European discussion and policy for protecting the climate in the Post-Kyoto period is in transition. In January 2008, the European Commission launched the Climate Change and Energy Package which introduces stricter emission targets, the minimum share of renewable energy and targets extended to certain sectoral emissions. The transport sector is especially important since it has increased its share of greenhouse gas emissions in the EU as well as worldwide. So far, climate policy oriented transport research has been based on engineering approaches, whereas the social scientific knowledge of factors contributing to the emissions and preventing efficient emission reduction policies is scarse and seldom integrated to technical and natural scientific aspects of emission control.
The Climate Discussion of Transport (CAST) project will analyse 1) the EU climate and energy package in the context of the Finnish discussion of transport policy and 2) the national CO2 based car tax reform that was enacted last year in order to reach a reduction of transport carbon dioxide emissions. The research objective can be expressed in three questions: 1) How will the two policies affect Finnish transport CO2 emissions now and in the future? 2) What kind of ecological, economic, technical, social and cultural aspects are addressed in the discussion of the two policies? 3) How are the international objectives and targets reflected and discussed in the national level?
Three types of materials will be combined in the project. First, an analysis of national transport and emission statistics 2009-2010 will reveal the possible short term effect in terms of emissions. Second, a Delphi study on transport experts’ and interest groups’ views will provide estimates of the effects in relation to the EU targets and an evaluation of the importance of various factors affecting future transport emissions. An analysis of the mass media material shows how these issues are modified and represented in public debates. Together the three analyses will provide an improved understanding of the implications of the two climate policy initiatives for both the emissions and the public discussion on transport.
The CAST project aims at interdisciplinary understanding by analysing the problem with a holistic Environmental Protection Process (EPP) framework developed by the team. Causal (‘because of’), teleological (‘in order to’) and contextual (‘within’) dynamics will be identified between the factors affecting transport carbon dioxide emissions and affected by the policies aimed at reducing the emissions. The project is also transdisciplinary, since it expands the knowledge production community from academic researchers to interest groups and the wider public as well.
The CAST project is funded by the Academy of Finland during 2009-2011.
Performers:
Petri Tapio (leader)
Jarmo Vehmas FFRC
Vilja Varho FFRC
Jari Lyytimäki Finnish Environment Institute (SYKE)
Advisory Group:
David Banister, University of Oxford
Julie Thompson Klein, Wayne State University
Eeva Furman, SYKE
Risto Willamo, University of Helsinki
Further information:
Petri Tapio, Senior Researcher
petri.tapio(a)tse.fi
CAST publications (-4.12.2009):
Journal articles
- Berninger, K., Tapio, P., Lehtonen, M. & Willamo, R. 2008/9. Une approche par problèmes pour les sciences de l'environnement. Environments - revue d'études interdisciplinaires 35(2). In press. [A problem-oriented approach for environmental sciences, in French, Abstract in English.] Refereed.
- Lyytimäki, J. & Tapio P. Climate change as reported in the press of Finland. International Journal of Environmental Studies 66(6). In Press. Refereed.
- Lyytimäki, J. (2009). Hiipuuko ilmastokeskustelu? Julkisen keskustelun merkitys ilmastopolitiikan valtavirtaistamiselle. Yhteiskuntapolitiikka 74(5): 537-541. [Will the climate discussion decease? The impact of the media on mainstreaming climate policy, in Finnish.]
Conference papers
- Tapio, P., Varho, V. & Vinnari, M. 2009. Finding a balance for qualitative and quantitative information in Delphi processes. In: Koskela, Marileena & Vinnari, Markus (Eds)
Future of the Consumer Society, Proceedings of the Conference “Future of the Consumer Society” 28–29 May 2009, Tampere, Finland. FFRC eBooks 7/2009, pp. 10-19. Refereed.
- Tapio, P., Huutoniemi, K., Lyytimäki, J., Varho, V., Vehmas, J. & Willamo, R. 2009.
An inter- and transdisciplinary analysis of the climate discussion of transport. Paper presented at the conference Towards Knowledge Democracy, University of Leiden, the Netherlands, August 26, 2009. Available at:
Popular
- Lyytimäki, J. & Tapio, P. 2009. Työmatkalentämistä vähennettävä. Helsingin sanomat 29.4.2009, p. C5. [Towards a reduction in work related aviation.]
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