Clean energy spending needs to reach $4.5 trillion per year by 2030 to maintain a realistic chance of limiting global warming, yet current investment represents just 37% of what is needed for net zero by 2050. This and other energy transition requirements put enormous pressure on electric utilities to transform their business models while maintaining energy security and attracting investment, creating conditions ripe for potential greenwashing as companies might oversell environmental progress or engage in misleading communication strategies to stay competitive. Three fundamental gaps have limited systematic greenwashing detection: the separation between performance and communication analysis, single-dimensional communication measurement, and the lack of sector-specific methods.
This research addresses the question: What greenwashing risk assessment tool can be developed for European electric utility companies based on environmental performance metrics and multi-dimensional communication analysis? This Master thesis research project developed and tested the first systematic Greenwashing Risk Assessment Tool (GRAT), designed specifically for electric utilities but adaptable to other sectors through modified inputs, weights, and terminology. The GRAT bridges theoretical gaps by integrating quantitative performance measurement with multi-dimensional communication analysis. Constrained ensemble methodology is used to handle weight uncertainty for both performance scoring and greenwashing risk. The greenwashing risk is measured by five different dimensions: performance-communication gap, substantiation weakness, language vagueness, temporal orientation, and reporting consistency.
The GRAT follows a clear three-step process that can be understood and adapted without advanced programming skills. Users gather environmental data from several sources: third-party verified information like Refinitiv Eikon, self-reported metrics like CDP, and English sustainability reports. Once this data is collected, the tool automatically handles performance scoring, runs communication analysis through rule-based NLP methods, and produces integrated risk assessments. Rather than using completely arbitrary weights, the constrained ensemble approach tests thousands of valid weight combinations within available theoretical boundaries.
The tool was tested on 14 European electric utility companies during 2021-2022. Among these companies, the analysis found significant environmental performance differences. Scores ranged from 15.0 to 95.0 points, with year-over-year changes spanning from -35.1 to +63.0 points. Companies used different communication strategies that did not align with their performance scores. Only 36% showed temporal changes where performance and communication moved in the same direction, revealing a pattern where communication strategies often work independently from actual environmental achievements. When combining both aspects including the other communication quality dimensions, risk scores fell between 16.5 and 81.3.
The validation approach is methodologically sound, though statistical limitations arise from the small sample size. External validation provides indicative evidence that the GRAT may distinguish between companies with documented greenwashing accusations and those with clean records, but results could represent random phenomena between 2021-2022. The GRAT enables regulators to screen companies requiring investigation rather than providing conclusive evidence of greenwashing. This helps investors assess risk patterns in sustainability portfolios and offers researchers a tool adaptable to other sectors.

Education plays a central role in enabling sustainable societies, as highlighted by the emergence of Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) following the 1992 UN Conference on Environment and Development. Within higher education, sustainability-focused programs, referred to in this study as sustainability higher education (SHE), aim to equip students with key competencies needed to address complex sustainability challenges, often requiring transformative and interdisciplinary pedagogical approaches. In this context, art-based teaching (ABT) has gained attention as a method that can enhance learning by encouraging creativity, critical thinking, emotional processing, and collaboration, while addressing diverse sustainability topics. Industrial Ecology (IE) programs provide a pertinent case study for exploring ABT integration, given their interdisciplinary approach to complex environmental challenges and the current lack of research on ABT in this domain. Despite growing interest, knowledge gaps remain regarding the contextual factors influencing ABT integration, its benefits and challenges, and how these practices contribute to sustainability key competencies. This study addresses these gaps by combining through a systematic literature review of 11 peer-reviewed articles on SHE and 14 interviews with educators and students from four Northern European IE programs, aiming to provide educators with evidence to support the transformative potential of ABT in sustainability higher education.
The study first investigated how and why ABT practices are incorporated in SHE. Analysis revealed a wide range of practices across disciplines, highlighting the influence of contextual factors such as group size, teaching team expertise, and co-teaching with artists. Active student participation was common and enhanced engagement and ownership, while non-participatory approaches also provided value. Purposes of ABT interventions such as mapping systems, expressing emotions, and generating ideas, aligned with literature on higher education goals while reflecting research-oriented objectives, particularly from the empirical data in IE.
The study then identified 26 potential benefits and 15 challenges of ABT integration. Benefits demonstrated the broad potential of ABT for sustainability education, whereas challenges highlighted pedagogical and implementation barriers and raised questions about cultural and educational paradigms in Western higher education.
Linking these benefits to the Brundiers et al. (2021) sustainability key competencies framework confirmed trends observed by Heras (2022): ABT particularly supports intrapersonal, interpersonal, and normative competencies. Additionally, this study highlighted the potential for ABT to contribute to futures-thinking and systems-thinking competencies, especially as reported by educators in IE. No clear evidence was found regarding the contribution of ABT to implementation competencies.
Future research could broaden the scope by including participants from diverse disciplinary, cultural, and educational contexts, particularly non-Western or Indigenous traditions where art is central to knowledge transmission. Long-term impacts of ABT on student engagement, behavior, and professional practice should be investigated, along with institutional factors such as curriculum design, assessment systems, and educator training that could support the integration of art in higher education.

This thesis explores the alignment between corporate climate commitments and climate lobbying behaviour among Dutch companies, by focusing on identifying lobbying-related greenwashing. In times where companies are seen as key players in combating the climate crises (European Commission, 2023), it is crucial that corporate climate lobby is aligned with their companies’ green commitments. Climate lobbying can significantly affect regulatory outcomes, so lobbying in favour of more stringent climate legislation would positively impact climate-related regulatory outcomes (Errichiello et al., 2025).
To examine this underexplored issue of lobby-related greenwashing, the research develops and applies a qualitative framework. This framework expands the framework of Nemes et al. (2022) and existing literature. Six categories of potentially misleading lobbying behaviour are included: (1) Direct lobbying against climate policy, (2) Affiliations with obstructive organisations, (3) Use of astroturf lobbying, (4) Symbolic communication through voluntary initiatives, (5) Undisclosed policy influence (revolving doors) and (6) Undisclosed influence in standards-setting.
The framework was applied through qualitative content analysis to six Dutch companies from different industries. These case studies were constructed using 2022 data from CDP disclosures, LobbyMap, the EU Transparency Register, corporate annual reports, and grey literature.
The study finds that the framework effectively captures a wide range of lobby-related greenwashing behaviours. Dutch companies in the sample were all greenwashing ranging from a moderate to a very high degree. Particularly indirect lobbying emerged as a common form of greenwashing, related to affiliation in trade associations and involvement in voluntary initiatives. Thus, while many companies publicly commit to supporting the Paris Agreement, their political actions often fail to reflect these commitments.
The framework can help scrutinise companies’ lobby behaviour, also beyond this research. The empirical outcomes are a first step towards an understanding of lobbying-related greenwashing in the Dutch context. Practically, they urge companies to align their indirect lobby strategies with their climate commitments. Without such alignment, their contribution to halting climate change remains severely limited.
Future research could build on the developed framework and findings. For example, by validating the framework and its categories through expert and company interviews, expanding case studies to cover more sectors and geographies, and refining the scoring system to incorporate weighting and greater nuance in assessing the degree of misalignment.

As climate change impacts rapidly escalate, ensuring the just adaptation of vulnerable communities has become a critical challenge. However, procedural justice—a key pillar of climate justice that focuses on the fairness of policies from a systemic standpoint—remains underexplored. Policy practitioners currently lack the tools to assess whether a policy can meaningfully engage affected groups. This research presents a novel approach to evaluating the procedural justice of climate change adaptation policies ex-ante, before their implementation.

While the impact of institutional structures on the adaptive capacity of systems is well-established, the direct relationship between these structures and the procedural justice of adaptive interventions has not been systematically studied. This research addresses this gap by applying the Institutional Analysis and Development (IAD) framework and incorporating Institutional Network Analysis to assess the procedural justice of climate adaptation interventions.

The research also demonstrates how Large Language Models support the automation of policy analysis tasks, and may be used to significantly improve the scale and timeliness of policy analysis research.

In this research we identify 4 values critical to procedurally just climate change adaptation policy institutions – namely Voice, Transparency, Accountability and Correctability. We operationalise these values in terms of institutional networks, and develop an empirical method for their identification. The work features a tool to automate extraction of policy statements from documents and features an annotation accuracy of 0.67.

Using this methodology, an empirical case of climate change policy ­— the expansion of Water and Wastewater Systems in Chennai — is investigated. The analysis shows that the institutional environment is severely lacking in procedural justice elements and that policy statements relevant to procedurally justice lack specificity.

Hydrogen is becoming increasingly integral to global energy transition strategies, especially in sectors difficult to electrify. In the Netherlands, industrial clusters are expected to be key centers for sustainable hydrogen supply and demand. However, smaller industries outside the main clusters (Cluster 6) face significant challenges due to their distance from major demand points and the complexities of integrating hydrogen into their operations. They struggle with the high initial investment costs for on-site hydrogen generation, limited access to decarbonization subsidies, and the technical challenges posed by a congested electricity grid. The lower priority given to these regions in the hydrogen roll-out plan exacerbates the uncertainty and hesitancy among Cluster 6 industries, threatening the efficient development of regional hydrogen infrastructure and creating a risk of underutilization. The research employs a modeling approach and agent-based simulation to analyze the potential for collective action to overcome technical, economic, and institutional limitations, facilitating hydrogen production and consumption among smaller, dispersed industries. This approach allows for comparative analysis of emergent system behavior under different organizing principles, agent interactions, and government policy interventions. The simulation results highlight that collective investment is key to successful hydrogen transitions, with unified strategies leading to quicker and more effective outcomes. When driven by individual efforts instead of collective action, transitions tend to face delays and result with less sector inclusion. In regions with more hydrogen-dependent companies, contribution of collective action grows exponentially, with primary off-takers initiating the shift. However, relaxing subsidy criteria in such regional settings can weaken regional cooperation and slow progress. Therefore, designing region-specific policies that promote collaboration and encouraging communication and inclusiveness among companies can help achieve a smoother and more unified regional shift to hydrogen. Future research should address the limitations of the current study by incorporating more detailed cost-benefit analyses, exploring alternative hydrogen supply and transportation methods, and considering a broader range of factors influencing industrial decisions on hydrogen adoption.

In the field of Institutional Analysis (IA), institutions describe the emergent rules that govern human behaviour and interaction. There are two key types: formal rules such as laws and policies, and informal rules such as norms and shared strategies. Evaluating the effectiveness of existing policies and developing new policies often requires a thorough understanding of informal rules. Traditional methods for identifying informal rules are predominantly qualitative, labour-intensive, and prone to bias, typically limited by small sample sizes. This thesis addresses the gap in standardised, quantitative approaches by developing a novel method to extract informal rules and social structures from survey data: Survey Informal Rule Extraction (SIRE).

The SIRE method involves preprocessing survey data, training decision trees to classify behaviours, extracting Institutional Grammar (IG) components, and generating structured Attribute, Deontic, Aim, Condition, Or else (ADICO) statements. The design process involves an iterative approach with three key steps: 1) exploring and comparing existing survey data from an institutional grammar lens, 2) evaluating different types of questions and identifying relationships in the data, and 3) testing various methods to analyse response data and convert questions into ADICO statements. These steps led to a systematic approach to understanding how informal rules shape human behaviour, supporting evidence-based policy design.

The effectiveness of SIRE is validated through three applications to datasets from the European Social Survey (ESS) and SCALAR. The first validation compares SIRE results with literature findings on household climate change adaptation, showing logical and comparable outcomes. The second validation demonstrates the method's utility in policy analysis, examining factors influencing the adoption of structural flood protection measures. The third validation showcased the method's potential as a strategic analytics tool for political parties, identifying conditions that increase the likelihood of voting for specific parties. The results demonstrate that the SIRE method has the potential to provide a clear representation of institutional rules, offering valuable insights for institutional and policy analysts.

While this thesis presents a novel method for extracting informal rules from survey data, limitations include potential generalizability issues due to the focused validation on specific datasets (SCALAR and ESS), AI-related inconsistencies in text processing, and methodological constraints such as the current inability to directly address open-ended questions or identify deontic components. Future work should focus on further validation across diverse contexts, integration with other analytical frameworks, and method automation. Improvements in data encoding, condition scope, and rule extraction could enhance the SIRE method's utility in policy development and behavioural analysis, addressing current limitations and expanding its applicability.

: There has been a growing number of companies that join, commit and set targets to the Science-Based Targets initiative in recent years. This thesis explores how factors which were found in previous studies to influence the companies’ decision to join SBTi or climate action in general, interact dynamically. Using an agent-based model, the companies’ interactions, the SBTi strategies and external factors will be examined in the temporal dimension in order to shed light on what is the projected uptake of SBTi.

In my thesis I was studying the interrelation between network topology and dynamics and the emergence and evolution of institutions for the governance of CPR. This research was intended to shed some light on what is the role of networks in formation of endogenous institutions and the possible insights for policy makers and users of CPR. To answer my research question, I utilized the agent-based institutional model and enhanced it by adding three dimensions of social networks and connecting them through various mechanisms to other parts of the model trying to capture the complexity of SESs. Therefore, through the combination of ABM and approaches from SNA I conducted a series of simulations that were imitating co-evolution of endogenous institutions and network topology. Through variation of input and output parameters the patterns were derived from the model and thoroughly analyzed. Notably, they suggest a positive relationship between the degree of network fragmentation and the stability of institutional structures within these communities. This implies that more fragmented social networks tend to exhibit greater stability in their institutional arrangements. Furthermore, the research reveals the presence of negative feedback mechanisms influencing network-dependent rewiring probabilities and positive feedback mechanisms governing homophily-based rewiring probabilities. These findings underscore the complexity of CPR governance, where network structures, institutional dynamics, and personal strategies interact in intricate ways. The results of this analysis were utilized to provide policy recommendations for regulation of CPRs. Mainly these recommendations evolve around: (i) identification and connection of fragments within social networks; (ii) analysis of the details of agents resource consumption, (iiI) identification of potential strategy options and (iv) enhancement of the processes that drive creation of gear- (or other attribute-) based connections. Overall, the research has the potential to inform the development of more effective and sustainable approaches to the governance of CPRs.

Situation
The constant increase in global temperatures is becoming more and more concerning for the future of our planet. The health of the planet is crucial for our existence and for the health of humanity, which is why we need to maintain and care for our environment. The pharmaceutical sector contributes to a lot of greenhouse gas emissions, and the total amount of emissions even exceeds that of the automotive industry. Pharmaceutical companies’ main goal is to improve human health, and therefore, contributing to a healthy environment is also crucial. Pharmaceutical companies have set ambitious climate goals that will need a lot of attention if they are to be fulfilled. More and more collective action initiatives are taking form, such as Energize and projects like Together for Sustainability (TfS). While a lot of progress is being made, collective efforts need to improve, and climate challenges need to be tackled collectively. Johnson & Johnson, as one of the largest pharmaceutical companies in the world, has committed to the SBTi targets and set ambitious goals for itself. They put a lot of emphasis on sustainability and aim to reach their targets across all its 250 subsidiary companies that are spread out over 60 countries.

Problem identification
As the climate impact of the pharmaceutical sector seems to be significantly large, it is important to understand how the climate targets of this sector can be fulfilled. Johnson & Johnson aims to source 100% of their electricity needs from renewable sources by 2025, achieve carbon neutrality for their operations, going beyond their Science-Based Target to reduce absolute Scope 1 and 2 emissions 60% from 2016 levels, and reduce absolute upstream value chain (Scope 3) emissions 20% from 2016 levels by 2030. They are currently on pace to meet their scope 1 and 2 targets. The scope 3 emissions, however, remain significantly larger than the scope 1 and 2 emissions combined. Scope 3 emissions come from other parties that a company works with, which makes influencing them more difficult. Collaboration is needed to stimulate companies across the value chain to contribute to sustainability. Collaboration could be in the form of various projects where companies engage in collective action to achieve certain common goals. Collective action means that multiple parties are engaged in a project that works towards a certain shared goal.
This research aims to explore the current challenges of the pharmaceutical sector with reaching emission targets and how collective action concepts impact the willingness of supplier companies to engage in collective initiatives that focus on reducing emissions. For this study, Johnson & Johnson will be analyzed to get a good understanding of the current state of the pharmaceutical sector...

The Paris Agreement seeks to limit global temperature rise and achieve climate neutrality by 2050. The UN's Sustainable Development Goal 7 emphasizes sustainable energy access, with smart grids playing a crucial role. These grids adapt to user behavior and interconnect various components. While smart grids address challenges in integrating renewable energy, their complex socio-technical nature demands a multidisciplinary approach. Institutions are vital in smart grid development, but their importance often goes unnoticed. The interplay of stakeholders, technology, and institutions complicates smart grid implementation. Although existing research largely focuses on technical aspects, a holistic approach considering social, economic, environmental, and institutional dimensions is essential. This study aims to bridge this gap by employing the Institutional Analysis & Development (IAD) framework to enhance the Netherlands' electricity/energy system design, particularly at the community level, concerning the impacts of institutional rules on smart grid development and implementation.

The chosen research approach is a comparative case study, focusing on smart grid integration in the Netherlands. The Institutional Analysis and Development framework aids in analyzing complex socio-technical systems, particularly energy transitions and smart grids. Three cases were examined: Schoonschip Amsterdam, GridFlex Heeten, and Groene Mient The Hague. Data collection involved literature review and 14 semi-structured interviews with experts and stakeholders. Interview data was deductively coded using the IAD framework, facilitating comparative case analysis and cross-case analysis using the ASI diagram (Actors, System & Institutions).

The transition of the Dutch electricity system into a competitive liberalized market has increased the importance of smart grids for sustainability. Decentralized energy production, facilitated by smart grids, requires technological advancements and institutional changes at various levels. Successful smart grid implementation in the Netherlands involves obtaining exemptions, feasibility studies, and engaging legal entities like homeowners' associations and energy cooperatives. Cases emphasized the significance of pre-exemption feasibility studies, technological requirements, stakeholders like Distribution System Operators, and energy management systems.

The findings highlight the uniqueness of each case and the role of institutional rules. In Schoonschip, boundary, position, choice, and payoff rules were pivotal. GridFlex highlighted position, choice, information, and scope rules. Groene Mient showcased boundary, position, choice, payoff, and scope rules. These case studies underscore complexities in decision-making and governance within smart grid initiatives. Successful implementation requires considering technology, institutions, and stakeholders as indicated by the ASI diagram. The IAD framework analysis reveals the impact of biophysical conditions, community attributes, and rules-in-use on smart grid outcomes.

Recommendations include further research on evolving rules, understanding actor positions, interdisciplinary research, integrated decision-making frameworks, empirical case studies, and policy recommendations such as financial support, clear policy roles, local smart energy systems, positive framing, standardized data exchange, and umbrella organizations for cohesive local smart grid projects.

In conclusion, the study underscores the intricate nature of smart grid implementation, emphasizing the need for comprehensive consideration of technology, institutions, and stakeholders. The IAD framework sheds light on the complex dynamics, guiding effective decision-making and policy formulation for successful local smart grid development.

The aviation industry is one of the most challenging sectors to decarbonise. There is an urgent need to reduce emissions in order to meet its committed goal of achieving net-zero flying by 2050. Along with the existing and proposed decarbonization options such as electric aircraft, hydrogen fuel, and operational
improvements, a hard-to-abate sector like aviation would require large amounts of carbon dioxide removal in order to achieve net zero. One such technology-based carbon removal option is Direct Air Capture (DAC) which has the potential to emerge as a potential game-changer to mitigate aviation’s environmental impact. This thesis report presents an analysis of the suitability of adopting DAC for aviation sustainability, viewed through an institutional analysis lens using the Institutional Analysis and Development (IAD) framework. DAC is framed as a technology niche from the Multi-Level Perspective to get a descriptive understanding of the problem context and the interconnected parts in the larger picture of aviation sustainability innovations. Specific to DAC, multiple dimensions of DAC integration in the aviation sector, including technology, actors, and policy analysis are carried out. Employing the IAD framework, the underlying institutional arrangements, rules, and incentives influencing the adoption of DAC for carbon removal in the aviation industry are examined.

Data was collected from grey literature, industry reports and interviews with aviation industry professionals. To assess the suitability of DAC for aviation sustainability, various evaluative criteria such as carbon emission reduction potential, technological feasibility, cost-effectiveness, and market acceptance
were considered. There are trade-offs in using DAC for aviation such as complexity in carbon markets, uncertainties in carbon credit pricing, and challenges in accurately measuring DAC’s carbon removal effectiveness. It is seen that DAC holds promise as an innovative carbon removal technology with potential applications in aviation including but not limited to the use in sustainable aviation fuel production. The current state of technology is nascent but the proposed policies under the EU have the potential to drive the commercialization of this technology. The aviation industry stakeholders, along
with carbon market operators, DAC providers, and government policymakers, are key actors involved. The incentives and motivations of actors in determining the success and scalability of DAC for aviation are illustrated.

Based on the analysis, the following recommendations are provided. To minimize residual emissions from aviation, several strategic approaches can be undertaken. Firstly, fostering collaborative research and development among airlines, DAC technology providers, and research institutions can be vital to
tackle technological challenges and creating tailored DAC solutions for aviation. Secondly, governments should extend their support through policy incentives and research grants, encouraging DAC development and integration within the aviation industry. Thirdly, establishing robust standards and certification for DAC-derived Sustainable Aviation Fuel ensures the credibility and quality of carbon removal achieved, further supporting aviation sustainability

Amidst the burgeoning challenges of climate change, certain sectors, like the beer industry, find themselves at the forefront due to their dependence on climate-sensitive agricultural inputs. The changing climatic conditions not only influence the flavor profile but also the beer's accessibility, by affecting the quality and yield of essential ingredients such as barley and hops. This research delves into the beer industry's supply chains, which span regions increasingly vulnerable to climatic disruptions, thereby subjecting companies to notable physical risks like water shortages, crop failures, and transportation hindrances.

The pertinence of this study extends beyond the beer industry, revealing broader implications for various business sectors. As supply chains of numerous sectors traverse climate-sensitive zones, they're endangered by hazards like droughts and heatwaves. A prominent challenge exacerbating these threats is poor coordination, evidenced by inconsistent communication, delayed responses to disruptions, supply chain opaqueness, and misaligned adaptive strategies.

To address the overarching research question on effective coordination measures that the beer supply chain can adopt to mitigate vulnerabilities and bolster climate resilience, the study integrates both primary and secondary data. Primary data is sourced through semi-structured interviews, capturing insights from within the beer industry, while secondary data is derived from academic and industry repositories. The combined data offers a comprehensive perspective on the existing challenges and potential solutions for the beer supply chain.

A deep dive into the industry's supply chain relationships elucidates the inherent complexities, informing subsequent analyses on viable coordination mechanisms to combat climate vulnerabilities. Heineken, an industry stalwart, plays a crucial role in this exploration, with the Institutional Analysis and Development (IAD) framework assisting in structuring the problem analysis. This framework is invaluable in scrutinizing institutional setups and their resultant impacts, while Heineken's strategic initiatives are evaluated using action situation analysis.

One of the central themes emerging from the findings is the potential applicability of Elinor Ostrom's design principles. Originally conceived for effective common-pool resource management, these principles, emphasizing clear demarcation, rule-local condition congruence, and responsible governance, could be instrumental for the beer industry. They present a well-structured approach for devising coordination mechanisms, crucial in confronting collective environmental challenges.

In summation, this research underscores the imperative for the beer industry, and by extension, other sectors, to consider Ostrom's principles. Their adoption could pave the way for resilient and sustainable supply chains, proficient in circumventing climate-induced risks. Such proactive measures are not merely pivotal for sustaining business operations but paramount in ushering an era of sustainable, climate-resilient business practices.

The third version of the Green Deal Sustainable Healthcare 3.0 (GD3) in the Dutch elderly care sector represents a dynamic and shared governance model that promotes widespread participation and implementation of sustainability practices. The GD3 provides a blueprint for elderly care organisations to pursue sustainability goals, but its success depends on collaborative efforts supported by various tools and frameworks. This research explores how joining the GD3 facilitates the achievement of sustainability goals in elderly care organisations. Successful implementation of the GD3 can have far-reaching effects, of which inspiring other sectors to adopt similar collaborative approaches. However, its effectiveness depends on the performance of the participating organisations and their use of empowering tools such as the Milieuthermometer Zorg (MTZ). Interaction and cooperation between the diverse group of actors is essential to achieve the desired results, as the GD3 operates through a shared form of governance involving both bottom-up and governmental actors. Active participation, implementation of sustainable actions and maintaining trust and cooperation are crucial for the effectiveness of the GD3. Repeated experience with climate agreements such as the GD3 helps to build trust, reciprocity and reputation among participating actors. All of this is being explored in the context of other challenges specific to care for the elderly, such as staff shortages and an ageing population. Ultimately, the GD3 represents a valuable initiative within the health sector that provides a script for sustainability efforts, while allowing organisations the flexibility to adapt and take artistic license in achieving the intended outcomes. The aim is to present a dazzling sustainability show within three years, signalling a transformed system. Given the urgency of sustainability and the challenges posed by an ageing population, embracing GD3's collaborative and adaptive approach is essential for the future of healthcare, particularly in the context of elderly care in the Netherlands.

Reducing packaging waste is a pressing challenge requiring organisations to look beyond their own products, services and business models and take an ecosystem approach. Collaborative efforts in circular ecosystems offer a promising solution to tackle this issue. However, the impact of circular ecosystems on material flows in the packaging system, particularly considering uncertain actor behavior, remains unknown. This thesis aims to address this research gap by studying the dynamics of packaging waste in a circular food packaging ecosystem in the Netherlands.

Using a complex adaptive socio-technical systems approach, the research combines a systematic literature review and a case study with interviews to develop an agent-based model (ABM). The ABM incorporates three types of agents representing food producers, packaging producers, and waste treaters, who can form circular ecosystems focused on closed-loop recycling. Organisational decision-making theory is integrated into the ABM to account for actor behavior, considering different decision-styles and decision-rules.

The ABM explores the effect of multiple variables on packaging waste dynamics in circular ecosystems. Results indicate that circular ecosystems can be established with only a few actors prioritising circularity over individual profit, leading to significant reductions in packaging waste. The decision-style of the food producer plays a crucial role in ecosystems dominated by actors prioritising individual profit. However, availability and sharing of information on recycled material volumes and content are critical for circular ecosystems to emerge.

Circular ecosystems may face limitations due to recycled material shortages, leading to fluctuations in recycled content. Centralised waste treatment can stabilise recycled material supply and, subsequently, recycled content in packaging. Technological innovations hold potential for increasing recycled content and recycling rates, but additional changes in actor behavior and material prices are needed to utilise this potential. On top of that, other high-level circularity strategies should be employed to overcome limitations related to material shortage. Using recycled material could be incentivised through subsidies or taxes on raw materials, but the effectiveness of such measures will depend on the decision-making of the packaging producers.

The discussion reflects on the results, the ABM, and the overall research, identifying limitations and implications and suggesting future research directions. Further refinements to the ABM can enhance its accuracy and suitability for analysing circular ecosystems for waste reduction.

In conclusion, this research sheds light on the dynamics of packaging waste in a circular food packaging ecosystem in the Netherlands, considering actor behavior. The ABM provides a valuable analytical tool for studying circular ecosystems and their potential in the food packaging industry. By emphasizing actor collaboration, circular packaging ecosystems offer a pathway to a more sustainable food packaging industry.

Decentralised solar electricity generation on a large scale is a relatively new phenomenon. In the State of New York, the adoption of this form of renewable electricity generation has seen a surge over the last decade. However, policies that have been implemented over the last year, prompted experts to question the future of the market. The question is, what are the effects on energy security when these policies are in place? Using 3 relevant theories (TPB, VBN, and DOI) on household decision-making processes, a study of what is meant by decentralised solar and the context in which the market operates in the Empire State, I used an agent-based model to analyse the impacts of these policies in terms of energy security. Energy security is defined into 6 dimensions (Availability, Affordability, Accessibility, Acceptability, Ability, and Appeal). Experimentation and subsequent analysis showed a limited effect on most of these terms. However, a combination of these policies showed a less favourable effect on all scenarios as compared to the business-as-usual scenario. What was salient during experimentation was that the combination of the policies led to a difference in direction of the effects than when the effects of the policies implemented in isolation were added together. Indicating an inter-relationship between policies. Moreover, during market analysis it was found that the influence of the traditional utilities (owned by private investors) exert great influence on the policy making process, in their own favour. Based on this research, the future of decentralised solar electricity generation in the State of New York is going to be a tough battle with the greatest hurdle being overcoming the power of centralised utilities.

The aim of this thesis project is to understand how policy instruments influence the adoption of wood-based building practices and to examine the effect of increased wood-based construction on circular practices. This study identifies key actors in the built environment, including housing associations, private owners, construction and demolition companies, and material suppliers. The behavior and relationships of these actors are analyzed. An agent-based model is developed to explore the impact of various policy instruments, such as carbon taxation, demolition notification, and knowledge sharing. The study revealed several findings. First, there is significant inertia among construction compa- nies and building owners towards adopting wood-based construction, primarily due to high initial investments and lack of familiarity. This results in a hefty premium being paid for wood-based construction before it becomes well established. It was discovered that a substantial subsidy on mass timber is essential. Additionally, significant taxation on reinforced concrete, such as through carbon taxation, helps overcome the inertia in the system. Another effective instrument is the sharing of wood-based construction knowledge among construction companies. Once wood-based construction is established, it becomes cost-competitive, reducing the need for continuous stimu- lation through policy instruments. With the establishment of wood-based construction, several effects on the circularity in the built environment and material usage have been identified. Despite a shift to wood-based construction, the demand for concrete remains significant. This underscores the importance of concrete recycling practices. The increase in wood content in construction requires enhanced mass-timber recycling practices. This study highlights the role of temporary material storage in facilitating circularity. It suggests the need for strategies to match material streams from demolition to construction. In summary, this thesis project demonstrates that a combination of policy instruments, especially carbon taxation and knowledge sharing, is crucial in transitioning to wood-based construction. The study highlights the need for continued attention to concrete use and recycling, especially when wood-based practices gain traction.

Corporations’ economic activities put significant stress on the environment. In order to limit global warming to 1.5°C, companies need to significantly reduce their greenhouse gas emissions. However, shifting the responsibility of decarbonisation from being solely on governments to being shared with these companies is only a recent phenomenon. This study therefore explores how more companies can be stimulated to take climate action. To research this, the steel industry is taken as a case study. This particular industry is responsible for a large share of global emissions and includes many non-European firms which have been shown to trail behind their European counterparts considering climate action. The number of companies committing to the SBTi is defined as a quantifiable metric to track the development of climate action in the sector. Initial findings suggest that companies respond vigorously to financial stimulants like carbon pricing. Moreover, it is found that different stakeholder groups can stimulate the decarbonisation of heavy industry in various ways. Firms require certain factors to be at adequate levels before they commit themselves to deep decarbonisation. As such, governmental agencies can play an important role by ensuring that limiting factors like low-carbon electricity are abundant. Financial institutions can furthermore use their position to limit the financial risk for companies willing to decarbonise, while other stakeholder groups can focus on creating awareness and urgency. Altogether, the study results in a novel attempt to develop a useful agent-based model of a business ecosystem in light of the net zero energy transition. Apart from providing insights to stakeholders on how to effectively stimulate climate action, it functions as a foundation for future academic work on this topic.

The imperative to address climate change has led to a critical need for transformation within the Dutch energy system. Recent efforts have focused on decentralisation and innovative technologies to steer towards a fossil-free future. Hydrogen energy emerges as a pivotal contender with potential benefits at all societal levels. This study delves into the emergence of small-scale hydrogen networks (SHNs), localised systems serving specific regions or communities. Amidst the prominence of large-scale projects, these smaller endeavours play a pivotal, yet often overlooked, role in realizing the energy transition. However, understanding these sociotechnical systems remains challenging due to the early stages of the hydrogen transition and limited research on small-scale integration. Utilizing a qualitative interpretive research approach, this thesis uncovers contextual factors influencing SHN formation. Following a problem-focused design science research strategy, the study outlines the three pillars of SHNs - technology, actors, and institutional landscape - with a focus on the Goeree-Overflakkee case. Insights into barriers and enablers for SHN formation are pivotal. The value chain, categorised into upstream (production), midstream (storage and transportation), and downstream (usage), is explored. Furthermoe, actor analysis is employed to identify, categorise, and analyse roles and interrelations. Williamson's four-layer model is applied to examine the institutional landscape. Results highlight significant barriers, including regulatory gaps, negative business cases, and limited capacities. Complex actor interactions, financial constraints, and expertise shortages further impede progress. Enablers such as an innovative organisational culture, synergy creation, and vital local government support emerge as critical facilitators. The study emphasises the significance of incremental steps, adaptive management, and flexible legal frameworks in integrating SHNs. Through a lens of technology, actors, and institutional context, this research provides valuable insights into SHN enablers and barriers in the Dutch context.

The transition to renewable energy sources affects all sectors of society, including the industrial sector. Besides climate policy ambitions and other concerns regarding the social and environmental acceptability of energy provision, the transition to renewables may also improve the availability and affordability of energy services. The latter holds especially in some developing countries, where the development of energy infrastructure often lags behind the needs of industry. For many industries, the energy transition challenge entails the future substitution of high temperature, fossil-fired processes to lower temperature e.g., electrochemical conversion routes, which will make them much more than now depend on the reliable and affordable provision of electricity. However, in many developing economies, even the current provision of electricity is far from reliable. Transitioning to power generation from renewable energy (RE) sources can contribute to a more diversified, resilient, and environmentally-friendly power generation mix.
If the energy sector in developing economies does not sufficiently invest in a robust generation mix for the future, industry itself may consider to take the lead. For individual companies, however, especially small and medium-sized enterprises (SME), the high upfront investment costs of infrastructure for harvesting and transporting renewable energy present a significant hurdle. Inspired by the literature on community energy systems (CES) and industrial symbiosis (IS), this thesis set out to investigate if, and under which conditions, industrial companies may be willing to join forces in industrial community energy systems (InCES) in order to secure their supply of electricity from renewable energy sources.