E-waste – moving beyond good and evil

Öko-Institut report shows possibilities for sustainable e-waste recycling in Ghana

E-waste contains many valuable metals such as gold, silver, palladium, aluminium, steel and cooper. Recovery of aluminium, steel and copper from e-waste is an important livelihood strategy for many poor people in West Africa. However, e-waste also contains many hazardous substances such as lead, cadmium, brominated flame retardants and PVC. Due to a lack of recycling and waste management infrastructure, e-waste is not treated appropriately in West Africa, thereby causing huge damage to the environment, and the health of the workers and local communities. The results of a project on e-waste recycling in Ghana, carried out by Öko-Institut on behalf of the Inspectorate of the Dutch Ministry of Housing, Spatial Planning and the Environment (VROM-Inspectorate) and the Dutch Recycling Association (NVMP), show how e-waste can be recycled and managed in an environmentally-friendly way and how to comply with social standards at the same time.

05.08.2010

Climate Protection with Bioenergy? Yes, but…

Öko-Institut develops calculation method for comprehensive greenhouse gas emission balance of bioenergy

In the context of the EU Commission’s consultation on climate effects of indirect land use changes associated with biofuels which started this week, Öko-Institut publishes a proposal for a comprehensive methodology to calculate the greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions of bioenergy. “Our research confirms other studies’ results that GHG emissions from indirect land use change associated with biofuels can be quite high, but we also show that there are climate-friendly biofuel options“ explains Uwe R. Fritsche from Öko-Institut’s Darmstadt office, and principal author of the paper.

05.11.2009

A fundamental change to a 'green' model for industry and the economy is urgently needed

Öko-Institut: Annual International Conference on Sustainable Industrial Policy for Europe begins today / An appeal to Brussels

The global economic crisis, the threat of climate change and dwindling natural resources are posing new challenges to European industrial policy. A paradigm shift to a 'green' economy is urgently needed. In fact, there is no alternative. One aspect of such a shift is the conversion of industrial policy into the motor of sustainable production and consumption. This is the assessment put forth today by the Öko-Institut, one of Europe's leading environmental research institutes, at its annual conference in Brussels. The theme of this year's international conference is Sustainable Industrial Policy for Europe.

22.09.2009

Green Transformation towards a Sustainable Industrial Policy for Europe

The Öko-Institut extends a welcome to its Annual International Conference on 5 November 2009 in Brussels / Opening speech to be held by Günter Verheugen - Vice-President of the EU Commission in charge of Enterprise and Industry

The global financial and economic crisis combined with the enormous challenges of impending climate change, the dwindling of natural resources and the loss of biological diversity call for fundamental alterations in global economic management. Past policies have no future. This is why a new direction in European industrial policy is needed, a 'third industrial revolution' as it were, with a spotlight on the opportunities at hand in this double crisis.

25.07.2008

PCF Pilot Project Germany presents three new corporate partners from the wholesale, retail and chemicals sectors

DSM, REWE Group and the Tengelmann Group join dm-drogerie markt, FRoSTA, Henkel, Tchibo, Tetra Pak, and T-Home in a Pilot Project to measure the Product Carbon Footprint (PCF) of selected products and services.

Participating firms brought together for PCF Pilot Project Germany by consortium of WWF, the Öko-Institut, the Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research and THEMA1.

In the first project of its kind in Germany, nine businesses are coming together to measure the emissions of CO2 and other greenhouse gases related to selected products and services – the Product Carbon Footprint, or PCF. Overseen by WWF, the Öko-Institut (Institute for Applied Ecology), the Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research, and THEMA1, the Project will also work towards an international standard methodology for PCF measurement. Furthermore the Project will explore the possibility of communicating PCF to customers and end users, taking into account recent developments in other markets. Discussions are currently underway with stakeholders and existing international initiatives about the methodology and communication requirements developed by the Project's working groups. The Project will then present its preliminary statements on methodology and communication towards the end of 2008. On the basis of these initial results, the partners and participating firms will consider the continuation and expansion of the Project to include other interested companies.

31.01.2006

Quality Criteria for Transdisciplinary Research

A Guide for the Formative Evaluation of Research Projects is now electronically available in English and German

The Evaluation Network for Transdisciplinary Research has spent several years working on the question of how the quality of transdisciplinary research processes can be secured and evaluated. As the central result, the “Guide for the Formative Evaluation of Research Projects” was published in the German language at the end of 2005. The Guide is now also electronically available in English.