Industrial Ecology approaches used in the emerging field of Positive Tipping Points (7:00 AM UTC)
Session Organizer : Thomas Elliot and Claudia R. Binder
Institution : Aalborg University & EPFL
Location/Local Time : Alborg Denmark. 8:00 - 9:00 AM
Session Description:
Session description
Despite decades of climate policy, global emissions continue to rise, prompting interest in bottom-up strategies for mitigation. Among these, lifestyle change is increasingly viewed as a critical lever. The field of positive tipping points or social tipping points has recently emerged as a type of bottom-up climate action. These actions can include the diffusion and adoption of technology that replaces more emission-intensive technologies (e.g. solar power and electric vehicles), and consumer action such as plant-based food regimes and flight avoidance.
Understanding how these actions might benefit a sustainability transition is crucial. However, there is very little empirical evidence so far, meaning most research remains qualitative. This session hosts speakers developing quantitative industrial ecology approaches to estimate the influence that positive and social tipping points may have on Earth systems, such as the climate.
- Introduction. Short introduction to social tipping points in the context of industrial ecology by co-chairs Thomas Elliot and Claudia R. Binder.
- There will be four presentations of 10 minutes each.
- Investigating and modelling tipping dynamics in social metabolism: conceptual considerations on resilience and malleability
Helmut Haberl, Institute of Social Ecology, BOKU University, Vienna
This talk is focused on methodological and conceptual challenges involved in studying tipping phenomena in socio-metabolic research. It explains the concepts of ‘resilience’ and ‘malleability’ that can help analyzing complex, dynamic networked socioecological systems and discusses some interim outcomes from the ongoing REMASS project.
- Dynamic System Strategies for Climate Social Tipping Points
Thomas Elliot, Department of Sustainability and Planning, Aalborg University
The recently concluded DARETOTIP project developed a method linking a consumption-based life cycle assessment model with to a system dynamics behaviour change model. Results show how social contagion of pro-environmental behaviours affect global warming over time.
- Initiating social tippingdynamics in energy transitions: a novel analytical approach for exploring feedback loops and intervention points
Jaïr K.E.K. Campfens, Laboratory on Human-Environment Relations in Urban Systems, EPFL
This talk presents a case study–based analysis of social tipping points in the village of Pully, Switzerland, using a mixed-method approach. The results reveal consistent scenarios that highlight the feedback loops and intervention points at play in guiding the community toward desirable future pathways.
- Solar basic service: an idea for accelerating the energy transition
Harald Dessing, Technology and Society, Empa
Exploring physically feasible strategies to minimize climate risks shows that a fast transition to predominantly solar energy with little additional energy storage is indeed possible, considering the feedback between energy and material systems. Advancing beyond current policies, solar basic service is an idea to catalyse the necessary investments through a shared solar infrastructure, which opens new directions for IE research.
- Questions and Discussion. The remaining time will be used for questions and open discussion with the audience.
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