ALBERT

Description: Garnet of eclogite (formerly termed garnet clinopyroxenite) hosted in lenses of orogenic garnet peridotite from the Granulitgebirge, NW Bohemian Massif, contains unique inclusions of granitic melt, now either glassy or crystallized. Analysed glasses and re-homogenized inclusions are hydrous, peraluminous, and enriched in highly incompatible elements characteristic of the continental crust such as Cs, Li, B, Pb, Rb, Th, and U. The original melt thus represents a pristine, chemically evolved metasomatic agent, which infiltrated the mantle via deep continental subduction during the Variscan orogeny. The bulk chemical composition of the studied eclogites is similar to that of Fe-rich basalt and the enrichment in LILE and U suggest a subduction-related component. All these geochemical features confirm metasomatism. In comparison with many other garnet+clinopyroxene-bearing lenses in peridotites of the Bohemian Massif, the studied samples from Rubinberg and Klatschmühle are more akin to eclogite than pyroxenites, as reflected in high jadeite content in clinopyroxene, relatively low Mg, Cr, and Ni but relatively high Ti. However, trace elements of both bulk rock and individual mineral phases show also important differences making these samples rather unique. Metasomatism involving a melt requiring a trace element pattern very similar to the composition reported here has been suggested for the source region of rocks of the so-called durbachite suite, that is, ultrapotassic melanosyenites, which are found throughout the high-grade Variscan basement. Moreover, the Th, U, Pb, Nb, Ta, and Ti patterns of these newly studied melt inclusions (MI) strongly resemble those observed for peridotite and its enclosed pyroxenite from the T-7 borehole (Staré, České Středhoři Mountains) in N Bohemia. This suggests that a similar kind of crustal-derived melt also occurred here. This study of granitic MI in eclogites from peridotites has provided the first direct characterization of a preserved metasomatic melt, possibly responsible for the metasomatism of several parts of the mantle in the Variscides.

Description: Three synthetic reference glasses were prepared by directly fusing and stirring 3.8 kg of high-purity oxide powders to provide reference materials for microanalytical work. These glasses have andesitic major compositions and are doped with fifty-four trace elements in nearly identical abundance (500, 50, 5 µg g−1) using oxide powders or element solutions, and are named ARM-1, 2 and 3, respectively. We further document that sector-field (SF) ICP-MS (Element 2 or Element XR) is capable of sweeping seventy-seven isotopes (from 7Li to 238U, a total of sixty-eight elements) in 1 s and, thus, is able to quantify up to sixty-eight elements by laser sampling. Micro- and bulk analyses indicate that the glasses are homogeneous with respect to major and trace elements. This paper provides preliminary data for the ARM glasses using a variety of analytical techniques (EPMA, XRF, ICP-OES, ICP-MS, LA-Q-ICP-MS and LA-SF-ICP-MS) performed in ten laboratories. Discrepancies in the data of V, Cr, Ni and Tl exist, mainly caused by analytical limitations. Preliminary reference and information values for fifty-six elements were calculated with uncertainties [2 relative standard error (RSE)] estimated in the range of 1–20%.

Description: During evaporation of natural and synthetic K–Mg–Cl brines, the formation of almost square plate-like crystals of potassium carnallite (potassium chloride magnesium dichloride hexahydrate) was observed. A single-crystal structure analysis revealed a monoclinic cell [a = 9.251 (2), b = 9.516 (2), c = 13.217 (4) Å, β = 90.06 (2)° and space group C2/c]. The structure is isomorphous with other carnallite-type compounds, such as NH4Cl·MgCl2·6H2O. Until now, natural and synthetic carnallite, KCl·MgCl2·6H2O, was only known in its orthorhombic form [a = 16.0780 (3), b = 22.3850 (5), c = 9.5422 (2) Å and space group Pnna].

Description: The geological setting in the north of Ireland, especially concerning the origin of the Moffat Shale Group, has long been under discussion. Within the Tellus Programme of the Geological Survey Ireland, airborne electromagnetic measurements revealed high-conductivity anomalies that have been interpreted as the response of a black shale. In order to petrophysically characterize the Moffat Shale, a laboratory study using material from two shallow boreholes was carried out. The study focuses on spectral induced polarization measurements on 23 oriented samples in the frequency range from 10−4 to 105 Hz. The sample material can be categorized into two groups. A mudstone-like rock type shows weakly frequency-dependent, porosity-driven conductivities with a strong anisotropy. On the other hand, black shale samples are characterized by moderately anisotropic but strong polarization effects especially at low frequencies and a strong conductivity increase towards higher frequencies. The polarization in the black shale is controlled by the texture and volume fraction of the polarizable components. The spectral induced polarization data are processed by means of a Debye decomposition approach. The anisotropy of the complex electrical conductivity is determined by utilizing the foliation dip angle and assuming tilted transverse isotropic conditions. The relevance of the laboratory findings for airborne electromagnetic surveys is addressed with a synthetic one-dimensional modelling study.

Description: Thanks to mapping missions, like Ørsted, CHAMP, and Swarm, we have gained a detailed understanding of the geomagnetic field. High-resolution models like POMME, GRIMM, or CHAOS are able to describe the main parts of the Earth's magnetic field reliably. These models represent well contributions from the core and crustal fields. But their validity of describing magnetospheric field effects is limited to low activity periods (Kp ~ 0–2). Here, we study the differences between CHAMP magnetic observations and the predictions from CHAOS-6-x9, a recent version, outside this validity range. Systematic residuals appear at times of elevated activity. Mean amplitudes at the equator grow up to 12 nT around 20 hr magnetic local time for magnetic activity around Kp = 4.7. Negative residuals are obtained in the evening to midnight sector and positive ones in the morning. A seasonal dependence of the magnetospheric currents causes more negative deflections of the residuals in the winter than in the summer hemisphere. This hemispheric asymmetry cannot be accounted for by a degree 1 spherical harmonics function. A surprising observation is that the residuals show a clear longitude dependent pattern, which changes with local time. The analysis reveals that this feature can be interpreted as a Universal Time dependence of the residuals with a peak-to-peak amplitude of about 8 nT and a period of 12 hr at an activity level of Kp = 4.7. All these results call for a better parameterization of the magnetospheric current effects in a geomagnetic field model that is reliable at least up to moderate activity levels.

Description: Paleomagnetic records from sediments, archeological artifacts, and lava flows provide the foundation for studying geomagnetic field changes over 0–100 ka. Late Quaternary time-varying spherical harmonic models for 0–100 ka produce a global view used to evaluate new data records, study the paleomagnetic secular variation on centennial to multimillennial timescales, and investigate extreme regional or global events such as the Laschamp geomagnetic excursion. Recent modeling results (GGF100k and LSMOD.2) are compared to previous studies based on regional or global stacks and averages of relative geomagnetic paleointensity variations. Time-averaged field structure is similar on Holocene, 100 ky, and million-year timescales. Paleosecular variation activity varies greatly over 0–100 ka, with large changes in field strength and significant morphological changes that are especially evident when field strength is low. GGF100k exhibits a factor of 4 variation in geomagnetic axial dipole moment, and higher-resolution models suggest that much larger changes are likely during global excursions. There is some suggestion of recurrent field states resembling the present-day South Atlantic Anomaly, but these are not linked to initiation or evolution of excursions. Several properties used to characterize numerical dynamo simulations as “Earth-like” are evaluated and, in future, improved models may yet reveal systematic changes linked to the onset of geomagnetic excursions. Modeling results are useful in applications ranging from ground truth and data assimilation in geodynamo simulations to providing geochronological constraints and modeling the influence of geomagnetic variations on cosmogenic isotope production rates.

Description: Basalts are ubiquitous in volcanic systems on several planetary bodies, including the Earth, Mars, Venus, and Jupiter's moon Io, and are commonly associated with sulfur dioxide (SO2) degassing. We present the results of an experimental study of reactions between SO2 and basaltic glasses. We examined Fe-free basalt, and Fe-bearing tholeiitic and alkali basalts with a range of Fe3+/Fetotal (0.05 to 0.79) that encompass the oxygen fugacities proposed for most terrestrial planetary bodies. Tholeiitic and alkali basalts were exposed to SO2 at 600, 700, and 800 °C for 1 hr and 24 hr. Surface coatings formed on the reacted basalts; these contain CaSO4, MgSO4, Na2SO4, Na2Ca(SO4)2, Fe2O3, Fe3O4, Fe-Ti-(Al)-oxides, and TiO2. Additionally, the SO2-basalt reaction drives nucleation of crystalline phases in the substrate to form pyroxenes and possible Fe-oxides. A silica-rich layer forms between the substrate and sulfate coatings. More oxidized basalts may readily react with SO2 to form coatings dominated by large Ca-sulfate and oxide grains. On less oxidized basalts (NNO−1.5 to NNO−5), reactions with SO2 will form thin, fine-grained aggregates of sulfates; such materials are less readily detected by spectroscopy and spectrometry techniques. In contrast, in very reduced basalts (lower than NNO−5), typical of the Moon and Mercury, SO2 is typically a negligible component in the magmatic gas, and sulfides are more likely.

Description: The Khatyspyt Lagerstätte (~544 Ma, Russia) provides a valuable window into late Ediacaran Avalon-type ecosystems with rangeomorphs, arboreomorphs, and mega-algae. Here, we tackle the geobiology of this Lagerstätte by the combined analysis of paleontological features, sedimentary facies, and lipid biomarkers. The Khatyspyt Formation was deposited in carbonate ramp environments. Organic matter (0.12–2.22 wt.% TOC) displays characteristic Ediacaran biomarker features (e.g., eukaryotic steranes dominated by the C29 stigmastane). Some samples contain a putative 2-methylgammacerane that was likely sourced by ciliates and/or bacteria. 24-isopropylcholestane and 26-methylstigmastane are consistently scarce (≤0.4% and ≤0.2% of ∑C27-30 regular steranes, respectively). Thus, Avalon-type organisms occupied different niches than organisms capable of directly synthesizing C30 sterane precursors among their major lipids. Relative abundances of eukaryotic steranes and bacterial hopanes (sterane/hopane ratios = 0.07–0.30) demonstrate oligotrophic and bacterially dominated marine environments, similar to findings from other successions with Ediacara-type fossils. Ediacara-type fossils occur in facies characterized by microbial mats and biomarkers indicative for a stratified marine environment with normal–moderate salinities (moderate–high gammacerane index of 2.3–5.7; low C35 homohopane index of 0.1–0.2). Mega-algae, in contrast, are abundant in facies that almost entirely consist of allochthonous event layers. Biomarkers in these samples indicate a non-stratified marine environment and normal salinities (low gammacerane index of 0.6–0.8; low C35 homohopane index of 0.1). Vertical burrowers occur in similar facies but with biomarker evidence for stratification in the water column or around the seafloor (high gammacerane index of 5.6). Thus, the distribution of macro-organisms and burrowers was controlled by various, dynamically changing environmental factors. It appears likely that dynamic settings like the Khatyspyt Lagerstätte provided metabolic challenges for sustenance and growth which primed eukaryotic organisms to cope with changing environmental habitats, allowing for a later diversification and expansion of complex macroscopic life in the marine realm.

Description: We report the stability and solubility of the FeAlO3 component in bridgmanite based on phase relations in the system MgSiO3-FeAlO3 at 27 GPa and 2000 K using a multi-anvil apparatus combined with in situ synchrotron X-ray diffraction measurements. The results demonstrate that the FeAlO3 component dominates Fe3+ and Al3+ substitution in bridgmanite, although trace amounts of oxygen- and Mg-site vacancy components are also present. Bridgmanite with more than 40 mol% FeAlO3 transforms into the LiNbO3-type phase upon decompression. The FeAlO3 end-member decomposes into corundum and hematite and does not form single-phase bridgmanite. We determined the maximum solubility of the FeAlO3 component in bridgmanite at 27 GPa and 2000 K to be 67 mol%, which is significantly higher than previously reported values (25–36 mol%). We determined the partial molar volume (27.9 mol/cm3) and bulk modulus (197 GPa) of hypothetical FeAlO3 bridgmanite, which are significantly higher and lower than those of AlAlO3 and FeSiO3 bridgmanite, respectively. The non-ideality of MgSiO3-FeAlO3 solid solution (W = 13 kJ/mol, where W is the interaction parameter) is significantly larger than that for MgSiO3-AlAlO3 (5 kJ/mol) and MgSiO3-FeSiO3 (3 kJ/mol) solid solutions. The rapid decrease in abundance of the MgAlO2.5 component in bridgmanite with increasing pressure is enhanced by the presence of the FeAlO3 component. The FeAlO3 content in pyrolite and mid-ocean ridge basalt is far below its solubility limit in bridgmanite and provides new insight into the mineralogy of the lower mantle.

Description: Aubrites Peña Blanca Spring and Norton County were studied in the mid-infrared reflectance as part of a database for the MERTIS (Mercury Radiometer and Thermal Infrared Spectrometer) instrument on the ESA/JAXA BepiColombo mission to Mercury. Spectra of bulk powder size fractions from Peña Blanca Spring show enstatite Reststrahlen bands (RB) at 9 µm, 9.3 µm, 9.9 µm, 10.4 µm, and 11.6 µm. The transparency feature (TF) is at 12.7 µm, the Christiansen feature (CF) at 8.1–8.4 µm. Micro-FTIR of spots with enstatite composition in Norton County and Peña Blanca Spring shows four types: Types I and II are similar to the bulk powder spectra but vary in band shape and probably display axis orientation. Type III has characteristic strong RB at 9.2 µm, 10.4 µm, and 10.5 µm, and at 11.3 µm. Type IV is characterized by a strong RB at 10.8−11.1 µm. Types III and IV could show signs of incipient shock metamorphism. Bulk results of this study confirm earlier spectral studies of aubrites that indicate a high degree of homogeneity and probably make the results of this study representative for spectral studies of an aubrite parent body. Spectral types I and II occur in all mineralogical settings (mineral clasts, matrix, melt, fragments in melt vein), while spectral type III was only observed among the clasts, and type IV in the melt. Comparison with surface spectra of Mercury does not obtain a suitable fit, only type IV spectra from quenched impact glass show similarity, in particular the 11 µm feature. Results of this study will be available upon request or via the IRIS database (Münster) and the Berlin Emissivity Database (BED).

Description: Drill holes provide valuable information about palaeoecological interactions in fossil ecosystems, but the Jurassic drill-hole record is scarce. We report circular drill holes in the infaunal bivalve Eothyasira antiqua(Münster in Goldfuss) from the Pliensbachian grey shales of the Amaltheenton Formation of Franconia, southern Germany. The outcrop of the Amaltheenton Formation at Buttenheim yields a rich bivalve fauna (57 species), which represents a typical soft-bottom community. Eothyasira antiqua, the yet oldest known member of the family Thyasiridae, represents only 1% of the total bivalve specimens from Buttenheim, but shows an exceptionally high frequency of drill holes. With a drilling rate of 81% of the well-preserved articulated specimens, this occurence is unique compared with other drilled bivalve records from the Mesozoic and even from Recent assemblages. The drill holes resemble those of modern naticids with a larger outer opening and are assigned to the ichnospecies Oichnus paraboloides Bromley. Statistical methods show a non-random distribution of the drill holes over the shell surface with a concentration on the central flank. The drill-hole producer was highly efficient in drilling and exhibited a remarkable prey and site-selective behaviour. The drill holes on the moderately deep infaunal Eothyasira suggest that the predator was also infaunal for at least parts of its life and could cope with poorly oxygenated substrate conditions occurring temporarily in the Amaltheenton environment. Drill-hole characteristics point to a gastropod as producer. None of the about 50 gastropod taxa of the Amaltheenton Formation can be associated with the drill holes with certainty, but Hayamia reticulata (Münster) seems to be the most likely candidate. The results of this study support the opinion that drill holes are generally a scarce phenomenon in the Early Jurassic generated by rare, probably highly specialised predators. Preservational biases are considered to have been less important.

Description: Substantial changes have occurred in the Arctic Ocean in the last decades. Not only sea ice has retreated significantly, but also the ocean at middepth showed a warming tendency. By using simulations we identified a mechanism that intensifies the upward trend in ocean heat supply to the Arctic Ocean through Fram Strait. The reduction in sea ice export through Fram Strait induced by Arctic sea ice decline increases the salinity in the Greenland Sea, which lowers the sea surface height and strengthens the cyclonic gyre circulation in the Nordic Seas. The Atlantic Water volume transport to the Nordic Seas and Arctic Ocean is consequently strengthened. This enhances the warming trend of the Arctic Atlantic Water layer, potentially contributing to the Arctic “Atlantification.” Our study suggests that the Nordic Seas can play the role of a switchyard to influence the heat budget of the Arctic Ocean.

Description: A growing bioeconomy requires increasing amounts of biomass from residues, wastes, and industrial crops for bio-based products and bioenergy. There is much discussion about how industrial crop cultivation could promote social–ecological outcomes such as environmental protection, biodiversity conservation, climate change adaptation, food security, greenhouse gas mitigation, and landscape appearance. In Germany, maize (Zea mays L.) is the main biogas substrate source, despite being associated with problems such as erosion, biodiversity losses, an increase in wild boar populations and lowered landscape diversity. The cultivation of perennial wild plant mixtures (WPM) addresses many of these problems. Despite being less developed than maize, WPM cultivation has received notable attention among scientists in Germany over the past decade. This is mainly because WPMs clearly outperform maize in social–ecological measures, despite their methane yield performance. This review summarizes and discusses the results of 12 years of research and practice with WPMs as a social-ecologically more benign bioenergy cropping system.

Description: The Coulomb failure stress (CFS) criterion is the most commonly used method for predicting spatial distributions of aftershocks following large earthquakes. However, large uncertainties are always associated with the calculation of Coulomb stress change. The uncertainties mainly arise due to nonunique slip inversions and unknown receiver faults; especially for the latter, results are highly dependent on the choice of the assumed receiver mechanism. Based on binary tests (aftershocks yes/no), recent studies suggest that alternative stress quantities, a distance-slip probabilistic model as well as deep neural network (DNN) approaches, all are superior to CFS with predefined receiver mechanism. To challenge this conclusion, which might have large implications, we use 289 slip inversions from SRCMOD database to calculate more realistic CFS values for a layered half-space and variable receiver mechanisms. We also analyze the effect of the magnitude cutoff, grid size variation, and aftershock duration to verify the use of receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis for the ranking of stress metrics. The observations suggest that introducing a layered half-space does not improve the stress maps and ROC curves. However, results significantly improve for larger aftershocks and shorter time periods but without changing the ranking. We also go beyond binary testing and apply alternative statistics to test the ability to estimate aftershock numbers, which confirm that simple stress metrics perform better than the classic Coulomb failure stress calculations and are also better than the distance-slip probabilistic model.

Description: A digital filter is introduced which treats the problem of predictability versus time averaging in a continuous, seamless manner. This seamless filter (SF) is characterized by a unique smoothing rule that determines the strength of smoothing in dependence on lead time. The rule needs to be specified beforehand, either by expert knowledge or by user demand. As a result, skill curves are obtained that allow a predictability assessment across a whole range of time-scales, from daily to seasonal, in a uniform manner. The SF is applied to downscaled SEAS5 ensemble forecasts for two focus regions in or near the tropical belt, the river basins of the Karun in Iran and the São Francisco in Brazil. Both are characterized by strong seasonality and semi-aridity, so that predictability across various time-scales is in high demand. Among other things, it is found that from the start of the water year (autumn), areal precipitation is predictable with good skill for the Karun basin two and a half months ahead; for the São Francisco it is only one month, longer-term prediction skill is just above the critical level.

Description: The hydrodynamics in estuaries is mainly governed by the competition between a horizontal density gradient, friction, and wind stress. The sensitivity of the estuarine exchange flow to the wind stress increases in the absence of tides, which is investigated here using the example of the weakly tidal Warnow river estuary in the southwestern Baltic Sea—the mouth of which is characterized by strongly varying salinities of 8 to 20 g kg−1. The interaction between a volatile salinity gradient and along-estuary wind forcing is found to cause temporary inversions of the estuarine circulation. Despite the highly dynamic conditions, the applicability of recent theories for isohaline mixing, using the framework of Total Exchange Flow, and the strength of the exchange flow, using a non-dimensional parameter space, could be confirmed. By analyzing salinity fluxes at the mouth of the estuary, a mixing completeness of 84% was calculated for the estuary. Furthermore, inversion of estuarine circulation was typically found for a local Wedderburn number (ratio of non-dimensional wind stress to non-dimensional horizontal density gradient) exceeding 0.33, indicating a high sensitivity to along-estuary wind.

Description: We investigated a suite of metabasite blocks from serpentinite matrix and shale matrix mélanges of the California Coast Ranges. Our new data set consists of 40Ar/39Ar dates of amphibole and phengite and U-Pb dates of metamorphic zircon. Combined with published geochronology, including prograde Lu-Hf garnet ages from the same blocks, we can reconstruct the timing and time scales of prograde and retrograde metamorphism of individual blocks. In particular we find that exhumation from amphibole-eclogite facies conditions occurred as a single episode at 165–157 Ma, with an apparent southward younging trend. The rate and timing of exhumation were initially uniform (when comparing individual blocks) and fast (with cooling rates up to ~140°C/Ma). In the cooler and shallower blueschist facies, exhumation slowed and became less uniform among blocks. Considering the subduction zone system, the high-grade exhumation temporally correlates with a magmatic arc pulse (Sierra Nevada) and the termination of forearc spreading (Coast Range Ophiolite). Our findings suggest that a geodynamic one-time event led to exhumation of amphibole-eclogite facies rocks. We propose that interaction of the Franciscan subduction zone with a spreading ridge led to extraction of the forearc mantle wedge from its position between forearc crust and subducting crust. The extraction led to fast and uniform exhumation of subducted rocks into the blueschist facies. We also show that the Franciscan subduction zone did not undergo significant cooling over time and that its initiation was not coeval with blueschist-facies metamorphism of the Red Ant schist of the Sierra Nevada foothills.

Description: In this study we investigate two distinct loss mechanisms responsible for the rapid dropouts of radiation belt electrons by assimilating data from Van Allen Probes A and B and Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellites (GOES) 13 and 15 into a 3-D diffusion model. In particular, we examine the respective contribution of electromagnetic ion cyclotron (EMIC) wave scattering and magnetopause shadowing for values of the first adiabatic invariant μ ranging from 300 to 3,000 MeV G−1. We inspect the innovation vector and perform a statistical analysis to quantitatively assess the effect of both processes as a function of various geomagnetic indices, solar wind parameters, and radial distance from the Earth. Our results are in agreement with previous studies that demonstrated the energy dependence of these two mechanisms. We show that EMIC wave scattering tends to dominate loss at lower L shells, and it may amount to between 10%/hr and 30%/hr of the maximum value of phase space density (PSD) over all L shells for fixed first and second adiabatic invariants. On the other hand, magnetopause shadowing is found to deplete electrons across all energies, mostly at higher L shells, resulting in loss from 50%/hr to 70%/hr of the maximum PSD. Nevertheless, during times of enhanced geomagnetic activity, both processes can operate beyond such location and encompass the entire outer radiation belt.

Description: The Atacama Desert is the driest non-polar desert on Earth, presenting precarious conditions for biological activity. In the arid coastal belt, life is restricted to areas with fog events that cause almost daily wet–dry cycles. In such an area, we discovered a hitherto unknown and unique ground covering biocenosis dominated by lichens, fungi, and algae attached to grit-sized (~6 mm) quartz and granitoid stones. Comparable biocenosis forming a kind of a layer on top of soil and rock surfaces in general is summarized as cryptogamic ground covers (CGC) in literature. In contrast to known CGC from arid environments to which frequent cyclic wetting events are lethal, in the Atacama Desert every fog event is answered by photosynthetic activity of the soil community and thus considered as the desert's breath. Photosynthesis of the new CGC type is activated by the lowest amount of water known for such a community worldwide thus enabling the unique biocenosis to fulfill a variety of ecosystem services. In a considerable portion of the coastal Atacama Desert, it protects the soil from sporadically occurring splash erosion and contributes to the accumulation of soil carbon and nitrogen as well as soil formation through bio-weathering. The structure and function of the new CGC type are discussed, and we suggest the name grit–crust. We conclude that this type of CGC can be expected in all non-polar fog deserts of the world and may resemble the cryptogam communities that shaped ancient Earth. It may thus represent a relevant player in current and ancient biogeochemical cycling.

Description: This article evaluates the current gaps and describes opportunities for improving flood risk management (FRM) in Ghana, West Africa. A mixed-method participatory approach comprising questionnaires, workshops, interviews with key stakeholders, and a systematic literature review were employed. Existing problems, discourses, FRM practices, and opportunities to enhance flood resilience were identified. They provided the basis for outlining potential research directions into ways of tracking these challenges. The results show how different actors perceive FRM in Ghana. The stakeholders interviewed have different, and even contradictory perceptions of the effectiveness of FRM, which are embedded in their diverse storylines. The findings show that Ghana's FRM is still reactive rather than preventive and that research in the field of quantitative hazard and risk assessment is still rudimentary. FRM policies and flood early warning systems (FEWS) are in place, but efforts should be directed towards their implementation and monitoring, investigation of social and technical capacity aspects, and enhancement of institutions’ mandates, and coordination. Moreover, the findings illustrate that FRM is moving toward a more constructive engagement of citizens and stakeholders. However, policies and action plans need to consider more inclusive community participation in planning and management to effectively improve their resilience and develop sustainable solutions.

Description: Along the margins of continental ice sheets, lakes formed in isostatically depressed basins during glacial retreat. Their shorelines and extent are sensitive to the ice margin and the glacial history of the region. Proglacial lakes, in turn, also impact the glacial isostatic adjustment due to loading, and ice dynamics by posing a marine-like boundary condition at the ice margin. In this study we present a tool that efficiently identifies lake basins and the corresponding maximum water level for a given ice sheet and topography reconstruction. This algorithm, called the LakeCC model, iteratively checks the whole map for a set of increasing water levels and fills isolated basins until they overflow into the ocean. We apply it to the present-day Great Lakes and the results show good agreement (∼1−4%) with measured lake volume and depth. We then apply it to two topography reconstructions of North America between the Last Glacial Maximum and the present. The model successfully reconstructs glacial lakes such as Lake Agassiz, Lake McConnell and the predecessors of the Great Lakes. LakeCC can be used to judge the quality of ice sheet reconstructions. © 2019 The Authors Journal of Quaternary Science Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Description: MgCO3·MgCl2·7H2O is the only known neutral magnesium carbonate containing chloride ions at ambient conditions. According to the literature, only small and twinned crystals of this double salt could be synthesised in a concentrated solution of MgCl2. For the crystal structure solution, single-crystal diffraction was carried out at a synchrotron radiation source. The monoclinic crystal structure (space group Cc) exhibits double chains of MgO octahedra linked by corners, connected by carbonate units and water molecules. The chloride ions are positioned between these double chains parallel to the (100) plane. Dry MgCO3·MgCl2·7H2O decomposes in the air to chlorartinite, Mg2(OH)Cl(CO3)·nH2O (n = 2 or 3). This work includes an extensive characterization of the title compound by powder X-ray diffraction, thermal analysis, SEM and vibrational spectroscopy.

Description: Based on the Mars Atmosphere and Volatile EvolutioN (MAVEN) observations, we have analyzed the role of the crustal magnetic field on ion loss driven by the direct interaction of the solar wind with the Mars ionosphere. Crustal magnetic fields significantly attenuate the ion ionospheric motions and raise the flux of returning ions. On the other hand, since the ion densities in the ionosphere with strong crustal field are significantly higher than in the ionosphere with a weak crustal magnetic field, the net escape fluxes from the ionosphere with the crustal sources remain vital. The crustal magnetic field also leads to the expansion of the ionosphere and increase of the area exposed to solar wind. As a result, fluxes from higher altitudes essentially contribute to the flow pattern in Martian tail producing an excess of ion loss rate (∼15%) through the southern part of the tail. Thus, effects of inhibition and enhancement of the escape rate by the crustal magnetic field at Mars operate in competition producing a minor influence on the total ion loss.

Description: Apart from the traditional contribution of geographers to the study of population, this particular thesis attempts to divert the emphasis of geographical enquiry towards the examination of how particular innovations affect the population distribution and the organization of human society. It deals specifically with questions concerning the demographic, social and economic impact of population mobility on both sending in receiving areas. It attempts to shed light on the different variables that work to produce a selective type of population mobility within a particular socio—economic set-up. Although various aspects of population mobility have been studied in some detail during the present decade, no attempt has been made, however, towards a concrete presentation of its multiple causes and its socio-economic impact on the areas and people that are left behind. Far from assuming complete coverage of all interrelated fields of study we attempt here to draw attention t0 the expected socio-economic repercussions of population mobility as induced by a particular factor, namely agricultural mechanization. Certain limitations‚ however, have made it difficult to deal with every aspect of population mobility in the Sudan.

Description: thesis

Description: DFG, SUB Göttingen

Description: Jede Gesellschaft (und jede Stadtregion) muss auf die Auswirkungen dieser Transformation (erhöhte Wohnraumnachfrage, schnelles Wirtschaftswachstum, starkes Dezentralisierungspotential neuer Technologien, drohender Bedeutungsverlust der Kernstadt) reagieren. Wir betrachten im Rahmen dieser Arbeit räumliche Entwicklungen als "kulturelle“ Antwort auf solche Veränderungen. Denn während der ökonomische und technologische Wandel ein eher universelles Phänomen darstellt, unterscheiden sich doch die Strategien zur räumlichen Handhabung und Gestaltung von Wachstum von Land zu Land enorm. So gesehen ist die uns umgebende Realität von Suburbanisierung und Dezentralisierung eben auch das Resultat von Entscheidungen, die unter spezifischen politischen und ideologischen Bedingungen getroffen worden sind. Für die Analyse der Wachstumsideologien haben wir drei westliche Industriestaaten ausgewählt: Kanada, die USA und die Bundesrepublik Deutschland. Dabei wurden sowohl die lokale bzw. regionale als auch die Ländern Provinz- bzw. Bundesebene untersucht. Für die lokale Ebene wurden Flächennutzungsmaßnahmen und statistische Wachstumsindikatoren von sechs "Fallbeispielen" analysiert und verglichen: Frankfurt/M.‚ München, Toronto, Vancouver, San Francisco und Los Angeles/San Diego. Für die überregionale Ebene ergänzt ein Vergleich staatlicher Steuerungsmaßnahmen die Analyse und Interpretation lokaler Trends.

Description: thesis

Description: DFG, SUB Göttingen

Description: This publication developed from the 5th International Colloquium on “Historical Earthquakes, Paleoseismology, Neotectonics and Seismic Hazard” which was held from 11 to 13 October 2017 at the Federal Institute for Geosciences and Natural Resources (BGR) in Hannover, Germany. It comprises four contributions: Brüstle, W., Braumann, U., Hock, S. & Rodler, F.-A. (2020). Best practice of macroseismic intensity assessment applied to the earthquake catalogue of southwestern Germany. In: Kaiser, D. (Ed.). Historical Earthquakes, Paleoseismology, Neotectonics, and Seismic Hazard: New Insights and Suggested Procedures, DGEB-Publikation 18, Deutsche Gesellschaft für Erdbebeningenieurwesen und Baudynamik. doi: 10.23689/fidgeo-3864 Camelbeeck, T., Vanneste, K., Verbeeck, K., Garcia-Moreno, D., Van Noten, K. & Lecocq, T. (2020). How well does known seismicity between the Lower Rhine Graben and southern North Sea reflect future earthquake activity? In: Kaiser, D. (Ed.). Historical Earthquakes, Paleoseismology, Neotectonics, and Seismic Hazard: New Insights and Suggested Procedures, DGEB-Publikation 18, Deutsche Gesellschaft für Erdbebeningenieurwesen und Baudynamik. doi: 10.23689/fidgeo-3866 Hürtgen, J., Reicherter, K., Spies, T., Geisler, C. & Schlittenhardt, J. (2020). The Paleoseismic Database of Germany and Adjacent Regions PalSeisDB v1.0. In: Kaiser, D. (Ed.). Historical Earthquakes, Paleoseismology, Neotectonics, and Seismic Hazard: New Insights and Suggested Procedures, DGEB-Publikation 18, Deutsche Gesellschaft für Erdbebeningenieurwesen und Baudynamik. doi: 10.23689/fidgeo-3867 Leydecker, G. & Lehmann, K. (2020). The earthquake of September 3, 1770 near Alfhausen (Lower Saxony, Germany): a real, doubtful, or a fake event? In: Kaiser, D. (Ed.). Historical Earthquakes, Paleoseismology, Neotectonics, and Seismic Hazard: New Insights and Suggested Procedures, DGEB-Publikation 18, Deutsche Gesellschaft für Erdbebeningenieurwesen und Baudynamik. doi: 10.23689/fidgeo-3865

Description: Introduction to DGEB-Publikation Nr. 18 Deutsche Gesellschaft für Erdbebeningenieurwesen und Baudynamik (DGEB)

Description: editorial

Description: Quantitative fold structure analyses at different scales are essential for deducing deformation mechanisms and the reconstruction of the deformation history of orogens. However, not only the field surveying of fold structures, especially in view of their quantification in three dimensions with the classical tools as measuring tape, grid mapping with measuring tapes, geological compass, field book and camera is a time consuming and laborious job, but also the construction of a georeferenced 3D-model of fold structures based on classical data. Another crucial aspect of the classical field surveying of folds is the limitation by poor outcrop conditions. Reasons might be restricted or no accessibility due to high outcrop walls, water or fences, limited visibility because of vegetation, difficult measurability due to very smooth walls or complexity as a result of irregular outcrop walls or distant outcrops. Furthermore, inappropriate oriented outcrop surfaces in respect to the fold geometry can make a survey even worse. Over the past years modern 3D surveying techniques like terrestrial Lidar and digital photogrammetry became progressively affordable for geological field work and now start to complement or replace traditional methods. We started to utilize these techniques on fold structure surveying and to apply quantitative fold structure analysis on different outcrop settings in Central Germany. Different workflows were developed and tested to optimize data conversion, handling and representation. We applied a laser scanner and a single lens reflex camera, complemented by a differential GPS device and laser tachymeter. Data conversion, correction and analysis were done by means of different free as well as commercial software packages. To test different outcrop situations, different quarries, salt mines and steep cliffs, exposing from single fold to complex folds in limestone, greywacke, cherts, rock salt or potassium salt, were selected. As a result, exact 3D point clouds of all exposed folds could be generated by the use of both techniques. The resultant point clouds are suited as excellent visualisation objects as well as base for accurate geometrical measurements in the range of mm or cm of single and complex folds. In addition, the point clouds serve as input dataset for the construction of detailed geological 3D models comprising punctual, linear and plane fold elements. In summary, terrestrial Lidar and digital photogrammetry are excellent field techniques to survey and document exposed folds in the range of few meters to tens of meters, especially under poor outcrop conditions. Different fold sections can now easily be correlated in 3D space to construct complete fold structures with their 3D-fold geometry. Certain fold elements, e.g. axial planes, can be reconstructed much faster and much more accurate compared to the classical approach. The only limiting factor are the very large datasets and the processing power. As next steps, we seek (1) to involve drones for completing data sets from inaccessible areas and perspectives and (2) to incorporate 3D-microfabric analysis data in the fold models as e.g. grain shape an crystallographic preferred orientations to better understand stain paths and deformation mechanisms.

Description: poster

Description: Under certain conditions, ocean surface gravity waves (SGW) interact with the seafloor underneath to trigger relatively faint but measurable seismic waves known as ocean microseisms. Cyclonic storms (e.g. hurricanes, typhoons) wandering over the ocean are major (non-stationary) sources of the former, thus opening the possibility of tracking and studying cyclones by means of their corresponding microseims. For this purpose, we identified storm-related microseisms hidden in the ambient seismic wavefield via array processing. Polarization beamforming, a robust and well-known technique is implemented. The analyses hinge on surface waves (Love and Rayleigh) which, in contrast to P-waves, are stronger but only constrain direction of arrival (without source remoteness). We use a few land-based virtual seismic arrays surrounding the North Atlantic to investigate the signatures of major hurricanes in the microseismic band (0.05-0.16 Hz), in a joint attempt to continuously triangulate their tracks. Our findings show that storm microseisms are intermittently excited with modulated amplitude at localized oceanic regions, particularly over the shallow continental shelves and slopes, having maximum amplitudes virtually independent of storm category. In most cases no detection was possible over deep oceanic regions, nor at distant arrays. Additionally, the rear quadrants and trailing swells of the cyclone provide the optimum SGW spectrum for the generation of microseisms, often shifted more than 500 km off the "eye". As a result of the aforementioned and added to the strong attenuation of storm microseisms, the inversion of tracks or physical properties of storms using a few far-field arrays is discontinuous in most cases, being reliable only if benchmark atmospheric and/or oceanic data is available for comparison. Even if challenging due to the complexity of the coupled phenomena responsible for microseisms, the inversion of site properties, such as bathymetric parameters (e.g. depth, seabed geomorphology), near- bottom geology or SGW spectrum might be possible if storms are treated as natural sources in time-lapse ambient noise investigations. This will likely require near-field (land and underwater) observations using optimal arrays or dense, widespread sensor networks. Improved detection and understanding of ocean microseisms carries a great potential to contribute to mechanically coupled atmosphere-ocean-earth models.

Description: Universität Hamburg

Description: poster

Description: In the present article, the establishment of the species Castanopsis: C. bulgarica Mantzouka, Ivanov, and Bozukov is proposed after the study of a new fagaceous fossil wood stem discovered in 2016 from a new Late Miocene to Early Pliocene plant fossiliferous locality east of Boboshevo town, south-west Bulgaria. A detailed palaeoxylotomical study of the fossil wood revealed characteristics of the ‘evergreen Quercus type’ (e.g. the gradual porosity of the vessels, the existence of two types of rays: uniseriate and multiseriate aggregate, the oval shape of the solitary vessels outline, the occurrence of tracheids) as well as heterocellular compound-aggregate rays, typical for Castanopsis. Similarities and differences of the anatomical characteristics/features of the studied specimen with the descriptions of the fossil representatives of Fagaceae (Quercoxylon, Lithocarpoxylon, and Castanopsis) along with its botanical affinities are discussed. A taxonomic list of the Bulgarian fossil fagaceous record of the same age and their nearest living relatives is provided. Emended xylotomical keys with the addition of Castanopsis have been created. Moreover, the presence of evergreen Castanopsis species with heterocellular rays of two distinct sizes in the fossil record of the ‘evergreen oak woods’ is supported.

Description: New Cu isotope data obtained on chalcopyrite from the Black Mountain and the Broken Hill deposits in the medium- to high-grade metamorphic Aggeneys-Gamsberg ore district (South Africa) require a revision of our understanding of the genesis of metamorphic Broken Hill-type massive sulphide deposits. Chalcopyrite from both deposits revealed unusually wide ranges in δ65Cu (−2.41 to 2.84‰ NIST 976 standard) in combination with distinctly positive mean values (0.27 and 0.94‰, respectively). This is interpreted to reflect derivation from various silicate and oxide precursor minerals in which Cu occurred in higher oxidation states. Together with the observation of a typical supergene base metal distribution within the deposits and their spatial association with an unconformity only meters above the ore horizon, our new data are best explained by supergene oxidation of originally possibly SEDEX deposits prior to metamorphic sulphide formation, between the Okiepian (1,210–1,180 Ma) and Klondikean (1,040–1,020 Ma) orogenic events.

Description: CM chondrites are complex impact (mostly regolith) breccias, in which lithic clasts show various degrees of aqueous alteration. Here, we investigated the degree of alteration of individual clasts within 19 different CM chondrites and CM-like clasts in three achondrites by chemical analysis of the tochilinite-cronstedtite-intergrowths (TCIs; formerly named “poorly characterized phases”). To identify TCIs in various chondritic lithologies, we used backscattered electron (BSE) overview images of polished thin sections, after which appropriate samples underwent electron microprobe measurements. Thus, 75 lithic clasts were classified. In general, the excellent work and specific criteria of Rubin et al. (2007) were used and considered to classify CM breccias in a similar way as ordinary chondrite breccias (e.g., CM2.2-2.7). In BSE images, TCIs in strongly altered fragments in CM chondrites (CM2.0-CM2.2) appear dark grayish and show a low contrast to the surrounding material (typically clastic matrix), and can be distinguished from TCIs in moderately (CM2.4-CM2.6) or less altered fragments (CM2.7-CM2.9); the latter are bright and have high contrast to the surroundings. We found that an accurate subclassification can be obtained by considering only the “FeO”/SiO2 ratio of the TCI chemistry. One could also consider the TCIs’ S/SiO2 ratio and the metal abundance, but these were not used for classification due to several disadvantages. Most of the CM chondrites are finds that have suffered terrestrial weathering in hot and cold deserts. Thus, the observed abundance of metal is susceptible to weathering and may not be a reliable indicator of subtype classification. This study proposes an extended classification scheme based on Rubin’s scale from subtypes CM2.0-CM2.9 that takes the brecciation into account and includes the minimum to maximum degree of alteration of individual clasts. The range of aqueous alteration in CM chondrites and small spatial scale of mixing of clasts with different alteration histories will be important for interpreting returned samples from the OSIRIS-REx and Hayabusa 2 missions in the future.

Description: To counteract global warming, a geoengineering approach that aims at intervening in the Arctic ice-albedo feedback has been proposed. A large number of wind-driven pumps shall spread seawater on the surface in winter to enhance ice growth, allowing more ice to survive the summer melt. We test this idea with a coupled climate model by modifying the surface exchange processes such that the physical effect of the pumps is simulated. Based on experiments with RCP 8.5 scenario forcing, we find that it is possible to keep the late-summer sea ice cover at the current extent for the next ∼60 years. The increased ice extent is accompanied by significant Arctic late-summer cooling by ∼1.3 K on average north of the polar circle (2021–2060). However, this cooling is not conveyed to lower latitudes. Moreover, the Arctic experiences substantial winter warming in regions with active pumps. The global annual-mean near-surface air temperature is reduced by only 0.02 K (2021–2060). Our results cast doubt on the potential of sea ice targeted geoengineering to mitigate climate change.

Description: At the case study of the city of Cologne and the neighbouring Rhein-Erft-Kreis (a county), selected resilience aspects of critical infrastructure (CI) and cascading effects are analysed concerning major river floods. Using a Geographic Information System, the applicability of the approach is demonstrated using open source software and data, augmented by manual entries. This study demonstrates the feasibility and limitations of analysing lifeline features of interest for disaster risk and emergency management such as roads, bridges and electricity supply. By highlighting interdependencies of emergency services with CI such as roads, cascading effects of interconnected paths are shown. The findings indicate that in an extreme event flood scenario over 2,000 km of roads and eight bridges will be exposed to floods in the area of the rivers Rhine and Erft. This places huge demands on disaster and emergency management institutions and people affected and limits their resiliency.

Description: Mineralogically zoned chondrules are a common chondrule type in chondrites. They consist of olivine cores, surrounded by low-Ca pyroxene rims. By serial sectioning porphyritic chondrules from carbonaceous, ordinary, and enstatite chondrites, we demonstrate that the 2-D textural appearances of these chondrules largely depend on where they are cut. The same chondrule may appear as a porphyritic pyroxene (PP) chondrule when sectioned through the low-Ca pyroxene rim, and as a porphyritic olivine-pyroxene (POP) or porphyritic olivine (PO) chondrule when sectioned close or through its equator. Chondrules previously classified into PP/POP/PO chondrules might therefore not represent different types, but various sections through mineralogically zoned chondrules. Classifying chondrule textures into PP, POP, and PO has therefore no unequivocal genetic meaning, it is merely descriptive. Sectioning effects further introduce a systematic bias when determining mineralogically zoned chondrule fractions from 2-D sections. We determined correction factors to estimate 3-D mineralogically zoned chondrule fractions when these have been determined in 2-D sections: 1.24 for carbonaceous chondrites, 1.29 for ordinary chondrites, and 1.62 for enstatite chondrites. Using these factors then shows that mineralogically zoned chondrules are the dominant chondrule type in chondrites with estimated 3-D fractions of 92% in CC, 52% in OC, and 46% in EC.

Description: Relativistic electron diffraction depends on linear and quadratic terms in the electric potential, the latter being neglected in the frequently used relativistically corrected Schrödinger equation. The quadratic electric potential term modifies atomic scattering amplitudes in particular for large-angle scattering and backscattering. The respective correction increases with increasing scattering angle, increasing atomic number and increasing kinetic energy. Conventional tabulations for electron scattering and its large-angle extrapolations can be amended in closed form by a universal correction based on the screened Coulomb potential squared.

Description: During the COVID-19 outbreak that took place in early 2020, the economic activities in China were drastically reduced and accompanied by a strong reduction in the emission of primary air pollutants. On the basis of measurements made at the monitoring stations operated by the China National Environmental Monitoring Center, we quantify the reduction in surface PM2.5, NO2, CO, and SO2 concentrations in northern China during the lockdown, which started on 23 January 2020. We find that, on the average, the levels of surface PM2.5 and NO2 have decreased by approximately 35% and 60%, respectively, between the period 1 and 22 January 2020 and the period 23 January and 29 February 2020. At the same time, the mean ozone concentration has increased by a factor 1.5–2. In urban area of Wuhan, where drastic measures were adopted to limit the spread of the coronavirus, similar changes in the concentrations of PM2.5, NO2, and ozone are found.

Description: Over the past 3–4 decades, coincident with global warming and atmospheric CO2 increase, Arctic sea ice has significantly decreased in its extent as well as in thickness. When extrapolating this alarming trend, the central Arctic Ocean might become ice-free during summers within about the next 2–5 decades. Paleoclimate records allow us to better understand the processes controlling modern climate change and distinguish between natural and anthropogenic forcing. In this context, detailed studies of the earlier Earth history characterized by a much warmer global climate with elevated atmospheric CO2 concentrations are important. The main focus of this review paper is the long-term late Mesozoic-Cenozoic Arctic Ocean climate history from Greenhouse to Icehouse conditions, with special emphasis on Arctic sea ice history. Starting with some information on the Cretaceous Arctic Ocean climate, this paper will concentrate on selected results from Integrated Ocean Drilling Program (IODP) Expedition 302 (Arctic Ocean Coring Expedition (ACEX)), the first scientific drilling in the permanently ice-covered Arctic Ocean, dealing with the Cenozoic climate history. While these results from ACEX were unprecedented, key questions related to the Cenozoic Arctic climate history remain unanswered, largely due to the major mid-Cenozoic hiatus (if existing) and partly to the poor recovery of the ACEX record. Following-up ACEX and its cutting-edge science, a second scientific drilling on Lomonosov Ridge with a focus on the reconstruction of the continuous and complete Cenozoic Arctic Ocean climate history has currently been proposed and scheduled as IODP Expedition 377 for 2021.

Description: In the present study, we performed gastropod analyses on loess–palaeosol sequences from northeast Armenia (Southern Caucasia) covering at least three glacial–interglacial cycles. The elaborated ecostratigraphy shows significant patterns of species composition related to the succession of pedocomplexes and loess, respectively. Pedocomplexes included species that can be associated with high-grass to forest-steppe biomes, indicating increased humidity for these sections compared to the loess layers. In contrast, loess layers that relate to glacial periods are associated with gastropod species of semidesert environments with shrub- and shortgrass-steppes, indicating semiarid to arid conditions. Furthermore, the loess deposits do not show any evidence for cold-adapted gastropod species. Therefore, we suggest that average July temperatures in the study area were above 10 °C, even during periods of loess deposition. Consequently, we propose that the limiting factor for tree growth during glacial periods was aridity, rather than temperature. In addition, we observe environmental differences between the various glacial times, with our results indicating a trend towards steadily increasing aridity in Southern Caucasia across the Middle to Late Pleistocene.

Description: The in situ measurement of Sr isotopes in carbonates by MC-ICP-MS is limited by the availability of suitable microanalytical reference materials (RMs), which match the samples of interest. Whereas several well-characterised carbonate reference materials for Sr mass fractions 〉 1000 µg g−1 are available, there is a lack of well-characterised carbonate microanalytical RMs with lower Sr mass fractions. Here, we present a new synthetic carbonate nanopowder RM with a Sr mass fraction of ca. 500 µg g−1 suitable for microanalytical Sr isotope research (‘NanoSr’). NanoSr was analysed by both solution-based and in situ techniques. Element mass fractions were determined using EPMA (Ca mass fraction), as well as laser ablation and solution ICP-MS in different laboratories. The 87Sr/86Sr ratio was determined by well-established bulk methods for Sr isotope measurements and is 0.70756 ± 0.00003 (2s). The Sr isotope microhomogeneity of the material was determined by LA-MC-ICP-MS, which resulted in 87Sr/86Sr ratios of 0.70753 ± 0.00007 (2s) and 0.70757 ± 0.00006 (2s), respectively, in agreement with the solution data within uncertainties. Thus, this new reference material is well suited to monitor and correct microanalytical Sr isotope measurements of low-Sr, low-REE carbonate samples. NanoSr is available from the corresponding author.

Description: We found a large (~2 mm) compound object in the primitive Yamato 793408 (H3.2-an) chondrite. It consists mostly of microcrystalline material, similar to chondrule mesostasis, that hosts an intact barred olivine (BO) chondrule. The object contains euhedral pyroxene and large individual olivine grains. Some olivine cores are indicative of refractory forsterites with very low Fe- and high Ca, Al-concentrations, although no 16O enrichment. The entire object is most likely a new and unique type, as no similar compound object has been described so far. We propose that it represents an intermediate stage between compound chondrules and macrochondrules, and formed from the collision between chondrules at low velocities (below 1 m s−1) at high temperatures (around 1550 °C). The macrochondrule also trapped and preserved a smaller BO chondrule. This object appears to be the first direct evidence for a genetic link between compound chondrules and macrochondrules. In accordance with previous suggestions and studies, compound chondrules and macrochondrules likely formed by the same mechanism of chondrule collisions, and each represents different formation conditions, such as ambient temperature and collision speed.

Description: The continuous improvement of analytical procedures using multi-collector technologies in ICP-mass spectrometry has led to an increased demand for isotope standards with improved homogeneity and reduced measurement uncertainty. For magnesium, this has led to a variety of available standards with different quality levels ranging from artefact standards to isotope reference materials certified for absolute isotope ratios. This required an intercalibration of all standards and reference materials, which we present in this interlaboratory comparison study. The materials Cambridge1, DSM3, ERM-AE143, ERM-AE144, ERM-AE145, IRMM-009 and NIST SRM 980 were cross-calibrated with expanded measurement uncertainties (95% confidence level) of less than 0.030‰ for the δ25/24Mg values and less than 0.037‰ for the δ26/24Mg values. Thus, comparability of all magnesium isotope delta (δ) measurements based on these standards and reference materials is established. Further, ERM-AE143 anchors all magnesium δ-scales to absolute isotope ratios and therefore establishes SI traceability, here traceability to the SI base unit mole. This applies especially to the DSM3 scale, which is proposed to be maintained. With ERM-AE144 and ERM-AE145, which are product and educt of a sublimation–condensation process, for the first time a set of isotope reference materials is available with a published value for the apparent triple isotope fractionation exponent θapp, the fractionation relationship ln α(25/24Mg)/ln α(26/24Mg).

Description: Mapping snow conditions in alpine areas is crucial for monitoring local hydrology to support water resource management decisions. Recently, the use of structure-from-motion multiview stereo 3-D reconstruction (or SFM photogrammetry) to derive high-resolution digital elevation models (DEMs) has become popular for mapping snow depth in alpine areas. In this study, methods for communicating spatial uncertainties in snow depth calculated from SFM-derived DEMs are presented using a case study in the French Alps. A spatially varying snow depth precision estimate was determined using an error propagation model based on the precision of the acquired SFM DEMs, which was obtained from repeated unmanned aerial vehicle flights. Spatially varying snow depth detection limits were determined using Student's t distribution. It was found that snow depths as shallow as 1 to 5 cm could be detected with high confidence for most of the study area. Areas of high uncertainties were generally related to where the extent of the ground control coverage did not match in the snow-on and snow-off surveys and in areas with higher surface roughness. A map of the snow depth detection threshold was found to be useful for identifying areas with high uncertainties and potential biases in the SFM snow depths, such as errors due to changes in topography between DEM acquisition dates and poor SFM reconstruction.

Description: High-frequency multichannel seismic systems provide detailed images of the shallow marine subsurface. In order to exploit the redundancy inherent in such data optimally, traveltime corrections need to account for normal moveout and static effects due to vertical source and receiver variations. Misalignment of reflections in common-midpoint gathers will significantly lower the frequency content in the final stack, making this correction particularly important for very high-frequency seismic data. Traditionally, normal moveout correction involves labour-intensive picking of stacking velocities, while static corrections can be, by some techniques, performed automatically. In this paper, we present a high-frequency seismic case study from the Baltic Sea, using seismic image matching as a novel, fully automated technique to perform joint moveout and static corrections. Our multichannel test profiles were acquired offshore Rügen island for wind farm development. Owing to the regular passage of up to 1.5 m high ocean waves during data acquisition, these boomer profiles suffer from strong static effects. We perform joint normal moveout and static corrections by defining the nearest common offset section as a fixed reference frame and minimizing its difference in traveltime with respect to all available common offset sections. Time shifts are computed independent of a pre-defined traveltime curve, using the normalized cross-correlation as a measure of data similarity while penalizing irregular displacements by a regularization term. Time shifts are converted to stacking velocities based on the traditional hyperbolic traveltime equation. Our results are compared with those derived by conventional manual velocity analysis and subsequent trim static corrections. We find that image matching produces stacks of similar quality and stacking velocity models of similar to slightly better quality compared with the conventionally derived ones, revealing the potential of this technique to automatize and significantly speed up this first part of the seismic processing chain.

Description: The rapidly growing amount and diversity of data are confronting us more than ever with the need to make informed predictions under uncertainty. The adverse impacts of climate change and natural hazards also motivate our search for reliable predictions. The range of statistical techniques that geomorphologists use to tackle this challenge has been growing, but rarely involves Bayesian methods. Instead, many geomorphic models rely on estimated averages that largely miss out on the variability of form and process. Yet seemingly fixed estimates of channel heads, sediment rating curves or glacier equilibrium lines, for example, are all prone to uncertainties. Neighbouring scientific disciplines such as physics, hydrology or ecology have readily embraced Bayesian methods to fully capture and better explain such uncertainties, as the necessary computational tools have advanced greatly. The aim of this article is to introduce the Bayesian toolkit to scientists concerned with Earth surface processes and landforms, and to show how geomorphic models might benefit from probabilistic concepts. I briefly review the use of Bayesian reasoning in geomorphology, and outline the corresponding variants of regression and classification in several worked examples. © 2020 The Authors. Earth Surface Processes and Landforms published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd

Description: In order to ensure security of supply in a future energy system with a high share of volatile electricity generation, flexibility technologies are needed. Industrial demand-side management ranks as one of the most efficient flexibility options. This paper analyses the effect of the integration of industrial demand-side management through the flexibilisation of aluminium electrolysis and other flexibilities of the electricity system and adjacent sectors. The additional flexibility options include electricity storage, heat storage in district heating networks, controlled charging of electric vehicles, and buffer storage in hydrogen electrolysis. The utilisation of the flexibilities is modelled in different settings with an increasing share of renewable energies, applying a dispatch model. This paper compares which contributions the different flexibilities can make to emission reduction, avoidance of curtailment, and reduction of fuel and CO2 costs, and which circumstances contribute to a decrease or increase of overall emissions with additional flexibilities. The analysis stresses the rising importance of flexibilities in an energy system based on increasing shares of renewable electricity generation, and shows that flexibilities are generally suited to reduce carbon emissions. It is presented that the relative contribution towards the reduction of curtailment and costs of flexibilisation of aluminium electrolysis are high, whereby the absolute effect is small compared to the other options due to the limited number of available processes.

Description: At the heart of transition research lies the question of how to "scale up" sustainable alternatives from a protected niche to the creation of mainstream practices. While upscaling processes are often seen as an essential element that contributes to societal transformation, upscaling itself remains a fuzzy concept. We argue that some fundamental dilemmas of upscaling can be identified, for example, the different understanding of the concept by researchers and practitioners. The dilemmas should be addressed in a more reflexive way by those from the worlds of science and practice who are involved in collaborative research settings.

Description: Water and energy are two pivotal areas for future sustainable development, with complex linkages existing between the two sectors. These linkages require special attention in the context of the energy transition. Against this background, this paper analyses the role of water availability in the development of solar thermal and photovoltaic power plants for the case of the Draa Valley in southern Morocco. Located in a semi-arid to arid mountainous area, the Drâa Valley faces high water stress - a situation expected to worsen due to climate change. At the same time, the region has one of the greatest potentials for solar energy in the world. To examine whether limited water availability could accelerate or delay the implementation of solar thermal and photovoltaic power plants, this paper compares regional water availability and demand in the Draa Valley for different scenarios, paying particular attention to potential socio-economic development pathways. The Water Evaluation and Planning System software is applied to allocate the water resources in the study region. The water supply is modelled under the Representative Concentration Pathway 8.5 climate scenario, while the water demand for the Drâa Valley is modelled for a combination of three socio-economic and two energy scenarios. The climate scenario describes a significant decrease in water availability by 2050, while the socio-economic and energy scenarios show an increase in water demand. The results demonstrate that during a sequence of dry years the reservoirs water availability is reduced and shortages in water supply can result in high levels of unmet demand. If this situation occurs, oasis farming, water for drinking and energy production could compete directly with each other for water resources. The energy scenarios indicate that the use of dry cooling technologies in concentrated solar power and photovoltaic hybrid systems could be one option for reducing competition for the scarce water resources in the region. However, given that energy generation accounts for only a small share of the regional water demand, the results also suggest that socio-economic demand reduction, especially in the agricultural sector, for example by reducing the cultivated area, will most likely become necessary.

Description: Since the middle of the 20th century, human society experiences a "Great Acceleration" manifesting in historically remarkable growth rates that create severe sustainability problems. The globally exploding potentials of information and knowledge exchange have been and are vital drivers for this acceleration. Society has now come to the point that it requires a "Great Transformation" towards sustainability to ensure the viability of the planet for a vital society. The energy transition plays a central role for this transformation. In this context, human society has developed a comparably good understanding of the necessary infrastructural changes of this transition. For transforming the patterns of energy production and use in an energy transition as part of the "Great Transformation", this process of change now needs to strengthen its focus on information, communication, and knowledge systems. Human society needs to establish a knowledge system that has the potential to create usable knowledge for sustainability solutions. This requires organizing a communication system that is sufficiently complex, interconnected, and, at the same time, efficient for integrating reflexive, open-ended, inter- and transdisciplinary learning, evaluation, and knowledge co-production processes across multiple levels. This challenge opens a wide field of research. This cumulative dissertation contributes to research in this direction by applying a systemic sustainability perspective on the content and organization of communication in the field of research on sustainable energy and the operational level of municipal climate action as part of the energy transition. Regarding sustainability, this thesis uses strong sustainability and its principles as a frame for evaluating the content of communication. Regarding the systemic perspective, the thesis particularly relies on the following theories: (i) the human-environment system model by R. Scholz as an overarching framework regarding interactions between humans and nature, (ii) social systems theory by N. Luhmann to reflect the complexity of society, (iii) knowledge management to consider the human character of knowledge and a practice-oriented perspective, and (iv) management cybernetics, in particular, the Viable System Model by S. Beer as a framework to analyze and assess organizational structures. Furthermore, the thesis leverages the potential of text mining as a method to identify and visualize patterns in texts that reflect prevalent paradigms in communication. The thesis applies the above conceptual and methodological basis in three case studies. Case Study 1 investigates the measures proposed in 16 municipal climate action plans of regional centers in Lower Saxony, Germany. It uses a text mining approach in the form of an Summary interpretation network analysis. It analyzes how different societal subsystems are connected at the semantic level and to what extent sustainability principles can be recognized. Case Study 2 analyzes and reflects paradigms and discursive network structures in international scientific publications on sustainable energy. The study investigates 26533 abstracts published from 1990 to 2016 using a text mining approach, in particular topic modeling via latent Dirichlet allocation. Case Study 3 turns again to the cases of municipal climate action in Lower Saxony examined in Case Study 1. It examines the involvement of climate action managers of these cities in multilevel knowledge processes. Using design principles for knowledge systems, it evaluates to what extent knowledge is managed in this field across levels for supporting the energy transition and to what extent local innovation potential is leveraged or supported. The three case studies show that international research on sustainable energy and municipal climate action in Germany provide promising contributions to achieve a transformation towards sustainability but do not fully reflect the complexity of society and still support a growth paradigm, in contrast to a holistic sustainability paradigm. Further, the case studies show that research and local action are actively engaging with the diversity of energy technologies but are lagging in dealing with the socio-epistemic (communication) system, especially with regard to achieving cohesion. Using the example of German municipalities, Case Studies 1 and 3 highlight the challenges of achieving coherent local action for sustainability and bottom-up organizational learning due to incomplete or uncoordinated multilevel knowledge exchange. At the same time, the studies also point out opportunities for supporting the required coherent multilevel learning processes based on local knowledge. This can be achieved, for instance, by strengthening the coordinating role of intermediary organizational units or establishing closer interactions between the local operational units and the national level. The thesis interprets and synthesizes the results of the three case studies from its systemic sustainability perspective. On this basis, it provides several generalized recommendations that should be followed for establishing viable communication systems, especially but not exclusively in policy-making: Systemic holism: Consider matter, energy, and information flows as an integrated triplet in the context of scales, structures, and time in the various subsystems. Knowledge society: Focus on the socio-epistemic (communication) system, e.g., using the perspective of knowledge systems and associated design principles considering, for instance, working environments across horizontal and vertical levels, knowledge forms and types, and knowledge processes. Sufficiency communication: Emphasize sufficiency approaches, make it attractive, and find differentiated ways for communicating them. Multilevel cohesion and innovation: Achieve cohesion between the local and higher levels and leverage local innovations while avoiding isolated local action. Organizational interface design: Define the role of organizational units by the interactions they create at the interfaces with and between societal subsystems. Local transdisciplinarity: Support local transdisciplinary approaches integrating various subsystems, especially industry, while coordinating these approaches from a higher level for leveraging local innovation. Digital public system: Exploit existing digital technologies or infrastructures in the public system and recognize the value of data in the public sphere for achieving cohesion. Beyond the above recommendations, this thesis suggests that potential for further research lies in: Advancing nature-inspired systemic frameworks. Understanding the structure and creation of human knowledge. Developing text mining methodologies towards solution-oriented approaches.

Description: Energy poverty is high up on national and European Union policy agendas. A number of possible indicators to measure the issue have been identified in the literature, but comparable data with European coverage is scarce. The EU Commission thus proposes four independent indicators on the "EU Energy Poverty Observatory" based on self-reported items from the pan-European surveys on income and living conditions (SILC) and household budgets (HBS). It is of increasing public interest to analyse social impacts of energy policies, and quantify energy poverty indicators also from modelling. This paper first shortly outlines how the expenditure-based indicators using HBS micro data may be directly linked to existing macroeconomic models through their defining variables (energy expenditure and income). As endogenous modelling based on micro data is difficult, the link may be country-specific elasticities. The main contribution of the paper is a systematic in-depth sensitivity analysis of the two indicators to changes in income and energy expenditure following varying patterns in the underlying distributions of the micro data. The results may be used by future soft links to models. The results display sometimes counterintuitive effects. We find that whether these indicators increase/decrease after a change of income or energy expenditure largely depends on the specific country-wise income and energy expenditure distribution between households on a micro-level. Due to their definition, the examined indicators are especially sensitive, when income changes alter the indicator threshold values, which in these cases are the median values in underlying distributions. We discuss these findings and relate them to several indicator shortcomings and potential remedies through changes in indicator definition.

Description: Roadmaps for India's energy future foresee that coal power will continue to play a considerable role until the middle of the 21st century. Among other options, carbon capture and storage (CCS) is being considered as a potential technology for decarbonising the power sector. Consequently, it is important to quantify the relative benefits and trade-offs of coal-CCS in comparison to its competing renewable power sources from multiple sustainability perspectives. In this paper, we assess coal-CCS pathways in India up to 2050 and compare coal-CCS with conventional coal, solar PV and wind power sources through an integrated assessment approach coupled with a nexus perspective (energy-cost-climate-water nexus). Our levelized costs assessment reveals that coal-CCS is expensive and significant cost reductions would be needed for CCS to compete in the Indian power market. In addition, although carbon pricing could make coal-CCS competitive in relation to conventional coal power plants, it cannot influence the lack of competitiveness of coal-CCS with respect to renewables. From a climate perspective, CCS can significantly reduce the life cycle GHG emissions of conventional coal power plants, but renewables are better positioned than coal-CCS if the goal is ambitious climate change mitigation. Our water footprint assessment reveals that coal-CCS consumes an enormous volume of water resources in comparison to conventional coal and, in particular, to renewables. To conclude, our findings highlight that coal-CCS not only suffers from typical new technology development related challenges - such as a lack of technical potential assessments and necessary support infrastructure, and high costs - but also from severe resource constraints (especially water) in an era of global warming and the competition from outperforming renewable power sources. Our study, therefore, adds a considerable level of techno-economic and environmental nexus specificity to the current debate about coal-based large-scale CCS and the low carbon energy transition in emerging and developing economies in the Global South.

Description: The transdisciplinary research mode has gained prominence in the research on and for sustainability transformations. Yet, solution-oriented research addressing complex sustainability problems has become complex itself, with new transdisciplinary research formats being developed and tested for this purpose. Application of new formats offers learning potentials from experience. To this end, we accompanied fourteen research projects conceptualized as real-world labs (RwLs) from 2015 to 2018. RwLs were part of a funding program on "Science for Sustainability" in the German federal state of Baden-Württemberg. Here, we combine conceptual and empirical work to a structured collection of experiences and provide a comprehensive account of RwLs. First, we outline characteristics of RwLs as transformation oriented, transdisciplinary research approach, using experiments, enabling learning and having a long-term orientation. Second, we outline eleven success factors and concrete design notes we gained through a survey of the 14 RwLs: (1) find the right balance between scientific and societal aims, (2) address the practitioners needs and restrictions, (3) make use of the experimentation concept, (4) actively communicate, (5) develop a "collaboration culture", (6) be attached to concrete sites, (7) create lasting impact and transferability, (8) plan for sufficient time and financial means, (9) adaptability, (10) research-based learning, and (11) recognize dependency on external actors. Characteristics and success factors are combined to illustrate practical challenges in RwLs. Third, we show which methods could be used to cope with challenges in RwLs. We conclude discussing the state of debate on RwLs and outline future avenues of research.

Description: Practices of urban experimentation are currently seen as a promising approach to making planning processes more collaborative and adaptive. The practices develop not only in the context of ideal-type concepts of urban experiments and urban labs but also organically in specific governance contexts. We present such an organic case in the city of Wuppertal, Germany, centred around a so-called change-maker initiative, "Utopiastadt." This initiative joined forces with the city administration and collaborated with a private property owner and the local economic development agency in an unusual planning process for the development of a central brownfield site. Ultimately, the consortium jointly published a framework concept that picked up the vision of the "Utopiastadt Campus" as an open-ended catalyst area for pilot projects and experiments on sustainability and city development. The concept was adopted by the city council and Utopiastadt purchased more than 50% of the land. In order to analyse the wider governance context and power struggles, we apply the social-constructivist theory of Strategic Action Fields (SAFs). We focused on the phases of contention and settlement, the shift in interaction forms, the role of an area development board as an internal governance unit and the influences of proximate fields, strategic action, and state facilitation on the development. We aim to demonstrate the potential of the theory of SAFs to understand a long-term urban development process and how an episode of experimentation evolved within this process. We discuss the theory's shortcomings and reflect critically on whether the process contributed to strengthening collaborative and experimental approaches in the governance of city development.

Description: Water availability plays an important role in the expansion planning of utility-scale solar power plants, especially in the arid regions of the Middle East and North Africa. Although these power plants usually account for only a small fraction of local water demand, competition for water resources between communities, farmers, companies, and power suppliers is already emerging and is likely to intensify in future. Despite this, to date there has been a lack of comprehensive studies analyzing interdependencies and potential conflicts between energy and water at local level. This study addresses this research gap and examines the linkages between water resources and energy technologies at local level based on a case study conducted in Ouarzazate, Morocco, where one of the largest solar power complexes in the world was recently completed. To better understand the challenges faced by the region in light of increased water demand and diminishing water supply, a mixed-method research design was applied to integrate the knowledge of local stakeholders through a series of workshops. In a first step, regional socio-economic water demand scenarios were developed and, in a second step, water saving measures to avoid critical development pathways were systematically evaluated using a participatory multi-criteria evaluation approach. The results are a set of water demand scenarios for the region and a preferential ranking of water saving measures that could be drawn upon to support decision-making relating to energy and water development in the region.

Description: Given that over 50% of Myanmar's urban inhabitants and nearly 75% of the rural population lack access to adequate electricity, the country's development agenda includes electrification as a key policy goal. The government's National Electrification Project (NEP) aims to reach 100% household electrification by 2030. To achieve this ambitious target, the government of Myanmar has established a set of strategic electrification priorities. The primary focus is to electrify the country through extension of the national grid and construction of large power plants based on fossil fuels and renewable energy. For decades, decentralised energy solutions have played a niche role in Myanmar's electrification journey. Local developers have constructed thousands of nominal "mini-grids", powered by a range of sources, including water, diesel, and solar. With the support of local communities, these initiatives provide positive stimuli for the social and economic development of villages across the country. To achieve its electrification goals, the NEP includes a segment to promote the development of new mini-grids through a set of subsidies and private sector cooperation initiatives. These target remote regions, which are difficult to electrify through extension of the main grid. This report takes an in-depth look at decentralised electrification through community-based mini-grids with a focus on renewable energy. The aim is to provide insights into the potential role of sustainable electrification and to identify both enabling and limiting factors related to the institutional and policy landscape (macro), as well as the local conditions (micro). It also aims to explore whether the cooperative model is a suitable organisational framework for the operation of mini-grids in Myanmar. The results of the study will help to inform policymakers and supporters of decentralised electrification about the potential role for cooperatives and provide ways to improve the operating environment for sustainable, community-based mini-grids.

Description: In order to calculate the financial return of energy efficiency measures, a cost-benefit analysis (CBA) is a proven tool for investors. Generally, however, most CBAs for investors have a narrow focus, which is - simply speaking - on investment costs compared with energy cost savings over the life span of the investment. This only provides part of the full picture. Ideally, a comprehensive or extended CBA would take additional benefits as well as additional costs into account. The objective of this paper is to reflect upon integrating into a CBA two important cost components: transaction costs and energy efficiency services - and how they interact. Even though this concept has not been carried out to the knowledge of the authors, we even go a step further to try to apply this idea. In so doing, we carried out a meta-analysis on relevant literature and existing data and interviewed a limited number of energy experts with comprehensive experience in carrying out energy services. Even though data is hardly available, we succeeded in constructing three real-world cases and applied an extended CBA making use of information gathered on transaction costs and energy services costs. We were able to show that, despite these additional cost components, the energy efficiency measures are economically viable. Quantitative data was not available on how energy services reduce transaction costs; more information on this aspect could render our results even more positive. Even though empirical and conceptual research must intensify efforts to design an even more comprehensive CBA, these first-of-its-kind findings can counterargue those that believe energy efficiency is not worth it (in monetary terms) due to transaction costs or energy services costs. In fact, this is good news for energy efficiency and for those that seek to make use of our findings to argue in favor of taking up energy efficiency investments in businesses.

Description: In the Paris Accord to the UN Climate Change Conference COP21 in 2015, the international community agreed to "make every effort" to reach a significant reduction in greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and to limit global average temperature rise to preferably 1.5°C by 2100 (UNFCC 2018). A transition to a climate-friendly energy supply, however, would come largely at the expense of coal - a fossil fuel with large global reserves that are also widely dispersed regionally. Therefore, especially since the turn of the millennium, the question has been raised as to how coal could be used in a climate-friendly way in the future. So far, the only way to do this is to apply CCS technology or CCU. CCS involves the capture of carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions from fossil fuel-fired power plants or industrial sources and its storage underground, such as in deep saline aquifers or in depleted oil and natural gas fields, or their use for enhanced oil or gas recovery (EOR/EGR). When carbon capture and utilisation (CCU) is applied, the CO2 is further used, for example as feedstock for the production of durable plastics. Due to the relatively low potential of CCU compared to CCS (IPCC 2005), only CCS is considered in this thesis. The majority of studies and roadmaps have discussed CCS as a technology option that could make a significant contribution to achieving the objective of decreasing GHG emissions for many years (IPCC 2014a, 2018). Particularly in the power sector, however, these expectations have not yet been met. As of November 2019, worldwide only two small base-load power plants, capturing a total of 2.4 Mt CO2/year and mainly using it for EOR, are in operation, together with a few pilots in industrial applications and, in particular, natural gas processing (in total 30 Mt CO2/year) (Global CCS Institute 2019). Early on, it became clear that the predicted high deployment targets and their underlying studies should be critically questioned for various reasons. Particularly due to the lack of a systems-analytical evaluation of this technology (which was relatively new at the time), no reliable answers could be given about the ecological, economic, social and structural effects of its large-scale application. Such analyses are, however, a pre-condition for comprehensively classifying the contribution of a new technology as a promising option for a sustainable energy supply system and assessing it in comparison to other technologies. To address these challenges, several studies, most of which initiated by the author, were conducted on this topic between 2004 and 2018. The resulting papers became the basis for this thesis.

Description: This article aims to analyse the potential for international climate governance to promote the decarbonisation of land transport. It first summarises challenges and barriers that impede the transformation of the sector. On this basis, the article discusses how international governance could potentially assist with overcoming these barriers and mobilising potentials. Subsequently, the article analyses to what extent existing international governance institutions deliver on the potential identified. The analysis finds that while there is a large number of international institutions trying to promote the decarbonisation of land transport, none of them emerge saliently as hubs or core institutions. There is a substantial amount of activity to generate and disseminate knowledge and learning, but the potential for providing guidance and signal, setting rules, providing transparency/accountability and means of implementation could be further exploited. The article concludes with suggestions on how international governance may be strengthened.

Description: The ongoing warming of the Earth's atmosphere is projected to cause a northward shift of species' distributions, as they track their climatic optimum. In the rapidly warming Arctic, this has already led to an increase of shrubs in tundra ecosystems. While this northern expansion of woody biomass has been studied relatively extensively over the last decade, little research has been devoted to shrub growth responses at the southern margins of Northern Hemisphere shrubs. Here, we studied shoot length growth, its responses to climate over the period 2010-2017, and differences in leaf C and N content of the evergreen dwarf shrub Empetrum nigrum, as well as the vegetation composition and soil parameters at four sites located along a gradient of increasing dune age on the island Spiekeroog, northern Germany. The sites are located in the tri-national UNESCO world heritage site, the Wadden Sea. E. nigrum has a predominantly circum-arctic-boreal distribution and its southern distribution margin in European lowlands runs through northern Germany, where it is retreating northwards. We found a negative response to autumn (surface) temperatures and previous summer surface temperatures and/or a positive response to summer precipitation of E. nigrum growth, except at the oldest dune with the strongest E. nigrum dominance. Growth rates and plant species diversity declined with dune age. Our results suggest that E. nigrum growth is drought sensitive at its European southern range margin. We hypothesize that this sensitivity may form the basis for its northward retreat, which is supported by recent observations of E. nigrum dieback in Germany after the extreme drought in 2018 and model projections.

Description: Climate change is a transformation challenge. It requires the transformation of a patchwork of independent socio-technical systems. These complex systems have their own specific challenges and path dependencies. Lukas Hermwille introduces a perspective on socio-technical complexity to the study of global climate governance and asks what governance arrangements on the international level, in particular the United Nations Framework Convention of Climate Change (UNFCCC) and its Paris Agreement, can offer to facilitate and foster the required transformational change. His work shows the importance of the discursive power of global climate governance, shifting the expectations and visions of the future of key actors and, as a corollary, changing their investment decisions of today towards a more sustainable future.

Description: Electric mobility is beginning to enter East African cities. This paper aims to investigate what policy-level solutions and stakeholder constellations are established in the context of electric mobility (e-mobility) in Dar es Salaam, Kigali, Kisumu and Nairobi and in which ways they attempt to tackle the implementation of electric mobility solutions. The study employs two key methods including content analysis of policy and programmatic documents and interviews based on a purposive sampling approach with stakeholders involved in mobility transitions. The study findings point out that in spite of the growing number of policies (specifically in Rwanda and Kenya) and on-the-ground developments, a set of financial and technical barriers persists. These include high upfront investment costs in vehicles and infrastructure, as well as perceived lack of competitiveness with fossil fuel vehicles that constrain the uptake of e-mobility initiatives. The study further indicates that transport operators and their representative associations are less recognized as major players in the transition, far behind new e-mobility players (start-ups) and public authorities. This study concludes by identifying current gaps that need to be tackled by policymakers and stakeholders in order to implement inclusive electric mobility in East African cities, considering modalities that include transport providers and address their financial constraints.

Description: Agriculture is an economic sector with massive impact on biodiversity and agrobiodiversity. Sustainable diets represent a critical policy leverage and a realistic opportunity to reduce the environmental impact of the agro-food sector while improving human health at the same time. Eating out is an increasingly common habit for many consumers and, by offering sustainable dishes, catering companies can play a central role. To do this, they need to understand and correctly assess the sustainability of their food portfolio, but assessment tools are not well established yet. The NAHGAST project, of which this study was part, developed and tested a sustainability assessment tool for catering companies based on concrete targets defined per meal. This study addresses the lack of methods to evaluate the impact of food on biodiversity, with a particular focus on agrobiodiversity. The work illustrates a context-specific application of an enhanced DPSIR model to structure information and select indicators, and proposes a transdisciplinary use of existing metrics. Further research is needed in order to define scientifically sound target values or sustainability ranges for each indicator per meal, in order to calculate them. Strengths and limits of the study are discussed.

Description: We conducted a random allocation experiment at fashion week in Berlin in 2017, testing how face-to-face (f2f) communication affects sales of a fashion start-up focusing on second-hand. The experiment revealed that 11% of guests of an f2f event afterwards turned paying customers with an average basket size 11.8% higher than the overall sales event average. We add insights to research on entrepreneurial practice as well as on offline operations in the context of circular consumption in fashion, exposing the leveraging effect of f2f communication for customer acquisition and revenue of start-ups in the field of sustainable fashion.

Description: The European Union (EU) has established that the goal of achieving climate neutrality by 2050 as a key driver of innovation and growth for industry and the economy in the EU. In addition to offering great opportunities, this also poses considerable challenges for the European economy and, for the most part, for basic industries, which are particularly emission-intensive and face strong international competition. An integrated climate and industry strategy is of central importance to protecting the climate, since the production of steel, cement, basic chemicals, glass, paper, and other materials in the EU and worldwide accounts for roughly one fifth of total greenhouse gas emissions. Even in a greenhouse gas-neutral future, we will not be able to fully eliminate our need for these materials. At the same time, it is particularly challenging to produce these materials without creating emissions given the state of technology and the necessary infrastructures. This applies above all to the question of how large amounts of green energy, including electricity and hydrogen, can be produced at competitive prices. Analyses show that despite the considerable costs involved in process changeover, the costs of transforming the raw materials industry are acceptable to society as a whole, given that the additional costs usually only increase the price of the end products by a few percentage points. However, in the case of crude steel or cement, the price would increase by between one third and 100 per cent. Since almost all raw materials manufacturers face strong global market competition, in most cases they are not able to bankroll the investments in climate-neutral production and the required energy infrastructure without outside support. This paper outlines an integrated climate industrial policy package that allows the EU to utilise its existing technological leadership in many of these industries to build a greenhouse gas-neutral raw materials industry.

Description: Businesses like Airbnb have shown that a successful circular economy (CE) business can operate exclusively online. Although online communication and web appearance attributes have been subject to academic research given accelerated digitization, there is still a lack of knowledge about online attributes and their role in facilitating CE. We close the portrayed knowledge gap by conducting a discrete-choice experiment with best to worst scaling and focusing on the effect of CE experience on the perception of a CE website by ranking nine online attributes, grouped in three subsets. We therefore contribute by identifying online attributes that are perceived as favorable for CE businesses and detect how participation in CE activities affects the perception of these attributes. We find that third-party associated online attributes (e.g., user reviews or third-party guarantees) rank significantly higher throughout CE consumption patterns of the sample, being always amongst the top three attributes. This novel finding on online preferences opens a new direction for further research, as well as allows practitioners to optimize online operations accordingly. Furthermore, we find that users without prior touchpoints with CE have a higher need for information about the business model as compared to CE active users who are more interested in community related attributes.

Description: Fully decarbonising global power supply is essential to meet the objectives of the Paris Agreement. A wide range of inter- and transnational governance institutions exist that work towards the transformation of the power sector. But are these governance efforts sufficient to address the challenges? To address this question the article first identifies governance needs on the basis of systemic sector-specific transformation challenges and discusses the potential for international governance to address them. Second, the paper surveys existing inter- and transnational institutions and assess to what extent they exploit the potential of international governance. The analysis shows that many of the governance needs are already being satisfied to some extent, particularly with respect to the deployment of renewable energy. It also shows that a significant blind spot remains: the phase-out of fossil fuels for electricity generation. The detailed analysis enables us to identify options for enhancing the governance landscape.

Description: In the light of Germany's chosen path towards the energy transition, the regulatory framework has changed considerably. New players have succeeded in entering the market, and renewable energies have become increasingly competitive. Greater electrification of the transport and heating sectors will be needed in the future to achieve national climate targets. Against this background, Germany's big energy companies need to be sure that their sales will increase. However, they were unable to anticipate this development, and made strategic mistakes in the past. The development of sustainable business models in line with the energy transition failed to materialize. Now it is becoming increasingly clear that companies must create new business models to survive in the long term. These business models have to keep with the tradition, whilst meeting the needs of low-carbon power supplies. In this paper, we will examine the past and future challenges of the four energy companies and develop a proposal for evaluating sustainable business models. For this purpose, we use the multi-level perspective to categorize developments in the electricity market over the last 50 years, and then apply a multi-criteria analysis to derive five suitable business models from the results.

Description: The mass roll out of solar PV across the Global South has enabled electricity access for millions of people. In the right context, Small Wind Turbines (SWTs) can be complementary, offering the potential to generate at times of low solar resource (night, monsoon season, winter, etc.) and increasing the proportion of the total energy system that can be manufactured locally. However, many contextual factors critically affect the viability of the technology, such as the extreme variability in the wind resource itself and the local availability of technical support. Therefore, performing a detailed market analysis in each new context is much more important. The Wind Empowerment Market Assessment Methodology (WEMAM) is a multi-scalar, transdisciplinary methodology for identifying the niche contexts where small wind can make a valuable contribution to rural electrification. This paper aims to inform the development of WEMAM with a critical review of existing market assessment methodologies. By breaking down WEMAM into its component parts, reflecting upon its practical applications to date and drawing upon insights from the literature, opportunities where it could continue to evolve are highlighted. Key opportunities include shifting the focus towards development outcomes; creating community archetypes; localised studies in high potential regions; scenario modelling and MCDA ranking of proposed interventions; participatory market mapping; and applying socio-technical transitions theory to understand how the small wind niche can break through into the mainstream.

Description: The earth's capacity to absorb greenhouse gases is ultimately a critical limiting factor in the handling of metals. The fact that the demand for metals far exceeds their secondary production is extremely problematic at this point. Nevertheless, metals are crucial for climate protection and energy system transformation. Examples are the rare earth metal neodymium used in high-performance permanent magnets in wind turbines, the alkali metal lithium as the most important component in batteries, or the metal tellurium used in thin-film solar cells to generate solar power. It is therefore essential to promote the aspects of resource efficiency and to strengthen the critical role of metals in national and European policy programs. Next to a global solution, a European solo effort with predominantly market-based instruments and the effects of committed behaviour by civil society in the European Union (EU), show that the EU can make a considerable contribution to sustainable development on its own. Thus, a comprehensive approach is needed for sustainable metal management in the sense of a circular economy on the European level fostering sustainable production and consumption pathways. But, this need and the special role of metals are not seen in the current debate about resources in society and politics. Due to the fact that in public perception, metallic raw materials are often discussed as less urgent than energy or polymer raw materials, this article aims to highlight the critical role of metals. Further, the objective of this contribution is to show which prerequisites exist for the development and establishment of a holistic metal management and where political strategies have to start. Challenges needed to be overcome to achieve such a holistic metal strategy and management are highlighted. In particular, the role of the metal industry, circular product design and labelling and corresponding indicator systems is examined. In addition, the special role of digitalisation is being worked out. Finally, conclusions are drawn and shown which aspects have to be considered for a holistic metal strategy and management.

Description: Given large potentials of the MENA region for renewable energy production, transitions towards renewables-based energy systems seem a promising way for meeting growing energy demand while contributing to greenhouse gas emissions reductions according to the Paris Agreement at the same time. Supporting and steering transitions to a low-carbon energy system require a clear understanding of socio-technical interdependencies in the energy system as well as of the principle dynamics of system innovations. For facilitating such understanding, a phase model for renewables-based energy transitions in MENA countries, which structures the transition process over time through the differentiation of a set of sub-sequent distinct phases, is developed in this article. The phase model builds on a phase model depicting the German energy transition, which was complemented by insights about transition governance and adapted to reflect characteristics of the MENA region. The resulting model includes four phases ("Take-off renewables", "System integration", "Power to fuel/gases”, "Towards 100% renewables”), each of which is characterized by a different cluster of innovations. These innovations enter the system via three stages of development which describe different levels of maturity and market penetration, and which require appropriate governance. The phase model has the potential to support strategy development and governance of energy transitions in MENA countries in two complementary ways: it provides an overview of techno-economic developments as orienting guidelines for decision-makers, and it adds some guidance as to which governance approaches are suitable for supporting those developments.

Description: While the Paris Agreement (PA) has enshrined ambitious long-term objectives, the current actions of the Parties to the Agreement fall far short of these goals. The Global Stocktake (GST), established in Art. 14 of the PA, may help narrow this gap between ambition and action: its purpose is to review the implementation of the PA and to assess the collective progress of the international community towards Paris goals. While some general modalities on how to conduct the GST have been adopted, the details are still to be determined. The objective of this report is to analyze existing international regimes as regards their review processes, the contribution of these review processes to various governance functions and, finally, to derive lessons for the GST. Processes analyzed include: the design of the upcoming Global Stocktake itself, the Talanoa Dialogue (TD) which is the direct precursor of the GST, the Agenda 2030 High-Level Political Forum (HLPF), which features a regular stocktaking process focused on progress toward the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), the review processes of the UN human rights system (UNHRS) and the review processes and assessment panels of the Montreal Protocol (MP). The analysis of each review process is organised in four section: (1) political background and context, (2) technical and organisational details of the processes, (3) interface between the political and technical processes, and (4) how the review processes contribute to achieving the objectives of the respective regime, particularly governance functions of the regime (guidance and signal, transparency and accountability, and knowledge and learning).

Description: Enhancing cross-functional integration in new product development becomes increasingly important for industrial players to keep up with shorter product life cycles in technological innovation dynamics. Abundant research reflects the topic's significance, yet ambiguity in empirical results persists and industrial adoption of existing methods remains incremental. This thesis employs a qualitative approach to build a case study at the design-manufacturing interface of new product development of electrified cars. Cross-functional coopetition, as the joint occurrence of cooperation and competition, is adopted to generate an in-depth understanding of integration dynamics. Socio-organizational and contextual aspects are found to shape integration in a new product development context substantially. A model of interface dynamics is developed which provides for analysis and prediction of these aspects' impact on effective integration. A grounded theory approach to enhance integration is explored that introduces constraints as stimuli to consider manufacturability aspects in the design process. Constraint introduction is found to positively impact both cross-functional integration and creativity, with eight characteristics of constraint quality identified as moderating factors. A theoretical model is contributed which outlines cause-effect relationships of constraints' impact on antecedents of new product development success. It substantiates constraints' role in innovation contexts and encourages application for design-manufacturing integration as well as for other interfaces or purposes.

Description: Non-residential buildings in the European Union consume more than one third of the building sector's total. Many non-residential buildings are owned by municipalities. This paper reports about an energy saving competition that was carried out in 91 municipal buildings in eight EU member states in 2019. For each public building an energy team was formed. The energy teams' activities encompassed motivating changes in the energy use behaviour of employees and small investments. Two challenges added an element of gamification to the energy saving competition. To assess the success of the energy saving competition, an energy performance baseline was calculated using energy consumption data of each public building from previous years. Energy consumption in the competition year was monitored on a monthly base. After the competition the top energy savers from each country were determined by the percentage-based reduction of energy consumption compared to the baseline. On average, the buildings had an electricity and heat consumption in 2019 that was about 8 % and 7 %, respectively, lower than the baseline. As an additional data source for the evaluation, a survey among energy team members was conducted at the beginning and after the energy competition. Support from superiors, employee interest and motivation and behaviour change as assessed by energy team members show a positive, if weak or moderate, correlation with changes in electricity consumption, but not with changes in heat consumption.

Description: Nowadays, high expectations are set for a digitally enabled circular economy (CE), to enhance resource efficiency. Tracing, tracking, and storing information is most important for this. In this paper, the application of Internet of Things (IoT) and Distributed Ledger Technology (Blockchain) are hence discussed by presenting the case of professional Electrical and Electronic Equipment (EEE) in Italy. Within the context of CE, prevention of electronic waste (WEEE) is extremely relevant as it is a fast-growing waste stream, and the products contain environmentally damaging substances as well as valuable and rare materials. The use of a proper combination of IoT and blockchain can help the producers to keep control on products until EEE end-of-life, while promoting CE strategies and supporting decision-making. Based on the outcomes of five interviews conducted in 2019 to companies of the EEE sector, potential improvements in the EEE end-of-use management are discussed. After providing the definition of requirements for both the technical solution and its testing are provided, three solution variations and the related business models are created and presented, as well as considerations on their environmental and economic impacts. The study shows how digital technologies can support the appropriate and circular management of EEE products and WEEE.

Description: Electronics containing growing quantities of high value and critical metals are increasingly used in automobiles. The conventional treatment practice for end-of-life vehicles (ELV) is shredding after de-pollution and partial separation of spare parts. Despite opportunities for resource recovery, the selective separation of components containing relevant amounts of critical metals for the purpose of material recycling is not commonly implemented. This article is aimed to contribute to recycling strategies for future critical metal quantities and the role of extended material recovery from ELVs. The study examines the economic feasibility of dismantling electronic components from ELVs for high value metal recycling. The results illustrate the effects of factors as dismantling time, labour costs and logistics on the economic potential of resource recovery from ELVs. Manual dismantling is profitable for only a few components at the higher labour costs in western/northern parts of Europe and applicable material prices, including the inverter for hybrid vehicles, oxygen sensor, side assistant sensor, distance and near distance sensors. Depending on the vehicle model, labour costs and current material prices, manual dismantling can also be cost-efficient for also some other such as the heating blower, generator, starter, engine and transmission control, start/stop motor, drive control, infotainment and chassis control.

Description: Citizen science is a transdisciplinary approach that responds to the current science policy agenda: in terms of supporting open science, and by using a range of science communication instruments. In particular, it opens up scientific research processes by involving citizens at different phases; this also creates a range of opportunities for science communication to happen This article explores methodological and practical characteristics of citizen science as a form of science communication by examining three case studies that took different approaches to citizens' participation in science. Through these, it becomes clear that communication in citizen science is "always" science communication and an essential part of "doing science".

Description: This article develops a sectoral approach to the analysis of global climate governance. This approach advances the assessment of global climate governance by focusing on complexes of intergovernmental and transnational institutions co-governing key socio-technical sectoral systems. The actual and potential contribution of these sectoral institutional complexes to advancing decarbonization can be assessed according to five key governance functions: (1) providing guidance and signal to actors, (2) setting rules to facilitate collective action, (3) enhancing transparency and accountability, (4) offering support (finance, technology, capacity-building), and (5) promoting knowledge and learning. On this basis, we can assess the potential of international cooperation to address the challenges specific sectoral systems face in the climate transition as well as the extent to which existing sectoral institutional complexes deliver on this potential. This provides a solid starting point for developing options for filling identified gaps and enhancing the effectiveness of global climate governance.

Description: This chapter turns to the measurement of performance in delivering corporate and ecosystem purposes. The metrics are designed to capture the pain points in the ecosystem that need to be addressed and the success of the intervention in addressing them. This requires measures of non-financial as well as financial performance. The chapter provides an overview of measurements of non-financial forms of capital: natural, human, and social. In examining natural capital, it contrasts input measures that record the amount of natural resources that are used in the production process and output measures that examine the impact of the inputs on products, emissions, waste, etc. It notes that measuring inputs is in general more straightforward than outputs and it therefore argues that natural capital metrics should be constructed around inputs rather than outputs.

Description: Cities and urban consumers play a central role in the transition to a decarbonized society. Building on existing studies that identify the significant contributions of lifestyle changes, this study proposes a practical methodology for modeling and exploring city-specific carbon footprint reduction pathways through lifestyle changes to decarbonization. It uses an input-output approach with mixed-unit consumption data and the concept of adoption rates, which is applicable to multiple cities with widely available subnational household consumption data. This paper illustrates the use of this methodology by exploring the consumption-based mitigation pathways of 52 Japanese cities with 65 lifestyle change options covering mobility, housing, food, consumer goods, and leisure domains. The results revealed that city-specific impacts of a variety of lifestyle change options can differ by as much as a factor of five among cities, even in the urban context within the same country. Due to this city-level heterogeneity, the priority options of decarbonized lifestyles, such as among shared mobility, low-carbon diets, and longevity of consumer goods, have shifted between cities. The analysis suggests that ambitious urban lifestyle changes can potentially reduce their carbon footprints to meet the 1.5 ℃ target. However, due to the overlaps of mitigation potentials between multiple lifestyle change options, the necessary levels of adoption and coverage are extensive (i.e., adoption rates of 0.6-0.9). Importantly, adopting lifestyle changes with an efficiency strategy (e.g., the introduction of end-use technologies) or sufficiency strategy (e.g., behavioral changes in consumption amounts and modes) alone is not enough; the only way to succeed is through the combination of both strategies. This paper calls for a target-based exploration and identification of city-specific priorities of lifestyle change options to facilitate consumption-oriented mitigation policies and stakeholder actions to address the climate impacts of urban consumption.

Description: This paper examines the Global Climate Action Agenda (GCAA) and discusses options to improve sub- and non-state involvement in post-2020 climate governance. A framework that stimulates sub- and non-state action is a necessary complement to national governmental action, as the latter falls short of achieving low-carbon and climate-resilient development as envisaged in the Paris Agreement. Applying design principles for an ideal-type orchestration framework, we review literature and gather expert judgements to assess whether the GCAA has been collaborative, comprehensive, evaluative and catalytic. Results show that there has been greater coordination among orchestrators, for instance in the organization of events. However, mobilization efforts remain event-driven and too little effort is invested in understanding the progress of sub- and non-state action. Data collection has improved, although more sophisticated indicators are needed to evaluate climate and sustainable development impacts. Finally, the GCAA has recorded more action, but relatively little by actors in developing countries. As the world seeks to recover from the COVID-19 crisis and enters a new decade of climate action, the GCAA could make a vital contribution in challenging times by helping governments keep and enhance climate commitments; strengthening capacity for sub- and non-state action; enabling accountability; and realizing sustainable development.

Description: Energy sufficiency is one of the three energy sustainability strategies, next to energy efficiency and renewable energies. We analyse to what extent European governments follow this strategy, by conducting a systematic document analysis of all available European National Energy and Climate Plans (NECPs) and Long-Term Strategies (LTSs). We collect and categorise a total of 230 sufficiency-related policy measures, finding large differences between countries. We find most sufficiency policies in the transport sector, when classifying also modal shift policies to change the service quality of transport as sufficiency policies. Types of sufficiency policy instruments vary considerably from sector to sector, for instance the focus on financial incentives and fiscal instruments in the mobility sector, information in the building sector, and financial incentive/tax instruments in cross-sectoral application. Regulatory instruments currently play a minor role for sufficiency policy in the national energy and climate plans of EU member states. Similar to energy efficiency in recent decades, sufficiency still largely referred to as micro-level individual behaviour change or necessary exogenous trends that will need to take place. It is not treated yet as a genuine field of policy action to provide the necessary framework for enabling societal change.

Description: There is urgent need to change the way we make use of non-renewable resources, especially metals, to sustain their availability for vital technologies associated with achieving change towards sustainability, but also to minimize negative impacts and to achieve a fair distribution of the wealth and burdens associated with their production and use. Especially public actors (state governments and administrations) have recently formulated strategies as a means to guide action fostering these goals. Yet, these strategies are very different in their character, which makes it difficult to compare them and learn how to best design strategies for a given context to contribute to the necessary change. To approach this question, we analyzed 37 national mineral resource-related strategy documents worldwide concerning their contextual conditions, motivation, and objectives. Following the general inputs for transition strategies (current and target state, transition strategy), we identified four clusters of strategy documents that share similarities in their approaches and support the development of specific recommendations for future strategy design in terms of both content and process. Designing strategies with a clear structure that interlinks a systems-based description of the current state, a clear vision (oriented at sustainability principles) and a sufficiently differentiated but at the same time flexible transition pathway improves their potential to contribute to more sustainable metal production and use.

Description: This research project approached the emergence of social business innovations from the periphery, working towards the core: the first article features the representation of the concept of Social Business City, which was newly implemented by Wiesbaden in 2010. Here, social businesses are to be founded with the help of a network based on both public and private institutions. At the time of conducting the research, three such Social Business Cities existed: Wiesbaden (Germany), Fukuoka (Japan) and Pistoia (Italy); in 2016 Barcelona joined the list of Social Business Cities. The second article analyses the ways in which microfinance organisations that are based on the concept of social business according to Yunus differ from one another. Included in this research was Grameen Bank in Bangladesh, Social Business Women in Germany and Grameen America in the United States. Subsequently, a third article investigates the similarities and differences to be found between social businesses and charities. The research focuses on advantages and disadvantages on both sides and aims at answering the questions: which approach is appropriate under what circumstances and which aspects could be adopted by the other? Finally, we investigated the various cooperation of the Grameen Group with global players such as Danone, Veolia and Intel in Bangladesh and the particular challenges which result therefrom.

Description: Biomass-fueled combined heat and power systems (CHPs) can potentially offer environmental benefits compared to conventional separate production technologies. This study presents the first environmental life cycle assessment (LCA) of a novel high-efficiency bio-based power (HBP) technology, which combines biomass gasification with a 199 kW solid oxide fuel cell (SOFC) to produce heat and electricity. The aim is to identify the main sources of environmental impacts and to assess the potential environmental performance compared to benchmark technologies. The use of various biomass fuels and alternative allocation methods were scrutinized. The LCA results reveal that most of the environmental impacts of the energy supplied with the HBP technology are caused by the production of the biomass fuel. This contribution is higher for pelletized than for chipped biomass. Overall, HBP technology shows better environmental performance than heat from natural gas and electricity from the German/European grid. When comparing the HBP technology with the biomass-fueled ORC technology, the former offers significant benefits in terms of particulate matter (about 22 times lower), photochemical ozone formation (11 times lower), acidification (8 times lower) and terrestrial eutrophication (about 26 times lower). The environmental performance was not affected by the allocation parameter (exergy or economic) used. However, the tested substitution approaches showed to be inadequate to model multiple environmental impacts of CHP plants under the investigated context and goal.

Description: Integrated assessment models (IAMs) are commonly used by decision makers in order to derive climate policies. IAMs are currently based on climate-economics interactions, whereas the role of social system has been highlighted to be of prime importance on the implementation of climate policies. Beyond existing IAMs, we argue that it is therefore urgent to increase efforts in the integration of social processes within IAMs. For achieving such a challenge, we present some promising avenues of research based on the social branches of economics. We finally present the potential implications yielded by such social IAMs.

Description: Automakers close factories, the stock exchange crashes, empty streets and cafés everywhere and suddenly working from home is recommended or even required for a large part of the working population in Germany. The Corona pandemic is defining our current everyday life and hitting Germany, Europe and the world at a time when there are a multitude of huge challenges to be solved already. Economic aid is indispensable during and in the aftermath of such a crisis, but the primary focus is to prevent the spread of the pandemic and limiting the health implications. Economic stimulus packages and structural aid are an effective means of overcoming the long-term economic consequences of such disruptive developments. However, they must not be distributed according to the "watering can principle"; financial support must be provided in a future-oriented manner for urgently needed investments. The aim must be to promote the necessary sustainable transformation processes within our economy and society, such as climate protection. According to the authors, the preparations must be made now. This discussion paper shows which criteria and measures are needed.

Description: In this paper, we aim to present a comprehensive analysis on the emerging phenomenon of distributed innovation in commons-based peer production (CBPP) platforms. Starting with the exploration of the widely held belief on value-creation confined to industrial settings, we raise several questions regarding the feasibility of, and a need for, an inclusive innovation process that can tap grassroots capacity into both traditional (industrial research and development) and emerging (peer-to-peer) innovation models to yield sustainable solutions. In particular, we explore the emergence and structuration of digital innovations in the maker movement, as it presents an alternative construct of innovation wherein access to and sharing of knowledge is predominantly distributed. With innovation outcomes often freely revealed, its very structuration could pose a principal challenge to our conceptualizations of value creation and competitive advantage in the current economic model. Drawing from responses received from 200 collaborative innovation platforms, six semi‐structured interviews focusing on socio-technical innovation cases, as well as four in-depth narrative interviews with maker turned entrepreneurs, we present a detailed analysis on the topology of network, typology of actors, as well as the underlying innovation ecosystem in CBPP networks in Germany. In doing so, we contribute to the conceptualization of peer-to-peer distributed innovations in collaborative platforms.

Description: Addressing the prevailing mode of high-carbon lifestyles is crucial for the transition towards a net-zero carbon society. Existing studies fail to fully investigate the underlining factors of unsustainable lifestyles beyond individual determinants nor consider the gaps between current footprints and reduction targets. This study examines latent lifestyle factors related to carbon footprints and analyzes gaps between decarbonization targets and current lifestyles of major consumer segments through exploratory factor analysis and cluster analysis. As a case study on Japanese households, it estimates carbon footprints of over 47,000 households using expenditure survey microdata, and identifies high-carbon lifestyle factors and consumer segments by multivariate regression analysis, factor analysis, and cluster analysis. Income, savings, family composition, house size and type, ownership of durables and automobiles, and work style were confirmed as determinants of high-footprint Japanese households, with eight lifestyles factors, including long-distance leisure, materialistic consumption, and meat-rich diets, identified as the main contributory factors. The study revealed a five-fold difference between lowest and highest footprint segments, with all segments overshooting the 2030 and 2050 decarbonization targets. The findings imply the urgent need for policies tailored to diverse consumer segments and to address the underlying causes of high-carbon lifestyles especially of high-carbon segments.

Description: Biofuels and electrification are potential ways to reduce CO2 emissions from the transport sector, although not without limitations or associated problems. This paper describes a life-cycle analysis (LCA) of the Brazilian urban passenger transport system. The LCA considers various scenarios of a wholesale conversion of car and urban bus fleets to 100% electric or biofuel (bioethanol and biodiesel) use by 2050 compared to a business as usual (BAU) scenario. The LCA includes the following phases of vehicles and their life: fuel use and manufacturing (including electricity generation and land-use emissions), vehicle and battery manufacturing and end of life. The results are presented in terms of CO2, nitrous oxides (NOx) and particulate matter (PM) emissions, electricity consumption and the land required to grow the requisite biofuel feedstocks. Biofuels result in similar or higher CO2 and air pollutant emissions than BAU, while electrification resulted in significantly lower emissions of all types. Possible limitations found include the amount of electricity consumed by electric vehicles in the electrification scenarios.

Description: This paper explores how the European Commission promotes the concept of Sustainable Urban Mobility Planning (SUMP) among European cities. Despite the strong uptake of the SUMP concept, mobility-related problems persist in European municipalities. Linking theoretical approaches to understand the diffusion of policies with empirical findings from working with cities in the SUMP context, this article explores channels of policy diffusion and investigates shortcomings related to the respective approaches. Studies on the diffusion, the transfer and the convergence of policies identify formal hierarchy, coercion, competition, learning and networking, and the diffusion of international norms as channels for policy transfer. The findings which are presented in this paper are twofold: First, the paper finds evidence that the Commission takes different roles and uses all mechanisms in parallel, albeit with different intensity. It concludes that the approaches to explain policy diffusion are not competing or mutually exclusive but are applied by the same actor to address different aspects of a policy field, or to reach out to different actors. Second, the article provides first evidence of factors that limit the mechanisms' abilities to directly influence urban mobility systems and mobility behaviour.

Description: The ultimate goal of German Resource Efficiency Programme (ProgRess) is to make the extraction and use of natural resources more sustainable and reduce associated environmental pollution as much as possible. By doing this - also with responsibility towards future generations - the programme should create a prerequisite for securing a long-term high quality of life. To bring the policy approaches formulated in ProgRess to reality, efforts to implement resource efficiency measures have to be increased at all levels - from international to regional to local. The chapter intends to provide an impetus for the current debate on ProgRess policy development. The chapter identifies, analyses and describes deficits and possibilities of vertical integration of the German programme in particular and derives recommendations for action which may also serve as indications for other strategies. The following sections are based on results of the advisory report "Vertical integration of the national resource efficiency programme ProgRess (VertRess)", conducted by the German Institute of Urban Affairs (Difu) and the Wuppertal Institute for Climate, Environment and Energy on behalf of the German Environmental Agency (UBA) and the Federal Ministry of the Environment, Nature Conservation and Nuclear Safety (BMU).

Description: This concluding article derives six major findings from the contributions to this special issue. First, the barriers and challenges to decarbonisation vary significantly across sectoral systems. Second, and similarly, the need and potential for the five functions of international governance institutions to contribute to effective climate protection also vary widely. Third, while the pattern is uneven, there is a general undersupply of international climate governance. Fourth, the sectoral analyses confirm that the UNFCCC and Paris Agreement play an important overarching role but remain limited in advancing effective sectoral governance. Fifth, while non-environmental institutions may present important barriers to decarbonisation, more synergistic effects are possible. Sixth, our sectoral approach provides a sound basis on which to identify sector-specific policy options. The paper then offers reflections on the merits and limitations of the sectoral approach, before identifying avenues for future research to further advance the agenda.