Consumption and the Rebound Effect: An Industrial Ecology Perspective

Hertwich, Edgar G.

doi:10.1162/1088198054084635

Cited by 475 publications

(272 citation statements)

References 38 publications

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“…We illustrate this by the example of modelling rebound effects in a life cycle perspective, which has been addressed by several authors (Hertwich 2005 ;Hofstetter et al 2006 ;Thiesen et al 2008 ;Girod et al 2011 ;Druckman et al 2011 ;Font Vivanco and Voet 2014 ). Hertwich ( 2005 ) defi nes the rebound effect as 'a behavioural or other systemic response to a measure taken to reduce environmental impacts that offsets the effect of the measure. As a result of this secondary effect, the environmental benefi ts of eco-effi ciency measures are lower than anticipated (rebound) or even negative (backfi re)'.…”

Section: Main Challenges Identifi Ed In Lcsa Studies So Farmentioning

confidence: 99%

Life Cycle Sustainability Assessment: What Is It and What Are Its Challenges?

Guinée

2016

Taking Stock of Industrial Ecology

119

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Environmental life cycle assessment (LCA) has developed fast over the last three decades. Today, LCA is widely applied and used as a tool for supporting policies and performance-based regulation, notably concerning bioenergy. Over the past decade, LCA has broadened to also include life cycle costing (LCC) and social LCA (SLCA), drawing on the three-pillar or 'triple bottom line' model of sustainability. With these developments, LCA has broadened from merely environmental assessment to a more comprehensive life cycle sustainability assessment (LCSA). LCSA has received increasing attention over the past years, while at the same time, its meaning and contents are not always suffi ciently clear. In this chapter, we therefore addressed the question: what are LCSA practitioners actually doing in practice? We distinguished two sub-questions: which defi nition(s) do they adopt and what challenges do they face? To answer these questions, LCSA research published over the past half decade has been analysed, supplemented by a brief questionnaire to researchers and practitioners. This analysis revealed two main defi nitions of LCSA. Based on these two defi nitions, we distinguished three dimensions along which LCSA is expanding when compared to environmental LCA: (1) broadening of impacts, LCSA = LCA + LCC + SLCA; (2) broadening level of analysis, product-, sector-and economy-wide questions and analyses; and (3) deepening, including other than just technological relations, such as physical, economic and behavioural relations. From this analysis, it is clear that the vast majority of LCSA research so far has focused on the 'broadening of impacts' dimension. The challenges most frequently cited concern the need for more practical examples of LCSA, effi cient ways of communicating LCSA results and the need for more data and methods particularly for SLCA indicators and comprehensive uncertainty assessment. We conclude that the three most crucial challenges to be addressed fi rst are developing quantitative and practical indicators for SLCA, life cycle-based approaches to evaluate scenarios for sustainable futures and practical ways to deal with uncertainties and rebound effects.

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Section: Main Challenges Identifi Ed In Lcsa Studies So Farmentioning

confidence: 99%

Life Cycle Sustainability Assessment: What Is It and What Are Its Challenges?

Guinée

2016

Taking Stock of Industrial Ecology

119

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“…This presents a significant issue in terms of energy reduction: perceptions of energy-and economic-savings per light bulb or per production unit can lead to the practice of adding light bulbs to the household or the increased usage of a bulb by extending the time it is turned on. This is what is known as the rebound effect or what Edgar Hertwich also called the ripple effect [53]: an increase in overall consumption despite energy efficiency technological improvements.…”

Section: Lighting Rational Choice and The Rebound Effectmentioning

confidence: 99%

Combining Life Cycle Thinking with Social Theory: Case Study of Compact Fluorescent Lamps (CFL) in the Philippines

Sahakian

2010

Sustainability

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Abstract:Resource depletion remains central to human economic activity with resulting negative consequences for the local and global environment. Material and energy consumption patterns are also increasing globally, as developing countries follow the trail blazed by more industrialized countries. Consumers play a role in shifting towards more sustainable forms of consumption. However, consumer-oriented public-policy measures are often restricted to informational campaigns based on moral and price arguments. A multidisciplinary approach to sustainable consumption must go beyond this limited vision of consumers if transitions toward more environmentally friendly consumption patterns are to be made possible. Both a biophysical and social understanding of consumption is necessary. This paper proposes a systemic approach to consumption studies, combining an assessment of consumption patterns with an understanding of the drivers behind them. The concepts will be illustrated using a case study of the government-led promotion of compact fluorescent lamps (CFL) in Metro Manila, the Philippines. Conclusions will include general policy-recommendations.

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“…The economic gains made through reducing consumption and via effi ciency measures can lead to decreases in consumption that are lower than expected through a direct rebound effect (Hertwich 2005a ). More challenging to measure is 'indirect rebound', where for example money saved through reduced energy or material consumption in one consumption area (e.g.…”

Section: Crowdfunding In the Solidarity Economymentioning

confidence: 99%

The Social and Solidarity Economy: Why Is It Relevant to Industrial Ecology?

Sahakian

2016

Taking Stock of Industrial Ecology

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The goal of this contribution is to illustrate the linkages between industrial ecology (IE) and the social and solidarity economy (SSE), an economic paradigm that is robust in terms of conceptual and historical developments, and active around the world as a social movement. The SSE includes a range of activities, such as fair trade, community currencies and some forms of peer-to-peer sharing, to name but a few. The links and tensions between SSE and IE are considered fi rst conceptually, by uncovering the theoretical frameworks attached to each fi eld. Three 'solidarity' practices are then discussed in relation to industrial ecology activities, namely: aspects of the sharing economy, community currencies and forms of crowd-funding. A main fi nding is that the two fi elds of research and practice are compatible, as neither focus on economic growth and specifi cally profi t as an ultimate aim; yet IE prioritizes biophysical considerations, whereas the SSE places more emphasis on people and power systems, as expected. One insight gleaned through this process is that more attention could be placed on labour conditions, power relations and governance systems in industrial ecology, building on previous and ongoing work in this area.Four main fi elds of inquiry emerge: understanding whether 'solidaristic' cooperatives and enterprises could be more receptive to industrial ecology approaches and more adept at embracing resource exchanges such as in industrial symbiosis; ascertaining to what extent companies already involved in symbiotic relations might

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Consumption and the Rebound Effect: An Industrial Ecology Perspective

Cited by 475 publications

References 38 publications

Life Cycle Sustainability Assessment: What Is It and What Are Its Challenges?

Life Cycle Sustainability Assessment: What Is It and What Are Its Challenges?

Combining Life Cycle Thinking with Social Theory: Case Study of Compact Fluorescent Lamps (CFL) in the Philippines

The Social and Solidarity Economy: Why Is It Relevant to Industrial Ecology?

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