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2020, Australasian Journal of Environmental Management
2020 •
In efforts to stem the social and economic fallout from COVID-19, governments are responding with unprecedented levels of public spending and economic intervention. The choices being made today will shape our societies for decades to come. When it comes to climate change and inequality – the two defining challenges of our age – they can either sow the seeds of a fairer and more sustainable world or accelerate us down the path to catastrophe.
2016 •
Presentation: The Australian Bureau of Statistics has projected that Australia's population will double to 46 million by 2075, which could be as early as 2058 under the high growth scenario. Melbourne and Sydney are expected to each have 7.9 million people by 2053. While efficiencies in energy utilisation may contribute to reducing demand by approximately 0.5%pa, the electrical generation capacity of the Eastern Australian market will need to expand considerably to meet the demands population growth, elimination of fossil fuels from the transport sector (eg through electric and hydrogen fuelled vehicles) and water desalination requirements. Renewable energy and passively safe Generation IV (fast breeder) nuclear power generators such as the “Power Reactor Innovative Small Module” (GE/Hitachi Prism Reactor) have the capacity to complement each other. For example, Generation IV nuclear has the ability to vary power to complement the low capacity factor of renewable energy and to o...
Energy Research & Social Science
Covid-19 and the politics of sustainable energy transitions2020 •
In this perspectives piece, an interdisciplinary team of social science researchers considers the implications of Covid-19 for the politics of sustainable energy transitions. The emergency measures adopted by states, firms, and individuals in response to this global health crisis have driven a series of political, economic and social changes with potential to influence sustainable energy transitions. We identify some of the initial impacts of the 'great lockdown' on sustainable and fossil sources of energy, and consider how economic stimulus packages and social practices in the wake of the pandemic are likely to shape energy demand, the carbon-intensity of the energy system, and the speed of transitions. Adopting a broad multi-scalar and multi-actor approach to the analysis of energy system change, we highlight continuities and discontinuities with pre-pandemic trends. Discussion fo-cuses on four key themes that shape the politics of sustainable energy transitions: (i) the short, medium and long-term temporalities of energy system change; (ii) practices of investment around clean-tech and divestment from fossil fuels; (iii) structures and scales of energy governance; and (iv) social practices around mobility, work and public health. While the effects of the pandemic continue to unfold, some of its sectoral and geographically differentiated impacts are already emerging. We conclude that the politics of sustainable energy transitions are now at a critical juncture, in which the form and direction of state support for post-pandemic economic recovery will be key.
In October, 2018, a two-day workshop was held at the Nexus Centre, Memorial University, in order to engage in “thinking futures” (Urry 2016) related to climate change and energy, with particular attention to the social values underlying decision-making in a carbon constrained world. The workshop included participants from Australia, Canada, Finland, Germany, Iceland, India, Luxembourg, and the United States. Participants also represented a range of disciplines including Sociology, Geography, Political Science, and Environmental Studies, as well as community speakers. The presentations and discussions generated new insight into how energy systems may be reconfigured to address the problem of climate change and promote social-ecological wellbeing. Transdisciplinary and international contributions focused on the social challenges, possibilities and trade-offs involved in pursuing fossil fuels, nuclear power, hydro-electric, and emerging renewable energy technologies.
2020 •
The global lockdown due to COVID-19 has reduced industrial activities, construction, tourism, material demand, and mobility. This has impacted many sectors of the global economy including the energy sector which has witnessed movements both towards and away from sustainability. Key trends observed include a reduced demand for both energy and energy services, zero to negative oil prices, disruptions in the supply chain of energy technologies and materials – specially for renewable energy, and a decline in investments. This has led to welcome reductions in greenhouse gas emissions and air pollution, revealed opportunities for new and digitalized business models and responsible lifestyle choices, but all these will be short lived if we go back to business as usual. Such behavioral and societal changes have revealed the potential for structural change and transitions in demand for energy services towards sustainability. An interesting revelation is that the positive fallouts for sustain...
Research Handbook on Energy and Society
Introduction to Research Handbook on Energy and Society: why study energy and society?2020 •
In response to the global Covid-19 pandemic, national governments decided to go into lockdown in differing ways and extents. Probably the biggest fear of the indirect impact of the pandemic is that of a global recession. With the global recession in 2008, the financial stimulus that then followed supported the fossil fuel industry at the expense of the world's climate. In order to avert a similar event, anticipating a 2020 global recession, the UN Secretary General issued a six-point recommendation for post-pandemic recovery. This included calls for a green, sustainable recovery based on the decarbonisation of every aspect of the economy and calls to ending subsidies for fossil fuel industries and carbon intensive industries. During lockdown in the first half of the year 2020, many corporations successfully continued their businesses, depending on their employees' ability to work from home. Connectivity technology proved to be satisfactory for business continuity, including holding face to face meetings and holding group events and even for online schooling. The reduction in air and road travel, together with industry closure, led to a notable reduction in air pollution and, inevitably, in carbon emissions. The curfews and lack of human activity in urban areas led to an increase in wildlife appearance and presence. While the effects of the lockdown on the populations were palpable in social media sentiment, cleaner air was measured by earth observation sensors. The predicted reduction in CO2 emissions for 2020, due to the lockdown was, for the first time ever, almost comparable to that required by the 2015 COP21 UNFCC Paris Agreement. Taking advantage of overall lockdown, this research collected exploratory data using online tools, inviting respondents over social media to express their views regarding their past commuting and air travel habits and their reactions towards a hypothetical reduction, encouraged or enforced, in ii commuting and in air travel. This research analyses the effects of lockdown on the respondents and looks for parallels in people's reactions towards a pandemic lockdown and towards climate change response actions, examining which elements may lead to a change in habits regarding commuting and air travel. The aim of this research is to explore the similarities in people's attitudes towards the lockdown as a solution to the global Covid-19 pandemic emergency and the change in habits that would be required to reduce private commuting and air travel, so as to limit greenhouse gas emissions in response to the problem of global warming. The findings of this research show that changing habits towards commuting and air travel, the feeling of being forced into lockdown, people's concern over fossil fuel usage as well as the reasons why climate change and pandemics may not be taken seriously in initial stages of their effects are associated with specific groups of people. These include age group, gender, wages, family status and country of long-term residence.
eceee Summer Study Proceedings
To What Extent Has COVID-19 Impacted Hard-to-reach Energy Audiences2021 •
Energy users who don't participate in efficiency and conservation programmes despite ongoing outreach are often referred to as 'Hard-to-Reach' (HTR). These individuals or organisations can include, e.g., low income or vulnerable households; renters; and small businesses. More effectively engaging HTR audiences is key to ensuring everyone benefits equitably from low-carbon energy transitions and related (policy) interventions. This is even more so the case in light of the COVID-19 pandemic, and the ongoing implications for energy use and affordability for the most vulnerable (and newly-vulnerable) members of our society. Within this context, the main purpose of this paper is to explore the extent to which HTR energy audiences have been impacted by COVID-19. Our primary method for this work was a comprehensive, critical literature review and a compilation of official statistics. We also collected survey, interview and focus group data during 2020 COVID-19 pandemic responses in the U.S., UK, NZ and Sweden. The geographical scope is determined by a 3-year project focusing on HTR energy users and implemented in partnership with the User-Centred Energy Systems Technology Collaboration Programme (Users TCP) by the International Energy Agency (IEA). Key findings we highlight and discuss in this paper: • In the UK, energy debt is growing due to higher domestic consumption arising from lockdown measures and the reduced income of many households. Most households (72%) have increased their energy (monthly gas and electricity bills are up £32) use. In response, 36% are turning thermostats down and 27% limiting lighting. • In the U.S., a survey of 1,000 energy customers found that more than 50% are using more energy, and monitoring their energy use less; 15% reported postponing a utility bill. • NZ's model COVID-19 "elimination" response has included housing, financial support, and specific energy payments to date, though unhealthy and unaffordable housing remains a major issue. • Sweden has taken a different approach to manage COVID-19, yet when it comes to mobility, declines in demand (~25%) have shown relatively similar patterns to countries with stricter measures. Whereas the pandemic has exacerbated several elements of the HTR policy discourse (e.g. impacts on vulnerable and/or low-income households), our findings also reveal several opportunities and critical aspects for policy makers, researchers and utilities to identify and engage HTR energy users and segments.
2024 •
2023 •
Rivista Critica del Diritto Privato
L'utilizzo di dispositivi di geolocalizzazione sui minori tra responsabilità genitoriale, intervento pubblico e autonomia del minore2023 •
2023 •
Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services
The effect of weather on consumer spending2010 •
Journal of Mathematical Analysis and Applications
The Daugavet property in the Musielak–Orlicz spaces2015 •
Journal of AOAC International
Characterization of Polymorphic Forms of Rifaximin2016 •
Journal of Biotechnology
Zmpti1c overexpression correlates with increased adaptability of maize in low irrigation conditions2015 •
2009 •
2021 •
Comparative Biochemistry and Physiology Part A: Physiology
A comparison between egg surface areas and volumes of several avian species1982 •
IOSR Journal of Engineering
Environmental Impact of Produced Water and Driiling Waste Discharges from the Niger Delta Petroleum Industry2017 •