Our aim is to facilitate the transition to a circular bioeconomy in Norway through a strategic decision tool that enables policy makers, businesses, and civil society to coordinate actions for balancing employment, climate change mitigation, and resource use.

Paradoxically, societies need to change in order to sustain certain qualities. Mitigating negative consequences of climate change and resource depletion requires us to drastically change the way we use natural resources. This involves a transformation from a linear economy based on fossil fuels to a circular economy based on renewables. 

This transformation to a low-carbon circular economy affects people and resources in two ways: as citizens and consumers and as workers and producers. Demographic changes, for example due to ageing, migration, or income, shape the needs for housing, transport, and food. Understanding changes in population composition and the related human needs is essential for exploring new ways to satisfy these needs. By changing resource flows, many jobs become obsolete (for example the ones connected to fossil fuels), while new jobs are created (for example in the Bioeconomy).

Depending on their education and skills, people losing their jobs constitute human resources that are potentially available for “reuse” (new jobs without need for further education or training) or “recycling” (with further education): The transition to a circular economy of natural resources depends on a circular economy of human resources.The use of natural resources and the change in population are studied in industrial ecology and in demography, however, the two fields have evolved rather independently.

BALANCE develops a framework for integrating them, using case studies for buildings and the Bioeconomy in Norway. The objective is to facilitate the transition to a circular Bioeconomy through a strategic decision tool that enables policy makers, businesses, and civil society to coordinate actions for balancing employment, climate change mitigation, and resource use. It establishes a new line of sustainability research that addresses both a better understanding of human needs and the means to satisfy them with limited resources.

Master thesis in BALANCE

BALANCE also welcomes masters students to join the project for a masters thesis endeavour.  Contact Daniel Beat Müller to discuss your participation.

Project Timeline and Funding

BALANCE is funded by The Research Council of Norway.
 
The project was initiated in 2020 and will run in its current state until 2026.

Want to be involved?

BALANCE is always looking for good discussions with others. Do drop us a line if you have something you want to discuss.

Partners

• International Institute for Applied Systems Analysis (IIASA), Austria
• University of Agder, Norway