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Integrated Assessment: Sociology, Technology and the Environment (IASTE)
The Research Group on Integrated Assessment: Sociology, Technology and the Environment (IASTE) is a consolidated research group (GRC) recognized by the Government of Catalonia (2017 SGR-230; 2014 SGR 00140; 2009 SGR 0594) and hosted by the Institute of Environmental Science and Technology (ICTA) of the Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona.

Our research focuses on multi-scale integrated analysis of the metabolism of social-ecological systems. Central to our research is the development of a transdisciplinary approach: Multi-scale Integrated Analysis of Societal and Ecosystem Metabolism (MuSIASEM). MuSIASEM integrates biophysical and socioeconomic variables across multiple scales, thus establishing a link between the metabolism of socio-economic systems and the potential constraints imposed by the embedding natural environment. MuSIASEM uses integrated sets of indicators that can be chosen "à la carte" by social actors in relation to multiple criteria of performance. MuSIASEM lends itself particularly well for analyzing the nexus between land use, food, energy, water and climate in relation to sustainable development goals.

Research topics include:

  • Energy metabolism, water metabolism, and waste metabolism of socio-ecological systems
  • The Nexus between population, land use, water, food and energy security
  • Multi-scale integrated assessment of alternative energy technologies
  • Food system analysis
  • Decision support tools based on participatory integrated assessment (science for governance)
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2022-09-10
09:10
22 p, 1.2 MB Potencial de la gramática del MuSIASEM en la representación del análisis de la sostenibilidad / Cadillo Benalcazar, Juan José (Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona. Institut de Ciència i Tecnologia Ambientals) ; Aguirre Fernández de Lara, Roberto (Universidad de la República. Centro de Investigación Básica en Psicología (Uruguay)) ; Fraga Ramos, Evelyn (Secretaria Nacional de Planificación y Desarrollo (Ecuador)) ; Rosero Asqui, Gabriel (Secretaria Nacional de Planificación y Desarrollo (Ecuador)) ; Llive Cóndor, Freddy (Instituto de Altos Estudios Nacionales. Centro de Prospectiva Estratégica (Ecuador)) ; Meneses Játiva, Pablo (Secretaria Nacional de Planificación y Desarrollo (Ecuador)) ; Arroba Benítez, Francisco (Secretaria Nacional de Planificación y Desarrollo (Ecuador)) ; Liger Cisneros, Belén (Secretaria Nacional de Planificación y Desarrollo (Ecuador)) ; Jaramillo Proaño, Santiago (Secretaria Nacional de Planificación y Desarrollo (Ecuador)) ; Verdesoto Escobar, Santiago (Secretaria Nacional de Planificación y Desarrollo (Ecuador)) ; Gualapuro Gualapuro, Moisés (Secretaria Nacional de Planificación y Desarrollo (Ecuador)) ; Quispe, Bolivar (Secretaria Nacional de Planificación y Desarrollo (Ecuador)) ; Parra, Rony (Instituto de Altos Estudios Nacionales. Centro de Prospectiva Estratégica (Ecuador)) ; Jarrín, Patricio (Secretaria Nacional de Planificación y Desarrollo (Ecuador)) ; Barrera, Mireya (Secretaria Nacional de Planificación y Desarrollo (Ecuador)) ; Santillán, Verónica (Secretaria Nacional de Planificación y Desarrollo (Ecuador)) ; Sorman, Alevgul H (Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona. Institut de Ciència i Tecnologia Ambientals) ; Cevallos-Sierra, Jaime (Instituto de Altos Estudios Nacionales. Centro de Prospectiva Estratégica (Ecuador)) ; Díaz Maurin, François (Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona. Institut de Ciència i Tecnologia Ambientals) ; Cabrera Jiménez, Karla (Secretaria Nacional de Planificación y Desarrollo (Ecuador)) ; Bustamante, Bernardo (Instituto de Altos Estudios Nacionales. Centro de Prospectiva Estratégica (Ecuador)) ; Carpio León, Sofia (Secretaria Nacional de Planificación y Desarrollo (Ecuador)) ; Zuleta Salmon, Carlos (Secretaria Nacional de Planificación y Desarrollo (Ecuador)) ; Madrid, Cristina (Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona. Institut de Ciència i Tecnologia Ambientals) ; Celinscak, Maja (Secretaria Nacional de Planificación y Desarrollo (Ecuador)) ; Ramos Martín, Jesús (Instituto de Altos Estudios Nacionales. Centro de Prospectiva Estratégica (Ecuador))
Una alta capacidad para representar el análisis de la sostenibilidad es la exigencia central de cualquier metodología que pretenda encontrar en dicho análisis una herramienta para el desarrollo social y un diagnóstico de relación de las sociedades humanas con el entorno. [...]
Quito, Ecuador : Centro de Prospectiva Estratégica, 2015 (Working Paper (CEPROEC Documento de Trabajo) ; 2015_01)  
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2020-03-04
20:40
39 p, 1.8 MB Towards measuring the informal city: a societal metabolism approach / Smit, Suzanne (Stellenbosch University. School of Public Leadership (South Africa)) ; Musango, Josephine K. (Stellenbosch University. School of Public Leadership (South Africa)) ; Kovacic, Zora (Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona. Institut de Ciència i Tecnologia Ambientals) ; Brent, Alan C. (Victoria University of Wellington. Engineering and Computer Science (New Zealand))
The rapid growth of urban informal settlements, or slums, poses a particular challenge for balancing developmental and environmental goals. In South Africa, high levels of inequality, poverty, and unemployment contribute to widespread migration. [...]
2019 - 10.1111/jiec.12776
Journal of industrial ecology, Vol. 23, Issue 3 (June 2019) , p. 674-685  
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2020-02-13
20:01
22 p, 1.1 MB Facing the tragedy of change in the semiotic process : the role of science / Giampietro, Mario (Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona. Institut de Ciència i Tecnologia Ambientals) ; Kovacic, Zora (Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona. Institut de Ciència i Tecnologia Ambientals)
We offer an interpretation of the concepts of integrity and quality of science based on semiotics. Science is a key component of the semiotic process in society, its role being the selection of representations of relevant events for guiding policy with the ultimate goal of preserving society's identity. [...]
2019 - 10.1504/IJSD.2019.104729
International journal of sustainable development, Vol. 22, Núm. 1/2 (2019) , p. 88-109  
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2020-02-13
18:07
12 p, 374.3 KB The technique is never neutral. How methodological choices condition the generation of narratives for sustainability / Saltelli, Andrea (University of Bergen) ; Benini, Lorenzo (European Environment Agency) ; Funtowicz, Silvio (University of Bergen) ; Giampietro, Mario (Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona. Institut de Ciència i Tecnologia Ambientals) ; Kaiser, Matthias (University of Bergen) ; Reinert, Erik (University of Bergen) ; van der Sluijsa, Jeroen P. (University of Bergen)
How to tackle uncertainties and ensure quality in integrated assessment for sustainability? To what extent does the choice of the methodology condition the narrative produced by the analysis? The present work argues that the two questions are tightly coupled. [...]
2020 - 10.1016/j.envsci.2020.01.008
Environmental science & policy, Vol. 106 (April 2020) , p. 87-98  
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2020-01-27
17:29
43 p, 695.9 KB Robust information for effective municipal solid waste policies : identifying behaviour of waste generation across spatial levels of organization / Torrente, Jorge M. (Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona. Institut de Ciència i Tecnologia Ambientals) ; Chifari, Rosaria (Fundació ENT) ; Ripa, Maddalena (Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona. Institut de Ciència i Tecnologia Ambientals) ; Giampietro, Mario (Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona. Institut de Ciència i Tecnologia Ambientals)
Existing studies have studied influencing factors of MSW generation behaviour at different spatial levels of organization, but always one at a time and not simultaneously. Income is a strong influencing factor, affecting MSW generation from the individual to the country level, capable of hiding the effects of the others. [...]
2020 - 10.1016/j.wasman.2019.12.032
Waste management, Vol. 103 (February 2020) , p. 208-217
2 documents
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2020-01-27
17:02
42 p, 2.4 MB A waste lexicon to negotiate extended producer responsibility in free trade agreements / Torrente, Jorge M. (Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona. Institut de Ciència i Tecnologia Ambientals) ; Ripa, Maddalena (Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona. Institut de Ciència i Tecnologia Ambientals) ; Chifari, Rosaria (Fundació ENT) ; Bukkens, Sandra (Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona. Institut de Ciència i Tecnologia Ambientals) ; Giampietro, Mario (Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona. Institut de Ciència i Tecnologia Ambientals)
Developing economies largely rely on imported consumer goods from the manufacturing industries of industrialized economies through free-trade agreements. After consumption, goods end-up in local waste streams and landfilled because of poorly developed waste management systems. [...]
2020 - 10.1016/j.resconrec.2020.104711
Resources, conservation and recycling, Vol. 156 (May 2020) , art. 104711  
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2019-12-10
16:10
52 p, 2.8 MB Landfill reactions to society actions : the case of local and global air pollutants of Cerro Patacón in Panama / Torrente, Jorge M. (Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona. Institut de Ciència i Tecnologia Ambientals) ; Giampietro, Mario (Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona. Institut de Ciència i Tecnologia Ambientals) ; Ripa, Maddalena (Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona. Institut de Ciència i Tecnologia Ambientals) ; Chifari, Rosaria (Fundació ENT)
This paper studies landfill emissions and the related environmental and health risks in Panama City, with the aim to sensitize the population about the harmful effects of irresponsible resource consumption and non-deliberate solid waste generation that it is disposed of in an uncontrolled manner in landfills. [...]
2019 - 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2019.135988
Science of the total environment, (December 2019) , art. 135988  
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2019-11-20
17:54
13 p, 2.3 MB Fallacies of energy efficiency indicators : recognizing the complexity of the metabolic pattern of the economy / Velasco-Fernández, Raúl (Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona. Institut de Ciència i Tecnologia Ambientals) ; Dunlop, Tessa (Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona. Institut de Ciència i Tecnologia Ambientals) ; Giampietro, Mario (Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona. Institut de Ciència i Tecnologia Ambientals)
The strategy of energy efficiency to save energy is deceptively simple: the idea is to use less input for the highest amount of useful output. However, on a practical and conceptual level, efficiency is an ambiguous and problematic concept to implement. [...]
2020 - 10.1016/j.enpol.2019.111089
Energy policy, Vol. 137 (February 2020) , art. 111089  
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2019-11-20
17:49
15 p, 3.5 MB Multi-scale integrated evaluation of the sustainability of large-scale use of alternative feeds in salmon aquaculture / Cadillo Benalcazar, Juan José (Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona. Institut de Ciència i Tecnologia Ambientals) ; Giampietro, Mario (Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona. Institut de Ciència i Tecnologia Ambientals) ; Bukkens, Sandra (Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona. Institut de Ciència i Tecnologia Ambientals) ; Strand, Roger (Universitetet i Bergen. Senter for vitenskapsteori)
The steady increase in production volume of salmon aquaculture has sharpened concerns about its sustainability. In particular the production of salmon feed is a reason for concern given its reliance on scarce natural resources, such as wild fish captures. [...]
2020 - 10.1016/j.jclepro.2019.119210
Journal of cleaner production, Vol. 248 (March 2020) , art. 119210  
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2019-10-02
17:09
14 p, 2.8 MB Socio-technical discourses of European electricity decarbonization : contesting narrative credibility and legitimacy with quantitative story-telling / Renner, Ansel (Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona. Institut de Ciència i Tecnologia Ambientals) ; Giampietro, Mario (Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona. Institut de Ciència i Tecnologia Ambientals)
This paper presents an innovative approach to the responsible use of quantitative analysis when dealing with the governance of sustainability. Rather than using complicated models which try to predict and control the future evolution of complex adaptive systems, quantitative story-telling is proposed to check, first of all, the plausibility of proposed policies. [...]
2020 - 10.1016/j.erss.2019.101279
Energy research & social science, Vol. 59 (Jan. 2020) , art. 101279  
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