Search

Experimentation has been introduced as a potential means to overcome gaps between top-down led climate change policies and challenges related to the upscaling of grassroots innovations. In Finland, the current government programme emphasises the role of experimentation in sustainability transition and as a source for new growth. We carried out an exploratory study into the conditions that support experimentation and analysed the role of experiments in creating change, and the critical factors that determine the success of the experiments and their possibilities for upscaling. We drew our analyses from a selection of ten experiments aimed at mitigating climate change and improving resource efficiency. Experimentation scholars have identified similar success factors and barriers across different types of experiments, including economic viability, public funding, technological development, impact assessments, public policies and regulation as well as social aspects. Our results are in line with these findings, especially highlighting the significance of the social aspects as a crucial enabling factor. The monitoring of the sustainability performance of both successful and ended or failed experiments and communication about the impact of such experiments are important from a learning point of view. We conclude that the development of governance structures for experimentation requires further attention. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Companies have a central role in the transition towards more sustainable economic systems, as they are one of the major sources of environmental impacts, economic activity and social development. Various tools are available to support sustainability assessments, but there is little information on how suitable they are for company-level assessments and how companies use them in real-life applications. The article examines some of the commonly used tools and the utilisation of these tools in Finnish companies. A sample of seven tools was compiled: multi-criteria decision analysis (MCDA), material flow analysis, life cycle assessment (LCA), input–output models, sustainability indicators and indices, cost–benefit analysis (CBA) and optimisation methods. MCDA, LCA, CBA and optimisation methods were found to be successful with respect to many of the criteria used in the evaluation, but none of them was comprehensive. The assessment indicates that MCDA has the greatest potential to be successfully applied to support sustainability assessment, but solely applying MCDA is not suggested, since MCDA needs input from other tools and methods, in order to have reliable impact assessments. Finnish companies regularly employ sustainability criteria and indices, and a few construction companies had applied LCA, but utilisation of other tools was rare. The findings indicate that the tools frequently discussed in research are not actually used by companies. Expert-driven sustainability trials and user-friendly, simplified tools could be a solution to issues of accessibility in real-world applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Eco-efficiency and sustainable development are the key environmental topics and goals for today’s society that we should strive for in all activities, including contaminated soil management (CSM). However, particularly at the regional level, CSM is studied to a lesser extent from this perspective and practical means to monitor and assess sustainability or eco-efficiency are not widely available. This study aims to fill this gap by developing indicators to measure and monitor the development of regional eco-efficiency of CSM. The indicators can be used to support decision-making at the regional level since many CSM decisions, such as prioritisation of sites and the number of soil treatment and storing facilities, are made regionally. To start with, we surveyed the methods available for determining eco-efficiency and suitable indicators to monitor and measure the development of CSM regionally. We used life cycle analysis (LCA) and material flow analysis (MFA) to identify factors that the environmental indicators should cover, and also involved economic indicators. We ended up with a selection of 28 indicators, which can be classed into three different categories: background indicators, environmental indicators and economic indicators. We further demonstrated the use of the indicators by applying data from three different regions in Finland, and evaluated their suitability. On the basis of the results we recommended 15 indicators for continuous follow-up and decision-making purposes. Even though these indicators are suitable for monitoring and measuring the eco-efficiency of CSM at the regional level, unfortunately we found several data gaps related to the actual remediation projects which impede their use in practice. The data collection practices therefore need to be regionally developed. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

In Finland the number of potentially contaminated sites totals ca. 20 000. The annual costs of remediation are 60–70 million euros. Excavation combined with disposal or off-site treatment is the most common soil remediation method. To define which factors make contaminated land management (CLM) eco-efficient and to study whether eco-efficiency has been considered in CLM decisions we carried out a literature survey, two stakeholder seminars, thematic interviews and a questionnaire study on economic instruments. Generally speaking, eco-efficiency means gaining environmental benefits with fewer resources. To assess its realization in CLM, it is necessary to have a more specific definition. In our study, we arrived at a list of several qualifications for eco-efficiency. It was also shown that eco-efficiency has hardly been a real issue in the selection of remediation techniques or generally, in the decision-making concerning contaminated sites. The existing policy instruments seem to be insufficient to promote eco-efficiency in CLM. Several concrete barriers to eco-efficiency also came up, urgency and lack of money being the most important. The scarcity of the use of in situ remediation methods and the difficulties involved in recycling slightly contaminated or treated soil were considered to be major problems. Insufficient site studies, inadequate or unsuitable methods for risk assessment and cost evaluation, and deficient and mistimed risk communication can also hinder the realization of eco-efficiency. Hence, there is a need to promote the use of more eco-efficient remediation techniques and to develop CLM policy instruments, guidelines, and participatory processes and methods to assess the eco-efficiency of CLM options. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

In producing power, humans move the nutrients nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) from their long-term geological and biological stocks and release or emit them in soil, water, and the atmosphere. In Finland, peat combustion is an important driver of N and P fluxes from the environment to human economy. The flows of N and P in the Finnish energy system were quantified with partial substance flow analysis, and the driving forces of emissions of nitrogen oxides (NOx ) were analyzed using the ImPACT model. In the year 2000 in Finland, 140,000 tonnes of nitrogen entered the energy system, mainly in peat and hard coal. Combustion released an estimated 66,000 tonnes of N as nitrogen oxides (NOx ) and nitrous oxides (N2O) and another 74,000 tonnes as elemental N2. Most of the emissions were borne in traffic. At the same time, 6,000 tonnes of P was estimated to enter the Finnish energy system, mostly in peat and wood. Ash was mainly used in earth construction and disposed in landfills; thus negligible levels of P were recycled back to nature. During the twentieth century, fuel-borne input of N increased 20-fold, and of P 8-fold. In 1900-1950, the increasing use of hard coal slowly boosted N input, whereas wood fuels were the main carrier of P. Since 1970, the fluxes have been on the rise. NOx emissions leveled off in the 1980s, though, and then declined in conjunction with improvements in combustion technologies such as NOx removal (de-NOx ) technologies in energy production and catalytic converters in cars. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: In Finland, shooting ranges are among the most common activities causing soil contamination. According to our study based on questionnaires and previous regional surveys, the total number of Finnish outdoor shooting ranges is between 2000 and 2500. Most of the ranges are small and only ca. 5% exceed 20 ha. Almost a third of the ranges can cause a groundwater pollution risk, while only few cause an immediate health risk. In the first instance, 50–60 shooting ranges identified as being high-risk areas should be investigated in detail. At present, the risk management options at Finnish shooting ranges are very limited. Hence, soil excavation combined with disposal is the most common remediation technique. Some of the remediation methods used in other countries have been proven unsuitable in Finnish conditions. Therefore, new, feasible, cost-effective and economical remediation technologies are needed. To exclude future contamination, a total ban of lead shot would be the most effective way. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) are two elements contributing to many environmental problems, such as eutrophication, global change (N) and acidification (N). Mitigation of the negative environmental impacts caused by these nutrients requires understanding of their amounts and linkages through inputs and outputs of the different parts of the ecological and societal system. In this study, the stocks and flows of nitrogen and phosphorus in the Finnish food production and consumption system were identified and quantified. An average of each stock and flow was calculated for the period from 1995 to 1999. Total inputs to Finnish agricultural soil were estimated to be 276500tNa-1 and 48100tPa-1, whereas total outputs were approximately 223500tNa-1 and 24500tPa-1. These figures indicate a calculatory nutrient surplus of ca. 29kgNha-1a-1 and 13kgPha-1a-1 on agricultural land. Currently, the Finnish food production and consumption nutrient system is open, and significant nutrient, especially nitrogen, losses to waters, air and soil (landfills) occur in several parts of the system. Main losses occur during the agricultural production phase. Even if it would be technically and economically possible to return all the nutrients in municipal organic waste to the agricultural soil, these could only replace ca. 17% of the nutrients annually applied in agricultural soil in form of inorganic fertilizers. Other ways to improve nutrient use efficiency are discussed. These include quality control and quality assurance of the production systems and education of farmers to achieve similar yields with less nutrient inputs or smaller agricultural area. Environmental subsidy system may also encourage more efficient nutrient cycling. Several factors, including variation in nutrient concentrations and dry weights and possible inaccuracy of statistics, affect the calculations. Results from an uncertainty analysis indicated that soil inputs varied between 248400 and 311300tNa-1 and 43900 and 53200tPa-1. The outputs varied between 174200 and 303400tNa-1 and 21500 and 28300tPa-1. Uncertainties were particularly high for N largely related to the difficulties in estimating N2O emission and denitrification losses. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

In this paper, we present the flows of nitrogen and phosphorus in the Finnish forest industry and wood fuel consumption in 1995–1999. The input of nitrogen in wood to the industry was 27 300 tonnes per year and the input of phosphorus 3180 tonnes per year, on average. Despite the small amount of bark compared to wood material, the nutrient richness of the bark makes it an important factor for the flows. Furthermore, the chemicals used in the forest industrial processes play an important role: total input of N in various chemicals was approximately 19 100 tonnes and that of P 4500 tonnes, respectively. Although the Finnish forest industry has several features typical for industrial ecosystems, it can be argued that it constitutes an open cycle of nitrogen and phosphorus. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

The circular economy (CE) can be a driver for sustainability and CE can be promoted and supported by the creation of new and innovative business models, which embed CE principles into their value propositions throughout the value chains. This study focuses on the environmental value propositions of the CE business models. The term environmental value proposition refers here to an absolute value being a promise of environmental improvement, which a company provides to the environment by its impacts throughout the whole value chain. The aim of this study is to outline a framework for evaluating the environmental value propositions of CE business models. The framework consists of an environmental value propositions table (EVPT) and a step-by-step approach towards an evaluation process. The framework was tested in three CE business model cases. The outlined framework enables a better understanding of circular economy principles, combining them with the environmental value proposition. With the framework, companies can plan and design new CE business models or they can verify intended environmental benefits and analyse their contribution to sustainability. The biggest challenges, when applying the framework, were related to the estimation of environmental benefits gained from the environmental value propositions at the system level. In the future, intensive scientific work should concentrate on developing environmental assessment methods specifically for companies developing new CE business models. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The challenge to transform towards more sustainable societies requires action on multiple levels, including commercialisation of inventions created in universities. We examine intermediation in the pre-commercialisation phase of cleantech inventions developed at Aalto University, Finland, focusing on the activities of a university innovation intermediary, Aalto Centre for Entrepreneurship (ACE), and how it operationalises the sustainability aims of the university. The roles of ACE are discussed in the context of the university innovation ecosystem and through three cases of cleantech inventions. Surprisingly, we find that ACE does not include any ways to operationally integrate sustainability. The consideration of sustainability in commercialisation projects is case specific and fully dependent on other actors. As a result we propose people- and processoriented alternatives of how sustainability could be integrated into university innovation support functions. We also propose that innovation ecosystems should be broadened to include public actors for the benefits of co-creating for sustainability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

For the last ten years, the notion of a green economy has become increasingly attractive to policy makers. However, green economy covers a lot of diverse concepts and its links with sustainability are not always clear. In this article, we focus on definitions of green economy and related concepts and an evaluation of these concepts against the criterion of strong and weak sustainability. The article serves three purposes: Firstly, we identify and describe diverse theories, concepts, approaches and tools related to a “green economy”. Among these are the theories of environmental economics and ecological economics, the concepts and approaches of cleaner production, waste hierarchy, bio-economy, industrial ecology, circular economy, nature-based solutions, and dematerialization through product-servicizing, and tools like life cycle assessment, and cost-benefit analysis. Secondly, we develop a framework that shows the capacity of the green economy concepts, approaches and tools to support the transition towards sustainability. Such a framework can serve as a heuristic to embed diverse concepts and approaches into a green economy framework. Thirdly, we briefly discuss green economy concepts with respect to their impact on strong and weak sustainability. Depending on the different concepts, approaches and tools identified in the green economy framework, different degrees of substitutability and trade-offs between environmental and economic benefits are allowed, and more or less structural changes of our modes of living are required. By discussing the notion of green economy and related concepts, approaches and tools we seek to make a contribution to their definitions and relationships as a prerequisite for operationalizing green economy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Highlights: [•] International trade influences strongly on the development of local agriculture. [•] In Finland, both imports and exports of food related commodities have increased during 1961–2007. [•] Displacement of land use embodied in the trade of food products was studied. [•] Net displacement of land decreased during 1961–1990, but increased during 1991–2007. [•] The net displacement in 2007 remained at a lower level than it was in the early 1960s. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: The growing need to use biofuel raw materials that do not compete with food and feed have resulted in a growing interest in lignocellulosic materials and microalgae. However, the life cycle environmental benefits of both biofuels have been questioned. The aim of this study was to evaluate how environmental sustainability of forest-based and microalgae biodiesel can be estimated by using the life cycle assessment framework. These biofuel chains were chosen because they are contrasting systems, as the first one is based on a “natural” feedstock production system, while the second one is an entirely anthropogenic system using an artificial infrastructure and external inputs to grow microalgae. This study focuses on life cycle impact categories still under methodological development, namely resource depletion, land use and land use change, water use, soil quality impacts and biodiversity. In addition, climate impacts were quantified in order to exemplify the uncertainty of the results and the complexity of estimating the parameters. This study demonstrates the difficulty to assess the absolute range of the total environmental impacts of the two systems. The results propose that the greenhouse gas emissions of microalgae biodiesel are higher than those of forest residue-based biodiesel, but the results of the microalgae chain are very uncertain due to the early development stage of the technology, and due to assumptions made concerning the electricity mix. On the other hand, the microalgae system has other advantages such as low competition on productive land and low biodiversity impacts. The findings help to recognise the main characteristics of the two production chains, and the main remaining research issues on bioenergy assessment along with the methodological development needs of life cycle approaches. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: A commonly agreed methodology for weighting the relative importance of different environmental impacts in Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) is lacking, although it is becoming a typical phase in LCA. Multi-Criteria Decision Analysis (MCDA) provides an avenue to develop weighting tools applicable in LCA. The purpose of this paper is to describe a process of assessing environmental impacts of two alternative raw materials and to present the problems related to it. A panel which includes experts in measuring the environmental impacts of biomass production was requested to identify and weight impact categories to assess environmental impacts of biomass production. The panelists identified new environmental impacts (such as biodiversity) not included to the standard LCA. The highest weights were given by the panelists to climate change, natural land use change and biodiversity. The environmental impacts were analyzed for four case biomass production chains producing biodiesel and pulp in Finland. In case chains, the raw material for biodiesel is Asian palm oil or Finnish rapeseed oil, while the raw material for pulp is South American eucalyptus or Finnish birch. The calculations of the LCA impacts were limited to the impact categories for which inventory data were available. In calculations, different types of normalization procedures were tested to receive information on their effects on the LCA results. According to the results, in some cases normalization have considerable impact on the magnitude of the results. In general, the results imply that biomass imported from developing countries has less environmental impacts compared to the local forest and field biomass produced in Finland. However, due to the several sources of uncertainties included in the results, they are only to be used for illustrative purposes. In the future, applying the MCDA in LCA may deepen the applicability of the analyses, if valid and reliable data is available. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Low-carbon experiments offer interesting opportunities for climate change mitigation. They can be seen as niche activities that eventually challenge the existing regime of energy production and consumption. The role of actors in these potential transitions has not been extensively studied. This study bridges this gap by analysing ten cases of joint procurement experiments of on-grid solar photovoltaic energy in Finland. The study deepens the understanding of how such experimenting can contribute to climate change mitigation in an area that in many countries is still a largely untapped source of change. The study shows that the expansion of solar PV can be enhanced through joint procurement experiments which thereby become strategic. The joint procurement lowered several barriers of adoption and can therefore accelerate diffusion of solar PV significantly, even when there is a lack of explicit political support in the form of a subsidy system. Joint procurements help to overcome one of the most important barriers of solar panel purchase – the price, but the joint procurement experiments also offer important social support to the peers. The positive image of solar electricity greatly empowers consumers and increases acceptance of large investment costs. Further mainstreaming of the experiments towards a regime shift would benefit from institutional support that eases the laborious process of joint procurement and that strengthens the small scale producers’ negotiating position relative to the utilities and power network operators in trading surplus electricity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Assessment of social impacts of products and services has gained increasing interest in society. Life cycle assessment (LCA) is a tool developed to estimate the impacts of products and services from cradle to grave. Traditionally LCA has focused on environmental impacts, but recently approaches for social life cycle assessment (SLCA) have also been developed. Most of them fairly address social performances of business, but the aim of this paper is to analyse the possibilities and development needs in the complementary approach, which is the evaluation of social impacts in LCA. We review the field in general and take a closer look at the empirical case of biodiesel production, which is a timely topic globally in view of the climate change mitigation objectives. The analysis is carried out at three levels – company, regional, and state level. Despite active development in the field of SLCA, we conclude that in many cases it is not yet possible to carry out a comprehensive SLCA. Finally, we outline lines of research that would further improve the methodological and empirical basis of SLCA at various levels of decision-making. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: The European Union (EU) has set a binding greenhouse gas (GHG) emission reduction target for transportation biofuels and other bioliquids. In this study, the GHG emissions of various biofuel chains considered as relevant in large-scale production in Finland were calculated in accordance with the EU sustainability criteria. Special attention was paid to uncertainties and the sensitivities of certain parameters. According to the results, it is impossible in many cases to unambiguously conclude whether or not a biofuel chain passes the emission-saving limit provided by the EU. This may reduce the willingness to invest in biofuel production. Major sources of uncertainties and sensitivities are nitrous oxide emissions from soil and nitrogen fertilisation, emissions of process heat production and soil carbon stock changes in biomass production. Several propositions are made in order to reduce the uncertainty of the results and to make the EU sustainability criteria for biofuels more harmonised and accurate. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Bioenergy from forest residues can be used to avoid fossil carbon emissions, but removing biomass from forests reduces carbon stock sizes and carbon input to litter and soil. The magnitude and longevity of these carbon stock changes determine how effective measures to utilize bioenergy from forest residues are to reduce greenhouse gas ( GHG) emissions from the energy sector and to mitigate climate change. In this study, we estimate the variability of GHG emissions and consequent climate impacts resulting from producing bioenergy from stumps, branches and residual biomass of forest thinning operations in Finland, and the contribution of the variability in key factors, i.e. forest residue diameter, tree species, geographical location of the forest biomass removal site and harvesting method, to the emissions and their climate impact. The GHG emissions and the consequent climate impacts estimated as changes in radiative forcing were comparable to fossil fuels when bioenergy production from forest residues was initiated. The emissions and climate impacts decreased over time because forest residues were predicted to decompose releasing CO2 even if left in the forest. Both were mainly affected by forest residue diameter and climatic conditions of the forest residue collection site. Tree species and the harvest method of thinning wood (whole tree or stem-only) had a smaller effect on the magnitude of emissions. The largest reduction in the energy production climate impacts after 20 years, up to 62%, was achieved when coal was replaced by the branches collected from Southern Finland, whereas the smallest reduction 7% was gained by using stumps from Northern Finland instead of natural gas. After 100 years the corresponding values were 77% and 21%. The choice of forest residue biomass collected affects significantly the emissions and climate impacts of forest bioenergy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]