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Copyright of Anaesthesiologie & Intensivmedizin is the property of DGAI e.V. - Deutsche Gesellschaft fur Anasthesiologie und Intensivmedizin e.V. and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Featured Application: This work helps to realise improvements in the cultivation of corn and corn–nixtamalisation–dough–tortillas production, which could mean more environmentally friendly food production. The research on the environmental impacts of corn-derived products has been mainly on cultivation techniques and the production of biofuels, so there is limited information on the impacts produced by the transformation of corn for human consumption. The tortilla is a millennial product derived from corn of which consumption is increasing in North America. The aim of this study is to identify the environmental hotspots of the tortilla using a life cycle assessment (LCA) approach. The process studied included only the corn–nixtamalisation–dough–tortillas production. The functional unit is one kg of tortillas packed in kraft paper. The impacts of the tortilla production process were evaluated using SimaPro 8.5.0 software, considering ReCiPe Midpoint. The production has the greatest impact in 15 of the 18 impact categories. The normalisation reveals that the most significant impacts concentrate in the categories terrestrial acidification (TA), particulate matter formation (PMF), marine ecotoxicity (MET) and fossil fuel depletion (FD). Improvements in the cultivation could mean more environmentally friendly tortilla production. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) is regarded as a region with one of the worst cases of armed conflict and climate risk. This paper examines the interactive effect of armed conflict and climate risk on gender vulnerability in SSA. Design/methodology/approach: The difference and system generalised method of movement (GMM) were used to examine the relationship between the variables using annualised data of 35 SSA countries from 1998 to 2019. Findings: The paper found strong evidence that armed conflict and climate change are positive predictors of gender vulnerability. The impact of climate change on gender vulnerability is found to be more direct than indirect. Practical implications: The direct and indirect positive effect of armed conflict and climate change on gender vulnerability implies that climate change drives gender vulnerability through multiple channels. This underscores the need for a multi-disciplinary policy approach to addressing gender vulnerability problem in SSA. Originality/value: The study contributes to the climate action debate by highlighting the need for climate action to incorporate gender inclusive policies such as massive investment in infrastructure and safety nets that offer protection to the most vulnerable girls and women affected by armed conflict and climate change. Societies should as a matter of urgency strive to structural barriers that predispose girls and women to biodiversity loss. Peer review: The peer review history for this article is available at: https://publons.com/publon/10.1108/IJSE-09-2022-0595 [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The quantity of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere rises yearly because human activities emit more of it than the earth's natural processes can absorb. The overall carbon dioxide emissions continue to rise due to development demands. In a panel setting, this paper investigates the link dynamics between gross national spending, energy consumption, information and communications technology, and CO2 emissions in advanced nations from 2000 to 2020. We employ quantitative sequential approaches, such as DOLS, unit root test, and cointegration techniques, to ensure the coherence and feasibility of the study. Both versions of the estimators show statistically significant effects of gross national expenditure, energy consumption, and Information & Communications Technology on CO2 emissions. The findings of this paper show that there is a long‐run relationship between independent and dependent variables. The study also shows that rising exports of ICT services, energy consumption, and population need environmental protection and highlight the necessity for environmental regulations that can minimize emissions throughout the country's expansion. Even in advanced nations, climate vulnerability is not automatically reduced by development status but is instead reduced by the right sort of growth. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As an indicator of environmental quality, carbon dioxide (CO2) emission has gained much attention in the pre‐existing pieces of literature. Because of their complex link with economic development, human activities, etc., it's always being an issue of discussion and is largely neglected in the country's political decision‐making. The present study probes the association between economic growth and carbon dioxide emission in the context of developing nations in the Asian region, by incorporating urbanization, merchandise trade, Foreign Direct Investment and renewable energy consumption for the period of 10 years (i.e., 2009–2018). For the analysis, the Granger causality relationship is used with an appropriate panel data regression model. The results of the causality analysis indicate that there prevails a relationship running from economic growth, merchandise trade to CO2 emissions, whereas renewable energy consumption has an inverse and significant impact on CO2 emissions. Therefore, to enhance the environmental quality, more renewable energy sources should be used which helps in the betterment of human welfare. To overcome the problem of CO2 emission and tackling climate change has become an essential part of the national as well as international climate policy agenda. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Starting from the assumption that the world needs a restart, large transformations that ensure the continuity of economic growth, the present research takes into discussion the problem of climate change as a consequence of global greenhouse gas emissions in the context of economic justice. In this perspective, it is necessary to take prompt measures that must take into consideration the moral criterion, to have as goal to correct the deficiencies, the inequalities and to reduce the injustices. Consequently, in this paper we propose to analyse the countries' contribution to the carbon footprint in the last decades, to make comparisons and to highlight the long-term trends of the greenhouse gas emissions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Traditionally, much effort has been made by means of "carbon capture and storage (CCS)" and "carbon capture utilization and storage (CCUS)" from the perspective of reducing CO2 emission as an adaptation for climate change issues in the oil and gas upstream sector. The most typical CCUS in the sector is CO2 enhanced oil recovery (EOR). In addition to those efforts, according to a worldwide rise of more rapid response to the issues, the CO2 emission reducing discussion is expanding to chemical EOR in the last few years. Since a short while ago before the expansion, a core discussion had grown by dealing with CO2 emission in waterflooding operations -because of recognizing higher CO2 emission intensity due to energy consumption of water treatment, injection, transportation, and disposal. Polymer flooding as a typical chemical EOR can reduce and/or delay water production by improving sweep efficiency. This water reduction can contribute mitigating CO2 emission. Therefore, this paper recaps state of the art discussion focusing on chemical EOR potentials in the context of reducing CO2 emission. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Acta Prataculturae Sinica is the property of Acta Prataculturae Sinica Editorial Office and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Global climate change is a crucial environmental issue. Worldwide warming is primarily caused by carbon dioxide (CO2) emission levels. Agricultural production is among many economic activities driving CO2 creation and environmental degradation. In this study, we aim to disclose the effect of agricultural production (date production) on the agricultural gross domestic product (AGDP) and the environment (CO2 emissions). We collected data on date production, AGDP and CO2 emissions from different resources covering the period from 1990 to 2019. To analyse the data, we used the Engle-Granger two-step procedure, autoregressive distributed lag (ARDL) bounds methods of analysis, regression analysis and forecasting tests. Results from fully modified ordinary least squares (FMOLS) and dynamic ordinary least squares (DOLS) analyses helped confirm the results of the ARDL model. The results revealed that there are long-run relationships between AGDP and date production and between CO2 emissions and date production. The first result is consequent with theory and leads to economic growth, whereas the second result indicates a negative effect on the environment. To ascertain which production factors were responsible for this negative result, we ran a regression analysis, and the results indicated that the coefficient of electricity consumption (independent variable) was positive and highly significant in explaining the variability of CO2 emissions. The results of the regression analysis also showed that agriculture affected the environment negatively through increasing CO2 emissions during the study period. Forecasting analysis results showed a decrease in CO2 emissions for the period from 2020 to 2026. The study results lead us to recommend that, to increase economic growth, date production should be increased along with the synchronised use of renewable sources of electricity. The governmental effort to sustain the environment also should be increased and continued through increasing the share of renewable electricity in total electricity consumption. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The rapid agricultural development and mechanization of agronomic diligence has led to a significant growth in energy consumption and CO2 emission. Agriculture has a dominant contribution to boosting the economy of any country. In this paper, we demonstrate carbon dioxide emissions' association with cropped area, energy use, fertilizer offtake, gross domestic product per capita, improved seed distribution, total food grains and water availability in Pakistan for the period of 1987-2017. We employed Augmented Dickey-Fuller and Phillips-Perron unit root tests to examine the variables' stationarity. An autoregressive distributed lag (ARDL) bounds testing technique to cointegration was applied to demonstrate the causality linkage among study variables from the evidence of long-run and short-run analyses. The long-run evidence reveals that cropped area, energy usage, fertilizer offtake, gross domestic product per capita and water availability have a positive and significant association with carbon dioxide emissions, while the analysis results of improved seed distribution and total food grains have a negative association with carbon dioxide emissions in Pakistan. Overall, the long-run effects are stronger than the short-run dynamics, in terms of the impact of explanatory variables on carbon dioxide emission, thus making the findings heterogeneous. Possible initiatives should be taken by the government of Pakistan to improve the agriculture sector and also introduce new policies to reduce the emissions of carbon dioxide. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study uses the dynamic data envelopment analysis model to evaluate the intertemporal efficiency and the executive efficiency based on fossil fuel CO2 emissions in European Union countries. European Union countries in pursuit of economic growth, taking into account the growth of gross domestic product may result in increased CO2 emissions, countries in order to reduce CO2 emissions to meet the target of the UN climate change conference in Paris 2015, in pursuit of gross domestic product growth and CO2 emission reduction targets. Whether the reduction of CO2 emissions will affect the overall efficiency of the country's economic growth or not will make gross domestic product a major consideration in carryover variables in this study. This paper analyzes data of 28 selected European countries dating from 2009 to 2013 to study the effects of the undesirable output to the energy efficiency ranking. The variables in the model are the input variables: labor force, real capital stock, and energy consumption and the output variable is the undesirable output of fossil fuel CO2 emissions. In the model, the carryover intermediate activity is real gross domestic product. After the Paris Protocol formally replaced the Kyoto Protocol in 2015, the emphasis of this study is on the future state's pursuit of economic growth, the gross domestic product as a variable in terms of intertemporal efficiency and using CO2 as a variable of undesirable output to analyze the relationship between national economic development and the greenhouse gas emissions for getting a policy indicator of the environmental protection and economic development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper provides a detailed analysis of the Tokyo Metropolitan Emissions Trading Scheme (Tokyo ETS), Japan’s first emissions trading scheme with mandatory cap initiated by the government of Tokyo. Unlike trading schemes in other countries, the Tokyo ETS covers indirect emissions from the commercial sector. It is well known that a variety of market barriers impede full realization of energy efficiency opportunities, especially in the commercial sector. Experiences with the Tokyo ETS should therefore provide important lessons for the design of climate change mitigation policies, especially when targeting the commercial sector. The emissions from covered entities have been drastically reduced from those at the scheme’s outset, with an average 14% reduction as of the end of the first commitment period of five years (2010-2014) compared with 2009 levels. This paper shows that the Tokyo ETS alone did not cause these reductions; there were other drivers. Among them, the energy savings triggered by the Great East Japan Earthquake in 2011 were crucial. The contribution of credit trading, in contrast, was limited since most of the covered entities reduced emissions by themselves. Through an investigation of official reports, an assessment of the emissions data from the covered entities compared to those of uncovered entities and in-depth interviews with firms covered by the scheme, this paper confirms that the main drivers of emissions reductions by covered entities were separate from the ETS. In fact, the advisory aspect of the scheme seems to be much more important in encouraging energy-saving actions. Key policy insights Most of the observed emission reductions were not caused by the Tokyo ETS alone. An advisory instrument was crucial to the effectiveness of the Tokyo ETS. The experience of the Tokyo ETS suggests that making full use of the advantages of emissions trading is difficult in the case of the commercial sector. Price signals have not provided a stimulus to climate change mitigation actions, which implies that establishing a cap to yield effective carbon prices poses a challenge. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Excessive concentration of greenhouse gases in atmosphere emitted from human activities has been considerably changing the world's climate, especially in the last 50 years. Agriculture, as humans' food production system, has undoubtedly interrelated with climate change (CC). During current decades, the impacts of CC on agriculture have been properly investigated; however, the impacts of agriculture on CC have received lower attention. This may be due to the scarcity of long-term spatiotemporal climatic and agricultural data to analyze coupling trends and interactions. Benefiting from a comprehensive database and using structural equation modeling, this study seeks to investigate the contribution of agriculture to CC in Iran for more than half a century. For this, two indicators were developed to evaluate structural characteristics of agricultural expansion (AEI) and CC at the province level. Then, the effect of AEI on CC was investigated using the structural equation modeling technique. The results showed that AEI has not had a positive contribution to raising the long-term average surface temperature. Precisely, the provinces with a higher level of surface temperature have had a lower AEI, indicating that other sectors outweigh agriculture in exacerbating long-term CC in the country. Nevertheless, Iran still needs to improve and sustain its agricultural practices and technologies. The main conclusion of this study is that if the government and policymakers aspire to manage CC, they should have a more holistic and systematic view. In other words, not only do they need to consider all drivers of CC, but they also have to pay close attention to the network of relationships among the drivers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• This paper aimed to investigate the interactions between land use cover (LUC) and climate change (CC). • The results showed that the interactions between LUC and CC are both direct and indirect. • Arable and rangeland use changes affect CO2 emission in both direct and indirect ways. • Rising rangelands and reducing forest areas have indirectly increased surface temperature. • CC mitigation policies should be followed by considering both direct and indirect effects. Humanity deals with several challenges in this century such as climate change, land use, and land use/cover change (LUCC). Determining the patterns, developments, and consequences of LUCC issues for the livelihoods of people, especially poor people, is very important. Therefore, this paper aims to investigate the interactions between LUCC and climate change over the period of 1966–2015 (50 years) as a complex system at the global level. CO 2 emissions and surface temperature are considered as the main indicators of climate change (CC). The data were analyzed in time-oriented (time-based) and local or place-oriented (country-based) manners. The results showed that arable and rangeland use changes (LUC) affect CO 2 emissions in both direct and indirect ways. However, the direct effect of rangeland use change is positive, and its indirect effect is negative. In addition, deforestation has increased CO 2 emissions indirectly. LUCC can also change the ability of the ecosystem to deliver services to people, including biodiversity and other resources such as food, fiber, water, etc. Therefore, it is critical to determine the patterns, trends, and impacts of LUCC on CC. Thus, CC mitigation policies should be followed by considering both direct and indirect effects. Without a doubt, this will be realized when the decision and policymakers have a better understanding of the structure and interaction between CC, LUCC, and their components as a whole system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) has predicted global rise in temperature and carbon dioxide is a major greenhouse gas responsible for global warming. The cement industry contributes approximately five per cent of the total CO2 emitted worldwide. Ewekoro cement Plant, located in Ewekoro, Ogun State was used as a case study to evaluate the results of various modifications on cement plants operation that can impact on the plant CO2 emissions. An economic model which objective is to highlight the best selection strategy to reduce CO2 emissions with the least cost was developed using the industry data as part of this paper. The cement Plant achieved a significant result of 23.6 per cent reduction in CO2 emissions per tonne of cement produced. The results were achieved mainly by applying a progressive approach prioritizing project implementation effort and feasibility. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The iron and steel industry is a large energy user in the manufacturing sector. Carbon dioxide from the steel industry accounts for about 5–7% of the total anthropogenic CO2 emission. Concerns about energy consumption and climate change have been growing on the sustainability agenda of the steel industry. The CO2 emission will be heavily influenced with increasing steel production in the world. It is of great interest to evaluate and decrease the specific CO2 emission and to find out feasible solutions for its reduction. In this work, a process integration method focusing on the integrated steel plant system has been applied. In this paper, an optimization model, which can be used to evaluate CO2 emission for the integrated steel plant system, is presented. Two application cases of analysing CO2 emission reduction possibilities are included in the paper. Furthermore, the possibility to apply the model for a specific integrated steel plant has been discussed. The research work on the optimization of energy and CO2 emission has shown that it is possible to create a combined optimization tool that is powerful to assess the system performance from several aspects for the steel plant. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Transportation profoundly affects the environment, aggravating air pollution, climate change, and natural resource depletion. Additionally, the construction and maintenance of transportation infrastructure contribute to deforestation and habitat loss. Therefore, this research aims to investigate the correlation between c02 emissions, natural resource depletion, trade, FDI inflow, and transportation in a chosen number of Eastern Asian countries, with a unique perspective of examining the influence of institutional qualities as a moderator among these factors. The analysis involves using CS-ARDL and the dumitrescu-hurlin causality test to examine the data. The findings suggest that institutional qualities positively impact the relationship between CO2 emissions and transportation, reversing the negative association. Additionally, trade negatively correlates with transportation; this can be explained by poor institutional quality, leading to corruption and a lack of transparency, discouraging foreign investment and trade in the transportation sector. On the other hand, resource depletion and FDI inflows negatively affect transportation services in East Asian countries. Therefore, the study highlights the significance of effective governance, regulation, and management of institutions in promoting better transportation planning and coordination, ultimately leading to sustainable transportation services. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Climate change, environmental degradation and the introduction of increasingly restrictive legal regulations mean that the automotive industry is facing tremendous challenges. The paper presents a computer tool that uses the results of tests carried out on a chassis dynamometer for a Fiat Panda 1.3 Multijet, to simulate driving tests. As a result of the work of a computer tool, the impact on CO2 emissions was analysed in the context of CADC – Artemis (Common Artemis Driving Cycles) road tests for the following fuels: diesel oil, FAME (Fatty Acid Methyl Esters), rapeseed oil and butanol. Mass consumption of fuels and CO2 emissions were analysed in driving tests for the vehicle in question. The highest mass consumption of fuel and carbon dioxide emissions occurred in the case of FAME (respectively 2.283 kg and 6.524 kg). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

While alkali-activated materials (AAMs) have been hailed as a very promising solution to mitigate colossal CO2 emissions from world portland cement production, there is lack of robust models that can demonstrate this claim. This paper pioneers a novel system dynamics model that captures the system complexity of this problem and addresses it in a holistic manner. This paper reports on this object-oriented modeling paradigm to develop a cogent prognostic model for predicting CO2 emissions from cement production. The model accounts for the type of AAM precursor and activator, the service life of concrete structures, carbonation of concrete, AAM market share, and policy implementation period. Using the new model developed in this study, strategies for reducing CO2 emissions from cement production have been identified, and future challenges facing wider AAM implementation have been outlined. The novelty of the model consists in its ability to consider the CO2 emission problem as a system of systems, treating it in a holistic manner, and allowing the user to test diverse policy scenarios, with inherent flexibility and modular architecture. The practical relevance of the model is that it facilitates the decision-making process and policy making regarding the use of AAMs to mitigate CO2 emissions from cement production at low computational cost. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Climatic and soil conditions are changing in response to the increasing human impact. This requires the introduction of low-cost, low-emission, but effective technologies in the field cultivation of crops, in turn requiring and justifying research in this area. In laboratory tests and field studies, the production and environmental effects of strip-till and the application of microgranular fertilisers with a gelling component were determined (and, in particular, their use in combination as a plant cultivation technology). These effects were measured in terms of soil properties, the biomass production, and the yields of maize (Zea mays L.), spring barley (Hordeum vulgare L.), and winter rape (Brassica napus L.). Fertiliser microgranules with a gelling agent absorbed water in the amount of 118.6–124.7% of fertiliser mass and increased the volumetric moisture content of the soil in the layer in which they were applied (0–7.5 cm) by 3.0–3.9 percentage points compared to the soil moisture without fertiliser. Strip tillage with the application of fertilisers with a gelling agent significantly increased the amount of water in the soil during the sowing period for winter and spring plants and reduced the CO2 emissions from the soil relative to the conventional tillage without microgranular fertiliser. The biomass of maize, spring barley, and winter rape before flowering, as well as the yields of these plants, were higher when cultivated using strip-till and fertilisers with gelling agents than when ploughed with a mouldboard plough without the use of microgranulated fertilisers. This technology also increased the number of microorganisms, including bacteria, actinobacteria, and filamentous fungi in the soil after harvesting compared to the unfertilised, ploughed soil. Strip tillage and microgranulated fertilisers containing a gelling agent can thus reduce the environmental pressure exerted by agriculture and reduce the risk of climate change, as well as being a way of adapting agriculture to climate change. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the context of remarkable economic growth and financial development in the emerging economies of East Asia, this paper attempts to shed light on the ecological consequences (CO2 emission) of economic growth, foreign direct investment and financial development in the selected ASEAN-5 economies. Drawing on the data from 1982 to 2014, we employed a set of quantitative techniques for panel data analysis which entailed Dynamic Ordinary Least Squares (DOLS) and Fully Modified OLS (FMOLS) approaches. Our findings indicate that financial and economic development, as well as FDI, have a statistically significant long-run co-integrating relationship with environmental degradation (CO2 emissions) in the under analysis economies. It showed that in ASEAN-5 countries, economic growth, financial development and FDI leads to an increase in environmental degradation. The quadratic term for economic growth showed a negative impact on environmental degradation i.e. Environmental Kuznets Curve (EKC). Our key findings manifest and emphasise the importance of appropriate policies for more inclusive economic and financial development and sustainable foreign direct investment which does not impede on the environment. Image 1 • Remarkable economic growth, financial development and FDI Influx weighs on the environmental quality in ASEAN. • Financial and economic development and FDI have a significant long-run relationship with environmental degradation. • Weak evidence of Environmental Kuznets Curve (EKC). • FDI leads to environmental degradation in ASEAN i.e. support for Pollution Heavens Hypothesis (PHH) in ASEAN. • Different aspect of financial development has varying impact on the Environmental degradation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: As climate change is becoming an important global issue, more and more people are beginning to pay attention to reducing greenhouse gas emissions. To measure personal or household carbon dioxide emission, there are already plenty of carbon footprint calculators available on the web. Most of these calculators use quantitative models to estimate carbon emission caused by a user''s activities. Although these calculators can promote public awareness regarding carbon emission due to an individual''s behavior, there are concerns about the consistency and transparency of these existing CO2 calculators. Apart from a small group of smart phone based carbon footprint calculator applications, most of the existing CO2 calculators require users to input data manually. This not only provides a poor user experience but also makes the calculation less accurate. The use of a standard framework for various carbon footprint application developments can increase the accuracy of overall calculations, which in turn may increase energy awareness at the individual human level. We aim for developing a carbon footprint calculation framework that can serve as a platform for various carbon footprint calculator applications. Therefore, in this paper, we propose a platform-agnostic Open Carbon Footprint Framework (OCFF) that will provide the necessary interfaces for software developers to incorporate the latest scientific knowledge regarding climate change into their applications. OCFF will maintain a clouded knowledge base that will give developers access to a dynamic source of computational information that can be brought to bear on real-time sensor data. Based on the OCFF platform, we developed a Ubiquitous Carbon Footprint Calculator application (UCFC) that allows the user to be aware of their personal carbon footprint based on their ubiquitous activity and act accordingly. The major contribution of this paper is the presentation of the quantitative model of the platform along with the entire design and implementation of UCFC application. We also present the results, analysis, and findings of an extensive survey that has been conducted to find users’ awareness of increased carbon footprint, feature requirements, and expectations and desires to alleviate CO2 emissions by using a footprint calculator. The design of UCFC application incorporates the analysis and inferences of the survey results. We are also developing a fuel efficient mobile GPS application for iPhone suggesting the greenest/most fuel efficient route to the user. In this paper, we also point out some important features of such an application. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

While alkali-activated materials (AAMs) have been hailed as a very promising solution to mitigate colossal CO2 emissions from world portland cement production, there is lack of robust models that can demonstrate this claim. This paper pioneers a novel system dynamics model that captures the system complexity of this problem and addresses it in a holistic manner. This paper reports on this object-oriented modeling paradigm to develop a cogent prognostic model for predicting CO2 emissions from cement production. The model accounts for the type of AAM precursor and activator, the service life of concrete structures, carbonation of concrete, AAM market share, and policy implementation period. Using the new model developed in this study, strategies for reducing CO2 emissions from cement production have been identified, and future challenges facing wider AAM implementation have been outlined. The novelty of the model consists in its ability to consider the CO2 emission problem as a system of systems, treating it in a holistic manner, and allowing the user to test diverse policy scenarios, with inherent flexibility and modular architecture. The practical relevance of the model is that it facilitates the decision-making process and policy making regarding the use of AAMs to mitigate CO2 emissions from cement production at low computational cost.

This study examined knowledge of symbiotic relationship between man and natural environment, climate change and their implications to sustainable environmental behaviour and sustainable development among the urban/semi urban settlers in southeast Nigeria. The study was guided by Environmentally Responsible Behaviour (ERB) model, to understand the extent of environmental and ecological knowledge, and pro environmental sustainability behaviour among the citizens. 640 respondents (18+) from 16 settlements across the region were randomly selected for the study, while survey design was adopted for the study with the aid of questionnaire instrument. The data collected were analysed with aid of descriptive and inferential statistics tools for testing the relationship of substantive variables in the study. From the findings of the study, positive predictors of knowledge of social ecology included public media enlightenment on environment (p < .000), public institution quality (p < .000) and environmental citizenship (p < .000). Knowledge of solid waste management (p < 0.01) positively correlate with pro environmental behaviour. Positive predictors of global climate change awareness include knowledge of the natural environment, public media enlightenment on environment and duration in the place of residence (p < .000). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The fact that global warming will bring impact on immigration, agriculture and also generate human conflicts is becoming a focus in climate change topic and the forecasting of carbon dioxide emission has been attracting much attention. In this paper, we proposed an improved Gaussian processes regression method for carbon dioxide emission forecasting based on a modified PSO algorithm which can efficiently optimize the hyper parameters of covariance function in the Gaussian processes regression. Also we tested our improved PSO-GPR method with the total carbon dioxide emissions data of U.S., China and Japan in 1980–2012, and compared the prediction precision of our method with original GPR and BP Neural Networks by the data of U.S., China and Japan. The performance of our improved Gaussian processes regression method enhanced the prediction accuracy of original GPR method and is superior to other traditional forecasting method like BP Neural Networks. Furthermore, we applied PSO-GPR method in generating a prediction total carbon dioxide emissions for 2013 to 2020 and found out that China's total carbon dioxide emission will still increasing but finally at a decreasing rate and U.S. and Japan will have a good control on their amount of carbon emission in the near future. Finally, policy implications about carbon dioxide emission reduction were proposed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The United Nations 2030 agenda states various sustainable development goals (SDGs) to counter climate change affecting individuals' health and economies. It puts forward various policy guidelines and tools to help in the mitigation process and orientation towards green growth. In this context, this study examines the influence of carbon taxes and innovation (mitigation technologies) on demand, supply and total emissions in OECD regions for a sample spanning from 2000 to 2018. The preliminary data testing employed second-generation approaches, whereas the long-run relationship among the variables is tested using error correction-based modeling approaches due to cross-sectional dependences. IPAT and STIRPAT models are used to test the demand- and production-based emissions, while PMG-ARDL is employed for total carbon emissions. The results confirm the presence of a long-run relationship among variables. Moreover, water and wastewater technologies neutralize production-based emissions by 68%, production and processing innovation by 62%, energy generation/transmission limit it by 39%, and transportation-related technologies lowered demand-based emissions by 15% in OECD states. Environmental taxes have a more dominant effect in lowering carbon emissions in the short run (25%) than in the long run (10%); however, energy consumption remains the main polluter in all sectors. In sum, the results reveal that the policy target achievement tends to be sub-region specific (Asia-Oceania, America, Europe). Nevertheless, carbon taxes and mitigation technologies are helping in achieving SDGs of carbon mitigation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: This paper assesses 13 different inputs for biodiesel production and shows that the highest cost currently associated with the processing of residual resources, as well as their small production scale, are compensated by their smaller procurement costs, by their immediate availability in the urban centers and by their larger potential for greenhouse gas emission reduction. Biodiesel production from residues can meet all technical international specifications, even the esterification process. Data Envelopment Analysis (DEA), the methodology used in this study, allows for the building of an efficiency index up through linear programming with multiple inputs and outputs, enabling the integration of sustainable development dimensions. The experts' conclusions were arrived at through restrictions on virtual weighting, with findings that allow the grading of alternatives. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

The debate on the role of information and communication technology (ICT) in environmental sustainability remains a puzzle in empirical research. It is unclear whether ICT can help mitigate the after-effects of carbon emissions and, in turn, alleviate the unavoidable consequences of climate change. In this study, we examined the role of ICT in environmental sustainability for a panel of 24 Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) countries. We used an annual dataset obtained from the World Bank covering 40 years (1980–2019). Our empirical strategy was based on the standard fixed effects panel and the Arellano-Bover/Blundell-Bond dynamic panel approach. Our empirical findings highlight the importance of using ICT to promote environmental sustainability. Additionally, we identified the mechanisms through which ICT can affect the environment, namely education, transportation, foreign direct investment, regulatory quality, and institutional quality. The present study has critical implications for combatting climate change. Policymakers should pay attention not only to ICT but also to other identified mechanisms that play complementary roles in promoting a sustainable environment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Sustainability policies that have quantitative emission or carbon footprint measurements are important in view of climate change and current rapid urbanization in developing countries like Malaysia. Although sustainability policies are mentioned in national development plan as early as in the 1990s, many of these policies are piecemeal and expressed qualitatively. In achieving environmental sustainability, planning of city or a region can be more functional and implementable by using low carbon city concept. Planning a low carbon city uses sustainable development principles; this demonstrates a high level of energy efficiency using low carbon energy sources and production technologies. It also adopts patterns of consumption and behavior that are consistent with low levels of greenhouse gas emissions in the urban areas. The planning of the fast developing region of Iskandar Malaysia, which is located in southern part of Peninsular Malaysia, provides a good opportunity for urban managers to incorporate the ideas of low carbon cities in this proposed high growth urban conurbation. This paper aims to explore implementation of the concept and vision of low carbon scenarios and examine the strategies toward the reduction of CO2 emission. This study also prepares a quantitative scenario study on the establishment of low carbon urban development in Iskandar Malaysia. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Energy-efficient retrofitting of existing building is a huge contribution to the sustainability of the society since building energy consumption takes more than one fourth of total energy consumption. The application of external shading system could block out unwanted radiant heat gain, thus reduces the cooling load of the air-conditioning system. During the assessment of energy-efficient retrofitting projects, apart from annual saving figures and economic payback time, energy and CO2 emission payback periods should also be taken as indispensable references. In this paper, a methodology is described for analyzing the energy and CO2 emission payback periods of external overhang shading in a university campus in Hong Kong. Result shows that due to requirements of structural strength under typhoon situation, although introducing overhang shading system could reduce almost half of the cooling load in the related area, the energy and CO2 emission payback periods of the project are still unrealistically long. This case study presents an example of multi-disciplinary approach being not only important to the energy-efficient retrofitting but also necessary for policy making in different climatic and geographic regions. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: This paper studies the cost of energy (COE) for several emerging, fossil fuel power plants such as an integrated gasification combined cycle (IGCC) power plant, a natural gas combined cycle (NGCC) power plant, and a pulverized coal (PC) power plant under three different scenarios defined by the International Energy Agency (IEA). In order to compare the COE for each power plant more realistically, the concept of the 20-year levelized cost of energy (LCOE) was used. Since previous LCOE analyses did not consider the changes in fuel price and CO2 prices, the reliability of previous LCOE results is not good enough to be acceptable for future energy planning. In this study, modified LCOEs, which consider the changes in fuel and CO2 prices with respect to the different scenarios were suggested in order to increase the reliability of the economic comparisons of emerging, fossil power plants. In addition, energy planning was done in order to present the applicability of the proposed calculation method for the COE. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: India is facing great challenges in its economic development due to the impact on climate change. Energy is the important driver of economy. At present Indian energy sector is dominated by fossil fuel. Due to international pressure for green house gas reduction in atmosphere there is a need of clean energy supply for energy security and sustainable development. The nuclear energy is a sustainable solution in this context to overcome the environmental problem due to fossil fuel electricity generation. This paper examines the implications of penetration of nuclear energy in Indian power sector. Four scenarios, including base case scenario, have been developed using MARKAL energy modeling software for Indian power sector. The least-cost solution of energy mix has been measured. The result shows that more than 50% of the electricity market will be captured by nuclear energy in the year 2045. This ambitious goal can be expected to be achieved due to Indo-US nuclear deal. The advanced nuclear energy with conservation potential scenario shows that huge amounts of CO2 can be reduced in the year 2045 with respect to the business as usual scenario. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: The European Union Emissions Trading Scheme (EU ETS) is supposed to be an important mechanism for addressing climate change. Up to now, the theoretical foundation of EU ETS has been widely acknowledged, but empirical research on its current situation has only been published recently or is forthcoming. Therefore, this paper is aimed to summarize the main arguments of empirical studies on the EU ETS, in terms of two aspects, i.e., the operating mechanism and economic effect of the EU ETS, which are two crucial topics and have been attached much attention. Based on the shortcomings of current research and future requirements of the EU ETS evolution, finally, we also present some further directions of the EU ETS research. Overall, the research overview here may be helpful to recognize the features of the EU ETS and its effect on others. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

• Net daily CO 2 emissions mainly occurred in non-thawing periods in this peatland (68.4%). • CO 2 emissions in non-thawing periods was on average 2.5 times that found in thawing period. • Increased soil temperature and rainfall promote CO 2 emissions in freeze–thaw periods. Changes in freeze–thaw processes as a result of climate change significantly affect the carbon balance of terrestrial ecosystems, especially peatlands. The Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau contains substantial permafrost and seasonal frozen soils and its peatlands feature a huge carbon stock highly sensitive to global change. In this paper, we used an eddy covariance flux tower to monitor carbon fluxes on the Zoige peatlands with seasonal frozen soils on the eastern Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau from 2013 to 2017. Total net emissions (g C m−2 yr−1) over the monitoring period were 64.1, 106.7, 126.5 and 103.2 in the frozen, frozen-thawing, thawing and thawing-freezing periods; the corresponding weighted mean emission rates (g C m−2 d−1) were 0.36, 0.44, 0.64 and 0.38. Although net CO 2 emissions were highest in the thawing period, emissions during the other periods accounted for approximately 68.4% of annual emissions. In fact, emissions during the two freeze–thaw periods were 1.7 times those during the thawing period despite the freeze–thaw periods lasting fewer days. CO 2 emission correlated significantly with volumetric water content and soil temperature in the frozen period, with soil temperature and precipitation in the frozen-thawing period, and with precipitation in the thawing and thawing-freezing periods. Annual net CO 2 emissions during each of the years were 57.2 g C m−2 yr−1 (2013), 108.3 g C m−2 yr−1 (2014), 41 g C m−2 yr−1 (2015), 62.9 g C m−2 yr−1 (2016) and 131.1 g C m−2 yr−1 (2017), and hydrological conditions were the primary determinant of interannual variations. Long-term continuous monitoring of carbon is essential to understand how freeze–thaw processes affect the ability of alpine peatland ecosystems to act as carbon sources and sinks. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]