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Models, Potentials and Long-Term Scenarios for Resource Efficiency (SimRess)

Project
Duration: Sep 2013 - Jun 2018

The SimRess project analyzes the potential effectiveness of policy measures and mixes in the field of resource policy. Considering a time horizon through 2050, the project interprets model simulation results from both a system dynamics model and an econometric model. The modeling process informs policy recommendations, and might, therefore, contribute to further developing the national resource efficiency program ProgRess [pdf, 2,5MB, English].

The models may explore topics such as: domestic and abroad resource use, GDP, or job creation. The models integrate national, European, and global trends and projections, in addition to context scenarios from the project PolRess.
SimRess builds off of two established models – the system-dynamics model – WORLD by Lund University and the econometrics model – GINFORS, by GWS mbH. These proven models set national resource use in a global context. Another aim of the SimRess project is to enhance the models to compare outputs up until 2030, and to identify ways to exchange information between the two models. Quantitative analysis follows from the modeling results.

On the SimRess project, Ecologic Institute is responsible for conducting trend analyses and identifying relevant resource policy measures. As project coordinators, the Institute also organizes the final conference.

Project results:

Potentiale und Kernergebnisse der Simulationen von Ressourcenschonung(spolitik)

Endbericht des Projekts Sim-Ress

Year 2018

Publication:Report

Systems analysis could be an essential approach to shape resource efficiency policy in a sustainable long term perspective. In the SimRess project, we tested systems thinking to develop a system dynamic resource use simulation model and ii) to investigate policy mixes for resource conservation. The report, which is available for download, documents and summarizes the various results of the workshops and the systems analysis. The study was carried out by the SimRess project partners, with Martin Hirschnitz-Garbers from Ecologic Institute as lead-author.

System Analysis for Environmental Policy

System thinking through system dynamic modelling and policy mixing as used in the SimRess project

Year 2018

Publication:Brochure

The national and international political agenda shows that resource conservation is a central task for environmental policy: In Germany, Europe and globally, there are political programmes and strategies aimed at fostering sustainable resource use. In five theses, this brochure from the SimRess project shows that an integrative and systemically designed resource policy contributes to achieving the goals of resource protection and climate protection. The study was carried out by Ecologic Institute with Martin Hirschnitz-Garbers and Susanne Langsdorf as co-authors. The brochure is available for download.

Ressourcenschonung als Zukunftsaufgabe

Ansatzpunkte für eine systemische Ressourcenpolitik

Year 2018

Publication:Article

Addressing climate change and natural resource depletion has been key to the international and national sustainability agenda for almost 30 years. Despite existing efforts, global CO2 emissions and raw material use levels continue to grow. This seems to suggest the need for more systemic approaches in environmental policy. The authors, among them Ecologic Institute's Dr. Martin Hirschnitz-Garbers, call upon policy makers to integrate rebound mitigation strategies and move beyond exclusively improving efficiency to tackling structural and behavioural changes. The article is available for download.

Contemporary Resource Policy and Decoupling Trends

Lessons Learnt from Integrated Model-Based Assessments

Year 2018

Presentation:Speech

The World Resources Forum 2017 entitled "Accelerating the Resource Revolution" was held in Geneva from 24 to 25 October 2017. Ecologic Institute's Dr. Martin Hirschnitz-Garbers reflected on the conception and evaluation of policy mixes for resource conservation based on the experiences of the SimRess project. The presentation slides are available for download.

Policy Mixing for Sustainable Resource Use

24 October 2017
Dr. Martin Hirschnitz-Garbers

Publication:Conference Paper

Simulation models play an important role for assessing the potential effects of policy instrument. This publication documents the presentations and discussions held during the two-day expert workshop "Simulation of resource use and resource policy", which discussed the reasons and conditions under which different simulation models yield similar or different results. The reader is available for download.

Sicherung der Konsistenz und Harmonisierung von Annahmen bei der kombinierten Modellierung von Ressourceninanspruchnahme und Treibhausgasemissionen

Year 2017

Event:Conference

Ecologic Institute supported the German Environment Agency in hosting the Conference "Decarbonization and Resource Efficiency – 100% Renewable Energy and more," which took place on 8 November 2016 at the "Ludwig Erhard Haus" in Berlin. The conference highlighted synergies and ways to minimize trade-offs between decarbonization and dematerialization policies.

Decarbonisation and Resource Efficiency – 100% Renewable Energy and more

8 November 2016
Berlin, Germany

Publication:Flyer

Ecologic Institute coordinated the organisation of the Decarbonisation conference 2016 "Decarbonisation and Resource Efficiency – 100% Renewable Energy and more". A programme flyer were developed and designed to provide relevant content on conference context, agenda, and the venue in a concerted way to participants. The design of the brochures and the color scheme were based on the visual style of UBA. Print-outs of the flyer will be done on recycled paper.

Decarbonisation and Resource Efficiency – 100% Renewable Energy and more

Conference Flyer

Year 2016

Publication:Flyer

As part of the project "Models, Potentials and Long-Term Scenarios for Resource Efficiency" (SimRess), Ecologic Institute developed a promotional flyer based on visual style and template of the Federal Environment Agency. Flyer contains relevant general information about the project – its theme, focus, aims, activities, list of partners and contact information, as well as a simple graph built also by Ecologic Institute.

Models, Potential and Long-term Scenarios for Resource Efficiency – Flyer

SimRess Project Flyer

Year 2014

Funding: German Environment Agency (UBA), Germany
Partner: Ecologic Institute, Germany

Gesellschaft für Wirtschaftliche Strukturforschung (GWS), Germany

Lund University (LU), Sweden

Parmenides Foundation, European School of Governance (EUSG), Germany
Team: Dr. Martin Hirschnitz-Garbers

Susanne Langsdorf

Christian Hudson

Stefanie Albrecht

Sebastian Ossio

Anne Lambert

Robert Ostwald
Duration: Sep 2013 - Jun 2018
Project ID: 2518
Keywords: Digitalization

Resource Conservation + Circular Economy

resource policy, resource efficiency, modelling, policy measures, trends

Europe, Germany

Further Links

PublicationArticleContemporary Resource Policy and Decoupling Trends

Meyer, M.; Hirschnitz-Garbers, M.; Distelkamp, M. (2018). Contemporary Resource Policy and Decoupling Trends – Lessons Learnt from Integrated Model-Based Assessments. Sustainability 2018, 10(6), 1858; doi:10.3390/su10061858

PublicationBrochureRessourcenschonung als Zukunftsaufgabe

Hirschnitz-Garbers, Martin, Susanne Langsdorf, Ullrich Lorenz 2018: Ressourcenschonung als Zukunftsaufgabe – Ansatzpunkte für eine systemische Ressourcenpolitik. Umweltbundesamt: Dessau-Roßlau.

PublicationReportPotentiale und Kernergebnisse der Simulationen von Ressourcenschonung(spolitik)

| UBA TEXTE 48/2018

Martin Hirschnitz-Garbers et. al. 2018: Potentiale und Kernergebnisse der Simulationen von Ressourcenschonung(spolitik). Endbericht des Projekts "Modelle, Potentiale und Langfristszenarien für Ressourceneffizienz" (Sim-Ress). UBA Texte 48/2018. Umweltbundesamt: Dessau-Roßlau.

PublicationReportSystem Analysis for Environmental Policy

| UBA TEXTE 49/2018

Hirschnitz-Garbers, Martin et. al. 2018: System analysis for environmental policy – System thinking through system dynamic modelling and policy mixing as used in the SimRess project. Models, potential and long-term scenarios for resource efficiency (SimRess) – Report 1. UBA Texte 49/2018. Umweltbundesamt: Dessau-Roßlau.

PublicationFlyerModels, Potential and Long-term Scenarios for Resource Efficiency – Flyer

Ecologic Institute (2014): Models, Potential and Long-term Scenarios for Resource Efficiency – SimRess. Flyer.

PublicationFlyerDecarbonisation and Resource Efficiency – 100% Renewable Energy and more

Ecologic Institute (2016). Decarbonisation conference 2016 "Decarbonisation and Resource Efficiency – 100% Renewable Energy and more". Flyer.

PublicationConference PaperSicherung der Konsistenz und Harmonisierung von Annahmen bei der kombinierten Modellierung von Ressourceninanspruchnahme und Treibhausgasemissionen

UBA Dokumentationen 04/2017

Simulation models play an important role for assessing the potential effects of policy instruments. A recent publication documents the presentations and discussions held during the two-day expert workshop entitled "Simulation of resource use and resource policy" on 7... Read more

Biemann, Kirsten et al. (2017). Sicherung der Konsistenz und Harmonisierung von Annahmen bei der kombinierten Modellierung von Ressourceninanspruchnahme und Treibhausgasemissionen. Reader zum Erfahrungsaustausch im Rahmen des SimRess-Modellierer-Workshops am 7./8. April 2016 in Berlin – Simulation Ressourceninanspruchnahme und Ressourceneffizienzpolitik. Dokumentationen | 04/2017. UBA, Dessau-Roßlau.