4a. Climate change: Effective response for energy, water and land use

Who we are

João Joanaz de Melo,

Center for Environmental and Sustainability Research (CENSE), School of Science and Technology, NOVA University Lisbon, Portugal. jjm@fct.unl.pt

Andreas Andersson

Department of Ecotechnology and Sustainable Building Engineering, Mid Sweden University, Sweden. Andreas.Andersson@miun.se

Next Conference Track

Goals and Objectives

Present decarbonization commitments under the Paris Agreement are not enough to comply with set goals — let alone their implementation. We need to create a sense of urgency.

In track 4a of ISDRS 2025 we wish to discuss effective climate action, particularly related to the energy-water-land nexus.

What works? What are the best science-driven practices? How can climate action be compatible with other environmental values? How can we foster long-term change? Who are the key target-groups we, as a scientific community, must engage and help to action?

Contributions from the following areas are welcome:

  • Strategies to cope with the energy-climate-water-land nexus, with an emphasis on integrated solutions for complex problems;
  • Advances in the mapping of the carbon cycle;
  • Strategies to promote energy savings and energy efficiency;
  • Nature-based strategies for carbon capture and storage, e.g. changing land use, restoring natural habitats;
  • Prediction of mutual impacts of climate change, energy systems and ecosystems, from resource supply to energy services demand, including impacts of renewable (but not necessarily sustainable) energy sources;
  • Integrated methods and tools, e.g. integrated assessment modelling, indigenous knowledge, risk assessment; 
  • Communication of impacts of climate change, but also success stories of multi-stakeholder climate action.

Length and content of the proposed abstract to the track


Each proposed abstract (in connection to an area pointed out above) of between 300 and 500 words (including all aspects),

  1. shall be best organized (without headlines) along usual structures (e.g. intro/method/findings or results/ discussion/conclusions)
  2. does not need to, but can include references
  3. shall provide in a final section
  • a. to which SDG(s) and SDG-target(s) their proposed abstract especially relate to (e.g. “SDG+Target: 14.1.”).
  • b. a brief indication how the proposed contribution relates to the topic of the Conference “Sustainability and Beyond“

Abstracts which do not outline points 3.a.) AND 3.b.) might be considered less relevant in the Review.

Past conferences

Nanjing, China 2019

Chair: João Joanaz de Melo


The discussion in this session focused on three main topics:

An example was shown on the challenges of complying simultaneously with ambitious development targets and ambitious environmental targets, using as case study the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region. Although the region showed improvements on both counts, not all targets were met. It is clear that the decoupling of economic growth and pollution does not depend on technology and regulations alone; it entails a discussion of actual practices, compatibility of development goals, and definition of sustainability.

Life cycle assessment is an essential tool to better measure improvements in climate responses and other sustainability issues, because a large part of the impacts is upstream or downstream in the life cycle. A case study was presented for ecological footprint calculation of the Budapest Metropolitan Region. Urban impact goes well beyond the area of the city; there is a significant overshoot in urban areas, underlying the need to consider overall resource use.

A strategy for a sustainable decarbonization of the energy sector was discussed with the case study of Portugal. The main conclusions were: (i) decarbonization must be integrated in an overall sustainability strategy, (ii) the top priority for energy policy measures must be energy efficiency, because it is the most cost-effective and environmentally best way to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, and (iii) besides regulations, it is imperative to develop environment-directed market instruments and energy literacy.

Messina, Italy, 2018

Chairs: João Joanaz de Melo & Benedetto Rugani

  • Monitoring results of climate change at local level are mostly in line with the trends predicted at global and continental level. However local analysis is important because there are specific aspects that can only be understood and answered at the local level.
  • Poor populations are most vulnerable to environmental crisis, including climate change. This vulnerability increases in contexts with high level of corruption, because it severely curtails development opportunities and resource management good practice.
  • LCA is an essential tool for effective response to climate change and other sustainability challenges. Indicators should be carefully selected both to cover most relevant environmental aspects and to avoid redundant information.

READ MORE HERE


2017 Bogotá Conference Track 2c3a: Resource exhaustion and Climate change, predicting impacts

Even with technological advances, there will be no effective decoupling if people are not willing to want less, particularly in the richer countries. There has been insufficient research into this issue. Using the words of Pope Francis (Encyclic “Laudato Sí - on care for our common home), our biggest enemies are greed, wastefulness and selfishness (read more)

Knowledge Resources

Recommended Sources:

a) The most recent assessment reports are available at the IPCC website.

b) Look at the UN Sustainable Development Solutions Network on Deep Decarbonization Pathways

Routledge & Earthscans' Sustainability Hub

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