Research project CP/10 (Research action CP)
Context
The objective of sustainable development on a macro level (global, national, over the generations) has to be converted into objectives on the micro level (companies, products, consumers and their behaviour). Here, we are still at the beginning. This can be illustrated by the fact that hardly any sustainability indicators exist on a micro level for products.
For this project we do not want to start from today's situation to think of scenarios for future sustainable development, but we wish to gain an insight (positive and negative factors and indicators) into the process of (un)sustainable development during the past centuries.
We will research 4 basic needs starting from the pre-industrial period until the year 2000, when production and consumption are clearly separated and when production is highly specialised.
Project description
Objectives
Gaining insight into the factors that influenced the process of sustainable development on a micro level for four basic needs, using a quantitative and qualitative analysis for the period 1800-2000, in order to better interpret and steer recent and future developments.
Methodology
1. The research objects we have selected are those basic needs we wish all persons on earth would have: food, the ability for mobility and accommodation. Because we will use the modern life cycle analysis (LCA) method to determine the environmental load (ISO 14040), we have to define the functional unit for each basic need as absolute as possible in order to allow comparisons between time and space. Therefore we choose the following: 1 litre drinking water, 1 bread, a human trip of 40 km over land, and 1 cubic metre of heated accommodation during 1 year;
2. We have selected a number of "key data" in the past: 1800, 1850, 1900, 1950, 1975 and 2000;
3. Based on historical research and actual available data we will make a quantitative and qualitative status description of the fulfilling of the four basic needs, for each selected date. The research will examine the environmental, social and economic aspects on the production side as well as the consumption side. We will integrate the most important influences that have lead, in the intervening period of 50 or 25 year, to changes in the status description. We focus on Belgian sources for data on production and consumption. If the tracing of these data does not fit in the project planning and we dispose of representative Western European data, we will use these data with a specific acknowledgement of sources.
The following aspects are quantitatively founded:
Environmental: integral environmental load (production, consumption, disposal) by means of LCA;
Economical: real costprice, consumption per person;
Social: distribution of the consumption over the community (degree of equality).
4. On macro level we will give a description of important data on environmental, social and economic level for the "key data". The following elements that come up quantitatively are the total amount of consumers, the average life expectancy, the GNP, the available accommodation, the infant mortality.
Qualitatively, aspects like the abolition of child labour, the rise of the unions, rights of employees, technological breakthroughs in the production system, causes of change in consumption patterns, consumer behaviour, marketing, educational level etc. are concerned.
Interaction between the different partners
- Inventory and start
Orientating study of the sources, consultation of the consumer committee, creating a collective working space via the Internet. This will be a common task for VUB and Vito;
- Study of the sources and Inventory of data
Research of relevant data regarding the status description of the production- and consumption side of the 4 basic needs, from 1800 until 2000. For the years until 1975 the main research for needed inventory data for LCA will be performed by VUB, for the year 2000 this will be performed by Vito.
Vito will help VUB focussing the search for relevant data;
- Execution of additional environmental analyses
If necessary and possible Vito will perform additional environmental analysis (like emissions);
- Development and interpretation of results
This will be a common task;
- Valorisation
Common task (VUB will focus on education, Vito will focus on the actors: policy makers, producers).
Expected results and/or products
We expect to gain insight in the combinations of factors that influenced the process of sustainable development in the past in a positive and negative way. Among other things, the course of the improvement process will not be identical for each of the selected basic needs and it is of great importance to identify the causes of these differences. On the basis of the eco-efficiency improvement of the functional unit together with the increase of the consumption we can give a quantitative indication of the (un)sustainability, regarding the environmental performance, of certain periods in the past and we can indicate the dominant factors.
We also expect to make suggestions for relevant economic and social indicators for sustainable products (i.e. on micro level).
Partners
Activities
Vito
The Product and Technology Studies project group evaluates energy and raw material consumption and the environmental impact of products and processes by applying life-cycle analyses, substance flow analyses, ecodesign and cleaner production. The project group develops and tests these decision-supporting instruments for use in industry and in governmental authorities. The project group also researches the relation technology-society.
More info : http://www.vito.be/milieu/milieustudies.htm
VUB
The History Department, contemporary period, is researching all domains of contemporary history. Specific themes that relate to this OSTC project include: standard of living, material culture, prices, wages and buying power, consumption (food, living, comfort), labour, economic development (growth, employment, product cost), working hours.
More info: http://www.vub.ac.be/SGES/
Coordinates/Details
Promotors
Theo Geerken
Vito
Projectgroup Product and Technologystudies - Gebouw ENE
Boeretang 200, B-2400 Mol
Tel: +32 (0)14 33 59 47; Fax: +32 (0)14 32 11 86
theo.geerken@vito.be
Peter Scholliers
Vrije Universiteit Brussel
History Department - Room 5 B 421
Pleinlaan 2, B-1050 Brussels
Tel: +32 (0)2 629 26 70; Fax: +32 (0)2 629 23 74
pscholli@vub.ac.be
Users Committee
- Hans D'Hondt - FOD Economie, KMO, Middenstand en Energie - Statistiek en Economische Informatie - Brussel
- Anton Schuurman - Wageningen Universiteit - Departement Sociale Wetenschappen - Leerstoelgroep Agrarische Geschiedenis - Wageningen (NL)
- Erik Thoen - Universiteit Gent (UGent) - Vakgroep Middeleeuwse Geschiedenis - Gent
- Wim Van Craenenbroeck - Antwerpse Waterwerken nv - Antwerpen
- Dirk Van de Vijver - Katholieke Universiteit Leuven (KULeuven) - Deptartement Architectuur, Stedenbouw en Ruimtelijke ordening - Arenberg
- Liesbet Van Nieuwenhuyse - Universiteit Gent (UGent) - Vakgroep Middeleeuwse Geschiedenis - Gent
- Eric Vanhaute - Universiteit Gent (UGent) - Vakgroep Nieuwste Geschiedenis - Gent
- Anne-France Woestyn - SPF Santé publique, Sécurité de la Chaîne alimentaire et Environnement - Services fédéraux pour les Affaires environnementales - Service politique des produits - Bruxelles
Sustainability developments of product systems, 1800-2000 : final report
Geerken, T.H. - Scholliers, P. - De Vooght, D. ... et al Brussels : Belgian Science Policy, 2006 (SP1619)
[To download]
Sustainability developments of product systems, 1800-2000 : annexes
Brussels : Belgian Science Policy, 2006 (SP1623)
[To download]
[To order]
