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1
Multi-Level Governance and Empowerment of Energy Communities
Comparing the cases of Italy and the Netherlands
The recent broader interest in reducing GHG emissions while supporting bottom-up initiatives has led to an increased number of Energy Communities. Those are citizen-led energy initiatives, flourishing across all of Europe as a decentralized way of energy production. Moreover, they have been acknowledged as social innovations, too. ECs enhance the spread of other transitions, not only the energy one, e.g., car-sharing services, EVs, and initiatives against energy poverty. However, an energy community, even though is now acknowledged as a legal entity by the European Union and by local governments, is still facing barriers that are hindering its full deployment. According to the academic literature, those barriers concern, for instance, the lack of a factual regulatory framework, absence of intermediaries, and new business models. Moreover, ECs have not been analyzed through the Multi-Level Governance, specifically on how institutional setting and governance can influence the emergence of these initiatives and support their spread. This Multi-Level Governance implies the study of the stakeholders’ interaction among different levels, EU, national and sub-national, until the local level. This multi-level approach was acknowledged in the literature as relevant when examining energy and climate policies, also due to the importance which is recognized in those topics of the local and regional levels. Thus, the use of this framework for further analysis can provide clarity concerning the different responsibilities of local, national, and international actors, as well as intermediaries, and support the identification of additional barriers which has not been highlighted yet. This research, hence, aims to formulate a policy advice on how to strengthen the flourishing process of these citizen-led initiatives by assessing it through the Multi-Level Governance framework.
...
The recent broader interest in reducing GHG emissions while supporting bottom-up initiatives has led to an increased number of Energy Communities. Those are citizen-led energy initiatives, flourishing across all of Europe as a decentralized way of energy production. Moreover, they have been acknowledged as social innovations, too. ECs enhance the spread of other transitions, not only the energy one, e.g., car-sharing services, EVs, and initiatives against energy poverty. However, an energy community, even though is now acknowledged as a legal entity by the European Union and by local governments, is still facing barriers that are hindering its full deployment. According to the academic literature, those barriers concern, for instance, the lack of a factual regulatory framework, absence of intermediaries, and new business models. Moreover, ECs have not been analyzed through the Multi-Level Governance, specifically on how institutional setting and governance can influence the emergence of these initiatives and support their spread. This Multi-Level Governance implies the study of the stakeholders’ interaction among different levels, EU, national and sub-national, until the local level. This multi-level approach was acknowledged in the literature as relevant when examining energy and climate policies, also due to the importance which is recognized in those topics of the local and regional levels. Thus, the use of this framework for further analysis can provide clarity concerning the different responsibilities of local, national, and international actors, as well as intermediaries, and support the identification of additional barriers which has not been highlighted yet. This research, hence, aims to formulate a policy advice on how to strengthen the flourishing process of these citizen-led initiatives by assessing it through the Multi-Level Governance framework.
The influence of citizen participation in the decision-making processes of regional energy transitions
An embedded case-study of municipalities in the energy region Holland Rijnland in the Netherlands
This research focusses on the decision-making processes of energy regions regarding the energy transition in The Netherlands. The Netherlands has ratified the Climate Agreement in 2019, which thirty energy regions combined need to put in their efforts to reach the target of producing 35 TWh in 2030. One of the key elements in the energy regions is the active involvement of citizens through participation. However, a good relationship between the municipalities in the energy region is not self-evident. The thirty energy regions in the Netherlands have the task to form and lead and provide access to information and other forms of citizen support. Every energy region takes its own approach to involve citizens in their energy transition decision-making. Therefore, it is interesting to study to what extent and in which manners energy regions are able to involve citizens in the RES decision-making and in which ways governments are able to live up to their own participation goals. This embedded case study focusses on energy region Holland Rijnland, with a focus on six municipalities in this region: Katwijk, Leiden, Lisse, Zoeterwoude, Alphen aan den Rijn and Nieuwkoop.
Taken the challenges and research objectives from previous paragraphs into consideration, the following main research question can be formed:
“In which ways is citizen participation present, organized and influencing the initiation, design and implementation phases of the energy transition in the energy region Holland Rijnland?” ...
Taken the challenges and research objectives from previous paragraphs into consideration, the following main research question can be formed:
“In which ways is citizen participation present, organized and influencing the initiation, design and implementation phases of the energy transition in the energy region Holland Rijnland?” ...
This research focusses on the decision-making processes of energy regions regarding the energy transition in The Netherlands. The Netherlands has ratified the Climate Agreement in 2019, which thirty energy regions combined need to put in their efforts to reach the target of producing 35 TWh in 2030. One of the key elements in the energy regions is the active involvement of citizens through participation. However, a good relationship between the municipalities in the energy region is not self-evident. The thirty energy regions in the Netherlands have the task to form and lead and provide access to information and other forms of citizen support. Every energy region takes its own approach to involve citizens in their energy transition decision-making. Therefore, it is interesting to study to what extent and in which manners energy regions are able to involve citizens in the RES decision-making and in which ways governments are able to live up to their own participation goals. This embedded case study focusses on energy region Holland Rijnland, with a focus on six municipalities in this region: Katwijk, Leiden, Lisse, Zoeterwoude, Alphen aan den Rijn and Nieuwkoop.
Taken the challenges and research objectives from previous paragraphs into consideration, the following main research question can be formed:
“In which ways is citizen participation present, organized and influencing the initiation, design and implementation phases of the energy transition in the energy region Holland Rijnland?”
Taken the challenges and research objectives from previous paragraphs into consideration, the following main research question can be formed:
“In which ways is citizen participation present, organized and influencing the initiation, design and implementation phases of the energy transition in the energy region Holland Rijnland?”
Technologies for Low- and Middle-Income Countries (LMICs) need to take
into account local cost, usability and maintenance challenges, and ‘modular’
device designs can be one way of overcoming these challenges. However,
despite research into the design advantages of these devices, the adoption
challenges have not yet been investigated.
This research aims to make the adoption of modular laparoscopic instruments possible in LMICs, starting in India with four types of local hospitals. It aims to find the various actors and factors, including stakeholders that play a role in making this technology successfully adopted in India. The study involves desktop research to analyse LMIC markets with respect to surgical instruments, followed by qualitative research to identify barriers and facilitators to the adoption of these instruments in the Indian context. For this, we will conduct interviews and observations with experts and practitioners developing and using laparoscopic instruments in Indian hospitals. All findings will result in a case study that combines all findings and concludes with a framework that covers all aspects related to the successful adoption of modular steerable laparoscopic instruments with
interchangeable end-effectors ...
into account local cost, usability and maintenance challenges, and ‘modular’
device designs can be one way of overcoming these challenges. However,
despite research into the design advantages of these devices, the adoption
challenges have not yet been investigated.
This research aims to make the adoption of modular laparoscopic instruments possible in LMICs, starting in India with four types of local hospitals. It aims to find the various actors and factors, including stakeholders that play a role in making this technology successfully adopted in India. The study involves desktop research to analyse LMIC markets with respect to surgical instruments, followed by qualitative research to identify barriers and facilitators to the adoption of these instruments in the Indian context. For this, we will conduct interviews and observations with experts and practitioners developing and using laparoscopic instruments in Indian hospitals. All findings will result in a case study that combines all findings and concludes with a framework that covers all aspects related to the successful adoption of modular steerable laparoscopic instruments with
interchangeable end-effectors ...
Technologies for Low- and Middle-Income Countries (LMICs) need to take
into account local cost, usability and maintenance challenges, and ‘modular’
device designs can be one way of overcoming these challenges. However,
despite research into the design advantages of these devices, the adoption
challenges have not yet been investigated.
This research aims to make the adoption of modular laparoscopic instruments possible in LMICs, starting in India with four types of local hospitals. It aims to find the various actors and factors, including stakeholders that play a role in making this technology successfully adopted in India. The study involves desktop research to analyse LMIC markets with respect to surgical instruments, followed by qualitative research to identify barriers and facilitators to the adoption of these instruments in the Indian context. For this, we will conduct interviews and observations with experts and practitioners developing and using laparoscopic instruments in Indian hospitals. All findings will result in a case study that combines all findings and concludes with a framework that covers all aspects related to the successful adoption of modular steerable laparoscopic instruments with
interchangeable end-effectors
into account local cost, usability and maintenance challenges, and ‘modular’
device designs can be one way of overcoming these challenges. However,
despite research into the design advantages of these devices, the adoption
challenges have not yet been investigated.
This research aims to make the adoption of modular laparoscopic instruments possible in LMICs, starting in India with four types of local hospitals. It aims to find the various actors and factors, including stakeholders that play a role in making this technology successfully adopted in India. The study involves desktop research to analyse LMIC markets with respect to surgical instruments, followed by qualitative research to identify barriers and facilitators to the adoption of these instruments in the Indian context. For this, we will conduct interviews and observations with experts and practitioners developing and using laparoscopic instruments in Indian hospitals. All findings will result in a case study that combines all findings and concludes with a framework that covers all aspects related to the successful adoption of modular steerable laparoscopic instruments with
interchangeable end-effectors
Transitioning to a sustainable urban water future in the Netherlands
How decision-making processes and institutional factors contribute to climate adaptation in urban drainage systems
Master thesis
(2021)
-
Y.A. Bassone-Quashie, B. Enserink, L. Scholten, A.F. Correlje, E.M. Nieuwenhuis
This thesis aims to understand if decision-making processes and institutional factors in Dutch municipalities hinder or enable the implementation of climate adaptation measures in urban drainage systems, and consequently climate adaptation efforts in the Netherlands. Interview findings showed that decision-making processes are evolving to incorporate climate adaptation efforts where possible. Implementation of climate adaptation measures was identified to occur when there was an opportunity to incorporate them into other necessary infrastructure projects, such as large-scale neighbourhood redevelopments, however taking advantage of these opportunities depended not only on their existence, but also on current institutional factors. Frequently identified hindering and enabling factors included the availability of financial resources, the current regulatory framework, fragmented roles and responsibilities within municipalities and the availability of sufficient and appropriately skilled personnel. Factors such as cultural/cognitive resistance and political incentive to action were also identified as hindering and enabling climate adaptation efforts. Interview findings also showed that in addition to the institutional factors, the actors involved in the decision-making process and the resources available to these actors played an important role in the decision-making processes. Four key actors were identified from the data: technical designers/ decision-makers, the local community, the municipal council and housing developers. The support or resistance of these actors strongly impacted the duration of the decision-making process and success implementing climate adaptive measures. Though the decision-making processes are evolving, the use of opportunity-based initiation tactics and ineffective bargaining tactics resulted in processes were often stalled or blocked prior to decision implementation. Improvements can be made to the decision-making tactics used by practitioners, however, the processes by themselves were not found to act as distinct hinderances. The institutional context within which these decisions are made has significant influence on the outcomes of the process and the institutional factors identified indicate that the current context is more hindering than enabling. Strategies to address some of these hindering factors can therefore also facilitate the decision-making processes and lead to an increase in implementation of climate adaptation in urban drainage systems.
...
This thesis aims to understand if decision-making processes and institutional factors in Dutch municipalities hinder or enable the implementation of climate adaptation measures in urban drainage systems, and consequently climate adaptation efforts in the Netherlands. Interview findings showed that decision-making processes are evolving to incorporate climate adaptation efforts where possible. Implementation of climate adaptation measures was identified to occur when there was an opportunity to incorporate them into other necessary infrastructure projects, such as large-scale neighbourhood redevelopments, however taking advantage of these opportunities depended not only on their existence, but also on current institutional factors. Frequently identified hindering and enabling factors included the availability of financial resources, the current regulatory framework, fragmented roles and responsibilities within municipalities and the availability of sufficient and appropriately skilled personnel. Factors such as cultural/cognitive resistance and political incentive to action were also identified as hindering and enabling climate adaptation efforts. Interview findings also showed that in addition to the institutional factors, the actors involved in the decision-making process and the resources available to these actors played an important role in the decision-making processes. Four key actors were identified from the data: technical designers/ decision-makers, the local community, the municipal council and housing developers. The support or resistance of these actors strongly impacted the duration of the decision-making process and success implementing climate adaptive measures. Though the decision-making processes are evolving, the use of opportunity-based initiation tactics and ineffective bargaining tactics resulted in processes were often stalled or blocked prior to decision implementation. Improvements can be made to the decision-making tactics used by practitioners, however, the processes by themselves were not found to act as distinct hinderances. The institutional context within which these decisions are made has significant influence on the outcomes of the process and the institutional factors identified indicate that the current context is more hindering than enabling. Strategies to address some of these hindering factors can therefore also facilitate the decision-making processes and lead to an increase in implementation of climate adaptation in urban drainage systems.
Master thesis
(2021)
-
P.K. BALAKRISHNAN SELVAKUMARAN, S. van Cranenburgh, M.F.W.H.A. Janssen, B. Enserink
The European Commission recently published a proposal for an Artificial Intelligence (AI) act that requires the development of trustworthy AI systems for European Union markets. The proposal clearly mentions that AI systems should make use of Explainable AI tools to increase transparency and interpretability.Financial institutions in the Netherlands are required by law to detect and monitor fraud in their infrastructure. Fraud detection in Financial Services (FS) or the FinTech industry is increasingly performed by Machine Learning (ML) and Artificial Neural Network models that provide high classificationperformance. ML/ANN-based fraud detection systems that are necessary for maintaining trust in the Dutch financial system are classified as high-risk applications by the proposal for the EU AI act. The EU AI act will directly impact high-risk AI applications used within the EU markets, Therefore,the Dutch financial institution sponsoring this research wants to future-proof their ML-based fraud detection to improve transparency and trust by solving the model interpretability problem. Explainable Artificial Intelligence (XAI) is a domain of AI research that seeks to solve model interpretabilityproblems of black-box ML models. In this thesis research, proofs of concepts are demonstrated for the investigation of two XAI approaches - TreeSHAP & Diverse Counterfactuals to improve the model explainabilityor interpretability of ML/ANN-based fraud detection systems. This research pioneers the investigation of Diverse Counterfactuals to improve model interpretability in ML/ANN-based frauddetection systems. Based on the existing literature, this is the first instance of research investigating Diverse Counterfactuals for generating explanations to ML/ANN-based fraud detection models trained using synthetic transaction datasets. Before demonstrating the proofs-of-concept, an extensive literature survey has been conducted to map the XAI research landscape, formulate an XAI taxonomy, and conduct a comparative analysis of XAI approaches to select and describe in detail, the relevant approaches for the use-case at hand. Subsequently, several ML and ANN models have been trained and tested using the PaySim synthetic transaction datasets. To overcome model performance challenges due to data quality issues and high class imbalancein the datasets, several experimentation scenarios involving hyperparameter optimization, SMOTE Oversampling and class-weighting have been investigated. Subsequently, two high-performing models (XGBoost & MLP) from these experiments have been used to demonstrate the proofs of conceptsby investigating TreeSHAP and Diverse Counterfactual algorithms. TreeSHAP algorithm greatly improved the interpretability of the global and local model behavior of the XGBoost-based fraud detection models. Diverse Counterfactuals algorithm-generated diverse but unfeasible counterfactuals. Counterfactual algorithms suffer from computational inefficiency and therefore, further research has to be conducted to generate feasible counterfactuals. Future work on model explainability should also conduct a human-grounded evaluation of the explanations to evaluate the quality or goodness of the explanations. Finally, real-world transaction datasets should be used instead of synthetic datasets so that the research is generalizable to the real world
...
The European Commission recently published a proposal for an Artificial Intelligence (AI) act that requires the development of trustworthy AI systems for European Union markets. The proposal clearly mentions that AI systems should make use of Explainable AI tools to increase transparency and interpretability.Financial institutions in the Netherlands are required by law to detect and monitor fraud in their infrastructure. Fraud detection in Financial Services (FS) or the FinTech industry is increasingly performed by Machine Learning (ML) and Artificial Neural Network models that provide high classificationperformance. ML/ANN-based fraud detection systems that are necessary for maintaining trust in the Dutch financial system are classified as high-risk applications by the proposal for the EU AI act. The EU AI act will directly impact high-risk AI applications used within the EU markets, Therefore,the Dutch financial institution sponsoring this research wants to future-proof their ML-based fraud detection to improve transparency and trust by solving the model interpretability problem. Explainable Artificial Intelligence (XAI) is a domain of AI research that seeks to solve model interpretabilityproblems of black-box ML models. In this thesis research, proofs of concepts are demonstrated for the investigation of two XAI approaches - TreeSHAP & Diverse Counterfactuals to improve the model explainabilityor interpretability of ML/ANN-based fraud detection systems. This research pioneers the investigation of Diverse Counterfactuals to improve model interpretability in ML/ANN-based frauddetection systems. Based on the existing literature, this is the first instance of research investigating Diverse Counterfactuals for generating explanations to ML/ANN-based fraud detection models trained using synthetic transaction datasets. Before demonstrating the proofs-of-concept, an extensive literature survey has been conducted to map the XAI research landscape, formulate an XAI taxonomy, and conduct a comparative analysis of XAI approaches to select and describe in detail, the relevant approaches for the use-case at hand. Subsequently, several ML and ANN models have been trained and tested using the PaySim synthetic transaction datasets. To overcome model performance challenges due to data quality issues and high class imbalancein the datasets, several experimentation scenarios involving hyperparameter optimization, SMOTE Oversampling and class-weighting have been investigated. Subsequently, two high-performing models (XGBoost & MLP) from these experiments have been used to demonstrate the proofs of conceptsby investigating TreeSHAP and Diverse Counterfactual algorithms. TreeSHAP algorithm greatly improved the interpretability of the global and local model behavior of the XGBoost-based fraud detection models. Diverse Counterfactuals algorithm-generated diverse but unfeasible counterfactuals. Counterfactual algorithms suffer from computational inefficiency and therefore, further research has to be conducted to generate feasible counterfactuals. Future work on model explainability should also conduct a human-grounded evaluation of the explanations to evaluate the quality or goodness of the explanations. Finally, real-world transaction datasets should be used instead of synthetic datasets so that the research is generalizable to the real world
Responsible Innovation of Chinese ports
Evaluation of Shenzhen Yantian Port Extension Project
Traditional Chinese ports are still under the influence of the "Economy centralized principle", economic interests are amplified while environmental and social impacts are seriously ignored. In this way, disharmony appeared and severely interrupted the execution of the projects. Therefore, an approach which could bridge the environmental and social conflicts is urgently needed. Responsible innovation is such an approach.
Under the responsible innovation framework, the essence of conflicts lies in stakeholder's value conflicts. Therefore, research questions are proposed:
- Have Chinese ports seriously considered the value conflicts with other stakeholders and realized Responsible Innovation?
- How can Chinese ports from their best efforts bridge the value gaps, realize Responsible Innovation?
In this study, Shenzhen Yantian port extension project is introduced as the case to study as Shenzhen is the most open city since China's "Open up and Reform". In addition, in responsible innovation analytical framework, determine the stakeholders involved, the impacts brought by the project and value conflicts among stakeholders are important steps in terms of detecting the essential value conflicts and find a possible solution to bridge the value gaps. As a result, three analyses are made for the purpose of determining the value conflicts between Chinese ports and other stakeholders, they are stakeholder analysis, impact assessment and value conflict analysis.
From three analyses, this study concludes that Shenzhen Yantian port did not completely take: "all the stakeholders involved", "impacts brought by the project" and "value conflicts between them and other stakeholders" into account. In other words, Shenzhen Yantian port has not realized responsible innovation completely.
To assist Chinese ports in realizing responsible innovation, Multi Actor Negotiation Committee (MANC) mechanism is recommended for its advantage that MANC offers an effective channel for stakeholders to communicate with others and strategically make compromises which would bridge the value gaps.
Interview and questionnaire are two instruments applied in collecting data and all the analyses are based on reasonable inferences and assumptions.
...
Under the responsible innovation framework, the essence of conflicts lies in stakeholder's value conflicts. Therefore, research questions are proposed:
- Have Chinese ports seriously considered the value conflicts with other stakeholders and realized Responsible Innovation?
- How can Chinese ports from their best efforts bridge the value gaps, realize Responsible Innovation?
In this study, Shenzhen Yantian port extension project is introduced as the case to study as Shenzhen is the most open city since China's "Open up and Reform". In addition, in responsible innovation analytical framework, determine the stakeholders involved, the impacts brought by the project and value conflicts among stakeholders are important steps in terms of detecting the essential value conflicts and find a possible solution to bridge the value gaps. As a result, three analyses are made for the purpose of determining the value conflicts between Chinese ports and other stakeholders, they are stakeholder analysis, impact assessment and value conflict analysis.
From three analyses, this study concludes that Shenzhen Yantian port did not completely take: "all the stakeholders involved", "impacts brought by the project" and "value conflicts between them and other stakeholders" into account. In other words, Shenzhen Yantian port has not realized responsible innovation completely.
To assist Chinese ports in realizing responsible innovation, Multi Actor Negotiation Committee (MANC) mechanism is recommended for its advantage that MANC offers an effective channel for stakeholders to communicate with others and strategically make compromises which would bridge the value gaps.
Interview and questionnaire are two instruments applied in collecting data and all the analyses are based on reasonable inferences and assumptions.
...
Traditional Chinese ports are still under the influence of the "Economy centralized principle", economic interests are amplified while environmental and social impacts are seriously ignored. In this way, disharmony appeared and severely interrupted the execution of the projects. Therefore, an approach which could bridge the environmental and social conflicts is urgently needed. Responsible innovation is such an approach.
Under the responsible innovation framework, the essence of conflicts lies in stakeholder's value conflicts. Therefore, research questions are proposed:
- Have Chinese ports seriously considered the value conflicts with other stakeholders and realized Responsible Innovation?
- How can Chinese ports from their best efforts bridge the value gaps, realize Responsible Innovation?
In this study, Shenzhen Yantian port extension project is introduced as the case to study as Shenzhen is the most open city since China's "Open up and Reform". In addition, in responsible innovation analytical framework, determine the stakeholders involved, the impacts brought by the project and value conflicts among stakeholders are important steps in terms of detecting the essential value conflicts and find a possible solution to bridge the value gaps. As a result, three analyses are made for the purpose of determining the value conflicts between Chinese ports and other stakeholders, they are stakeholder analysis, impact assessment and value conflict analysis.
From three analyses, this study concludes that Shenzhen Yantian port did not completely take: "all the stakeholders involved", "impacts brought by the project" and "value conflicts between them and other stakeholders" into account. In other words, Shenzhen Yantian port has not realized responsible innovation completely.
To assist Chinese ports in realizing responsible innovation, Multi Actor Negotiation Committee (MANC) mechanism is recommended for its advantage that MANC offers an effective channel for stakeholders to communicate with others and strategically make compromises which would bridge the value gaps.
Interview and questionnaire are two instruments applied in collecting data and all the analyses are based on reasonable inferences and assumptions.
Under the responsible innovation framework, the essence of conflicts lies in stakeholder's value conflicts. Therefore, research questions are proposed:
- Have Chinese ports seriously considered the value conflicts with other stakeholders and realized Responsible Innovation?
- How can Chinese ports from their best efforts bridge the value gaps, realize Responsible Innovation?
In this study, Shenzhen Yantian port extension project is introduced as the case to study as Shenzhen is the most open city since China's "Open up and Reform". In addition, in responsible innovation analytical framework, determine the stakeholders involved, the impacts brought by the project and value conflicts among stakeholders are important steps in terms of detecting the essential value conflicts and find a possible solution to bridge the value gaps. As a result, three analyses are made for the purpose of determining the value conflicts between Chinese ports and other stakeholders, they are stakeholder analysis, impact assessment and value conflict analysis.
From three analyses, this study concludes that Shenzhen Yantian port did not completely take: "all the stakeholders involved", "impacts brought by the project" and "value conflicts between them and other stakeholders" into account. In other words, Shenzhen Yantian port has not realized responsible innovation completely.
To assist Chinese ports in realizing responsible innovation, Multi Actor Negotiation Committee (MANC) mechanism is recommended for its advantage that MANC offers an effective channel for stakeholders to communicate with others and strategically make compromises which would bridge the value gaps.
Interview and questionnaire are two instruments applied in collecting data and all the analyses are based on reasonable inferences and assumptions.
Participatory Value Evaluation as a Tool for Value Extraction and Opinion Mining
Reduce Manual Data Analysis by Automated Value Extraction
Many grand challenges like climate change or health security cannot be solved by only the policymakers. Support and expertise of citizens is needed to solve these challenges (Gerton & Mitchell, 2019). Due to the demand for public participation, Participatory Value Evaluation (PVE) fulfils the needs of involving many participants in a scalable way in the process of participation and evaluation. PVE is unique in the way that it allows people to be a virtual decision-maker in a specific context. This method is not a decision-making tool in itself, but it allows participants to make their quantitative decisions and asks them to motivate their answers qualitatively. This results in qualitative and quantitative data about their choices. This research has explored opportunities of Natural Language Processing to automate the qualitative data processing of motivations given by citizens regarding a policy. The focus of this research has been set on human values to categorize the motivations of participants.Results from qualitative data analysis can support the process of policymaking. The outcomes of this exploratory study have been reflected by stakeholders involved in the case study to validate the application within the domain of decision-making. One outcome is that results from qualitative data analysis in PVE should never become a decision-making tool by itself. These outcomes help in creativity and reflection of the policy. Policymakers want to have outcomes of public evaluation and they want to be to act upon them. Analysing the qualitative data based on values give substance to certain values and can give guidelines on how to take these values into account. One way of doing this is visualising the values, norms and design principles in a value hierarchy using Value Sensitive Design. By doing this, knowledge of ‘the public’ can be used to support making policies.
...
Many grand challenges like climate change or health security cannot be solved by only the policymakers. Support and expertise of citizens is needed to solve these challenges (Gerton & Mitchell, 2019). Due to the demand for public participation, Participatory Value Evaluation (PVE) fulfils the needs of involving many participants in a scalable way in the process of participation and evaluation. PVE is unique in the way that it allows people to be a virtual decision-maker in a specific context. This method is not a decision-making tool in itself, but it allows participants to make their quantitative decisions and asks them to motivate their answers qualitatively. This results in qualitative and quantitative data about their choices. This research has explored opportunities of Natural Language Processing to automate the qualitative data processing of motivations given by citizens regarding a policy. The focus of this research has been set on human values to categorize the motivations of participants.Results from qualitative data analysis can support the process of policymaking. The outcomes of this exploratory study have been reflected by stakeholders involved in the case study to validate the application within the domain of decision-making. One outcome is that results from qualitative data analysis in PVE should never become a decision-making tool by itself. These outcomes help in creativity and reflection of the policy. Policymakers want to have outcomes of public evaluation and they want to be to act upon them. Analysing the qualitative data based on values give substance to certain values and can give guidelines on how to take these values into account. One way of doing this is visualising the values, norms and design principles in a value hierarchy using Value Sensitive Design. By doing this, knowledge of ‘the public’ can be used to support making policies.
Small and medium sized enterprises’ construction logistics in urban areas
A framework to decrease the emissions caused by small-scale construction projects’ logistics in urban areas
The world is facing climate change which has sever impacts on extreme weather events, biodiversity and rising seas. Greenhouse gas emissions need to be reduced to counteract climate change. One specific way to contribute to that reduction is setting Zero-Emission (ZE) zones to ban fossil fuel vehicles in urban areas which will presumably lead to a reduction of 1.0 Mton CO2. The ZE zones will be initiated from 2025 in the 30-40 largest municipalities in the Netherlands for passenger cars and delivery vans. Prior research has been applied to large construction projects and not on small-scale construction projects. A literature review resulted in how to classify small-scale construction projects into groups. The difference of these groups is necessary to structure the small-scale construction projects on logistics characteristics and finally on feasible logistics solutions. The three groups are micro (<150 m2; <€0.3 mln), small (150 – 1,000 m2; €0.3 mln – €3 mln) and medium (1,000 – 10,000 m2; €3 mln - €20 mln). The vehicles used for small-scale renovation projects are mostly delivery vans, box trucks and loader crane trucks. Occasionally, tractors and heavy trucks are used. There are three kinds of transport movements: material transport, personnel transport and equipment transport. A list of feasible logistics solutions has been determined grouped on micro, small and medium construction projects and on the type of transport movements. A stakeholder analysis has been conducted to understand the different roles and perspectives of the stakeholder. The basic design cycle has been used to design the feasible logistics solutions and to summarize the findings in a booklet that can be used by the key stakeholders (contractors, wholesalers, transporters, municipalities) to know which logistics solutions are possible for them.
...
The world is facing climate change which has sever impacts on extreme weather events, biodiversity and rising seas. Greenhouse gas emissions need to be reduced to counteract climate change. One specific way to contribute to that reduction is setting Zero-Emission (ZE) zones to ban fossil fuel vehicles in urban areas which will presumably lead to a reduction of 1.0 Mton CO2. The ZE zones will be initiated from 2025 in the 30-40 largest municipalities in the Netherlands for passenger cars and delivery vans. Prior research has been applied to large construction projects and not on small-scale construction projects. A literature review resulted in how to classify small-scale construction projects into groups. The difference of these groups is necessary to structure the small-scale construction projects on logistics characteristics and finally on feasible logistics solutions. The three groups are micro (<150 m2; <€0.3 mln), small (150 – 1,000 m2; €0.3 mln – €3 mln) and medium (1,000 – 10,000 m2; €3 mln - €20 mln). The vehicles used for small-scale renovation projects are mostly delivery vans, box trucks and loader crane trucks. Occasionally, tractors and heavy trucks are used. There are three kinds of transport movements: material transport, personnel transport and equipment transport. A list of feasible logistics solutions has been determined grouped on micro, small and medium construction projects and on the type of transport movements. A stakeholder analysis has been conducted to understand the different roles and perspectives of the stakeholder. The basic design cycle has been used to design the feasible logistics solutions and to summarize the findings in a booklet that can be used by the key stakeholders (contractors, wholesalers, transporters, municipalities) to know which logistics solutions are possible for them.
The rise of citizen science has drawn policymakers' attention. With a shift towards participatory and transparent governance, linking policies to citizen science could contribute to create the evidence base and social acceptance for policy-making, and further counter-play populism and post-truth politics. This study aims to gain empirical understanding on how citizen-generated data from citizen science initiatives could contribute to political decision-making and problem-solving in different contexts; more specifically, we aim to explore how citizen science initiatives were formed, what opportunities and challenges are for citizen-generated data, how such initiatives lead to a citizen-driven solution in the problem-solving process, and how the contextual settings and actors’ perceptions and actions interplay and potentially play a part along the process. In this study, a conceptual model was set up through a systematic literature review. Two case studies — the case of Hollandse Luchten in the Netherlands and the case of AirBox in Taiwan — were carried out and analyzed as guided by the conceptual model. Based on the findings and insights gained from the case studies, a revised, empirically-enhanced model of citizen science for policies was developed, whereby policy recommendations were formulated.
...
The rise of citizen science has drawn policymakers' attention. With a shift towards participatory and transparent governance, linking policies to citizen science could contribute to create the evidence base and social acceptance for policy-making, and further counter-play populism and post-truth politics. This study aims to gain empirical understanding on how citizen-generated data from citizen science initiatives could contribute to political decision-making and problem-solving in different contexts; more specifically, we aim to explore how citizen science initiatives were formed, what opportunities and challenges are for citizen-generated data, how such initiatives lead to a citizen-driven solution in the problem-solving process, and how the contextual settings and actors’ perceptions and actions interplay and potentially play a part along the process. In this study, a conceptual model was set up through a systematic literature review. Two case studies — the case of Hollandse Luchten in the Netherlands and the case of AirBox in Taiwan — were carried out and analyzed as guided by the conceptual model. Based on the findings and insights gained from the case studies, a revised, empirically-enhanced model of citizen science for policies was developed, whereby policy recommendations were formulated.
Who is at risk of automation?
Estimating the effects of automation technologies on employment
Master thesis
(2020)
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Irem Naz Temizel, Enno Schröder, Bert Enserink, Roberto Postma, Yuri Sprockel
This study defines who is at risk of automation and discusses policies to ensure the vulnerable groups are seen. The study of Nedelkoska and Quintini (2018) is taken as the role model: The risk of automation for individuals across OECD countries is calculated by associating the expert assessment conducted by Frey and Osborne (2013) with individuals’ skills used at work collected by PIAAC. The analysis is improved by training the model with different country datasets and including additional skills into the analysis. 14% of the total employment of 33 countries is found to be at significantly high risk of automation. Workers at the highest risk of losing their jobs are more likely to be less-educated, low-income earners who perform unskilled jobs. The risk of automation declines as the level of education increases. Therefore, this study highlights the importance of training and reskilling the risky-groups to cope with the possible adverse effects of technological progress.
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This study defines who is at risk of automation and discusses policies to ensure the vulnerable groups are seen. The study of Nedelkoska and Quintini (2018) is taken as the role model: The risk of automation for individuals across OECD countries is calculated by associating the expert assessment conducted by Frey and Osborne (2013) with individuals’ skills used at work collected by PIAAC. The analysis is improved by training the model with different country datasets and including additional skills into the analysis. 14% of the total employment of 33 countries is found to be at significantly high risk of automation. Workers at the highest risk of losing their jobs are more likely to be less-educated, low-income earners who perform unskilled jobs. The risk of automation declines as the level of education increases. Therefore, this study highlights the importance of training and reskilling the risky-groups to cope with the possible adverse effects of technological progress.
Financing the circular economy
The role of financial institutions in “greening” the European Steel Industry
The notion of a Circular Economy is an integral part of the European Green Deal. The change in legislation within EU, will bring the steel industry, in front of a radical, costly transition of their production processes. In this research, the role of the banking sector in assisting the transition of the steel industry, is examined. Our main objective is to answer: How can the European banking industry be incentivised to assist their basic material clients and specifically the steel industry to move towards CE? To do so, a circular scenario of a steel industry is built based on the case of Tata Steel NL to identify the bottlenecks of this transition. These hypotheses are then used in a series of interviews with selected actors. Based on the empirical information collected in and new insights from these interviews, an empirically-tested classification of the uncertainties in the transition of the European steel industry to a circular-economy model is provided. To cope with these uncertainties, a set of policies is proposed, to address the current open loops in the supply chain, to deal with the uncertainties of the “transition period” until we have mature alter-native technologies, to help in the access of green finance and to strengthen the European market.
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The notion of a Circular Economy is an integral part of the European Green Deal. The change in legislation within EU, will bring the steel industry, in front of a radical, costly transition of their production processes. In this research, the role of the banking sector in assisting the transition of the steel industry, is examined. Our main objective is to answer: How can the European banking industry be incentivised to assist their basic material clients and specifically the steel industry to move towards CE? To do so, a circular scenario of a steel industry is built based on the case of Tata Steel NL to identify the bottlenecks of this transition. These hypotheses are then used in a series of interviews with selected actors. Based on the empirical information collected in and new insights from these interviews, an empirically-tested classification of the uncertainties in the transition of the European steel industry to a circular-economy model is provided. To cope with these uncertainties, a set of policies is proposed, to address the current open loops in the supply chain, to deal with the uncertainties of the “transition period” until we have mature alter-native technologies, to help in the access of green finance and to strengthen the European market.
Direct air capture (DAC) can remove CO2 directly from the atmosphere and therefore can be used to reduce atmospheric concentrations of CO2. Despite this, there is little research which carries out a detailed comparison of these systems. This is also true for research which analyses the effect policies regarding climate change are having on DAC development. Furthermore, there is no available analysis on potential stakeholders for DAC companies. These factors have contributed to a lack of widespread implementation of DAC. By answering the following research question the negative effect these elements are having on DAC development can be minimised. “How do the most promising available DAC systems described in literature compare, where does DAC fit in current policy and how can DAC companies best position themselves to maximise the potential of their technology?” To answer this question a set of criteria are used and categorised as contributing to different objectives which can help DAC development. This can be used to identify technology and policy combinations which are likely to be successful. Following this a stakeholder analysis is carried out from the point of view of DAC companies. This is used to identify where there is dependency between DAC companies and other stakeholders to achieve their objective. Through this analysis it was additionally found that combining an amine carbon capture system which captures CO2 from flue gas with a humidity swing DAC system which captures CO2 from the atmosphere that an extra 8% of CO2 can be captured than with the amine carbon captures system alone. In this system the humidity swing DAC system uses the waste heat from the amine carbon capture system as a heat source. This means that there are no extra thermal energy requirements to capture this extra CO2. This type of system can be used in the energy production sector where energy is produced from natural gas or coal and therefore reduce emissions from this sector. By using a policy which passes the cost of this system onto the consumer by promising a minimum price for electricity it, generally called a contract for differences, it reduces burden on public finances and therefore be an attractive option for governments. The implications for this study are that DAC companies and energy suppliers from natural gas or coal with an amine carbon capture system should explore potential collaboration. This is because it has been shown in this research that technically these systems can be combined to reduce CO2 emissions with minimal increase in operating cost.
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Direct air capture (DAC) can remove CO2 directly from the atmosphere and therefore can be used to reduce atmospheric concentrations of CO2. Despite this, there is little research which carries out a detailed comparison of these systems. This is also true for research which analyses the effect policies regarding climate change are having on DAC development. Furthermore, there is no available analysis on potential stakeholders for DAC companies. These factors have contributed to a lack of widespread implementation of DAC. By answering the following research question the negative effect these elements are having on DAC development can be minimised. “How do the most promising available DAC systems described in literature compare, where does DAC fit in current policy and how can DAC companies best position themselves to maximise the potential of their technology?” To answer this question a set of criteria are used and categorised as contributing to different objectives which can help DAC development. This can be used to identify technology and policy combinations which are likely to be successful. Following this a stakeholder analysis is carried out from the point of view of DAC companies. This is used to identify where there is dependency between DAC companies and other stakeholders to achieve their objective. Through this analysis it was additionally found that combining an amine carbon capture system which captures CO2 from flue gas with a humidity swing DAC system which captures CO2 from the atmosphere that an extra 8% of CO2 can be captured than with the amine carbon captures system alone. In this system the humidity swing DAC system uses the waste heat from the amine carbon capture system as a heat source. This means that there are no extra thermal energy requirements to capture this extra CO2. This type of system can be used in the energy production sector where energy is produced from natural gas or coal and therefore reduce emissions from this sector. By using a policy which passes the cost of this system onto the consumer by promising a minimum price for electricity it, generally called a contract for differences, it reduces burden on public finances and therefore be an attractive option for governments. The implications for this study are that DAC companies and energy suppliers from natural gas or coal with an amine carbon capture system should explore potential collaboration. This is because it has been shown in this research that technically these systems can be combined to reduce CO2 emissions with minimal increase in operating cost.
Many innovations have never or only in limited form been adopted. Therefore, throughout the last decades, academics have been focusing on the success and failure factors (SFF) of the adoption of innovations. This success depends on the objectives of the engaged stakeholders. However, no comprehensive literature review exist that focused on the purpose of the SFF frameworks and the engagement in the innovation process of these frameworks. Therefore, the papers related to SFF frameworks and the adoption of innovations have been reviewed on these knowledge gaps. This review showed that no framework had been developed that engaged stakeholders for using weighted success and failure factors to propose and evaluate solutions to enhance the viability of innovations. Therefore, a multi-criteria approach called the Multi-Actor Multi-Success-and-Failure-Factors Multi-Criteria Analysis (MAMSFFMCA) has been developed and evaluated on a case about online grocery shopping in the Netherlands. This method has been a useful tool to engage stakeholders and experts in efficiently identifying success and failure factors of online grocery shopping, to propose alternatives and to evaluate them. The MAMSFFMCA method can be further developed by providing more guidelines and rule of thumbs that can be used for the data gathering, the selection procedures and the evaluations of every step.
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Many innovations have never or only in limited form been adopted. Therefore, throughout the last decades, academics have been focusing on the success and failure factors (SFF) of the adoption of innovations. This success depends on the objectives of the engaged stakeholders. However, no comprehensive literature review exist that focused on the purpose of the SFF frameworks and the engagement in the innovation process of these frameworks. Therefore, the papers related to SFF frameworks and the adoption of innovations have been reviewed on these knowledge gaps. This review showed that no framework had been developed that engaged stakeholders for using weighted success and failure factors to propose and evaluate solutions to enhance the viability of innovations. Therefore, a multi-criteria approach called the Multi-Actor Multi-Success-and-Failure-Factors Multi-Criteria Analysis (MAMSFFMCA) has been developed and evaluated on a case about online grocery shopping in the Netherlands. This method has been a useful tool to engage stakeholders and experts in efficiently identifying success and failure factors of online grocery shopping, to propose alternatives and to evaluate them. The MAMSFFMCA method can be further developed by providing more guidelines and rule of thumbs that can be used for the data gathering, the selection procedures and the evaluations of every step.
What motivates researchers to participate in citizen science projects?
A Q-methodological study to identify researchers latent perspectives
There have been huge investments being made in direction of citizen science projects to enhance the engagement between science and society. To achieve goals and for the success of citizen science projects, a crucial element is getting more researchers to participate in citizens science projects. Besides harmoniously sustaining the participation of existing researchers who are already engaged in citizen science. While doing this, we identified two primary knowledge gaps: one, there is limited and insufficient research that articulates the perspectives of researchers to understand what motivates them to participate in citizen science. Two, even the limited available literature, is published by the researchers who are involved in citizen science projects themselves. That has more chance of publication bias and lacks critical scrutiny. For instance, these literatures give the impression that participation from researchers is because of their enthusiasm to enhance scientific awareness in society and to drive citizen’s positive attitudes towards science. Despite there have been projects where the participation from the researchers have not been particularly great.Q-method was identified as the suitable method to identify the perspective of the researchers, as it has been successfully applied in a range of disciplines from political science to environmental science. This method uses Q-factors analysis, that makes the researchers the variables of analysis. Stephenson (1953) argued, if there existed significant clusters of correlations in the participant’s profile, these clusters could be factorised and described as shared perspective and individuals could be measured in relevance to them. Overall, seven distinct perspectives of the researchers related to participation in citizen science are identified. These perspectives are divided into three broad groups based on their inclination to participate in citizen science projects. It is interesting that these groups exactly correlate with the experience of the researchers, that shows that perspectives are in association with on-ground thoughts. Group 1: represents the perspective of researchers who have intrinsic motivation to participate in citizen science and these researchers are experienced in citizens science. These perspectives are revealed by perspective 1 & perspective 2. These researchers are expected to participate on their own. Group 2: represents perspective of researchers who have no interested or inclination to participate in citizen science projects, as they consider it not suitable method answer their research question. These researchers have no experience in citizen science. These perspectives are revealed by perspective 4 & perspective 5. Group 3: these researchers are inclined to participate in citizen science, but some inhibitors in citizen science practise are preventing them to participate in citizen science. Perspectives of this group are revealed by perspective 3, perspective 6 & perspective 7. The policy recommendation is suggested to citizen science association, institutions framing ethical policy and to researchers. This research contributes in three different ways, one it provides critical scrutiny of the literature published on perspectives of researchers, by comparing with what is discussed in the literature with on-ground thoughts of researchers. Two, this research identifies latent perspectives that have not been disused in the field of citizen science. Three, the research identifies controversies in the perspectives of researchers. However, research has limitations due to choices made during the research. One, no concrete conclusions, could be made specific to any scientific discipline or level of engagement between high-level involvement actors, due to the broad scope of the research. Two, research focuses on participation between high-level involvement actors. Three, the use of free sorting of statements to reduce the time for answering the survey. For future research, two controversies in the perspectives of researchers are identified that can be scope for entire new research in the field of citizen science. One, compensation of citizens in citizen science projects. Two, different model to increase scientific literacy are identified between perspective 6, perspective 7 and perspective 1.
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There have been huge investments being made in direction of citizen science projects to enhance the engagement between science and society. To achieve goals and for the success of citizen science projects, a crucial element is getting more researchers to participate in citizens science projects. Besides harmoniously sustaining the participation of existing researchers who are already engaged in citizen science. While doing this, we identified two primary knowledge gaps: one, there is limited and insufficient research that articulates the perspectives of researchers to understand what motivates them to participate in citizen science. Two, even the limited available literature, is published by the researchers who are involved in citizen science projects themselves. That has more chance of publication bias and lacks critical scrutiny. For instance, these literatures give the impression that participation from researchers is because of their enthusiasm to enhance scientific awareness in society and to drive citizen’s positive attitudes towards science. Despite there have been projects where the participation from the researchers have not been particularly great.Q-method was identified as the suitable method to identify the perspective of the researchers, as it has been successfully applied in a range of disciplines from political science to environmental science. This method uses Q-factors analysis, that makes the researchers the variables of analysis. Stephenson (1953) argued, if there existed significant clusters of correlations in the participant’s profile, these clusters could be factorised and described as shared perspective and individuals could be measured in relevance to them. Overall, seven distinct perspectives of the researchers related to participation in citizen science are identified. These perspectives are divided into three broad groups based on their inclination to participate in citizen science projects. It is interesting that these groups exactly correlate with the experience of the researchers, that shows that perspectives are in association with on-ground thoughts. Group 1: represents the perspective of researchers who have intrinsic motivation to participate in citizen science and these researchers are experienced in citizens science. These perspectives are revealed by perspective 1 & perspective 2. These researchers are expected to participate on their own. Group 2: represents perspective of researchers who have no interested or inclination to participate in citizen science projects, as they consider it not suitable method answer their research question. These researchers have no experience in citizen science. These perspectives are revealed by perspective 4 & perspective 5. Group 3: these researchers are inclined to participate in citizen science, but some inhibitors in citizen science practise are preventing them to participate in citizen science. Perspectives of this group are revealed by perspective 3, perspective 6 & perspective 7. The policy recommendation is suggested to citizen science association, institutions framing ethical policy and to researchers. This research contributes in three different ways, one it provides critical scrutiny of the literature published on perspectives of researchers, by comparing with what is discussed in the literature with on-ground thoughts of researchers. Two, this research identifies latent perspectives that have not been disused in the field of citizen science. Three, the research identifies controversies in the perspectives of researchers. However, research has limitations due to choices made during the research. One, no concrete conclusions, could be made specific to any scientific discipline or level of engagement between high-level involvement actors, due to the broad scope of the research. Two, research focuses on participation between high-level involvement actors. Three, the use of free sorting of statements to reduce the time for answering the survey. For future research, two controversies in the perspectives of researchers are identified that can be scope for entire new research in the field of citizen science. One, compensation of citizens in citizen science projects. Two, different model to increase scientific literacy are identified between perspective 6, perspective 7 and perspective 1.
The energy system is undergoing a grand transition. In 2019, the Dutch government presented the national climate accord stating that in 2030, 70% of all energy needs to come from a renewable source. In this accord, strong emphasis is put on a regional approach to the energy transition. Across the country, regions are picking up the gauntlet and 141 municipalities in The Netherlands have formulated ambitions to become energy neutral by 2050 or earlier. The road to reach these regional ambitions, however, is not always clear. One of the key issues in energy planning is defining the optimal mix of generation methods to fulfill the electricity demand. Historically, this challenge has been approached only from a least cost perspective. Different stakeholders, however, have a different view on what defines the ‘optimal’ situation and care about more than cost. It is found that minimizing land use and minimizing the visual impact of wind turbines are important objectives to consider when designing an energy system. This research presents a multi-objective optimization that employs a genetic algorithm (NSGA-II) to find the set of pareto-optimal solutions for an optimal generation mix for a regional energy system in The Netherlands minimizing costs, land use and visual impact. Three scenarios are investigated: reducing the total emissions by 70%, 90% and 98%. The results of the optimization are analyzed from a multi-actor perspective to provide insight into the most ideal solutions for different stakeholders. The results show that there are significant trade-offs to be made in designing an energy system: governments, investors and local residents all have a different view about the optimal generation mix. This research presents an average optimal solution: one that may work best for all actors. It shows that by finding a Pareto-optimal set, many optimal solutions can be compared on their desirability, leading to more insight into the functioning of the system and a more feasible design.
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The energy system is undergoing a grand transition. In 2019, the Dutch government presented the national climate accord stating that in 2030, 70% of all energy needs to come from a renewable source. In this accord, strong emphasis is put on a regional approach to the energy transition. Across the country, regions are picking up the gauntlet and 141 municipalities in The Netherlands have formulated ambitions to become energy neutral by 2050 or earlier. The road to reach these regional ambitions, however, is not always clear. One of the key issues in energy planning is defining the optimal mix of generation methods to fulfill the electricity demand. Historically, this challenge has been approached only from a least cost perspective. Different stakeholders, however, have a different view on what defines the ‘optimal’ situation and care about more than cost. It is found that minimizing land use and minimizing the visual impact of wind turbines are important objectives to consider when designing an energy system. This research presents a multi-objective optimization that employs a genetic algorithm (NSGA-II) to find the set of pareto-optimal solutions for an optimal generation mix for a regional energy system in The Netherlands minimizing costs, land use and visual impact. Three scenarios are investigated: reducing the total emissions by 70%, 90% and 98%. The results of the optimization are analyzed from a multi-actor perspective to provide insight into the most ideal solutions for different stakeholders. The results show that there are significant trade-offs to be made in designing an energy system: governments, investors and local residents all have a different view about the optimal generation mix. This research presents an average optimal solution: one that may work best for all actors. It shows that by finding a Pareto-optimal set, many optimal solutions can be compared on their desirability, leading to more insight into the functioning of the system and a more feasible design.
Use of scenarios in participatory ADM
A comparative action research approach in the Paraná Delta, Argentina
Master thesis
(2019)
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Odilia Schölvinck, Jan Kwakkel, Bert Enserink, Martin De Jong, Maurits Ertsen, Judith ter Maat
In this thesis, the usage of scenarios for the participatory application of ADM is investigated in the context of the Paraná Delta, in Argentina. The focus is two-fold: (1) the research focuses on how a participatory design for ADM can be made, and (2) it focuses on which moment of the framework scenarios should be introduced in the participatory ADM
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In this thesis, the usage of scenarios for the participatory application of ADM is investigated in the context of the Paraná Delta, in Argentina. The focus is two-fold: (1) the research focuses on how a participatory design for ADM can be made, and (2) it focuses on which moment of the framework scenarios should be introduced in the participatory ADM
Affordable and reliable mini-grids in Sierra Leone
Analysing and designing rural electrification from a socio-technical perspective
Institutional Change through Social Learning
Climate Change Policy Gaming in Kenya
Complex and uncertain societal problems cannot be addressed by technical solutions that rely solely on predictions. Institutions that entirely rely on predictions, repeat the same actions (routine), with little reflection on the impact of these technological solutions upon the socio-technical system. Though routine is beneficial for stability and continuity of any institution, it may stifle reflection and make it harder for change. When an institution does not change, it cannot innovate nor adapt to changing circumstances.
Social learning (SL) has been proposed to facilitate institutional change. SL is a change in societal understanding, achieved through social interactions, which eventually gets situated within broader social networks. In principle, SL holds a promise in addressing the problem of routinised, non-adaptive institutions. Nevertheless, there is limited evidence on whether SL does indeed lead to institutional change.
This PhD research uses policy gaming to assess whether SL can lead to institutional change in the Nzoia River Basin. The results indicate that SL has the potential to change routine-based institutions and generate adaptive capacity. The outcomes also indicate the need for the following profound institutional changes in Nzoia River Basin:
Artefacts: Replace current WRM structures with configurations that respect the river, and support the sustainable management of the drainage basin, as a whole.
Values: Value water more than spatial, agricultural and energy-production plans and make water the structuring element within the Nzoia River Basin. This means that any proposed laws, regulations, practices and norms that intend to utilise the scarce water resources unsustainably should not be supported.
Underlying Assumptions: Question underlying assumptions, and make transformations to existing laws, regulations, values, norms and actor-networks to build adaptive capacity. ...
Social learning (SL) has been proposed to facilitate institutional change. SL is a change in societal understanding, achieved through social interactions, which eventually gets situated within broader social networks. In principle, SL holds a promise in addressing the problem of routinised, non-adaptive institutions. Nevertheless, there is limited evidence on whether SL does indeed lead to institutional change.
This PhD research uses policy gaming to assess whether SL can lead to institutional change in the Nzoia River Basin. The results indicate that SL has the potential to change routine-based institutions and generate adaptive capacity. The outcomes also indicate the need for the following profound institutional changes in Nzoia River Basin:
Artefacts: Replace current WRM structures with configurations that respect the river, and support the sustainable management of the drainage basin, as a whole.
Values: Value water more than spatial, agricultural and energy-production plans and make water the structuring element within the Nzoia River Basin. This means that any proposed laws, regulations, practices and norms that intend to utilise the scarce water resources unsustainably should not be supported.
Underlying Assumptions: Question underlying assumptions, and make transformations to existing laws, regulations, values, norms and actor-networks to build adaptive capacity. ...
Complex and uncertain societal problems cannot be addressed by technical solutions that rely solely on predictions. Institutions that entirely rely on predictions, repeat the same actions (routine), with little reflection on the impact of these technological solutions upon the socio-technical system. Though routine is beneficial for stability and continuity of any institution, it may stifle reflection and make it harder for change. When an institution does not change, it cannot innovate nor adapt to changing circumstances.
Social learning (SL) has been proposed to facilitate institutional change. SL is a change in societal understanding, achieved through social interactions, which eventually gets situated within broader social networks. In principle, SL holds a promise in addressing the problem of routinised, non-adaptive institutions. Nevertheless, there is limited evidence on whether SL does indeed lead to institutional change.
This PhD research uses policy gaming to assess whether SL can lead to institutional change in the Nzoia River Basin. The results indicate that SL has the potential to change routine-based institutions and generate adaptive capacity. The outcomes also indicate the need for the following profound institutional changes in Nzoia River Basin:
Artefacts: Replace current WRM structures with configurations that respect the river, and support the sustainable management of the drainage basin, as a whole.
Values: Value water more than spatial, agricultural and energy-production plans and make water the structuring element within the Nzoia River Basin. This means that any proposed laws, regulations, practices and norms that intend to utilise the scarce water resources unsustainably should not be supported.
Underlying Assumptions: Question underlying assumptions, and make transformations to existing laws, regulations, values, norms and actor-networks to build adaptive capacity.
Social learning (SL) has been proposed to facilitate institutional change. SL is a change in societal understanding, achieved through social interactions, which eventually gets situated within broader social networks. In principle, SL holds a promise in addressing the problem of routinised, non-adaptive institutions. Nevertheless, there is limited evidence on whether SL does indeed lead to institutional change.
This PhD research uses policy gaming to assess whether SL can lead to institutional change in the Nzoia River Basin. The results indicate that SL has the potential to change routine-based institutions and generate adaptive capacity. The outcomes also indicate the need for the following profound institutional changes in Nzoia River Basin:
Artefacts: Replace current WRM structures with configurations that respect the river, and support the sustainable management of the drainage basin, as a whole.
Values: Value water more than spatial, agricultural and energy-production plans and make water the structuring element within the Nzoia River Basin. This means that any proposed laws, regulations, practices and norms that intend to utilise the scarce water resources unsustainably should not be supported.
Underlying Assumptions: Question underlying assumptions, and make transformations to existing laws, regulations, values, norms and actor-networks to build adaptive capacity.
Institutional Reform for Community Participation
Towards Community Adoption of Piped Water Supply Systems in Arsenic Affected Regions of Rural Bangladesh
Arsenic contamination of groundwater in Bangladesh is one of the largest naturally occurring groundwater calamity in South Asia. The rural people, about 64% of the population (104 million people) suffer the most from this grand challenge as they are still heavily dependent on groundwater based tubewells which are arsenic contaminated. Government interventions to switch to other arsenic mitigation technologies such Piped Water Supply Systems have not been very successful despite the technology being a long-term feasible solution in arsenic-affected areas. Rural communities find it difficult to make the switch from tubewells to piped water due to issues of high costs, less demand and extensive monitoring requirements of these systems. To align itself with the SGD 6.1 (“Clean Drinking Water for All”) and with the aim to climb WHO/UNICEF’s JMP’s highest ladder for drinking water, the Government of Bangladesh has installed multiple Piped Water Schemes in water-stressed areas. These schemes are technically viable in water-stressed areas and financially supported by the World Bank, UNICEF, WHO and other global organisations. However, at community level, institutionally, they face the challenge of Adoptability and Sustainability. Taking a case study approach, this research aims to suggest strategies that can be implemented to increase community adoption and sustainability of Piped Water Supply Systems in the rural areas of Bangladesh to ensure arsenic-safe water in every household-tap. The goal is to provide institutional insights to a research organisation in Bangladesh. Two relevant methodologies for institutional analysis developed by Nobel Prize Winner Elinor Ostrom: The Institutional Analysis and Development Framework (IAD) and Ostrom’s Design Principles for Governance of Common Pool Resources, are used to tackle this problem. The IAD framework is applied at three different levels of governance (central-local and community) to study the gaps in policy implementation at three different phases of the design process “Planning-Implementation-Community Adoption of Piped Water Schemes”. The findings from the IAD suggest that there are defined gaps between actual policy outcomes and policy expectations. The outcomes of the IAD analysis at each level, are evaluated against six of Ostrom’s evaluation criteria. The design principles are then applied to each of the findings from the evaluation to bridge that gap between actual and desired policy outcomes. Three main design principles, a) Collective-Choice Arrangements, b) Graduated Sanctions and c) Nested Enterprises, support the development of new institutional reforms. Proposed institutional reforms, which are robust in nature, lead to suggesting strategies that that can help to increase rural community adoption and sustainability of piped water supply systems to ensure arsenic-safe water in every household-tap.
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Arsenic contamination of groundwater in Bangladesh is one of the largest naturally occurring groundwater calamity in South Asia. The rural people, about 64% of the population (104 million people) suffer the most from this grand challenge as they are still heavily dependent on groundwater based tubewells which are arsenic contaminated. Government interventions to switch to other arsenic mitigation technologies such Piped Water Supply Systems have not been very successful despite the technology being a long-term feasible solution in arsenic-affected areas. Rural communities find it difficult to make the switch from tubewells to piped water due to issues of high costs, less demand and extensive monitoring requirements of these systems. To align itself with the SGD 6.1 (“Clean Drinking Water for All”) and with the aim to climb WHO/UNICEF’s JMP’s highest ladder for drinking water, the Government of Bangladesh has installed multiple Piped Water Schemes in water-stressed areas. These schemes are technically viable in water-stressed areas and financially supported by the World Bank, UNICEF, WHO and other global organisations. However, at community level, institutionally, they face the challenge of Adoptability and Sustainability. Taking a case study approach, this research aims to suggest strategies that can be implemented to increase community adoption and sustainability of Piped Water Supply Systems in the rural areas of Bangladesh to ensure arsenic-safe water in every household-tap. The goal is to provide institutional insights to a research organisation in Bangladesh. Two relevant methodologies for institutional analysis developed by Nobel Prize Winner Elinor Ostrom: The Institutional Analysis and Development Framework (IAD) and Ostrom’s Design Principles for Governance of Common Pool Resources, are used to tackle this problem. The IAD framework is applied at three different levels of governance (central-local and community) to study the gaps in policy implementation at three different phases of the design process “Planning-Implementation-Community Adoption of Piped Water Schemes”. The findings from the IAD suggest that there are defined gaps between actual policy outcomes and policy expectations. The outcomes of the IAD analysis at each level, are evaluated against six of Ostrom’s evaluation criteria. The design principles are then applied to each of the findings from the evaluation to bridge that gap between actual and desired policy outcomes. Three main design principles, a) Collective-Choice Arrangements, b) Graduated Sanctions and c) Nested Enterprises, support the development of new institutional reforms. Proposed institutional reforms, which are robust in nature, lead to suggesting strategies that that can help to increase rural community adoption and sustainability of piped water supply systems to ensure arsenic-safe water in every household-tap.
Towards sustainable last mile deliveries and city logistics
A Multi-Actor Multi-Criteria Approach with a modelling implementation, aimed at identifying the most sustainable alternatives for city logistics and model their effects for all stakeholders combined.
The GHG-emissions of the Dutch transport sector are ever increasing, mainly caused by the growth in the number of traffic movements. These movements are heavily influenced by the growth of the e-commerce sector and e-commerce related last mile deliveries. Hence, this study aims at providing more insight in sustainable alternatives for delivering parcels over the last mile within city limits. By applying a Multi-Actor Multi-Criteria Approach (MAMCA), a sustainability framework for last mile deliveries is defined to assess the alternatives' sustainable performance. It turns out that parcel lockers result in the highest benefits, followed by the implementation of night delivery. The last alternative that was implemented in the simulation model, the city hub, was highly inefficient, due to the transhipment of high volumes on small vehicles. However, since the city hub is able of reducing the emissions in cities significantly, other ways of implementation have to be considered before really rejecting the alternative.
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The GHG-emissions of the Dutch transport sector are ever increasing, mainly caused by the growth in the number of traffic movements. These movements are heavily influenced by the growth of the e-commerce sector and e-commerce related last mile deliveries. Hence, this study aims at providing more insight in sustainable alternatives for delivering parcels over the last mile within city limits. By applying a Multi-Actor Multi-Criteria Approach (MAMCA), a sustainability framework for last mile deliveries is defined to assess the alternatives' sustainable performance. It turns out that parcel lockers result in the highest benefits, followed by the implementation of night delivery. The last alternative that was implemented in the simulation model, the city hub, was highly inefficient, due to the transhipment of high volumes on small vehicles. However, since the city hub is able of reducing the emissions in cities significantly, other ways of implementation have to be considered before really rejecting the alternative.