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The clear-sky radiative effect of aerosol–radiation interactions is of relevance for our understanding of the climate system. The influence of aerosol on the surface energy budget is of high interest for the renewable energy sector. In this study, the radiative effect is investigated in particular with respect to seasonal and regional variations for the region of Germany and the year 2015 at the surface and top of atmosphere using two complementary approaches.
First, an ensemble of clear-sky models which explicitly consider aerosols is utilized to retrieve the aerosol optical depth and the surface direct radiative effect of aerosols by means of a clear-sky fitting technique. For this, short-wave broadband irradiance measurements in the absence of clouds are used as a basis. A clear-sky detection algorithm is used to identify cloud-free observations. Considered are measurements of the short-wave broadband global and diffuse horizontal irradiance with shaded and unshaded pyranometers at 25 stations across Germany within the observational network of the German Weather Service (DWD). The clear-sky models used are the Modified MAC model (MMAC), the Meteorological Radiation Model (MRM) v6.1, the Meteorological–Statistical solar radiation model (METSTAT), the European Solar Radiation Atlas (ESRA), Heliosat-1, the Center for Environment and Man solar radiation model (CEM), and the simplified Solis model. The definition of aerosol and atmospheric characteristics of the models are examined in detail for their suitability for this approach.
Second, the radiative effect is estimated using explicit radiative transfer simulations with inputs on the meteorological state of the atmosphere, trace gases and aerosol from the Copernicus Atmosphere Monitoring Service (CAMS) reanalysis. The aerosol optical properties (aerosol optical depth, Ångström exponent, single scattering albedo and asymmetry parameter) are first evaluated with AERONET direct sun and inversion products. The largest inconsistency is found for the aerosol absorption, which is overestimated by about 0.03 or about 30 % by the CAMS reanalysis. Compared to the DWD observational network, the simulated global, direct and diffuse irradiances show reasonable agreement within the measurement uncertainty. The radiative kernel method is used to estimate the resulting uncertainty and bias of the simulated direct radiative effect. The uncertainty is estimated to −1.5 ± 7.7 and 0.6 ± 3.5 W m−2 at the surface and top of atmosphere, respectively, while the annual-mean biases at the surface, top of atmosphere and total atmosphere are −10.6, −6.5 and 4.1 W m−2, respectively.
The retrieval of the aerosol radiative effect with the clear-sky models shows a high level of agreement with the radiative transfer simulations, with an RMSE of 5.8 W m−2 and a correlation of 0.75. The annual mean of the REari at the surface for the 25 DWD stations shows a value of −12.8 ± 5 W m−2 as the average over the clear-sky models, compared to −11 W m−2 from the radiative transfer simulations. Since all models assume a fixed aerosol characterization, the annual cycle of the aerosol radiation effect cannot be reproduced. Out of this set of clear-sky models, the largest level of agreement is shown by the ESRA and MRM v6.1 models.
Die vorliegende Forschungsarbeit setzt sich mit nachhaltigem Verhalten in Bezug auf die Nutzung von Kaffeebehältern an der HBRS auseinander. Anlass dafür ist, dass Pappbecher aufgrund einer Plastikbeschichtung nur schwer recycelbar sind und somit die Umwelt erheblich beeinträchtigen. In diesem Zusammenhang nahmen 204 Studierende an einer Online-Befragung teil. Den Ergebnissen zufolge kommen derzeit vor allem Einweg-Pappbecher zum Einsatz. Zur Modifizierung dieses umweltschädlichen Verhaltens bedarf es an geeigneten Interventionsstrategien. Basierend auf den Ergebnissen sind Maßnahmen zu implementieren, die dem Defizit an Handlungswissen und dem hohen Aufwand entgegenwirken, welcher mit der Verwendung eigens mitgebrachter Becher und den vorhandenen Porzellantassen assoziiert wird. Nach Sicherstellung der ökologischen Vorteile und finanziellen Umsetzbarkeit sollte das bestehende Pfandsystem um praktischere Becher sowie flexible Rückgabemöglichkeiten erweitert werden. Unterstützend ist eine Belohnung in Form von Freigetränken oder einem geringen finanziellen Rabatt sinnvoll, um den automatischen Verbrauch von Pappbechern zu unterbinden.
The implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and the conservation and protection of nature are among the greatest challenges facing urban regions. There are few approaches so far that link the SDGs to natural diversity and related ecosystem services at the local level and track them in terms of increasing sustainable development at the local level. We want to close this gap by developing a set of indicators that capture ecosystem services in the sense of the SDGs and which are based on data that are freely available throughout Germany and Europe. Based on 10 SDGs and 35 SDG indicators, we are developing an ecosystem service and biodiversity-related indicator set for the evaluation of sustainable development in urban areas. We further show that it is possible to close many of the data gaps between SDGs and locally collected data mentioned in the literature and to translate the universal SDGs to the local level. Our example develops this set of indicators for the Bonn/Rhein-Sieg metropolitan area in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany, which comprises both rural and densely populated settlements. This set of indicators can also help improve communication and plan sustainable development by increasing transparency in local sustainability, implementing a visible sustainability monitoring system, and strengthening the collaboration between local stakeholders.
The aim of this paper is to assess the objectives of farmers’ challenges in enhancing biodiversity. The so-called “trilemma” (WBGU 2021) of land use stems from the multiple demands made on land for the benefit of mitigating climate change, securing food and maintaining biodiversity. The agricultural sector is accused of maladministration: it is blamed for causing soil contamination, animal cruelty, bee mortality and climate change. That is why farmers are seen as key actors at all levels. They are, however, also key players when it comes to overcoming the problems of the future. Their supportive role is urgently needed, but farmers find themselves caught between a “rock” and a ”hard place”. Consumers are calling for sustainable, environmentally friendly production and inexpensive food products that do not contain pesticide residues, demanding enough food for all. Farmers are restricted by the wants and needs of consumers who are influenced by interest groups and are exposed to direct and indirect influencing factors and their interdependencies. They are also tasked with balancing the scrutiny of the critical public on the one hand, and the control exercised by eager authorities on the other.
As part of the DINA (Diversity of Insects in Nature protected Areas) project, a trans- and interdisciplinary research study, we collected and surveyed the data of farmers who are farming within or close to the 21 selected nature protected areas included in the DINA project. Data was collected as part of a mixed method approach using a semi-structured questionnaire. The methodological and strategic approach and interdependencies of issues demonstrate the complexity of today’s problems. To investigate this, we first used the data collection method using questionnaires with closed and open questions. The conflicts and obstacles farmers face were evaluated, and the results show farmers’ willingness and the importance of appreciation shown to farmers for implementation of biodiversity measures. The paper proposes some follow-up activities (quantitative study) to verify the objectives. The results will later lead to recommendations for policymakers and farmers in all German nature protected areas.
Im Projekt wurde anhand medienanalytischer Verfahren, Befragungen und Experimenten untersucht, wie sich Verbrauchergruppen über das Thema Tierwohl informieren und welche Argumente die Diskussion bestimmen. Die Ergebnisse zeigen: Insgesamt herrscht eine positive Einstellung zu Tierwohl-Initiativen; finanzielle Aspekte sind ein zentrales Thema. Mehr Transparenz bei den Kosten wäre wünschenswert. Das Internet kann dies unterstützen. Aber nicht alle Zielgruppen werden damit erreicht.
Unsachgemäß entsorgte Zigarettenkippen stellen aufgrund der in ihnen enthaltenen Giftstoffe ein relevantes, ökologisches Problem dar. Diese Forschungsarbeit untersucht den Einsatz von Nudging zur Bekämpfung der Problematik. In einer quantiativen Online-Befragung wurden zunächst die Gründe für das umweltschädliche Verhalten untersucht (N = 96). Hierbei konnte die Gegenwartstendenz von Personen als statistisch signifikanter Hauptgrund ermittelt werden. Viele Personen gaben an, die langfristigen ökologischen Kosten einer unsachgemäßen Entsorgung aufgrund des kurzfristigen persönlichen Nutzens zu ignorieren. Dieser entsteht durch die Gemütlichkeit des „Wegschnipsens“ einer Zigarettenkippe. Im Anschluss wurde ein auf die Gegenwartstendenz von Personen fokussierter Nudge entwickelt und in einem Feldexperiment auf seine Wirksamkeit überprüft, indem die Relation von unsachgemäß zu sachgemäß entsorgten Zigarettenkippen vor und nach dem Einsatz des Nudges dokumentiert wurde. Ohne Einsatz des Nudges (N = 92) wurden am Erhebungsort 64.1 Prozent und mit Einsatz des Nudges (N = 142) lediglich 38.0 Prozent der Zigarettenkippen unsachgemäß entsorgt. In dem Feldexperiment konnte der Nudge effektiv zur Förderung von nachhaltigem Verhalten eingesetzt werden.
Diversity of Insects in Nature protected Areas (DINA): an interdisciplinary German research project
(2021)
Insect declines and biodiversity loss have attracted much attention in recent years, but lack of comprehensive data, conflicting interests among stakeholders and insufficient policy guidance hinder progress in preserving biodiversity. The project DINA (Diversity of Insects in Nature protected Areas) investigates insect communities in 21 nature reserves in Germany. All selected conservation sites border arable land, with agricultural practices assumed to influence insect populations. We taught citizen scientists how to manage Malaise traps for insect collection, and subsequently used a DNA metabarcoding approach for species identification. Vegetation surveys, plant metabarcoding as well as geospatial and ecotoxicological analyses will help to unravel contributing factors for the deterioration of insect communities. As a pioneering research project in this field, DINA includes a transdisciplinary dialogue involving relevant stakeholders such as local authorities, policymakers, and farmers, which aims at a shared understanding of conservation goals and action pathways. Stakeholder engagement combined with scientific results will support the development of sound policy recommendations to improve legal frameworks, landscape planning, land use, and conservation strategies. With this transdisciplinary approach, we aim to provide the background knowledge to implement policy strategies that will halt further decline of insects in German protected areas.
Education for Sustainable Development (ESD, SDG 4) and human well-being (SDG 3) are among the central subjects of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). In this article, based on the Questionnaire for Eudaimonic Well-Being (QEWB), we investigate to what extent (a) there is a connection between EWB and practical commitment to the SDGs and whether (b) there is a deficit in EWB among young people in general. We also want to use the article to draw attention to the need for further research on the links between human well-being and commitment for sustainable development. A total of 114 students between the ages of 18 and 34, who are either engaged in (extra)curricular activities of sustainable development (28 students) or not (86 students), completed the QEWB. The students were interviewed twice: once regarding their current and their aspired EWB. Our results show that students who are actively engaged in activities for sustainable development report a higher EWB than non-active students. Furthermore, we show that students generally report deficits in EWB and wish for an improvement in their well-being. This especially applies to aspects of EWB related to self-discovery and the sense of meaning in life. Our study suggests that a practice-oriented ESD in particular can have a positive effect on the quality of life of young students and can support them in working on deficits in EWB.
Ziel der vorliegenden Forschungsarbeit ist es, den Einfluss von Persönlichkeit auf nachhaltige Maßnahmen anhand des Streamingkonsums zu eruieren. Der allgemein steigende Streamingkonsum und die damit einhergehenden Umweltschäden einerseits und ein wachsendes gesellschaftliches Umweltbewusstsein andererseits stellen einen Widerspruch dar. An einer Online-Umfrage zu diesen und weiterführenden Aspekten nahmen 204 Probanden teil. Während sich die Eigenschaften Verträglichkeit und Offenheit in hoher Ausprägung positiv auf die Umwelteinstellung, das Umweltverhalten und die Umweltbesorgnis auswirkten, wurden die umweltfreundlichen Maßnahmen in einer Clusteranalyse hingegen stärker von der Gruppe bevorzugt, deren Verträglichkeit und Offenheit verhältnismäßig schwach ausgeprägt waren. Ein geringes Wissen über die streamingbedingten Umweltfolgen lag grundsätzlich vor und dient als möglicher Erklärungsansatz des genannten Widerspruchs. Die Probanden forderten, ein Bewusstsein für diese Thematik zu schaffen. Um Streamingkonsum umweltfreundlicher zu gestalten empfiehlt es sich, alle am Prozess beteiligten Akteure einzubeziehen. Die befragten Konsumenten bevorzugten dabei vor allem die Verwendung von Ökostrom und lehnten eine Umstellung der Bezahlstruktur vorwiegend ab.
The accurate forecasting of solar radiation plays an important role for predictive control applications for energy systems with a high share of photovoltaic (PV) energy. Especially off-grid microgrid applications using predictive control applications can benefit from forecasts with a high temporal resolution to address sudden fluctuations of PV-power. However, cloud formation processes and movements are subject to ongoing research. For now-casting applications, all-sky-imagers (ASI) are used to offer an appropriate forecasting for aforementioned application. Recent research aims to achieve these forecasts via deep learning approaches, either as an image segmentation task to generate a DNI forecast through a cloud vectoring approach to translate the DNI to a GHI with ground-based measurement (Fabel et al., 2022; Nouri et al., 2021), or as an end-to-end regression task to generate a GHI forecast directly from the images (Paletta et al., 2021; Yang et al., 2021). While end-to-end regression might be the more attractive approach for off-grid scenarios, literature reports increased performance compared to smart-persistence but do not show satisfactory forecasting patterns (Paletta et al., 2021). This work takes a step back and investigates the possibility to translate ASI-images to current GHI to deploy the neural network as a feature extractor. An ImageNet pre-trained deep learning model is used to achieve such translation on an openly available dataset by the University of California San Diego (Pedro et al., 2019). The images and measurements were collected in Folsom, California. Results show that the neural network can successfully translate ASI-images to GHI for a variety of cloud situations without the need of any external variables. Extending the neural network to a forecasting task also shows promising forecasting patterns, which shows that the neural network extracts both temporal and momentarily features within the images to generate GHI forecasts.