritime shipping industry accounts for 3 % of global greenhouse gas emissions and delivers 90 % of globally traded goods. Maritime shipping is heavily reliant on fossil fuels. There is increasing policy pressure to cut emissions to achieve the Paris Agreement and to meet decarbonization targets. This paper aims to analyze sector coupling for decarbonization and sustainable energy transitions in maritime shipping, exploring the interlinkages between the transport, energy, industry, agriculture and forestry sectors. First, this paper analyses the opportunities and barriers for sector coupling between the maritime shipping sector and other industries. Second, this paper adds new knowledge on the wider implications of sustainable energy transitions and decarbonization for the maritime shipping sector, the role of various stakeholders in supporting or impeding sustainable energy transitions, policy issues at the international, regional and national level and the links to sector coupling. This research uses a mixed methods approach, applying both qualitative research including interviews and quantitative energy modeling. The research thereby links theories from sustainability transitions with techno-economic modeling approaches. Our research finds that the sector couplings between the transport, energy, industry, agriculture and forestry sectors are of growing importance as maritime shipping is transitioning towards decarbonized and renewable marine fuels. At the same time there is competition for scarce natural resources with other sectors, including aviation and road transport. Socio-technical aspects, particularly of financial and political nature, are key factors that determine the speed and direction of the transition, yet they remain under-explored., QC 20231227

Introduction: The behaviour change technique taxonomy version 1 was developed to identify the smallest active ingredients of a lifestyle intervention, that is, behaviour change techniques (BCTs) based on a written description. By participation and direct observation of an intervention, we intend to not only identify BCTs but also assess exposure time for each BCT. Adding the dimension of exposure time should enable us to make quantitative comparisons between the different BCTs employed. We intend to demonstrate this by studying the hypotheses that exposure to information-related BCTs is similar for all targeted lifestyle modalities but decreases in the course of the intervention. Methods: During 5-week intensive multimodal lifestyle interventions at a Swedish clinic for lifestyle medicine, we identified BCTs according to behaviour change technique taxonomy version 1 and noted exposure times to BCTs in all mandatory parts of the behaviour change intervention. Results: Two hundred thirty-one independent intervention components were evaluated. BCTs 8.1 Behavioural practice/rehearsal (126 h), 4.1 Instruction on how to perform the behaviour (98 h) and 6.1 Demonstration of the behaviour (65 h) were the most common in terms of exposure time. Relative exposure to BCTs with an informative nature was similar for the different treatment phases (33%−37%−28%; p = 0.09) but higher for physical activity compared to food habits, stress management and unspecific lifestyle medicine (63%−25%−22%−25%; p < 0.001). Conclusions: The behaviour change technique taxonomy version 1 can be extended by adding exposure time for different BCTs. The resulting BCT–exposure profile can be used for assessing the relative importance of different behaviour change strategies.

The EU’s Responsible Research and Innovation framework advocates for engagement between communities and scientists, creating opportunities for scientific research and processes to be informed and shaped by community voices. To date, few examples in the literature explore this in practice. Hence, key questions remain as to the role that communities play in this framework and the nature of and extent to which community voices and localised perspectives inform research and innovation. This paper explores how a collaborative community engagement process, facilitated at the outset, could meaningfully inform the establishment of a water quality testing facility. In Makhanda, a water-scarce region of South Africa, focus group discussions as well as site visits/observations integrated community and researcher knowledges to shape the community-engaged water testing facility. This study details how the daily assessment of water by the community provided valuable insights to the researchers on the nature and extent of factors affecting water quality and informed the sites and timing of water testing in subsequent scientific measurements of the same. Furthermore, it opened pathways to sustained, longer-term engagement between scientists and communities around water quality, highlighting the need for a multi-stakeholder focus to support community agency around access to safe water.

Sweden has recently adopted new legislation on mandatory climate declarations of buildings. This occurred before the EU policy requests. The implementation of climate calculations and the visibility of the results of these calculations in a declaration is intended to increase building developers knowledge of the climate impact from construction and improves the opportunities for the developer to make conscious choices that reduce their climate impact. Using the Multiple Stream Framework as a theoretical lens, we analyse by qualitative and quantitative text analysis, the formulation and decision-making on the new law. A majority of stakeholders approved the proposal for the new law, but it was not undisputed. Some stakeholders advocated a voluntary scheme instead of a mandatory scheme. Some key stakeholders advocated a focus on life cycle emissions rather than embedded construction emissions only. The final line of conflict was that the climate declarations are not linked to the most important phase for reducing the climate impact of buildings, which is planning and design, rather than construction. We show how frame disconnection and frame polarization was used by the Government Offices of Sweden and the Swedish government to downplay critique from key stakeholders.

In modern times, wastewater treatment is vital due to increased water contamination arising from pollutants such as nutrients, pathogens, heavy metals, and pharmaceutical residues. Polysaccharides (PSAs) are natural, renewable, and non-toxic biopolymers used in wastewater treatment in the field of gas separation, liquid filtration, adsorption processes, pervaporation, and proton exchange membranes. Since addition of nanoparticles to PSAs improves their sustainability and strength, nanocomposite PSAs has gained significant attention for wastewater treatment in the past decade. This review presents a comprehensive analysis of PSA-based nanocomposites used for efficient wastewater treatment, focusing on adsorption, photocatalysis, and membrane-based methods. It also discusses potential future applications, challenges, and opportunities in adsorption, filtration, and photocatalysis. Recently, PSAs have shown promise as adsorbents in biological-based systems, effectively removing heavy metals that could hinder microbial activity. Cellulose-mediated adsorbents have successfully removed various pollutants from wastewater, including heavy metals, dyes, oil, organic solvents, pesticides, and pharmaceutical residues. Thus, PSA nanocomposites would support biological processes in wastewater treatment plants. A major concern is the discharge of antibiotic wastes from pharmaceutical industries, posing significant environmental and health risks. PSA-mediated bio-adsorbents, like clay polymeric nanocomposite hydrogel beads, efficiently remove antibiotics from wastewater, ensuring water quality and ecosystem balance. The successful use of PSA-mediated bio-adsorbents in wastewater treatment depends on ongoing research to optimize their application and evaluate their potential environmental impacts. Implementing these eco-friendly adsorbents on a large scale holds great promise in significantly reducing water pollution, safeguarding ecosystems, and protecting human health.

Whale watching is considered a form of green tourism, but can affect marine ecosystems, impacting cetaceans’ behavior and potentially increasing acoustic pollution. A more sustainable whale-watching practice should employ a comprehensive approach involving all stakeholders, but whale-watching operators are rarely involved. We propose a method to assess whale–watching operators’ perceptions regarding the possible effects of their activity on marine fauna and preferred mitigation solutions, by means of online questionnaires and website communication strategies. Results from Canadian whale-watching operators show that they observe regulations regarding distance to whales but only partially perceive general vessels’ impacts on fauna. Three recognized whale-watching experts identify the need for continuous training targeted at operators, which should include the impacts on marine ecosystems. A continuous training framework is proposed that targets whale-watching operators in addition to tourists, and involves scientists in several steps of the approach. This study serves as a starting point to involve operators’ in order to advance towards a sustainable whale-watching tourism.

Brazil is one of the largest economies in the Global South. Because of the country’s strong agribusiness and large population, it has a huge potential for biogas production that has yet to be realized. Biogas systems could potentially address a broad range of social, environmental, and economic issues, such as improving accessibility to clean energy sources in rural areas, alternative cooking fuel, and providing proper treatment of organic waste. Hence, biogas systems can play an important role in sustainability transitions by improving the environmental performance of energy generation, waste management systems, and food production. However, despite the availability of substrate for biogas production and the multiple benefits that biogas systems could bring, there is still a large implementation gap. Biogas systems go beyond technical components and involve a multitude of stakeholders, infrastructure, knowledge, and formal and informal institutions. Therefore, the diffusion of biogas systems cannot be explained only by analyzing the technical components of biogas systems. Previous studies have explored the influences of societal contexts on technological diffusion, but these explored countries in the Global North. However, social, economic, and political aspects differ significantly between Global North and Global South countries. This thesis aims to explain how societal contexts influence the diffusion of biogas systems in Brazil. The thesis distinguishes between societal contexts, delineating them as societal environments and socio-economic structures. Societal environments refer to the circumstances and aspects surrounding the diffusion process where alignment processes between new socio-technical systems and society happen across five environments: user, business, regulatory, cultural, and trans-local. Socio-economic structures refer to societal arrangements that shape social and economic aspects of society. The Varieties of Capitalism framework provides a, Brasilien är en av de största ekonomierna i den globala södern. Givet landets starka jordbruksindustri och stora befolkning finns goda förutsättningar för storskalig biogasproduktion. Men det är en potential som ännu inte har exploaterats i någon större utsträckning. Biogassystem har potential att bidra till lösningen på flertalet sociala, miljömässiga och ekonomiska frågor, såsom att förbättra tillgången till rena energikällor på landsbygden, erbjuda alternativa bränslen för matlagning och att tillhandahålla lämplig behandling av organiskt avfall. Därmed kan biogassystem spela en viktig roll i en hållbar omställning genom att förbättra miljöprestandan för energiproduktion, avfallshantering och livsmedelsproduktion. Trots de många fördelarna som biogassystem medför finns alltså fortfarande en stor klyfta mellan potentialen och vad som är realiserat. Biogassystem sträcker sig bortom tekniska komponenter och inkluderar även en mångfald av intressenter, infrastruktur, kunskap samt formella och informella institutioner. Därför kan spridningen av biogassystem inte förstås enbart genom att analysera tekniska komponenter i biogassystemet. Tidigare studier som har studerat hur sådana bredare samhällsfaktorer påverkar spridningen av teknologi har huvudsakligen undersökt länder i västvärlden (det globala norr). Men sociala, ekonomiska och politiska aspekter skiljer sig betydligt mellan länder i det globala norr och det globala söder. Denna avhandling syftar därför till att förklara hur olika samhällsfaktorer påverkar spridningen av biogassystem i Brasilien. Avhandlingen skiljer mellan olika sorters samhällsfaktorer och delar in dem i samhälleliga miljöer och socioekonomiska strukturer. Samhälleliga miljöer avser de omständigheter och aspekter som omger spridningsprocessen där anpassningsprocesser mellan nya sociotekniska system och samhället sker över fem miljöer: användarmiljön, affärsmiljön, den reglerande miljön, den kulturella miljön och den translokala miljön. Socioe, Funding: the Biogas Solutions Research Center (BSRC)

Cities, as key players in global sustainable development, are linked to challenges and opportunities driven by urbanization's resource consumption and environmental impacts. This context highlights the critical role of urban infrastructure in fostering sustainability, particularly the role of wire-based infrastructure systems (WBIS). The management, maintenance, and renewal of WBIS are vital to ensuring their long-term efficiency, yet they present challenges across technical, environmental, and societal dimensions. The positioning of these systems beneath urban streets introduces complexities, from accelerated wear to costly excavations, with a wide range of environmental consequences. Beyond the physical implications, the financial, policy, and management practices governing WBIS also contribute to their sustainable development challenges. This study, centered on Linköping's water network in Sweden as a case study, aims to unravel these multifaceted dynamics and answer key research questions regarding the management, challenges, influencing factors, and strategies for improving the maintenance and renewal of urban WBIS. Based on a mixed method approach, the case study utilized both qualitative and quantitative methods, including interviews, workshops, and data analysis. The results highlighted Linköping's UWI challenges, encompassing aging infrastructure, limited renewal rates, and financial constraints. To navigate these challenges, the discussion advocated for a shift towards proactive renewal strategies. The conclusions emphasized the need for an increased funding, strategic planning, proactive coordination among diverse stakeholders, and a balanced approach in budgetary allocations, particularly in considering maintenance and renewal alongside other activities, as crucial for ensuring the longevity and sustainability of the WBIS.

The current global changes and regulations in sustainability have a direct impact on suppliers to the automotive industry. Therefore, it is crucial for suppliers to the automotive industry to proactively monitor developments to avoid risking their competitiveness. This involves an increased focus on documentation and compliance with sustainability policies and certifications. Company X is a family-owned company located in Gnosjö, operating for nearly 80 years and supplying products to the automotive industry, among other sectors. The company specializes in industrial work and focuses on machining (turning and milling). To remain competitive and, above all, relevant for at least another 80 years, they strive for continuous development to meet customer demands. The guiding philosophy is to operate within the ”Global Automotive Sustainability Guiding Principles”, which clarify the automotive industry ́s expectations regarding sustainability efforts from their suppliers. In late 2022, Drive Sustainability, responsible for creating and maintaining the Self-Assessment Questionnaire (SAQ), raised the requirements from SAQ 4.0 to SAQ 5.0. The consequence of not being approved before June 2023 is the inability to initiate new business as a supplier to Scania. The thesis was conducted at Company X with the aim of investigating what is required for Business X to upgrade from SAQ 4.0 to SAQ 5.0. This involved identifying any gaps in the company’s environmental and quality management systems in relation to the SAQ portal. The project also aimed to examine whether the current quality and environmental management system needs adjustment to better reflect data in the SAQ portal. The main task of the author was to explore possible solutions to help Company X and other SMEs implement the SAQ process in a resource-efficient manner. To achieve the study ́s purpose, an analysis of the documentation in the company ́s environmental and quality management systems in relation to the SAQ po

Titel: Implementering av GRI-standarder och riktlinjer: Fördelar och Utmaningar i Hållbarhetsredovisningen. Nivå: Examensarbete på grundnivå (kandidatexamen) i ämnet företagsekonomi. Författare: Sofia Ivarsson och Sofie Skalberg. Handledare: Jean Claude Mutiganda. Datum: 2024 - januari. Syfte: Skandinavien intar en framstående position i världen när det gäller att redovisa hållbarhet. Flertalet företag i Sverige har börjat implementera GRI som ett verktyg för att förstärka hållbarhetsredovisningen och förbättra kommunikationen med intressenterna. Studien avser att undersöka fördelar och utmaningar som svenska statliga företag upplever vid implementeringen och användningen av GRI-riktlinjerna i hållbarhetsredovisningen. Metod: I denna studie har en kvalitativ metod med en induktiv forskningsansats tillämpats, som innefattar empirisk datainsamling från sju semistrukturerade intervjuer med svenska statliga bolag i olika branscher. Efter kodning och tematisering av det empiriska materialet har resultatet sedan analyserats och tolkats mot tidigare forskning. Resultat och analys samt slutsats: Trots frånvaron av exakt lagstiftning väljer företagofta att anpassa sig till externa riktlinjer såsom GRI. GRI-ramverket ökar transparensen och förbättrar företagens trovärdighet och legitimitet. Däremot inkluderar utmaningarna resurskrävande rapportering och risk för att fokusera för mycket på kriterier i stället för på verkliga förbättringar, vilket kräver anpassning för att möta företagens specifika behov inför CSRD. Studiens bidrag: Studien bidrar till att redogöra för hur företag upplevt implementeringen och användningen av GRI som ramverk. Dessutom ger studien konkreta slutsatser och rekommendationer baserat på erfarenheter och insikter som företagen erhållit genom användningen av GRI i hållbarhetsredovisningen. Förslag till fortsatt forskning: För att få en bredare förståelse av GRI hade det varit intressant att undersöka andra företag, som inte är statliga och verksamma i S, Title: Implementation of GRI Standards and Guidelines: Benefits and Challenges in Sustainability Reporting. Level: Student thesis, final assignment for Bachelor Degree in Business Administration. Author: Sofia Ivarsson and Sofie Skalberg. Supervisor: Jean Claude Mutiganda. Date: 2024 - january. Aim: Scandinavia occupies a prominent position globally in sustainability reporting. Many companies in Sweden have started to implement GRI as a tool to strengthen their sustainability reporting and improve communication with their stakeholders. The study aims to examine benefits and challenges that Swedish state-owned companies experience when implementing and using the GRI guidelines in sustainability reporting. Method: In this study, a qualitative method with an inductive research approach has been applied, which includes empirical data collection from seven semi-structured interviews with Swedish state-owned companies in various industries. After coding and thematizing the empirical material, the results have been analyzed and interpreted against previous research. Results and analysis and conclusion: Despite the absence of precise legislation, companies often choose to adapt to external guidelines such as GRI. The GRI framework increases transparency, improves companies' credibility and legitimacy. However, challenges include resource-intensive reporting and the risk of focusing too much on criteria instead of real improvements, requiring adaptation to meet the specific needs of companies ahead of CSRD. Contribution of the thesis: The study contributes to an account of how companies experienced the implementation and use of GRI as a framework. In addition, the study provides concrete conclusions and recommendations based on the experiences and insights that companies have gained through the use of GRI in sustainability reporting. Suggestions for future research: In order to gain a broader understanding of GRI, it would have been interesting to explore other companies, be

This editorial establishes the context for our special issue, devoted to exploring CO2 allocation and equity considerations within the framework of China's ambitions for carbon neutrality. As the world's largest greenhouse gas emitter, China has made a pivotal development in mitigating climate change efforts with its commitment to achieving carbon neutrality by 2060. This collection of 16 diverse papers delves into recent advancements, challenges, and thematic explorations related to carbon dioxide emissions, providing a holistic analysis of the allocation mechanisms and the critical balance between equity and efficiency. The contributions, which span a wide range of disciplines, collectively reveal the nuances of integrating economic growth, social justice, and environmental stewardship in China's transition to a sustainable, low -carbon future. The editorial not only synthesizes the key insights from the included papers but also frames the overarching narrative, highlighting the significance of collaborative and equitable approaches in achieving China's carbon neutrality targets.

Transportation-related emissions in Pakistan have been rapidly increasing in recent years. This study aims to determine how important it is to electrify road transportation in Pakistan to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from the transportation sector. Motivated by the need to tackle the growing environmental issues related to conventional fuel-powered automobiles, this research explores the application of electrification techniques in the context of Pakistan’s transportation system. During the 2019 fiscal year, the transportation industry in Pakistan consumed 23 × 106 tonnes of energy from the burning of fossil fuels and produced 52.9 × 106 metric tons of CO2, which made up 31% of the country’s total carbon emissions. In this research, different scenarios, such as business as usual, low carbon, strengthen low carbon, and Pakistan National Electric Vehicle Policy 2040, are evaluated for the transportation sector of the country. Using the LEAP model, this study projects the effects of electrification on Pakistan road transportation over 30 years. When estimating how electrification will affect road transportation in Pakistan over the next 30 years, several factors were taken into account, including policy frameworks, changing consumer behavior, technology advancements, and infrastructure improvements. The analysis covered the emission levels, adoption hurdles, and possible advantages of transitioning to electric vehicles (EVs). The outcomes illustrate that adopting EVs can produce substantial drops in fuel consumption and environmental emissions, providing a sustainable solution to mitigate global warming. This work is directly associated with various Sustainable Development Goals, including SDG3 (good health and well-being), SDG7 (affordable and clean energy), and SDG13 (climate action). The results of this study highlight the considerable potential for GHG reduction associated with the widespread adoption of EVs, offering crucial insights to stakeholders and p

This report is part of the research project Electric Material Handling, which aims to develop fossil- and emission-free system solution demonstrations of non-road mobile machinery while maintaining productivity and customer acceptance. The report includes the life cycle assessments made by Linköping University, presenting the estimated environmental impacts of the system solutions of electrified machines in two applications. The project is financed by Vinnova (project no. 2021-01787), and the project coordinator is Volvo Construction Equipment (VCE). Besides the authors, Niklas Lindblom, Bobbie Frank och Richard Alm (VCE) have also contributed to the progress of the work presented in this report., Review:The report has been reviewed by representatives of the company in the project.

Dag&Nät

Samtliga 187 myndigheter som omfattas av förordning (2009:907) om miljöledning i statliga myndigheter har rapporterat 2023 års miljöledningsarbete till Naturvårdsverket. Denna redovisning utgör Naturvårdsverkets sammanfattning av myndigheternas rapporter. Myndigheter har fortsatt att mötas digitalt och regelbundet arbeta på distans efter omställningen i arbetssätt som ägde rum under covid-19-pandemin, främst åren 2020 och 2021. Viss utsläppsstatistik för år 2023 jämförs därför med 2019, som kan ses som det senaste mest jämförbara året innan pandemin. De sammanlagda rapporterade utsläppen av koldioxid år 2023 är cirka 412 000 ton. Av detta står kategorin maskiner och övriga fordon för cirka 310 000 ton. Resten utgörs av utsläpp från tjänsteresor, vilka ökade med 13 procent från år 2022 till totalt 102 000 ton koldioxid år 2023. Trots ökningen är dessa utsläpp 27 procent lägre än utsläppen från tjänsteresor år 2019. Den största faktiska ökningen har långa flygresor men även dessa utsläpp ligger på en lägre nivå än år 2019. Antalet digitala möten som rapporterades för år 2023 är 9,3 miljoner, vilket är en minskning med 20 procent jämfört med 2022, men drygt dubbelt så många som rapporterades år 2019, året innan pandemin. Resultatet för år 2023 kan indikera en ny normalnivå för antalet digitala möten. Den rapporterade totala energianvändningen år 2023 är på samma nivå som år 2022, knappt 2,6 TWh. Kategorierna fastighetsel och värme har minskat, två respektive fyra procent. Myndigheter rapporterar att energibesparingsåtgärder har haft positiv effekt. Kategorin verksamhetsel har ökat med sju procent jämfört med år 2022. Personalens återgång till kontoren efter pandemin nämns som en orsak. Det totala rapporterade upphandlingsvärdet år 2023 för samtliga myndigheter är 149 miljarder kronor vilket är en ökning med 23 miljarder kronor från år 2022. Upphandlingar med ställda miljökrav utgjorde 90 procent av det totala upphandlingsvärdet, en marginell ökning sedan år 2022. Resul, Titel på omslaget: Miljöledning i staten 2023 : En redovisning

This project has targeted utilisation of infrastructure for organic waste treatment in Sweden, in particular sewage sludge, to achieve increased production of high-value materials and energy carriers, reduced use of primary resources, and improved economic performance. We have investigated the sewage sludge management system as a socio-technical system facing a change, with integral connections to the energy and waste systems. In conclusion, there is no silver bullet for the future of sewage sludge management. Indeed, it would have to be a full clip of silver bullets, as we found that a mishmash of different barriers –technical, economic, legal, and related to public perception – creates uncertainty that hinders progress regarding both sustainable long-term strategies and technological advancement. The Swedish sewage sludge management is largely fragmented, highlighting the need to shift directionto a more holistic approach. This can help actors address common issues rather than focussing solely on activity-specific problems. Introducing new legislation could be a key step, as the current specific legislation on sewage sludge has a seemingly insignificant role for today’s sludge management, compared to other legislation and the voluntary certification. We have formulated six overall research highlights, to outline both published results and meta-conclusions based on combined insights. Each highlight is described separately in this report., SMart Avfallsbehandling i Cirkulär eKonomi (SMACK) (Smart waste treatment in the circular economy)

Nefco, the Nordic Green Bank's Annual Report for 2023 includes the Report of the Board, the Financial Report and Impact Report. Nefco is an international financial institution (IFI) that finances the initial scale-up of Nordic green solutions on international markets. Founded in 1990 by the five Nordic countries, we serve the interestsof our owners, Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway and Sweden, support globally set environmental and climate targets and take concrete actions to accelerate the shift to green.

Nopef, the Nordic Project Fund, provides financial support for feasibility studies aimed at international establishments and implementation of commercial pilots and demonstrations of green solutions. The funding is intended for small and medium-sized companies (SMEs) based in the Nordic countries. Read more about Nopef activities and results in 2023.

På senare tid har intresset ökat för att bevara biologisk mångfald även i stadsmiljöer. Målet att bevara urban biologisk mångfald kommer dock i konflikt med andra målsättningar, exempelvis att förtäta städer för att inte expandera på jordbruksmark eller annan värdefull mark. Denna rapport diskuterar utifrån olika etiska perspektiv vilka argument det finns för att bevara urban biologisk mångfald och hur man ska hantera de målkonflikter som kan uppkomma.

Despite scientific consensus on climate change, climate denial is still widespread. While much research has characterised climate denial, comparatively fewer studies have systematically examined how to counteract it. This review fills this gap by exploring the research about counteracting climate denial, the effectiveness and the intentions behind intervention. Through a systematic selection and analysis of 65 scientific articles, this review finds multiple intervention forms, including education, message framing and inoculation. The intentions of intervening range from changing understanding of climate science, science advocacy, influencing mitigation attitudes and counteracting vested industry. A number of divergent findings emerge: whether to separate science from policy; the disputed effects of emotions and the longitudinal impacts of interventions. The review offers guiding questions for those interested in counteracting denialism, the answers to which indicate particular strategies: identify the form of climate denial; consider the purpose of intervention and recognise one's relationship to their audiences.

The olive oil sector stands as an important industry in Spanish agriculture. It generates substantial biomass throughout its production cycle, presenting both challenges and opportunities for biomass and sustainable management. This thesis explores the valorization of olive oil biomass through pyrolysis and biochar technology, focusing on its potential applications within the Spanish context. A comprehensive literature review was conducted to evaluate current biomass utilization practices and previous investigations on biomass valorization technologies. The review highlights that olive biomass is commonly used for electricity and thermal energy production. This insight underscores the need for innovative approaches to biomass management to enhance sustainability and resource efficiency in the olive oil sector. This study collected and gathered previous investigations, combining both quantitative and qualitative data to evaluate current biomass generation and utilization practices with a specific emphasis on Andalusian County. Quantitative data from various studies provided insights into biomass production volumes and applications, while qualitative analyses highlighted the benefits and limitations of current practices. The research synthesized findings from multiple sources to illustrate the potential of the biomass for pyrolysis technology and the suitability of the olive biomass for biochar generation. The study concludes that pyrolysis stands as a promising technology for converting olive biomass into valuable products like biochar, syngas, and bio-oil. This technology contributes to energy generation, improves soil health, and helps mitigate climate impacts by adding biochar into the soil. However, the effective implementation of pyrolysis requires addressing biomass composition variability and logistical challenges. The adoption of pyrolysis aligns with sustainability initiatives and regional strategic plans to enhance agricultural resilience and sustainability

Detta examensarbete utformar rekommendationer för återbruk vid lokalanpassningar ur ett fastighetsägarperspektiv. Befintlig forskning har huvudsakligen fokuserat på övergripande drivkrafter och hinder för att påbörja återbruksarbete, utan att beakta hur detta arbete ska fortskrida och etableras i fastighetsägares affärsstrukturer. Därmed initieras detta examensarbete, genom att jämföra fastighetsbranschens övergripande uppfattning om återbruk, tillsammans med en djupgående undersökning av ett enskilt fall och dess ingående aktörers inställning. Genom att utgå från de unika förutsättningarna i det enskilda fallet och den generella uppfattningen hos återbruksaktörer presenteras rekommendationer för hur fastighetsägare bör navigera mellan de hinder och möjligheter som finns kopplade till återbruk. Examensarbetet baseras på litteraturstudie, intervjustudie och klimatberäkningar, vilka utforskar återbruk på en generell nivå och specifikt inom fastighetsbranschen. Intervjustudien involverar både aktörer inom branschen i stort samt specifika aktörer inom det enskilda fallet. Resultaten visar på tydliga strukturella utmaningar och brist på incitament för återbruk. Samtidigt identifieras en betydande potential för fastighetsägare att driva förändringen mot en mer cirkulär ekonomi. Analysen visar att det är av största vikt att utvärdera beslut inom lokalanpassningsprojekt med långsiktighet och systemperspektiv i fokus. Återbruk bör därmed ses som ett av många verktyg att uppnå mer hållbara lokaler inom fastighetsbranschen, i stället för en lösning som alltid ska appliceras oavsett förutsättningar. Trots att återbruk kräver gemensamma insatser från hela värdekedjan, spelar fastighetsägare en avgörande roll i att driva denna utveckling framåt. Vidare är det viktigt att värdera klimatmässiga, ekonomiska, tekniska och estetiska parametrar noggrant vid beslutsfattande. Enligt klimatberäkningarna är komfortmodul, installationsgolv och innertak de komponenter med störst klimatbespar, This thesis presents recommendations for the reuse of premises, with a specific emphasis on the perspective of property owners. The study involves a comparative analysis between the broader industry perspective on reuse and a singular case study, including the attitudes of its stakeholders. Based on the unique conditions of the individual case and the general perception of involved actors, recommendations are presented on how property owners should navigate between the obstacles and opportunities associated with reuse. The recommendations are customized to address the specific circumstances of the individual case while aligning with the prevailing industry sentiment. The thesis is based on a literature review, an interview study and climate calculations, which explore reuse both on a general level and specifically in the real estate sector. The interview study engages actors from the broader industry as well as specific actors within the studied case. Findings reveal significant structural challenges and a notable absence of incentives for embracing reuse practices. Concurrently, the research underscores a significant opportunity for property owners to drive the transition towards a more circular economy. The primary finding emphasizes the importance of evaluating reuse decisions from a long-term and systemic approach. Reuse should thus be seen as one of many tools to achieve more sustainable premises in the real estate sector, rather than a solution that should always be applied regardless of conditions. While collaboration across the entire value chain is essential for successful reuse initiatives, property owners are uniquely positioned to drive this transformative agenda forward. Furthermore, decisions must be informed by considerations spanning climatic impact, economic viability, technical feasibility, and aesthetic outcomes. Notably, climate calculations for the individual case highlight that components such as the comfort module, installation floor, and cei

The growing need for climate mitigation solutions has contributed so thatbiochar has gained significant interest. Primary for its ability as a carbon sinkbut there is also a growing interest due to several other aspects within industriese.g. substitution effects, increased resource efficiency, an enabler forindustrial symbiosis, and its beneficial properties when put in soil that can increasegrowth. Previous studies of biochar have been dominant within the environmentalperspective of biochar, analyzing detailed characteristics of its propertiesand carbon sink potential. Some studies have a holistic perspective reflectingon countries specific energy mix and the different benefits of producingbiochar. However, previous studies are far too few to determine the value-chainof biochar. Hence previous studies have knowledge gaps within the holistic lifecycle approach from a provider or customer perspective of biochar, not reflectingon demand for quality requirements in different utilization areas and markets.The need for validation of the environmental and the economic performanceof biochar has to be established, and the economic perspective of biochar hasmajor knowledge gaps since previous studies are scarce. The study aims to establish the value-chain of biochar by evaluating theenvironmental, economic, and social perspectives through life cycle thinking.The core of the study is to distinguish value, which first has to reflect thebiochar quality requirements from providers and customers, captured throughinterviews and literature research. The quality requirements enable a goal forproducing biochar and determine what processes and biomass are needed fordifferent markets. This is evaluated through a case development which considersthe different quality requirements. Life cycle assessment (LCA) with acradle-to-grave perspective and life cycle costing (LCC) with a cradle-to-gatewere then used to distinguish biochar´s environmental and economic performance. The interviews and

Purpose: This study explores circular business models from the perspective of distributors, focusing on how they can create, deliver, and capture value within circular supply chains. Method: This study is an exploratory case study of a leading Nordic distributor. Qualitative data were gathered through 36 interviews conducted in three phases with the distributor, six customers, and six suppliers. Thematic analysis was utilized to analyze the data. Findings: The results indicates that there are multiple activities distributors can conduct to create, deliver, and capture value in a circular business model. Distributors can create value through these activities: create awareness, curate and develop products, ensure compliance with legislation and coordinate partnerships. Distributors can deliver value by manage transportation, manage warehouse logistics, provide reused, refurbished, and repaired products, provide rental and leasing models, offer service agreements, and recycle products and materials. Distributors can capture value by evaluate investments and costs, create pricing strategies, implement additional revenue streams, and manage warranties. Managerial implications: The result of this thesis concretizes activities that distributors can incorporate within a CBM regarding circular value creation, circular value delivery and circular value capture. The activities are either categorized as unique for distributors or activities that can be managed either by distributors or other parties such as suppliers, customers, or a third party. Distributors should execute activities unique for distributors within a CBM to contribute to a CSC. Furthermore, distributors can execute activities that are not unique for distributors when applicable and determined favorable for their CBM. Additionally, the listed activities concern different departments at distributors including sustainability, sales, purchasing, logistics, and management. The different departments should bear respo

Detta arbete fokuserar på underhållets påverkan på hållbara produktionssystem. Hållbarhet har växt i betydelse och blivit ett centralt ämne globalt. Företag över hela världen arbetar med att effektivisera sina produktionssystem samtidigt som de effektiviserar sina system för att uppnå hållbarhetsmål.Underhållet av produktionsanläggningar är en kritisk faktor för att nå dessa mål och olika underhållsstrategier spelar en nyckelroll i att säkerställa produktivitet, hållbarhet och tillförlitlighet i produktionssystemet. Även om tidigare forskning har berört både underhåll och hållbarhet saknas omfattande förståelse och kunskap till sambandet mellan dessa områden. Därför är syftet med detta arbete att analysera och förstå hur olika underhållsstrategier inom företag påverkar och bidrar till hållbara produktionssystem. Genom att utforska hur dessa strategier kan främja miljövänliga och ekonomiskt hållbara produktionsmetoder får vi en djupare insikt i hur företag kan balansera hållbarhetsmål med prestanda i sin verksamhet. Frågeställningarna för arbetet formulerades följande: Hur påverkas ett produktionssystem av underhåll? och Vilken roll spelar underhållsstrategier i att främja en övergång till mer hållbara produktionssystem? Forskningen använde en deduktiv metod med en grundlig litteraturstudie som baserades på tidigare forskning och vetenskapliga artiklar. En kvalitativ metod användes också för empirisk datainsamling genom en enkät som distribuerades till företag. Genom att integrera hållbarhetsaspekter i underhållsarbetet kan företag minimera resursanvändning, utsläpp och avfall samtidigt som de optimerar effektiviteten, pålitligheten och livslängden hos sin utrustning. Detta möjliggör övergången till mer hållbara produktionsmetoder och resulterar i både ekonomiska och miljömässiga fördelar., This study focuses on the impact of maintenance on sustainable production systems. Sustainability has grown in importance and become a central topic globally. Companies worldwide are working to streamline their production systems while striving to achieve sustainability goals. Maintenance of production facilities is a critical factor in reaching these goals, and various maintenance strategies play a key role in ensuring productivity, sustainability, and reliability in production systems. Although previous research has addressed both maintenance and sustainability, there is still a lack of comprehensive understanding and knowledge about the relationship between these areas. Therefore, the purpose of this work is to analyze and understand how different maintenance strategies within companies affect and contribute to sustainable production systems. By exploring how these strategies can promote environmentally friendly and economically sustainable production methods, we gain deeper insight into how companies can balance sustainability goals with performance in their operations. The research questions formulated for this work are as follows: How is a production system affected by maintenance? and What role do maintenance strategies play in promoting a transition to more sustainable production systems? The research utilized a deductive method with a thorough literature review based on previous research and scientific articles. A qualitative method was also used for empirical data collection through a survey distributed to companies. By integrating sustainability aspects into maintenance work, companies can minimize resource use, emissions, and waste while optimizing the efficiency, reliability, and lifespan of their equipment. This enables a transition to more sustainable production methods and results in both economic and environmental benefits.

Purpose: The purpose of this study is to explore the collaboration strategies used by TPLs within their supply chain, providing insights to promote sustainable practices in logistics and transportation. Research questions: How can third-party logistics companies engage in collaborative efforts within their supply chains to promote sustainability? How do collaborative sustainability efforts within supply chains impact the competitive advantage of third-party logistics companies? What challenges do TPLs companies encounter when integrating collaborative sustainability strategies within their supply chains? Method: The research approach used in this paper is a case study. The research questions are answered by using qualitative data through interviews, document review and observations as data collection methods. Findings: The study’s findings present collaboration strategies and challenges for freight forwarders and their customers in the context of sustainability. The main findings are that long-term collaborations, combined with the use of technology and mutual trust, are key in integrating sustainability. Delimitations: The success rate of the strategies will not be studied or mentioned. Regarding sustainability strategies, the focus will be on the environmental aspect with no emphasis on economic and social dimensions. The thesis will predominantly explore factors pertaining to sustainability actions through fuel usage, organizational structure, customer communication and leadership dynamics. Other topics will not be explored further. Keywords: TPL, logistics, horizontal collaboration, information sharing, supply chain management, sustainability, supply chain integration

In the electronics industry, several greenhouse gases (GHGs) are used as process gases in manufacturing processes. The organization RF360 as a Qualcomm Inc. subsidiary is using GHGs as input gases in the manufacturing processes dry etching, Chemical Vapor Deposition (CVD) and trimming in the fabrication plant in Munich.The estimation of GHG emissions from the use of process gases under Scope 1 requires a global and comprehensive approach to determine emission sources. This work provides the basis for the GHG emission estimation from process gas use under consideration of the 2019 Refinement to the 2006 IPCC Guidelines for National Greenhouse Gas Inventories. Dry etching and CVD process GHG emissions arecalculated using the Tier 2c method with process specific default emission factors. The process GHG emissions from trimming are characterized under Tier 3a, by determination of site-specific process emission factors. These emission factors are obtained from FTIR measurements in the inline. The measurement results show the input gas NF3 is largely not converted or destroyed in the trimming process. The total GHG emissions resulting from process gas use in the considered processes are determined by emissions of NF3, CF4 and N2O. The implementation and improvement of the approach requires further measurements of site-specific emission factors in the processes and Destruction Removal Efficiencies of the abatement systems.

Evaluation should be part of the sustainable transition, but the transformational power of evaluation is limited by a short-term focus. This article explores long-term issues, according to evaluation practitioners, when evaluating the consequences of an initiative. A survey (n = 282) followed by discussions with 12 evaluators investigates what is long term in evaluations of impacts and outcomes, and why it is included or not. The results identify 2 to 5 years after the implementation of an initiative as the most common long-term timeframe. The main challenges to including long-term perspectives are missing data, attribution difficulties, and the lack of resources. The main motivations are discovering particular causalities, incorporating contextual elements, and answering the demands of other actors involved in the evaluation. These findings have implications for the transformational power of evaluation: despite challenges and a long-term timeframe that is rather short compared to sustainable development issues, practitioners are positive toward long-term integration.

In this study, we critically examine the potential of recycled construction materials, focusing on how these materials can significantly reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and energy usage in the construction sector. By adopting an integrated approach that combines Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) and Material Flow Analysis (MFA) within the circular economy framework, we thoroughly examine the lifecycle environmental performance of these materials. Our findings reveal a promising future where incorporating recycled materials in construction can significantly lower GHG emissions and conserve energy. This underscores their crucial role in advancing sustainable construction practices. Moreover, our study emphasizes the need for robust regulatory frameworks and technological innovations to enhance the adoption of environmentally responsible practices. We encourage policymakers, industry stakeholders, and the academic community to collaborate and promote the adoption of a circular economy strategy in the building sector. Our research contributes to the ongoing discussion on sustainable construction, offering evidence-based insights that can inform future policies and initiatives to improve environmental stewardship in the construction industry. This study aligns with the European Union's objectives of achieving climate-neutral cities by 2030 and the United Nations' Sustainable Development Goals outlined for completion by 2030. Overall, this paper contributes to the ongoing dialogue on sustainable construction, providing a fact-driven basis for future policy and initiatives to enhance environmental stewardship in the industry.

Background Considering resource limitations and greenhouse gas emissions (GHG), the assessment of product health at the component level presents an opportunity to better strategize end-of-life (EoL) options by adopting circular thinking. The assessment of remaining useful life at the individual component level during the EoL stage facilitates the reuse of healthy components and recycling. Additionally, realizes the resource recovery objective of the circular economy (CE) while moving up in the waste hierarchy. Purpose To develop a diagnostic tool to realize the potential of reuse and recycling at the component level at EoL stage, designed for complex tasks. Approach (see poster full text) Outcomes Through reusing the healthy components directly, the possible reduction involves: Additional GHG emission of recycling stage (transportation, melting, forging etc.). Additional resources utilization i.e. electricity, water etc. Through recycling the unhealthy components, the possible reduction involves: Additional GHG emission of component production through virgin material (transportation, raw material purification, melting, forging etc.). Use of landfills It increases resource efficiency, GHG mitigation potential, reduces landfills and contributes to UN’s Climate Action goal (SDG 13). Future work Development of an artificial intelligence (AI) aided individual component health assessment tool to assist industry-level operation economically. Cradle to cradle assessment to calculate the resource recovery, GHG mitigation, and financial benefits attractive to industries, specifically high complexity products., Hybrid conference.

As scholars race to address the climate crisis, they have often treated the problem as sui generis and have only rarely sought to learn from prior efforts to make industrial operations greener. In this paper, we consider what can be learned from other shifts away from polluting substances. Drawing on literatures on corporate regulatory strategies and evolving regulatory interactions, we argue for a focus on configurations of regulatory scrutiny and industrial reform, which we then consider through case studies of several major industrial pollutants. We consider the phaseout of ozone-depleting substances, which has often been cited as a model for mitigating climate change, plus three other cases: per- and polyfluorinated alkyl substances (PFAS), leaded fuel, and mercury. We highlight four configurations of regulatory scrutiny and industrial reform: (1) progressive substitution (of ozone-depleting substances); (2) regrettable substitution (in the first waves of PFAS regulation); (3) knock-on substitution (in the phaseout of leaded fuel); and (4) narrow substitution (in the case of mercury). These configurations, and the processes that generated them, provide novel lenses for understanding climate mitigation and confronting obstructionism. They point to the diversity of positions that corporate actors may take in the face of potential or actual public regulation, and the possibility of notable divides across and within given industries, which can facilitate meaningful reforms.

The automotive industry is the world’s largest manufacturing activity, characterized by complex productionprocesses and some energy-intense processes which use a significant quantity of raw materials. The production processes responsible for the highest energy end-use take place in the paint shop. Depending on the type of paintshop processes, the energy use can account for up to 75 % of the plant’s total energy end-use. This study aims to contribute to an enhanced understanding of the complexity of adopting decarbonization measures and to provide support for planning and decision-making in practice. By adopting a bottom-up perspective, a longitudinal case study was conducted on a state-of-the-art automotive paint-shop between November 2019 and March 2023. To achieve the study’s aim, a bottom-up methodology was developed comprising several steps: i) analysis of decarbonization measures, ii) mapping of process energy use and CO2 emissions, and iii) economic analysis. The data-based methodology is flexible and can be applied in different automotive paint-shops. Main findings show that i) incremental energy efficiency measures have the fastest adoption level, with relatively high savings potential,and most of these are cost effective; ii) radical process innovation measures have a higher savings potential, but long-term adoption levels due to the radical innovations required in the supply chain, and the highly specialized knowledge needed in the pre-treatment process; and iii) the primary drivers for implementing the measures are to achieve the climate targets and establish a leading position in the sector, rather than focusing primarily on the cost-effectiveness of the measures., Funding Agencies|Graduate School in Energy Systems (FoES) - Swedish Energy Agency; Sweden's innovation agency (VINNOVA), Towards a theory of energy management through contrasting case studies from the shipping and the manufacturing sectors, Konsekvenser av Science based targets (SBT) för att skapa ett hållbart och energieffektivt måleri - Förstudie, Klimateffektivt och cirkulärt måleri

Climate change is a serious contemporary issue around the world. Adolescents are mostly affected due to climate change. Thus, they are expected to behave in an environmentally appropriate manner, which requires the identification of factors influencing pro-sustainable behavior/pro-environmental behavior. The literature offers a wide range of factors influencing adolescents’ pro-sustainable behavior; nonetheless, these factors are not provided with some common themes. Furthermore, no study integrates dispersed research of the area with a comprehensive systematic review. With this consideration, a systematic review was carried out to find comprehensive factors influencing the pro-sustainable behavior of adolescents. For the review, all 21 interdisciplinary studies on factors influencing adolescents' ecological behavior, published between 2010 and 2023 and indexed in Scopus and Web of Science, were analyzed. The analysis revealed that the number of studies in the area increased after 2020, especially in developed countries, and most studies utilized quantitative research methods. The identified key factors influencing adolescents’ pro-environmental behavior are categorized into demographic, internal, and external factors. The findings can be helpful for future researchers to have rigorous discourse on the issue and expand the research in developing countries using mixed methods research. The policy maker can use findings to motivate adolescents to participate in climate change mitigation., CC BY 4.0Rajna Knez, rajna.knez@his.seOpen access funding provided by University of Skövde.

The escalating demand for sustainable business practices underscores the necessity of identifying and adopting innovative solutions tailored for enduring success. This study probes the critical questions of what distinguishes certain entrepreneurs as frontrunners in implementing sustainable solutions and how their practices can serve as blueprints for widespread adaptation. The gap this research addresses hinges on a detailed understanding of the mechanisms through which these entrepreneurs’ commitment to sustainability catalyzes broader organizational and cultural changes. Employing a qualitative case study methodology, in-depth interviews were conducted with six entrepreneurs renowned for their pioneering sustainability initiatives. The findings illuminate commonalities among these leaders, including a profound interest in sustainability issues and the courage to pioneer novel, sustainable practices. Their enthusiasm effectively permeates their respective organizations, fostering an environment ripe for continual sustainable evolution. The study contributes significantly to the literature by elucidating how personal commitment in leadership can translate into comprehensive organizational change, setting a new benchmark for sustainability in organizational practices. Furthermore, it provides practical implications by showcasing that sustainable development is an ethical imperative and a viable strategic approach that can enhance competitiveness and stakeholder engagement. The recommendations in this study advocate for businesses to cultivate leadership qualities that champion sustainability, encourage cultural shifts towards sustainable practices, and develop robust frameworks for sustainability integration across all operational levels.

Owing to the significant amounts produced each year, food waste is a critical issue that affects the economy, society, and environment. An estimated US$ 1 trillion food is wasted annually because of the supply chain and harvesting processes, which lose around one-third of the net production. This significant loss has sparked global concern, there is an urgent need for sustainable approaches to reduce food waste or to propose an economical route for its utilization. Major concerns associated with its improper management include environmental degradation and the exacerbation of greenhouse gases. This review provides a comprehensive understanding of the recent advances in measures to minimize food waste (FW) and its chemical and biotransformation into valuable products. Food waste comprises mainly carbohydrates, proteins, and oils; the former two components are commonly used as microbial feedstock, leaving behind the residual oil fraction which poses a greater environmental risk. Microbial transformation of these hydrophobic materials present in food waste into value-added products proves to be a sustainable and economical strategy. Thus, this study proposes an integrated biorefinery strategy for holistic valorization of FW, whereby all its components were used to produce value-added compounds such as biofuels, bioplastics, nutraceuticals, and biomaterials using microbial biocatalysis. Compared to conventional methods, an integrated biorefinery will be more sustainable and uplift the microbial processes by switching from ‘pure’ to food waste-derived substrates and thereby pave ways to achieve ‘green’ transition., Validerad;2024;Nivå 2;2024-07-02 (joosat);Full text license: CC BY

To achieve a closed nutrient cycle and more sustainable food production, enhanced nutrient recycling in the agri-food system is a necessity. Pyrolysis is an emerging technology to recycle the nutrient content of sewage sludge. The produced biochar can be used to reduce the need for mineral fertilizers; in addition, pyrolysis can also handle potential pollutants such as microplastics and pathogens present in sewage sludge. In this research, a life cycle assessment (LCA) was carried out to determine the environmental impact of sewage sludge pyrolysis as an alternative to current practices of two different cases of sewage sludge treatment in two municipalities in Sweden. The results indicated that avoiding mineral fertilizer production by using biochar has a significant influence on the environmental benefits. Furthermore, it showed that an integrated system of anaerobic digestion followed by pyrolysis could perform as the most environmental-friendly option for sewage sludge treatment with a lower risk of transferring pollution to the soil.

This is a brief but focused literature review of articles centered around pyrolysis and hydrothermal carbonization (HTC) using various feedstocks, including residues from industries, agriculture, and landfill waste. The deployment of bio-wastes will be the cornerstone of circular bio-economies in the future. The main emphasis is on gleaning how these two technologies can contribute to a sustainable circular (bio) economy, by understanding the process parameters influencing the quality, type and quantity of the final output. HTC and pyrolysis, it may be undeniably stated, can support the progress towards a clutch of sustainable development goals (SDGs), as they operate right at the confluence of solid waste management and renewable energy production. As mentioned in many of the articles reviewed in this paper, a high process temperature usually results in higher yields of bio-oil and biogas/pyrogas (and thereby less biochar), implying a higher energy recovery. HTC trumps pyrolysis on many counts – economy, energy-efficiency and product (hydrochar) quality. However, pyrolysis is a simpler method to regulate, and pyrochar, has a higher market value vis-à-vis hydrochar. While both these technologies generate valuable end-products regardless of the type of feedstock used; the articles reviewed clearly show that the feedstock does influence the quality of the output and thereby the application to which it can be directed. The review leads to recommendations for future research in collecting data and creating a model to in-vestigate various process parameters. Some of these recommendations are detailed comparative life cycle assessments (LCAs) to study the environmental impacts of technology-choices,, research into tailoring the optimal method and temperature to the feedstock deployed, and comprehensive forecast-based economic analysis of commercial-scale pyrolysis and HTC projects, are called for. As stated at the beginning, this is a brief review, which can also be expan

Metal cutting industry, a key sector in manufacturing, is grappling with the transition to a "net-zero industry" to mitigate climate change and reach sustainable practices. Rare and exclusive materials make recycling and reusing cutting tools more pressing and necessitate efficient circular material flows. The purpose of this research is to explore how collaboration can facilitate circularity in the cutting tool industry. It examines the involvement of stakeholders and their roles in achieving a circular lifecycle for cutting tools. To investigate the interaction between metal cutting tools suppliers and Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (SMEs), this study used a mixed-methods approach that includes data from literature, interviews, and document study. Empirical data is gathered to investigate the factors driving circularity and to identify important participants in the lifecycle of cutting tools. The study revealed challenges to the current situation including underutilization of tools due to the absence of a standardization process and subjective operator judgment, as well as lack of traceability of the tools both internally at SMEs and between the stakeholders. Moreover, by mapping the current actors, the study found cutting tool traceability, undirected decision-making throughout tool lifecycles, and limited awareness of circularity dimensions are key challenges. To handle these challenges. 9Rs circular economy framework used to investigate the possible role of collaboration emerges as a vital enabler for circularity, with SMEs playing a significant role. Moreover, the involvement of machine operators, often overlooked actors, is found to be crucial in influencing circular outcomes. Digital solutions and collaborative strategies that involve CNC machine suppliers and intermittent refurbishing business are pivotal in overcoming the challenges identified, namely, traceability and human subjectivity in tool condition assessment. The study demonstrates that technol, Full text license: CC BY-NC;ISBN for host publication: 978-1-64368-510-6, 978-1-64368-511-3

Achieving the Paris Agreement's global temperature goal of keeping warming well below 2 degrees C and ideally 1.5 degrees C requires limiting fossil fuel production. In the United Nations climate change negotiations, this need is only beginning to be acknowledged. Nevertheless, as some countries have already adopted supply-side climate policies, initial cooperative activities have started, and calls grow for a fossil fuel treaty, questions arise about the prospects and possible effects of international cooperation on limiting fossil fuel supply. Combining qualitative insights on possible participants in a supply-side coalition with a quantitative analysis based on integrated assessment general equilibrium modelling, this article addresses these questions. Through k-means clustering based on fossil reserves per capita, fossil fuel rents and existing supply-side policies, we first identify which (groups of) countries are most likely to lead the formation of an international supply-side coalition, and which (groups of) countries are likely to follow. Drawing on these insights, we develop several scenarios for the evolution of international supply-side coalitions and compare these to a business-as-usual scenario. By doing so, we demonstrate the global and regional environmental, trade and macroeconomic effects of international cooperation on limiting fossil fuel supply and combining fossil supply restrictions with carbon pricing to meet the Paris goals. Our findings underscore the importance of pursuing supply-side and ambitious demand-side climate policies in parallel, and identify the scope and coverage, size of the coalition, and incentives for participation as key design elements for an international supply-side coalition.

Circular value chains, driven by sustainability goals and resource efficiency, are now central in industrial strategies. Simultaneously, digital technologies transform business models and accelerate the shift towards circular economies. This paper explores circular material flow for the electrification of the vehicle fleet, focusing on the Lithium-ion battery value chain. In the paper, a conceptual model integrating digitalization is developed and evaluated to enhance efficiency and product innovation. The paper reviews the lithium-ion battery value chain literature and investigates digitalization potentials for circular business models. A conceptual model is presented in this study to represent the intricate relationship between each stage of the value chain and the concept of circularity while considering the carbon footprint and complexities associated with the implementation of digitalization., Full text license: CC BY-NC;ISBN for host publication: 978-1-64368-510-6, 978-1-64368-511-3

The number of vertical farms has been expanding rapidly in recent years to provide more resilient and sustainable global food provisioning closer to consumers. However, there is a lack of empirical evidence on whether vertical farms can provide sustainable sourcing of food. The purpose of this study is to assess the environmental performance of a modular cabinet vertical farm producing lettuce and basil on-site at the end-user. To assess the environmental performance of this system, a life cycle assessment (LCA) was conducted to determine the total impact of producing lettuce and basil on-site, i.e., a kitchen for an office cafeteria, and compare to conventional sourcing. The results from this study suggest that the modular vertical farm can provide crops with environmental impacts comparable to or less than conventionally sourced options. GHG emissions ranged from 0.78–1.18 kg CO2-eq per kg lettuce and from 1.45–2.12 kg CO2-eq per kg basil from on-site production. The ranges suggest that the environmental performance is sensitive to methodological choices and life cycle inventory (LCI) data choices. These include how to treat the infrastructure for the modular cabinet, as it is often rented as a growing-service system, in addition to the LCI data choices related to the source of electricity. In conclusion, under local conditions (i.e., Stockholm, Sweden) the modular vertical farm can produce lettuce with equivalent emissions and quality to imported lettuce, despite its high energy requirement. The findings and knowledge from this study add to the growing body of literature on vertical farming, providing empirical evidence on the sustainability of an on-site commercial cabinet-based vertical farm. Such information can be used for comparisons and validation of claims in the industry, and to provide empirical evidence to this developing field., QC 20240920

Digital technologies are widely recognised as crucial for promoting the circular economy in industry. However, there still needs for clearer guidance for industrial practitioners on properly using digital technologies to support the implementation of the circular economy. Further efforts are needed to characterise such a relationship better. This work conducts a systematic literature review aimed at understanding the nature and scope of the relationship by examining current knowledge at the intersection of the two domains, i.e. digital technologies and the circular economy. Specifically, the analysis focuses on identifying moderators and mediators of this relationship. About the former, the study discusses the relevance of management commitment, competencies, stakeholders and contextual factors; concerning the latter, the study discusses the relevance of supply chain integration and collaboration and examines in more detail the role of digital-enabled dynamic capabilities, given their promising relevance in the current debate. Based on the review, a research agenda is proposed with suggestions for future research directions on the relationship between digital technologies and the circular economy., QC 20240830