ALBERT

Description: This thesis conceptualizes the school as a socio-technical system, in which change towards sustainable development and a transition towards more climate awareness are necessary. The multi-level perspective (MLP) framework is applied to the German school system and to climate protection projects (CPPs) as examples of niche activities integrating climate protection (CP) in the school. The thesis utilizes the analytical levels of the MLP (landscape, regime, and niche) and the concept of regulative, cognitive, and normative rules and addresses the question: How do actors in CPPs perceive drivers and barriers for transitioning towards more climate awareness in the German school system? The data were collected through expert interviews and analyzed by conducting a qualitative content analysis. The results show that the German school system is characterized by an inherent rigidity, deep-set normative role dynamics, and an unappreciated role of schools in society. They also highlight the importance of public pressure, strategic CP orientation, and hands-on approaches. CPPs can be a driving force for this in individual schools, but, overall, CP needs to be addressed more systematically in the school and more substantial efforts and reforms are necessary. Highly motivated niche actors play an important role and represent key drivers for such developments. This thesis reveals the complex and systemic nature of the challenges the German school system is faced with. It highlights the difficulties of integrating CP and the importance of substantial and transformative political action. The thesis demonstrates the crucial need to recognize the significance of schools and their actors for society and to integrate new methods and approaches into the school. This thesis also contributes to the body of literature on socio-technical systems and sustainability transitions. It offers an operationalization of the MLP and reveals strengths and limits as well as future research outlooks.

Description: The Fit for 55 package stipulates a fair, competitive and green transition by 2030 and beyond. As part of this, increasing attention is given to the decarbonisation of the building stock: only 1 % of buildings in Europe are retrofitted each year, a number which must double if the EU is to meet its 2050 targets. Significant energy efficiency investments are needed, whilst the planned expansion of the EU-ETS to the building sector in 2026 will likely pass the carbon cost onto the consumer. This will increase the cost burden placed on low-income households, exacerbating energy poverty, if these two strategies are not counterbalanced by adequate policies and support mechanisms. The European Private Rented Sector (PRS) is often side-lined by policymakers when implementing energy efficiency policies to tackle energy poverty. As many as 1 in 10 Europeans spend 40 % or more of their income on housing costs, with those in the PRS struggling with energy-related problems, such as poor energy efficiency and maintenance, to a much greater degree than the general population. Understanding these challenges and creating targeted policies is of critical scientific and policy importance. To date, a pan-European policy on how to address energy poverty and energy efficiency improvements in the PRS is lacking; current European Union instruments to address such issues (including the Fit for 55, and the Clean Energy Package that preceded it) lack a dedicated approach towards the complex structural issues embedded in the European PRS. What is more, there is a limited understanding of the character of energy poverty in such residential dwellings, as well as policies to address energy injustices. We therefore examine current and historical disparities in energy poverty between the EU's PRS tenants and the general population by analysing a variety of quantitative indicators which reflect different dimensions of energy poverty. We then take stock of the policy landscape, identifying energy efficiency policies tailored to alleviate energy poverty in the PRS and common challenges. We subsequently interrogate possible solutions, drawing on existing good practice policies. In so doing, we aim to reduce the sector's political invisibility by addressing the lack of disaggregated, targeted data and dismantling barriers that currently lead to the PRS being disproportionately affected by energy poverty.

Description: As the worldwide remaining carbon budget decreases rapidly, countries across the globe are searching for solutions to limit greenhouse gas emissions. As the production and use of coal is among the most carbon-intensive processes, it is foreseeable that coal regions will be particularly affected by the consequences of a transformation towards a climate-neutral economy and energy system. Challenges arise in the area of energy production, environmental protection, but also for economic and social aspects in the transforming regions - often coined with the term "Just Transition". For the decision makers in coal regions, there is an urgent need for support tools that help to kick off measures to diversify the local economies while at the same time supporting the local workers and communities. The Wuppertal Institute aims to support coal regions worldwide by developing a Just Transition Toolbox, which illustrates the challenges and opportunities of a sustainable transition for a global audience. It comprises information about strategy development, sets recommendations for governance structures, fostering sustainable employment, highlights technology options and sheds light on the environmental rehabilitation and repurposing of coal-related sites and infrastructure. The toolbox builds on the work of the Wuppertal Institute for the EU Initiative for Coal Regions in Transition and takes into account country-specific findings from the SPIPA-partner countries India, Indonesia, South Africa, Japan, South Korea, Canada and the USA. The acronym SPIPA is short for "Strategic Partnerships for the Implementation of the Paris Agreement" an EU-BMU programme co-financed by the GIZ.

Description: Consumption by private households in various areas of demand - housing, mobility, nutrition, services and products - contributes to around 10 % of total emissions in Germany. Of this, higher-income households are responsible for a disproportionate share. At the same time, many households often lack the knowledge, time, or motivation to deal with their own energy-relevant and climate-impacting behaviours. In this context, energy advice services play an important role for raising awareness, activating consumers and imparting knowledge about available options for action. However, conventional energy advice services are mostly limited to the topics of building and appliance energy efficiency - especially for middle- and high-income households - without considering private consumption behaviour and the related social practices as a whole. In practice, there has been little differentiation to date in addressing target groups in a way that takes into account different lifestyles and realities and the underlying values and motivations in a pluralistic society. The present paper presents a methodological approach to develop targeted energy advice approaches in urban environments that are oriented towards the motivations of different types of households with medium and high incomes. It proposes a three-step approach consisting of 1) a microdata-based population analysis to identify and categorize target subgroups, 2) an inventory of existing advice offers with regard to their coverage and approach and 3) a gap analysis based on the results of the preceding steps. Applied to a large city in Germany, the analysis finds that gaps are rarely found with regard to communicated facts but rather the way in which information is conveyed. Accordingly, recommendations relate to more effectively use windows of opportunity and framing of measures to match target group motivations.