Das Versprechen der Zirkularität

in Standort (2022)

Against the backdrop of the recent political dynamics in the EU and in many of its member states regarding the Circular Economy, the present article discusses the impact of the concept so far and the ... [more ▼]

Against the backdrop of the recent political dynamics in the EU and in many of its member states regarding the Circular Economy, the present article discusses the impact of the concept so far and the challenges related to its implementation. In particular, it sheds a critical light on the following three aspects: first, the selective reception of the approach by key actors in industry and politics; second, the obvious implementation problems in trade and industry; and third, the underlying, growth-fixated economic model. Results from our own empirical work on the Luxembourg construction industry illustrate the reasoning. The article argues for a holistic and growth-critical understanding of circularity that not only gives space to orientation of efficiency and consistency but above all also to considerations of sufficiency. [less ▲]

Motivations & barriers of companies for shifting towards circularity

Poster (2019)

The research follows a qualitative research approach, including 16 exploratory and 50 semi-structured expert interviews with representatives from the building sector and automotive supply firms. The ... [more ▼]

The research follows a qualitative research approach, including 16 exploratory and 50 semi-structured expert interviews with representatives from the building sector and automotive supply firms. The preliminary results put forward the interdependence of the actors’ perception of what would mean a circular economy model for Luxembourg. They also reveal the firm’s specific role in this system. The decision of a business actor to implement a circular economy practice depends primarily on its return on investment, the general regulatory pressure and the maturity of the industry and the company. In general, the hindrance for circularity is not the absence of a technological or technical solution. Besides, the sophistication of the firm given its awareness for concepts like the circular economy, sustainable development, or sustainability shapes its vision for the future in this field actively. As a push for action, interviewees suggested a regulatory framework for circularity. [less ▲]

Sustainability indicators

in König, Ariane; Ravetz, Jerome (Eds.) Sustainability Science (2018)

In our science-based society, we are surrounded by indicators. At every turn they tell us where we are, how we compare, where we should or should not be and whether we are moving towards or away from the ... [more ▼]

In our science-based society, we are surrounded by indicators. At every turn they tell us where we are, how we compare, where we should or should not be and whether we are moving towards or away from the desired or undesired state. Wealth and health of individuals, communities and natural systems are conveyed by indicators. Their representations include numbers, graphs, dials, letters, symbols and colours. And they vary in reliability, from the gauge that says your car’s engine temperature is ‘normal’, to the prediction that next month’s weather temperatures will be ‘normal’. They are one of the main channels whereby the citizen interacts with science. How can the citizen make good decisions in the midst of this jungle of indicators? The citizen might well ask, “What do I really know, when I’m told that I have an Ecological Footprint of 4.1 global hectares? And then what should I do about it?” [less ▲]

Life cycle assessment and data envelopment analysis approach for the selection of building components according to their environmental impact efficiency: a case study for external walls

in Journal of Cleaner Production (2015), 87

Environmental criteria have to be taken into account when it comes to selecting a specific building component among a set of candidates with the same function. This article presents a methodological ... [more ▼]

Environmental criteria have to be taken into account when it comes to selecting a specific building component among a set of candidates with the same function. This article presents a methodological approach – based on both Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) and Data Envelopment Analysis (DEA) – for the selection of building components according to their environmental impact efficiency. A three-step LCA + DEA approach is proposed and tested through a case study for 175 external walls. The three steps of this approach involve data collection, life cycle impact assessment, and DEA of the sample of building components using environmental impacts as DEA inputs. Overall, from the availability of multiple data on the material and energy flows of each building component, the method provides decision makers with eco-efficiency scores and environmental benchmarks. A cautious definition of the set of candidates is critical, as relative efficiency scores are calculated. Data availability and functional homogeneity regarding the building components evaluated are the key requirements for the general use of the method. The three-step LCA + DEA approach proposed is proven to be a useful method to enhance decision making and environmental benchmarking in the building sector. [less ▲]

Analysis of complementary methodologies to assess the environmental impact of Luxembourg’s net consumption

in Environmental Science and Policy (2013), 27

The choice of accounting methods and indicators to support national stakeholders and public authorities in environmental decision-making policies is made difficult by the extensive number of available ... [more ▼]

The choice of accounting methods and indicators to support national stakeholders and public authorities in environmental decision-making policies is made difficult by the extensive number of available tools and the general divergence of scientific opinions on their effectiveness. In this paper, a set of life cycle-based approaches are compared and a methodological framework is recommended to support policy makers in the evaluation and choice of environmental impact mitigation strategies. The net consumption (=production + imports exports) of Luxembourg, taken as a case study, is inventoried based on different Environmentally Extended Input–Output (EE-IO) scenarios and further assessed using the Ecological Footprint (EF), ReCiPe and Solar Energy Demand (SED). All the compartments of resources extraction and pollutant emissions and the main environmental impacts gener- ated by the Luxembourgish economic trade-offs are evaluated. Results highlight the need for higher consistency in the use of EE-IO tables mainly because of the uncertainty affecting the environmental extensions (EEs). This aspect plays a major role when applying different assessment methods and relevant changes in terms of overall environmental impact are observed according to different sets of resources and emissions inventoried. These changes, however, do not substantially influence the results at the level of single economic sector’s contribution. Regardless the consumption scenario and the indicator considered, the financial and banking sectors contribute to more than 40% to the total EF, SED and ReCiPe results. Strengths and weaknesses of each indicator are discussed, and direct and indirect contribution analyses by sector allowed outlining strategies for impact mitigation. [less ▲]

trend Analysis and interpretation of Luxembourg’s consumption Footprint NFA 2010 edition, data years 2000 – 2007

Report (2012)

The Ecological Footprint methodology by Global Footprint Network measures human consumption of products and services from different ecosystems in terms of the amount of bioproductive land and sea area ... [more ▼]

The Ecological Footprint methodology by Global Footprint Network measures human consumption of products and services from different ecosystems in terms of the amount of bioproductive land and sea area needed to supply these products and services. In other words, the Ecological Footprint calculates the land area needed to produce food, provide resources, produce energy, and absorb the CO2 emissions generated by the supply chains within one year at country level. For the calculations of Luxembourg’s Ecological Footprint, international statistical databases are used to identify the quantities of produced, imported and exported goods and services. Then, Global Footprint Network applies different factors to the quantities to assess the area needed to supply these products and services. Finally, the Consumption Footprint of a nation is divided by the number of inhabitants and compared to other countries at a per capita level (global hectares per capita). This means that the Ecological Footprint can be used as an indicator for the sustainability of a national consumption by assessing human land uses. In the following paragraph, Luxembourg’s Ecological Footprint is discussed in the framework of the environmental indicators of Luxembourg’s competitiveness scoreboard (see Table 9) [MECE, 2010]. Luxembourg’s ranking is rather low for all of the scoreboard indicators: number of ISO 9001 certifications per billion of inhabitants (21 out of 27); number of ISO 14001 certifications per billion of inhabitants (15 out of 27); total greenhouse gas emissions (15 out of 27); renewable energy ration (23 out of 27); quantity of municipal waste per capita per year (24 out of 27); energetic intensity (8 out of 27); transport by car (17 out of 27); Ecological Footprint in gha per capita per year (27 out of 27). Based on the environmental competiveness scoreboard indicators, it can be concluded that in general, Luxembourg’s environmental performance is low compared to the other countries of the European Union. With respect to Luxembourg’s Ecological Footprint, it can be said that Luxembourg’s consumption is not sustainable. The number of planets that would be needed if the world's population lived like the population of Luxembourg in 2007 is about six. However, per year, the biocapacity (bioproductive land) of the planet can only regenerate once. [less ▲]

Environmental indicators for the evaluation of consumption patterns: the case of Luxembourg

Speeches/Talks (2010)