Melf-Hinrich Ehlers

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Ehlers

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Melf-Hinrich

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0000-0001-9458-7241

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Publications 1 - 10 of 10

Networks of action situations in social–ecological systems: current approaches and potential futures
Kimmich, Christian; Ehlers, Melf-Hinrich; Kellner, Elke; et al. (2023)
Sustainability Science
“Action situations”—instances of decision-making and agency—have become central to studying social–ecological systems. This special feature collects research using the network of action situations (NAS) approach to structure the way these action situations are embedded into broader interdependent instances of decision-making in different policy or discursive realms, spatial and jurisdictional context, or at different institutional levels. In this editorial, we summarize the key themes that emerged throughout the collection of the 17 articles included in this special feature. The editorial emphasizes the value of NAS in appropriately and sensitively reconstructing relations while pursuing consistency in modes of analysis. It highlights as key themes the complementarity of and disconnects between situations, temporality of NAS, and how NAS can structure the analysis of power in SES. Going further, we suggest expanding on the relational turn, developing NAS archetypes, and studying polycentric governance theories and hypotheses using the NAS approach.
Agricultural policy in the era of digitalisation
Ehlers, Melf-Hinrich; Huber, Robert; Finger, Robert (2021)
Food Policy
Digitalisation in the agricultural sector continues to expand. At the same time demands for an agricultural policy offering better support for sustainability become increasingly fervent. However, it is far from clear how digitalisation could make agricultural policy more effective in reducing undesired impacts and enhancing the benefits of farming. This article investigates the extent to which digital technologies can trigger different choices of agricultural policy instruments and novel design specifications that address problems of sustainability in farming more effectively and possibly more efficiently. It develops and applies an analytical framework that focuses on the effects of digitalisation in distinct policy dimensions, drawing on theoretical insights and examples from practice in a European context. We show that digital agricultural policy does not simply replace analogue technologies used in traditional agricultural policy. It offers new options for agricultural policy, including novel designs to address challenges more effectively. In particular, it offers opportunities for more effective spatial targeting and tailoring of instruments, including results-based subsidies. Digital data can be generated strategically using respective instrument designs to support policy learning and adaptation of designs. Information-intensive instruments and designs generally benefit most from digitalisation while transaction costs often go down. Digitalisation could also move agricultural policy from direct intervention to information-based governance. However, the analysis suggests that institutional constraints and interests, as well as the capabilities of the actors involved require attention in research and practice of digitalisation of agricultural policy.
Lessons to be learned in adoption of autonomous equipment for field crops
Lowenberg-DeBoer, James; Behrendt, Karl; Ehlers, Melf-Hinrich; et al. (2022)
Applied Economic Perspectives and Policy
Autonomous equipment for crop production is on the verge of technical and economic feasibility, but government regulation may slow its adoption. Key regulatory issues include requirements for on-site human supervision, liability for autonomous machine error, and intellectual property in robotic learning. As an example of the impact of regulation on the economic benefits of autonomous crop equipment, analysis from the United Kingdom suggests that requiring 100% on-site human supervision almost wipes out the economic benefits of autonomous crop equipment for small and medium farms and increases the economies-of-scale advantage of larger farms.
How digital innovations can lead to more sustainable agricultural systems
Finger, Robert; Huber, Robert; Wang, Yanbing; et al. (2020)
Proceedings of the 3rd INFER Symposium on Agri-Tech Economics for Sustainable Futures
Agrarpolitik im Zeitalter der Digitalisierung
Ehlers, Melf-Hinrich; Huber, Robert; Finger, Robert (2021)
Diese Studie untersucht, wie sich die Digitalisierung auf die Agrarpolitik auswirken könnte und welche Chancen sich daraus ergeben. Digitale Technologien halten nicht nur auf landwirtschaftlichen Betrieben Einzug, sondern auch in der Agrar- und Ernährungspolitik. Beispiele sind die digitalisierte Dokumentation von agrar¬politischen Massnahmen, digitale Technologien, wie Satellitenbilder, zur Beobachtung der Landnutzung oder die Analyse digitalisierter Agrardaten in der öffentlichen Verwaltung. Das übergeordnete Ziel des Projektes ‘Agrarpolitik im Zeitalter der Digitalisierung’ ist die Analyse, welche Rolle die Digitalisierung für die Weiterentwicklung der Agrarpolitik spielen kann. Die Ergebnisse der Analyse sollen Entscheidungsgrundlagen für die zukünftige Ausge-staltung der Agrarpolitik bieten. Wir haben verschiedene Szenarien der Digitalisierung der Landwirtschaft identifiziert. In den Szenarien gibt es sehr unterschiedliche Herausforderungen wie agrarpolitische Ziele auch zukünftig erreicht werden. Strategien zur Verbesserung der digitalen Infrastruktur und der Fähigkeiten der involvierten Personen können hier helfen, die Zielerreichung sicherzustellen. Agrarpolitische Instrumente, wie etwa Direktzahlungsprogramme oder Steuern, können mithilfe digitaler Technologien in Zukunft einen geringeren administrativen Aufwand haben. Insbesondere können diese Instrumente anders aufgestellt und damit wirksamer, aber auch kostengünstiger, werden. Sie könnten beispielsweise stärker auf Ergebnisse von Mass-nahmen abzielen, anstatt auf Bewirtschaftungspraktiken. Auch können sie genauer auf Stand¬orte zugeschnitten werden und zeitlich flexibler gestaltet werden. Der Einsatz digitaler Tech¬nologien könnte aber auch Fragen aufwerfen, wie etwa in welchem Ausmass der Staat Zugriff auf betriebliche Daten erhalten soll oder welche Kostenverteilung zwischen Staat und land¬wirtschaftlichen Betrieben entsteht. Unter den vielen in der Digitalisierung der Agrarpolitik einsetzbaren Technologien erfährt die satellitenbasierten Fernerkundung eine grosse Auf-merksamkeit. Auch wenn ihr Einsatzspektrum zur Unterstützung der Agrarpolitik begrenzt ist, könnte diese Technologie in bestimmten Bereichen, wie der Beobachtung der Landnutzung, sehr wirkungsvoll und kostengünstig sein. Möglicherweise verschiebt sich die agrarpolitische Aufmerksamkeit gar in diese Bereiche. Dies ist die erste umfassende Studie zur Digitalisierung in der Agrarpolitik. Sie legt wichtige konzeptionelle Grundlagen für agrarpolitische Entscheidungen, indem sie zukünftige Heraus-forderungen aufzeigt und Lösungen vorschlägt. Da es noch unsicher ist, welche Entwicklungen sich in der Digitalisierung der Agrar- und Ernährungspolitik durchsetzen werden, ist weiterhin eine aufmerksame Beobachtung der Digitalisierung sinnvoll.
Exploring actors' perceptions of the precision agriculture innovation system – A Group Concept Mapping approach in Germany and Switzerland
Monteiro Moretti, Débora; Baum, Chad M.; Ehlers, Melf-Hinrich; et al. (2023)
Technological Forecasting and Social Change
Precision Agriculture Technologies (PATs) promise to enhance productivity and foster sustainability. However, attempts to explain the low adoption of PATs, particularly in Europe, lack attention to the role of shared understanding of PATs among actors in the development and diffusion of this innovation. To uncover what could guide the emergence of a collective understanding of PATs, we explore how the actors comprising the nascent innovation system perceive PATs and how they perceive possibilities for influencing the precision agriculture innovation system. We utilize the mixed-method approach of Group Concept Mapping to uncover (in)congruences in relation to PAT perceptions of farmers from Germany and Switzerland vis-à-vis other stakeholders in the innovation system. We found that negative perceptions of the economic and social aspects of PATs are a source of discrepancies among the actors. Conversely, positive perceptions of the prospective value propositions of PATs seem to be a point of coherence. We argue that the maturity of the innovation system thus depends on the further alignment of such perceptions as well as the realization of the innovation's value proposition. Both practitioners and policymakers could strengthen the innovation system of PATs, with the help of intermediaries, through aligning perceptions of challenges and value propositions.
Unlocking wise digital techno-futures: Contributions from the Degrowth community
Pansera, Mario; Ehlers, Melf-Hinrich; Kerschner, Christian (2019)
Futures
Many of the benefits anticipated from technology in the 1960s remain unrealized today. Alongside the optimism that drives technological development, more sceptical views that regard the promises of technology with reflection, mistrust, and even hostility, have emerged within Western societies. One such group is the Degrowth community, a heterogenous group of researchers and activists who question technological advancements that contribute to environmentally and socially harmful economic growth. In this vein, the movement critically observes the current hype surrounding digital technology, which seems to reflect a mantra of “the more digital technology, the better”. This paper presents perspectives that emerged from a dialogue among members of the Degrowth community, who were asked to imagine wise and unwise futures of digitalisation in 2068. Key concerns of unwise futures include increasing disconnection of humans from the natural environment and from one another as individuals, the use of digital technology for optimising the allocation of scarce resources to the benefit of the wealthy few, and authoritarian governance of technologies and life itself. Wise technological futures, in turn, allow people to freely access digital technologies that are convivial, just, environmentally sustainable, and guided by democratic deliberation. It remains controversial how far digital technologies and the interests and skills surrounding them can facilitate the principles of Degrowth, and the extent to which the harmful effects of digital technologies are already shaping social, ecological and technological futures. However, the dialogue clearly emphasised the need to develop more detailed socio-technological imaginaries that provide practically feasible alternatives.
Política agrícola na era da digitalizaçao
Ehlers, Melf-Hinrich; Huber, Robert; Finger, Robert (2021)
Mercados alimentares digitais - INCLUSÃO PRODUTIVA, COOPERATIVISMO E POLÍTICAS PÚBLICAS
Scenarios for European agricultural policymaking in the era of digitalisation
Ehlers, Melf-Hinrich; Finger, Robert; Benni, Nadja El; et al. (2022)
Agricultural Systems
CONTEXT Digitalisation affects the agri-food sector and its governance. However, what digitalisation of the sector will imply for future agricultural policymaking remains unclear. OBJECTIVE The objective of the study is to develop and evaluate explorative scenarios of digitalisation in the agri-food sector of Europe that are explicitly relevant to agricultural policy. The study aims to provide guidance for strategic development of agricultural policy to address the potentials, uncertainties and unknowns arising with digitalisation of the sector. METHODS We combine a Delphi study and a participatory scenario workshop to develop and evaluate plausible explorative scenarios of digitalisation of Europe's agri-food sector. For all scenarios we identify gaps in achieving a range of important European agricultural policy goals, drawing on the Delphi study and desk-based analysis. Subsequently we deduce strategies to address these agricultural policy gaps. RESULTS AND CONCLUSIONS Four scenarios of digitalisation of the agri-food sector were developed for Europe in 2030. They comprise of 1) digitalisation of the sector following current directions at current rates as a baseline scenario, 2) strong digitalisation of a regulatory government, 3) use of autonomous farming technology and 4) digitalised food business. These explorative scenarios entail various gaps in achieving European agricultural policy goals. Our findings suggest that the baseline scenario needs strategies to ramp up technological and institutional infrastructure for digitalisation. The other scenarios need strategies to prevent risks, e.g., of technological failures or undesired social impacts. They also need strategies to cater for special cases and diversity, e.g., of ecosystems and farming practices. Across the scenarios, it seems useful to increase digital competencies of the stakeholders. SIGNIFICANCE The study is the first that derives implications for policy strategies from explorative scenarios of future digitalisation of agricultural systems that target gaps in achieving agricultural policy goals. The combination of developing and analysing scenarios generated findings that are of significance to policymaking stakeholders and researchers alike, who all need to address the uncertainties arising with future digitalisation of the agri-food sector.
Visions before models: The ethos of energy modeling in an era of transition
Sgouridis, Sgouris; Kimmich, Christian; Solé, Jordi; et al. (2022)
Energy Research & Social Science
Energy-Economy-Environment (E3) models feature prominently in energy policy and climate mitigation planning. Nevertheless, these models have a mixed track record when assessed retrospectively and exhibit biases that can make them counterproductive for prescriptive policy during transition. We argue that in times of energy transitions it is preferable to develop a vision of the desired future energy system rather than relying on techno-economic solutions based on simple objectives (e.g. lower carbon emissions). We support this argument through reasoned inference supported by historical examples. A critical appraisal of E3 modeling exercises highlights the biases, structural or implicit, favoring existing energy system modalities. As a result, if E3 models are uncritically used to formulate long-term energy policy, there is the risk of unintended or deliberate performativity preventing a radical transition. Given the significant learning-by-doing effects in reducing technology costs, the evolution of energy systems is path-dependent and reinforced by technology policy feedbacks. This is showcased by Germany's Energiewende. Therefore, it is preferable to prioritize a clear articulation of the vision for the future desired end-state which can be shared with stakeholders a priori. Then utilize models as exploratory tools for assessing the economics and scale of corresponding interventions. These should include focused technology policy that aims to commoditize relevant technical innovations through learning-by-doing and scale economies. Ideally such models should be open, exploratory, reflexive and incorporate the dynamics of innovation.

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