Comparing the future state of natural capital and ecosystem services with quantitative scenarios  is essential in the decision-making process for a sustainable management of forest landscapes. In Sweden, an intensified forest management will likely be necessary to meet future demands of woody biomass as a source of bioenergy and building materials. At the same time an intensified forest harvest can cause conflicts with goals  for biodiversity conservation and reduce the amount of carbon being stored the forest. This study conducted a scenario analysis to evaluate how different types of forest management would affect changes in carbon stock between the above ground biomass in a Swedish forest and the biomass harvested from the forest. Potential conflicts between the harvesting scenarios and the in Sweden critically endangered White-backed Woodpecker (Dendrocopos leucotos) was also evaluated. The White-backed Woodpecker can be seen as an umbrella species, which means that there are about 200 other endangered plant and animal species that depend on the same kind of forest environments and could therefore be a measure of the state of the forest biodiversity in Sweden.  The forest landscape model LANDIS-II was used to simulate vegetation dynamics in species composition, age structure and biomass while considering disturbances only from harvesting. The simulation had a 100-year timeframe and used initial conditions gathered from a previous case study done in Sweden. The IPCC’s representative concentration pathway 4.5 was used to simulate impact from climate change. A business as usual scenario was simulated along with an intensified harvesting scenario and a conservation scenario to evaluate the impact on carbon sequestration in the aboveground  biomass  and the impact on the White-backed Woodpecker  habitat  between different forest management scenarios. The change in the stored and harvested carbon was calculated using the Carbon Stock Change Method and by comparing the initial biomass values with the values from the last ten years of the simulation. A habitat suitability score was made with respect to two key habitat requirements for the White-backed Woodpecker (1) the fraction of deciduous trees in the forest; and (2) the age structure of the forest.   From the result it was found that the carbon stock change in the forest was relatively stable for all the simulated scenarios during the 100-year period. The forest carbon stock for the intensified harvesting scenario was 1.04 of the initial carbon stock of the simulation while business as usual was 1.08 and the conservation scenario 1.10.  A conservation scenario would therefore be preferable if the forest landscape is to be used mainly as a carbon sink. If biomass extraction is to be increased to meet future demands for bioenergy and woody products, it should be noted that the intensified harvesting led to a 23.6 increase of the initial biomass harvest values while business as usual had a 4.2 increase and the conservation scenario a 3.1 increase. The result also suggests that increasing the proportions of deciduous and old forest to recreate  the White-backed Woodpecker’s preferred habitat require considerable time and effort and cannot likely be achieved with the current business as usual scenario nor with the intensified harvesting or conservation scenarios simulated in this study. Thus, a more ambitious and targeted restoration effort is needed if the species is to be preserved.   How the forest should be sustainably managed in the future depends on which interests takes priority in decision-making. However, a forest landscape model can provide valuable information throughout the management process so that more informed decisions can be made while also saving  time, money and resources better used elsewhere. / Att jämföra det framtida tillståndet för naturkapital och ekosystemtjänster med kvantitativa scenarier är väsentligt i beslutsprocessen för en hållbar förvaltning av skogslandskap. I Sverige kommer sannolikt ett intensifierat skogsbruk att bli nödvändigt för att möta framtida krav på biomassa till bioenergi och byggmaterial. Samtidigt kan en intensifierad skogsavverkning orsaka konflikter med målet att bevara biologisk mångfald och öka mängden kol lagrad i skogen. Denna studie genomförde en scenarioanalys för att utvärdera hur olika typer av skogsskötsel påverkar i kolbalansen i en svensk skog och mängden biomassa som avverkas från skogen. Potentiella konflikter mellan skogsskötsel och den i Sverige kritiskt hotade vitryggiga hackspetten (Dendrocopos leucotos) utvärderades också. Den vitryggiga hackspetten kan ses som en paraplyart, vilket innebär att det finns cirka 200 andra hotade växt- och djurarter som är beroende av samma sorts skogsmiljöer, och den kan därför vara ett mått på tillståndet för den skogsknutna biologiska mångfalden i Sverige. Skogslandskapsmodellen LANDIS-II användes för att simulera vegetationsdynamik för artsammansättning, åldersstruktur och biomassa samtidigt som man beaktade störningar endast från avverkning. Simuleringen gjorde för en 100-årsperiod och använde initiala förutsättningar från en tidigare fallstudie gjord i Sverige. IPCC:s representativa koncentrationsväg 4.5 användes för att simulera påverkan från klimatförändringar. Ett "business as usual"-scenario simulerades tillsammans med ett intensifierat avverkningsscenario och ett bevarandescenario för att utvärdera påverkan på kolbindning i den stående biomassan och påverkan på habitat för vitryggig hackspett mellan olika skogsskötselscenarier. Förändringen i det lagrade kolet beräknades med hjälp av ”Carbon Stock Change”-metoden och genom att jämföra de initiala biomassavärdena med värdena från de senaste tio åren av simuleringen. Ett habitatlämplighetspoäng gjordes med avseende på två viktiga habitatkrav för vitryggig hackspett (1) andelen lövträd i skogen; och (2) skogens åldersstruktur. Av resultatet visade det sig att kolförrådets förändring i skogen var relativt stabil för alla de simulerade scenarierna under 100-årsperioden. Skogens kollager för det intensifierade avverkningsscenariot var 1,04 av simuleringens initiala värden medan ”business as usual” var 1,08 och bevarandescenariot 1,10. Ett bevarandescenario vore därför att föredra om skogslandskapet främst ska användas som kolsänka. Om biomassautvinningen ska ökas för att möta framtida krav på bioenergi och träprodukter bör det noteras att den intensifierade avverkningen ledde till en ökning med 23,6 av de initiala skördevärdena för biomassa medan ”business as usual” hade en ökning med 4,2 och bevarandescenariot med 3,1. Resultatet tyder också på att en ökning av andelen lövskog och gammal skog för att återskapa vitryggig hackspetts föredragna habitat kräver avsevärd tid och ansträngning och sannolikt inte kan uppnås med det nuvarande scenariot med ”business as usual” eller med de intensifierade avverknings- eller bevarandescenarierna som simuleras i detta studie. Det behövs alltså en mer ambitiös och målinriktad restaureringsinsats om arten ska bevaras. Hur skogen ska skötas hållbart i framtiden beror på vilka intressen som prioriteras i beslutsfattandet. En skogslandskapsmodell kan dock ge värdefull information under hela skötselprocessen så att mer informerade beslut kan fattas samtidigt som det sparar tid, pengar och resurser som kan användas bättre på annat håll.

This doctoral thesis represents pioneering research in integrating Smart Mobile Lockers with City Buses (SML-CBs) for e-commerce last-mile delivery, a novel concept rooted in the sharing economy. It explores the innovative use of underutilized urban bus capacities for parcel transportation while incorporating smart parcel lockers to facilitate self-pick-up by customers. Comprising six chapters, the thesis delineates its background, motivations, contributions, and organization in Chapter 1. Chapter 2 presents a comprehensive review of the recent literature on last-mile freight deliveries, including a bibliometric analysis, identifying gaps and opportunities for SML-CBs intervention. In Chapter 3, using survey data, we conduct empirical analytics to study Canadian consumers’ attitudes towards adopting SML-CBs, focusing on deterrents such as excessive walking distances to pick-up locations and incentives led by environmental concerns. This chapter also pinpoints demographic segments likely to be early adopters of this innovative delivery system. To address the concerns over walking distances identified in Chapter 3, Chapter 4 presents a prescriptive model and algorithms aimed at minimizing customer walking distance to self-pick-up points, considering the assignment of SML-CBs and customers. The case study results endorse the convenience of SML-CBs in terms of short walking distances. To systematically assess the sustainability benefits, a key motivator identified in Chapter 3, Chapter 5 includes analytical models for pricing and accessibility of SML-CBs. It also employs a hybrid life cycle assessment (LCA) methodology to analyze the sustainability performance of SML-CBs. It establishes system boundaries, develops pertinent LCA parameters, and illustrates substantial greenhouse gas (GHG) savings in both operational and life cycle phases when SML-CBs are utilized instead of traditional delivery trucks. The dissertation is concluded in Chapter 6, summarizing the principal contributions and suggesting avenues for future research. This comprehensive study not only provides empirical and analytical evidence supporting the feasibility and advantages of SML-CBs but also contributes to the literature on sustainable logistics and urban freight deliveries. / Thesis / Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) / This doctoral thesis represents pioneering research in integrating Smart Mobile Lockers with City Buses (SML-CBs) for e-commerce last-mile delivery. It explores the innovative use of underutilized urban bus capacities for parcel transportation while incorporating smart parcel lockers to facilitate self-pick-up by customers. Comprising six chapters, the thesis delineates its background, motivations, contributions, and organization in Chapter 1. Chapter 2 presents a comprehensive review of the recent literature on lastmile freight deliveries. In Chapter 3, we study Canadian consumers’ attitudes towards adopting SML-CBs, focusing on deterrents such as excessive walking distances to pickup locations and incentives led by environmental concerns. To address the concerns over walking distances identified in Chapter 3, Chapter 4 presents models and algorithms for operating SML-CBs. Chapter 5 presents an assessment of the sustainability of SML-CBs. The dissertation is concluded in Chapter 6, summarizing the principal contributions and suggesting avenues for future research.

O projeto Observatório de sustentabilidade - aprendizagem e inovação para a gestão urbana é uma pesquisa aplicada, multidisciplinar, que investiga a questão da efetividade das ações na interface academia-sociedade, sob pesquisa-ação no município. Realizou o objetivo de desenvolver e testar um modelo dialógico para contribuir com a sustentabilidade urbana por meio da relação IES/Municípios buscando a efetividade nos resultados para as políticas públicas. Utilizou abordagem interdisciplinar no processo de construção coletiva do seu modelo a partir de uma rede de atores nas IES em ações e práticas intraorganizacionais multidisciplinares e interorganizacionais em colaboração com atores nos municípios. Comprovou a hipótese que qualificar modelos dialógicos na relação IES/Municípios resulta maior efetividade às práticas para a sustentabilidade municipal, para o estabelecimento de novas políticas, alcance à continuidade das ações e condições de replicabilidade do modelo nessa dialógica. Alcançou resultados de estímulo à participação em ações transversais e integradas entre as divisões no executivo e legislativo do governo local para a gestão que privilegia a sustentabilidade e apoio à formulação de políticas públicas municipais para o desenvolvimento sustentável; da estruturação de uma rede de atores extraorganizacional às universidades para a colaboração em ações para a sustentabilidade municipal; de aprendizagem recíproca no desafio do diálogo participativo com contribuições ao ensino, à pesquisa, à extensão e à qualificação dos gestores municipais que promove a transformação social. Verificou três questões-chave na educação e na gestão do município, para a sustentabilidade urbana. Compreendendo sustentabilidade para a melhoria na qualidade de vida orientada às necessidades humanas. / The Sustainability\'s Observatory project - learning and innovation for urban management is a multidisciplinary research, applied, which investigates the question of the effectiveness of actions of the society-academia interface in Brazilian municipalities, in action research. Focused in to study of the aspects that try promote the municipal sustainability in HEIs/municipalities dialogue, seeking greater effectiveness in process results for public policies. Uses interdisciplinary approach in the process of the cooperative learning process of your model from a network of actors in HEIs in the actions multidisciplinary and interorganizational within organizational practices in collaboration with actors in the municipalities. It reached results on the prove that effectively the betterment in this relationship in society-academia dialogue, of the actors and the model reach the continuity of actions and possibility activities their replication. It reached results on the assumption that the betterment in this relationship in HEIs/Municipalities dialogue, of the actors and the model reach effectively for the sustainability\'s action, the continuity of actions and activities and possibility their replication. It has achieved results to stimulate participation in cross-cutting and integrated actions between the executive and legislative divisions of local government for management that favors sustainability and support to the formulation of municipal public policies for sustainable development; structuring a network organizational outside actors to universities for collaboration in practice for municipal sustainability for sustainability in the municipalities and models that incorporate the challenge of participatory dialogue with contributions to teaching, research, extension the extension and qualification of municipal managers promoting social transformation. Were verified three key issues for urban sustainability in the education and management of the municipality, understanding sustainability for the improvement in the quality of life oriented to human needs.

The continuous depletion of fossil fuel reserves, the global agenda on climate change and threats to energy security have led to increased global interest in the exploration, production and utilisation of bioenergy and biofuels. Access to modern bioenergy carriers derived from the efficient conversion of locally available biomass resources is indispensable for economic growth, rural development and sustainable development in developing countries. Deployment of bioenergy/biofuels technologies has significantly varied across the globe. The least developed countries (LDCs) and developing countries are still highly dependent on traditional biomass technologies with low conversion efficiency, which are typically associated with significant environmental and health impacts. Meanwhile, emerging economies and developed countries are progressively promoting biofuel industries and international trade. They are also engaged in making biofuels a sustainable proposition by developing sustainability criteria. The goal of this thesis is to address the sustainability of bioethanol production derived from one of the key feedstocks/energy crops: sugarcane. This will be done by analysing different development contexts and environmental constraints in terms of geopolitical situation, economic development and state-of-the-art technologies in agro-industrial development. Life cycle assessment (LCA), system studies, and techno-economic optimisation are the main methodological approaches applied in the thesis. The thesis primarily addresses three key questions for analysing the sustainability of bioethanol production. The first research question investigates the key parameters affecting the sustainability of bioethanol production and use in a low-income country using the case of Nepal. The net energy and greenhouse gas (GHG) balances are identified to be the main sustainability criteria of the sugarcane-molasses bioethanol (Paper I and II). Results of the lifecycle studies show that the production of bioethanol is energy-efficient in terms of the fossil fuel inputs required to produce the renewable fuel. Greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from the production and combustion of ethanol are also lower than those from gasoline. The study also evaluates the socio-economic and environmental benefits of ethanol production and use in Nepal, concluding that the major sustainability indicators are in line with the goals of sustainable development (Paper III). Assessment of the biofuel (molasses-bioethanol) sustainability in Nepal is the first of its kind in low-income countries, and serves also the purpose of motivating the assessment of ethanol production potential in other LDCs, particularly in sub-Saharan Africa. The second question critically evaluates methodologies for accounting the lifecycle GHG emissions of Brazilian sugarcane ethanol in European and American regulations, depicting commonalities and differences among them (Paper IV). GHG emissions are becoming increasingly important as part of sustainability criteria in the context of the expansion of biofuel production and international trade. However, different methodologies still lead to quite different results and interpretation. To make this an operational criterion for international comparisons, it is necessary to establish unified methodological procedures for accounting GHG emissions. The thesis identifies the major issues as  N2O emissions from agricultural practices, bioelectricity credits in fuel production, and modelling approaches in estimating emissions related to direct and indirect land use change (LUC &amp; iLUC), that need to be addressed for establishing methodological coherences. The third research question investigates how the sugarcane bioethanol industry can be developed in terms of energy security and the diversification of energy sources. The case of complementarity between bioelectricity and hydropower is evaluated in the cases of Nepal and Brazil and presented in Paper V. Bioelectricity could offer a significant share of electricity supply in both countries provided that favourable political and institutional conditions are applied. Finally, in order to find the choice of technological options for the production of second generation (2G) bioethanol and/or of bioelectricity, a techno-economic optimisation study on the bulk of sugarcane bio-refineries in Brazil is carried out in Paper VI, taking into account the entire lifecycle costs, emissions, and international trade. The study shows that it is worthwhile to upgrade sugarcane bio-refineries. Energy prices, type of power generation systems, biofuel support and carbon tax, and conversion efficiencies are the major factors influencing the technological choice and potential bioethanol trade. In short, this dissertation provides insights on the sustainability of the bioethanol production/industry and its potential role in the mitigation of climate change, improved energy security and sustainable development in different country contexts, as well as methodological contributions for assessing the sustainability of biofuels production in connection with energy and climate policies. / Intresset för ökad exploatering, produktion och användning av bioenergi och biobränslen har föranletts av den kontinuerliga utmattningen av fossila bränslen, den globala agendan för att motverka klimatförändringar samt hoten mot energisäkerheten. Tillgången till moderna bioenergibärare, effektivt framställda från lokal råvara, är grundläggande för ekonomisk tillväxt, landsbygdsutveckling samt för hållbar utveckling i utvecklingsländer. Användandet av bioenergi- och biobränsleteknologi har varierat markant världen över. De minst utvecklade länderna (LDCs) samt övriga utvecklingsländer är fortfarande beroende av traditionella biomassabaserade tekniker till stor utsträckning. Dessa tekniker har låg effektivitet och är ofta sammankopplade med stora miljö- och hälsoskador. Samtidigt främjar tillväxtekonomier och utvecklingsländer biobränsleindustrin och internationell handel progressivt. Länderna arbetar även för att biobränslen ska bli ett hållbart alternativ genom att utveckla hållbarhetskriterier. Den här avhandlingens mål är att adressera hållbarheten hos bioetanolproduktion från sockerrör, en av bioetanolens nyckelråvaror. Målet kommer att nås genom analyser av industrins nationella utvecklingsmiljö samt miljö- och klimatmässiga begränsningar som härstammar från den geopolitiska situationen och den ekonomiska tillväxten i landet, samt analyser av teknologier i den agro-industriella utvecklingen. De huvudsakliga metoder som använts är livscykelanalys (LCA), systemstudier och tekno-ekonomisk optimering. Avhandlingen adresserar primärt tre nyckelfrågor för att analysera hållbarheten hos bioetanolproduktion. Den första forskningsfrågan belyser hur nyckelparametrar påverkar hållbarheten hos produktion och användning av bioetanol i låginkomstländer, med fallstudien Nepal som utgångspunkt. Nettoenergi- och växthusgasbalanser identifieras som de huvudsakliga hållbarhetskriterierna för sockerrör-melass-baserad bioetanol (Artikel I och II). Livscykelstudiernas resultat visar att produktionen av bioetanol är energieffektiv sett från den mängd fossila bränslen som produktionen av förnybart bränsle krävt. Växthusgasutsläppen från produktion och förbränning av etanol är dessutom lägre än utsläppen från bensin. Studien utvärderar de socio-ekonomiska och miljö- och klimatmässiga fördelarna med produktion och användning av etanol i Nepal. Slutsatsen är att indikatorerna för hållbarhet ligger i linje med målen för hållbar utveckling (Artikel III). Bedömningen av biobränslens (melass-baserad etanol) hållbarhet i Nepal är den första studien i sitt slag för låginkomstländer. Studien motiverar dessutom en bedömning av potentialen för etanolproduktion i andra LDCs, speciellt i de afrikanska länderna söder om Sahara. Den andra forskningsfrågan kräver en kritisk utvärdering av metoderna för hur livscykelutsläpp från brasiliansk sockerrörsetanol redovisas i europeiska och amerikanska regleringar (Artikel IV). Artikeln, som påvisar likheter och skillnader mellan regionerna, visar att växthusgasutsläpp blir en mer och mer viktig del i hur hållbarhetskriterier definieras när expansionen av biobränsleproduktion och internationell handel diskuteras. Olika metoder för redovisningen av växthusgasutsläpp leder dock till mycket olika resultat och tolkningar. Det är nödvändigt att etablera en enhetlig metod för redovisning av växthusgasutsläpp för att skapa ett kriterium som möjliggör internationella jämförelser. Avhandlingen identifierar de mest beaktansvärda problemen för att etablera en enhetlig metod: N2O-utsläpp från jordbruksprocesser, tillgodoräknande av bioelektricitet inom bränsleproduktion, samt modelleringsmetoder för att uppskatta utsläpp relaterade till direkt och indirekt landanvändning (LUC och iLUC). Den tredje forskningsfrågan utreder hur industrin för sockerrörsbioetanol kan utvecklas från ett energisäkerhetsperspektiv, med speciell hänsyn till diversifieringen av energikällor. I Artikel V presenteras hur bioelektricitetsproduktion och vattenkraft kan komplettera varandra i fallen Nepal och Brasilien. Bioelektricitet skulle kunna bidra markant till tillförseln av elektricitet i båda länderna under förutsättning att de politiska och institutionella förutsättningarna är fördelaktiga. Slutligen utförs en tekno-ekonomisk studie för att identifiera den optimala teknologin för produktion av andra generationens (2G) bioetanol och/eller bioelektricitet. Studien görs för merparten av sockerrörsbioraffinaderierna i Brasilien och utgör Artikel VI. Studien tar fullskaliga livscykelkostnader i beaktande samt utsläpp och internationell handel. Studien visar att det är värt mödan att uppgradera befintliga sockerrörsbioraffinaderier. De dominerande påverkansfaktorerna för valet av teknologi och potentialen för bioetanolhandel är energipriser, typ av kraftproduktionssystem, biobränslestöd och koldioxidskatt, samt processernas effektivitet. Kortfattat behandlar den här avhandlingen bioetanolproduktionens och bioetanolindustrins hållbarhet. Avhandlingen ger insikt i dess potentiella roll för att motverka klimatförändringar, förbättra energisäkerhet samt främja hållbar utveckling i olika nationella sammanhang. Avhandlingen bidrar dessutom med metodutveckling i hur hållbarheten av biobränsleproduktion bedöms inom ramen för energi- och klimatpolicy. / <p>QC 20130813</p>

This thesis develops and validates a comprehensive methodology for measuring sustainability of a large river basin by using a tailored indicator set. The concept of river sustainability concerns not only the ecological condition of the river course, but also socioeconomic activities in the river basin. River sustainability is defined from five perspectives: sufficient resource, resilience to water-related risks, access to water supply and other services, productive use of water, and fairness between different users and generations. The Process Analysis Method (PAM) is employed as the guideline for developing sustainability assessment framework. As a participatory approach, PAM engages stakeholders to identify emerging issues and impacts on sustainability. Through a systematic process, a tailored indicator set is selected and categorized under three domains, namely, environmental performance, social wellbeing, and economic development. Two case studies have been undertaken, examining the underlying sustainability of the Lower Yellow River basin (LYR) and Upper Ganges River basin (UGR). Extensive fieldwork was carried out in China and India, in order to conduct stakeholder interviews and to collect multivariate data. 18 indicators are selected for LYR and 12 for UGR. The LYR assessment is conducted over the period from 1950 to 2010, whilst UGR features a 10-year period from 2001 to 2010. By processing raw hydrological data and socio-economic statistics, a normalized score is calculated for each indicator in a given year, the value ranging between 0 and 1, where 0 represents poor performance and 1 refers to a fully sustainable status. The results show that, although social wellbeing and economic status for LYR have progressively improved since 1950, environmental quality declined in the latter half of 20th century, with the lowest point in 1997 when extreme drought occurred. The Yellow River Conservancy Commission (YRCC), the government authority responsible for the LYR, implemented measures to improve the river health by multifunctional infrastructure projects and water allocation regulation. This effort proved to be effective as the general sustainability performance subsequently improved. The UGR study also identifies the trade-off between environmental capital and socioeconomic capital. With vast expansion of hydropower projects and new settlement in flood-prone areas, communities along the UGR are increasingly vulnerable to extreme events. However, the Ganges river basin authority lacks the capacity for integrated planning which would enable projects like flood defence schemes to be undertaken in a proper framework. It is likely that the environmental performance of the UGR will continue to decline, particularly with increasing uncertainty in climate, as the UGR basin management is not improving resilience sufficiently. By performing this comparative analysis, it has been shown that integrated river basin management should incorporate institutional capacity, stakeholder engagement, resilience and transparency. This research also contributes to underpinning policies for Integrated River Basin Management (IRBM). The assessment provides policy-makers and river managers with a holistic view of the river basin; the framework can be used to track progress towards sustainable development and identify priorities for multi-criteria decision-making.

abstract: Research shows that many water governance regimes are failing to guide social-ecological systems away from points, beyond which, damage to social and environmental well-being will be difficult to correct. This problem is apparent in regions that face water conflicts and climate threats. There remains a need to clarify what is it about governance that people need to change in water conflict prone regions, how to collectively go about doing that, and how research can actively support this. To address these needs, here I present a collaborative research project from the dry tropics of Guanacaste Province, Costa Rica. The project addressed the overarching questions: How can water be governed sustainably in water-contested and climate-threatened regions? And, how can people transition current water governance regimes toward more sustainable ones? In pursuit of these questions, a series of individual studies were performed with many partners and collaborators. These studies included: a participatory analysis and sustainability assessment of current water governance regimes; a case analysis and comparison of water conflicts; constructing alternative governance scenarios; and, developing governance transition strategies. Results highlight the need for water governance that addresses asymmetrical knowledge gaps especially concerning groundwater resources, reconciles disenfranchised groups, and supports local leaders. Yet, actions taken based on these initial results, despite some success influencing policy, found substantial challenges confronting them. In-depth conflict investigations, for example, found that deeply rooted issues such friction between opposing local-based and national institutions were key conflict drivers in the region. To begin addressing these issues, researchers and stakeholders then constructed a set of governing alternatives and devised governance transition strategies that could actively support people to achieve more sustainable alternatives and avoid less sustainable ones. These efforts yielded insight into the collective actions needed to implement more sustainable water governance regimes, including ways to overcoming barriers that drive harmful water conflicts. Actions based on these initial strategies yielded further opportunities, challenges, and lessons. Overall, the project addresses the research and policy gap between identifying what is sustainable water governance and understanding the strategies needed to implement it successfully in regions that experience water conflict and climate impacts. / Dissertation/Thesis / Ph.D. Sustainability 2014

Sustainable development is a ubiquitously used concept referring to a vision of society centred on the principles of global responsibility, integration, inter- and intra-generational equity, precaution, participation and a long-term time horizon. It is a contested concept that regroups various sub-discourses which embody its constructive ambiguity. For sustainable development to become a decision-guiding strategy in pubic decision-making, adequate decision-supporting processes are required. This thesis reflects on the theory and on the practice of ‘sustainability assessment’ in various contexts by combining discourse analysis with a case-study approach. <p>The thesis builds on three case studies, undertaken in different –institutional, geographical, thematic and research- contexts. The three cases (situated respectively in the realm of sub-national policies; development co-operation and energy policy) allow for different approaches to sustainability assessment to be applied and analyzed. The relative novelty of sustainability assessment created room for experimental participatory approaches and provided opportunities for policy-relevant learning. Understanding how sustainability assessment contributes to a shared interpretation of sustainability, to an enhanced structuring of information and to influencing policy decisions is key to develop and apply the approach in the future. Research findings indicate that: sustainability assessment should act as a forum giving sense to the interpretational challenge of sustainability, within the boundaries set by essential sustainability principles. Participatory approaches are key in performing sustainability assessment, for both intrinsic and pragmatic reasons. Stakeholder knowledge should be combined with scientific information in real-life ‘science for sustainability’ experiments. There is no blueprint approach for developing and applying sustainability assessment. The discursive-institutional interplay determines how sustainability assessment is conceptualized and applied. Windows of opportunity for introducing and applying sustainability assessment may arise unexpectedly due to discursive and institutional convergences facilitated by the interpretational width of the sustainability concept, and these should be taken up. Sustainability assessment should be designed as a de-polarizing process, bringing the co-production of knowledge and decisions into practice. <p>The capacity of sustainable development to grasp the complexity of current societal challenges by providing a decision-guiding framework can be operationalized by sustainability assessment, which entails an increased awareness of the overlap between different areas of public policy. If sustainability assessment is to actually support decision-makers, scientifically and participatory designed beacons are needed. This is a challenge where scientists act as analysts and facilitators to help translate the intrinsically dynamic meaning of sustainability into actions. This thesis wishes to contribute to this endeavour. <p><p><p><p><p> / Doctorat en Sciences / info:eu-repo/semantics/nonPublished

CEEQUAL är ett brittiskt hållbarhetsklassningssystem utvecklat för anläggningsbranschen. CEEQUAL bedömer och ger utmärkelser till infrastruktur- och anläggningsprojekt som hanterat miljö- och hållbarhetsfrågor över lagstadgade krav. Denna rapport undersöker och jämför arbetsgången enligt CEEQUALs manual och arbetsgången enligt Trafikverkets planeringsprocess. Vidare redovisas resultaten från en workshop samt intervjuer med anställda på NCC, Ramböll, Skanska, Trafikverket och WSP. Huvudsyftet med studien är att utvärdera CEEQUALs lämplighet som verktyg för Trafikverkets miljö- och hållbarhetsarbete. Resultatet från intervjuer, workshop och litteraturstudier har analyserats och rationaliserats ur Trafikverkets perspektiv. Slutsatser som dras i rapporten är bland annat: CEEQUAL behöver hårdare krav samt en anpassning till den svenska marknaden för att bli ett effektivt verktyg att använda i Sverige. Trafikverket rekommenderas avvakta vidare CEEQUALmärkning till dess ovannämnda anpassning genomförts. Trafikverket rekommenderas vidare att försöka satsa på Whole Team Award vid ombyggnationen av Trafikplats Roslags-Näsby. Detta för att sedan göra en utförlig jämförelse med Trafikplats Viggbyholm, en trafikplats längs samma vägsträcka som även den genomgår en ombyggnation, dock utan CEEQUALmärkning. Den i skrivande stund rimligaste förhållningen till CEEQUAL för Trafikverket är att arbeta med de delar CEEQUAL tar upp som Sverige får som sämst betyg i och försöka integrera dessa i Trafikverkets egna miljö- och hållbarhetsarbete. / CEEQUAL is a British environmental assessment scheme developed for civil engineering projects. CEEQUAL assesses and awards infrastructure- and civil engineering projects that have dealt with environment- and sustainability issues beyond statutory requirements. This thesis examines and compares the workflow according to the CEEQUAL manual and the workflow according to the Swedish Transport Administration’s planning process. The results from a workshop as well as interviews with employees from NCC, Ramböll, Skanska, the Swedish Transport Administration and WSP are furthermore presented. The main purpose of this thesis is to evaluate CEEQUAL’s suitability as a tool for the Swedish Transport Administration’s work concerning environmental- and sustainability issues. The results from interviews, workshop and literature has been analyzed and rationalized from the perspective of the Swedish Transport Administration. Conclusions drawn in the thesis are including: CEEQUAL needs tougher requirements as well as an adaption to the Swedish market to be an effective tool in Sweden. The Swedish Transport Administration is recommended to wait with further CEEQUAL evaluations until above adaption has been made. The Swedish Transport Administration is further recommended to aim for a Whole Team Award at the redevelopment of the interchange Trafikplats Roslag-Näsby. This to later perform a detailed comparison with Trafikplats Viggbyholm, an interchange along the same road section also undergoing a redevelopment, without a CEEQUAL assessment being done however. The at the moment most reasonable way to look at CEEQUAL for the Swedish Transport Administration is to work with the parts CEEQUAL assesses that Sweden gets the lowest grades in, and to try to integrate these into the Swedish Transport administration’s own environmental- and sustainability work.

Der Bundesverkehrswegeplan (BVWP) stellt das zentrale Instrument zur Gestaltung des Verkehrs und der Mobilität in Deutschland dar. Der aktuelle BVWP 2030 sieht sich in Wissenschaft und Politik ebenso wie vorherige Fassungen des Plans der Kritik ausgesetzt, nicht zu einer nachhaltigen Entwicklung des Verkehrs beizutragen oder diese gar zu verhindern. Bisher findet sich in der Literatur jedoch keine systematische Betrachtung des Verfahrens und insbesondere der in ihm integrierten Bewertung von Nachhaltigkeitsaspekten. Ziel dieser Arbeit ist es, diese Lücke zu schließen. Hierzu nutzt die Arbeit die Methodik der qualitativen Inhaltsanalyse auf Basis der Theorie zu nachhaltiger Verkehrsentwicklung und Nachhaltigkeitsbewertung. Das Ergebnis ist ein Überblick über den Weiterentwicklungsbedarf der Bundesverkehrswegeplanung aus Perspektive nachhaltiger Verkehrsentwicklung. Diese Ergebnisse werden bisheriger Kritik und bestehenden Weiterentwicklungsvorschlägen gegenübergestellt und daraus eigene Empfehlungen abgeleitet. Eine grundlegende Neuordnung der Bundesverkehrswegeplanung sollte demnach Planungsannahmen transparent reflektieren, über eine reine Infrastrukturbereitstellung hinausgehen, ein strategisches (Nachhaltigkeits-)Zielsystem entwickeln, die Betrachtung auf Gesamtplanebene in den Mittelpunkt rücken (z. B. Entwicklung von Alternativszenarien) und das Verfahren auf darunterliegenden Planungsebenen an diesen ausrichten.:1 Einleitung 2 Charakterisierung der Bundesverkehrswegeplanung 3 Nachhaltigkeit im Verkehr 4 Integration von Nachhaltigkeit in Verkehrsplanungen 5 Entwicklung der Methodik zur Analyse des BVWP 2030 6 Ergebnisse der Analyse des BVWP 2030 7 Diskussion und Weiterentwicklungsempfehlungen 8 Schlussfolgerungen und Ausblick

CEEQUAL är ett klassningssystem utvecklad av ICE, den brittiska Institutionen för Civilingenjörer, för att bättra på anläggningsbranschens sociala, ekonomiska och miljömässiga hållbarhetsarbete. Systemet utvecklades år 2003 och användes fram till år 2011 endast i Storbritannien och Irland. År 2011 utvecklades en internationell version för organisationer som är intresserade av att certifiera projekt i andra delar av världen. Syftet med rapporten är att utvärdera konsekvenser för ett projekt som skall miljöcertifieras. Detta sker med hjälp av tre fallstudier från Skanska Sverige AB: Projekt Skarplöt, exploatering av en åkermark i Västerhaninge. Projekt Folkparksvägen, ombyggnation av en 1500 meter vägsträcka. Projekt Tyresövägen-Simvägen, en avsmalning av Tyresövägen från  motorvägsstandard till stadsväg.           Målet med rapporten är att: Identifiera förbättringsåtgärder för att främja hållbarhet och resurseffektivitet i produktion. Uppskatta vilka resurser förbättringsåtgärderna för certifiering kräver. Resultat från fallstudierna visar att Skanska har väl inarbetade rutiner i företagets ledningssystem, dock finns det förbättringspotential som kan uppnås med integrering av CEEQUALs krav i dagens arbetssätt. Merkostnaden av förbättringsåtgärderna består mestadels av tjänstemannatid för ett utökat samhällsengagemang, planering och bevakning av åtgärder som främjar hållbarhet samt insamling av bevismaterial för certifiering. Ändringar som uppkommer i arbetssättet är projektberoende och belyses i produktionsplaneringsskedet i varje enskilt projekt med hjälp av den extra planeringen som en CEEQUAL certifiering kräver. Rekommendationer för Skanska är att integrera en del av CEEQUALs krav i ledningssystemet och att skapa färdiga mallar som är anpassade till CEEQUALs frågeställningar med avsikt att effektivisera framställning av bevisdokumentationen i varje enskilt projekt. / CEEQUAL is an assessment and award scheme developed by ICE, The Institution of Civil Engineers in Great Britain, in order to improve the Civil engineering industry´s social, economic and environmental sustainability. The system was developed in 2003 and it was only used in the UK and Ireland until 2011. Year 2011, was an international version developed for organizations that are interested in certifying projects in other parts of the world. The report aims to evaluate the consequences for a project that is going to be assessed. This is done by using three case studies from Skanska Sverige AB: Project Skarplöt, exploitation of previous farming land in Västerhaninge. Project Folkparksvägen, refurbishment of a 1500 meter stretch of road. Project Tyresövägen - Simvägen, a narrowing of Tyresövägen from motorway standard to a city road with cycle lanes. The objective of this report is to: Identify improvement measures to promote sustainability and resource efficiency under production. Estimate the resources that such improvements and the works associated with the certification requires. Results of case studies show that Skanska has well-established work practices, however, there is potential for improvement that can be achieved with the integration of CEEQUALs requirements in the company’s management system. The additional cost of the improvement measures consist mostly of extra working time needed to administrate, plan and monitor measures that promote sustainability as well as gather evidence for certification. Adjustments to the production process that arises in the planning stages of the sustainability measures cannot be generalised and depend mostly on the project prerequisites. Recommendations to Skanska are to integrate CEEQUALs requirements in their management system and to create pre-designed templates for the required documentation and procedures in order to streamline planning and monitoring in each individual project that is going to be certified.