Seite - 14 - in options, Band winter 2020

© Adam Islaam | IIASA collective challenges and compounding risks we face in these uncertain times,” says co-leader of the Resilient Food Systems theme, Frank Sperling. IIASA researcher, Franziska Gaupp, who has been studying the challenges of a globally interconnected, complex food system and impacts that might affect several of the world’s food producing areas simultaneously, agrees: “There will likely be more shocks hitting our global food system in the future. We need global collaboration and transdisciplinary approaches to ensure that the food chains function even in moments of crises to prevent price spikes and to provide all people with safe access to food,” she says. RE-IMAGINING ENERGY CONSUMPTION The COVID-19 crisis and the associated lockdown measures have drastically impacted energy consumption. While increased household electricity consumption costs combined with lower income made it difficult for some, and especially people in poor and developing countries, to provide for their families; demand for fuel and energy was significantly reduced in the industry and transportation sectors. In many cities, people adopted lifestyle and behavioral changes that would have seemed difficult before, like the increased use of bicycles for transport and virtual platforms for doing business, and attending meetings and conferences. Many countries have also advanced in terms of digitalization and the use of online services in education and governance. Participants of the IIASA-ISC Sustainable Energy theme discussed bold measures for building more resilient societies and explored strategies for just and sustainable recovery pathways from COVID-19. Three areas were identified for immediate action, namely significantly reducing energy demand through measures like remote working, digitalization, and the reshaping of urban spaces and their use; maximizing sustainable energy independence at local and individual levels through, for instance, decentralized renewable energy solutions and efficiency enhancing measures; and influencing behavior towards responsible consumption such as encouraging new trends in mobility, less material consumption, and sharing vs. ownership models. Participants highlighted that the pandemic demonstrated the possibility of transformation with positive effects for climate, pollution, and health and that this should form the basis for arguing for a profound transformation of the global energy system that also benefits those impacted more severely. Designing and implementing such measures will however require a careful interplay between science, technology and innovation, governance, policy, and business. “Some fear that the positive changes we have been observing will only last until the pandemic is over and we return to “business-as- LIFESTYLE CHANGES SUCH AS REMOTE WORKING ARE INDEED POSSIBLE AND THIS TRANSITION CAN HAPPEN IN A RELATIVELY SHORT TIME BEHNAM ZAKERI ” 14 Options Winter 2020 www.iiasa.ac.at