Workpackage 2 - Dealing with extended facets of sustainability
Leading partner - IfW
This workpackage extends the traditional economic, environmental, and social dimensions of sustainability. A number of additional dimensions, as competitiveness, technological change, economic development, and the use of natural resources, as water and soil, and the issues of security have emerged as most relevant in the context of policies targeted towards sustainability. Five tasks investigate these new issues as to the requirements for modelling. Both methodological work regarding the extension of current economy-environment models and steps toward implementing these extensions has been done. The overall objective was to expand existing models in order to enable Impact Assessment.
All tasks are structured along the following criterions as to their policy relevance:
- Desirability of sustainability
This criterion concentrates on the reasons why one wants to be sustainable, dealing thus with aspects related e.g. to welfare and intergenerational equity. - Feasibility
This criterion checks for limits caused by the interaction of various measurement indicators and their trade-offs. - Implementation
Under this criterion policy instruments are investigated as to their adequacy for implementing a certain policy paths. - Generalisation
This criterion verifies whether the insights found in specific policy area could be widened to a broader range of policies.
Task 1: Competitiveness and sustainability
Leading Partner: ZEW
As to competitiveness, indicators and policies are derived in an adequate modelling framework for improving the position of the EU economy.
Task 2: Technological change and sustainability
Leading Partner: FEEM
As to technological change, the parameterisation of the dynamics, the incorporation into models, and the handling with uncertainty were investigated.
Task 3: Economic development and sustainability
Leading Partner: SMASH
As to economic development, focus was put on the integration of development strategies that match sustainability requirements.
Task 4: Natural resources
Leading Partner: UniHH
As to natural resources, the crucial role of limited resources as soil and water, but also of biodiversity was put into the framework of sustainability strategies.
Task 5: Security and sustainability
Leading Partner: ECN
As to security, emphasis was given in particular to the role of energy supplies for maintaining economic and social security.