In the latest in-depth assessment of the environmental objectives, as well as in the report, “Underlag till en färdplan för ett Sverige utan klimatutsläpp 2050” (Basis for a roadmap for a Sweden without greenhouse gas emissions in 2050), the need for sustainable consumption in order to achieve the environmental objectives was discussed.
The Swedish Environmental Protection Agency invites research groups to submit an application for a new research programme on the environmental impact of Swedish consumption. The size of the programme is about 15 million SEK, distributed over three years, starting in the spring of 2014.
Challenges in environmental efforts
Consumption in Sweden and in other developed countries represents a considerable proportion of the global use and refinement of natural resources, goods and services. The consequences are an increased use of hazardous substances and negative environmental impacts. A continued high and increasing consumption of goods and services counteracts and makes more difficult the achievement of an ecologically sustainable development, both in Sweden and globally.
The overall aim of environmental policy is to hand over to the next generation a society in which the major environmental problems have been solved, without causing increased environmental problems outside of Sweden’s borders. The effects of Sweden on the environment in other countries should be clarified, particularly regarding the environmental impact caused by imported goods and services.
Priorities
We are requesting a research programme about indicators. The aim is to develop a stable and reproducible methodology with which to monitor and quantify the environmental impact, both in Sweden and overseas, of Swedish consumption, distributed between different products and product groups. The results are to be used as a supporting material in the efforts of public agencies to develop strategies for sustainable consumption, and thereby to contribute to patterns of consumption of goods and services that cause as few environmental problems as possible, that is, that contribute to achieving the generational goal.
The research programme should include three aspects
1. Assessment of models and estimates
Studies of greenhouse gases with different models show considerable differences in their results. Public agencies need to be able to assess differences in published results. We are requesting an evaluation of the models that are used and of their estimations of the environmental impact of consumption. The aim is for the research to identify and clarify the principle differences and to identify and explain similarities regarding data sources and models.
2. Indicators of greenhouse gases, traditional air pollutants and chemical substances, and the environmental impact of the extraction of resources
We are requesting well-described and documented measures (indicators) of how Swedish consumption affects the environment in Sweden and in other countries. We are particularly interested in a combination of indicators that reflect different stages in the chain of consumption. The DPSIR model (Driving forces, Pressures, States, Impacts and Responses) can be used as a conceptual model. The measures should be suitable for regular – preferably annual – monitoring and consider the following aspects:
(a) Emissions of greenhouse gases and traditional air pollutants (SO2, NOx, NH3 and VOCs)We are requesting measures/indicators that:
- include the greenhouse gases that are subject to climate reporting, that is, carbon dioxide, methane, nitrous oxide and fluorinated greenhouse gases, to the extent that they are of importance for emission levels,
- can be used in the assessment of total emissions, but which can also be allocated to more specific product categories (for example, fodder and foodstuffs categorised as different types of meat and plant-products) and
- enable a separate reporting of emissions from land use/change in land use, particularly in connection with the production of fodder and meat production. Estimations of emissions in other countries should be made with the greatest possible precision.
(b) Chemical substances
Measures/indicators are needed that include chemical substances (that is, substances that are produced by humans and that are a part of production processes and/or chemical goods/products) in order to monitor total emissions and to assign these to specific product groups. Examples include plant protection substances and eutrophicating substances.
(c) The environmental impact of the extraction of resources
To attain a clearer picture of the environmental impact of Swedish consumption, suitable measures or indicators are needed of the resource extraction of fossil energy, metals, fish and wood. Changes resulting from the use of water and land should also be considered.
3. Identify product groups with substantial environmental impact
From a lifecycle perspective, emissions and the environmental impact of goods and services need to be linked to the consumer. Which product groups within Swedish consumption, both private and public, create the largest or the most serious environmental impact? Where are they and how do they affect the environment? Do the current statistics or the statistical classification need to be changed? Do new concepts and definitions need to be formulated? Environmental impacts are distributed in greater detail between product groups and on the basis of geographical location. The effects of different levels of specification should be highlighted, if they are relevant.
Further information
The research grants of the Swedish Environmental Protection Agency fund research that would support the operations of the Swedish Environmental Protection Agency and of the Swedish Agency for Marine and Water Management. We are requesting applied and policy-relevant research, the results of which are expected to be usable in the work of these agencies.
Public agencies in other countries are making similar efforts and many international bodies are discussing the need for better statistical data. The research programme should actively follow and respond to such international developments, in order to improve the effectiveness of Sweden’s international reporting and to enable comparisons with other countries.
The Swedish Environmental Protection Agency has been assigned by the government the responsibility for official statistics in the environmental area. The research programme should give particular consideration to statistics that fall within the areas of responsibility of the Swedish Environmental Protection Agency and the Swedish Agency for Marine and Water Management. Statistical investigations should be documented in order to describe different aspects of the statistics – their quality, development and detailed content.
The research programme is expected to comply with the quality definitions for official statistics and with the guidelines for the construction of quality declarations that have been developed by Statistics Sweden (SCB). The application should also specify how the researchers intend to work with strategies for the quality assessment of the data and of the final results.
The research programme includes tasks that require different competences and that lead to issues of multidisciplinary and interdisciplinary character. There should be an integration of efforts from different research disciplines. The application should clearly state how this integration is to be implemented.
We regard the communication of research results as being a very important part of research work. A communication plan should thus be included in the application.
We prefer that applications are written in English. Applications are made electronically via the application portal (“Ansökningsportal”) on the website of the Swedish Environmental Protection Agency.
A programme application should include all of the problem areas. The programme should build on the results and insights of previously conducted investigations. Any limitations in relation to the specification of the areas should be clearly stated in the application.
Researchers who are awarded grants are expected to participate in the annual conference of the Swedish Environmental Protection Agency and to allocate resources for interacting with public agencies and other relevant actors.
Schedule
- 25 October, 2013 – The call opens
- 20 January, 2014 – Closing date for applications
- February 2014 – Evaluation
- March 2014 – Decision on funding
- March 2014 – Contract and payment
Contact person
Martin Gustafsson, Research and information unit
E-mail: martin.gustafsson@naturvardsverket.se
Telephone: +46 (0)10-698 16 37