Search

Several countries have imposed either a ban or a tax on single-use plastic packaging, motivated by their contribution to marine plastic pollution. This may lead consumers to opt for similar unregulated substitutes, potentially undermining or even counteracting the intended effect of the policy instrument. The purpose of this study is to theoretically and empirically compare the environmental and welfare effects of the first-best Pigouvian taxes on both plastic bags and a substitute (paper bags), with two alternative second-best policy instruments: a tax on plastic products alone, and a common uniform tax on all packaging materials. The empirical analysis accounts for two different types of environmental externalities from the use of both bag types: marine pollution and greenhouse gas emissions. It also compares results for two countries, Denmark and the USA, which differ in the demand for plastic and paper bags. The theoretical analysis shows that a unilateral tax on plastic bags should equal the marginal environmental damage of plastic bags minus a fraction of the marginal environmental cost of paper bags, hence being lower than the Pigouvian tax. The optimal common tax should equal a weighted average of the marginal environmental damage of the two bag types and would be lower than the Pigouvian tax on plastics if the marginal external cost of plastic bags exceeds that for paper bags. The empirical analysis shows that for default parameters, the variation in tax level across the studied scenarios is small. It also shows that if Pigouvian taxes cannot be implemented, a common uniform tax on both bag types would result in a higher welfare gain than a tax on plastic bags alone. Sensitivity analysis reveals that the level of the second-best taxes and their associated environmental and welfare impacts are sensitive to assumptions regarding the littering rate and decay rate of plastic bags in the marine environment. • A separate tax on plastic bags leads to substitution towards unregulated products. • Both plastic bags and substitutes cause marine pollution and GHG emissions. • We estimate first and second-best environmental taxes on plastic and paper bags. • Pigouvian taxes on both plastic and paper bags yield the highest welfare effect. • A uniform tax on all bags yields higher welfare than a single tax on plastic bags. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The establishment of a bio-based circular economy is imperative in tackling the climate crisis and advancing sustainable development. In this realm, the creation of microbial cell factories is central to generating a variety of chemicals and materials. The design of metabolic pathways is crucial in shaping these microbial cell factories, especially when it comes to producing chemicals with yet-to-be-discovered biosynthetic routes. To aid in navigating the complexities of chemical and metabolic domains, computer-supported tools for metabolic pathway design have emerged. In this paper, we evaluate how digital strategies can be employed for pathway prediction and enzyme discovery. Additionally, we touch upon the recent strides made in using deep learning techniques for metabolic pathway prediction. These computational tools and strategies streamline the design of metabolic pathways, facilitating the development of microbial cell factories. Leveraging the capabilities of deep learning in metabolic pathway design is profoundly promising, potentially hastening the advent of a bio-based circular economy. [Display omitted] • Various computational methodologies have emerged for metabolic pathway design. • Deep learning facilitates enzyme discovery in pathway design. • Deep learning approaches in single- and multi-step pathway prediction are reviewed. • Deep learning techniques enhance the construction of microbial cell factories. • Computational guidelines are offered for experimental researchers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The potential of place-based, historically-informed approaches to drive climate action has not yet been adequately interrogated. Recent scholarly work has focussed on climate communication and the role of arts and humanities-led storytelling in engaging people in climate narratives. Far less has been said about mobilising arts and creativity to build anticipatory climate action. Nor have archival material and pre-twentieth century histories of living with water and flood been widely utilised in this endeavour. This paper reflects on our experiences delivering the UKRI-funded Risky Cities programme and specifically, of developing and utilising a learning histories approach that folds together past, present and future in productive ways so as to learn from the past and the present and rethink the future. Risky Cities uses this approach to develop engagement tools at different scales, evaluating their impact throughout using participant interviews, reflective focus groups, and surveys. Analysing this data, we consistently find that using learning histories as the foundation of arts-led and creative community engagement makes big narratives about global climate change locally meaningful. Crucially, this drives cognitive shifts, behavioural change and anticipatory action for both participants and audiences. Thus, our learning histories approach is an important participatory tool for building climate action, empowerment and resilience. • Learning histories [LH] are an effective tool for building climate action, awareness and resilience. • LH help make global climate narratives locally meaningful and relevant to both participants and audiences. • Arts-led and creative community engagement using LH can drive cognitive shifts and behavioural change around climate. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The cement industry plays a significant role in global carbon emissions, underscoring the urgent need for measures to transition it toward a net-zero carbon footprint. This paper presents a detailed plan to this end, examining the current state of the cement sector, its carbon output, and the imperative for emission reduction. It delves into various low-CO 2 technologies and emerging innovations such as alkali-activated cements, calcium looping, electrification, and bio-inspired materials. Economic and policy factors, including cost assessments and governmental regulations, are considered alongside challenges and potential solutions. Concluding with future prospects, the paper offers recommendations for policymakers, industry players, and researchers, highlighting the roadmap's critical role in achieving a carbon-neutral cement sector. • Cement industry faces urgent need for net-zero transition due to high carbon emissions. • Roadmap spans phases: foundation, acceleration, net-zero, targeting emissions by 2050. • Innovations like alkali-activated cements offer promise for emission reduction. • Collective action and policy crucial for sustainable transformation of cement sector. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hydrogeological effects of climate change will continue to affect water reservoirs worldwide. Some regions are experiencing and will experience severe decline in their water resources due to prolonged periods of drought. Since emergency practices such as the provision of emergency drinking water and forest firefighting depend on regional surface and groundwater resources, the safety of the hydro geosphere's of a region is of fundamental importance, especially in times of crisis. The study uniquely addresses the integration of emergency water management within broader sustainable practices, particularly in the German context where such an analysis has not been previously consolidated. Using the example of emergency drinking water management, the paper elaborates the extent to which measures of emergency response are currently recognised as part of sustainable water management. In an analysis, 79 documents addressing emergency drinking water management of both water supply companies and crisis management authorities in Germany were analysed. The findings revealed a general lack of documents addressing the long-term dependencies between water resources and emergency measures currently applied. Furthermore, the documents do not elaborate on how to implement these measures in a sustainable way recognising the distinctive characteristics of a region. Since response measures can potentially intensify water stress in a region, emergency water management must be consequently included in a holistic water management process to protect landscapes and communities for the future. This paper provides a first comprehensive compilation of essential documents dealing with emergency drinking water management in Germany. It furthermore introduces a new approach to emergency water management and identifies necessary research that could serve as a baseline for future crisis decision making to strengthen national and international initiatives on water resource protection. • Holistic water management must include water intense measures of emergency response. • Procedures of crisis management can intensify processes of regional water depletion. • Performance of emergency response can decline in times of long-term dryness. • The management of water emergencies requires adaptation to regional hydrogeography. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Mediterranean basin is one of the most vulnerable regions worldwide due to its population density, the concentration of economic activities along the coasts and borderline climatic balance. It is identified as one of the most critical erosion hotspots in Europe, mainly due to the degradation of coastal areas, overexploitation and unsustainable practices affecting beach tourism, agriculture and fishing. The region is also affected by other phenomena such as storms and floods, which are exacerbated by climate change. To mitigate and adapt to these environmental and climatic changes, Nature based Solutions (NbSs) are considered a promising step-forward. However, despite their global recognition in both research and policy, few scientific papers and documents on the state of NbSs implementation for coastal risk management in the Mediterranean exist. This paper aims to provide an understanding of the status of NbS adoption for coastal risk management in the Mediterranean through a literature review. Out of 162 scientific papers and documents, only 23 were found to be relevant to the study. Through the definition and support of an innovative matrix-based approach, the analysis of the state of adoption of NbSs have been performed. Despite the limited information on the state of the adoption of NbSs for coastal risk management in the Mediterranean due to the low numbers of scientific research and documents available, some key considerations have been revealed. • The Mediterranean basin is the most critical erosion hotspots in Europe. • NbSs are recognized a promising step-forward in coastal risk management. • Novel framework for the analysis of past and present NbS implementation. • Few studies report the adoption of NbSs for Mediterranean coastal risk management. • NbS for coastal risk management in the Mediterranean is still in an experimental phase. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Climate change affects human activities, including tourism across various sectors and time frames. The winter tourism industry, dependent on low temperatures, faces significant impacts. This paper reviews the implications of climate change on winter tourism, emphasising challenges for activities like skiing and snowboarding, which rely on consistent snowfall and low temperatures. As the climate changes, these once taken-for-granted conditions are no longer as commonplace. Through a comprehensive review supported by up-to-date satellite imagery, this paper presents evidence suggesting that the reliability of winter snow is decreasing, with findings revealing a progressive reduction in snow levels associated with temperature and precipitation changes in some regions. The analysis underscores the need for concerted efforts by stakeholders who must recognize the reality of diminishing snow availability and work towards understanding the specific changes in snow patterns. This should involve multi-risk and multi-instrument assessments, including ongoing satellite data monitoring to track snow cover changes. The practical implications for sports activities and the tourism industry reliant on snow involve addressing challenges by diversifying offerings. This includes developing alternative winter tourism activities less dependent on snow, such as winter hiking, nature walks, or cultural experiences. [Display omitted] • Snow coverage in winter is projected to shrink due to climate change. • Low and inconsistent levels of snow will impact the winter tourism industry. • Besides being unsustainable, artificial snowmaking is a short-term solution. • To survive, the winter tourism industry must adapt to the changing climate. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mitigation actions in all sectors of society, including sports, to limit global warming have become an increasingly hot topic in public discussions and sports management. However, so far, there has been a lack of understanding and practical examples of how these organizations, especially in team sports, can holistically assess and reduce their climate impacts to achieve carbon neutrality. This paper presents a carbon footprint assessment, implemented actions for GHG emission reduction, and offers the example of a professional Finnish ice hockey team that achieved carbon neutrality. The study is based on a life cycle assessment method. The Results show that the team's carbon footprint was reduced from 350 tCO 2eq by more than 50% between seasons 2018–2019 and 2021–2022 in the assessed categories. The most GHG emission reductions were achieved in the team's and spectators' mobility and ice hall energy consumption. Furthermore, the team compensated for their remaining emissions to achieve carbon neutrality. Multiple possibilities for further GHG emission reductions were recognized. The majority of the GHG emissions were linked to the Scope 3 category, indicating that co-operation with partners and stakeholders was a key to success in attaining carbon neutrality. This paper also discusses the possible limitations and challenges that sport organizations face in assessing climate impacts and reducing GHG emissions, as well as the prospects of overcoming them. Since there are many opportunities for sports to contribute to climate change mitigation, relevant targets and actions to reduce GHG emissions should be integrated into all sport organizations' management. [Display omitted] • This the first assessment of professional ice hockey team's carbon footprint. • Multiple actions led to a significant reduction in greenhouse gas emissions. • Concludes how sport organizations can manage their environmental impacts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the global context, countries must reduce carbon dioxide emissions to "net zero" by 2050 to limit global warming to 1.5 °C above pre-industrial levels. China's Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) are to peak carbon dioxide emissions by 2030 and achieve the carbon neutrality target by 2060. To monitor the achievements of the NDCs, establishing an annual-based accounting mechanism is necessary to record the carbon stocks in China, especially for Blue Carbon. The paper aims to present China's first national-scale systematic Blue Carbon accounting for mangroves, salt marshes, and seagrasses, covering the accounting subjects of physical and monetary assets, as well as relevant indicators for investors. It focuses on the design of the accounting method and system, the selection of data categories applied to this system, and the application of China's Blue Carbon accounting based on this accounting system. Taking Blue Carbon accounting as a starting point, this paper analyses the restoration prospects of these ecosystems and their application potential for NDCs in China compared with the terrestrial ecosystems. The results indicate that mangroves are the most cost-effective type of ecosystem, even compared to terrestrial forests. Thus, the paper provides policymakers with a new perspective on the decision-making of carbon sequestration relevant decisions, aiming to promote the monitoring, restoration, and expansion of China's coastal blue carbon ecosystem through the establishment of a sound Blue Carbon accounting system, and to help achieve the carbon neutrality goal in China's NDCs through regular and systematic monitoring of its national Blue Carbon inventories. • China's coastal blue carbon ecosystems are carbon sources rather than carbon sinks. • Mangroves are the most cost-effective coastal blue carbon ecosystem compared to salt marshes and seagrass beds. • The Blue Carbon of mangroves is more cost-effective than the Green Carbon of terrestrial forests when meeting China's Nationally Determined Contributions target of increasing forest stocks. • Establishing guidelines for Blue Carbon data requirements will lay a scientific foundation for formulating strategies and policies to cope with global climate change. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mechanised agriculture accounts for nearly 70 million tonnes of CO 2 emissions annually. To mitigate these CO 2 emissions, powertrains running on alternative fuels and hybrid powertrains are under development. However, such solutions have not yet reached the technical maturity required for the marketplace. To make significant progress, considering the pressure imposed by the European Commission and others, ready-made solutions must be deployed to achieve rapid and large-scale reductions of greenhouse gas emissions. One such solution is to reduce unnecessary engine idling. This paper presents an investigation of the duration of idling stops, the energy required for starting the engine, and the time at which the engine should be turned off to avoid higher emissions from continued idling. Four tractors with different engine displacements were used in experiments. For the tractors, the energy required for engine start-up was measured and real-world data were collected over several months. From data analysis, it was found that shutting off the engines for idling stops longer than 4.4 s resulted in lower emissions. The four tractors showed different idling patterns; turning off the engine during unnecessary idling stops led to fuel savings of 1.1%–5.1%. Based on these results, 770,000 tonnes of CO 2 annually could be saved by equipping tractors with the proper technology for turning off the engine during unnecessary idling stops. • Engine idling is a common status of tractors and is environmentally detrimental. • Energy for engine start-up was measured on four tractors of different power levels. • Turning off the engine for idling stops longer than 4.4 s leads to fuel saving. • From 1.1% up to 5.1% of the total fuel consumed is caused by unnecessary idling. • Avoiding unnecessary idling may lead to a yearly saving of 770,000 tonnes of CO 2. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As a common concern of humankind, the governance of coastal and marine ecosystems is increasingly coming to the fore of the international community as part of the joint response to climate change. Since the signing of the Declaration of the United Nations Conference on the Human Environment and the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea several decades ago, the international community has been exploring how international law can be improved in this respect. At present, the governance and international law of coastal and marine ecosystems in response to climate change are studied from theoretical and methodological perspectives. Extensive empirical studies help pinpoint specific issues related to each topic and provide valuable empirical references for both developed and developing countries. Based on social science publications, the authors use technical means to visualize research related to this topic, and conduct comprehensive reviews of these papers. They reveal that research based on these topics started late and is characterized by fragmentation. The research potential related to mentioned topic has yet to be explored extensively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Current urban and transport planning practices have significant negative health, environmental, social and economic impacts in most cities. New urban development models and policies are needed to reduce these negative impacts. The Superblock model is one such innovative urban model that can significantly reduce these negative impacts through reshaping public spaces into more diverse uses such as increase in green space, infrastructure supporting social contacts and physical activity, and through prioritization of active mobility and public transport, thereby reducing air pollution, noise and urban heat island effects. This paper reviews key aspects of the Superblock model, its implementation and initial evaluations in Barcelona and the potential international uptake of the model in Europe and globally, focusing on environmental, climate, lifestyle, liveability and health aspects. We used a narrative meta-review approach and PubMed and Google scholar databases were searched using specific terms. The implementation of the Super block model in Barcelona is slow, but with initial improvement in, for example, environmental, lifestyle, liveability and health indicators, although not so consistently. When applied on a large scale, the implementation of the Superblock model is not only likely to result in better environmental conditions, health and wellbeing, but can also contribute to the fight against the climate crisis. There is a need for further expansion of the program and further evaluation of its impacts and answers to related concerns, such as environmental equity and gentrification, traffic and related environmental exposure displacement. The implementation of the Superblock model gained a growing international reputation and variations of it are being planned or implemented in cities worldwide. Initial modelling exercises showed that it could be implemented in large parts of many cities. The Superblock model is an innovative urban model that addresses environmental, climate, liveability and health concerns in cities. Adapted versions of the Barcelona Superblock model are being implemented in cities around Europe and further implementation, monitoring and evaluation are encouraged. The Superblock model can be considered an important public health intervention that will reduce mortality and morbidity and generate cost savings for health and other sectors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Estuaries are dynamic environments which are driven by various natural processes like river discharge, tides, waves, influx of saline water and sediments, etc. These ecosystems are the most sensitive to sea level rise and fluctuations in river discharge associated with climate change. A direct response of sea level rise and river discharge can be observed in the water level of estuaries. However, existing models have not considered these parameters for forecasting water level. This paper focuses on developing a water level forecast model for the Chikugo River estuary in Japan using Nonlinear Autoregressive with Exogenous inputs (NARX Model). NARX neural network was used to do the one-step-ahead prediction of water level considering the various parameters that can very well be influenced by climate change: previous water level, river discharge, and salinity. Accordingly, three models were developed: (i) Model I considering previous water level; (ii) Model II additionally considering river discharge; and (iii) Model III additionally considering salinity. All the models showed appreciable performance in forecasting the water level. Model III had the best correlation with the water level with a cross-correlation value of 0.6030, while the river discharge had only a cross-correlation of 0.1113 indicating that the Chikugo River estuary is tide-dominated. The model was trained using different combinations of available data - previous water level, river discharge, and salinity. Cross-correlation results showed a better correlation between water level and salinity than various other combinations trained. Therefore, tidal intrusion influences the water level in the estuary, thereby depicting that sea level rise can affect the water level, and its influence can be well predicted by the developed model. The water level significantly affects the flora and fauna and the predictability of future estuarine floods can help in taking necessary mitigation strategies. • Water Level of Chikugo estuary forecasted using NARX model. • Analyzed the influence of previous water level, discharge and salinity. • Water level has more cross-correlation with salinity than discharge. • Forecasted the water level for various river discharge and salinity. • Model capable to analyse the influence of climate change on water level. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper examines how temperature affects worker productivity beyond the usual "on average" analysis, with a particular focus on distributional impacts of the increasing heat incidence across high- and low-productivity areas. Using a recentered influence function regression approach, we estimate unconditional reduced-form effects of a location shift in the temperature distribution—consistent with climate change trends—on the labor productivity distribution across counties in the contiguous U.S. We find that labor productivity is largely insensitive to changes in the frequency of cool-to-moderate maximum daily temperatures. However, as temperatures shift above 2 4 ∘ C , the effects on productivity turn increasingly negative, albeit with their magnitudes attenuating as a county's productivity rank rises. While highly productive locations in the top 5% are not adversely impacted even by the hottest temperatures, permanently increasing the incidence of ≥ 3 6 ∘ C temperatures just by a day lowers productivity at the bottom vigintile by a nontrivial 0.22% per year, an equivalent of 10.5 hours of work by a minimum-wage worker. As temperatures continue to rise, not only does worker productivity worsen on average, but the cross-county dispersion therein widens too. Given existing climate forecasts, we predict that future extreme temperatures would further deepen worker productivity inequality. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper analyzes the effects of partial cooperation on the breadth and depth of climate agreements in dynamic games in which countries emit, invest in green technology, decide to participate in a climate coalition and participants negotiate the contract duration. When choosing emissions reductions (pledges), coalition countries apply Harstad's (2023a) pledge-and-review bargaining and partially cooperate. We distinguish between stock-independent and stock-dependent investment costs. It is shown that narrow-but-deep agreements may be welfare superior to broad-but-shallow agreements for signatories. In addition, if the degree of partial cooperation is sufficiently high, broad-and-deep agreements and even first best can be achieved. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Using quarterly temperature and employment data between 1990 and 2021, this paper uncovers nuanced evidence on the impact of seasonal temperature within US counties: higher winter temperature increases private sector employment growth while higher summer temperature decreases it. The impacts of higher temperature in milder seasons, fall and spring, are statistically insignificant. Moreover, the negative impact of higher summer temperature persists while the positive impact of higher temperature in the winter is more short-lived. The negative effects of a hotter summer are pervasive and persistent in many sectors: most significantly in "Construction" and "Leisure and Hospitality" but also in "Trade, Transport, and Utilities" and "Financial Activities". In contrast, the positive effects of a warmer winter are less pervasive. The employment effect of a hotter summer has been more severe in recent decades. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The data obtained during the recent decades indicate large-scale climatic changes in the Arctic Ocean, especially in the Siberian shelf seas. The impact of shrinking of the Arctic ice cover on marine net primary production (PP) was mostly studied using satellite-derived estimates of chlorophyll-a (Chl a), sea surface temperature, and sea ice concentrations, as well as various modeling approaches. However, no data are available on the quantitative relations between phytoplankton production and heterotrophic bacterioplankton activity in the broadest and shallowest shelf of the World Ocean - the East Siberian Arctic seas (ESAS). In this paper we present a full set of in situ measurements of main PP and microbial heterotrophy characteristics required for better understanding and further validation of the satellite and modeling approaches. In September–October 2011, during the 57th cruise of RV Akademik M.A. Lavrent'ev , PP, bacterioplankton abundance (BA) and bacterioplankton production (BP), as well the rates of dark CO 2 assimilation (DCA) were determined in the Chukchi, East Siberian, and Laptev seas and in the Gulf of Anadyr of the Bering Sea (a total of 26 stations) by in situ measurements using radiolabeled bicarbonate. All three important production indicators exhibited significant variance within the studied water areas of the Arctic (РР from 0.98 to 54.7 μg C L−1 day−1), (ВР from 1.1 to 17.1 μg C L−1 day−1), and (DCA from 0.23 to 8.7 μg C L−1 day−1). The state of phyto- and bacterioplankton was determined by analysis of the BP/PP and DCA/PP ratios. Active photosynthesis with efficient incorporation of inorganic carbon into the biomass was observed in the Chukchi Sea coastal eastern waters and in the Gulf of Anadyr. On the contrary, the phytoplankton primary production was extremely low in oligotrophic basins of the East Siberian and Laptev seas, while the activity of heterotrophic bacterioplankton consuming organic matter of phytoplankton origin was relatively high. The data of direct measurements can be used for further adjustment of the indirect assessments of production obtained by satellite observations. Glossary East Siberian Arctic seas (ESAS), net primary production (PP), bacterioplankton abundance (BA), bacterial biomass (BB), bacterial production (BP), Arctic Ocean PP (AO-PP), organic matter (OM), dissolved organic matter (DOM), colored dissolved organic matter (CDOM), light CO 2 assimilation (LCA), dark (heterotrophic + chemotrophic) CO 2 assimilation (DCA), production indicators of the surface water layer (PP surf , DCA surf , BP surf), estimated production indicators for the entire depth of the sea (PP int , DCA int , BP int ; mg C m−2 day−1). [Display omitted] • The Arctic seas are characterized by high heterogeneity of phyto- and bacterioplankton activity. • In the Chukchi and Bering seas, autotrophic production is higher than heterotrophic. • In the East Siberian and Laptev Seas, heterotrophic production is similar and higher than autotrophic. • The balance of autotrophic and heterotrophic plankton activity determines the direction of CO 2 flow. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

There is a growing body of modelling evidence that demonstrates the potential for immediate and substantial benefits to adult health from greenhouse gas mitigation actions, but the effects on the health of younger age groups is largely unknown. We conducted a systematic review to identify the available published evidence of the modelled effects on child and adolescent health (≤18 years of age) of greenhouse gas mitigation. We searched six databases of peer-reviewed studies published between January 1, 1990 and July 27, 2022, screened 27,282 original papers and included 23 eligible papers. All included studies were set in high- and middle-income countries; and all studies modelled the effects of interventions that could mitigate greenhouse gas emissions and improve air quality. Most of the available evidence suggests positive benefits for child and adolescent respiratory health from greenhouse gas mitigation actions that simultaneously reduce air pollution (specifically PM2.5 and nitrogen dioxide). We found scant evidence on child and adolescent health from regions more vulnerable to climate change, or on mitigation interventions that could affect exposures other than air pollution. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With the aggravation of global warming and the increasing demand for energy, the development of renewable energy is imminent. Floating photovoltaic (FPV) is a new form of renewable energy generation. However, the impact of FPV on the aquatic environment is still unclear. By long-term empirical monitoring and data analysis, this paper reveals the shading effect of large-scale FPV power station on aquatic environment for the first time. The results show that: (1) Compared with the non-photovoltaic (NP) zone, FPV only significantly reduces the concentration of dissolved oxygen in the photovoltaic (P) zone. (2) The concentration of chlorophyll a , nitrate nitrogen and total phosphorus increase, while pH and ammonia nitrogen decrease. FPV only causes an effect of the same order of magnitude as the initial concentration, and has no significant adverse effects on the nutritional status of the water body at a coverage ratio less than 50%. (3) FPV has a cooling effect on the water body during the daytime and a thermal insulation effect at night, with the most pronounced impact on peak water temperature (T w). The heating and cooling process of T w in P zone usually lags behind the NP zone by 1–3 h. The diurnal fluctuation and vertical difference of T w as well as the stability of water body are reduced under the shading of FPV, alleviating the influence of climate change on T w and water body stratification. (4) If 10% of the water area larger than 1 km2 in China are used to develop FPV, more than 900 million tons of CO 2 emissions can be reduced, and about 5 billion m3 water can be saved, which is significant in the context of climate change. In general, this paper provides a reference for the future aquatic environmental impact assessment of FPV and the formulation of related policies. • The impact of FPV on aquatic environment has been assessed. • The scale effect of FPV and impact of "fish-photovoltaic integration" are revealed. • Spatial-temporal and object specificity of impact on aquatic environment is reviewed. • The responds of FPV to the challenges of global climate change are further discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The detrimental effects of climate change are becoming pressingly apparent over the decades with policy-makers clumsily grappling with various policies to mitigate on its impacts on their respective economies. However, inefficiencies permeate in the implementation of these policies as they are being implemented only at the end of the process of economic activities. To resolve such a problem, this paper develops an innovative and novel approach to internalize CO 2 emissions by proposing a ramified Taylor rule which captures a climate change premium, the level of which is directly dependent on the extent of deviation of actual CO 2 emissions from its targeted level. The key benefits of the proposed tool are that not only effectiveness level is being bolstered by applying the tool right at the start of the process of economic activities but also that funds collected out of such a climate change premium could empower governments worldwide to vigorously green their economies. The model is tested for a given economy using the DSGE approach with findings attesting to the effectiveness of the proposed tool in curtailing the level CO 2 emissions, independent of the type of monetary shock under scrutiny. Most importantly, depending on the extent of aggressiveness in mitigating the pollutants level, the parameter weight coefficient can be fine-tuned accordingly. • This paper develops an innovative model to internalize CO 2 emissions by linking CO 2 emissions to the macroeconomic state of the economy through the Taylor rule. • The model is tested using DSGE technique on a given economy. • Many benefits emanating from the newly developed model such as policy effectiveness. • A climate change premium is incorporated in the model which can provide funding to green economic activities. • The parameter weight coefficient can be fine-tuned accordingly depending on the degree of aggressiveness of the economy in mitigating CO 2 emissions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Agricultural tractors may idle from 10 to 43% of their entire operating life and this inoperative time must be minimised because it is detrimental to the environment, public health, fuel economy, and engine lifespan (Perozzi et al., 2016). On passenger cars, start and stop (SS) systems have been extensively used, but they are not currently installed in any commercial tractor. Studies show that for very short idling stops SS systems might be ineffective for the additional energy required for re-starting the engine. This study aims to investigate the potential advantages of SS systems on agricultural tractors. To this aim, the energy required for engine start-up and the subsequent emissions were measured and then compared with the energy and the emissions during idling. Moreover, a predefined control strategy of the SS system was developed, and its potential fuel and emission savings were estimated using real-world data. In terms of fuel consumption and CO emission, turning off the engine is recommended for stops longer than 4 s and 134 s, respectively. From the collected real-world data, the tractor was run on idle for 21.7% of the entire operating duration. The results obtained with the SS control strategy developed in this paper applied to the US area, where there are 1.2 million tractors of the same power level of the tractor used in this study with a yearly usage up to 850 h, would permit to save 285.6 million litres of fuel, and, respectively of 16.5 and 754 tons of CO and CO 2. • Turning off the engine for idling stops longer than 4 s leads to fuel savings. • Turning off the engine for idling stops longer than 134 s leads to CO savings. • 45% of idling time could be avoided by farmers. • Start and Stop systems are an effective way for saving fuel and emissions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A simple competition model with time varying periodic coefficients, in which two species use different reproduction strategies, is explored in this paper. The two species considered comprise a native species which reproduces once a year over a short time period and an invasive species which is capable of reproducing throughout the entire year. A monotonicity property of the model is instrumental for its analysis. The model reveals that the time difference between the peak of reproduction for the two species is a critical factor in determining the outcome of competition between these species. The impact of climate change and an anthropogenic disturbance, comprising the creation of additional substrate, is also investigated using a modified model. The results of this paper describe how climate change will favour the invasive species by reducing the time period between the reproductive peaks of the two species and how the addition of new substrates is likely to endanger a small population of either of the two species, depending on the timing of the introduction of the substrates. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Renewable energy is not only an efficient way to ensure energy independence and security but also supports the transition to a low carbon economy and society. The progress of renewable energy technological innovation is an important factor that influences the development of renewable energy. An in-depth analysis of the driving factors that influence this progress is crucial to China's energy transition. Based on Chinese provincial data over 2000–2015 and panel data models, this paper regards the CO 2 emissions as climate change and explores the response of renewable energy technological innovation to intensive CO 2 emissions. We also analyze the effect of the driving factors such as energy price and R&D investment on this innovation process. The main conclusions drawn are: (1) There are significant differences in technological innovation levels across China's provinces. (2) We observe that the intensive CO 2 emissions have promoted renewable energy technological innovation level, meaning that innovation process responds actively to climate changes. (3) R&D investment from government and enterprise both are conducive for promoting the innovation level. (4) Energy price has an insignificant effect on innovation in renewable energy technologies and we attribute this to the unreasonable energy price mechanism. This paper provides clear evidence for understanding the role of innovation on climate change. • The drivers of the renewable energy technological innovation are explored. • There are significant differences in technological innovation across provinces. • Renewable energy technological innovation responds actively to climate changes. • R&D investment is conducive for promoting the technological innovation levels. • The government should give full play to the role of the energy price mechanism. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper contributes to our understanding of how to improve manufacturing firms' green operations underpinned by the proactive behavior theory. Chinese manufacturing firms are focused on because of their significant impact on global climate change and distinctive governance structure. Specifically, we survey 155 highest-level environmental managers (EMs) in these firms who have an ultimate decision-making power on environmental issues, and investigate the antecedents and consequence of their proactive pollution reduction behavior (PPRB). Through identifying the psychological motivation implied in EMs' environmental management behavior, we find that both EMs' role breadth self-efficacy (including in-role self-efficacy and extra-role self-efficacy) and felt responsibility (including felt responsibility establishment and felt responsibility coordination) can improve their PPRB. Further, available resources in firms only positively moderate the impact of extra-role self-efficacy on PPRB, and incentives from external stakeholders only moderate the impact of felt responsibility establishment on PPRB. Our empirical results also confirm that PPRB can improve corporate operational performance, strategic competitiveness, and environmental performance, but a higher level of PPRB's performance comes more from the driving force of PPRB's antecedents rather than PPRB itself. • The antecedent and performance of proactive pollution reduction behavior (PPRB) are revealed in this paper. • The effect of environmental managers' (EMs') psychological motivation has been analyzed along with contextual factors. • Both EMs' role breadth self-efficacy (RBSE) and felt responsibility (FR) improve their PPRB. • Contextual factors positively (but weakly) moderate the impact of RBSE and FR on PPRB. • EMs' PPRB may enhance performance in various aspects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper examines the effects of extreme temperatures on mortality rates, using random year-to-year variation in temperature based on county-level panel data from China. The analysis finds a robust, U-shaped relationship between temperature and mortality rates, indicating that extremely cold or hot temperatures lead to excess deaths. The heat-related (cold-related) effect is 3.5 times (3.2 times) as large as previous findings that used U.S. data, and it is especially large for the elderly population, mainly due to excess deaths caused by cardiovascular diseases. Applying these results to climate change predictions from Hadley Centre Global Environmental Model shows that by 2061–2080 the annual mortality rate is likely to increase by 14.2% if global greenhouse gas emissions continue to rise throughout the 21st century, the estimated health cost of which is around 0.98 trillion Chinese Yuan per year. The paper also explores households' adaptation behaviors to extreme temperatures. It finds that although urban households adaptively increase energy consumption when they are exposed to cold temperatures and purchase more air conditioners on hot and cold days, rural households are unresponsive to temperature fluctuations. This finding implies that rural people may be more resource constrained and suffer more when extreme temperatures occur. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

While socioeconomic and institutional factors are crucial in explaining the onset and evolution of conflicts, recent research suggests that climate change is a further indirect driver acting as a "threat multiplier". This paper focuses on the concept of vulnerability to both climate change and conflicts to explain why some locations are more likely to engage in armed conflicts than others in the presence of a similar level of exposure to climatic changes. In particular, by means of a Spatial Autoregressive Model, we identify a set of local-specific vulnerability factors that increase conflict risk in East Africa. We employ a georeferenced database with a resolution of 25 × 25 km, covering the period 1997–2016. Results from our analysis provide some interesting insights: first, climate change does not increase conflict risk per se , but only in the presence of pre-existing vulnerabilities. Second, resource access and socioeconomic factors play a key role in driving the climate-conflict nexus especially in urban areas. In particular, vulnerability is increased whenever power is not distributed in such a way as to ensure an equitable distribution of resources. Overall, our findings suggest that, by addressing vulnerability factors that prevent adaptive capacity and an equitable distribution of resources, societies may benefit in terms of both diminished conflict risk and alleviation of climate change impacts. • The climate-conflict nexus is mediated by access to resources at the local level. • Climate change only increases conflict risk in case of pre-existing vulnerabilities. • Climate change acts as a threat multiplier for vulnerable communities. • Synergies for ensuring adaptive capacity to climate change and peace exist. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Coastal erosion in the changing climate situation is a grievous concern. Global experience varies in this regard due to the variation of the coastal dynamics. Muddy coasts are exceptionally fragile for the welding of the ecological environment, soft sedimentation nature, anthropogenic and natural factors. Therefore, coastal erosion protection is a challenging and daunting task for most of the muddy coasts. Stark pitfalls of the hard structural engineering solution for coastal erosion protection are becoming more prominent. The propensity to adopt nature-based solutions (NbS) for coastal erosion protection, squeeze, and retreat is on the mark, as opposed to grey or engineering solutions. Yet a comprehensive understanding of NbS for coastal protection in the muddy coasts and evidence building from a global perspective is a vacuum. This paper aims to look into the global contexts and experiences of NbSs for coastal protection to provide a cutting-edge analysis of the role of NbS in coastal erosion protection, biodiversity protection, renewing natural habitats, and shielding coastal populations in a changing climate situation. This research uses a systematic review method to explore the global to regional landscape of NbS in coastal erosion, policy framework, and the national experience. The plethora of NbS experience shows the effectiveness in protecting eroding coasts if properly applied in the right conditions under a pragmatic and/or policy-governance approach. Muddy coast in the peri-urban area of littoral countries like Thailand evolves even more critical bio-spheric condition that requires special and urgent attention. The complexity of the muddy coast of the upper Gulf of Thailand has to be critically understood for NbS-driven pivotal pathways to assure sustainable coastal erosion protection and climate-resilient development. • Coastal erosion in the muddy coasts is a grievous concern in the face of climate change. • Protecting coastal erosion is a daunting task as conventional structures are not suitable for fine sediments andexacerbate negative impacts. • Pitfalls of the grey structures necessitate nature-based solutions (NbS) for sediment trap and erosion control. • Global examples of NbS for erosion protection in the muddy coasts are there but not highlighted, overlooked, and less promoted. • The successful implementation of NbS for erosion protection on muddy coasts requires holistic fusion of science, knowledge, skill, and good governance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Climate change is a non-traditional security crisis affecting the global economy and diplomatic progress. In order to curtail carbon emissions and alleviate the perils of climate change at their roots, urban green innovation (UGI) has emerged as a pivotal technological solution. Using the expansion of the Yangtze River Delta urban agglomeration in China as a case study, this paper develops a quasi-experimental model to analyze the effects of regional integration policies on UGI. The main findings are: (1) Regional integration policies significantly enhance UGI and their impact is more pronounced with the expansion of urban agglomerations; (2) Regional integration policies contribute to the advancement of exploitative green innovation while tending to diminish exploratory green innovation; (3) The green innovation effects (GIEs) created by the expansion of regional integration policies are largely influenced by governmental mechanisms on environmental governance as well as residents' green preferences. Based on these findings, recommendations are put forward to promote UGI from the perspective of policy implementation. • The quasi-experimental models of urban agglomeration expansion on green innovation are constructed. • The positive effects of urban agglomeration expansion on green innovation are proven. • Urban agglomeration expansion can enhance exploitative green innovation and also reduce exploratory green innovation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Global warming has accentuated the effects of extreme heat on health. Health insurance, functioning as a risk management tool, has the potential to alleviate these impacts. Consequently, this paper investigates the correlation between extreme heat events and the demand for health insurance in China. Using data from the China Health and Nutrition Survey, we have observed a substantial increase in the likelihood of residents purchasing health insurance during extreme heat events. To be specific, for every extra day of extreme heat events annually, there is a 0.3% increase in the probability of purchasing health insurance. This effect is not uniform across different demographic groups. It is particularly pronounced among middle-aged and elderly individuals, rural residents, those with lower educational levels, higher income brackets, and individuals residing in underprivileged areas with limited access to green spaces and healthcare facilities. Furthermore, our study indicates that the increased frequency of extreme heat events not only impacts individuals' physical health but also triggers negative emotions, which in turn drive risk-averse behavior related to health insurance purchases. These findings carry substantial policy implications for mitigating the economic consequences of climate change. • Extreme heat increases the likelihood of residents purchasing health insurance. • Each additional day of extreme heat boosts health insurance purchases by 0.3%. • This effect varies among different populations. • Mechanistic analyses indicate extreme heat impacting physical and mental health. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper aims to examine the impact of geopolitical risk (GPR), threats (GPT) and acts (GPA) on returns and volatilities of regional climate change stocks under different market conditions, employing quantile regressions. Our main results suggest that climate change stock returns positively (negatively) respond to GPR in bullish (bearish) market states, however the effect is not uniform across the regions. The volatilities mainly show a positive response to geopolitical tensions; geopolitical acts appear to have a more pronounced impact on volatilities than geopolitical threats. We further find that GPR leads to higher volatility during the Russia-Ukraine war, creating heightened uncertainty. Overall, the results reveal that geopolitical risks have an asymmetric and heterogenous impact on climate change stocks. The results provide significant insights and implications for financial market participants and policy makers. • The study investigates how geopolitical risks (GPR) influence the returns and volatilities of climate change stocks in different market conditions. • We focus on the Russia's invasion of Ukraine as a geopolitical conflict. • We find an asymmetric impact of GPR on climate change stock returns, with positive responses observed in bullish market states and negative responses in bearish market states. • While GPR does not significantly affect returns, it leads to higher volatilities during the Russia-Ukraine war. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Feeding the world's population while minimising the contribution of agriculture to climate change is one of the greatest challenges facing modern society. This challenge is particularly pronounced for dairy production where the carbon footprint of products and the mitigation costs are high, relative to other food stuffs. This paper reviews a number of mitigation measures that may be adopted by dairy farmers to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from their farms. A simulation model is developed to assess the cost-benefit of a range of mitigation measures. The model is applied to data from Ireland, a country with a large export-oriented dairy industry, for a range of farms including top, middle and bottom performing farms from a profitability perspective. The mitigation measures modelled included animal productivity, grass production and utilisation, better reproductive performance, early compact calving, reduced crude protein, decreased fertiliser N, protected urea, white clover, slurry tank cover and low emission slurry spreading (LESS). The results show that over half of the greenhouse gas abatement potential and most of the ammonia abatement potential were realised with cost-beneficial measures. Animal and feed-related measures that increased efficiency drove the abatement of GHG emissions. Low-emission slurry spreading was beneficial for the bottom and middle one-third of farms, while protected urea and reducing nitrogen use accounted for most of the ammonia abatement potential for the most profitable farms. Results showed that combining mitigation measures resulted in a decrease of 23%, 19%, and 12% in GHG emissions below 2020 levels for the bottom, middle, and top performing dairy farms, respectively. The findings imply that top dairy farms, that are already managed efficiently and optimally, may struggle to achieve the national and international GHG reduction targets with existing technologies and practices. • The top dairy group may struggle to achieve the 2030 and future GHG reductions targets with existing technologies and practices • 56%–86% of emissions reduction achieved through mitigation measures that were cost effective, net-zero for all three groups • Farm-level MACCs can account for variability in GHG and NH3 mitigation potentials and costs, that are often missed at the sectoral or country level. • The study found that combining mitigation measures resulted in a decrease of 23%, 19%, and 12% in GHG emissions below 2020 levels for the bottom, middle, and top dairy groups, respectively • Farm-level marginal abatement cost curve (MACC) are useful for understanding the capacity to reduce gaseous emissions from specific agricultural systems or farms [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Recent observations have heightened concerns that the reduced density of coastal water is leading to a decrease in the frequency of basin water renewal in Norwegian sill fjords. There are indications that coastal water is becoming lighter due to climate change. The renewal of fjord basin water constitutes the primary source of oxygenation in these fjords, and many sill fjords naturally undergo stagnation periods lasting up to several years. In this paper, we have mapped alterations in coastal water using time series data from hydrographic measurements along the coastline, utilizing them as input for a simplified two-layer fjord model. We demonstrate that the temperature has risen, salinity has decreased, and consequently, the density of coastal water has declined since approximately 1990. At a depth of 10 m, the rise in temperature and the reduction in salinity made similar contributions to the decrease in density. However, at depths of 50 and 100 m, the increasing temperature emerged as the primary factor. The density exhibited a more substantial decrease in the upper layers compared to the lower layers. Consequently, not only was the water less dense, but the stability of the water column had also increased. The estimated temperature in the fjord basins increased after 1990 in 98 out of 101 evaluated fjords, with an average increase of 0.6 °C. The altered coastal stratification had an impact on the estimated work against the buoyant forces in the fjord basins. In 78 out of the 101 fjords, the work against buoyant forces by diapycnal mixing increased. In most of the fjord basins where the work against buoyant forces increased, the rise was insufficient to compensate for the decreasing density at the coast. Consequently, basin water renewal occurred less frequently in 65 out of the 101 fjord basins along the Norwegian coast. • Coastal monitoring in Norway show altered coastal climate since 1930. • The Norwegian coastal water has decreased in density. • The stratification along the Norwegian coast is intensified. • Both coastal water and fjord basin got warmer after 1990. • Water exchange in fjord basins occure less frequent than before. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Climate change has intensified the effects of habitat fragmentation in many ecosystems, particularly exacerbated in riparian habitats. Therefore, there is an urgent need to identify keystone connectivity spots to ensure long-term conservation and sustainable management of riparian systems as they play a crucial role for landscape connectivity. This paper aims to identify critical areas for connectivity under two contrasting climate change scenarios (RCP 4.5 and RCP 8.5 models) for the years 2030, 2050 and 2100 and to group these critical areas by similar connectivity in keystone spots for sustainable management. A set of analyses comprising climate analysis, drainage network analysis, configuration of potential riparian habitats, riparian habitat connectivity, data clustering, and statistical analysis within a Spanish river basin (NW Spain) were applied. The node and link connectivity would be reduced under the two climate change scenarios (≈2.5 % and 4.4 % reduction, respectively), intensifying riparian habitat fragmentation. Furthermore, 51 different clusters (critical areas) were obtained and classified in five classes (keystone spots) with similar connectivity across the different scenarios of climate change. Each keystone spot obtained by hierarchical classification was associated with one or more climate scenarios. One of these keystone spots was especially susceptible to the worst climate change scenario. Key riparian connectivity spots will be crucial for the management and restoration of highly threatened riparian systems and to ensure long-term biodiversity conservation. • Connectivity importance was reduced under different climate change scenarios. • Critical area detection for connectivity conservation is threatened by climate change. • Critical areas were classified with similar connectivity keystone spots against climate change. • Keystone spots with high PC index will be priority for conservation management. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Governments globally face increasing pressure from climate advocates and international agreements, such as the Paris Agreement, to enact policies addressing climate change. This paper addresses the imperative for sustainable practices outlined in such agreements, with a specific focus on assessing the drivers of Green Procurement Practices (GPP) within Public Sector Organizations (PSOs). A dearth of research exists in systematically analyzing and prioritizing these drivers, exploring their interdependencies, and elucidating their relative importance. GPP is pivotal in market transformation by promoting environmentally friendly products and endorsing low-carbon, energy-efficient alternatives. This, in turn, contributes significantly to mitigating climate change and fostering a shift towards a greener, more sustainable economy. Identification of the drivers has been performed by an extensive review of the literature combined with the author's viewpoint, while the analysis has been performed using the novel method of Dominance-based Rough Set Approach (DRSA) and Interpretive Structural Modelling (ISM) with Matriced' Impacts Croise's Multiplication Applique'e a UN Classement (MICMAC) analysis. The study's outcome reveals that the Demand for Eco-friendly products is the primary driver for the incorporation of GPP, followed by the drivers' Presence of guidelines support and Government Regulations. Findings of the research also demonstrate that suppliers' propensity to adopt green practices depends on several factors, including sustainable supplier cooperation, degree of commitment to embrace green initiatives, government interventions in the form of incentives and guidelines support, and the presence of a legal framework. The findings of this research will enrich the understanding of policymakers and managers to formulate strategies for advancing GPP structured and sustainable implementation in PSOs. The study's findings will also benefit green technology sector advancement through the widespread adoption of GPP. • Study focuses on assessing the drivers of green procurement practices (GPP) in public sector organizations (PSOs). • Analysis has been performed using the novel DRSA and ISM-MICMAC approach methodology. • Analysis reveals that the demand for eco-friendly products is the primary driver for incorporating GPP. • Other key drivers include the presence of guidelines support and government regulations. • Findings will enrich the understanding of policymakers and managers to formulate strategies for advancing GPP. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The effects of global climate change and human activities are anticipated to significantly impact ecosystem services (ESs), particularly in urban agglomerations of arid regions. This paper proposes a framework integrating the dynamic Bayesian network (DBN), system dynamics (SD) model, patch generation land use simulation (PLUS) model, and the Integrated Valuation of Ecosystem Services and Tradeoffs (InVEST) model for predicting land use change and optimizing ESs spatial patterns that is built upon the SSP-RCP scenarios from CMIP6. This framework is applied to the oasis urban agglomeration on the northern slope of the Tianshan Mountains in Xinjiang (UANSTM), China. The findings indicate that both the SD model and PLUS model can accurately forecast the distribution of future land use. The SD model shows a relative error of less than 2.32%, while the PLUS model demonstrates a Kappa coefficient of 0.89. The land use pattern displays obvious spatial heterogeneity under different climate scenarios. The expansion of cultivated land and construction land is the main form of land use change in UANSTM in the future. The DBN model proficiently simulates the interactive relationships between ESs and diverse factors. The classification error rates for net primary productivity (NPP), habitat quality (HQ), water yield (WY), and soil retention (SR) are 20.04%, 3.47%, 4.45%, and 13.42%, respectively. The prediction and diagnosis of DBN determine the optimal ESs development scenario and the optimal ESs region in the study area. It is found that the majority of ESs in UANSTM are predominantly influenced by natural factors with the exception of HQ. The socio-economic development plays a minor role in such urban agglomerations. This study offers significant insights that can contribute to the fields of ecological protection and land use planning in arid urban agglomerations worldwide. • An integrated framework combining DBN, SD, PLUS and InVEST models was proposed. • Impact of natural and socioeconomic factors on ESs was determined under climate scenarios. • The spatial pattern of ESs was optimized and partitioned using DBNs. • ESs in arid oasis urban agglomerations are mainly affected by natural factors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

There is a lack of evidence regarding how natural resource markets have responded to recent increases in climate-induced extreme events like wildfire. Wildfire can affect the economic value of forests by directly damaging the existing tree stock and by altering landowner risk expectations of future wildfire arrival. This paper uses parcel data over a seventeen-year period to estimate the effects of large wildfires and drought stress on market prices for private timberland across the three Pacific states of the western U.S. In addition to estimating the land price impacts of wildfires on parcels that were directly burned, we identify changes in risk expectations by estimating the impacts from wildfires that burned in close proximity rather than directly on timberland that was sold in the land market. Results indicate that recent increases in large wildfires and drought stress over the past two decades have lowered the economic value of timberland by approximately 10%, or about $11.2 billion in damages across the three Pacific states, with approximately 5.5% (∼$6.2 billion) due to climate change. Most of the wildfire damages arise from changes in risk expectations. Results provide evidence on the costs of climate-induced extreme events on natural capital that have already occurred. • Climate-induced extreme events, such as drought stress and large wildfires, negatively affect the economic value of timberland in the Pacific states. • Wildfires lower timberland values through two avenues: direct damage to the existing forest stock and neighboring fires that alter landowners' expectations of fire arrival. • As a result of recent increases in drought stress and large wildfires, the economic value of timberland has been reduced by approximately 10%, or about $11.2 billion in damages across three Pacific states, with approximately 5.5% (∼$6.2 billion) due to climate change. Most of the wildfire damages arise from changes in risk expectations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • Some invasive plant species, like Pontederia crassipes , could be possibly affected by climate change. • Megamelus scutellaris is one of the most commonly used biocontrol agents for P. crassipes. • As other planthoppers, M. scutellaris is expected to host obligate mutualistic organisms, known as Yeast-like symbiotes (YLS). • YLS are first reported in M. scutellaris species and their numbers are positively correlated with their host's weight. • YLS numbers increased under elevated CO 2 , in heavier females. Water hyacinth, Pontederia crassipes , is a highly invasive plant native to South America and one of the most invasive aquatic plants in the world. For its control, the planthopper Megamelus scutellaris Berg (Hemiptera: Delphacidae), a phloem feeder also native to South America has been introduced to the USA and South Africa. Considering predicted climate change scenarios, understanding their impacts on biological control agents is crucial. An intriguing yet scarcely explored subject, is the effect of climatic changes on the obligate endosymbionts associated with sap-sucking feeders. Planthoppers establish an obligate relationship with yeast-like symbiotes (YLS), unicellular fungal microorganisms that play an important role in their development, providing missing nutrients in their diet. Considering that increased atmospheric CO 2 affects plant chemical composition, this might have a direct impact on their insect host and on their number of YLS. We evaluated the effect of two different CO 2 environments: current (cCO 2 − 400 ppm) and elevated (eCO 2 − 800 ppm) on the abundance of YLS (number of YLS cells/insect) of M. scutellaris , as well as the, age structure, sex, and weight of insects. Heavier females harbored more YLS under eCO 2 which underscores the importance of the interaction of CO 2 levels and insects' weight in shaping the abundance of YLS. Additionally, there was a significant increase in the total abundance of insects for instars III to V and adults under eCO 2 conditions. However, male number significantly exceeded that of females under both CO 2 conditions. Our results suggest a potential positive impact of eCO 2 on M. scutellaris populations, which could, in turn, enhance the control of P. crassipes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Coastal areas are of paramount importance due to their pivotal role in facilitating a wide range of socio-economic activities and providing vital environmental services. These areas, as the meeting points of land and sea, face significant risks of flooding due to the ongoing rise in sea levels caused by climate change. Additionally, they are susceptible to extreme events like king tides and large waves in the future. This paper introduces a framework for estimating the extreme total water level (TWL) by considering the effects of regional sea level rise (RSLR) resulting from a warming climate under RCP 8.5. It also incorporates the contributions of high tides, 100-year storm surge, and 100-year wave setup and run-up. The proposed framework is utilized to evaluate the occurrence of extreme coastal flooding along the Persian Gulf coast of Iran, an area that is home to significant industries in the country. The results offer an estimated increase of RSLR by 0.23 m from 2020 to 2050 considering an ensemble of climate model projections. Extreme wave setup values are estimated to range between 0.19 and 0.66 m, while storm surge is projected to vary from 0.4 to 1.44 m across the studied coastline. These together yield in a projected extreme TWL along the coastline within the range of 3.18 and 3.90 m above the current sea level. This significant increase in sea level could lead to the inundation of approximately 513 km2 of low-lying coastal land, which accounts for about 16% of the studied domain and could pose serious flooding threat to the people and their assets in this region. Finally, relative ranking of flooded zones (i.e., 6 zones) helps determine the areas with higher chance of flood exposure, at which investment in flood mitigation measures should be prioritized. [Display omitted] • Regional sea level rise is quantified using GCMs under RCP 8.5. • Flooding maps are shown under regional SLR, tides, storm surge, wave setup and run-up. • Extreme total water level is expected to inundate important ports in Persian Gulf coast of Iran by 2050. • Research projects that 513 km of low-lying coastal areas will be inundated due to extreme total water level. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper contributes to the debate on the determinants of deforestation, a menace that is posing threat to sustainable development particularly in tropical developing regions. Specifically, the paper focuses on the effect of energy justice and democratization. The main contribution to the literature hinges on the emphasis on energy justice - operationalized as rural-urban equality in access to electricity and clean fuels and technologies for cooking - and its interaction with democracy. Using a panel data of 47 sub-Saharan African countries over the period 2000–2020 and the dynamic two-step generalized method of moment estimator, the results generally indicate that improvement in rural-urban equality in access to electricity and clean fuels and technologies for cooking is associated with a reduction in deforestation. Democracy is similarly found to be associated with reduction in deforestation. The conditional effect analysis largely depicts an intensified reducing effect of energy justice on deforestation in the presence of improved democratic practices. The results though robust to an alternative estimator, the Driscoll-Kraay estimator, differ when sub-regional analysis is considered. The paper aligns with the Sustainable Development Goals, particularly Goals 7, 13, 15 and 16. • How energy justice and democratization contribute to deforestation is examined. • Energy justice is measured by rural-urban equality in modern energy access. • Participatory, deliberative, egalitarian, liberal and electoral democracy are used. • Improving rural-urban equality in access to modern energy reduces deforestation. • Improving democracy reduces deforestation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]