Suchergebnisse

The thesis is an investigation of how global processes intersect with local contexts to shape the outcomes of biofuels for different social groups within Guatemala. Its theoretical stance is drawn from political ecology, which argues that phenomena such as the development of biofuels cannot be understood in isolation from the political economic contexts within which they are embedded. The analysis begins with a description of the European Union's evolving biofuels policy framework. It then turns to an examination of the outcomes in Guatemala, a country that has taken advantage of the opening up of global and specifically European markets for biofuels. The EU is by design one of the few markets to address the sustainability impacts of biofuels and the thesis examines the question of whether its objectives are being met. Since 2006, the production of biofuels, specifically sugarcane ethanol, in Guatemala has increased from almost nil to more than 94 million litres per year in 2011-12. Virtually all of this production was destined for the EU market, which has been an important driver of this growth. This makes Guatemala an excellent case study for examining not only the impacts of increased global demand for biofuels, but also whether sustainability governance, as developed by the EU, adequately captures those issues that are salient to producer country contexts. The main empirical basis of the research is a series of more than seventy interviews, field visits and personal observations drawn from eight months field work in Guatemala. Interviewees ranged from the ex-Minister for Energy to peasant farmers. There are also interviews with EU officials. The thesis argues that given Guatemala's history of civil conflict, weak governance and unequal land tenure the likelihood of developing an equitable and sustainable biofuels sector as envisioned and understood by European policy actors – one which would deliver rural development and environmental benefits – appears limited.

This paper presents the findings of an early evaluation of the UK Department of Energy and Climate Change's 2050 Calculator International Outreach Programme. The programme supported eleven countries to develop their own versions of the 2050 Calculator. Drawing on interviews with stakeholders who were involved directly and indirectly in the development of the 2050 Calculators, this paper evaluates the process of developing these tools in different national contexts and discusses the lessons learnt so far. The findings discussed include the original motivations for involvement and how these evolved through the project, and the process of stakeholder engagement. The latter was expected to be a key benefit of the Calculator, and one which would open up debate about long term energy futures. While the teams developing the Calculators faced challenges, including data availability, political buy-in, and defining scenario trajectories, a flexible approach enabled countries to develop Calculators that were tailored to their national objectives and political environments. Overall, the 2050 Calculators have led to a wide range of benefits and there is ongoing commitment to develop new iterations and applications to use these Calculators to support planning of, and debate on, future energy and emissions trajectories.