Janis Brizga - Academia.edu (original) (raw)

Papers by Janis Brizga

Current unsustainable consumption patterns are one of the main sustainable de-velopment challenge... more Current unsustainable consumption patterns are one of the main sustainable de-velopment challenges, which have been recognised by many researchers, and are part of global, regional and national policies. Household consumption volumes and pressures on the environment in Latvia, although in most cases below EU av-erage, have negative trends and tend to increase. The aim of this research was to investigate consumption trends in Latvia, the main driving forces behind house-hold consumption (sustainable and unsustainable) patterns, to identify the main stakeholders and their roles and propose policy instruments and recommendations for sustainable consumption development in Latvia. The research methodology was based on desk research of statistical data and three different co-creation fo-cus group interviews with representatives from NGOs and scientific communities working on sustainable consumption issues. The results show that the main driving forces depend on the individual’s internal factors such as personal values, knowledge, personal income as well as external factors: infrastructure, availability of information, prices and legislation. The main stakeholders responsible for sus-tainable consumption development are public (government) bodies, commercial enterprises, NGOs and households. The paper concludes by outlining the main preconditions for sustainable development in Latvia.

There are a small number of countries that have managed to decrease emissions over the last two d... more There are a small number of countries that have managed to decrease emissions over the last two decades - most of them emerged from the former Soviet Union (FSU). CO2 emissions for these countries combined have decreased by 35% between 1990 and 2010, while global emissions increased by 44%. Most studies investigate the FSU as a single block ignoring the significant and persistent diversity among countries in the region. This study is the first providing detailed country by country analyses determining factors for changes in post-Soviet republics by applying a disaggregated version of the commonly used (IPAT) index decomposition analysis including energy intensity, affluence industrialization, energy mix, carbon intensity and population. These factors play different roles during different stages of economic development: during economic growth affluence increases emissions being only partly compensated by decreasing energy intensity; whereas during economic recession emission decrease is mainly driven by decreasing affluence and a declining share of fossil fuels. However, there are large and persistent variations in affluence, industrialization, energy intensity and population change among the analyzed countries. These differences should be taken into account when studying energy consumption and carbon emissions in the FSU.

and sharing with colleagues.

Krājumā iekļauti zinātniskie raksti, kuri atspoguļo mūsdienu tehnogēnās vides drošības problēmas ... more Krājumā iekļauti zinātniskie raksti, kuri atspoguļo mūsdienu tehnogēnās vides drošības problēmas jaunās ekonomiskās un globālās attīstības kontekstā. Krājumā iekļauti Latvijas un citu valstu zinātnieku, augstskolu mācībspēku, doktorantu un maģistru pētījumu rezultāti.

This paper presents results from empirical decomposition analyses of Latvia's national Ecological... more This paper presents results from empirical decomposition analyses of Latvia's national Ecological Footprint in the housing, transport and food consumption sectors. It draws attention to growth, structural and intensity effects causing changes in the ecological footprint and presents the strategies to be employed by policy makers to overcome these effects.

Ekonomikas un vadības fakultāte Vides pārvaldības katedra Raiņa bulv. 19, Rīga, LV-1050 Biedrība ... more Ekonomikas un vadības fakultāte Vides pārvaldības katedra Raiņa bulv. 19, Rīga, LV-1050 Biedrība "Zaļā brīvība" Meža iela 4, Rīga, LV-1048 E-pasts: janis@zb-zeme.lv Šā raksta mērķis ir pētīt Latvijā izmantotos ilgtspējīga patēriņa un ražošanas (turpmāk -IPR) rīcībpolitikas instrumentus un to lomu IPR politikā. Rakstā analizētas IPR pieejas, principi un instrumenti, novērtēta IPR rīcībpolitikas instrumentu pašreizējā piemērošana četros ekonomikas aprites cikla posmos: investīcijās, ražošanā, izplatīšanā un patēriņā. Pētījumā secināts: ekonomikas aprites cikla modeli var izmantot IPR rīcībpolitikas instrumentu analīzē; IPR pārvaldībā Latvijā tiek pielietota integrēta vājā pieeja, tādējādi lielāko uzmanību pievēršot ekoefektivitātei, bet nepietiekami ierobežojot atsitiena efektu un neveicinot dzīves cikla pieeju un ilgtspējīgu dzīvesveidu. IPR pārvaldības jomā ir nepieciešami detalizētāki pētījumi par stiprās un vājās IPR pieejas analīzi, kā arī atsevišķu instrumentu efektivitātes pētījumi pārtikas, transporta un mājokļa jomā. Atslēgvārdi: ilgtspējīgas investīcijas, izplatīšana, ražošana un patēriņš, mērķgrupas, rīcībpolitikas instrumenti un principi. Ievads Diskusija par resursu apsaimniekošanu un patēriņa paradumu maiņu pasaulē nav nekas jauns. Jau 18. un 19. gadsimtā zinātnieki (William Stanley Jevons, Thomas Malthus, John Stuart Mill, Frederick Soddy) aizsāka diskusijas par resursu efektīvu izmantošanu un cilvēku pārlieku lielo patēriņu, kā arī par nesaskaņām patēriņa apjomos starp bagātajiem un nabagajiem. Taču būtiskākās izmaiņas diskusijā par ilgtspējīgu

To define obstacles and provide recommendations for local sustainable development (SD), the autho... more To define obstacles and provide recommendations for local sustainable development (SD), the authors performed case study research in two municipalities of Dundega and Kolka located in the North Kurzeme region of Latvia, on coast of the Baltic Sea. Research focused on assessing state of art for selected SD principles: integration and collaboration that are seen as important drivers for local sustainability. The case territory is unique: it possesses high environmental potential (diverse natural resources, historical and cultural values). Though economic prospects for many years were favourable, weak social capital characterized by lack of mutual trust, cooperation and creativity jeopardized development. Research found that for successful development of the North Kurzeme region the following indispensable preconditions shall be established: Conflict management mechanisms between nature protection and local development interests; Involvement and collaboration of stakeholders; Adopted national policy what defines value and vision for whole coastal area and specifies territorial management goals; Governance levels, policies and secors horizontal and vertical integration.

Current sustainable development and sustainable consumption and production (SCP) indicators does ... more Current sustainable development and sustainable consumption and production (SCP) indicators does not cover all the aspects SCP. There is an obvious and significant gap in SCP indicator research which is already recognised by the EU Commission and other institutions. This paper argues for ecological footprint (EF), which is becoming popular indicators of sustainable development, to become widely adopted as a key indicator of sustainable consumption and production. It is suggested that EF, as an aggregate indicator, provides a unique, global perspective on sustainability that is absent with the use of traditional sustainable development and SCP indicators. EF is also screened through prism of strong SCP principles and policy objectives. The debate, advances and implications of EF are investigated and comparison to the specific SCP aspects provided. Areas for further research in applying EF to SCP are outlined.

This article looks at the policy documents and instruments applied by Government of Latvia to ove... more This article looks at the policy documents and instruments applied by Government of Latvia to overcome economic recession of 2008 from the Green Economy and systems thinking perspective. It concludes that policy is primarily focused on economic growth which will mean increasing environmental pressures and policy instruments applied not always stimulates social security and environmental integrity.

Current unsustainable consumption and production patterns are responsible for many environmental ... more Current unsustainable consumption and production patterns are responsible for many environmental problems. Studies analysing household environmental impacts, demonstrate that food and drink, private transport and housing is most important sectors to work with to minimize environmental impact of household consumption. However consumers are not making these priorities and generally are not ready to change their behaviour in order to minimize their environmental impacts. Environmental communication with households significantly differs from other target groups. Household behaviour is determined not only by information, but also by social aspects. To change household behaviour it is important to provide consistent, practical and detailed information, ensure necessity of social support (family, work etc) and enhanced selfesteem. However it is important to provide necessary infrastructure and resources to ensure behavioural change.

a Green Liberty, Me za iela 4, Riga, Latvia b Mama-86, Ukraine a b s t r a c t Unsustainable cons... more a Green Liberty, Me za iela 4, Riga, Latvia b Mama-86, Ukraine a b s t r a c t Unsustainable consumption and production patterns have brought human civilization to the brink of a global disaster. Alteration of these patterns to minimize adverse environmental impacts has become the key question of survival, a question relevant for every country and citizen.

Scientific Journal of Riga Technical University. Environmental and Climate Technologies, 2009

ABSTRACT People more and more recognize climate change as one of the main environmental problems ... more ABSTRACT People more and more recognize climate change as one of the main environmental problems and the term `carbon footprint' (CF) has become popular and is now in widespread use. In this paper, the CF concept has been applied to analyse average per capita household Greenhouse Gas (GHG) emissions in Latvia. We explore household CF in housing (heating and electricity consumption), transport, food and goods and service sectors, which are the main household environmental pressure areas. This paper provides an understanding of both direct and indirect (embodied) GHG emissions. Results from the study suggest that the average Latvian exceeds its global fair share of GHG emissions - the average per capita GHG in 2006 was 4.35 t CO2e. The highest household emissions arise from housing (37%), mobility (26%) and food consumption (25%), goods and services together account only for 12% of total household GHG emissions. This study, however, does not cover capital investments in infrastructure (roads, public buildings etc.) which could increase total emission by almost a ton. The study emphasizes that attention must be paid to the lifestyles, infrastructure and institutions that result in considerable amounts of carbon being locked up in the household activities through which people meet their everyday needs. The findings also indicate that policies should be targeted at the segments in society responsible for the highest carbon footprints, ie. housing, food and mobility.

Current unsustainable consumption patterns are one of the main sustainable de-velopment challenge... more Current unsustainable consumption patterns are one of the main sustainable de-velopment challenges, which have been recognised by many researchers, and are part of global, regional and national policies. Household consumption volumes and pressures on the environment in Latvia, although in most cases below EU av-erage, have negative trends and tend to increase. The aim of this research was to investigate consumption trends in Latvia, the main driving forces behind house-hold consumption (sustainable and unsustainable) patterns, to identify the main stakeholders and their roles and propose policy instruments and recommendations for sustainable consumption development in Latvia. The research methodology was based on desk research of statistical data and three different co-creation fo-cus group interviews with representatives from NGOs and scientific communities working on sustainable consumption issues. The results show that the main driving forces depend on the individual’s internal factors such as personal values, knowledge, personal income as well as external factors: infrastructure, availability of information, prices and legislation. The main stakeholders responsible for sus-tainable consumption development are public (government) bodies, commercial enterprises, NGOs and households. The paper concludes by outlining the main preconditions for sustainable development in Latvia.

There are a small number of countries that have managed to decrease emissions over the last two d... more There are a small number of countries that have managed to decrease emissions over the last two decades - most of them emerged from the former Soviet Union (FSU). CO2 emissions for these countries combined have decreased by 35% between 1990 and 2010, while global emissions increased by 44%. Most studies investigate the FSU as a single block ignoring the significant and persistent diversity among countries in the region. This study is the first providing detailed country by country analyses determining factors for changes in post-Soviet republics by applying a disaggregated version of the commonly used (IPAT) index decomposition analysis including energy intensity, affluence industrialization, energy mix, carbon intensity and population. These factors play different roles during different stages of economic development: during economic growth affluence increases emissions being only partly compensated by decreasing energy intensity; whereas during economic recession emission decrease is mainly driven by decreasing affluence and a declining share of fossil fuels. However, there are large and persistent variations in affluence, industrialization, energy intensity and population change among the analyzed countries. These differences should be taken into account when studying energy consumption and carbon emissions in the FSU.

and sharing with colleagues.

Krājumā iekļauti zinātniskie raksti, kuri atspoguļo mūsdienu tehnogēnās vides drošības problēmas ... more Krājumā iekļauti zinātniskie raksti, kuri atspoguļo mūsdienu tehnogēnās vides drošības problēmas jaunās ekonomiskās un globālās attīstības kontekstā. Krājumā iekļauti Latvijas un citu valstu zinātnieku, augstskolu mācībspēku, doktorantu un maģistru pētījumu rezultāti.

This paper presents results from empirical decomposition analyses of Latvia's national Ecological... more This paper presents results from empirical decomposition analyses of Latvia's national Ecological Footprint in the housing, transport and food consumption sectors. It draws attention to growth, structural and intensity effects causing changes in the ecological footprint and presents the strategies to be employed by policy makers to overcome these effects.

Ekonomikas un vadības fakultāte Vides pārvaldības katedra Raiņa bulv. 19, Rīga, LV-1050 Biedrība ... more Ekonomikas un vadības fakultāte Vides pārvaldības katedra Raiņa bulv. 19, Rīga, LV-1050 Biedrība "Zaļā brīvība" Meža iela 4, Rīga, LV-1048 E-pasts: janis@zb-zeme.lv Šā raksta mērķis ir pētīt Latvijā izmantotos ilgtspējīga patēriņa un ražošanas (turpmāk -IPR) rīcībpolitikas instrumentus un to lomu IPR politikā. Rakstā analizētas IPR pieejas, principi un instrumenti, novērtēta IPR rīcībpolitikas instrumentu pašreizējā piemērošana četros ekonomikas aprites cikla posmos: investīcijās, ražošanā, izplatīšanā un patēriņā. Pētījumā secināts: ekonomikas aprites cikla modeli var izmantot IPR rīcībpolitikas instrumentu analīzē; IPR pārvaldībā Latvijā tiek pielietota integrēta vājā pieeja, tādējādi lielāko uzmanību pievēršot ekoefektivitātei, bet nepietiekami ierobežojot atsitiena efektu un neveicinot dzīves cikla pieeju un ilgtspējīgu dzīvesveidu. IPR pārvaldības jomā ir nepieciešami detalizētāki pētījumi par stiprās un vājās IPR pieejas analīzi, kā arī atsevišķu instrumentu efektivitātes pētījumi pārtikas, transporta un mājokļa jomā. Atslēgvārdi: ilgtspējīgas investīcijas, izplatīšana, ražošana un patēriņš, mērķgrupas, rīcībpolitikas instrumenti un principi. Ievads Diskusija par resursu apsaimniekošanu un patēriņa paradumu maiņu pasaulē nav nekas jauns. Jau 18. un 19. gadsimtā zinātnieki (William Stanley Jevons, Thomas Malthus, John Stuart Mill, Frederick Soddy) aizsāka diskusijas par resursu efektīvu izmantošanu un cilvēku pārlieku lielo patēriņu, kā arī par nesaskaņām patēriņa apjomos starp bagātajiem un nabagajiem. Taču būtiskākās izmaiņas diskusijā par ilgtspējīgu

To define obstacles and provide recommendations for local sustainable development (SD), the autho... more To define obstacles and provide recommendations for local sustainable development (SD), the authors performed case study research in two municipalities of Dundega and Kolka located in the North Kurzeme region of Latvia, on coast of the Baltic Sea. Research focused on assessing state of art for selected SD principles: integration and collaboration that are seen as important drivers for local sustainability. The case territory is unique: it possesses high environmental potential (diverse natural resources, historical and cultural values). Though economic prospects for many years were favourable, weak social capital characterized by lack of mutual trust, cooperation and creativity jeopardized development. Research found that for successful development of the North Kurzeme region the following indispensable preconditions shall be established: Conflict management mechanisms between nature protection and local development interests; Involvement and collaboration of stakeholders; Adopted national policy what defines value and vision for whole coastal area and specifies territorial management goals; Governance levels, policies and secors horizontal and vertical integration.

Current sustainable development and sustainable consumption and production (SCP) indicators does ... more Current sustainable development and sustainable consumption and production (SCP) indicators does not cover all the aspects SCP. There is an obvious and significant gap in SCP indicator research which is already recognised by the EU Commission and other institutions. This paper argues for ecological footprint (EF), which is becoming popular indicators of sustainable development, to become widely adopted as a key indicator of sustainable consumption and production. It is suggested that EF, as an aggregate indicator, provides a unique, global perspective on sustainability that is absent with the use of traditional sustainable development and SCP indicators. EF is also screened through prism of strong SCP principles and policy objectives. The debate, advances and implications of EF are investigated and comparison to the specific SCP aspects provided. Areas for further research in applying EF to SCP are outlined.

This article looks at the policy documents and instruments applied by Government of Latvia to ove... more This article looks at the policy documents and instruments applied by Government of Latvia to overcome economic recession of 2008 from the Green Economy and systems thinking perspective. It concludes that policy is primarily focused on economic growth which will mean increasing environmental pressures and policy instruments applied not always stimulates social security and environmental integrity.

Current unsustainable consumption and production patterns are responsible for many environmental ... more Current unsustainable consumption and production patterns are responsible for many environmental problems. Studies analysing household environmental impacts, demonstrate that food and drink, private transport and housing is most important sectors to work with to minimize environmental impact of household consumption. However consumers are not making these priorities and generally are not ready to change their behaviour in order to minimize their environmental impacts. Environmental communication with households significantly differs from other target groups. Household behaviour is determined not only by information, but also by social aspects. To change household behaviour it is important to provide consistent, practical and detailed information, ensure necessity of social support (family, work etc) and enhanced selfesteem. However it is important to provide necessary infrastructure and resources to ensure behavioural change.

a Green Liberty, Me za iela 4, Riga, Latvia b Mama-86, Ukraine a b s t r a c t Unsustainable cons... more a Green Liberty, Me za iela 4, Riga, Latvia b Mama-86, Ukraine a b s t r a c t Unsustainable consumption and production patterns have brought human civilization to the brink of a global disaster. Alteration of these patterns to minimize adverse environmental impacts has become the key question of survival, a question relevant for every country and citizen.

Scientific Journal of Riga Technical University. Environmental and Climate Technologies, 2009

ABSTRACT People more and more recognize climate change as one of the main environmental problems ... more ABSTRACT People more and more recognize climate change as one of the main environmental problems and the term `carbon footprint' (CF) has become popular and is now in widespread use. In this paper, the CF concept has been applied to analyse average per capita household Greenhouse Gas (GHG) emissions in Latvia. We explore household CF in housing (heating and electricity consumption), transport, food and goods and service sectors, which are the main household environmental pressure areas. This paper provides an understanding of both direct and indirect (embodied) GHG emissions. Results from the study suggest that the average Latvian exceeds its global fair share of GHG emissions - the average per capita GHG in 2006 was 4.35 t CO2e. The highest household emissions arise from housing (37%), mobility (26%) and food consumption (25%), goods and services together account only for 12% of total household GHG emissions. This study, however, does not cover capital investments in infrastructure (roads, public buildings etc.) which could increase total emission by almost a ton. The study emphasizes that attention must be paid to the lifestyles, infrastructure and institutions that result in considerable amounts of carbon being locked up in the household activities through which people meet their everyday needs. The findings also indicate that policies should be targeted at the segments in society responsible for the highest carbon footprints, ie. housing, food and mobility.