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In response to the global impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, international and national authorities, including those in Catalonia (Spain), recognized the crucial need to ensure proper ventilation in classrooms, emphasizing the importance of safe and healthy indoor environments for face-to-face learning. The present work, conducted within the COVID-19 Sentinel Schools Network of Catalonia (CSSNC) framework, aimed to monitor carbon dioxide (CO 2 ) and nitrogen dioxide (NO 2 ) concentrations in 23 schools, ensuring a comprehensive sample regarding educational levels, daily scholar schedules, and classroom typologies distributed across the four provinces of Catalonia. The research spanned three study periods: March and April 2021, October 2021 to January 2022, and March to June 2022. Briefly, 28%, 25%, and 37% of classrooms surpassed the 700 parts per million (ppm) CO 2 limit in each study period, respectively. Generally, CO 2 averages were lower in preschool classrooms (mean ± SD = 486 ± 106 ppm), while high school classrooms displayed the highest CO 2 concentrations (mean ± SD = 710 ± 253 ppm). Moreover, classrooms in towns (<30000 inhabitants) exhibited higher CO 2 levels as compared to classrooms from schools located in cities. As for NO 2 , the highest averages were obtained in urban areas, particularly in the Barcelona metropolitan area (e.g. mean indoor levels of 24.56 μg m -3 as compared to 11.05 μg m -3 in towns). In addition, the Indoor/Outdoor ratio (I/O ratio) in towns was the lowest (0.60). These results, together with the higher concentration of CO 2 indoors, could indicate poorer ventilation in town schools. The results of this study are anticipated to contribute to implementing evidence-based measures to improve indoor air quality (IAQ) in educational settings., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare the following financial interests/personal relationships which may be considered as potential competing interests: Jordi Casabona reports financial support was provided by Government of Catalonia. Mireia Gascon reports financial support was provided by Miguel Servet Fellowship. If there are other authors, they declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.)

Accumulations of macroalgal wrack are important for adequate functioning of the beach ecosystem. However, the sudden beaching of seaweed masses smothers the coastline and forms decomposing piles on the shore, harming tourism-based economies, but also affecting the beach ecosystem metabolism. The decomposition of sudden pulses of wrack can modify the biogeochemistry of beach sands and increase greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. The presence of invasive species in the wrack deposits can superimpose harmful effects on the beach functioning. We quantified the wrack biomass of Rugulopteryx okamurae, an invasive species of extreme impact, on five sandy beaches from the Atlantic coast of the Strait of Gibraltar (Spain), and we tested the effects on in situ respiratory CO 2 fluxes using an infrared gas analyser. All the beaches showed massive accumulations of Rugulopteryx wrack deposits. However, the biomass changed significantly between beaches, ranging (mean ± SE) from 968.3 ± 287.7 kg m -1 to 9210 ± 1279.4 kg m -1 of wet weight. Wrack supported high respiration rates, with CO 2 fluxes averaging (±SE) 19.15 ± 5.5 μmol CO 2 m -2 s -1 across beaches, reaching astounding maximum peaks of 291 μmol CO 2 m -2  s -1 . The within-beach variability was related to the distance of the wrack deposits from the shoreline, as the average metabolic rates tended to increase significantly from the swash to the drift line. Thicker wrack and a more degraded algae stage showed significantly higher CO 2 fluxes. We estimated that the annual CO 2 flux of R. okamurae in our study area ranged between 0.39 (±0.01) and 23.30 (±11.33) kg C m -2 y -1 . We suggest that massive amounts of beach wrack can become a globally significant contributor to GHG emissions that can offset any potential carbon-sink capacity of macroalgal forests. However, the piles of wrack located several meters above the drift line showed non-measurable CO 2 efflux. Transferring beach wrack from swash to drier upper-beach areas, a common practice in many coastal regions suffering from massive wrack accumulations, might help reduce GHG emissions while removing the wrack stockpiles from the intertidal. However, this practice is not necessarily suitable for all beaches and can create ecological and conservation problems in the dune system. There is an urgent need to implement practical and sustainable management practices for massive wrack deposits capable of presenting various solutions to achieve a balance between conservation and recreation actions, answering the consequences of a problem that links both, environmental and economic issues., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare the following financial interests/personal relationships which may be considered as potential competing interests: IFR reports financial support was provided by Government of Andalusia. IFR reports financial support was provided by Spain Ministry of Science and Innovation. IFR reports financial support was provided by European Social Fund. IG reports financial support was provided by Government of Spain Ministry of Universities. ABI reports was provided by European Maritime and Fisheries Fund. IFR reports equipment, drugs, or supplies was provided by European Regional Development Fund. If there are other authors, they declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.)

Quantifying water vapor and carbon dioxide (CO 2) exchange dynamics between the land and the atmosphere through observations and modeling is necessary in order to reproduce and project near-surface climate in coupled land–atmosphere models. The exchange of water and CO 2 occurs at the leaf surface (leaf level) and in a net manner through exchanges at all the leaf surfaces composing the vegetation canopy and at the soil surface (canopy level). These exchanges depend on the meteorological forcings imposed by the overlying atmosphere (atmospheric boundary layer level). In this paper, we investigate the effect of four canopy environmental variables (photosynthetic active radiation (PAR), water vapor pressure deficit (VPD), air temperature (T), and atmospheric CO 2 concentration (Ca)) on the local individual leaf exchange and canopy exchange of water and CO 2 at hourly timescales. Additionally, we investigate the effect of atmospheric boundary layer (ABL) processes on the local exchange. To that end, we simultaneously investigated the exchanges of water and CO 2 at leaf level and canopy level for an alfalfa field in northern Spain over 1 day in summer 2021. We used comprehensive observations ranging from stomatal conductance to ABL measurements collected during the Land Surface Interactions with the Atmosphere in the Iberian Semi-Arid Environment (LIAISE) experiment. To support the observational analysis, we used a coupled land–atmosphere model (CLASS model) that has representations at all levels considered. To relate how temporal changes of the four environmental variables modify the fluxes of water and CO 2 , we studied tendency equations of the leaf gas exchange. These mathematical expressions quantify the temporal evolution of the leaf gas exchange as a function of the temporal evolution of PAR, VPD, T , and Ca. To investigate the effects of ABL processes on the local exchange, we developed three modeling experiments that impose surface radiative perturbations by a cloud passage (which perturbed PAR, T , and VPD), entrainment of dry air from the free troposphere (which perturbed VPD), and advection of cold air (which perturbed T and VPD). The model results and observations matched the leaf gas exchange (r2 between 0.23 and 0.67) and canopy gas exchange (r2 between 0.90 and 0.95). The tendency equations of the modeled leaf gas exchange during the study day revealed that the temporal dynamics of PAR were the main contributor to the temporal dynamics of the leaf gas exchange, with atmospheric CO 2 temporal dynamics being the least important contributor. From the three modeling experiments with ABL perturbations, the surface radiative changes induced by a cloud perturbed the CO 2 exchange the most, whereas all of them perturbed the water exchange to a similar extent. Second-order effects on the dynamics of the leaf gas exchange were also identified using the tendency equations. For instance, the decrease in the net CO 2 assimilation rate during the cloud passage caused by a decrease in surface radiation was further enhanced due to the decrease in air temperature also associated with the cloud. With this research we showcase that the proposed tendency equations can disentangle the effect of environmental variables on the leaf exchange of water and CO 2 with the atmosphere, as represented in land–surface parameterization schemes. As such, this framework can become a useful tool with which to analyze these schemes in weather and climate models. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), which is the United Nations body for assessing the science related to climate change, has recently recognized the natural carbonation process as a way of carbon offsetting with mortar and concrete. Accordingly, this activity could be recognized as a carbon removal process for which certification should be granted. The aim of the certification of carbon removal is to promote the development of adequate and efficient new carbon removal processes. Therefore, the main objective of this study is to provide reliable results on carbon dioxide uptake by cement-based materials in Spain. Yearly, greenhouse gas emissions are reported to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) by each country, and the natural carbonation should be added up to the carbon accounting. Therefore, natural carbonation should be included in the IPCC Guidelines for National Greenhouse Gas Inventories, and such accounting information should be made available promptly to the national regulatory authorities. This paper provides the results of carbon dioxide uptake by Spanish cement-based materials from 1990 to 2020 by using an easy method of estimating the net carbon dioxide emissions (simplified method) considering the carbon dioxide released by the calcination during clinker production (process emissions). The outcome of this study reveals that there was 93,556,000 tons of carbon dioxide uptake by the mortar and concrete manufactured in Spain from 1990 to 2020. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents the examination of a values–beliefs–norms (VBN) model, modified by climate change risk perception, in France, Germany, and Spain, to investigate consumers' intentions to purchase personal and house care products that are going to contain innovative ingredients made from recycled CO2. Electronic interviews were undertaken by a research agency on stratified (gender and age) samples in each country. Solely biospheric values indicated a statistically significant and positive causal relationship with risk perception. Risk perception provided the strongest of all impacts on awareness of consequences. Awareness of consequences affected the ascription of responsibility, and ascription of responsibility affected personal norms, which in turn generated consumption intentions. VBN was found powerful in explaining 58%, 60.2%, and 43.3% of the variance in intentions to buy CPGs with green chemical ingredients in French, German, and Spanish consumers, respectively. Moderation analysis indicated that the relationship between personal norms and consumption intentions is stronger in France and Germany than in Spain. Theoretical and practical implications are provided. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper aims to contribute to the growing body of research literature on assessing environmental efficiency by introducing a new key performance indicator (KPIs) in more complete and dependable aspects of ecological footprint indices. For this purpose, the DEA model considering three inputs (energy consumption, labor force, and capital stock), one desirable output (GDP), and different undesirable outputs (CO 2 emissions, ecological footprint indicators) are applied to 27 OECD countries from 2000 to 2017. According to the results, Norway, Luxemburg, and United Kingdom are the most environmentally efficient countries in terms of environmental efficiency and ecological footprint efficiency. On the other hand, the lowest environmental and ecological footprint efficiencies were in countries like Lithuania, Slovak, Czech, Estonia, and the USA. In addition, these nations fare poorly regarding their carbon footprint and farmland efficiency. In further detail, Lithuania, South Korea, Portugal, and Spain have a critical status in fishing ground efficiency, while the forest area efficiency is very acute in Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, and Czech., (© 2022. The Author(s).)

The measurement of the CO2 concentration has a wide range of applications. Traditionally, it has been used to assess air quality, with other applications linked to the experimental assessment of occupancy patterns and air renewal rates. More recently, the worldwide dissemination of COVID-19 establishing a relationship between infection risk and the mean CO2 level has abruptly led to the measurement of the CO2 concentration in order to limit the spread of this respiratory disease in the indoor environment. Therefore, the extensive application of this measurement outside of traditional air quality assessment requires an in-depth analysis of the suitability of these sensors for such modern applications. This paper discusses the performance of an array of commercial wall-mounted CO2 sensors, focusing on their application to obtain occupancy patterns and air renovation rates. This study is supported by several long-term test campaigns conducted in an in-use office building located in south-eastern Spain. The results show a spread of 19–101 ppm, with a drift of 28 ppm over 5 years, an offset of 2–301 ppm and fluctuations up to 80 ppm in instantaneous measurements not related to concentration changes. It is proposed that values averaged over 30 min, using a suitable reference value, be used to avoid erroneous results when calibration is not feasible. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present paper aims to reliably depict the impact of the European Union Emissions Trading Scheme (EU ETS) on Spain under different assumptions about the industries involved. Prior analyses, based either on highly aggregated macroeconomic or specific electricity industry models, have been limited in degree of detail or scope. Two types of modeling were combined in the present study: general equilibrium was used to assess the impact on different industries and to explain cross-industry changes, and partial equilibrium to suitably model the complex and crucial electricity system. Combining and interrelating these two models yields the effects on price, carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions and distributional patterns in Spain of both the current policy and of an alternative in which all industries take part in the EU ETS. Since Spain is a key participant in this scheme, the conclusions and policy implications stemming from this paper are relevant to and useful for post-Kyoto arrangements. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Global warming due to human-induced increments in atmospheric concentrations of greenhouse gases (GHG) is one of the most debated topics among environmentalists and politicians worldwide. In this paper we assess a novel source of GHG emissions emerged following a controversial policy decision. After the outbreak of bovine spongiform encephalopathy in Europe, the sanitary regulation required that livestock carcasses were collected from farms and transformed or destroyed in authorised plants, contradicting not only the obligations of member states to conserve scavenger species but also generating unprecedented GHG emission. However, how much of this emission could be prevented in the return to traditional and natural scenario in which scavengers freely remove livestock carcasses is largely unknown. Here we show that, in Spain (home of 95% of European vultures), supplanting the natural removal of dead extensive livestock by scavengers with carcass collection and transport to intermediate and processing plants meant the emission of 77,344 metric tons of CO2 eq. to the atmosphere per year, in addition to annual payments of ca. $50 million to insurance companies. Thus, replacing the ecosystem services provided by scavengers has not only conservation costs, but also important and unnecessary environmental and economic costs.

Current understanding of land–atmosphere exchange fluxes is limited by the fact that available observational techniques mainly quantify net fluxes, which are the sum of generally larger, bidirectional fluxes that partially cancel out. As a consequence, validation of gas exchange fluxes applied in models is challenging due to the lack of ecosystem-scale exchange flux measurements partitioned into soil, plant, and atmospheric components. One promising experimental method to partition measured turbulent fluxes uses the exchange-process-dependent isotopic fractionation of molecules like CO2 and H2O. When applying this method at a field scale, an isotope flux (δ flux) needs to be measured. Here, we present and discuss observations made during the LIAISE (Land surface Interactions with the Atmosphere over the Iberian Semi-arid Environment) 2021 field campaign using an eddy covariance (EC) system coupled to two laser spectrometers for high-frequency measurement of the isotopic composition of H2O and CO2. This campaign took place in the summer of 2021 in the irrigated Ebro River basin near Mollerussa, Spain, embedded in a semi-arid region. We present a systematic procedure to scrutinise and analyse measurements of the δ -flux variable, which plays a central role in flux partitioning. Our experimental data indicated a larger relative signal loss in the δ fluxes of H2O compared to the net ecosystem flux of H2O , while this was not true for CO2. Furthermore, we find that mole fractions and isotope ratios measured with the same instrument can be offset in time by more than a minute for the H2O isotopologues due to the isotopic memory effect. We discuss how such artefacts can be detected and how they impact flux partitioning. We argue that these effects are likely due to condensation of water on a cellulose filter in our inlet system. Furthermore, we show that these artefacts can be resolved using physically sound corrections for inlet delays and high-frequency loss. Only after such corrections and verifications are made can ecosystem-scale fluxes be partitioned using isotopic fluxes as constraints, which in turn allows for conceptual land–atmosphere exchange models to be validated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Partitioning of CO(2) incorporation into oxygenic phototrophic, anoxygenic phototrophic, and chemolithoautotrophic guilds was determined in a freshwater lake (Lake Cisó, Banyoles, Spain). CO(2) incorporation into the different types of microorganisms was studied at different depths, during diel cycles, and throughout the year. During winter holomixis, the whole lake became anoxic and both the anoxygenic and chemolithoautotrophic guilds were more active at the surface of the lake, whereas the activity of the oxygenic guild was negligible. During stratification, the latter guild was more active in the upper metalimnion, whereas the anoxygenic guild was more active in the lower metalimnion. Specific growth rates and doubling times were estimated for the most conspicuous phototrophic microorganisms. Doubling times for Cryptomonas phaseolus ranged between 0.5 and 192 days, whereas purple sulfur bacteria (Chromatiaceae-like) ranged between 1.5 and 238 days. These growth rates were similar to those calculated with a different approach in previous papers and indicate slow-growing populations with very large biomass. Overall, the annual total CO(2) incorporation in Lake Cisó was 220 g C m(-2). Most of the CO(2) incorporation, however, was due to the chemolithoautotrophic guild (61% during holomixis and 56% during stratification), followed by the anoxygenic phototrophic guild (35 and 19%, respectively) and the oxygenic phototrophs (4 and 25%, respectively), making dark carbon fixation the key process in the autotrophic metabolism of the lake.

CO 2 emissions are one of the major contributors to global warming. The variety of emission sources and the nature of CO 2 hinders estimating its concentration in real time and therefore to adopt flexible policies that contribute to its control and, ultimately, to reduce its effects. Spain is not exempted from this challenge and CO 2 emissions are published only at the end of the year and as an aggregated value for the whole country, without recognising the existing differences between the regions (the so-called, Autonomous Communities). The recent COVID-19 pandemic is a clear example of the need of accurate and fast estimation methods so that policies can be tailored to the current status and not to a past one. This paper provides a method to estimate monthly emissions of CO 2 for each AACC in Spain based on data that are published monthly by the relevant administrations. The paper discusses the approximations needed in the development of the method, predicts the drop in emissions due to the reduced industrial activity during the pandemic in Spain and provides the estimation of future emissions under three recovery scenarios after the pandemic. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Weight-of-Evidence (WOE) approach uses multiple lines of evidence to analyze the adverse effects associated with CO2 enrichment in two stations from the Gulf of Cádiz (Spain) with different contamination degrees. Sediment contamination and metal (loid) mobility, toxicity, ecological integrity, and bioaccumulation from the samples exposed to different acidification scenarios (pH gradient from 8.0 to 6.0) were used in the WOE. The experiments were conducted under laboratory conditions using a CO2-bubbling system. Different integration approaches such as multivariate analyses were used to evaluate the results. The results indicated that the adverse biological effects under pH 6.5 were related to the mobility of dissolved elements (As, Fe, Cu, Ni, and Zn). Furthermore, the pH reduction was correlated to the increase of bioaccumulation of As, Cr, Cu, Fe, and Ni in the tissues of mussels at pH 7.0. The noncontaminated sediment showed environmental degradation related to the acidification at pH values of 7.0; whereas the sediment moderately contaminated showed both environmental risks, caused by acidification and the presence and the increase of the bioavailability of contaminants. The WOE approach supposes an effective tool to identify and distinguish the causes of adverse effects related to the enrichment of CO2 in marine environments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Agriculture is an activity linked to the environment and has a great influence on climate change. As more and more crops are producing in less time, agricultural production is intensified and water consumption and energy demand is increasing. Since the energy consumed is not renewable, greenhouse gases (GHG) are emitted and their concentration in the atmosphere increases. The objective of this article is to apply various methodologies for the precise quantification of the carbon dioxide equivalent (CO2-eq) and GHG emissions in the management of irrigation water and energy in ten water user's associations (WUAs) in the southeast of Spain. All the studied WUAs include irrigation facilities. This paper is based on obtained data in different water and energy audits during 2017. The concept of "irrigation water management" considered in the article covers the process from its extraction through management data to its transport and application to crops through irrigation systems, as well as the reception of water. The way in which water and energy is used to irrigate crops is taken into account. Moreover, the type of energy used for irrigation and at what moment energy is demanded influence the total amount of generated GHG emissions. The tariff periods for electricity and the water needs of the crops planted also has to be taken into account, as well as the economic emissions valuation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Life Cycle Sustainability Assessment (LCSA) is an integrated method that combines environmental, economic, and social assessments. Its methodological development remains under discussion, mainly regarding the building design. This paper aims to provide a systematic, interoperable, and open-source approach towards implementing LCSA in Building Information Modelling (BIM) in five steps. A harmonized data structure that enriches BIM objects is proposed. Automation in the principal evaluation step is provided by integrating new parameters into the current Industry Foundation Classes (IFC4). A Dynamo script verifies its utility in a case study in Spain using real-time calculations and visualizations. Two alternative structural systems are assessed, and identification is made of the lowest CO 2 emitter, the lowest cost, and the most beneficial system for local employment. The approach can be employed to evaluate other indicators and building systems in other countries. Challenges and limitations in the standardization and harmonization of the three dimensions are identified. [Display omitted] • A five-step method to implement Life Cycle Sustainability Assessment (LCSA) in BIM. • Description of a data structure for conducting LCSA in the early design stage. • Enrichment of BIM scheme based on current Industry Foundation Classes (IFC4). • Dynamo script in case study in Spain for real-time calculations and visualization. • Limitations and new challenges to implement LCSA in BIM in detailed design stages. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cork oak grows endemically in a narrow region bordering the western Mediterranean, and especially in the Iberian Peninsula. The importance of cork agro-forestry systems lies in the fact that a natural and renewable raw material – cork – can be extracted sustainably without endangering the tree or affecting biodiversity. This paper describes an environmental analysis of the extraction of raw cork in cork oak forests in Catalonia, using data from five representative local forest exploitations. The evaluation was carried out using life cycle assessment (LCA) methodology, and all the forestry management required to obtain a tonne of raw cork was included. The aim of the study was to evaluate the environmental impacts – in terms of global warming, acidification, eutrophication, human toxicity, and so on – caused by cork extraction and determine the carbon dioxide balance of these forestry systems, with a tree lifespan of about 200 years. During the life cycle extraction of cork in Catalonia, 0.2 kg of CO2 eq. was emitted per kg of raw cork extracted. Moreover, cork cannot be extracted without the tree, which will be fixing carbon dioxide throughout its technological useful life (200 years), despite the fact that the bark is removed periodically: every 13–14 years. If the emission from extraction and the carbon contained in the material is discounted, the carbon dioxide balance indicates that 18 kg of CO2 are fixed per kg of raw cork extracted. Therefore, cork is a natural, renewable and local material that can replace other non-renewable materials, at local level, to reduce the environmental impacts of products, and particularly to reduce their carbon footprint. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: This paper describes an application of the Strength Pareto Evolutionary Algorithm to the multi-objective optimization of a stand-alone PV–wind–diesel system with batteries storage. The objectives to be minimized are the levelized cost of energy (LCOE) and the equivalent carbon dioxide (CO2) life cycle emissions (LCE). Each solution of the Pareto front is a possible solution for the PV–wind–diesel-batteries system, which can supply the load, but each one has a different LCOE and LCE. Some solutions have low LCOE values, but high LCE values, and vice versa. Results show that the photovoltaic (PV) generator is the most important source of electrical energy for stand-alone systems in Spain and Southern Europe, not only environmentally, but also economically. In some cases, PV is almost the only source of energy, as some solutions of the best Pareto front do not include wind turbines and diesel generators run only a few hours during the year. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

The analysis of gas emissions by an input–output subsystem approach provides detailed insight into pollution generation in an economy. Structural decomposition analysis, on the other hand, identifies the factors behind the changes in key variables over time. Extending the input–output subsystem model to account for the changes in these variables reveals the channels by which environmental burdens are caused and transmitted throughout the production system. In this paper we propose a decomposition of the changes in the components of CO2 emissions captured by an input–output subsystems representation. The empirical application is for the Spanish service sector, and the economic and environmental data are for years 2000 and 2005. Our results show that services increased their CO2 emissions mainly because of a rise in the emissions generated by non-services to cover the final demand for services. The decomposed effects show a decrease in CO2 emissions due to technological changes between 2000 and 2005 compensated by an increase in emissions caused by the rise in final demand of services. Finally, large asymmetries exist not only in the quantitative changes in the CO2 emissions of the various services but also in the decomposed effects of these changes. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Spain is on a path toward the decarbonization of the economy. This is mainly due to structural changes in the economy, where less energy-intensive sectors are gaining more relevance, and due to a higher use of less carbon-intensive primary energy products. This decarbonization trend is in fact more accentuated than that observed in the EU28, but there is still much to be done in order to reverse the huge increases in emissions that occurred in Spain prior to the 2007 crisis. The technical energy efficiency is improving in the Spanish economy at a higher rate than in the EU28, although all these gains are offset by the losses that the country suffers due to the inefficient use of the energy equipment. There is an installed energy infrastructure (in the energy-consumer side) in the Spanish economy that is not working at its maximum rated capacity, but which has very high fixed energy costs that reduce the observed energy efficiency and puts at risk the achievement of the emissions and energy consumption targets set by the European institutions. We arrive to these findings by developing a hybrid decomposition approach called input–output logarithmic mean Divisia index (IO-LMDI) decomposition method. With this methodological approach, we can provide an allocation diagram scheme for assigning the responsibility of primary energy requirements and carbon-dioxide emissions to the end-use sectors, including both economic and non-productive sectors. In addition, we analyze more potential influencing factors than those typically examined, we proceed in a way that reconciles energy intensity and energy efficiency metrics, and we are able to distinguish between technical and observed end-use energy efficiency taking into account potential rebound effects and other factors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper provides insights into the potential of cold-ironing for the reduction of externalities. External cost derived from the emissions of CO 2 , NO x , SO x , and PM from berthed ships in the Spanish port system during 2016 are estimated providing a Spain-wide empirical evidence into where the highest externalities exist and where, on a port by port level, the introduction of cold ironing could yield the highest potential on reducing said externalities. The combined overall external costs from both local and global effects of shipping emissions from berthed vessels were between 326 and 440 million Euro. Eco-efficiency parameters are also obtained. It is found that the population in the port city as well as the composition of traffic are key factors when the external costs are determined, and they should be considered when the investment decision about where cold ironing should be placed is taken. • Local and global external costs of 46 Spanish ports are estimated to be 439.700.000€. • Population and traffic mix are key factors for external costs of berthed vessels. • Eco-efficiency indicators can support new policy measures in ports. • The potential of cold-ironing for the reduction of externalities are provided. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Assessment of responsiveness' role in mechanisms for adjusting economic incentives. • Agent-based model of feed-in tariff for solar adoption in Germany, Spain, Switzerland. • More responsive designs meet deployment policy goal accurately and lower uncertainty. • Surprisingly, results show diminishing returns of responsiveness that add policy cost. • Country-specific attributes shown to influence solar power diffusion patterns. A rapid, global diffusion of clean energy technologies is central to the efforts to curb global carbon dioxide emissions. Deployment policies based on economic incentives have proved effective in accelerating the uptake of renewable technologies, such as solar photovoltaics, and could quicken the adoption of others. However, their outcomes were often uncertain and costly as many countries struggled to adjust incentives while technology prices fell rapidly. This study addresses this challenge by investigating the role of responsiveness – the policy's ability to react to changes in the context in which it operates – in the design of mechanisms for adjusting incentives over time. This paper employs an agent-based model to evaluate quantitatively six policy designs with varying degrees of responsiveness for adjusting a feed-in tariff for solar photovoltaics in three countries – Germany, Spain, and Switzerland – for over a decade. Our first finding confirms that more responsive policy designs tended to produce policies that meet their goals more accurately and certainly. Between the least and the most responsive designs, deviation from policy goals was reduced by 60% and uncertainty was reduced by more than 50%. Our results also suggest that policy responsiveness could have diminishing returns: improvements in the policy's accuracy and certainty tended to become smaller while policy costs per capita tended to become larger as design responsiveness increased. Finally, simulation results show how country-specific attributes influence the diffusion pattern of the technology. These findings have major implications for the design of future deployment policies supporting the diffusion of clean energy technologies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Paleocene–Eocene Thermal Maximum (PETM; 55 Ma) is of particular interest since it is regarded as a suitable analog to future climate change. In this study, the PETM climate is investigated using the Community Climate System Model (CCSM3) with atmospheric CO2 concentrations of 4×, 8×, and 16× the preindustrial value. Simulated climate change from 4× to 8× atmospheric CO2 concentration, possibly corresponding to an environmental precursor of the PETM event, leads to a warming of the North Atlantic Ocean Intermediate-Water masses, thus lowering the critical depth for methane hydrate destabilization by ∼500 m. A further increase from 8× to 16×CO2, analogous to a possible massive methane hydrate release, results in global oceanic warming and stratification. The increase in the radiative surface warming, especially at high latitudes, is partially offset by a decrease in the ocean heat transport due to a reduced overturning circulation. Surface temperature values simulated in the 16×CO2 PETM run represent the closest match to surface temperature reconstructions from proxies for this period. Simulated PETM precipitation, characterized by a slight northward shift of the intertropical convergence zone, increases at higher CO2 concentrations, especially for the northern midlatitudes as well as the high latitudes in both hemispheres. Data-inferred precipitation values and gradients for North America and Spain, for instance, are in good agreement with the 16×CO2 simulation. Increasing atmospheric CO2 concentrations might also have favored the release of terrestrial methane through warmer and wetter conditions over land, thus reinforcing the greenhouse gas concentration increase. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Errors in the estimation of CO2 surface exchange by open-path eddy covariance, introduced during the removal of density terms [Webb et al. Quart J Roy Meteorol Soc 106:85–100, (1980) - WPL], can happen both because of errors in energy fluxes [Liu et al. Boundary-Layer Meteorol 120:65–85, (2006)] but also because of inaccuracies in other terms included in the density corrections, most notably due to measurements of absolute CO2 density (ρ c ). Equations are derived to examine the propagation of all errors through the WPL algorithm. For an open-path eddy covariance system operating in the Sierra de Gádor in south-east Spain, examples are presented of the inability of an unattended, open-path infrared gas analyzer (IRGA) to reliably report ρ c and the need for additional instrumentation to determine calibration corrections. A sensitivity analysis shows that relatively large and systematic errors in net ecosystem exchange (NEE) can result from uncertainties in ρ c in a semi-arid climate with large sensible heat fluxes ( H s ) and (wet) mineral deposition. When ρc is underestimated by 5% due to lens contamination, this implies a 13% overestimation of monthly CO2 uptake. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article focuses on beachrock formation and whether it could be considered an indicator of sea level. It states that beachrock is formed by the carbonate precipitation within beach sediments, with an association with the supersaturation and degassing of carbon dioxide. It mentions that beachrock formation occurs in the main body of the beach in the upper intertidal zone. The article states that the thickness of beachrock often exceeds that of contemporary tidal ranges or those of sea level changes in the late Holocene period which thus limits its use to determine sea level. It examines the formation of beachrock in Spain at Playa de Macenas, south of Mojácarde, Almeria. It explains that the beachrock samples in Spain cannot be linked to sea level positions or trends.

As a result of the increase in city populations, and the high energy consumption and emissions of buildings, cities in general, and buildings in particular, are the focus of attention for public organizations and utilities. Heating is among the largest consumers of energy in buildings. This study examined the influence of the income of inhabitants on the consumption of energy for heating and the CO2 emissions in city buildings. The study was carried out using equivalized disposable income as the basis for the analysis and considered the economies of scale of households. The results are shown per inhabitant and household, by independently considering each city. Furthermore, to more clearly identify the influence of the population income, the study was also carried out without considering the influence of the climate. The method was implemented in the case of Spain. For this purpose, Spanish cities with more than 50,000 inhabitants were analyzed. The results show that, both per inhabitant and per household, the higher the income of the inhabitants, the greater the consumption of energy for heating and the greater the emissions in the city. This research aimed to help energy utilities and policy makers make appropriate decisions, namely, planning for the development of facilities that do not produce greenhouse gases, and enacting laws to achieve sustainable economies, respectively. The overall aim is to achieve the objective of mitigating the impact of emissions and the scarcity of energy resources. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study explores the impact of clean energy and non-renewable energy consumption on CO2 emissions and economic growth within two phases (formative and expansion) of renewable energy diffusion for three selected countries (France, Spain, and Sweden). The vector autoregression (VAR) model is estimated on the basis of annual data disaggregated into quarterly data. The Granger causality results reveal distinctive differences in the causality patterns across countries and two phases of renewables diffusion. Clean energy consumption contributes to a decline of emissions more clearly in the expansion phase in France and Spain. However, this effect seems to be counteracted by the increases in emissions due to economic growth and non-renewable energy consumption. Therefore, clean energy consumption has not yet led to a decoupling of economic growth from emissions in France and Spain; in contrast, the findings for Sweden evidence such a decoupling due to the neutrality between economic growth and emissions. Generally, the findings show that despite the enormous growth of renewables and active mitigation policies, CO2 emissions have not substantially decreased in selected countries or globally. Focused and coordinated policy action, not only at the EU level but also globally, is urgently needed to overhaul existing fossil-fuel economies into low-carbon economies and ultimately meet the relevant climate targets. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The European Green Deal and its endeavors will make rapid and far-reaching decisions with major implications for the European cement industry in the short- and longer-term. Accordingly, new measures should be dealt with quickly and effectively to minimize the adverse impact on global warming and global climate change by this sector. The aim of this study is to show and assess the measures to be undertaken to reach carbon neutrality by the Spanish cement industry by 2050. They may be categorized into three broad types based on the main materials: clinker, cement, and concrete. The cement sector must implement breakthrough initiatives, inventions, and technologies regarding the clinker and cement production processes. Furthermore, carbon dioxide uptake by cement-based materials must be considered to achieve the carbon neutrality objective. Accordingly, two methodologies named simplified and advanced, consistent with Guidelines for National Greenhouse Gas Inventories elaborated by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), were selected to model the carbon offsetting by mortars and concretes. Finally, the existing climate change mitigation technologies available in Spain are insufficient to reach the net zero carbon footprint. Therefore, breakthrough technologies such as novel and efficient carbon dioxide capture, utilization, and storage (CCUS) technologies should be implemented by the Spanish cement industry to achieve zero carbon dioxide emissions in 2050. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Current energy efficiency policies in buildings foster the promotion of energy retrofitting of the existing stock. In southern Spain, the most extensive public sector is that of educational buildings, which is especially subject to significant internal loads due to high occupancy. A large fraction of the energy retrofit strategies conducted to date have focused on energy aspects and indoor thermal comfort, repeatedly disregarding indoor air quality criteria. This research assesses indoor air quality in a school located in the Mediterranean area, with the objective of promoting different ventilation scenarios, based on occupancy patterns and carbon dioxide levels monitored on site. Results show that manual ventilation cannot guarantee minimum indoor quality levels following current standards. A constant ventilation based on CO2 levels allows 15% more thermal comfort hours a year to be reached, compared to CO2-based optimized demand-controlled ventilation. Nevertheless, the latter ensures 35% annual energy savings, compared to a constant CO2-based ventilation, and 37% more annual energy savings over that of a constant ventilation rate of outdoor air per person. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article provides information on a study regarding the diverse responses of organisms in the ocean acidification. It states that corals, clams and marine organisms are at risk in a changing ocean due to atmosphere's excessive carbon dioxide. It notes that several laboratory studies on microscopic algae resulted to conflicting explanations. However, Autonomous University researcher Gerald Langer in Barcelona, Spain shows that a calcifying algae has a significant acidification response.