Level Of Ambition Research Articles

Is limiting the temperature increase to 1.5°C still possible?

It is always possible to find arguments to make 1.5°C forever possible, but they increasingly diverge from reality. It is time to admit that the world will cross 1.5°C and the likelihood of returning below 1.5°C via overshoot is slim. But, failing on 1.5°C does not mean the world has failed. The Paris Agreement is about balancing risks in a ‘well below 2°C’ world, and that level of ambition remains achievable despite a less certain climate outcome. We no longer need scenarios with impossibly steep emission declines to 1.5°C, but more nuanced country-level scenarios integrating national circumstances and feasible ambitions. This is harder for researchers, but more confronting for policy makers. Crossing 1.5°C is not a time to give up but a time to acknowledge our failures and find a new hope moving forward.

Achievement Motivation and its Relationship to Critical Thinking among Nursing Students in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia

The study aimed to identify Achievement Motivation and its Relationship to critical thinking among nursing students in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. The research sample consisted of 200 male and female students from the College of Nursing in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. The researchers used the descriptive approach and the results of the study reached: Summary of the results of the first question: It turns out that the degree of availability of the level of motivation among female nursing students in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia was (very high), as the general average was (4.5381), with a standard deviation of (.19607). The degree of evaluation of the study dimensions was arranged according to the highest arithmetic mean as follows: 1. The scope and clarity of the goal was rated very high, with an arithmetic average of (4.54). 2. The field of ambition level dimension was rated very high, with an arithmetic average of (4.5478). 3. The domain of perseverance dimension was rated very high, with an arithmetic average of (4.4972) .4. The field of perceived efficiency dimension was rated very high, with an arithmetic average of (4.5294). and It is clear from the level of critical thinking skills among female nursing students in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia was (very high), as the general average for the second axis was (4.5570), with a standard deviation of (.19470). The degree of evaluation of the study dimensions was arranged according to the highest arithmetic mean as follows: 1. The skill of making predictions dimension was rated very high, with an arithmetic average of (4.5625( 2. The skill of interpretation dimension was rated very high, with an arithmetic average of (4.5680). 3. The skill of evaluating arguments dimension came with a very high rating, with an arithmetic average of (4.5137( 4. The skill of deduction dimension was rated very high, with an arithmetic average of (4.5430). 5. The skill of reasoning dimension came with a very high rating, with an arithmetic average of (4.5900). and It shows that there is a statistically significant correlation between the degree of availability of achievement motivation and critical thinking among nursing students in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia at a significance level of less than (0.05), and the correlation coefficient was equal to (.336**), which is a high positive value. It indicates the existence of a strong positive relationship between achievement motivation and critical thinking.

The First Global Stocktake under the Paris Agreement: Role, Functioning and Legal Implications

Abstract At the 2023 UN climate conference in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, the outcome of the first global stocktake (GST) under Article 14 of the Paris Agreement was adopted. This result was hailed by some as a historical achievement, while others considered it a failure. This article explains (i) what the role of GST is; (ii) how it functions; (iii) what the GST outcome from Dubai contained and why it provided reasons (for some) to celebrate; and (iv) what its implications are for the processes under the Paris Agreement and for Parties’ climate change obligations. Importantly, the article sheds light on the role of the GST – which will take place every five years – in informing the increasing level of ambition of Parties’ climate action and support. Regularly conducting the GST is a means for providing an evidence-based, updated assessment of the collective progress of Parties and where they ought to be to achieve the Agreement’s goals. The outcome of the GST shall be taken into account by Parties, as a matter of legal obligation. If undertaken effectively, the GST can thus provide the basis for increasingly ambitious actions and for driving transformational action across all sectors.

Evolution of the Principle of International Responsibility to Protect (R2P) Civilians in International Law

The application of the principle of the responsibility to protect (R2P) civilians has not helped to consolidate this principle to the extent that it has contributed to surrounding it with flaws and to the formation of additional contentious material that has contributed to renewed debate over the feasibility and legitimacy of the use of force on humanitarian basses. Whilst the adoption of a new principle entitled "Responsible Sovereignty" that presupposes a balance between sovereignty and intervention, and after benefiting from the expansion of the concept of threat to international peace and security and the elaboration of a conditional controls that must be respected, for the use of force for humanitarian motives derived from the theory of just war, the international practice of this principle has not lived up to the level of ambitions, as the dilemma of selectivity and the exploitation of intervention as a pretext by the major powers remained unresolved.

The Environmental Land Management Scheme: Public goods and levels of ambition

The Environmental Land Management Scheme is now established as the central plank of financial assistance for farmers in England post-Brexit. Early articulations of policy directed the focus of the Scheme to the delivery of public goods, with a high level of ambition. More recently, however, greater weight is being accorded to food production and food security, with particular reference to the Sustainable Farming Incentive component, which is achieving broad coverage and accounting for the majority of the Scheme budget, but the environmental actions which it requires to unlock payment would not seem materially to be raising the bar. By contrast, the Landscape Recovery component remains ambitious in terms of scheme design, collaborative approach, emphasis on outcomes, duration and implementation at landscape scale, with the consequence that good reasons may be presented for its expansion within the policy mix.

Impact of variable electricity price on heat pump operated buildings

Background Residential buildings with heat pumps show promising possibilities for demand-side management. The operation optimization of such heating systems can lead to cost reduction and, at the same time, change electricity consumption patterns, which is especially prevalent in the case of a variable price signal. In this work, we deal with the following question: How does the volatility of a variable retail electricity price change the energy consumption of buildings with a smart energy management system? Methods In this context, we take Austria as an example and aggregate the findings of individual households to the national stock of single-family houses. This is done by simulating and optimzing heating operation in single representative buildings. The aggregation is done based on national building information statistics. Results This part of the Austrian building stock could shift 19.7 GWh of electricity per year through thermal inertia using a real-time electricity price from 2021. We show the future potential under the assumption of three electricity price trends for 2030, representing different decarbonisation ambition levels. The trends show that higher decarbonisation levels which lead to higher electricity prices increase the incentive to shift electric loads. Conclusions Real time pricing turns out to be an effective incentive for buildings to shift electric loads by pre-heating the building mass. However, cost savings for individuals are relatively low which is why additional monetary incentives are needed to tap into that potential. Increased daily peak-to-peak demand from these buildings has to put into perspective to the overall grid load.

Raising the bar: What determines the ambition level of corporate climate targets?

Since the launch of the Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi), we have witnessed a steady increase in the number of companies committing to climate targets for large-scale reduction of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. While recent studies present various methodologies for establishing climate targets (e.g., sectoral decarbonization approach, near-term, long-term, net zero), we still don’t understand the explanatory factors determining the level of ambition companies demonstrate in target setting. In this paper, a two-stage qualitative study is conducted with a sample of 22 companies from five countries. First, these companies’ publicly disclosed climate targets are evaluated according to four target ambition criteria: target type, scope, timeframe, and temperature alignment. Secondly, multiple explanatory factors for target setting were identified during the content analysis of the interviews to see how present these factors appear in the ambition levels. Within companies with highly ambitious climate targets, the findings indicate that certain factors are highly present, including leadership engagement, continual management support, employee involvement, participation in climate initiatives, and stakeholder collaboration. Conversely, none of these key factors are highly present in companies with less ambitious climate targets. Rather, these companies strongly identify the initiating factors of market-related pressures and non-market stakeholder influence as being the driving forces behind their target setting. This paper contributes to the literature on corporate responses to climate change by expanding our understanding of explanatory factors for different corporate climate target ambition levels.

Operationalising the 15-minute city with New Mobility services

The 15-minute city concept has gained significant traction in recent years but faces implementation challenges across diverse geographical, spatial, and political contexts. This 15-minute concept proposes that primary functions should be accessible within 15 minutes by walking, cycling, or public transport. However, it provides little guidance on the placement of these functions or the modalities of access. Additionally, it does not consider various new mobility modes and services, nor emerging technologies such as telecommuting and e-commerce. The main challenge is that the 15-minute city presents an alternative planning paradigm to the existing automobility paradigm, which has dominated global city planning over the past century. While cars can facilitate all types of trips, no other transport mode can claim the same versatility. To transition to a new mobility paradigm, we must consider unbundling these trips to allow for the rightsizing of vehicles according to trip purposes, better aligning with factors such as cost, environmental impact, and spatial constraints. This article will showcase how the New Mobility Assessment Framework has been applied to the new development of Hinna Park, outside of Stavanger, Norway. The project provides insights for the public transport authority, Kolumbus, on optimising the deployment of shared mobility services such as bikes, e-bikes, e-scooters, shared cars, and car-pooling. It also provided insights to allow key discussions between Kolumbus and the property developer to plan the new districts to support sustainable modes of transport. The framework aims to operationalise the mobility principles of the 15-minute city through public-private collaboration, assessing market potential, setting ambition levels for behaviour change, and developing pricing and investment strategies.

A novel approach to establishing bottom-up LCA-based limit values for new construction

The global construction industry, a significant contributor responsible for 37 % of greenhouse gas emissions (GHGe), necessitates immediate and relevant policies to reduce emissions. Consequently, several countries are implementing GHGe limit values in building regulations to initiate mitigation measures. To support this development and the efforts to mitigate GHGe, this study provides a method for defining a representative case sample of conventional practice and bottom-up Life Cycle Assessment (LCA)-based limit values for policy measures. Based on a dataset of 291 actual building projects, a representative case sample of 163 conventional case studies is defined, and their related life cycle GHGe is calculated with LCA, resulting in a variation from 8.3 to 11.8 kg CO2e/m2/year. Cumulative distribution functions are computed with share factors, which consider the construction activity in a country and reflect the physical output of completed construction work from which limit values are derived. A general limit value is calculated at 9.0 kg CO2e/m2/year, corresponding to the median where the ambition level targets 50 % of new construction to perform mitigation efforts. Across building types, limit values vary between 8.2 and 11.5 kg CO2e/m2/year, and more ambitious limit values for residential buildings are derived starting at 4.9 kg CO2e/m2/year based on examples of best practice case studies. Comparing the general bottom-up limit value against top-down targets reveals a gap, suggesting a necessary increase in the ambition level. Yet, limit values should be introduced and gradually tightened to reach net zero in 2050 across several building typologies to support the adaptation of mitigation strategies.

Family cohesion and its relationship to the level of ambition among high school students

Introduction. By investigating family cohesiveness and student ambition in the Karak Educational Directorate, this study sheds light on how family dynamics affect high school students' ambitions. In a specific cultural and educational setting, it examines the intricate relationships between family togetherness and student ambition. The study's regional focus makes it stand out; it furthers our understanding of how families affect adolescents' growth and development and provides helpful data for educational policymakers in similar circumstances. The study aimed to explore family cohesion and its relationship to the level of ambition among high school students in the Karak Educational Directorate and the effect of the variables (gender and academic field) on them. Study participants and methods. This study used the descriptive correlational approach, and the sample consisted of (858) high school students in the Karak Qassabah district. After developing them and verifying their validity and reliability, the family cohesion and ambition level scales were used. Results. The study indicated that high school pupils in the Karak Educational Directorate had an average degree of family cohesion. The areas of communication and empathy had the greatest average scores (3.93), while intellectual stability and conformity had the lowest (3.51). On average, we got 3.66. The pupils demonstrated a high degree of ambition, with an average score of 3.74 indicating a range from a high of 3.89 for optimism to a low of 3.62 for tolerance for frustration. There was a strong positive association (r=0.572) between ambition and family cohesiveness. Regarding the correlation between family unity and aspirations, gender disparities benefitted women, whilst in the realm of academia, they favored students majoring in science. Practical significance. The study highlights the significant impact of family dynamics on students' aspirations. As a result, it's clear that teenagers whose families are generally cohesive have high levels of academic ambition, highlighting the importance of parental encouragement in this important life transition. The results offer important information for parents, teachers, and lawmakers, especially on the gender and academic speciality differences in family cohesiveness and aspirations. In order to inspire and motivate high school pupils, this study stresses the importance of supportive home settings and individualised educational plans. Future efforts to improve students' educational and personal development through family involvement might use this research as a basic reference.

Niemcy wobec reformy polityki klimatycznej Unii Europejskiej (Europejski Zielony Ład, pakiet Fit for 55)

GERMANY TOWARDS THE REFORM OF THE EUROPEAN UNION’S CLIMATE POLICY (EUROPEAN GREEN DEAL, FIT FOR 55 PACKAGE) The aim of the paper is to present Germany’s position during the government of Chancellor Angela Merkel (CDU/CSU/SPD coalition: 2018-2021) and Chancellor Olaf Scholz (SPD/Alliance 90/Greens/FDP coalition: from 2021) towards changes in climate policy (understood as reform) introduced by the European Green Deal and the Fit for 55 package of legislative proposals, with particular emphasis on the issue of CO2 emission standards for new passenger cars and new light commercial vehicles. Germany’s support for increasing the level of ambition in the field of climate protection in the EU was largely the result of the belief that the success of the German transformation of the energy sector and achieving climate neutrality by 2045 also depends on the progress of the energy transformation process and the climate neutrality policy in the European Union.

Quantifying the suitability and feasibility of predictive maintenance approaches

Predictive maintenance is a promising concept for maintenance optimization which requires reliable and accurate predictions of a system’s lifetime. Despite the many studies on this topic, selecting the best approach is still a topic of debate. In general, predictive maintenance approaches can be roughly classified as knowledge-based, data analytics and physics-based models. However, this classification does not provide maintainers clear guidance on how to select the most suitable approach for a specific case. This work, therefore, presents a selection method for this process. For that purpose, a list of selection criteria was established, and six predictive maintenance approaches were analysed. The proposed selection process is based on two main groups of criteria: the suitability criteria check the match with the desired ambition level of predictive maintenance, while the feasibility criteria identify whether this can be realized, given the labour, models and data available. Finally, three case studies are presented, demonstrating that the tool effectively guides to an optimal approach.

The relationship between parental performance and the level of ambition among middle school students

The relationship between parental performance and the level of ambition among middle school students

How aligned are industry strategy and government policy for the decarbonization of energy-intensive process industries?

ABSTRACT Decarbonization of energy-intensive process industries (EPIs) is a central unresolved challenge for limiting global warming to 1.5°C or well-below 2°C. In this article, we investigate the alignment between government policy and applicable industry strategy in decarbonization efforts across six European countries – Denmark, Germany, Netherlands, Norway, Sweden and the United Kingdom. We distinguish between ‘target alignment’ (How comparable are the size of the emission reduction commitments?), ‘temporal alignment’ (How closely do the timelines match?) and ‘solution alignment’ (Are the same types of solutions prioritized?). Based on an analysis of national policy documents, company strategies of the 10 largest emitting EPI plants in each country, as well as secondary sources, we find high target alignment. However, we find substantially lower temporal alignment as emitters are reluctant to commit to intermediate targets that match the decarbonization timelines laid out in national government policy. Solution alignment is intermediate across all six countries as emitters generally pursue the decarbonization options prioritized in policy, but with most emitters remaining at the level of ambitions or plans and few examples of commercial investments so far.

What is the environmental potential of the post-2022 common agricultural policy?

With the latest reform of the EU’s common agricultural policy (CAP) in 2021, the EU has introduced a modified toolkit of environmental instruments. This paper compares the final version of the legal texts of the current and preceding CAP to analyse whether there is potential scope for greater environmental ambition. A pivotal element of the new CAP is the new delivery model. This model grants Member States more flexibility to adjust CAP instruments according to their respective needs. While the new delivery model provides opportunities for more targeted interventions, clear guardrails are missing. In consequence, the EU institutions have limited influence on the CAP Strategic Plans’ level of ambition. Generally, the ambition level of the conditionality and also the budget attributed to environmental instruments within Pillar 2 was increased. The design of and participation in Eco-schemes, a new instrument in Pillar 1, will be the key factors determining whether the new CAP will lead to a significantly higher environmental performance. However, the Strategic Plan Regulation only contains vague recommendations to the Member States to take the Green Deal into account, which in no way meets the requirements formulated in the Green Deal. Furthermore, recent revisions to the new CAP legislation have rolled back some of the potential improvements that we identify in this paper.

The impact on climate and emissions of clean household cooking energy policies in Tanzania

The transition to cleaner cooking fuels currently ongoing in many low- and middle-income countries may have benefits for health, but also climate. We have studied the climate implications of the SE4ALL policy goal in Tanzania of “75 percent access to modern cooking solutions by 2030” in which mainly firewood and charcoal are replaced by LPG and electricity. To see the long-term climate benefit, we have estimated the reduction in CO2-equivalent emissions (GWP100) and effect on global temperature until 2100 relative to the baseline for three explorative scenarios with different levels of ambition: baseline growth to nearly complete transition to modern cooking. Due to population growth the energy demand and CO2-eq. emissions increase even in the most ambitious energy transition scenario. We model reduction in global temperature in 2100 relative to the baseline to be between −0.63 and −2.9 milli °C. While we confirm the climate benefit of a transition to cleaner cooking fuels in households, the benefit is smaller than previously thought. This is mainly due to a much weaker radiative forcing of black carbon and somewhat stronger radiative forcing for organic carbon, in the climate parameters from IPCC Sixth Assessment Report.

Has process hijacked purpose? Outlook on food systems transformation in the global climate change processes

There has been growing interest in the Conference of Parties (COPs) meetings of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) in food systems, which account for a third of global emissions and are heavily impacted by climate change. While there has been much rhetoric about the need for transformation at recent COPs, we examine whether this solely remains at the level of rhetoric and ambition or is likely to deliver the climate action that is needed. Based on literature, documentation of UNFCCC meetings, and our own participation, we observe that progress in the past on agriculture has been extremely slow and has led to limited action, while the recent verbiage on food systems has not been matched by significant progress in the negotiations. The urgent action needed is not realised through the UNFCCC processes. New and radically different ways to catalyse action are needed, and the UNFCCC process urgently needs reform as part of wider multilateral reforms. We propose that the scale of the COPs is reduced and that the focus shifts to the results delivered through rigorous evaluation, accountability and transparency, and a shift towards less consensus-based approaches to drive action and ambition.

From Retrofitting to Renewables: Navigating Energy Transition Pathways for European Residential Space Heating

Transformative actions are crucial across all sectors emitting greenhouse gases. Nonetheless, energy transition research to date displays a notable imbalance, with a larger emphasis on the supply side than on the demand side. The present study addresses this inequity by focusing on residential sector space heating demand, a frequently overlooked energy service that currently contributes substantially to global greenhouse gas emissions. Our primary objective is to pinpoint effective climate policies and space heating strategies that align with the EU’s ambitious targets for emission reduction. We employ the recently developed TIMES-Europe model to conduct a comprehensive analysis of the residential sector’s policy frameworks, technological advancements, and associated costs. This analysis aims to determine the measures necessary to meet ambitious climate objectives within the European context. To achieve this, we formulate four distinct scenarios, each representing varying levels of ambition and collaboration among EU member states, thereby providing insight into the pathways toward achieving these targets. By implementing current intended EU policies on the renovation of dwellings, we project a substantial reduction of at most 850 PJ, or, i.e., a 19% decrease, in yearly energy demand for space heating between 2020 and 2050. In contrast, if the recent pace of dwelling renovation within the EU were to continue, space heating energy savings from renovation would only amount to less than 400 PJ/yr (i.e., a 9% reduction) in the same period. In our more ambitious climate scenarios, phasing out fossil fuels leads to widespread electrification of the European residential sector, and by 2050, electricity from heat pumps and electric boilers accounts for over 68% of the total residential sector space heating demand. The outcomes of our study underline the importance of implementing the currently planned EU policies. We also demonstrate the necessity for collaboration among EU member states in order to attain the common European climate targets under the most effective resource allocation.

Finding and Developing the 21st Century Scientific Pioneer

Research on the personality of creative scientists is revisited using the Neo-Socioanalytic model of personality psychology as an organizing framework. Past research shows that creative scientists, largely from the 20th century, were distinguished by high levels of openness to experience, dominance, ambition, intelligence, and low levels of agreeableness. Contradictory findings for environmental influences highlighted the potential importance of both supportive and adverse diversifying experiences. Developmental trends also run contrary to the likelihood of scientific creativity occurring later in life, which is consistent with the life span models of creativity. Based on this review, we highlight much needed updating to the basic science of scientific creativity, including the need to test these findings in populations other than older white men, and the testing of both environmental experiences and individual differences simultaneously. An agenda for identifying and developing the 21st century creative scientist is provided.

Bridges over troubled waters: Climate clubs, alliances, and partnerships as safeguards for effective international cooperation?

Driven by the motivation to raise the ambition level of climate action and to foster the transformation of economies, current climate policy discourse revolves around ways to improve cooperation between industrialized countries and emerging economies. We identify three broad types of initiatives—multilateral-cross sectoral, multilateral, sector specific, and climate and development partnerships—and assess them for potentials to deliver on such objectives with a specific focus on industry transformation. This paper provides new reflections on the institutionalization of international climate cooperation. Specifically, we demonstrate the urgent need to understand what values, norms, and underlying principles drive a cooperation in order to draw conclusions on how to best institutionalize climate cooperation rules.in-use. We conclude that an overemphasis on a CO2 price and on carbon border adjustment mechanisms, such as in the context of the initial proposals for a cross-sectoral climate club envisaged by G7 countries, would have contributed to a further polarization of the international landscape. We find, however, that multilateral, sectoral alliances play an important role for international goal setting and the convergence on standards, metrics, and benchmarks. Based on our analysis, we recommend strengthening multilateral, sector-specific partnerships. These can be focused on sectoral topics as a connector between countries, allowing for a strategically-aligned, increasingly deep collaboration. However, for any initiative to succeed, processes of international institutionalization will be needed in order to agree on rules for implementation based on aligned interests and equity. Building such institutions may well serve as a steppingstone toward more durable cooperation structures between developed economies and emerging economies. In sum, no existing cooperation approach is perfect, but three actions may be taken to move the agenda forward: First, reform of the carbon border adjustment mechanism and removing it from the center of climate club discussions, second, coupling sectoral alliances with climate and development partnerships, and three, designing them in a way to address fears of political influence seeking and superimposition of global north agendas on the global south.