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Jagdeep Singh. Foto.

Jagdeep Singh

Researcher

Jagdeep Singh. Foto.

Unintended Environmental Consequences of Improvement Actions : A Qualitative Analysis of Systems' Structure and Behavior

Author

  • Rafael Laurenti
  • Jagdeep Singh
  • Rajib Sinha
  • Josepha Potting
  • Björn Frostell

Summary, in English

We qualitatively analysed how and why environmental improvement actions often lead to unintended environmental consequences. Different theories are integrated to delineate the underlying system structure causing this system behavior. Causal loop diagram technique is utilized to explore and visualize: how incremental improvements in material and energy efficiency can unintendedly cause consumption to increase; how this consumption rebound effect is linked to generation of waste and pollution; and how this can give rise to social and negative externalities, economic inequalities and other broad unintended consequences in our society. Consumption and incremental innovation are found to be the highest leverage points and reinforcing factors driving unintended environmental consequences in this complex system. The paper in addition explores two potential modes of behaviour dissimilar to those of unintended environmental consequences. These emerging modes of behaviour are product-service systems and environmental policy instruments. Their combination forms a prominent transition pathway from a production-consumption-dispose economy to a so-called circular economy.

Publishing year

2016-05-01

Language

English

Pages

381-399

Publication/Series

Systems Research and Behavioral Science

Volume

33

Issue

3

Document type

Journal article

Publisher

John Wiley & Sons Inc.

Topic

  • Environmental Management

Keywords

  • Causal loop diagram
  • Consumption rebound effect
  • Incremental innovation
  • Systems' structure and behavior
  • Unintended environmental consequences

Status

Published

ISBN/ISSN/Other

  • ISSN: 1092-7026