Simon Bager, PhD

More than 500 companies engaged in supply chains of forest-risk commodity have adopted zero-deforestation commitments (ZDCs). We analyse the processes and conditions for ZDC implementation based on 35 semi-structured interviews with company representatives and publicly available ZDC data. The objective is to understand ZDC implementation at the level of companies. While past research addressed ZDC coverage and effectiveness, knowledge is still lacking on companies' perspectives on commitment… Vis mere

More than 500 companies engaged in supply chains of forest-risk commodity have adopted zero-deforestation commitments (ZDCs). We analyse the processes and conditions for ZDC implementation based on 35 semi-structured interviews with company representatives and publicly available ZDC data. The objective is to understand ZDC implementation at the level of companies. While past research addressed ZDC coverage and effectiveness, knowledge is still lacking on companies' perspectives on commitment implementation. This study provides a unique perspective by integrating the direct experience of private actors on an environmental governance regime. We find that companies see implementation of ZDCs as a journey and often rely on voluntary sustainability standards, aligning their strategies and key performance indicators (KPIs) to these. They engage directly in the supply chain, conducting projects “on-the-ground.” Implementing ZDCs requires the involvement of procurement departments and upper management, and collaborations within and between companies. Companies rely on service providers for in-depth knowledge and field implementation. They use monitoring tools, e.g. remote sensing, and see supply chain traceability as a prerequisite for implementation. Companies face numerous implementation challenges. Internally, companies often lack leadership on their ZDC, struggle to align commitments with the organization's operations and to manage suppliers, especially smallholders, and allocate insufficient resources. Externally, they lack common standards and stakeholder support, and face challenging regulatory conditions and missing market incentives. An uneven playing field creates leakage markets. Companies identify better leadership, technology and pre-competitive collaboration as potential solutions. Zero-deforestation commitments are unlikely to greatly contribute to reducing deforestation until better implementation processes, mechanisms, and conditions are in place. Vis mindre

Despite the importance of tropical forest conservation in achieving global sustainability goals and the key role of forest-risk commodity trade in driving deforestation, consumer country policy options for reducing imported deforestation have received limited scholarly attention. Drawing on gray literature and a European Commission public consultation, we identify 86 policy options for the European Union to address deforestation. We assess the political feasibility and map the “theory of… Vis mere

Despite the importance of tropical forest conservation in achieving global sustainability goals and the key role of forest-risk commodity trade in driving deforestation, consumer country policy options for reducing imported deforestation have received limited scholarly attention. Drawing on gray literature and a European Commission public consultation, we identify 86 policy options for the European Union to address deforestation. We assess the political feasibility and map the “theory of change” (TOC)—the causal chain through which the policies address deforestation—for each of these policy options, identifying a trade-off between feasibility and potential impacts: information-based and cooperative policies, which dominate our sample, typically exhibit high feasibility, but mostly lack convincing TOCs, while more stringent regulatory and market-based policy options generally have lower feasibility. We propose three principles for overcoming the feasibility-impact dilemma: (1) build policies on proven TOCs, (2) use policy mixes, and (3) work with key stakeholders, supply chains, and regions. Vis mindre

The coffee sector is facing several sustainability challenges. We ask whether addressing these is transforming the entire coffee sector or rather leading to market differentiation. Drawing on stakeholder theory and global value chain analysis, we analyse how the coffee sector approaches sustainability by examining the sustainability efforts of a random sample of 513 companies. We also identify the factors shaping the adoption of sustainability strategies. A third of companies report no… Vis mere

The coffee sector is facing several sustainability challenges. We ask whether addressing these is transforming the entire coffee sector or rather leading to market differentiation. Drawing on stakeholder theory and global value chain analysis, we analyse how the coffee sector approaches sustainability by examining the sustainability efforts of a random sample of 513 companies. We also identify the factors shaping the adoption of sustainability strategies. A third of companies report no commitment to sustainability, whereas another third report vague commitment. The final third of companies report tangible commitments to sustainability. Company characteristics and stakeholders affect the scope and type of sustainability strategy chosen. Large, risk-aware companies tend to conduct ‘hands-on’ governance, adopting internal sustainability practices along their value chain. Small, consumer-facing companies and producers rely on ‘hands-off’ governance, adopting external voluntary sustainability standards. Several sustainability issues remain underaddressed by most companies, including climate change and deforestation. We found indications of potential greenwashing by some companies. Addressing sustainability is not yet fully mainstreamed in the sector, though ambitious commitments by sustainability leaders and large actors signal increasing importance of sustainability as part of corporate social responsibility efforts. We observe market differentiation through sustainability with progressive companies adopting sustainability strategies that align with their stakeholders, depending on value chain characteristics. Our results indicate a notable reliance on internal sustainability practices. There is a need for common coffee sustainability indicators relevant for all actors along the value chain, which are consistent with the Sustainable Development Goals, and a transparent, mandatory reporting framework. Vis mindre

This paper examines the relationship between loss aversion and consumer behaviour in a non-price policy intervention that followed the installation of smart meter (SM) technology. Drawing upon insights from behavioural economics, we propose that consumers underestimate potential gains and overestimate potential financial losses resulting from electricity use. To test the hypothesis, we carried out a pilot study involving the installation of SM technology in Copenhagen, Denmark. The analysis… Vis mere

This paper examines the relationship between loss aversion and consumer behaviour in a non-price policy intervention that followed the installation of smart meter (SM) technology. Drawing upon insights from behavioural economics, we propose that consumers underestimate potential gains and overestimate potential financial losses resulting from electricity use. To test the hypothesis, we carried out a pilot study involving the installation of SM technology in Copenhagen, Denmark. The analysis used two baselines, and the differential effects revealed that the provision of loss-framed, salient information reduced daily demand by 7–11%, compared to unframed information. Reductions in standby consumption were more pronounced, with a differential effect of 16–25%. Despite the limitations inherent in a pilot study, notably the small sample size, the findings suggest that policies that address SM technology need to consider not only the pure provision of information, but also how it is designed and presented to users. Several aspects for further research are identified.

Keywords:
Behavioural economics; Demand-side response; Loss aversion; Residential sector; Smart meters Vis mindre

This factsheet takes stock of key regional and global initiatives related to agriculture and climate change, which have been launched in the period from 2005 to 2016, identifying strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats across these, as well as highlighting success factors. This analysis is undertaken in the context of the agriculture-related components of the Intended Nationally Determined Contributions (INDCs) submitted by Parties under the climate convention as part of the lead-up… Vis mere

This factsheet takes stock of key regional and global initiatives related to agriculture and climate change, which have been launched in the period from 2005 to 2016, identifying strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats across these, as well as highlighting success factors. This analysis is undertaken in the context of the agriculture-related components of the Intended Nationally Determined Contributions (INDCs) submitted by Parties under the climate convention as part of the lead-up to the Paris Agreement in 2015 and re-submitted as Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) upon ratification of the Paris Agreement. Vis mindre

Abstract:
The purpose of this paper is to examine how behavioural biases affects consumers’ response to energy-use information provided through smart meters (SM). We take insights from behavioural economics and carry out two real-life experiments with SMs and electricity users. The experiments were conducted in Copenhagen (Denmark) to identify and assess the potential of two economic behavioural biases, salience and loss aversion. The results of the first experiment (i.e. installation of SM… Vis mere

Abstract:
The purpose of this paper is to examine how behavioural biases affects consumers’ response to energy-use information provided through smart meters (SM). We take insights from behavioural economics and carry out two real-life experiments with SMs and electricity users. The experiments were conducted in Copenhagen (Denmark) to identify and assess the potential of two economic behavioural biases, salience and loss aversion. The results of the first experiment (i.e. installation of SM without further intervention) generally aligned with electricity use reductions found in previous research, and indicate that it may be reasonable to expect a reduction in electricity use in the medium-term (weeks/months) of ~5-7% approximately. Results of the second experiment (i.e. introduction of SM with and without intervention) show that subjecting participants to loss aversion and salience seems to affect their behaviour toward electricity use, as the intervention group reduced their consumption roughly twice as much as the reference group. With due limitations, the results suggest that the delivery of information to energy users needs to take into account not only its pure provision, but how it is designed, framed and presented. At all events, the results and reviewed studies strongly suggest that increased energy efficiency and energy conservation need to be addressed with a mix of policies – not only information schemes or the provision of feedback alone.

Keywords: Smart Meter, Energy, Households, Behavioural Economics, EU policy Vis mindre

The reports present the findings of an initial feasibility study for a biogas plant in the Finnish Municipality of Asikkala, and includes an analysis of biogas technology and its suitability to the local context, an outline of the proposed biogas system, and recommendations to the local authorities and stakeholders.