Green Growth in the European Union (EU) –

The European Experiences with Green Growth,

Strategies and Incentives

Dr. GILBERT AHAMER

Hanoi, Vietnam, 11.10.2016

Green Growth in the EU | Dr. Gilbert Ahamer

What is “Green Growth” (GG)?

“a new, and reasonable set of values”

The idea (paradigm) of “Green Growth” (GG) means

achieving economic growth in a way beneficial to the global
society’s future interest and in line with environmental &
climate needs
The status of GG in Vietnam is substantially triggered
by virtue of the Vietnam Green Growth Strategy (VGGS).
 How does this all fit into overall global development?

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 Green Growth in the EU | Dr. Gilbert Ahamer

The grand picture

“big history”: in the long run

In the view of “Big History”:

GG = natural evolution,
a “scientific historic law”
Spiral dynamics by Claire Graves, 1970
“Green” elements (ecologic, egalitarian) are merged
with societal justice and material economic progress
GG = just clean and sober reason (= inter-ideologically valid)
Whether one is capitalist, communist, has no or all religions,
with any political system: GG just means clarity of thinking
Consistent with our earlier generations’ values: “don’t waste”,
use material resources carefully, economically & efficiently
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Green Growth in the EU | Dr. Gilbert Ahamer

The concept of GG
“GG is for everybody”

GG does not require ideology

that would separate people 

GG is based on human values

this unites people 

… and is important for reaching the entire population

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 Green Growth in the EU | Dr. Gilbert Ahamer

A shared set of values

“unites members of all ideologies & world views”

The deeper inner meaning of GG includes the

emergence of new, broader ethic ideas:
 jointly with meeting material (economic) and social
(equity of chances) standards, the integration of
environmental harmony and participative ownership
of self-responsible citizens for a higher level of
human awareness – as is compatible with most world
philosophies, see
we
VGGS I.1(2) have a
[1393/QĐ-TTg]: shared
“Green growth is by the people set of
and for the people, contributing
to employment, poverty reduction values
and improving the material and
spiritual life of all people.”

Green Growth in the EU | Dr. Gilbert Ahamer

Walking on the frontier of the unbelievable

“future = what we make out of it” – against fear and perceived incapability

Should we all be afraid today?

Regarding climate change and energy supply, In
we live on the frontier to the unbelievable: Austria:
+ 1-2 m sea level rise lakes + rivers
+ 2-4°C warming 1970  1990
+ extreme weather
energy
Hydroelectric power, wind energy, biomass and solar
provide 100% of electricity for 1.65 million people (The Guardian)
waste: volume reduced to 1/10 by sorting waste
domestic solar energy : farmers constructing own
panels
dreams at present = reasonable future!
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 Green Growth in the EU | Dr. Gilbert Ahamer

GG needs innovation and investment

Innovation = the first of 2 ingredients

Austria enjoyed a broad popular movement since the 1970s

 integration of environment into all schools in 1980s 
formation of university studies in 1990s 
foundation of enterprises in 2000s 
global export success in 2010s

Innovation in the Austrian example:

University studies in “Environmental Systems Science”:
200 new students / year (I contributed)
University studies in developmental “Global Studies” (GS):
100 new students / year (I co-founded GS) Ready to cooperate

Green Growth in the EU | Dr. Gilbert Ahamer

What is the European Union?

“consultation, consensus, and the rule of law”

After a millennium of wars …

… a rule-based system …
… of patiently generating consensus …
… among self-responsible citizens …
… in continuous movement & evolution.

A country’s energy system is a mirror of its values:

Local responsibility, equity and ownership
Respect for nature and empower skills of normal people
 support VN local initiatives for low-cost solar energy.

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 Green Growth in the EU | Dr. Gilbert Ahamer

Solar Potential in VN
Starting out from what nature offers

Good potential of irradiation …

in global comparison (~ Spain)
Enables (i) local solar energy
and (ii) large installations.

Green Growth in the EU | Dr. Gilbert Ahamer

GG in the EU: on the frontier to dreaming

“crises = chances” & “today’s dreams = tomorrow’s realities”

In the European Union, the past and ongoing financial

crises made the advantages of GG even clearer and
caught the attention of our young generation who
grew up with green convictions.
Decentralised solar and wind plants saw a steep rise,
supported by long-expected legislation
Heating will soon encounter near-to-zero energy
houses prescribed by law
Traffic on fossil basis faces temporal bans in cities and
might face regulations phasing-out fossils
Industry was streamlined for decades by severe legal
prescriptions  nowadays’ competitive advantage.

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 Green Growth in the EU | Dr. Gilbert Ahamer

The share of renewable energies in Europe is …

“a dream modestly & slowly coming true”

… high and
increasing

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Green Growth in the EU | Dr. Gilbert Ahamer

GG is triggered by EU legislation
“is there a GG law?”

The EU Energy Directives

are the European answer
to global warming and
globalisation , e.g. the 
https://ec.europa.eu/energy/en/topics/energy-efficiency/energy-efficiency-directive

These are transposed in all new

EU member states & friend states
GG ideally comes from peoples’ thinking – is not imposed
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 Green Growth in the EU | Dr. Gilbert Ahamer

EU: sensible increase of renewable energies

Solar, wind & biomass in Austria Wind power in the EU

Solar

Wind

Biomass

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Green Growth in the EU | Dr. Gilbert Ahamer

Two persons who inspired me most

personally
“now, what is actually done” (Werner Weiss & Christian Holter: 1-10km from my home)

Teacher in Gleisdorf Biologist, father architect

Collects farmers in village After the Chernobyl disaster
“Bring 10 friends to inn” … then “Entrepreneur of the
Explains to all how to weld Year” in Austria; owns firm
On 5 weekends, they Constructed several “world-
constructed their private largest” solar installations 
houses’ solar installations e.g. on the roof of an
Grandmothers no more Olympic stadium in China
need to carry coal 
Pilot success in Austria
Pilot success in the EU(!)
Institute Director, for IEA.
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 Green Growth in the EU | Dr. Gilbert Ahamer

Solar Cooling (AEE Intec, Austria)

Solar energy can be converted into cooling using two main principles

Source: H.M. Henning, Fraunhofer ISE

Green Growth in the EU | Dr. Gilbert Ahamer

Solar Cooling (AEE Intec, Austria)

Source: H.M. Henning, Fraunhofer ISE

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 Practice
Green Growth in the EU | Dr. Gilbert Ahamer

New Trend in .at: fossil power plants close down

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Green Growth in the EU | Dr. Gilbert Ahamer

The evolutionary meaning of GG

“= a structural transition”

GG certainly means not only higher efficiency in a

technological sense, even if efficient technologies
resulted in a large share of achievements to date.
Re-organisation, re-structuring, de-carbonisation, local
initiative and emphasis on information & education are
“soft” and “smart” approaches that include soft skills of
responsible citizens and entrepreneurs
Therefore, GG, green energy
and green economy mean
a structural transition:

“more brains, less fossils”

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 Green Growth in the EU | Dr. Gilbert Ahamer

Still more
motivation
Vietnam’s CO2 emissions rocketing
Tenfold increase since the 1970s; still only half as efficient as global average!

CO2 emissions of Vietnam CO2 emissions per economic output

Mt CO2 kg/$ (CO2 / GDP)
140 2

120
10‐fold
100

80
1 World
Viet Nam
60

40

20
data: IEA data: IEA
0
0
1970 1990 2010 2030
1970 1980 1990 2000 2010

19 CO2 per capita of VN: 1/3 of global average

Green Growth in the EU | Dr. Gilbert Ahamer

A possible “genesis of targets” along history

Along evolution, ever new values are generated through “structural transitions”
(see my new book “Mapping Global Dynamics” soon published by Springer)

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 Green Growth in the EU | Dr. Gilbert Ahamer

Is GG the “correct way” into future?

“GG = the new value on our evolutionary path”

GG seen from now = positive dream

GG seen from the future = common sense

 YOU decide for GG today = YOUR right decision

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Green Growth in the EU | Dr. Gilbert Ahamer

The path to action

short & long paths

Local pollution may allow faster action than climate change

My definition: “to learn = to change reality”

Austrian
waste
reduced to
1/10 by
citizens‘
separation,
&
bioenergy

Stop burning waste! – “we did it for centuries, it can’t be wrong”

(my uncle)
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 Green Growth in the EU | Dr. Gilbert Ahamer

What to do after the Paris Climate Conference COP21?

“COP & its bodies: Structure of the UNFCCC process”

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Green Growth in the EU | Dr. Gilbert Ahamer

Which strategy for successful financing?

“search institutions as sources”

Source: Rambelli, G.,

Donat, L., Ahamer, G.,
Radunsky, K. (2016),
An overview of
regions and cities
within the global
climate change
process - a
perspective for the
future. Commissioned
by the European
Committee of the
Regions (CoR),
Brussels.

Source: UNEP, 2015

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 Green Growth in the EU | Dr. Gilbert Ahamer

Scientific cooperation
“worldwide dissemination of your results”

I will be happy to contribute for the target of further

greening Vietnam’s economy, its legal preparation,
scientific underpinning, technological design,
organisational build-up and practical
implementation.

Also by editing special issues of international peer-

reviewed scientific journals, (where I am co-editor)
listed in the European Scopus database

Ready to cooperate

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Green Growth in the EU | Dr. Gilbert Ahamer

Further collaboration
“let’s collaborate in a network”

Scientific, administrative, and environmental institutions may

form an enhanced network of future cooperation Vietnam – EU

The
world
in 1492:
Martin Behaim‘s globe

Ready to cooperate

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 Green Growth in the EU | Dr. Gilbert Ahamer

Future universes …
… with new rising stars

Thank you
for your attention

and your ongoing collaboration

gilbert.ahamer@uni-graz.at
https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Gilbert_Ahamer

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Green Growth in the EU | Dr. Gilbert Ahamer

Annex

Could be used in the discussion

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 Green Growth in the EU | Dr. Gilbert Ahamer

Our GG practice in the EU

“now, what is actually done”

My colleague from student times, Dr. Christian

Holter, with his firm S.O.L.I.D. built the world’s
largest solar heating on a Chinese stadium’s roof
and currently builds storage capacity for a
population of 300,000 in our city of Graz that retains
heat over the entire winter.
Electro-cars are subsidised (to be started)
My colleague as a lecturer, Dr. Werner Weiss:
Solar cooling, in his research institute AEE Intec –
this is applicable for Vietnam!

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Green Growth in the EU | Dr. Gilbert Ahamer

The solution is solar power: what a chance for VN

GIGA Solar Graz, Austria: world‘s largest year-long buffer

Dr. Christian Holter

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 Green Growth in the EU | Dr. Gilbert Ahamer

Heating an entire city

Use an „insulated lake“

Over 300,000 inhabitants
Graz has an intact heating grid
Solar heating will be fed in
during summer
Practical potential ranges from
25% to 50% - through improved
smart district heating
Also possible:
Solar (District) Cooling

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Green Growth in the EU | Dr. Gilbert Ahamer

Vietnam energy balance 2014

much coal, much traditional biomass

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 Green Growth in the EU | Dr. Gilbert Ahamer

Vietnam energy final consumption 2014

coal in industry, biomass in residential

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Green Growth in the EU | Dr. Gilbert Ahamer

Vietnam’s CO2 intensity

Is medium, should be improving instead of doubling since 1990

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 Green Growth in the EU | Dr. Gilbert Ahamer

Strategic partners in regional climate protection

“with whom to collaborate after the COP21 Paris climate agreement?”

World Mayors Council on Climate Change (WMCCC)

Covenant of Mayors
Compact of Mayors
Compact of States and Regions
Lima-Paris Action Agenda (LPAA)
Non-state Actors Zone for Climate Action (NAZCA) Platform
The Climate Champions: Hakima El Haite & Laurence
Tubiana
Source: Rambelli, G., Donat, L., Ahamer, G., Radunsky, K. (2016), An overview of
regions and cities within the global climate change process - a perspective for the
future. Commissioned by the European Committee of the Regions (CoR), Brussels.

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Green Growth in the EU | Dr. Gilbert Ahamer

Financing: sources and volumes

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 Green Growth in the EU | Dr. Gilbert Ahamer

Climate financing: main financial flows

“which fund pays how much?”

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Green Growth in the EU | Dr. Gilbert Ahamer

Financing – share of ODA

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 Green Growth in the EU | Dr. Gilbert Ahamer

Financing – the main sources

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Green Growth in the EU | Dr. Gilbert Ahamer

Financing – the NDC cycle

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 Green Growth in the EU | Dr. Gilbert Ahamer

Other themes
“the new economic model”

Furthermore, this presentation might cover

Comparative aspects from other countries and similar
national processes – European experiences with GG;
setting up a new economic model and its challenges
Europe is currently undertaking another industrial
revolution, including a “green capitalism”
Elements of the EU’s ambitions towards green
transformations
Strategies and incentives, a special focus on market
based instruments; outline of the most important
fields of transformation in the green growth agenda.

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