Mer för mindre: Tillväxt och hållbarhet i EU

Sammanfattning

Den senaste utvecklingen inom Europeiska unionen (EU) signalerar en betydande rörelse mot hållbarhet och miljöskydd. Från 1990 till 2021 har EU-medlemsländernas utsläpp av växthusgaser minskat med 29 % samtidigt som den reala BNP:n ökat med 62 %, vilket visar på frånvaron av samband mellan ekonomisk tillväxt och utsläpp. Utsläppen har minskat i 24 av 27 medlemsländer. Sverige utmärker sig med de lägsta växthusgasutsläppen per BNP-enhet inom EU. Dessutom har konsumtionsbaserade CO2-utsläpp minskat med 27 %, en positiv trend som observerats i 22 av 27 medlemsländer. Trots att Tyskland, Frankrike, Italien och Polen står för en betydande del av de totala växthusgasutsläppen inom EU, fortsätter den generella trenden mot minskade utsläpp. Luftkvaliteten har också förbättrats, med en minskning i 25 av 26 kategorier av luftföroreningar sedan 1990, och nästan total eliminering av ozonnedbrytande ämnen. Dessa framsteg understryker effekten av EU:s miljöpolitik, och ger hopp om en mer hållbar framtid för Europa.

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Decoding the barriers for a circular plastics industry: An equation framework

Artikel (med peer review)Publikation

Jonas Grafström

Publiceringsår

2025

Sammanfattning

Empirical research on barriers to a circular plastics economy has predominantly relied on case study approaches. While research has provided insights into the conceptual and economic aspects of these barriers, a gap remains in the application of formalized methodologies to systematically understand and address them. This paper seeks to bridge this gap by developing an equation system tailored to the circular plastics industry, bringing clarity to the complex interplay of factors that constitute barriers to a circular economy. The study identifies four primary barriers to the circular economy, as documented in the literature between 2017 and 2024: economic, institutional and regulatory, technological, and social. The results include 24 equations synthesized into four master equations. A mathematical case study demonstrates how numerical weights reflecting the relative importance of variables can differ between countries, offering a practical guide for applying the framework across diverse contexts. The study concludes that reducing regulatory ambiguity, scaling recycling infrastructure, and fostering consumer trust in recycled materials are critical steps. However, each country will face unique challenges, requiring policymakers to adopt tailored approaches and variable weighting.

Is Hydrogen a green bubble? A review of Samuel Furfari’s book The Hydrogen Illusion

Artikel (utan peer review)Publikation

Sandström, C., & Eskilson, E.

Publiceringsår

2024

Publicerat i

Journal of Evolutionary Economics

Sammanfattning

The Hydrogen Illusion (2022) is a self-published book by Samuel Furfari, a retired chemical engineer who worked for 36 years in energy policy at the European Commission. Hydrogen has been brought to the forefront of environmental policy in recent years as the EU and other Western economies are allocating billions of euros and dollars towards hydrogen production. Furfari argues that this is a mistake, and that hydrogen has little potential as an energy form, primarily as it requires so much energy in order to be produced. While at times technical and difficult to follow, The Hydrogen Illusion is a valuable contribution to the ongoing debate about how Western economies can combine economic and environmental development.

Seven reasons why mission-oriented innovation policies seldom work in practice

Artikel (med peer review)Publikation

Henrekson, M., Sandström, C., & Stenkula, M.

Publiceringsår

2024

Publicerat i

Economic Affairs

Sammanfattning

Large-scale government programmes and centrally directed industrial policies to address well-defined societal goals – mission-oriented innovation policies (hereafter referred to as ‘missions’) – are now prominent on many governments’ agendas. This new-found enthusiasm that a ‘visible hand’ should – or perhaps even must – drive the economy forward has, until recently, escaped significant critical scrutiny. There is a dearth of academic studies examining how, when and why such missions often risk failure.

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Mer för mindre EU – rapport

Sammanfattning

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