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Interdisciplinary understanding of macro rebound effects. How can we understand and mitigate them? (2013)

Section outline

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    General

    Welcome to the Ph.D. course/workshop:

    Interdisciplinary understanding of macro rebound effects. How can we understand and mitigate them?

    The workshop is open for PhD's as well as engaged people outside of academia

    Organizer: Associate Professor Søren Løkke, Aalborg University, DCEA (loekke@plan.aau.dk)
    Lecturers: Associate Professor Søren Løkke (AAU-DCEA), Professor Inge Røpke (AAU-DIST)
    ECTS: 3 (with full paper and presentation) OR 1 (with participation)
    Time: August 15th 2013
    Place: AAU Copenhagen, A.C. Meyers Vænge 15

    Zip code: 2450
    City: Copenhagen SV

    Number of seats: 25
    Deadlines:

    August 1st: Registration at this site

    July 15th: Optional submission of paper (approx. 3000 words)

    August 15th: Workshop in Copenhagen

    Description:
    Global energy consumption, resource extraction, and greenhouse gas emissions are trending upwards, not downwards. We are far from meeting the goals set forth in the Kyoto Protocol (UNEP 2012). An understanding of rebound effects might be of great use in understanding why policy aiming to curb emissions such as energy efficiency has failed to yield the improvements they seemed to assure.

    The energy or GHG-emission and environmental impact rebound effect (take-back effect) refers to behavioral and systemic responses to measures designed to reduce energy consumption or emissions. According to Maxwell et al (2011), a rebound effect could in general be understood through the use of the IPAT equation (Holdren and Ehrlich 1974, Commoner 1972): I (Impact) = P (Population) *A (Affluence)*T (Technological Efficiency). Impact is - in an environmental context - the total environmental impact. Thus, the total environmental impact depends on the population level, average products and services consumption per capita (A), and the environmental efficiency of production (T). Rebound effect refers to the relationship between improvements in technical efficiency (T) which lead to an increase in per capita consumption (A).


    Energy economists distinguish among three different types of rebound effect: direct, indirect, and economy‐wide rebound effects (Sorell et al. 2007, Dimitropoulos 2007). For example, expected reductions in fuel consumption (and thus saving money) from making cars more fuel-efficient can partly be offset by car owners using their savings to drive extra kilometers. This is called direct rebound effects. It might also be the case that these savings are used on other activities, e.g. long distance flights, which could even lead to a net increase in energy use. This is called indirect rebound effect. The sum of direct and indirect rebound effects lead to so called economy-wide rebound effects at the macro level. Several researchers (Maxwell et al. 2011; Høyer 2010; Schneider 2008; Sorell et. al 2007) have argued that macro level rebound effects are currently not properly understood. Nevertheless, macro level rebound effects are fiercely debated. This controversy and lack of understanding makes it difficult to formulate policies that will actually help meet key environmental goals.

    Rebound effects are widely discussed within energy economics. Where there is a disagreement in connection to prevails on detail questions, such as the scope of the output elasticity of energy (namely, how energy as a factor of production leverages overall economic growth), the degree of substitutability of all factors of production, or the relationship between efficiency increases and product/service innovation. It is difficult to prove or disapprove how the dynamics between energy efficiency and growth is based on macro-economic growth models. The results of the models depend on underlying assumptions.

    While energy economist’s deals with how increases in energy efficiency influence economic growth are other researchers more concerned of how economic growth outstrips the efficiency gains. Schneider (2008) argues that it is not the efficiency improvements themselves that create the rebound effects. The problem lies, he asserts, in levels of economic growth that constantly outstrip the efficiency gains at the macro level. A similar thought is expressed by Nørgård (2009), who insists that there is nothing wrong with higher efficiency resulting in lower resource flows in the economy. Rather, the problem lies within the conventional economic request for higher flow.

    Høyer (2010) replaces the concept of economy‐wide rebound effects with the concept of society‐wide rebound effects, arguing that rebound can only be understood through interdisciplinary research that accounts for social and technological structures and relations. This suggests that our problems are not just problems of rebound effect associated with improvements in energy efficiency; our problems are embedded in our contemporary society/economic system.

    Key questions in this society-wide rebound discussion then become: “Is it possible to mitigate rebound effects under situations with economic growth?” and “Is the current organizational structures of society able to reduce energy use and greenhouse gas emissions?” By looking at the current European economic crises it shows that economic recession could lead to unemployment, poverty and instability. To get the economic growth on track is seen as a solution out of the crises; however this could further enhance the ecologic crises. A third question then becomes “Are there policy strategies that combine mitigation of emissions (and rebound effects) with avoidance of social crises?” – in other words “how do we avoid that rebound effects preventing sustainable development?”

    This workshop aims to better understand macro-level rebound effects. We will dive into some of the core controversies in understanding of macro rebound effects, addressing the importance of interdisciplinary understanding of rebound effects. Thus we will attempt broadening the perspective and more comprehensively investigate why the current environmental and sustainability policies fails, by further discussing the interrelationship between efficiency, energy, and related environmental problems, and the current and dominating growth policy.

    We call for contributions in the following thematic fields:
    - Definitions of society-wide and macro rebound effects
    - Analysis of key disagreements about macro rebound effects
    - Analysis of causes and causalities for macro rebound effects
    - How can and should interdisciplinary research help us to understand and mitigate macro rebound effects.
    - Policy strategies for avoidance of macro rebound effects of environmental policy - hereunder strategies for sustainable transitions.
    - Case studies illustrating the theoretical perspectives outlined above

    The workshop is open for PhD-students and other interested parties concerned with the current ecological crises and wants to contribute with their knowledge in an interdisciplinary setting of how to understand and mitigate macro rebound effects.

  • Topic 1

    Program:
    The program is indicative and we may deviate if we feel that is appropriate

    Wednesday 14th
    18.30 Informal social dinner at:
    Riz Raz Sticks'N'Veggies - Kompagnistræde 20 in central Copenhagen

    Thursday 15th
    0900-0915 Opening of the workshop (Søren Løkke)

    0915-1000 Each participant introduce oneself with a focus on research interest and the rebound problematique

    1000-1145 Presentation session: Every participant gives a 20 minute presentation of their paper, hereafter 10 minutes for questions. It is important to prepare short talks i.e. to present highlights and core results.

    1145-1245 Lunch at the University canteen (self-paid)

    1245-1415 Presentation session continued.

    1415-1545 Workshop: Understanding of macro rebound effects and related transition challenges. (Groups and thematic fields are organized based on paper submissions).

    1545-1700 Plenary discussion of workshop findings & Summarize of the workshop (Inge Røpke & Søren Løkke)

  • Topic 2

    Minimum readings
    You find the texts in the folder below. These texts will secure that we have a common basis when entering the discussions of the workshop.

  • Topic 3

    Materials & References:

    Commoner, B. (1972). The environmental cost of economic growth. In Population. Resources and the Environment, pp. 339–363. Washington, DC: Government Printing Office.

    Dimitropoulos, J. (2007) Energy productivity improvements and the rebound effect: An overview of
    the state of knowledge. Energy Policy 35: 12 pp. 6354–6363.

    Holdren, J. P. and Ehrlich, P. R. (1974). Human population and the global environment. American Scientist, 62, 282–292.

    Høyer, K. G. (2010) Theory of rebound effects: transport and mobility. PowerPoint
    presentation,Oslo University college, 29 October 2010. Presented at a PhD course on Green Growth, De‐growth and Sustainability. The course was jointly held by AAU department for planning and development and Oslo University College from 27‐29 oct. 2010 .

    Maxwell, D.; Owen, P.; McAndrew, L.; Muehmel, K.; Neubauer, A. (2011) Addressing the
    Rebound Effect; A report for the European Commission DG Environment, 26 April 2011. Available online: http://ec.europa.eu/environment/eussd/pdf/rebound_effect_report.pdf

    Nørgård, J. (2009) "Avoiding Rebound through a Steady State Economy" in Herring, H., Sorell,
    S., Elliot, D., Energy Efficiency and Sustainable Consumption: Rebound Effect. Palgrave
    Macmillan.

    Schneider, F. (2008) "Macroscopic rebound effects as argument for economic degrowth."
    Paper delivered to the first international conference on Economic De‐growth for Ecological
    Sustainability and Social Equity, Paris, April 18‐19th 2008. Available online:
    http://events.it‐sudparis.eu/degrowthconference/themes/1First%20panels/Backgrounds/
    Schneider%20F%20Degrowth%20Paris%20april%202008%20paper.pdf

    Sorrell, S.; Dimitropoulos, J.; Hunt, L.; Broadstock, D.; Grant, A.; Gilmartin, M.; McGregor, P.;
    Swales, K.; Turner, K.; Sommerville, M.; Anderson, D. (2007) The Rebound Effect: an
    assessment of the evidence for economy‐wide energy savings from improved energy
    efficiency. London: UK Energy Research Centre. Available online: http://www.ukerc.ac.uk/Downloads/PDF/07/0710ReboundEffect/0710ReboundEffectReport.pdf

    UNEP (2012) GEO5 Global Environment Outlook Environment for the future we want.
    Available online: http://www.unep.org/geo/

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