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The paper industry is a high-carbon emission and energy-intensive industry. From the perspective of low-carbon trade and carbon neutrality, its energy conservation and emission reduction are worthy of attention. This study used the input-output model to calculate the embodied carbon emissions of China’s paper industry’s export trade to the United States from 2006 to 2020 and used the logarithmic mean division index (LMDI) method to analyze influencing factors of the change of embodied carbon emissions. The study found that the embodied carbon emissions of China’s paper industry’s export trade to the United States generally shows a stable downward trend after reaching the peak with the increase of export trade scale; scale effect is the main factor that causes the embodied carbon emissions, while technological progress, policy support, and environmental regulations are important driving forces to promote carbon emission reduction. The research results of this paper not only can test and guide China’s paper industry trade policies and industrial policies, but they can also provide decision-making reference for China and the United States to promote the carbon emission reduction of the paper industry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The pulp and paper sector is undertaking several initiatives to decrease the carbon footprint of its industrial activities. To do so, any emission must be offset by introducing efficient carbon fixation strategies such as reforestation and the development of biobased products and processes. The production of drop-in fuels may play an important role in this scenario. Drop-in fuels provide a good way to add value to otherwise underutilized process streams and wastes, reducing greenhouse gas emissions, minimizing other environmental impacts, and improving process sustainability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Waste paper disposed in landfills notably contributes to greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and impedes more sustainable, circular alternatives, such as recycling. In Hong Kong, this unsustainable approach is currently dominant as 68% of waste paper products are treated in landfills in 2020. To contextualize the impact of local waste paper management and explore mitigation potentials of circular alternatives, this paper develops a quantitative assessment framework around GHG emissions development trajectories. Combining guidelines of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), national GHG inventories, and local parameters from life cycle analysis, five GHG emissions projections were simulated along the Shared Socioeconomic Pathways (SSPs) until 2060. Most recent baselines indicate that Hong Kong's current waste paper treatment generated 638,360 tons CO 2 -eq in 2020, comprising 1,821,040 tons CO 2 -eq from landfill and 671,320 tons CO 2 -eq from recycling, and −1,854,000 tons CO 2 -eq from primary material replacement. Proceeding along a Business-as-Usual scenario under SSP5, GHG emissions will dramatically increase to a net 1,072,270 tons CO 2 -eq by 2060, whereas a recycling-intensive scenario will lead to a net saving of −4,323,190 tons CO 2 -eq. To complement the quantitative evidence on the benefits of waste paper recycling, field research was conducted to explore the feasibility of circular policy innovation from the perspective of recycling stakeholders. These empirical qualitative and quantitative findings from stakeholders' business routines and material transactions provide crucial indications for policy and institutional innovation: Essentially, for Hong Kong to improve waste paper recycling capacities and facilitate a circular economy (CE), local stakeholders require support via fiscal policy measures (financial subsidies or tax reductions) and infrastructure improvements (delivery access and material storage). In sum, this study employs a novel analytical framework combining original qualitative and quantitative evidence to provide policy innovation towards circular, GHG emission-saving waste paper management. [Display omitted] • A new framework assessing greenhouse gas emissions from waste paper treatment. • Exploring long-term carbon neutrality pathways for managing waste paper. • Using empirical evidence from recycling stakeholders for circular policy innovation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Paper products are carbon-intensive and having a huge potential for carbon reduction due to their biomass-oriented characteristics. A uniform standard for total carbon footprint (CF) accounting is vital. However, the existing standards have not yet been unified. Inconsistencies between standards cause difficulties in their use and significantly weaken the credibility and comparability of the carbon footprint of a product (CFP). This work rethought the three most widely used standards (Publicly Available Specification 2050 (PAS2050), Product Life Cycle Accounting and Reporting Standard (GHG Protocol), and Product Life Cycle Accounting and Reporting Standard (ISO14067)) from the life-cycle perspective, and established a more appropriate and comprehensive CF accounting standard for paper products (CFASPP). Sanitary pads were selected as a case study to illustrate the discrepancies between PAS 2050, the GHG Protocol, ISO 14067, and CFASPP, for which the annual production CF results were 1424.60, 1481.08, 1453.57, and 1427.04 tons of carbon dioxide equivalent (CO 2 e) respectively. The main reasons for the different CF results were the cut-off criteria and the inclusion or exclusion of carbon storage, delayed emissions, and energy recovery. Each element increased or decreased 22.57 (carbon storage), 29.96 (cut-off criteria), 10.4 (delayed emissions), and 27.52 (incineration with energy recovery) tons of CO 2 e in the results. With increasing demand, these discrepancies will become increasingly significant and may lead to corporations shouldering more or less carbon emission responsibilities by selecting different standards, which will challenge the fairness of product carbon neutrality management. CFASPP covers all paper product life-cycle stages and places greater emphasis on the aspects of carbon storage, delayed emissions, and energy recovery in incineration, which cannot be ignored for the CF accounting of paper products and other biomass-oriented products. This study aims to provide a more applicable and comprehensive guide for corporations to evaluate the CF of paper products, and to provide a reference for the construction of a carbon-neutral evaluation system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Corporate carbon emissions accounting has become a research focus for researchers and government departments. Based on corporate production processes, this study proposes and establishes a comprehensive system for corporate carbon emissions. Taking Stora Enso (Guangxi) Company as an example, this paper provides a thorough analysis of the production and operational status of paper-making companies. The production process is divided into five stages: material preparation, pulping, pulp board production, papermaking, and alkali recycling. Based on these production processes, it proposes and constructs a corporate carbon emissions accounting system from an accounting perspective, which specifically includes accounting objectives, information quality characteristics, accounting recognition, accounting measurement, accounting treatments, and information disclosure. The findings show that the carbon emissions accounting system targeted at production processes can clearly awaken corporate carbon emissions responsibilities, further improve the corporate accounting system, and provide effective technical support for the government to implement environmental regulations and formulate carbon reduction policies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper analyzes the theoretical mechanism by which urbanization and consumption structure upgrading exert an impact on carbon emissions in the context of promoting higher quality and efficiency in urbanization, advancing the transition and upgrading of consumption structure, and achieving carbon peaking and carbon neutrality (“dual carbon”) goals. By establishing an extended STIRPAT model and an intermediary model, this paper takes nine prefecture-level cities in Fujian Province from 2011 to 2021 as samples to investigate the effects of urbanization and consumption structure upgrading on carbon emission reduction in Fujian Province, revealing the interrelationship and transmission mechanism among the three. The results of this study show that: (i) The relationship between urbanization and carbon emissions in Fujian Province from 2011 to 2021 shows an inverted U-shaped curve, i.e. urbanization accelerated carbon emissions in the early stage and inhibited carbon emissions in the later stage; (ii) the regional heterogeneity analysis shows that under the current urbanization background, the upgrading of consumption structure in western and southern Fujian can significantly reduce carbon emissions, while the relationship between consumption structure upgrading and carbon emission reduction in eastern Fujian is not significant; (iii) the upgrading of consumption structure can help achieve and promote carbon emission reduction through increasing the proportions of the tertiary industry and immaterial consumption and enhancing the level of culture and education, while exerting little effect on carbon emission reduction through consumption in transportation, communication and health care. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Carbon Capture, Utilization, and Storage (CCUS) stands as one of the effective means to reduce carbon emissions and serves as a crucial technical pillar for achieving experimental carbon neutrality. CO2-enhanced oil recovery (CO2-EOR) represents the foremost method for CO2 utilization. CO2-EOR represents a favorable technical means of efficiently developing extra-low-permeability reservoirs. Nevertheless, the process known as the direct injection of CO2 is highly susceptible to gas scrambling, which reduces the exposure time and contact area between CO2 and the extra-low-permeability oil matrix, making it challenging to utilize CO2 molecular diffusion effectively. In this paper, a comprehensive study involving the application of a CO2 nanobubble system in extra-low-permeability reservoirs is presented. A modified nano-SiO2 particle with pro-CO2 properties was designed using the Pickering emulsion template method and employed as a CO2 nanobubble stabilizer. The suitability of the CO2 nanobubbles for use in extra-low-permeability reservoirs was evaluated in terms of their temperature resistance, oil resistance, dimensional stability, interfacial properties, and wetting-reversal properties. The enhanced oil recovery (EOR) effect of the CO2 nanobubble system was evaluated through core experiments. The results indicate that the CO2 nanobubble system can suppress the phenomena of channeling and gravity overlap in the formation. Additionally, the system can alter the wettability, thereby improving interfacial activity. Furthermore, the system can reduce the interfacial tension, thus expanding the wave efficiency of the repellent phase fluids. The system can also improve the ability of CO2 to displace the crude oil or water in the pore space. The CO2 nanobubble system can take advantage of its size and high mass transfer efficiency, among other advantages. Injection of the gas into the extra-low-permeability reservoir can be used to block high-gas-capacity channels. The injected gas is forced to enter the low-permeability layer or matrix, with the results of core simulation experiments indicating a recovery rate of 66.28%. Nanobubble technology, the subject of this paper, has significant practical implications for enhancing the efficiency of CO2-EOR and geologic sequestration, as well as providing an environmentally friendly method as part of larger CCUS-EOR. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper constructs a unique dataset of clean energy and collects firm-level green innovation data that matches it with provinces and cities. Then, this paper executes quasi-natural experiments on green innovation to examine the effects of China's emission trading policy on green innovation. Further, this paper introduces the interactive terms of the pilot time and pilot area dummy variables into the spatial Durbin model (SDM) and spatial dynamic panel model (SDPM) to construct quasi-natural experiments to examine the spatial effect. The findings confirm a negative association between the 'policy treatment effect' and green innovation. The results also indicate a significant negative association between the emissions trading policy and clean energy. Besides, the empirical results reveal a positive correlation between clean energy and green innovation; clean energy promotes green innovation in the region and the surrounding areas. This paper complements existing research and provides empirical evidence and policy implications for developing clean energy, promoting green innovation, and improving the emission trading policy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Through extensive data research and analysis, this paper comprehensively summarizes the status and key insights of global carbon dioxide capture and storage (CCS) development. It aims to gain a comprehensive understanding of the relevant policies, technologies, and security measures adopted by major countries in their CCS development processes. Furthermore, it explores the existing status and limitations of China's offshore development efforts, while providing valuable recommendations for enhancing China's offshore CCS initiatives, as well as serving as a reference for other nations worldwide. Offshore CCS plays a crucial role for China to achieve the development target of carbon peak and carbon neutrality, due to its energy structure and industrial distribution. While China possesses significant offshore CCS potential, achieving commercialization still requires substantial efforts. To facilitate the process and draw insights from successful experiences in other countries, this paper illustrates the characteristics and generalizes the experience of offshore CCS industry practices in America, Europe and Japan, respectively. Furthermore, it is recommended that a new round of investigation into offshore CCS potential be conducted, while promoting integrated collaboration between geological surveying and marine scientific research. Additionally, further research on industrial policies and green financial strategies should be undertaken. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The power sector is one of the major CO2-emitting industries in China. It is also the first key emissions control industry included in China's national carbon trading market established in 2021. Therefore, based on the data of 30 provinces and cities in China from 2015 to 2022, this study analyzes the impact of the national carbon market policy on the carbon emissions of the power industry based on the generalized Difference-in-Difference (DID) model. Based on the method of text analysis, this paper constructs the carbon market policy intensity index of each region and incorporates it into the DID model. Empirical analysis finds that the national carbon market policy can significantly inhibit the carbon emissions of the power industry. However, the heterogeneity analysis of 30 provinces and cities shows that the national carbon market policy has a significant impact on the regions that already have a carbon pilot, but not on the non-pilot regions. Therefore, this paper demonstrates the effectiveness of the national carbon market policy in the power industry emissions control, and also exposes the heterogeneity between regions, providing an important empirical basis for the inclusion of other energy-intensive industries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A text generation based multidisciplinary problem identification method is proposed, which does not rely on a large amount of data annotation. The proposed method first identifies the research objective types and disciplinary labels of papers using a text classification technique; second, it generates abstractive titles for each paper based on abstract and research objective types using a generative pre-trained language model; third, it extracts problem phrases from generated titles according to regular expression rules; fourth, it creates problem relation networks and identifies the same problems by exploiting a weighted community detection algorithm; finally, it identifies multidisciplinary problems based on the disciplinary labels of papers. Experiments in the "Carbon Peaking and Carbon Neutrality" field show that the proposed method can effectively identify multidisciplinary research problems. The disciplinary distribution of the identified problems is consistent with our understanding of multidisciplinary collaboration in the field. It is necessary to use the proposed method in other multidisciplinary fields to validate its effectiveness. Multidisciplinary problem identification helps to gather multidisciplinary forces to solve complex real-world problems for the governments, fund valuable multidisciplinary problems for research management authorities, and borrow ideas from other disciplines for researchers. This approach proposes a novel multidisciplinary problem identification method based on text generation, which identifies multidisciplinary problems based on generative abstractive titles of papers without data annotation required by standard sequence labeling techniques. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The EU has set the ambitious target of raising the share of EU energy consumption produced from renewable resources to 32% by 2030, with a target of climate neutrality by 2050. The aim of this paper is to assess the role of biomass usage in the context of these targets. The paper identifies the progress made between 2013 and 2022 by focusing on a selection of EU countries. The largest bioenergy increments of 130, 77, and 60 PJ were reported for Poland, Sweden, and the Netherlands. This study evaluates the crucial role of co-generation and heat in EU regions, with biomass usage between 55 and 80% of the combined heat and power (CHP) energy in Nordic countries. The future perspectives for bioenergy based on EU policies, biomass resources, and technical issues were addressed. The EU possesses around 9% of the global biomass supply, ensuring a certain level of biomass resource dependence. Thus, the biomass usage demand in energy production, non-energy sectors, and transport is expected to rise, leading to increments of 13–76% on biomass imports. It appears that bioenergy development is mostly limited by economic issues and uneven support for bioenergy in different EU countries as well as environmental issues. The study shows a promising and sustainable potential of bioenergy in the EU as a renewable energy source while minimizing negative impacts on the environment and the economy. By 2050, liquid biofuels are likely to be increasingly used in the transport sector. Non-energy sector usage of biomass is still in an early stage of development, except for the pulp and paper industry, and significant use of biomass in non-energy sectors seems unlikely in the near future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Interactions between cellulose, hemicellulose and lignin during paper waste degradation were observed. • A consecutive reaction mechanism was developed for paper waste degradation at temperature range of 200 °C to 400 °C. • The model was validated by NMR and FTIR spectroscopy results. Paper waste generation has been rising in the past decades, with a large amount being landfilled. These paper wastes can be great energy sources after thermal treatment since they are considered carbon neutral. These wastes contain mainly cellulose, hemicellulose, lignin, and some minerals. The thermal decomposition of cellulose, hemicellulose, and lignin have been extensively studied, however, the knowledge of thermal degradation of paper wastes at lower temperatures, which are more practical for industrial applications are still lacking. In this study, paper wastes have been characterized and thermogravimetric analyses were performed from 200°C to 400°C and the char produced were analyzed by nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy and Fourier-transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy. Two kinetic approaches were taken while developing the kinetic model of paper waste thermal degradation: (i) reconstructing the TGA results of paper waste thermal degradation by an additive law of the degradation of cellulose, hemicellulose and lignin; (ii) considering paper waste as one material and develop a multi-step consecutive reaction mechanism that focuses on solid products at different temperatures. It was observed that there are potential interactions between cellulose, hemicellulose and lignin during paper waste degradation. Therefore, the second approach was concluded to be more plausible, and one set of kinetic parameters were determined according to the experimental results at different temperatures. These results provided insights into the degradation kinetic mechanism and solid product distribution of the paper waste. It was found that the first reaction was due to dehydration of cellulose and the 6th and 7th reaction can be attributed to the thermal degradation of lignin. The NMR and FTIR results also validated that the cellulose started degrading at lower temperatures, and lignin degradation became more pronounced at higher temperatures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We design a facile strategy to manufacture a high-performance composite of polyvinyl chloride (PVC) made from brown paper and PVC film. Brown paper with little fiber damage is prepared using bamboo pulping via a moderate method, and a high content of lignin enhances the lipophilicity of the fibers. The "layer-network" porous paper provides "green" framework support. When hot and cold pressing of the stacks of paper sheets and PVC films is performed, PVC resin fills the pores of the framework support, and then, strong mechanical interlocking structures are established, similar to the vastly distributed microscale "mortise riveting". Then, a dense and lightweight paper/PVC composite is produced. The composite exhibits strong mechanical properties in terms of tensile strength (132.65 MPa), flexural strength (183.45 MPa), flexural modulus (10.44 GPa), and internal bonding strength (2.6 MPa), with good thermal stability and flame resistance. The strength is 5- to 10-fold that of commercial artificial boards, substantially surpassing that of bamboo, PVC, and other PVC composite resin profiles. Additionally, PVC replaces adhesives that contain or release formaldehyde, and a high percentage (>60 wt%) of green cellulose fibers is used. The simple technology directly uses existing manufacturing methods of papermaking, film stretching, and press laminating systems. Therefore, the high-performance paper/PVC composite is environmentally sustainable and more cost-effective than PVC composites prepared with other fillers. The new materials have great potential prospects for the development of high-strength materials and the implementation of carbon neutrality in prefabricated houses, furniture, vehicles, ships, containers, and color steel plates. [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The electric power sector is the primary contributor to carbon emissions in China. Considering the context of dual carbon goals, this paper examines carbon emissions within China's electricity sector. The research utilizes the LMDI approach for methodological rigor. The results show that the cumulative contribution of economies scale, power consumption factors and energy structure are 114.91%, 85.17% and 0.94%, which contribute to the increase of carbon emissions, the cumulative contribution of power generation efficiency and ratio of power dissipation to generation factor are -19.15% and -0.01%, which promotes the carbon reduction. The decomposition analysis highlights the significant influence of economic scale on carbon emissions in the electricity industry, among the seven factors investigated. Meanwhile, STIRPAT model, Logistic model and GM(1,1) model are used to predict carbon emissions, the average relative error between actual carbon emissions and the predicted values are 0.23%, 8.72% and 7.05%, which indicates that STIRPAT model is more suitable for medium- to long-term predictions. Based on these findings, the paper proposes practical suggestions to reduce carbon emissions and achieve the dual carbon goals of the power industry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Under the goal of "achieving carbon peak by 2030 and carbon neutrality by 2060", how to select the type of fresh air system has become a key area of energy conservation. The method of outdoor design PM2.5 concentration is one of the important factors affecting the selection of fresh air filtration system. This paper first analyzed the PM2.5 concentration values of 31 cities in China from 2017 to 2020 based on mathematical induction, and next gave the recommended coefficient K under six urban economic regions methods in combination with the actual situation. Finally, the selection of air filters in five typical cities was taken as an example, the differences in recommended coefficient K and selection of outdoor design PM2.5 concentration under different recommended methods were compared and analyzed. The results showed that the recommended coefficient K under the six economic regions could meet the required K value needs of the region. The recommended coefficient K by the six economic regions methods based on per capita GDP is the best. Under that conditions, the recommended coefficient K of the five typical cities under strict and normal conditions differs from the average K values of the six methods by 0.06 and 0.04. This paper will provide a new method for the correct selection of outdoor design PM2.5 concentration in fresh air systems to achieve the dual carbon energy-saving goal. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Low carbon operation of power systems is a key way to achieve the goal of energy power carbon peaking and carbon neutrality. In order to promote the low carbon transition of energy and power and the coordinated and optimized operation of distributed energy sources in virtual power plants (VPP), this paper proposes a framework for collaborative utilization of pumped storage–carbon capture–power-to-gas (P2G) technologies. It also constructs a multi-time scale low carbon economic dispatch model for VPP to minimize the internal resource operation cost of VPP in each time period. During the intraday scheduling stage, the day-ahead scheduling results as the planned output and the energy flow is then dynamically corrected at a short-term resolution in the framework. This allows for the exploration of the low-carbon potential of each aggregation unit within the virtual power plant. The results of the simulation indicate that the strategy and model proposed in this paper can effectively encourage the consumption of renewable energy sources, promote the low-carbon operation of power system power, and serve as a valuable reference for the low-carbon economic operation of the power system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Solid-state hydrogen storage technology has emerged as a disruptive solution to the "last mile" challenge in large-scale hydrogen energy applications, garnering significant global research attention. This paper systematically reviews the Chinese research progress in solid-state hydrogen storage material systems, thermodynamic mechanisms, and system integration. It also quantitatively assesses the market potential of solid-state hydrogen storage across four major application scenarios: on-board hydrogen storage, hydrogen refueling stations, backup power supplies, and power grid peak shaving. Furthermore, it analyzes the bottlenecks and challenges in industrialization related to key materials, testing standards, and innovation platforms. While acknowledging that the cost and performance of solid-state hydrogen storage are not yet fully competitive, the paper highlights its unique advantages of high safety, energy density, and potentially lower costs, showing promise in new energy vehicles and distributed energy fields. Breakthroughs in new hydrogen storage materials like magnesium-based and vanadium-based materials, coupled with improved standards, specifications, and innovation mechanisms, are expected to propel solid-state hydrogen storage into a mainstream technology within 10–15 years, with a market scale exceeding USD 14.3 billion. To accelerate the leapfrog development of China's solid-state hydrogen storage industry, increased investment in basic research, focused efforts on key core technologies, and streamlining the industry chain from materials to systems are recommended. This includes addressing challenges in passenger vehicles, commercial vehicles, and hydrogen refueling stations, and building a collaborative innovation ecosystem involving government, industry, academia, research, finance, and intermediary entities to support the achievement of carbon peak and neutrality goals and foster a clean, low-carbon, safe, and efficient modern energy system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, we develop a two-level supply chain model with low carbon emissions for defective deteriorating items under learning in fuzzy environment by using the double inspection process. Carbon emissions are a major issue for the environment and human life when they come from many sources like different kinds of factories, firms, and industries. The burning of diesel and petrol during the supply of items through transportation is also responsible for carbon emissions. When any company, firm, or industry supplies their items through a supply chain by using of transportation in the regular mode, then a lot of carbon units are emitted from the burning of petrol and diesel, etc., which affects the supply chain. Carbon emissions can be controlled by using different kinds of policies issued by the government of a country, and lots of companies have implemented these policies to control carbon emissions. When a seller delivers a demanded lot size to the buyer, as per demand, and the lot size has some defective items, as per consideration, the demand rate is uncertain in nature. The buyer inspects the received whole lot and divides it into two categories of defective and no defective deteriorating items, as well as immediately selling at different price. The fuzzy concept nullifies the uncertain nature of the demand rate. This paper covers two models, assuming two conditions of quality screening under learning in fuzzy environment: (i) the buyer shows the quality screening and (ii) the quality inspection becomes the seller's responsibility. The carbon footprint from the transporting and warehousing the deteriorating items is also assumed. The aim of this study is to minimize the whole inventory cost for supply chains with respect to lot size and the number of orders per production cycle. Jointly optimizing the delivery lot size and number of orders per production cycle will minimize the whole fuzzy inventory cost for the supply chain and also reduce the carbon emissions. We take two numerical approaches with authentic data (from the literature reviews) for the justification of the proposed model 1 and model 2. Sensitivity observations, managerial insights, applications of these proposed models, and future scope are also included in this paper, which is more beneficial for firms, the industrial sector, and especially for online markets. The impact of the most effective parameters, like learning effect, fuzzy parameter, carbon emissions parameter, and inventory cost are shown in this study and had a positive effect on the total inventory cost for the supply chain. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With the development of global clean energy and the implementation of carbon emission reduction policies, the direct purchase of electricity by large consumers has been increasingly promoted as a special form of electricity trading. Therefore, on the basis of the completion of low-carbon emission reduction targets in each country, how to rationalize the electricity purchase by large consumers in the electricity market so as to reduce their electricity purchase costs has become the main target of attention in each country. Currently, there are fewer studies in existing research on the direct electricity purchase strategy of large consumers under the consideration of the weight of consumption responsibility and risk. Based on this, this paper constructs a dual-game model for direct electricity purchase by large consumers based on the Stackelberg game and non-cooperative game theory. The concept of value at risk is further introduced, and the optimal strategy of direct electricity purchase by large consumers is proposed. The results of this study show that when market players make decisions on the purchase and sale of electricity, power suppliers will increase their biddings to obtain the highest returns, and large consumers can reduce the transaction costs by combining the medium- and long-term market with the spot market to purchase electricity. In the choice of electricity purchase market, with the increasing risk factor, large consumers shift from the risky spot market to the less risky medium- and long-term market and option market. This paper provides a reference for the issues of power suppliers' contract bidding and large consumers' electricity purchase strategy in the medium- and long-term contract transactions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As the global shipping industry experiences rapid expansion, the imperative to address greenhouse gas emissions and environmental impact becomes increasingly paramount. Hydrogen has emerged as a pivotal and eco-friendly energy source, offering a pathway towards carbon neutrality and a complete zero-carbon transition in maritime operations. However, the widespread adoption of hydrogen-powered ships hinges on the establishment of robust regulations and technical standards. This paper conducts a comprehensive examination of hydrogen fuel cell (FC) technology in ships, scrutinizing the role of international classification societies and exploring existing standards and regulations within the maritime industry, specifically centered around hydrogen energy. The study outlines a strategic developmental roadmap for a green shipping hydrogen energy system tailored for hydrogen FC-powered ships in China. Emphasizing the differences in hydrogen application between fuel cell vehicles and ships, the paper elucidates technical challenges unique to hydrogen FC-powered ships. Furthermore, it proposes a visionary framework for future technical standards, advocating for the creation of a ship-based hydrogen energy standard system, the development of core technical standards, and a heightened focus on safety regulations. Through comprehensive analysis and compelling argumentation on hydrogen fuel cell ship technology and standards, this paper underscores the indispensable role that technical standards play in propelling the advancement of environmentally friendly shipping. Beyond serving as an informative resource, the paper aims to provide valuable guidance and direction for the future demonstration, application, and promotion of hydrogen fuel cell ship technology. Ultimately, it underscores the pivotal role of technical standards in advancing sustainable maritime transportation. • Analyze hydrogen energy technical standards from the production, storage, safety. • Comparison of hydrogen energy technical differences between vehicles and ships. • Outline the unique challenges of applying hydrogen technology to ship operations. • Constructed a technical standard framework for future hydrogen energy ships. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Peatlands cover only 3–4% of the Earth's surface, but they store nearly 30% of global soil carbon stock. This significant carbon store is under threat as peatlands continue to be degraded at alarming rates around the world. It has prompted countries worldwide to establish regulations to conserve and reduce emissions from this carbon rich ecosystem. For example, the EU has implemented new rules that mandate sustainable management of peatlands, critical to reaching the goal of carbon neutrality by 2050. However, a lack of information on the extent and condition of peatlands has hindered the development of national policies and restoration efforts. This paper reviews the current state of knowledge on mapping and monitoring peatlands from field sites to the globe and identifies areas where further research is needed. It presents an overview of the different methodologies used to map peatlands in nine countries, which vary in definition of peat soil and peatland, mapping coverage, and mapping detail. Whereas mapping peatlands across the world with only one approach is hardly possible, the paper highlights the need for more consistent approaches within regions having comparable peatland types and climates to inform their protection and urgent restoration. The review further summarises various approaches used for monitoring peatland conditions and functions. These include monitoring at the plot scale for degree of humification and stoichiometric ratio, and proximal sensing such as gamma radiometrics and electromagnetic induction at the field to landscape scale for mapping peat thickness and identifying hotspots for greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. Remote sensing techniques with passive and active sensors at regional to national scale can help in monitoring subsidence rate, water table, peat moisture, landslides, and GHG emissions. Although the use of water table depth as a proxy for interannual GHG emissions from peatlands has been well established, there is no single remote sensing method or data product yet that has been verified beyond local or regional scales. Broader land-use change and fire monitoring at a global scale may further assist national GHG inventory reporting. Monitoring of peatland conditions to evaluate the success of individual restoration schemes still requires field work to assess local proxies combined with remote sensing and modeling. Long-term monitoring is necessary to draw valid conclusions on revegetation outcomes and associated GHG emissions in rewetted peatlands, as their dynamics are not fully understood at the site level. Monitoring vegetation development and hydrology of restored peatlands is needed as a proxy to assess the return of water and changes in nutrient cycling and biodiversity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The atmospheric carbon dioxide (CO2) concentration has been increasing rapidly since the Industrial Revolution, which has led to unequivocal global warming and crucial environmental change. It is extremely important to investigate the interactions among atmospheric CO2, the physical climate system, and the carbon cycle of the underlying surface for a better understanding of the Earth system. Earth system models are widely used to investigate these interactions via coupled carbon-climate simulations. The Chinese Academy of Sciences Earth System Model version 2 (CAS-ESM2.0) has successfully fixed a two-way coupling of atmospheric CO2 with the climate and carbon cycle on land and in the ocean. Using CAS-ESM2.0, we conducted a coupled carbon-climate simulation by following the CMIP6 proposal of a historical emissions-driven experiment. This paper examines the modeled CO2 by comparison with observed CO2 at the sites of Mauna Loa and Barrow, and the Greenhouse Gases Observing Satellite (GOSAT) CO2 product. The results showed that CAS-ESM2.0 agrees very well with observations in reproducing the increasing trend of annual CO2 during the period 1850–2014, and in capturing the seasonal cycle of CO2 at the two baseline sites, as well as over northern high latitudes. These agreements illustrate a good ability of CAS-ESM2.0 in simulating carbon-climate interactions, even though uncertainties remain in the processes involved. This paper reports an important stage of the development of CAS-ESM with the coupling of carbon and climate, which will provide significant scientific support for climate research and China's goal of carbon neutrality. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cities play a pivotal role in achieving worldwide carbon neutrality due to their significant contribution to global energy consumption and carbon emissions. Therefore, planning effective strategies and guiding evidence-based policymaking at the city scale becomes even more crucial. Composite indices serve as a valuable tool for monitoring urban energy transition trends. This paper aims to present a novel approach, robust and flexible even under conditions of data scarcity, for tracking the energy transition trend of a city by means of a composite index (UETI). The Turin case study is introduced to test the applicability of the proposed approach. Additionally, to demonstrate the robustness of the composite index framework, the paper includes the findings of correlation and sensitivity analyses. This study reveals a significant improvement in Turin's environmental and energy domains, while the socio-economic domain shows more modest improvement. Furthermore, the study highlights the need to address the shortage of urban data to enhance the accuracy and reliability of metric-based frameworks and to extend the assessment to a larger sample of cities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With the goal of "carbon peak and carbon neutrality," the need for environmentally friendly gases to replace SF6, a high greenhouse effect gas, is urgent. C4F7N, as an environmentally friendly gas with the greatest potential to replace SF6 as an arc extinguishing medium in circuit breakers, can be mixed with CO2 to greatly improve the shortcomings of its high liquefaction temperature, and the calculation of the physical parameters of the mixed gas plasma is a prerequisite for the computational simulation of the arc process in the opening of circuit breakers. Because solving the physical parameters is expensive, based on the system of differential equations, this paper adopts several machine learning algorithms by mining the relationship between the data using the known physical parameter data to predict the results of the physical parameters to be solved under certain conditions, which greatly reduces the cost of computation. The machine learning algorithms used in this paper are K-nearest-neighbor regression, decision tree, random forest, support vector machine, and gradient boosting regression, of which for the support vector machine, hyperparameters find it difficult to determine the problem of optimization using the gray wolf algorithm. The prediction results of several algorithms show that they are more accurate and that the problem can be solved better by using the method of machine learning. Finally, the comparison results show that the support vector machine exhibits better performance in most cases and that the gray wolf algorithm can make the results of the support vector machine more accurate. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In order to support a low-carbon economy and manage market competition, location–inventory–routing logistics management must play a crucial role to minimize carbon emissions while maximizing customer satisfaction. This paper proposes a bi-objective mixed-integer nonlinear programming model with time window constraints that satisfies the normal distribution of stochastic customer demand. The proposed model aims to find Pareto optimal solutions for total cost minimization and customer satisfaction maximization. An improved non-dominated sorting genetic algorithm II (IMNSGA-II) with an elite strategy is developed to solve the model. The model considers cost factors, ensuring that out-of-stock inventory is not allowed. Factors such as a carbon trading mechanism and random variables to address customer needs are also included. An entropy weight method is used to derive the total cost, which is comprised of fixed costs, transportation costs, inventory costs, punishment costs, and the weight of carbon emissions costs. The IMNSGA-II produces the Pareto optimal solution set, and an entropy–TOPSIS method is used to generate an objective ranking of the solution set for decision-makers. Additionally, a sensitivity analysis is performed to evaluate the influence of carbon pricing on carbon emissions and customer satisfaction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As global climate change intensifies, nations around the world are implementing policies aimed at reducing emissions, with carbon-trading mechanisms emerging as a key market-based tool. China has launched carbon-trading markets in several cities, achieving significant trading volumes. Carbon-trading mechanisms encompass cap-and-trade markets and voluntary markets, influenced by various factors, including policy changes, economic conditions, energy prices, and climate fluctuations. The complexity of these factors, coupled with the nonlinear and non-stationary nature of carbon prices, makes forecasting a substantial challenge. This paper proposes a dynamic weight hybrid forecasting model based on a dual sliding window approach, effectively integrating multiple forecasting models such as LSTM, Random Forests, and LASSO. This model facilitates a thorough analysis of the influences of policy, market dynamics, technological advancements, and climatic conditions on carbon pricing. It serves as a potent tool for predicting carbon market price fluctuations and offers valuable decision support to stakeholders in the carbon market, ultimately aiding in the global efforts towards emission reduction and achieving sustainable development goals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

City cluster is an effective platform for encouraging regionally coordinated development. Coordinated reduction of carbon emissions within city cluster via the spatial association network between cities can help coordinate the regional carbon emission management, realize sustainable development, and assist China in achieving the carbon peaking and carbon neutrality goals. This paper applies the improved gravity model and social network analysis (SNA) to the study of spatial correlation of carbon emissions in city clusters and analyzes the structural characteristics of the spatial correlation network of carbon emissions in the the Yangtze River Delta (YRD) city cluster in China and its influencing factors. The results demonstrate that: 1) the spatial association of carbon emissions in the YRD city cluster exhibits a typical and complex multi-threaded network structure. The network association number and density show an upward trend, indicating closer spatial association between cities, but their values remain generally low. Meanwhile, the network hierarchy and network efficiency show a downward trend but remain high. 2) The spatial association network of carbon emissions in the YRD city cluster shows an obvious 'core-edge' distribution pattern. The network is centered around Shanghai, Suzhou and Wuxi, all of which play the role of 'bridges', while cities such as Zhoushan, Ma'anshan, Tongling and other cities characterized by the remote location, single transportation mode or lower economic level are positioned at the edge of the network. 3) Geographic proximity, varying levels of economic development, different industrial structures, degrees of urbanization, levels of technological innovation, energy intensities and environmental regulation are important influencing factors on the spatial association of within the YRD city cluster. Finally, policy implications are provided from four aspects: government macro-control and market mechanism guidance, structural characteristics of the 'core-edge' network, reconfiguration and optimization of the spatial layout of the YRD city cluster, and the application of advanced technologies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Decarbonizing the building sector to achieve sustainable development goals (SDGs) is a complex issue that poses significant challenges to the scientific community. In this context, the current paper aims to assess the viability of employing incinerated by-products as a sustainable mineral resource to produce sustainable geopolymers. To this end, the study focuses on the formulation of geopolymer binders using fly ash with various proportions (ranging from 0 % to 50 %) of metakaolin (MK), investigating their physico-mechanical, microstructural analysis as well as their sealing capacity. The results indicate that incorporating 30 % MK not only preserves good workability but also significantly improves mechanical strength, ensuring long-term durability by increasing bulk density and concurrently reducing water absorption and harmful porosity. Moreover, the results of the Toxicity Characteristic Leaching Procedure (TCLP) demonstrated that the released contaminants remained within the regulatory limits established by the USEPA. The geopolymer binder developed exhibited a significant reduction of 77.23 % and 57.92 % in terms of carbon dioxide equivalent (CO 2 -e) emissions and energy demand compared to conventional cement. This study introduces a novel approach to promoting a circular economy within the building sector. [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The paper addresses the overlooked interaction between power-to-gas (P2G) devices and carbon capture and storage (CCS) equipment, along with the stepwise carbon trading mechanism in the context of current multi-park integrated energy microgrids (IEMGs). Additionally, it covers the economic and coordinated low-carbon operation issues in multi-park IEMGs under the carbon trading system. It proposes a multi-park IEMG low-carbon operation strategy based on the synchronous Alternating Direction Method of Multipliers (ADMM) algorithm. The algorithm first enables the distribution of cost relationships among multi-park IEMGs. Then, using a method that combines a CCS device with a P2G unit in line with the tiered carbon trading scheme, it expands on the model of single IEMGs managing thermal, electrical, and refrigeration energy. Finally, the comparison of simulation cases proves that the proposed strategy significantly reduces the external energy dependence while keeping the total cost of the users unchanged, and the cost of interaction with the external grid is reduced by 56.64%, the gas cost is reduced by 27.78%, and the carbon emission cost is reduced by 29.54% by joining the stepped carbon trading mechanism. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Biophotovoltaics (BPV), which exploits the natural oxygenic photosystem for energy production, provides a sustainable solution to produce carbon neutral or negative energy from sunlight to meet the growing global energy demand. BPV integrates oxygenic photoautotrophic microorganisms in an electrochemical cell, and harvests the water‐splitting derived photosynthetic electrons to an electrical circuit. Here e. g. electricity or H2, etc, can be produced, thus directly coupling sunlight and water to energy. Despite of the rapid development in the past decade, the system efficiency of BPV still needs magnitude‐level improvement for practical applications. In this perspective paper, we aim to address the electron transfer pipeline in BPV starting from the water splitting by the living whole‐cell catalysts to external electron sinks (i. e. mediator/anode) and eventually to the cathode, from multidisciplinary aspects. We calculated the electron leaks along the electron transfer pipeline to different metabolic electron sinks, and prospectively predicted an untapped potential for extracellular electron transfer rate. BPV could potentially reach an energy efficiency that is two orders of magnitude higher than its current status. An interdisciplinary research approach, that should combine systems and synthetic biology, bioprocess engineering and material science, among others, is proposed to broach the upper boundary of BPV technology. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

CO2 capture from coal power plants is an important and necessary solution to realizing carbon neutrality in China, but CCS demonstration deployment in power sector is far behind expectations. Hence, the reduction potential of energy consumption and cost for CCS and its competitiveness to renewable powers are very important to make roadmaps and policies toward carbon neutrality. Unlike the popular recognition that capturing CO2 from flue gases is technically and commercially mature, this paper notes that it has been proved to be technically feasible but far beyond technology maturity and high energy penalty leads to its immaturity and therefore causes high cost. Additionally, the potential energy penalty reduction of capture is investigated thermodynamically, and future CO2 avoidance cost is predicted and compared to renewable power (solar PV and onshore wind power). Results show that energy penalty for CO2 capture can be reduced by 48%-57%. When installation capacity reaches a similar scale to that of solar PV in China (250 GW), CO2 capture cost in coal power plants can be reduced from the current 28-40 US$/ton to 10-20 US$/ton, and efficiency upgrade contributes to 67%-75% in cost reduction for high coal price conditions. In China, CO2 capture in coal power plants can be cost competitive with solar PV and onshore wind power. But it is worth noting that the importance and share of CCS role in CO2 emission reduction is decreasing since renewable power is already well deployed and there is still a lack of large-scale CO2 capture demonstrations in China. Innovative capture technologies with low energy penalties need to be developed to promote CCS. Results in this work can provide informative references for making roadmaps and policies regarding CO2 emission reductions that contribute towards carbon neutrality. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Finnish government has set a target of reaching carbon neutrality by 2035 and renewable energy is playing an increasingly important role in the Finnish energy sector. Bioenergy from forest biomass is currently the most utilized renewable energy resource. European Union regulations are imposing limitations on the use of forest biomass for environmental reasons, however, and the energy sector is having to look for alternative renewable energy options to reach carbon neutrality. This paper reviews the latest changes in the energy industry in Finland and evaluates prospective renewable energy development and fossil fuel replacement in the future Finnish energy system. The study shows that only a combination of all available renewable energy forms can enable the carbon neutrality target to be achieved by 2035. There is a good possibility that Finland can replace fossil fuels fully in the energy sector; wind energy will increase its share of electricity production, and biomass will continue to play a crucial role in the heating sector. Industry and the transport sector, however, face greater challenges and should be studied in more detail. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

On the basis of "Carbon Peak and Carbon Neutral" goals, carbon sequestration projects are increasing in China. The integrity of cement sheaths, as an important factor affecting carbon sequestration projects, has also received more attention and research. When CO2 is injected into the subsurface from sequestration wells, the cement sheath may mechanically fail due to the pressure accumulated inside the casing, which leads to the sealing of the cement sheath failing. The elasticity and strength parameters of the cement sheath are considered in this paper. The critical bottom-hole injection pressures of inclined well sections under anisotropic formation stresses at different depths were calculated for actual carbon-sealing wells in the X block—the CO2 sequestration target block. The sensitivity factors of the critical bottom-hole injection pressure were also analyzed. It was found that the cement sheath damage criterion was tensile damage. The Young's modulus and tensile strength of the cement sheath are the main factors affecting the mechanical failure of the cement sheath, with Poisson's ratio having the second highest influence. An increase in the Young's modulus, Poisson's ratio, and tensile strength of the cement sheath can help to improve the mechanical stability of cement sheaths in CO2 sequestration wells. This model can be used for the design and evaluation of cement in carbon sequestration wells. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Carbon storage services play an important role in maintaining ecosystem stability. Land use/cover change (LUCC) is the main factor leading to changes in ecosystem carbon storage. Understanding the impact of LUCC on regional carbon storage changes is crucial for protecting regional ecosystems and promoting sustainable socio-economic development. This paper selects Shanxi province as the study area and explores the spatial and temporal evolution characteristics of carbon storage in Shanxi province based on the InVEST model and univariate spatial autocorrelation. The results show that the total carbon storage in Shanxi Province in 2000, 2010, and 2020 is 513.51 × 104 t C, 513.46 × 104 t C, and 509.29 × 104 t C, respectively. High carbon storage areas are distributed in forest and grassland land types, while low carbon storage areas are widely distributed in building land in urban metropolitan areas. Shanxi Province is mainly dominated by farmland, which has decreased by 3448.60 km2 in the past 20 years. Grassland has decreased by 1588.31 km2 and the area of building land has increased by 4205.73 km2. Due to the influence of carbon conversion among different land use types, the total carbon storage loss of Shanxi Province in the past 20 years was 4.21 × 104 t C. The transfer of farmland resulted in an increase in carbon stock of 14.46 × 104 t C. The transfer of grassland resulted in an increase of 17.15 × 104 t C, while the transfer of forest resulted in a decrease of 41.44 × 104 t C. The increase in land use types with low carbon density and the decrease in land use types with high carbon density led to the decrease in carbon storage in Shanxi Province. Furthermore, social factors were more likely to influence the carbon storage than natural factors, and the influence of social factors was often negative. On this basis, regional development countermeasures were proposed for the current situation of carbon storage in Shanxi Province and provide a scientific basis for Shanxi Province to achieve the carbon neutrality target. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In view of water eutrophication, global energy crisis and the carbon neutrality policies, the ammonia recovery from wastewater with high efficiency and low energy consumption is crucial for preserving the ecological environment and achieving sustainable development. Transmembrane electro-chemisorption (TMECS), which integrates transmembrane chemisorption with electrochemical systems to reduce the addition of chemicals and improve recovery efficiency, is a promising technology for ammonia recovery from wastewater. Accordingly, this paper first reviews the recent advances in TMECS for ammonia recovery from wastewater. In particular, the technology principles, including ammonia stripping by cathodic base, ammonia recovery by TMECS with authigenic acid and base, and ammonia recovery by membrane cathode with in situ cathodic base are elucidated. Couplings of TMECS with other electrochemical systems, including electrodialysis, flow-electrode capacitive deionization, and electrochemical precipitation, are further summarized and compared. Finally, the challenges and prospects of the TMECS technology are addressed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

China is transitioning into the digital economy era. The advancement of the digital economy could offer a fresh mechanism to attain carbon peak and carbon neutrality objectives. Applications of the digital economy, such as smart energy management, intelligent transport systems, and digital agricultural technologies, have significantly reduced carbon emissions by optimizing resource use, reducing energy waste, and improving production efficiency. This research does so by devising a theoretical model that looks into the multi-faceted power of the digital economy under a two-sector paradigm. Utilising a panel model, a mediation effect model and a spatial Durbin model to assess the digital economy's power on carbon emissions. This research has determined that the digital economy can significantly diminish carbon emissions, with green tech innovations and industrial transformation being key contributors. The spatial spillover effect was used for the digital economy to aid in lowering carbon emissions in adjacent districts and upgrading better environmental stewardship. The influence of the digital economy has better performance in lowering carbon emissions in mid-western China than in the eastern area. This paper deepens understanding of the drivers of low-carbon growth and the significance, mechanism and regional disparities of the digital economy's effect on reducing carbon emissions. It offers valuable policy insights and guidance for globally achieving digital economy growth, reducing carbon emissions and reaching carbon peak and neutrality goals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Recently, there has been an increasing effort to promote energy efficiency, using renewable energies and electric mobility to achieve a more sustainable future and even carbon neutrality by 2050. This paper aims to understand if combining these technologies leads to a win–win solution. For that, the system's characteristics that will be used for the simulation were defined as a residential community consumption scenario with and without electric vehicles charging overnight. The simulation was completed in software, and eight scenarios were tested: high population density/low population density with/without electric mobility and hourly tariff/simple tariff. After these scenarios had been tested, the conclusion was that the low population density and hourly tariff without and with electric mobility were the best two cases economically (in terms of levelized cost of energy, net present costs, and savings) and environmentally, and the worst was high population density with hourly tariff and electric mobility. Other scenarios were then tested, including changes in the load curve, namely a commercial load curve, and changes in the load curve of electric vehicle chargers, mainly daytime charging. The conclusion was that even though the initial hypothesis did not lead to a win–win solution, with changes in the hypothesis, the integration of electric mobility in energy communities might lead to that. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper explores the variations in cross-correlations among the carbon trading market, geopolitical risk (GPR) and economic policy uncertainty (EPU), focusing on their multifractality and asymmetric properties. Therefore, the study employs the multifractal detrended cross-correlation analysis (MF-DCCA) and multifractal asymmetric detrended cross-correlation analysis (MF-ADCCA) approaches to examine these relationships from a three-dimensional perspective. Also, the study looks into cross-correlations at different phases of carbon trading. Our findings reveal that the multifractal cross-correlations between the carbon trading market and GPR or EPU exhibit anti-persistence and asymmetry. The anti-persistent cross-correlations are notably stronger when GPR experiences a downtrend or when EPU undergoes an uptrend. Furthermore, distinct fluctuation patterns emerge across various trends and scales on Hurst surfaces. In the short term, the carbon trading market exhibits heightened sensitivity to changes in GPR or EPU when they rise or fall. The cross-correlations remain multifractal, anti-persistent and asymmetric across different stages of carbon trading. Notably, the multifractality of cross-correlations is most pronounced for the series pair EUA/GPR in Phase II and for the series pair EUA/UK EPU in Phase III and Phase IV. Except for the series pair EUA/UK EPU in Phase II, the anti-persistent cross-correlations are more pronounced during uptrend than downtrend for the other series pairs. Moreover, the series pair EUA/UK EPU exhibits the highest degree of asymmetry at all stages. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To mitigate the impact of greenhouse gas (GHG) and air pollutant emissions, it is of utmost importance to understand where emissions occur. In the real world, atmospheric pollutants are produced by various human activities from point sources (e.g. power plants and industrial facilities) but also from diffuse sources (e.g. residential activities and agriculture). However, as tracking all these single sources of emissions is practically impossible, emission inventories are typically compiled using national-level statistics by sector, which are then downscaled at the grid-cell level using spatial information. In this work, we develop high-spatial-resolution proxies for use in downscaling the national emission totals for all world countries provided by the Emissions Database for Global Atmospheric Research (EDGAR). In particular, in this paper, we present the latest EDGAR v8.0 GHG, which provides readily available emission data at different levels of spatial granularity, obtained from a consistently developed GHG emission database. This has been achieved through the improvement and development of high-resolution spatial proxies that allow for a more precise allocation of emissions over the globe. A key novelty of this work is the potential to analyse subnational GHG emissions over the European territory and also over the United States, China, India, and other high-emitting countries. These data not only meet the needs of atmospheric modellers but can also inform policymakers working in the field of climate change mitigation. For example, the EDGAR GHG emissions at the NUTS 2 level (Nomenclature of Territorial Units for Statistics level 2) over Europe contribute to the development of EU cohesion policies, identifying the progress of each region towards achieving the carbon neutrality target and providing insights into the highest-emitting sectors. The data can be accessed at 10.2905/b54d8149-2864-4fb9-96b9-5fd3a020c224 specifically for EDGAR v8.0 (Crippa et al., 2023a) and 10.2905/D67EEDA8-C03E-4421-95D0-0ADC460B9658 for the subnational dataset (Crippa et al., 2023b). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To achieve the goals of "carbon peaking and carbon neutrality", this paper puts forward the connotation and measurement method for the carbon emission intensity of urban industrial land and conducts an empirical study with the Yangtze River Economic Belt (YREB) as an example. We defined the carbon intensity of urban industrial land as the industrial carbon emissions per unit area of land, which is a spatial mapping of urban industrial economic development and carbon spillover and a key indicator for urban and territorial spatial planning oriented towards the "dual carbon" goal. Findings: The carbon emission density of industrial land in the YREB varied greatly between cities and exhibited significant positive spatial autocorrelation. In addition, the geographical pattern and spatio-temporal evolution model of the urban industrial land carbon emission density had a very complex driving mechanism, and different factors had significant synergistic effects. Therefore, it is suggested that while striving towards the goal of "dual carbon", the government should incorporate the carbon emission density indicator of urban industrial land into the urban and territorial spatial planning system, and based on the threshold of the medium suitable density, they should design differentiated management policies according to concrete urban policies and encourage cooperation among cities to jointly promote carbon emission management of urban industrial land. In policy design, emphasis should also be placed on highlighting the interactive effects of foreign direct investment, fiscal expenditure, and the number of patent authorizations as well as constructing a combination of policies centered around them to better leverage the impacts of globalization, government intervention, and innovation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With the shortage of fossil energy and the increasingly serious environmental problems, renewable energy based on wind and solar power generation has been gradually developed. For the problem of wind power uncertainty and the low-carbon economic optimization problem of an integrated energy system with power to gas (P2G) and carbon capture and storage (CCS), this paper proposes an economic optimization scheduling strategy of an integrated energy system considering wind power uncertainty and P2G-CCS technology. Firstly, the mathematical model of the park integrated energy system with P2G-CCS technology is established. Secondly, to address the wind power uncertainty problem, Latin hypercube sampling (LHS) is used to generate a large number of wind power scenarios, and the fast antecedent elimination technique is used to reduce the scenarios. Then, to establish a mixed integer linear programming model, the branch and bound algorithm is employed to develop an economic optimal scheduling model with the lowest operating cost of the system as the optimization objective, taking into account the ladder-type carbon trading mechanism, and the sensitivity of the scale parameters of P2G-CCS construction is analyzed. Finally, the scheduling scheme is introduced into a typical industrial park model for simulation. The simulation result shows that the consideration of the wind uncertainty problem can further reduce the system's operating cost, and the introduction of P2G-CCS can effectively help the park's integrated energy system to reduce carbon emissions and solve the problem of wind and solar power consumption. Moreover, it can more effectively reduce the system's operating costs and improve the economic benefits of the park. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To advance carbon neutrality policies, many countries are increasingly integrating Renewable Energy Sources (RESs) into their energy mix. However, for harnessing natural energy in power generation, RESs present challenges in output control, potentially leading to power imbalances. Such imbalances, when coupled with an excessive reliance on unpredictable RES, may necessitate the curtailment of grid-integrated renewable generation, halting production despite available capacity. This paper proposes strategies to mitigate the economic and operational efficiency impacts of increased RESs on the power grid. It focuses on the optimal operation of Battery Energy Storage Systems (BESSs) and Power to Gas (P2G) technology, which flexibly converts surplus electricity into hydrogen. By employing Mixed Integer Linear Programming (MILP) for optimization and Stochastic Programming (SP) for the management of the uncertainty of renewable energy output, this paper evaluates the anticipated benefits of BESS and P2G applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In order to achieve the ambitious goal of "carbon neutrality", countries around the world are striving to develop clean energy. Against this background, this paper takes China and Italy as representatives of developing and developed countries to summarize the energy structure composition and development overview of the two countries. The paper analyzes the serious challenges facing the future energy development of both countries and investigates the possibilities of energy cooperation between the two countries, taking into account their respective advantages in energy development. By comparing the policies issued by the two governments to encourage clean energy development, this paper analyzes the severe challenges faced by the two countries' energy development in the future and combines their respective energy development advantages to look forward to the possibility of energy cooperation between the two countries in the future. This lays the foundation for China and Italy to build an "Energy Road" after the "Silk Road". [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To combat the industry's contributions to global greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, a rapidly increasing number of architecture, engineering, and construction (AEC) firms are making corporate climate pledges. The broader literature has shown that corporate carbon disclosures may correspond to measurable and statistically significant corporate emissions reductions. However, the literature has not yet targeted climate pledges in the AEC industry, making this a practically important topic for research. This paper documents the publicly available climate pledges made by the 100 largest civil design firms and the 100 largest contractors, in terms of 2020 revenue, to gauge their sustainability efforts. The authors describe corporate climate pledge attributes such as company climate targets, use of carbon credits, and reported Scope coverage (greenhouse gas emissions). As of February 2023, 42 design firms and 22 contractors had a formal climate commitment, including 7 duplicates (i.e., companies on both contractor and design firm lists). Although several companies have developed specific targets and reporting mechanisms, overall climate commitments vary due to differing company disclosures (e.g., different levels of Scope reporting) and the novelty of some companies' climate pledges. Similarly, there is a lack of standardization for defining and using climate pledge targets (e.g., net zero and carbon neutral classifications). This paper provides a framework for improving climate commitment accounting for the AEC industry, with an explicit focus on AEC industry relevant GHG emissions accounting. This research makes a significant practical contribution to enabling AEC firms to leverage sector experience as they adopt and strengthen corporate climate pledges. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The sustainable implementation of resources and the transition to low-carbon construction is on the world's daily agenda. This paper describes the development of criteria for the efficient management of material resources in low-carbon construction. Net income, gross profit, balance sheets, and equity are proposed as indicators that serve as criteria for assessing the efficient use of resources. Nonlinear regression models were the methodological basis for the establishment of cause-and-effect relationships of the volume of construction of transport structures. It was established that since construction companies do not purchase materials for storage, the cost of materials for use in low-carbon technological construction work is directly proportional to the cost of construction. The volume of production in the construction industry is determined by construction costs. More efficient use of low-carbon materials reduces cost and construction waste. In this paper, we have established the relationship between the indicator of efficiency for the functioning of the construction enterprises in Ukraine and the use of low-carbon materials for the construction of transport structures. The practical value of the obtained results for low-carbon construction management lies in proving the relationship between the performance indicators of the construction enterprise (net profit, gross profit, output volume, balance sheets, and equity capital) and the use of low-carbon material resources. Our results form the basis for future research into the use of a cost-based model for low-carbon economy transition in municipalities and regions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With the objectives of achieving "peak carbon" and "carbon neutrality", accurately quantifying the carbon emissions of road transportation becomes crucial. It is challenging to accurately describe the energy consumption of vehicles at both temporal and spatial scales from a macro perspective. Therefore, focusing on the quantitative model of vehicle micro energy consumption and road meso energy consumption, this paper reviewed and summarized the energy consumption model of road traffic in terms of data collection, quantification accuracy, and scope of application. Based on this analysis, this paper identifies the challenges of the current road traffic energy consumption model. Finally, we look forward to future research directions for studying quantitative models of energy consumption from road transportation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Industrial parks, characterized by the clustering of multiple factories and interconnected energy sources, require optimized operational strategies for their Integrated Energy Systems (IES). These strategies not only aim to conserve energy for industrial users but also relieve the burden on the power supply, reducing carbon emissions. In this context, this paper introduces an optimization strategy tailored to clustered factories, considering the incorporation of carbon trading and supply chain integration throughout the entire production process of each factory. First, a workshop model is established for each factory, accompanied by an energy consumption model that accounts for the strict sequencing of the production process and supply chain integration. Furthermore, energy unit models are devised for the IES and then a low-carbon and economically optimized scheduling model is outlined for the IES within the industrial park, aiming to minimize the total operational cost, including the cost of carbon trading. Finally, case studies are conducted within a paper-making industrial park located in the Zhejiang Province. Various scenarios are compared and analyzed. The numerical results underscore the model's economic and low-carbon merits, and it offers technical support for energy conservation and emission reduction in paper-making fields. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]