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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]

The emergence of new transformational technology, known as the fourth industrial revolution, has crucially opened a new window to green economic growth. The transition to low carbon, green economy, and green sustainability has gained momentum simultaneously in developed and developing countries. The greening policy echoes the pending climate change and its entrenching disruptions. Financial technology, or FinTech seems to be a promising direction in unlocking the green dilemma; to be concrete, FinTech and the green economy are separately documented in the literature. Against this background, the current study investigates the intersection between green economic growth and FinTech by conducting a systematic-cum-bibliometric analysis of published papers in the Scopus database with the goal of first examining the role and opportunities of implementing green FinTech as a stimulus for transition towards green economic growth in African countries and, second, identifying knowledge gaps and future policy and research directions by developing an integrated framework to help African countries in the transition to green economic growth and green FinTech. The results illustrate an increasing trend in research attention towards the green FinTech concept and its relationship with green economic growth, climate change, and greening rules and standards. A deep inspection of the mined papers indicates that future research trajectories are oriented into five different mainstreams: technology and instruments in digital finance; regulation, policies, and green FinTech; climate risk mitigation through FinTech; FinTech and environmental quality; green finance and climate change mitigation. Based on these research directions, an integrated framework was conceptualised that aims to deliver green economic growth using FinTech as a vehicle of transition for African countries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The utilization of geological formations, distinguished by natural porosity and permeability and protected by low-permeability caprock, has emerged as an effective strategy for carbon dioxide (CO2) storage. This method significantly contributes to mitigating anthropogenic greenhouse gas emissions and addressing the challenges of climate change. Recent research has unveiled the potential of CO2 to enhance geothermal heat energy extraction in geothermal reservoirs by acting as a subsurface heat exchange fluid. This review paper explores the viability of CO2 in augmenting geothermal heat energy extraction, comparing it to conventional water-based geothermal systems. Special emphasis is placed on CO2 plume geothermal (CPG) systems, characterized by rapid deployment and long-term utilization of geothermal energy resources. With the overarching objective of establishing net-zero energy communities, the analysis of such systems offers a comprehensive understanding of their features, providing a fresh perspective on extracted energy within the context of energy supply in integrated, sustainable energy in built systems. Notably, these systems demonstrate efficacy in meeting the power requirements of an energy community, spanning both distinct heating and electricity needs. However, the key challenge lies in selecting suitable locations. This scientific review aims to comprehend the characteristics of CPG under specific temperature and pressure conditions while optimizing subsurface permeability. This insight is pivotal for identifying future locations for CPG operations with the intent of powering small energy communities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

University campuses represent a heterogeneous ecosystem as to social, economic, energetic, and personal travel planning with a huge impact on hosting cities and territories. Sustainable policies are thus fundamental to reduce this impact and to adopt ecological behaviors. The measures for any University Sustainability Plan should be evaluated in terms of GHG emissions, as well as the overall impact of the university itself. Carbon footprint (CF) calculation is a relevant Decision Support tool that allows university organizations to measure and communicate the environmental effects of their activities. The aim of this paper is to present a carbon footprint methodology specifically designed to calculate the carbon footprint of large universities. The methodology was applied to calculate the CF of the University of Bologna by following international standards—i.e., the GHG protocol, the ISO 14064, and the ISO/TR 14069 guide—to understand the environmental impact caused by greenhouse gas emissions from direct and indirect university activities. The study was conducted upon the data available in 2020 and then was compared to the 2018 data, with the aim to recognize if the effect of the pandemic could have altered the results. In 2020, the University of Bologna emitted 16,467 tCO2e which became 15,753 tCO2e considering the offset and avoided emission provided by the internal production of energy from renewable sources. Comparison between 2020 and 2018 shows how, in 2018, most of the emissions came from transportation, representing 74% of the total emissions, while in 2020 almost 50% of total emissions derived by IT procurements. The case application demonstrates the way with which the methodology may be applied to assess environmental impact for complex university campuses. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In recent years, the importance of energy efficiency in the agricultural sector has become increasingly apparent. As the world faces challenges such as climate change, resource scarcity, and population growth, the need for sustainable and efficient agricultural practices has intensified. Energy plays a crucial role in agricultural production, from powering machinery and irrigation systems to processing and transportation. Therefore, understanding the scientific advancements and collaborative efforts in the field of energy efficiency in agriculture is essential for devising effective strategies, promoting innovation, and achieving global sustainability goals. The aim of this study is to provide insight into and a comprehensive overview of global publications on energy efficiency in agriculture and examine its scientific productivity. The paper explores the research areas and trending topics within the field, as well as the extent of collaboration among authors, institutions, and countries involved in this scientific domain. This investigation is crucial in order to address the current energy shocks and the numerous problems they generate, highlighting the importance of a holistic approach and the need for multiple regions to work together. Only by offering rapid and viable solutions can we effectively overcome this situation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Sixth Assessment Report of Inter-Governmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) has highlighted the urgency of accelerated climate actions harnessing synergies and minimizing trade-offs with various SDG. This calls for a clear understanding of linkages between climate goals and other SDGs at national level for formulating synergistic policies and strategies and developing different sectoral programs and coherent cross-sectoral policies. This is even more important for least developed countries such as Nepal where these linkages are less understood and development challenges are multifaceted. In this context, this paper aims to evaluate potential synergies and trade-offs among selected SDGs and their associated targets in Nepal in a linear pairwise comparison. Synergies and trade-offs related to climate action (SDG 13), access to energy (SDG 7), sustainable consumption and production (SDG 12), and life on land (SDG 15) have been evaluated using historical data for the period from 1990 to 2018 employing a mixed methods approach. Network analysis to map the conceptual linkages between the SDGs and their targets was combined with the advance sustainability analysis (ASA) to quantitatively evaluate the synergy and trade-offs between SDGs. The results illustrate the presences of a continual trade-off between emission reductions targets of SDG 13 with per capita energy consumption and share of renewable energy of SDG 7, land use for agricultural production target of SDG 12, and forest area target of SDG 15. This indicates that climate action is strongly interlinked with GHG emissions from economic activities and energy consumption. The results of the study represent a valuable input for the policy makers, supporting coherent and sustainable development planning as Nepal plans to graduate to a middle-income country. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The energy sector is one of the most important pollutants in the atmosphere and causes significant emissions of greenhouse gases. In Russia, coal is the main contributor to the fossil fuel consumption of thermal power plants and boilers, thus affecting atmospheric air pollution by releasing particulate matter and nitrogen oxides, which are strongly associated with a negative impact on human health. This problem is especially acute for the resource regions of Yenisei, Siberia, a 2.5+ mln sq km macro-region in the very heart of Russia. In this paper, we analyze the impact of the structure of electricity and heat generation on emissions of pollutants and climate-active gases in Yenisei, Siberia, and give an overview of their social, ecological, and economic effects. More than 75% of electricity in Yenisei, Siberia, is produced by hydroelectric power plants that do not pollute the atmosphere. The rest of the electricity is generated in the cogeneration mode by thermal power plants, which are cores of the heat supply designs of cities. The share of individual coal-powered heat sources is still high. A detailed analysis of existing equipment and technologies at existing thermal power plants is needed to select options for their modernization to reduce emissions while keeping coal in use. Our calculations for the biggest cities of Krasnoyarsk Krai show that investments in the transition to heating with pellets will require RUB 184.7 million for Nazarovo and RUB 313.9 million for Kansk. At the same time, switching to electric heating is more than twice as expensive: RUB 498.6 million for Nazarovo and RUB 847.5 million for Kansk. The additional costs will range from RUB 21 to RUB 45.4 thousand per household per year for the pellet variant and from RUB 56.8 to RUB 122.5 thousand per year for electric heating, which could triple the annual heating costs. Thus, these options are unlikely to be implemented without direct state support. We argue that creating an attractive living environment in Yenisei, Siberia, must begin with intensive public investment in mitigating the environmental externalities caused by coal emissions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In respect to CO2 emissions, the post-Soviet states are a scientifically interesting object of research, as each of the countries has developed via different paths since reclaiming independence from the Soviet Union. Given that each country has a different approach to the use of fossil resources, it is essential to assess their input to global carbon footprint individually. Such assessment then allows to find certain actions in the development of legislation and to apply focused techniques to reduce carbon emissions. The aim of this study was to evaluate the fossil CO2 emissions produced in the Baltic States from 1991 onward, describing challenges relating to sustainability and socio-economic, scientific, and integrated approaches to sustainable development, including clean and efficient use of energy, and thus addressing climate challenges. This paper reports on data on CO2 emissions in the Baltic States. The results show that the transition of the Baltic States from the specificities of the Soviet Union's economy to an economy integrated into global markets has led to a significant reduction in CO2 emissions. However, the development and implementation of national policies for sustainable development are still crucial for mitigation of the climate crisis. Further actions must include the implementation and monitoring of policies for sustainable development, changing of the consumption and production patterns, education and awareness of sustainability, and adaptation to global climate change, while also addressing sustainability challenges. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Biomass use for energy and materials is, on the one hand, one of the key mitigation options to reach the 1.5 °C GMT target set in the Paris Agreement, as highlighted by the IPCC and many other key analyses. On the other hand, particularly in parts of the EU, a strong negative connotation has emerged in public debate and EC policy, with a particular emphasis on the (presumed) displacement effect in markets and land use. This is a remarkable contrast because the reasons to use sustainable biomass, on the one hand, and the possibilities and synergies for supplying sustainable biomass, on the other, are underpinned with strong evidence, also providing insights on how displacement issues can be avoided. Sustainable biomass supplies can contribute 20–30% of the future global and European energy supply, leading to reduced overall mitigation costs, including realizing the net CO2 removal from the atmosphere using BECCS concepts. This paper highlights which options, pathways and preconditions are key to achieving such a substantial contribution of sustainable biomass in future (2050) energy and material supply (with a focus on the European setting). By pinpointing how "biomass can be done right" and how important synergies can be achieved via better agricultural methods, the restoration of marginal and degraded lands and the adaptation of climate change, a different policy agenda emerges in sharp contrast to how a biobased economy has been framed in recent years. It is recommended that future policy priorities, particularly at the EU level, take a more integral view on the synergy between the role of biomass in the energy transition, climate adaptation and mitigation, better agriculture and the better use of land in general. Strategies to achieve such positive results typically require an alignment between renewable energy, and agricultural, environmental, mitigation and adaptation policies, which is a largely missing nexus in different policy arenas. Resolving this lack of alignment offers a major opportunity, globally, to contribute to the European Green deal and improve energy security. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The performance gap between simulation and reality has been identified as a major challenge to achieving sustainability in the Built Environment. While Post-Occupancy Evaluation (POE) surveys are an integral part of better understanding building performance, and thus addressing this issue, the importance of POE remains relatively unacknowledged within the wider Built Environment community. A possible reason that has been highlighted is that POE survey data is not easily understood and utilizable by non-expert stakeholders, including designers. A potential method by which to address this is the visualization method, which has well established benefits for communication of big datasets. This paper presents two case studies where EnViz (short for "Environmental Visualization"), a prototype software application developed for research purposes, was utilized and its effectiveness tested via a range of analysis tasks. The results are discussed and compared with those of previous work that utilized variations of the methods presented here. The paper concludes by presenting the lessons drawn from the five-year period of EnViz, emphasizing the potential of environmental visualization for decision support in environmental design and engineering for the built environment, and suggests directions for future development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Considering that more than half of the world's population today lives in cities and consumes about 80% of the world's energy and that there is a problem with drinking water supply, this paper presents a way to solve the problem of the sustainability of cities by enabling their complete independence from external sources of energy and drinking water. The proposed solution entails the use of Seawater Steam Engine (SSE) technology to supply cities with electricity, thermal energy and drinking water. The system would involve the seasonal storage of electricity and thermal energy, supported by geothermal heat pumps. The strategy of the distribution network would be based on the original concept of the "loop". In cities that do not have enough space, SSE collectors would be placed above the lower parts of the city like "canopies". The city of Zagreb (Croatia) was selected as a case study due to its size, climate and vulnerability to natural disasters. The results show that Zagreb could become sustainable in 30 years with the allocation of less than 2% of GDP and could become a paradigm of sustainability for cities worldwide. This paper encourages the development of the "Philosophy of Sustainability" because the stated goals cannot be achieved without a change in consciousness. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

It has been extensively debated how social innovation, circularity, and energy transition may all be considered environmental, social, and governance (ESG) components from a sustainability perspective. To comprehend the conceptual development of this subject in the academic literature, few studies, however, tackle the problems above by reviewing earlier research on the subject. By developing the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) technique, this study aims to address the current and anticipated advancements in social innovation, energy transition, and circularity. As a result, we create two metasynthesis analyses related to "social innovation–energy transition" and "social innovation–circularity." In the first analysis, the three databases Web of Science, Scopus, and JSTOR had a total of 1767 studies and reports, and in the second analysis, we reviewed the work from a total of 466 studies and reports. We emphasize that implementing environmental, social, and governance (ESG) practices require social innovation, circularity, and energy transition. The study's key contributions are the five cluster themes classification for the two metasynthesis analyses, which point to potential future directions for both firms and governments to pursue some macro-level goals concerning energy transition and circularity through social innovation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This comprehensive study explores the influence of aerosols and clouds on solar radiation in the urban environments of nine of Greece's largest cities over the decade from 2014 to 2023. Utilizing a combination of Earth Observation data, radiative transfer models, and geographic information systems, the research undertook digital surface modeling and photovoltaic simulations. The study meticulously calculated the optimal rooftop areas for photovoltaic installation in these cities, contributing significantly to their energy adequacy and achieving a balance between daily electricity production and demand. Moreover, the research provides an in-depth analysis of energy and economic losses, while also highlighting the environmental benefits. These include a reduction in pollutant emissions and a decrease in the carbon footprint, aligning with the global shift towards local energy security and the transformation of urban areas into green, smart cities. The innovative methodology of this study, which leverages open access data, sets a strong foundation for future research in this field. It opens up possibilities for similar studies and has the potential to contribute to the creation of an updated, comprehensive solar potential map for continental Greece. This could be instrumental in climate change mitigation and adaptation strategies, thereby promoting sustainable urban development and environmental preservation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The last ten years have witnessed an increase in publications focusing on bioeconomy as a proposal to confront the global challenges of climate change, depletion of non-renewable resources and ecosystem degradation. This paper investigates the scientific literature on issues related agricultural bioeconomy by applying a bibliometric network analysis. Bibliometric analysis is applied to the publications of the Scopus database during the period 2010–2020 in order to provide an overview of the main aspects that characterize agricultural bioeconomy. The results showed that out of a total of 1100 scientific papers, only 2.45% were published in 2010, while the corresponding share in 2020 was 20.81%. In the five years of 2016–2020, cumulatively, 70.63% of the publications were made, showing the dynamic evolution of bioeconomy. In addition, out of 85 countries in total, Germany and Italy are the two countries with most publications, while the fragmentation of research is evident with the creation of two main nodes, the European and the American. Moreover, keyword analysis showed that biomass and sustainability are two main recurring concepts, confirming that, currently, bioeconomy operates at three different levels: energy demand, land demand, and governance. It is apparent that to boost the development of agricultural bioeconomy, the following aspects should be assessed: the effective use of resources, an understanding of the key drivers of agricultural bioeconomy, and a clear perception of their associations. There is still no consensus as to which are the key factors that will accelerate its sustainable development. Our pursuit is to use the tools of bibliometric analysis to reach more critical conclusions regarding the agricultural bioeconomy, rather than approach it in a static way. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Climate change will require societal-scale infrastructural changes. Balancing priorities for water, energy, and climate will demand that approaches to water and energy management deviate from historical practice. Infrastructure designed to mitigate environmental harm, particularly related to climate change, is likely to become increasingly prevalent. Understanding the implications of such infrastructure for environmental quality is thus of interest. Environmental life cycle assessment (LCA) is a common sustainability assessment tool that aims to quantify the total, multicriteria environmental impact caused by a functional unit. Notably, however, LCA quantifies impacts in the form of environmental "costs" of delivering the functional unit. In the case of mitigation infrastructures, LCA results can be confusing because they are generally reported as the harmful impacts of performing mitigation rather than as net impacts that incorporate benefits of successful mitigation. This paper argues for defining mitigation LCA as a subtype of LCA to facilitate better understanding of results and consistency across studies. Our recommendations are informed by existing LCA literature on mitigation infrastructure, focused particularly on stormwater and carbon management. We specifically recommend that analysts: (1) use a performance-based functional unit; (2) be attentive to burden shifting; and (3) assess and define uncertainty, especially related to mitigation performance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Research investigating the potential of producing biofuels from algae has been enjoying a recent revival due to heightened oil prices, uncertain fossil fuel sources and legislative targets aimed at reducing our contribution to climate change. If the concept is to become a reality however, many obstacles need to be overcome. Recent studies have suggested that open ponds provide the most sustainable means of cultivation infrastructure due to their low energy inputs compared to more energy intensive photobioreactors. Most studies have focused on strains of algae which are capable of yielding high oil concentrations combined with high productivity. Yet it is very difficult to cultivate such strains in open ponds as a result of microbial competition and limited radiation-use efficiency. To improve viability, the use of wastewater has been considered by many researchers as a potential source of nutrients with the added benefit of tertiary water treatment however productivity rates are affected and optimal conditions can be difficult to maintain year round. This paper investigates the process streams which are likely to provide the most viable methods of energy recovery from cultivating and processing algal biomass. The key findings are the importance of a flexible approach which depends upon location of the cultivation ponds and the industry targeted. Additionally this study recommends moving towards technologies producing higher energy recoveries such as pyrolysis or anaerobic digestion as opposed to other studies which focused upon biodiesel production. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To reduce the impact of climate change in the form of low-carbon developments, innovations in sustainable building strategies are imperative. In this regard, the performance of a double-roof house consisting of a photovoltaic panel roof (PV) and green roof (GR) was compared to traditional solar-roof buildings. The synergy between both the PV and GR systems was analysed by numerical simulations and physical modelling across the four seasons. The performance of the systems was assessed on three dimensions: indoor thermal comfort, photovoltaic temperature, and energy yield. The synergy of photovoltaic roofs with green roofs kept the indoor environment 6% more comfortable than solar roofs. The synergy also reduced the photovoltaic temperature by up to 8 °C, extending the PV life span and increasing the energy yield by 18%. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study presents an innovative framework for leveraging the potential of AI in energy systems through a multidimensional approach. Despite the increasing importance of sustainable energy systems in addressing global climate change, comprehensive frameworks for effectively integrating artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML) techniques into these systems are lacking. The challenge is to develop an innovative, multidimensional approach that evaluates the feasibility of integrating AI and ML into the energy landscape, to identify the most promising AI and ML techniques for energy systems, and to provide actionable insights for performance enhancements while remaining accessible to a varied audience across disciplines. This study also covers the domains where AI can augment contemporary and future energy systems. It also offers a novel framework without echoing established literature by employing a flexible and multicriteria methodology to rank energy systems based on their AI integration prospects. The research also delineates AI integration processes and technique categorizations for energy systems. The findings provide insight into attainable performance enhancements through AI integration and underscore the most promising AI and ML techniques for energy systems via a pioneering framework. This interdisciplinary research connects AI applications in energy and addresses a varied audience through an accessible methodology. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Policymakers and environmental scientists have proposed numerous measures toward achieving a sustainable environment. Some of these measures include the efficient use of energy and a clean energy transition. This study empirically investigates the role of non-renewable energy efficiency and renewable energy utilization in driving environmental sustainability in India over the period from 1965 to 2018. Using the approach of the Dynamic Autoregressive Distributed Lag (DyARDL) simulations, the empirical evidence shows that non-renewable energy efficiency and renewable energy utilization promote environmental sustainability through an increase in the load capacity factor. The effects of financial development and trade impede environmental sustainability through a decrease in the load capacity factor. The results further show that the relationship between income and load capacity factor is characterized by an inverted U-shape. This suggests that the load capability curve (LCC) hypothesis is not valid for India. Given the overall findings of this study, it is suggested that policymakers should promote energy efficiency and renewable energy technologies as the ultimate policy measure to mitigate the accumulation of CO2 emissions and other significant climatic changes in India. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The increase in global electricity demand, along with its impact on climate change, call for integrating sustainability aspects in the power system expansion planning. Sustainable power generation planning needs to fulfill different, often contradictory, objectives. This paper proposes a multi-objective optimisation model integrating four objective functions, including minimisation of total discounted costs, carbon emissions, land use, and social opposition. Other factors addressed in the model include renewable energy share, jobs created, mortality rates, and energy diversity, among others. Single-objective linear optimisations are initially performed to investigate the impact of each objective function on the resulting power generation mix. Minimising land use and discounted total costs favoured fossil fuels technologies, as opposed to minimising carbon emissions, which resulted in increased renewable energy shares. Minimising social opposition also favoured renewable energy shares, except for hydropower and onshore wind technologies. Accordingly, to investigate the trade-offs among the objective functions, Pareto front candidates for each pair of objective functions were generated, indicating a strong correlation between the minimisation of carbon emissions and the social opposition. Limited trade-offs were also observed between the minimisation of costs and land use. Integrating the objective functions in the multi-objective model resulted in various non-dominated solutions. This tool aims to enable decision-makers identify the trade-offs when optimising the power system under different objectives and determine the most suitable electricity generation mix. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper has reviewed the international research on the interactions between the Economy, Energy, and Environment (3E) in the 21st century. For this purpose, a bibliometric and cluster analysis by fractional accounting has been carried out based on the two most important databases: Web of Science (WoS) and Scopus. The research found and studied 2230 documents from the WoS Core Collection and 3,149 from Scopus. The results show a continuous increase in the number of articles that were published and citations during the whole period. They also showed that China and the United States (U.S.) were the most productive countries and there was a predominance of Asian organizations supporting and fostering researches. The main contribution of this article is the analysis of keywords from 2001 to 2018. The trends show that the main common elements are sustainable development and sustainability and they also include CO2 emissions and consumption. Future research in this field should address the energy transition issue in the area of sustainable development by adapting it to the restrictions of this economic model. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The distribution of energy sources is regarded to be an act of compassion in many of the Sustainable Development Goals outlined by the United Nations. In order to build a firm foundation for competitiveness and prosperity, nations should maintain equilibrium with the three key aspects of the global energy trilemma, which are energy affordability, energy access, and ecological balance. In light of this, the purpose of this research was to investigate the impact that nuclear energy, technological advancements, renewable energy, non-renewable energy, and natural resources have had on carbon footprints. We selected the top five nuclear energy countries by consumption in the Asia Pacific region, including China, India, Japan, Pakistan, and South Korea. We devised an exhaustive and all-encompassing empirical inquiry and used contemporary econometric methods. The second-generation panel's long-run cointegration promotes the idea of long-term relationships between the series. According to the data, using nuclear and renewable sources of energy significantly contributes to an improvement in environmental quality. On the other hand, advancements in technology and the use of energy sources that do not replenish themselves considerably decrease environmental sustainability. In addition, natural resources end up playing a negative role in the long term. The results of the panel's investigation into the chain of events that led to the development of nuclear power showed that the chain of events was unidirectional. In addition, there is causality that runs in both directions between technological innovation, renewable energy sources, non-renewable energy sources, and natural resources that have a carbon footprint. In light of this, it is recommended that these countries should combine energy policy actions and build energy strategy consistency by harmonizing the essential features of global nuclear energy in order to aid in the development of a well-calibrated energy structure. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents an approach to the assessment of the Mexican energy system's evolution under the climate and energy objectives set by the National Climate Change Strategy using an energy optimization model. Some strategic indicators have been chosen to analyze the performance of three integration elements: sustainability, efficiency, and energy security. Two scenarios have been defined in the medium and long-term: the business as usual scenario, with no energy or climate targets, and the National Climate Change Strategy scenario, where clean energy technologies and CO2 emissions objectives are considered. The aim of this work is the analysis of some of those strategic indicators' evolution using the EUROfusion Times Model. Results show that reaching the strategy targets leads to improvements in the integration elements in the medium and long term. Besides, meeting the CO2 emission limits is achievable in terms of technologies and resources availability but at a high cost, while clean technologies targets are met with no extra costs even in the business as usual scenario. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A feasible way to avoid the risk of energy decline and combat climate change is to build a 100% renewable global energy mix. However, a globally electrified economy cannot grow much above 12 electric terawatts without putting pressure on the limits of finite mineral reserves. Here we analyze whether 12 TW of electricity and 1 TW of biomass (final) power will be able to fuel a future post-carbon economy that can provide similar services to those of a contemporary economy. Contrarily to some pessimistic expectations, this analysis shows that the principle economic processes can be replaced with sustainable alternatives based on electricity, charcoal, biogas and hydrogen. Furthermore, those services that cannot be replaced are not as crucial so as to cause a return to a pre-industrial society. Even so, land transport and aviation are at the limit of what is sustainable, outdoor work should be reorganized, metal primary production should be based on hydrogen reduction when possible, mineral production should be increasingly based on recycling, the petrochemical industry should shrink to a size of 40%-43% of the 2012 petrochemical sector, i.e., a size similar to that the sector had in 1985-1986, and agriculture may require organic farming methods to be sustainable. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Climate changes, incidents like nuclear disasters, and associated political objectives call for significant changes to the current energy system. Despite these far-reaching transformation processes, within the intended changes security of supply and precautions against the possible consequences of climate change must be ensured. Consequently, the question arises how to direct energy systems. In this context the processes of guiding orientations with the help of the guiding concept of "resilient systems" and feasible and addressee-oriented guiding design principles can be an option to provide guidance in transformation processes. However, it is questionable whether and how such processes are effective in the long term and if they are able to give direction by doing so. Within the framework of empirical studies of a regional guiding orientation process for the energy system of Northwestern Germany, the long-term effectiveness of the process and its spread resilient guiding design principles of "low-exergy solutions" and "climate-adapted and energy-efficient refrigeration" has been confirmed. Such effectiveness requires the implementation of a four-phase guiding orientation process which takes content-related and process-related effectiveness factors into account. Therefore, the study shows how regional energy systems can be designed toward the major challenges of ensuring security and precaution. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Countries with limited natural resources and high energy prices, such as Jordan, face significant challenges concerning energy consumption and energy efficiency, particularly in the context of climate change. Residential buildings are the most energy-consuming sector in Jordan. Photovoltaic (PV) systems on the rooftops of residential buildings can solve the problem of increasing electricity demands and address the need for more sustainable energy systems. This study calculated the potential electricity production from PV systems installed on the available rooftops of residential buildings and compared this production with current and future electricity consumption for residential households. A simulation tool using PV*SOL 2021 was used to estimate electricity production and a comparative method was used to compare electricity production and consumption. The results indicated that electricity production from PV systems installed on single houses and villas can cover, depending on the tilt angle and location of the properties, three to eight times their estimated future and current electricity use. PV installation on apartment buildings can cover 0.65 to 1.3 times their future and current electricity use. The surplus electricity produced can be used to mitigate urban energy demands and achieve energy sustainability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The need for sustainable agricultural sector is growing rapidly due to climate changes. As there are still knowledge gaps and the need for innovations that support farmers in the sustainability transition, there is a need for determining priority research areas that are vital for the sustainable development of agriculture. The aim of our study was to derive a long-term vision of the desirable agricultural sector in Poland and prioritize research areas required to make Polish agriculture sustainable. We applied the living lab approach and, by conducting a backcasting exercise with the lab members, we identified a desirable vision of agriculture in Poland and the research areas needed to realize this vision. Using Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP) and Cumulative Voting (CV), we prioritized these research areas. Our results show that adaptation to climate changes is the most important area of research, having 38.6% of the total possible number of points using AHP and 29.7% in the case of CV. The analysis of the Polish strategic documents related to agriculture and agricultural research shows that, to some extent, these key research areas are already part of the national policy, but there is not sufficient funding and coordination to tackle all aspects of sustainability in agriculture. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The consequences of climate change are an important point of contention in the current policy debate on the sustainability of economic development and growth. Climate change contributes to many socio-economic disadvantages and risks. The primary objective of global policy 2050 is to fully understand the negative externalities of environmental change. Goal and methodology: the main goal of the study is to examine convergence to the steady green growth state for a sample of 130 countries from 1990 to 2019. Setting up an efficient and consistent policy to fight climate change demands empirical knowledge on green growth. Using log (t) test methodology, we investigate convergence in green growth indicators for selected samples based on available country data. Findings: our assumptions are: (1) economies are not motivated and eager to foster energy transition; instead, they accept it as a random policy goal and (2) economies want to foster energy transition, but they are limited by a significant trade-off factor pulling their efforts down. Convergence testing shows the existence of two significant convergence clubs, one with countries moving to energy transition and the second still promoting national output based on fossil fuels. The findings indicate future divergence between the two clubs and significant convergence within identified convergence clubs. Conclusions: the energy transition is moving forward at two-tier speed with green leaders and green follower clubs. Policymakers and practitioners must closely monitor the dynamics of green growth to assess the risk and uncertainties of climate change. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Globalization has contributed to several advances in technology including linking people around the globe and driving us to modern economies. With fast economic growth and industrialization progress, the negative impact of globalization on biodiversity can be easily ignored. Globalization is an undeniable factor in our planetary devastation from pollution to global warming and climate change. The major intention of our recent analysis was to examine the globalization, energy consumption, trade, economic growth, and fuel importation to determine the ecological footprint in Pakistan by taking the annual data variables from 1974–2017. A linear ARDL (autoregressive distributed lag) technique with limited information maximum likelihood and linear Gaussian model estimation were utilized to check the variables association. Outcomes show that in the long run, globalization, energy usage, trade, and GDP growth have consistently productive interactions with the ecological footprint, while an examination of fuel importation uncovers an adversative linkage to impacts on the ecological footprint in Pakistan. Similarly, the findings of short-run interactions also reveal that globalization, energy usage, trade, and GDP growth have constructive linkages; however, an examination of fuel importation also uncovers an adversative linkage to impacts on the ecological footprint. The outcomes of limited information maximum likelihood also expose that the variables of globalization, energy usage, trade, and fuel importation have productive linkages, while an examination the GDP growth uncovers an adversative linkage to the ecological footprint. Furthermore, the outcomes of the linear Gaussian model estimation also uncover that globalization and energy usage demonstrate a constructive linkage, while other variables reveal an adverse linkage to the ecological footprint. Environmental pollution is now an emerging issue which causes the climatic variations associated with greenhouse gases emissions. The Pakistani government must adopt new strategies to ensure that CO2 emissions are reduced in order to stimulate economic growth. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The sustainability transition of rural areas is a must due to rapid climate changes and biodiversity loss. Given the limited resources of rural communities, policy should facilitate a just sustainability transition of the EU rural areas. The analysis of EU development policies, past performance and the envisaged scope of reform, presented in this study point to a serious inconsistency between the declaration and implementation of relevant policies. Namely, the marginal role rural areas perform in common agricultural policy and cohesion policy; a result of the lack of a complex approach to rural development. The analysis was based on the concept of good governance and took a multi-level perspective. It advocates territorial justice as an approach that should be at the core of creating a comprehensive policy for rural areas in the EU, including their diversity and empowering local communities to choose the transition pathway that is most in line with their current situation and development capacity. This analysis fills a gap in research on the evolution of the rural development policy in the EU. This research can inform the reprioritization and intensification of efforts to create equitable policies for EU rural development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The development of collective and industrial energy systems, based on wood biomass, knows a significant increase since the end of the 90's in France, with more than 6000 power plants and heating plants developed currently. Because these systems are built for a minimal duration of 30 years, it is relevant to assess the availability of wood resources according to the potential impacts of global warming on five tree species mainly used in such a supply chain. The assessment of the potential spatial distribution of the suitable areas of these trees in 2050, by using the IPCC (Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change) RCP6.0 scenario (Representative Concentration Pathway), shows an average decrease of 22% of the plots in comparison with the current situation. The results also point out that mountain areas would maintain a high probability of the development of four tree species. The assessment of the Net Primary Productivity (NPP) underlines a potential decrease for 93% of the plots in 2050, and an increase of this parameter in mountain areas. According to these assumptions, the proposed ecosystem based methodology can be considered as a prospective approach to support stakeholders' decisions for the development of the wood energy supply chain. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]