Speaker
Description
Human activities have already pushed six of nine planetary boundaries beyond safe limits, leading to growing environmental instability. The energy system is a major contributor to these transgressions, making the transition away from fossil fuels both urgent and complex. Traditionally, energy system optimization models have guided this transition by minimizing costs and greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. However, this carbon-focused perspective can cause burden-shifting, where reducing GHGs increases other environmental pressures such as land use, water use, or mineral depletion.
This study proposes a framework that integrates the planetary boundary concept into national energy system modeling, combining prospective life cycle assessment with an energy system optimization approach. The objective is to identify transition pathways that are not only cost and carbon-efficient but also environmentally sustainable in absolute terms.
Preliminary analyses indicate that while conventional low-carbon transition pathways effectively meet climate objectives, they tend to exacerbate other environmental impacts, revealing a structural tension between emission targets and broader ecological limits. Addressing this trade-off requires exploring how transformations in energy demand and consumption could reduce overall pressure on the earth system.
This study therefore focuses on the role of energy sufficiency and demand reduction scenarios in reconciling national energy transitions with the planetary boundaries framework. By assessing to what extent these strategies can realign the energy system within the safe operating space for humanity, it seeks to inform the design of more balanced and resilient pathways toward absolute environmental sustainability.
| If your abstract is not accepted for an oral presentation, would you be interested in presenting it as a poster instead? | No |
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| If accepted by the Scientific Board, I agree to have my presentation/poster and abstract published on the Belgian Climate Centre websites and social media. | Yes |
