C3.
Mission
The mission of SC C3 is to facilitate and promote the principles of sustainable development in the field of power system performance through global exchange of information and knowledge, creating added value by identifying best practices and developing recommendations in accordance with global best practices.
Scope
The scope of Study Committee C3 covers the interactions between the natural and social environment and the end-to-end power system.
This involves addressing environmental and social impacts such as land use, biodiversity; greenhouse gases; air, soil and water pollution; consumption of natural resources; waste generation; electromagnetic fields; noise or landscape. It also addresses the prominent role and relevance of different stakeholder groups, with special focus on local communities.
The role of the power system in relation to the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) is also a work area for SC3.
Main Areas of Focus
Environmental and social impacts of power system development and operation in a lifecycle approach (cradle to grave, from planning to decommissioning). Identification, assessment, monitoring and management of impacts. Mitigation and offset measures. Procedures, methodologies and tools for quantifying, controlling and reducing environmental impact such as Life Cycle Assessment (LCA), Environmental Product Declarations (EPD), global comparisons etc. Risk assessment. Sustainability: role of the power system. Anticipating new trends and challenges. Impacts of relevant and emerging technologies (renewable energies, storage systems, hydrogen, new materials...); Climate change mitigation (decarbonization and net zero) and adaptation (risks and opportunities); New sustainability approaches: eco-design, eco-efficiency, circularity, supply chain management etc.
Stakeholder Engagement and Public Acceptance Effective communication and collaboration with the public and regulatory authorities to improve public acceptance of power system infrastructure and decision-making processes. Engagement tools and strategies.
Keywords
Environment; sustainability; sustainable development, SDGs; LCA, EPD, stakeholders, acceptance, engagement; communities; climate change; decarbonization, net-zero; GHG; adaptation; biodiversity, wildlife, vegetation, EMF; landscape, waste; pollution; noise; eco-design, eco-efficiency, circularity.