The impacts of climate change have far-reaching consequences in many domains, posing a range of interconnected risks. While some of these risks stem directly from climatic phenomena, many are shaped or amplified by existing socio-economic conditions. In Working Paper D6.2 “Vulnerabilities in Europe During Times of Transition” SPES Partners from...
At the heart of SPES is the recognition that traditional data sources alone are insufficient to capture the complexity of contemporary sustainability challenges. Instead, SPES identifies a wide range of novel and complex data sources – from web analytics to citizen-generated data – that offer new opportunities for monitoring transitions...
Despite the benefits of the Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM) within the EU economy, the impact it will have on EU global trade partners remains unclear. SPES partners from PEP – Partnership for Economic Policy in their SPES Focus “A GVAR analysis of the macroeconomic effects of the Carbon Border...
The European Union has made significant progress in reducing CO2 emissions in recent decades, partly due to the implementation of the EU Emissions Trading System (EU ETS). However, the decline in emissions has not been matched by an equally substantial reduction in the continent's carbon footprint. To remedy this problem,...
While decent living is necessary - and crucial for the political acceptability of ecological transition strategies, the energy and material cost of needs satisfaction cannot be overlooked in the 21st century. In this context, favouring the harmony between human and natural systems may call for yet untried post-growth strategies. Likewise,...
Transition to net-zero carbon is not merely technical but a complex socio-political endeavour with significant trade-offs involving inequality, well-being, sustainability, and political acceptability. While significant progress has been made in understanding the biophysical dimensions of climate change, the socio-political aspects remain largely underexplored by assessment models. The Working Paper “Transitioning...
Setting countries across the globe on environmentally sustainable paths requires large-scale systemic changes across a range of areas, including energy systems, industrial systems and individual consumption patterns. Public policy plays a fundamental role in inducing such changes. Examples of policy instruments include different combinations of regulations, tax measures and subsidies...
Building a consensus on broader frameworks, metrics and accounts goes beyond simply agreeing on measurement issues: it calls for envisioning the new world we aspire to. Overcoming the addiction to GDP requires a collective commitment to broader well-being and sustainability. As argued in SPES Working Paper 3.3 by researchers from...
“Living well within planetary boundaries” is not just an aspiration but a core vision of the EU. As climate change, biodiversity loss, and ecosystem collapse accelerate, achieving this vision is increasingly urgent. Despite ambitious global frameworks, progress remains uneven. The Sustainable Human Development paradigm offers an integrated approach that balances...
As the European Union grapples with interlinked crises, sustainability offers a framework for balancing economic stability, social equity, and environmental resilience. Policymakers, in their effort to design effective regulations, businesses to adopt greener practices, can benefit greatly from understanding people attention towards sustainability. This attention is also a key factor...
