Are you looking for new autumn reading?
We are thrilled to announce a series of new academic publications as part of the EU 1.5° Lifestyles project and by project partners. These papers explore various dimensions of 1.5°C ways of life and the needed collective shift towards sustainable lifestyles.
Living Smaller: Acceptance, Effects, and Structural Factors in the EU
Published in Buildings & Cities (July 2024), this paper explores the potential for living in smaller spaces as a way to achieve housing sufficiency in the EU. It highlights both the barriers—such as housing market dynamics and societal norms—and the benefits of reducing living space, including more leisure time and closer proximity to amenities. This study provides essential reading for policymakers and urban planners focused on sustainable housing.
Read the full paper here.
Lehner, M., Richter, J. L., Kreinin, H., Mamut, P., Vadovics, E., Henman, J., Mont, O., & Fuchs, D. (2024). Living smaller: acceptance, effects and structural factors in the EU. Buildings and Cities, 5(1), pp. 215–230. https://doi.org/10.5334/bc.438Transforming Provisioning Systems to Enable 1.5° Lifestyles in Europe
Published in Sustainability: Science, Practice and Policy (September 2024), this paper delves into how provisioning systems for food, mobility, housing, and leisure must shift to meet Paris Agreement targets. The research emphasizes the need for a shift away from economic growth towards well-being as the primary goal for societies, advocating for coordinated sustainability policies.
Access the paper here.
Kreinin, H., Fuchs, D., Mamut, P., Hirth, S., & Lange, S. (2024). Transforming provisioning systems to enable 1.5° lifestyles in Europe? Expert and stakeholder views on overcoming structural barriers. Sustainability: Science, Practice and Policy, 20(1). https://doi.org/10.1080/15487733.2024.2372120Preferences, Enablers, and Barriers for 1.5°C Lifestyle Options
This study, led by GreenDependent, explores citizens’ willingness to adopt sustainable lifestyle changes. Based on the findings from Citizen Thinking Labs in five EU countries, the research identifies key lifestyle changes citizens are willing to embrace, and highlights the role of such participatory formats in encouraging sustainable behavior.
Access the paper here.
Vadovics, E., Richter, J. L., Tornow, M., Ozcelik, N., Coscieme, L., Lettenmeier, M., … Scherer, L. (2024). Preferences, enablers, and barriers for 1.5°C lifestyle options: Findings from Citizen Thinking Labs in five European Union countries. Sustainability: Science, Practice and Policy, 20(1). https://doi.org/10.1080/15487733.2024.2375806The ‘Glass Ceiling’ of Germany’s Socio-Ecological Transformation
Featured in the Zeitschrift für Politikwissenschaft (September 2024), this paper examines the barriers to Germany's transition to sustainability. It uncovers the dominant role of economic growth as a hindrance to real change and calls for stronger government action, including more ambitious policies and citizen engagement.
Find the full article here.
Kreinin, H., Mamut, P., & Fuchs, D. (2024). The ‘glass ceiling’ of Germany’s socio-ecological transformation: Citizen, expert, and local stakeholder perspectives on responsibility for change. Zeitschrift für Politikwissenschaft, 34, 273–293. https://doi.org/10.1007/s41358-024-00383-91.5° Lifestyle Changes: Exploring Consequences for Individuals and Households
Published in Sustainable Production and Consumption (September 2024), this paper examines the rebound effects of adopting low-carbon lifestyles, such as reducing meat consumption and car ownership. The study reveals both the positive and negative impacts of these changes on individuals and highlights how social support and intrinsic motivation can mitigate negative outcomes.
Full article available here.
Jessika Luth Richter, Matthias Lehner, Anna Elfström, Josefine Henman, Edina Vadovics, Janis Brizga, Andrius Plepys, Oksana Mont, 1.5° lifestyle changes: Exploring consequences for individuals and households, Sustainable Production and Consumption, Volume 50, 2024, Pages 511-525, ISSN 2352-5509, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.spc.2024.07.018+ EXTRA: Navigating Labour-Market Transitions: An Eco-Social Policy Toolbox for Public Employment Services
This paper, part of the SELMA project where RIFS colleague Halliki Kreinin worked before EU 1.5° Lifestyles, was published in Sustainability: Science, Practice and Policy (September 2024). It proposes 15 innovative policy measures to help public employment services navigate eco-social labour market transitions. Focusing on Austria, the toolbox can be adapted across Europe to integrate ecological goals into laboru market policies.
Read more here.
Neier, T., Kreinin, H., Gerold, S., Heyne, S., Laa, E., & Bohnenberger, K. (2024). Navigating labor-market transitions: An eco-social policy toolbox for public employment services. Sustainability: Science, Practice and Policy, 20(1), 2386799. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/15487733.2024.2386799We invite you to explore these open-access papers.
RIFS Potsdam