Level Of Ambition Research Articles

Energy Policies at Crossroads − Will Europe's 2030 targets and framework be in line with the Paris Climate Agreement?

In November 2016, the European Commission presented the Clean-Energy-for-all-Europeans Package. It consists of eight legislative proposals which should define targets and policy and regulatory frameworks for the EU's climate and energy policies up to 2030 and beyond. Recasts of the existing Renewable Energies Directive and the Energy Efficiency Directive, as well as proposals for a new energy market design, which should be fit for renewables, are among the key elements of the package, which aims at replacing the existing 2020-framework. The package includes 2030-targets for Greenhouse Gas Reduction (at least 40%), Energy Efficiency (at least 27/30%), and the share of Renewables in Gross Final Energy Consumption (at least 27%). In contrast to the 2020-framework, the EU-wide renewables-target would no longer be underpinned by binding national targets but should be reached in a joint effort with a new governance system. Since the proposal was submitted to the European Parliament and the European Council for the legislative procedures which must end in an agreement before the next elections for the European Parliament in 2019, controversial debates are taking place. The intention is to finalise the legal procedures before the end of 2018. Parliament and Council had planned to decide about their respective opinions about the various pieces by February 2018. Afterwards, probably not finished before the end of 2018, compromise negations will take place, before the whole package will eventually be accepted by both bodies. Among the most controversially discussed topics is the ambition level of the proposals and whether or not it is in line with the commitments signed by the EU and all its Member States in the context of the Paris Agreement. Industry stakeholders not only from the renewable energy sector and environmental NGOs have proposed significantly higher targets in order to stay “well below 2 °C” of global warming before the end of the century. They also suggested continuing binding national targets or − as a compromise − enacting a very strict governance system. I shall present and evaluate the state of play of the 2030-framework decision process. And I shall end with some policy recommendation still to be considered in the ongoing debate.

Investment perspectives on costs for air pollution control affect the optimal use of emission control measures

Cost-effective air pollution emission control has been in focus for decades in international air pollution regulations. Despite large observed emission reductions for many air pollutants, environmental and human health problems persist and more efforts are needed. However, some stakeholders are concerned that the costs for remaining emission control measures are prohibitively high. There are several reasons for concern, and one can be the difference in investment perspectives—i.e. costs of borrowing and time constraints—held by stakeholders. By using the integrated assessment model GAINS, we study whether differences in investment perspectives of Nordic stakeholders influence measures selected for cost-effective emission control and can motivate concerns for high costs of emission control. We distinguish the control cost calculations between a social planner perspective and a corporate perspective and apply these to the GAINS model database on emission control measures. A cost-minimized selection of measures in 2030 is then calculated for increasing environmental and health ambitions for both perspectives. The results show an irregular pattern, but for a range of ambition levels the corporate perspective affects the selection of measures and implies surplus costs for the Nordic social planner of up to 120 million € per year. This is 36% more expensive than the costs of the social planners’ selection. Conversely, from a corporate perspective the social planners’ selection can imply cost increases of up to 180 million €. We therefore suggest that control of investment perspective effects should be standard in analysis of cost-effective air pollution measures.Graphical abstract

How Local Energy Initiatives Develop Technological Innovations: Growing an Actor Network

Local energy initiatives are of growing interest to studies of grassroots innovation for sustainability. Some of these initiatives have developed novel technological solutions to fulfil local demand for renewable energy. However, whereas the upscaling and diffusion of grassroots innovations has been extensively discussed in the literature, their emergence has received very little attention so far. We will therefore focus on how energy initiatives can develop technological innovations by bringing together local actors and creating a fit to local circumstances. Grounded in actor network theory (ANT) and structured by concepts from Callon’s sociology of translation, we studied two technologically innovative projects of a Dutch energy initiative. Through document analysis and interviews, we researched how these initiatives developed their innovations by forming networks of social, material, and discursive elements. We found that the outcomes of the innovation processes are very dependent on the networking capacities of the energy initiatives, as well as how well they fit with external circumstances and opportunities. The paper concludes with five lessons for grassroots technological innovation: form links with the local, extensively scrutinize plans, create tangible proof of alignments, position the project as beneficial to as many actors as possible, and adjust the level of ambition to the strength of the actor network.

The Case against Carbon Prices

Professor Dr. Anthony Patt is head of the Climate Policy Group in the Department of Environmental Systems Science at ETH Zurich, Switzerland. His research focus is on technological pathways and public policies for climate change mitigation and adaptation. He is a Coordinating Lead Author in Working Group III of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change. He obtained his PhD at Harvard University's Kennedy School of Government. He is the author of “Transforming Energy: Solving Climate Change with Technology Policy” (Cambridge University Press, 2015). Download : Download high-res image (204KB) Download : Download full-size image Professor Dr. Johan Lilliestam is head of the Renewable Energy Policy Group in the Department of Environmental Systems Science at ETH Zurich, Switzerland. His research focus is policies and strategies for a transition to a completely renewable energy system, including the effects of interactions between different energy policies. He obtained his PhD at the Central European University in Budapest, Hungary. Before joining the ETH, he worked at the Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research (PIK) in Potsdam, Germany, and the International Institute for Applied Systems Analysis (IIASA) in Laxenburg, Austria. He currently holds a grant from the European Research Council for his work on policy interactions. Download : Download high-res image (202KB) Download : Download full-size image

The EU’s modular approach to defence integration: An inclusive, ambitious and legally binding PESCO?

In response to the need expressed by European leaders to protect their citizens better against security threats emanating from within and outside the EU’s borders, a package of defensive measures has been developed with remarkable speed. Permanent Structured Cooperation (PESCO) in the area of defence is the most emblematic innovation in this regard. This unique form of enhanced cooperation was triggered under Article 46 TEU. Yet the political rhetoric surrounding its launch has raised expectations that the EU may not be able to meet. This is mainly due to misperceptions about the legal nature and enforceability of the so-called “binding” commitments agreed to. PESCO will need to overcome at least three key challenges: raising the level of ambition while ensuring inclusivity; maintaining credibility in case participating States do not comply with their commitments; and ensuring coherence with the many other building blocks in Europe’s defence architecture. Arguably, legal commitments are the hardest in the area of industrial integration.With moves to incentivize capability development and create a single market for defence, the Community method will be applied to a field hitherto jealously shielded off by the Member States. This dimension of the incipient European Defence Union represents a game-changer in the integration process. “If you need a helping hand, you will find one at the end of your arm”, Donald Tusk, President of the European Council, 16 May 2018.

The potential impacts of a domestic offset component in a carbon tax on mitigation of national emissions

The current global momentum for carbon pricing has lately produced innovative hybrids: carbon taxes allowing the use of offsets from emission sources not targeted by the carbon tax for compliance with the tax load. This study aims at filling the knowledge gap in existing literature by exploring the potential impacts of domestic offset components in carbon taxes on mitigation of national emissions, including the country examples Colombia, Mexico and South Africa.The findings indicate that the use of offsets in carbon taxes may significantly influence mitigation of national emissions both positively and negatively. On the one hand, this model may result in real emission reductions from offset projects and positive spillover effects of efforts to reduce emissions from emission sources covered by the carbon tax to other emission sources. Furthermore, the offsetting component can be used as a bargaining chip in political negotiations facilitating the introduction of mitigation policies and measures and/or strengthening their ambition level. On the other hand, it also entails serious risks: Offsetting could compromise the environmental integrity of the carbon tax through low-quality offsets. Furthermore, offsets reduce incentives to curb emissions in the emission sources covered by the carbon tax, potentially leading to carbon lock-in effects. Moreover, an offsetting component could provoke opposition to further climate policies and measures for emission sources generating offsets, as replacing the offsetting component with mandatory emission reduction policies would eliminate revenues from offset credits. General opposition of stakeholder groups to the introduction of offsets may even hinder the introduction of carbon pricing instruments and offsetting altogether.The study identifies options that could be employed to increase potential positive effects of introducing an offset component to a carbon tax and mitigate related risks, pointing to the country examples included, where appropriate.

The Relationship between Social Media and the Level of Ambition, Depressive Symptoms and Anxiety among Secondary School Students in Irbid

The Relationship between Social Media and the Level of Ambition, Depressive Symptoms and Anxiety among Secondary School Students in Irbid

Counseling Needs and Academic Ambition of University Students to those who are Living in the Dormitory and those who are not

The study aims at knowing the level of the counseling needs and the academic ambition in general according to the living variable (house, dormitory) of Kirkuk University students. To achieve the aims, two criteria are prepared. The first one is for the counseling needs while the other is for the level of ambition adopted by the two researchers. After taking the output of honesty, stability, and the distinct ability of the criterion, it is applied on the sample of the main study which is chosen in a random formula from Kirkuk University colleges, the scientific and humanity ones. Its number is 300 male and female students who are classified on (8) colleges, four of them are for each scholastic specialization (scientific and humanity). After using the statistic means (the relative weight, the T value of one sample and for two independent samples, and Person's correlation coefficient), the study reaches the following important conclusions:
 
 In general, Kirkuk University students have needs in the study field more than their needs in other fields according to their responses on the counseling needs criterion, then the psychological dimension.
 Kirkuk University students who are living in the dormitory are in need to things more than those who are living at home in the study and psychological dimensions.
 In general, Kirkuk University students have a good academic ambition level.
 Kirkuk University students who are living in the dormitory are more ambitious than those who are living at home.
 
 According to the conclusions above, the researchers recommend a number of recommendations and do some future studies.

Recovery planning towards doubling wild tiger Panthera tigris numbers: Detailing 18 recovery sites from across the range.

With less than 3200 wild tigers in 2010, the heads of 13 tiger-range countries committed to doubling the global population of wild tigers by 2022. This goal represents the highest level of ambition and commitment required to turn the tide for tigers in the wild. Yet, ensuring efficient and targeted implementation of conservation actions alongside systematic monitoring of progress towards this goal requires that we set site-specific recovery targets and timelines that are ecologically realistic. In this study, we assess the recovery potential of 18 sites identified under WWF’s Tigers Alive Initiative. We delineated recovery systems comprising a source, recovery site, and support region, which need to be managed synergistically to meet these targets. By using the best available data on tiger and prey numbers, and adapting existing species recovery frameworks, we show that these sites, which currently support 165 (118–277) tigers, have the potential to harbour 585 (454–739) individuals. This would constitute a 15% increase in the global population and represent over a three-fold increase within these specific sites, on an average. However, it may not be realistic to achieve this target by 2022, since tiger recovery in 15 of these 18 sites is contingent on the initial recovery of prey populations, which is a slow process. We conclude that while sustained conservation efforts can yield significant recoveries, it is critical that we commit our resources to achieving the biologically realistic targets for these sites even if the timelines are extended.

Networking Cities after Paris: Weighing the Ambition of Urban Climate Change Experimentation

AbstractOver the past few decades, cities have repeatedly demonstrated high levels of ambition with regard to climate action. Global environmental governance has been marked by a proliferation of policy actions taken by local governments around the world to demonstrate their potential to advance climate change mitigation and adaptation. Leading ‘by example’ and demonstrating the extent of action that it is possible to deliver, cities have aspired to raise the ambition of national and international climate governance and put action into practice via a growing number of ‘climate change experiments’ delivered on the ground. Yet accounts of the potential of cities in global environmental governance have often stopped short of a systematic valuation of the nature and impact of the networked dimension of this action. This article addresses this by assessing the nature, and challenges faced by, urban climate governance in the post‐Paris era, focusing on the ‘experimentation’ undertaken in cities and the city networks shaping this type of governance. First, we unpack the concept of ‘urban climate change experimentation’, the ways in which it is networked, and the forces driving it. In the second and third parts of the article, we discuss two main pitfalls of networked urban experimentation in its current form, focusing on issues of scaling experiments and the nature of experimentation. We call for increased attention to ‘scaling up’ experiments beyond urban levels of governance, and to transformative experimentation with governance and politics by and in cities. Finally, we consider how these pitfalls allow us to weigh the potential of urban climate ambition, and consider the pathways available for supporting urban climate change experimentation.

Collecting evidence from distributed sources to evaluate railway suicide and trespass prevention measures

It can be difficult to select from available safety preventative measures, especially where there is limited evidence of effectiveness in different contexts. This paper describes application of a method to identify and evaluate wide-ranging preventative measures for rail suicide and trespass fatalities. Evidence from literature and industry sources was collated and reviewed in a two stage process to achieve consensus among experts on the likely effects of the measures and factors influencing their implementation. Multiple evaluation criteria were used to examine the measures from different perspectives. Fencing, awareness campaigns and different types of organisational initiatives were recommended for further testing. This is the first time evidence has been collected internationally across such a range of preventative measures. Commentary is provided on using this type of approach to select safety measures from a pool of prevention options, including how re-framing the scope of the exercise could identify alternative options for prevention.Practitioner summary: The findings give insight to how different measures work in different ways and how industry can consider this in strategic initiatives. The method could be used in future studies with different frames of reference (e.g. different timescales, level of ambition and safety context e.g. railway crossings or highway fatalities).Abbreviation: RESTRAIL: REduction of Suicides and Trespasses on RAILway property

Gendered Ambition: Men’s and Women’s Career Advancement in Public Administration

We explore the relationships between gender, career ambition, and the emergence of executive leadership. Growing research in public administration shows that career systems shape bureaucrats’ ambitions, political behavior, and management. Yet career systems are not neutral conduits of talent: Administrators are more likely to pursue advancement when career systems favor them. This study proposes that women and men respond to gendered public career systems. Using national- and state-level data on public school managers in the United States, we find gender disparities in the career paths that lead educators from the classroom to the superintendent’s suite. Specifically, we find that female and elementary school teachers advance more slowly than male and secondary school teachers. We also find gender disparities in certification and experience among principals. Accordingly, female and elementary principals report lower levels of ambition. Such gendered career systems may lead to biases in policy agendas and public management.

Ambition Levels of Nearly Zero Energy Buildings (nZEB) Definitions: An Approach for Cross-Country Comparison

Since buildings account for 40% of total energy consumption and 36% of CO2 emissions in the European Union (EU), the directive 2010/31/EU “Energy Performance of Buildings Directive (EPDB)” among other legal provisions concerning the reduction of energy consumption of buildings has been enforced. According to this legislation, all new buildings must be nearly zero energy buildings “nZEB” by 31 December 2020 (public buildings by 31 December 2018). Nonetheless, the assessment of the “high energy performance” of a building is ambiguous and a cross country comparison seems to be intricate since different national building codes and nZEB definitions employ different energy indicators and methods. This paper delves into the question of how do the ambition levels of “nZEB” definitions and the transposition of the Directive 2010/31/EU into national law differ in four selected EU Countries: Austria, Germany, Spain, and England (as part of UK). The energy performance of some exemplary buildings is assessed by means of a simplified MATLAB model that is based on the norm DIN V-18599. The results drawn from this work show how diverse are building codes scopes and national “nZEB” definitions. Only 9 of the 36 studied cases of residential buildings obtain consistently the “nZEB” compliance status in all four selected countries. The results show that climate conditions, energy requirements, primary energy factors, ambition levels, and calculation methodologies lead to the problem of an uneven cross-country comparison. Moreover, primary energy consumption [kWh/m2a] set as the main quantitative energy indicator by the directive 2010/31/EU might not be the most suitable one for an EU level comparison.

Proteção civil, incêndios rurais e forças armadas – reflexões

Os incêndios rurais de 2017 e as suas consequências vieram a relançar, mais uma vez, o debate sobre a matéria. Foram adoptadas as conclusões dos relatórios das duas Comissões Técnicas Independentes nomeadas pela Assembleia da República e decidido implementar um conjunto alargado de medidas. De entre essas medidas salientam-se a reestruturação da Autoridade Nacional de Proteção Civil, a criação de uma nova entidade responsável pela gestão integrada dos incêndios rurais e o reforço a intervenção das Forças Armadas no Apoio Militar de Emergência. No entanto, reestruturações tão relevantes mas que vão muito além de uma única tipologia de riscos devem ser avaliadas com atenção. A proteção civil vai muito para além dos incêndios rurais e a sua reestruturação vai muito para além de nova reestruturação da ANPC ou do reforço do papel das Forças Armadas. Será importante pensar um modelo e implementá-lo com uma base alargada de apoio para assegurar a sua estabilidade. Por outro lado, o apoio das Forças Armadas em situações de acidente grave ou de catástrofe é, há muito, rotina, sendo assegurado de acordo com o conceito de duplo-uso. Ainda assim, os níveis de ambição assumidos para esta tipologia de missões tornam necessária uma maior coordenação no planeamento, alguma formação e aquisição de equipamentos específicos, uma regeneração oportuna de materiais e equipamentos e um novo olhar para as potencialidades das Forças Armadas que podem ser melhor aproveitadas no domínio de uma prevenção mais estrutural. Porque, se possível, as catástrofes evitam-se antes de se combaterem.

High-quality health systems in the Sustainable Development Goals era: time for a revolution.

High-quality health systems in the Sustainable Development Goals era: time for a revolution.

Stálá strukturovaná spolupráce EU - nový impuls k zefektivnění vzájemné interakce mezi plánováním operací a rozvojem schopností

The authors' intention is to present findings to which they came while analysing the implementation process of the EU Permanent Structured Cooperation (PESCO), especially in the area of EU operations planning and development of capabilities required for achieving the EU level of ambition. Only issuing the EU Global Strategy in 2016 and its subsequent implementation process seems to be a momentum for specifying commitments stemming from PESCO. At present, there is a list of common binding commitments which 25 of 28 EU member states have signed to. This list includes specific commitments as for development of required capabilities needed for achieving expected objectives of CSDP operations. Nevertheless, a very critical point related to the current PESCO implementation process is whether the present level of EU member states integration allows fully completing all highly ambitious commitments as declared by political leaders.

\u201cI don\u2019t need a flat tummy; I just want to run fast\u201d \u2013 self-understanding and bodily identity of women in competitive and recreational sports

BackgroundWomen who exercise intensively, whether competitive or recreational, devote a lot of time and energy into exercise, which requires high levels of ambition and motivation. The aim of the study is to investigate the self-understanding and bodily identity of different (competitive vs recreational) forms of exercise, and to investigate the role of important others (parents, siblings and social relations) for this self-understanding.MethodsA qualitative study using semi-structured interviews. An interactional psychodynamic framework informed the development of the interview questions focusing on the influence of their family, peers, and the meaning of exercise for their identity. Participants were recruited via local training centers and via the Danish Athletic Sports Association. A total of twenty highly physically active female athletes were interviewed, ten of whom participated in competitions (“competitve athletes”) and ten of whom did not (“recreational athletes”).ResultsSelf-related and social similarities and differences between competitive athletes and recreational athletes were found. Recreational athletes had supportive but not ambitious parents and used sport to reinforce their bodily self-efficacy and identity, while competitive athletes had highly engaged parents, especially fathers, and competed to externalize their identities as athletes. Correspondingly, the meaning of exercise was the activity itself, for recreational athletes, while competition was the means to the end of achievement, for competitive athletes.ConclusionAll athletes are affected and triggered by their biography and their environment. The biographical tradition of sport culture must be recognized as important for the engagement in different forms of physical activity in health and competition settings. If research can make the conflicts and relations of the self visible in sports culture, this could strengthen the recognition that the overall bodily well-being of athletes is important for women’s health.

SOCIAL AND PSYCHOLOGICAL VARIABLES ASSOCIATED WITH MALE MURDERING CRIME OFFENDERS IN FAMILY AN APPLIED STUDY ON EGYPTIAN PRISONS

The study aimed to identify the differences between the grades of the students of the sample on psychological resilience, hope, and some personal skills attributed to the marital status between the parents (list - non-existent) of the high school graduates. The sample of the study was (304) students between the ages of (16-18 years). Study Approach: The present study, during the stages of its preparation and implementation, adopted the descriptive (analytical descriptive) approach to the subject and objectives of the study. Study hypotheses:1-There are statistical differences in the dimensions of psychological resilience (personal efficiency - family efficiency - social efficiency) and the total score of the measure to the marital status of the parents (list - non-existent) of the high school graduates. 2-There are statistical differences in the dimensions of hope (optimism - the level of ambition - the prospect of the future and planning - positive expectation - high intensity) and the overall degree of the measure attributed to the marital status between parents (list - non-existent) of the high school graduates. 3-There are statistical differences in the personal skills (emotional intelligence - social intelligence - creative thinking - problem solving and decision making - effective communication - the art of dialogue and persuasion) and the total score of the measure attributed to the marital status between parents (list - non-existent) the public. The researcher used the descriptive analytical method and the use of statistical methods on the program (spss).The results were as follows:1-There are differences of statistical significance in the dimensions of psychological resilience (personal efficiency - family efficiency - social efficiency) and the total score of the measure to the marital status of the parents (list - non-existent) in favor of marital status between parents. 2-There are no statistically significant differences among the high school graduates after optimism and after the level of ambition attributed to the marital status between the parents (list - non - existent), and there are differences of statistical significance for the high school graduates in the post - future planning and planning and after the expectation The positive and the high degree of the measure of hope is attributed to the marital status between the parents (list - non-existent) in favor of marital status between parents. 3-There are no statistically significant differences among high school graduates in the personal skills (emotional intelligence - social intelligence - problem solving and decision making - effective communication) and the total score of the measure attributed to the marital status between parents (list - non - existent), and there are significant differences Statistics of the high school graduates in the skills of (creative thinking - problem solving and decision-making - the art of dialogue and persuasion) to the marital status between parents (list - non-existent) in favor of marital status between parents in my skills (problem solving and decision-making) and for the marital status that does not exist between parents in the skill of creative thinking.

RELATIONSHIP OF PSYCHOLOGICAL WITHSTAND AND HOPE WITH SOME PERSONAL SKILLS OF OUTSTANDING STUDENTS IN SECONDARY STAGE

The study aimed to identify the differences between the grades of the students of the sample on psychological resilience, hope, and some personal skills attributed to the marital status between the parents (list - non-existent) of the high school graduates. The sample of the study was (304) students between the ages of (16-18 years). Study Approach: The present study, during the stages of its preparation and implementation, adopted the descriptive (analytical descriptive) approach to the subject and objectives of the study. Study hypotheses:1-There are statistical differences in the dimensions of psychological resilience (personal efficiency - family efficiency - social efficiency) and the total score of the measure to the marital status of the parents (list - non-existent) of the high school graduates. 2-There are statistical differences in the dimensions of hope (optimism - the level of ambition - the prospect of the future and planning - positive expectation - high intensity) and the overall degree of the measure attributed to the marital status between parents (list - non-existent) of the high school graduates. 3-There are statistical differences in the personal skills (emotional intelligence - social intelligence - creative thinking - problem solving and decision making - effective communication - the art of dialogue and persuasion) and the total score of the measure attributed to the marital status between parents (list - non-existent) the public. The researcher used the descriptive analytical method and the use of statistical methods on the program (spss).The results were as follows:1-There are differences of statistical significance in the dimensions of psychological resilience (personal efficiency - family efficiency - social efficiency) and the total score of the measure to the marital status of the parents (list - non-existent) in favor of marital status between parents. 2-There are no statistically significant differences among the high school graduates after optimism and after the level of ambition attributed to the marital status between the parents (list - non - existent), and there are differences of statistical significance for the high school graduates in the post - future planning and planning and after the expectation The positive and the high degree of the measure of hope is attributed to the marital status between the parents (list - non-existent) in favor of marital status between parents. 3-There are no statistically significant differences among high school graduates in the personal skills (emotional intelligence - social intelligence - problem solving and decision making - effective communication) and the total score of the measure attributed to the marital status between parents (list - non - existent), and there are significant differences Statistics of the high school graduates in the skills of (creative thinking - problem solving and decision-making - the art of dialogue and persuasion) to the marital status between parents (list - non-existent) in favor of marital status between parents in my skills (problem solving and decision-making) and for the marital status that does not exist between parents in the skill of creative thinking.

Paris Agreement, Precautionary Principle and Human Rights: Zero Emissions in Two Decades?

The Paris Agreement of December 2015 is subject to much criticism of being inadequate. This however neglects its very ambitious objective, which limits legally-binding global warming to 1.5 to 1.8 degrees in comparison to pre-industrial levels. This article shows, based on the overlap of unanswered questions for prognoses in natural science and the legal precautionary principle, that this objective indicates a legal imperative towards zero emissions globally within a short timeframe. Furthermore, it becomes apparent that policies need to be focused on achieving the 1.5-degree temperature limit. From a legal standpoint with regard to existential matters, only those policies are justified that are fit to contribute to reaching the temperature limit with high certainty, without overshoot, without leaving the 1.5 limit aside and without geoengineering measures, in contrast to the tendencies of the IPCC. This creates a big challenge even for the alleged forerunners of climate policies, Germany and the EU; because, according to the objective, the EU and Germany have to raise the level of ambition in their climate policies rapidly and drastically.