9. From geothermal energy to ranking cities

This week I have been reading over two thesis reports by international Masters students I am supervising. One on geothermal energy in Indonesia, looking at the business conditions and effects of policy that are trying to expand georthermal energy rapidly to meet growing energy demands. This is an intriguing story, since it points to how fast-developing countries with large populations can react strongly and quickly to the challenges of moving towards low-carbon societies and economies. The thesis concentrates on the realities of investing in geothermal energy from a bottom-up perspective, and what policy-makers can learn in their efforts to support investors from a top-down approach. The other student I am supervising has conducted research on how cities in the Öresund region, which covers part of Sweden and Denmark, are ranked in terms of environmental performance. The thesis looks at what role ranking systems can play in improving environmental conditions and regional cooperation. The Öresund Region has embarked on a vision to become the first carbon neutral region in Europe - a bold ambition! To get there, the cities in the region will need to regularly evaluate their performance, and at the same time actively collaborate. So two different topics, but one main goal - sustainable development and fast.