Project Details
Description
Brief project description: In 2011 UNESCO presented its thoughts on moving from Green Economies to Green Societies by claiming that: “Genuine sustainable development calls for more than green investments and low carbon technologies. Besides its economic and ecological dimensions, the social and human dimensions are central factors for success. Ultimately, we must focus our efforts on building green societies.” (Irina G. Bokova, former Director-General for UNESCO).
Underlining one of the central reasonings behind the new SSH Green Societies initiative at AAU; that humanities and social sciences play a significant role in ensuring timely circular and green transitions of people, organisations, industries, and societies by supporting key stakeholders’ sensemaking and reflexive abilities. And there is a need for transitions within several industries. The Fashion and Textile has the 4th largest environmental footprint in the EU and is a good example of an industry where there is an outspoken need for circular and green transitions.
On an annual base the industry produces 40 million tons of textile waste, of which only 1% is being reused to make new textiles. These EU figures also impact the Danish fashion- and textile Industry (DFTI). In 2021 DTFI was responsible for 6% of the total Danish export (DKK 87 billion). And since many of the Danish companies have international value chains and cooperate with producers in the Global South, there is a huge potential for green transitions within DFTI that will have both national and international impact on ensuring that we stay within planetary boundaries of CO2 emissions, use of chemicals and water. EU’s textile strategy is a much-needed support in the transition from linear to circular value chains and production processes.
However, the vision with the EU Textile Strategy is far from the reality many Danish fashion and textile companies face: 1) the industry is mostly comprised of SME’s who still operate with a linear mindset regarding their international value chains; 2) there is an outspoken need for more transparency regarding EU legislation and the possible ways to adopt circular and green value chains and; 3) the individual company lacks knowledge and competences regarding working strategically with circular and green transitions with key international stakeholders in EU and the Global South.
Underlining one of the central reasonings behind the new SSH Green Societies initiative at AAU; that humanities and social sciences play a significant role in ensuring timely circular and green transitions of people, organisations, industries, and societies by supporting key stakeholders’ sensemaking and reflexive abilities. And there is a need for transitions within several industries. The Fashion and Textile has the 4th largest environmental footprint in the EU and is a good example of an industry where there is an outspoken need for circular and green transitions.
On an annual base the industry produces 40 million tons of textile waste, of which only 1% is being reused to make new textiles. These EU figures also impact the Danish fashion- and textile Industry (DFTI). In 2021 DTFI was responsible for 6% of the total Danish export (DKK 87 billion). And since many of the Danish companies have international value chains and cooperate with producers in the Global South, there is a huge potential for green transitions within DFTI that will have both national and international impact on ensuring that we stay within planetary boundaries of CO2 emissions, use of chemicals and water. EU’s textile strategy is a much-needed support in the transition from linear to circular value chains and production processes.
However, the vision with the EU Textile Strategy is far from the reality many Danish fashion and textile companies face: 1) the industry is mostly comprised of SME’s who still operate with a linear mindset regarding their international value chains; 2) there is an outspoken need for more transparency regarding EU legislation and the possible ways to adopt circular and green value chains and; 3) the individual company lacks knowledge and competences regarding working strategically with circular and green transitions with key international stakeholders in EU and the Global South.
| Status | Active |
|---|---|
| Effective start/end date | 01/01/2025 → 31/12/2025 |
Funding
- Green Societies, SSH: DKK75,000.00