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• 1. Food packaging waste is one of the main contributors to global environmental changes. • 2. Quality of recycled packaging materials is a threat to circular economy. • 3. Recycling method selection depends on the composition and nature of recyclate. • 4. Quality of recycled materials can be evaluated by using analytical methods. • 5. Migration analysis should be done to evaluate recycled material safety. Food packaging waste significantly impacts global environmental changes, prompting the adoption of a green circular economy approach. Recycling packaging waste is a critical element of this strategy. However, it faces challenges related to the quality of recycled materials and concerns about their safety. Thus, this review aimed to highlight different analytical methods alone or in combination to evaluate the quality of the recycled material. Furthermore, the safety and health aspects related to the migration of contaminants and their relevant regulations have also been discussed. An important parameter while selecting an appropriate recycling method is the composition and nature of the recyclate, for instance, HDPE (High-Density Polyethylene), PET (Polyethylene Terephthalate), and PP (Polypropylene) materials can be recycled using mechanical and chemical recycling, however, PVC (Polyvinyl Chloride) and PS (Polystyrene) present challenges during mechanical recycling due to lower molecular weight and complex compositions, thus are often downcycled into lower-grade products. Still, recycled papers can be more problematic than recycled plastics due to the nature of the materials and the impact of recycling. The literature review suggested that three quality properties i.e., presence of low molecular weight compounds, degree of degradation, and composition should be analyzed by using different spectroscopic, thermo-mechanical, and chromatographic techniques to obtain a detailed understanding of recycled material quality. Furthermore, recycling should be done in such a way that the migration of contaminants should be lower than the migratory limits set by the relevant authorities to avoid any toxicological effects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

D-allulose, a naturally occurring monosaccharide, is present in small quantities in nature. It is considered a valuable low-calorie sweetener due to its low absorption in the digestive tract and zero energy for growth. Most of the recent efforts to produce D-allulose have focused on in vitro enzyme catalysis. However, microbial fermentation is emerging as a promising alternative that offers the advantage of combining enzyme manufacturing and product synthesis within a single bioreactor. Here, a novel approach was proposed for the efficient biosynthesis of D-allulose from glycerol using metabolically engineered Escherichia coli. FbaA, Fbp, AlsE, and A6PP were used to construct the D-allulose synthesis pathway. Subsequently, PfkA, PfkB, and Pgi were disrupted to block the entry of the intermediate fructose-6-phosphate (F6P) into the Embden−Meyerhof−Parnas (EMP) and pentose phosphate (PP) pathways. Additionally, GalE and FryA were inactivated to reduce D-allulose consumption by the cells. Finally, a fed-batch fermentation process was implemented to optimize the performance of the cell factory. As a result, the titer of D-allulose reached 7.02 g/L with a maximum yield of 0.287 g/g. • Design of a synthesis pathway capable of producing only D-allulose from glycerol. • Enhancing cell factory performance by gene knockout and fermentation optimization. • Substrate conversion was dramatically increased compared to Izumoring epimerization. • Using glycerol rather than hexoses theoretically facilitates product purification. • Development of a green route that is widely applicable to synthesizing rare sugars. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Electrolyzing seawater to produce hydrogen is a promising sustainable energy production technology. The current non-precious metal-based hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) electrocatalysts demonstrate inadequate catalytic activity and poor stability in seawater electrolyte. Therefore, developing stable and efficient non-precious metal-based HER electrocatalysts is a major challenge for achieving sustainable green energy development. This work reports a multi-component intermetallic catalyst FeCoCuAlMo prepared by arc melting and chemical dealloying methods. The electrocatalytic hydrogen evolution performance of catalysts with varying atomic ratios (FeCoCu) 20 (Al 70 Mo 30) 80 , (FeCoCu) 30 (Al 70 Mo 30) 70 , (FeCoCu) 40 (Al 70 Mo 30) 60 , and (FeCoCu) 50 (Al 70 Mo 30) 50 in alkaline seawater and alkaline electrolyte was studied. The findings indicate that these catalysts primarily consist of AlMo 3 and (Cu 0.35 Fe 0.35 Co 0.3)Al, among which the dealloyed (FeCoCu) 30 (Al 70 Mo 30) 70 exhibits excellent catalytic activity with overpotentials of 137.54 and 116.91 mV at a current density of 100 mA/cm2 in alkaline seawater and alkaline electrolyte, respectively, outperforming most catalysts. Additionally, it demonstrated long-term stability in alkaline seawater and alkaline electrolyte for 250 and 400 h without significant decay at overpotentials of 236 mV and 276 mV, respectively. This improved performance can be attributed to the unique structure of the multi-component intermetallic compound, which provides good thermodynamic stability and synergistic effects among its constituents, thereby enhancing HER performance. Within this multi-component intermetallic compound, AlMo 3 particles serve as the primary conductive medium to accelerate electron transfer, while (Cu 0.35 Fe 0.35 Co 0.3)Al serves as the main active site, resulting in a stable structure that provides the catalyst with high catalytic activity and good stability. Thus, the (FeCoCu) 30 (Al 70 Mo 30) 70 electrocatalyst is a promising candidate for seawater electrolysis aimed at hydrogen production. [Display omitted] • Intermetallic composed of AlMo 3 , Al 5 CuMo 2 , and (Cu 0.35 Fe 0.35 Co 0.3)Al was prepared. • AlMo 3 and (Cu 0.35 Fe 0.35 Co 0.3)Al provide pathways and active sites for the catalyst. • It exhibited an overpotentials of 137.54 mV at 100 mA/cm2 in alkaline seawater. • The catalyst shows excellent durability at overpotentials of 276 mV for 400 h. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Employment of yeasts as bio-templates to obtain hollow structured microspheres is recognized as a promising strategy in the view of resource utilization and sustainable development. In this study, carbon modified Bi 2 MoO 6 /Bi 2 S 3 hollow microspheres with rich oxygen vacancies were successfully prepared via in situ hydrothermal synthesis instead of removing yeast templates by calcination. As-obtained samples were characterized using SEM, EDS, TEM, XRD, XPS, EPR and UV–vis DRS analysis. It was shown that carbon modified Bi 2 MoO 6 /Bi 2 S 3 hollow microspheres, with a diameter of 2.2 μm, inherited the ellipsoidal shape from primitive yeast templates. In situ hydrothermal synthesis not only resulted in the integration of yeast-derived carbon into the Bi 2 MoO 6 structure through Bi–O–C and Mo–O–C bonds, but also produced oxygen vacancy defects in the sample. Under visible light irradiation, the carbon modified Bi 2 MoO 6 /Bi 2 S 3 photocatalyst exhibited an excellent degradation efficiency, achieving 87.0 % removal of methylene blue (MB) within 100 min. With photoelectric tests and active species trapping experiments, the potential mechanism for the remarkable photocatalytic performance of carbon modified Bi 2 MoO 6 /Bi 2 S 3 was discussed preliminarily. This work explored an economical, simple and feasible approach for the multi-strategy modification of photocatalysts, and provided a new cognition on the versatile application of biological templates in material design and fabrication. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Understanding the complex challenges that plants face from multiple stresses is key to developing climate-ready crops. We highlight the significance of the Stress Combinations and their Interactions in Plants database (SCIPdb) for studying the impact of stress combinations on plants and the importance of aligning thematic research programs to create crops aligned with achieving sustainable development goals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHAs) are thermoplastic biopolyester with high biodegradability and biocompatibility. This review explores the potential of PHAs as promising alternatives to conventional petrochemical plastics, offering a solution to reduce plastic pollution. The strategic selection of conditions, including type of microorganism, carbon substrates and extraction methods, enables the effective PHAs production for maximum yield and cost-effectiveness. Recent advancements in characterization techniques, each with its own advantages and limitations, are explored to offer insights into PHA concentration, composition, and purity. This review highlights the versatility of PHAs in various applications, focusing on medicine, environmental remediation, industrial processes, and agriculture, where they can offer significant environmental benefits by replacing non-biodegradable materials. Despite production cost challenges, PHAs demonstrate promise for sustainable polymer development. This review contributes to advancing PHAs as a viable solution for eco-friendly applications across diverse industries. • Diverse cultivation and extraction strategies were explored to optimize PHAs production. • Characterization methods for PHAs include microscopy, spectroscopy, and chromatography. • PHAs are versatile and sustainable alternatives used in medicine, environmental remeidation, industry and agriculture. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Informal settlements' geographic and demographic mapping is essential for evaluating human-centric sustainable development in cities, thus fostering the road to Sustainable Development Goal 11. However, fine-grained informal settlements' geographic and demographic information is not well available. To fill the gap, this study proposes an effective framework for both fine-grained geographic and demographic characterisation of informal settlements by integrating openly available remote sensing imagery, points-of-interest (POI), and demographic data. Pixel-level informal settlement is firstly mapped by a hierarchical recognition method with satellite imagery and POI. The patch-scale and city-scale geographic patterns of informal settlements are further analysed with landscape metrics. Spatial-demographic profiles are depicted by linking with the open WorldPop dataset to reveal the demographic pattern. Taking the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area (GBA) in China as the study area, the experiment demonstrates the effectiveness of informal settlement mapping, with an overall accuracy of 91.82%. The aggregated data and code are released (https://github.com/DongshengChen9/IF4SDG11). The demographic patterns of the informal settlements reveal that Guangzhou and Shenzhen, the two core cities in the GBA, concentrate more on young people living in the informal settlements. While the rapid-developing city Shenzhen shows a more significant trend of gender imbalance in the informal settlements. These findings provide valuable insights into monitoring informal settlements in the urban agglomeration and human-centric urban sustainable development, as well as SDG 11.1.1. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A successful transition to a sustainable economy depends on effective hydrogen storage. To achieve this, we investigate novel inorganic transition metal-based BaXH 3 (X = V, Cr, Co, Ni, Cu, Zn) perovskites using Density Functional Theory (DFT). We compute key properties such as structural, electrical, magnetic, optical, mechanical, and hydrogen storage using the GGA-PBE functional. We calculate lattice constants and unit cell volume, indicate thermochemical stability with the negative formation energy of all compounds, and confirm thermodynamic stability with phonon calculations. Investigations into the band structure and density of states (DOS) show that all compounds are metallic, with BaVH 3 and BaCrH 3 exhibiting magnetic characteristics. We calculate the optical properties, including refractive index, dielectric function, reflectivity, loss function, conductivity, and absorption. We verified mechanical stability using the Born stability criteria. We calculated the hydrogen storage capacities and desorption temperatures. These results indicate that the studied compounds are potential candidates for hydrogen storage in a green economy. • DFT study examines novel BaXH 3 (X = V, Cr, Co, Ni, Cu, Zn) perovskites for hydrogen storage. • All compounds are thermodynamically stable with negative formation energy. • BaVH 3 and BaCrH 3 exhibit magnetic properties; the others are non-magnetic. • Hydrogen storage capacities range from 1.44% to 1.56% among the studied compounds. • Mechanical stability was confirmed for all compounds using the Born stability criteria. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, a techno-economic analysis tool for conducting detailed feasibility studies on the deployment of green hydrogen hubs for fuel cell bus fleets is developed. The study evaluates and compares five green hydrogen hub configurations' operational and economic performance under a typical metropolitan bus fleet refuelling schedule. Each configuration differs based on its electricity sourcing characteristics such as the mix of energy sources, capacity sizing, financial structure, and grid interaction. A detailed comparative analysis of distinct green hydrogen hub configurations for decarbonising a fleet of fuel-cell buses is conducted. Among the key findings is that a hybrid renewable electricity source and hydrogen storage are essential for cost-optimal operation across all configurations. Furthermore, bi-directional grid-interactive configurations are the most cost-efficient and can benefit the electricity grid by flattening the duck curve. Lastly, the paper highlights the potential for cost reduction when the fleet refuelling schedule is co-optimized with the green hydrogen hub electricity supply configuration. • Techno-economic analysis tool for a green hydrogen hub is developed. • Comparative analysis of five electricity supply configurations. • Comparison of green hydrogen economics across 5 cities in Europe. • Influence of Capex, wholesale electricity prices, and PPA price on LCOH. • A hybrid photovoltaic-wind-grid system with hydrogen storage is cost-optimal. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

New technologies can help to achieve the sustainable development goals (SDGs) of the United Nations. We discuss the contribution of microfluidic electrochemical biosensors to advancing the SDGs. These sensors can be applied in various fields given their low cost, self-powering ability, environmental compatibility, ease of use, and small sample volume requirements. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Upcycling food waste into PHAs offers a promising solution to reduce environmental impact and generate value-added products for drug delivery, scaffold materials, and tissue engineering. Lignocellulosic food waste requires pretreatment and detoxification, whereas waste cooking oil can be fermented directly to produce PHAs. Cupriavidus necator excels in PHA production from lignocellulosic feedstock, showing tolerance to inhibitors. Pseudomonas spp. stand out for waste cooking oil utilization owing to their capacity for esterase and lipase production, enabling PHA accumulation. Butyl acetate is the optimal solvent for PHA recovery owing to its high yield, purity, and molecular weight, with minimal toxicity. PHAs can be recycled through methods such as extrusion, pyrolysis, gasification, and anaerobic digestion within a closed-loop cycle. This review emphasizes the urgent need for food waste upcycling as a response to the mounting global food waste crisis. Focusing on polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHAs) as an alternative to traditional plastics, it examines the potential of various food wastes as feedstock for microbial fermentation and PHA production. The upcycling of food waste including cheese whey, waste cooking oil, coffee waste, and animal fat is an innovative practice for food waste management. This approach not only mitigates environmental impacts but also contributes to sustainable development and economic growth. Downstream processing techniques for PHAs are discussed, highlighting their role in obtaining high-quality materials. The study also addresses sustainability considerations, emphasizing biodegradability and recycling, while acknowledging the challenges associated with this path. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Food security plays a critical role in achieving Sustainable Development Goal 2 (SDG-2) and public health outcomes; however, its effectiveness under the impact of international sanctions remains unclear. This study examined the impact of international sanctions on achieving SDG-2 and food security. This cross-country empirical analysis was based on a combined database that included data from the Global Sanctions Data Base (GSDB), Food and Agriculture Organization Statistics (FAOSTAT) and United Nations (UN) Comtrade. First, an instrumental variable (IV) strategy was used to deal with the endogeneity of other events in target countries' sanctions. Second, a two-stage least square (2SLS) regression was conducted using high-dimensional fixed effects. Third, based on the Structural Gravity Model, a Poisson pseudo maximum likelihood (PPML) regression on bilateral agricultural trade was performed. Findings from this study showed that international sanctions had a negative impact on the achievement of SDG-2 and food security, which was associated with poor public health outcomes. This was mainly evidenced by an increase in the prevalence of undernourishment and a high population of children with moderate or severe stunting. Sanctions were also shown to distort the agricultural value-added share and decrease domestic agricultural production. In addition, sanctions impeded bilateral import supply, which resulted in a lower import value and quantity, and a higher import price. Food security and agricultural sustainability associated with hunger, nutrition and health from 1950 to 2019 were significantly associated with international sanctions. Under the uncertain shock of international sanctions, progress towards SDG-2 deteriorated, mainly for Targets 2.1, 2.2 and 2.a, and the impact was non uniform across all targets. From a sociopolitical perspective, the empirical findings of this study provide vital lessons for policymakers and public health communities to increase humanitarian outreach. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• A metaproteomics-based comparison of microbial degradation from ASP to AB was conducted. • Upgrading from ASP to AB increased lignocellulose degradation rates by 18.49-46.52%. • The upgrade from ASP to AB improved diversity of CAZyme-producing microbes. • AB but not ASP can produce the key enzyme for acetate conversion. • AB was superior to ASP for compost decomposition with higher cellulose. Composting presents a viable management solution for lignocellulose-rich municipal solid waste. However, our understanding about the microbial metabolic mechanisms involved in the biodegradation of lignocellulose, particularly in industrial-scale composting plants, remains limited. This study employed metaproteomics to compare the impact of upgrading from aerated static pile (ASP) to agitated bed (AB) systems on physicochemical parameters, lignocellulose biodegradation, and microbial metabolic pathways during large-scale biowaste composting process, marking the first investigation of its kind. The degradation rates of lignocellulose including cellulose, hemicellulose, and lignin were significantly higher in AB (8.21%-32.54%, 10.21%-39.41%, and 6.21%-26.78%) than those (5.72%-23.15%, 7.01%-33.26%, and 4.79%-19.76%) in ASP at three thermal stages, respectively. The AB system in comparison to ASP increased the carbohydrate-active enzymes (CAZymes) abundance and production of the three essential enzymes required for lignocellulose decomposition involving a mixture of bacteria and fungi (i.e., Actinobacteria, Bacilli, Sordariomycetes and Eurotiomycetes). Conversely, ASP primarily produced exoglucanase and β-glucosidase via fungi (i.e., Ascomycota). Moreover, AB effectively mitigated microbial stress caused by acetic acid accumulation by regulating the key enzymes involved in acetate conversion, including acetyl-coenzyme A synthetase and acetate kinase. Overall, the AB upgraded from ASP facilitated the lignocellulose degradation and fostered more diverse functional microbial communities in large-scale composting. Our findings offer a valuable scientific basis to guide the engineering feasibility and environmental sustainability for large-scale industrial composting plants for treating lignocellulose-rich waste. These findings have important implications for establishing green sustainable development models (e.g., a circular economy based on material recovery) and for achieving sustainable development goals. [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the current study, the effect of Cr 2 O 3 on the break temperature and crystallization behavior of Cr-containing molten titanium slag was investigated. The type, composition, and morphology of crystallized phase were analyzed by FactSage, X-ray diffraction (XRD), and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) combined with energy dispersive spectrometry (EDS). It was found that the break temperature (T Br) of Cr-containing molten titanium slag tended to increase with the increase of Cr 2 O 3 content. When the Cr 2 O 3 content was 4 wt%, the T Br was 1470 °C. With the increase of Cr 2 O 3 content, the Ti-containing phase began to appear at the temperature above the T Br. Moreover, the main crystallized phase that existed at the temperature below the T Br transformed from only anosovite to both anosovite and spinel, indicating that Cr 2 O 3 promoted the precipitation of spinel. The rapid increase in viscosity was mainly determined by the precipitation of anosovite in the slag without Cr 2 O 3. When the Cr 2 O 3 content was 2 wt%, the increased precipitation amount of Ti-containing phase caused the abrupt change in viscosity. As the Cr 2 O 3 content further increased to 4 wt%, the precipitation amounts of anosovite and spinel significant increased, which resulted in the sudden increase in viscosity. This study could provide theoretical support for the comprehensive utilization of Cr-containing molten titanium slag and sustainable development of titanium and chromium resources. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the context of a low-carbon economy, it is crucial to integrate environmentally friendly and intelligent designs into fitness facilities to ensure sustainable economic, environmental, and energy development. However, traditional fitness facilities face challenges in effectively monitoring user movements, conserving energy, and optimizing efficiency. The need to conserve energy and reduce resource costs in a low-carbon economy calls for the development of efficient algorithms that can maintain accuracy while minimizing computation and energy consumption. This study proposes a method that combines machine learning and computer vision techniques to enhance monitoring accuracy while minimizing computation and energy consumption. The ResNet-50 model is utilized to extract image features associated with human movements, while real-time object detection and tracking are performed using the YOLOv5 model. Experimental evaluations are conducted on a dataset comprising multiple action categories, and the results demonstrate the excellent performance and model efficiency of the proposed method. Specifically, on the KU-HAR dataset, the proposed algorithm achieves a reduction of over 46.8% in inference time and more than 45.9% in FLOPs, while improving the MAPE by more than 42.8%. These advancements significantly enhance the accuracy and robustness of human motion recognition, highlighting the importance of this approach in the green transformation and intelligent design of fitness facilities. • The proposed approach combines various deep learning algorithms, for better recognition of action. • Focuses on effectively monitoring user movements, conserving energy, and improving equipment efficiency. • Experimental evaluations demonstrate the exceptional performance and model efficiency. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • China's technological sector is linked to environmental sustainability. • This analysis confirmed the existence of an inverted N-shaped EKC in China. • Urbanization contributes to reducing SO 2 emissions in China. • This study employed the CS-ARDL and D-H causality tests. China's rapid technological advancement and the growth of its tech sector have raised concerns about their impact on environmental sustainability. The current analysis aims to contribute to the existing literature by offering a fresh perspective on China's environmental sustainability, as the existing literature tends to overlook the role of the size of the technological market, which is closely connected with several Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)—SDG 7, SDG 9, SDG 11, SDG 12 and SDG 13. China can make significant strides towards achieving these goals by harnessing the potential of the technological market and aligning it with environmental sustainability objectives. This study also investigates the roles of urbanization and economic growth and examines the existence of the inverted N-shaped Environmental Kuznets Curve hypothesis in 31 Chinese provinces from 2004 to 2021. Robust tests are employed to analyse the data, including the Cointegrated Structural Auto Regressive Distributed Lag approach (CS-ARDL) and the Augmented Mean Group(AMG) method. The results indicate that economic growth, urbanization, and the size of the technological market can reduce SO 2 emissions, demonstrating a positive environmental impact through China's inverted N-shaped Environmental Kuznets Curve. Additionally, the Dumitrescu-Hurlin Granger causality test showed evidence of bidirectional causality between the size of the technological market and SO 2 emissions. Based on the findings, the study proposes sustainable development policies for China, in line with the SDG targets. In this context, the country's rapid economic growth and strategies for industrial competitiveness need reassessment. The objective should be to redesign these strategies to increase the proportion of high-tech activities in overall manufacturing and promote the adoption of renewable energy in the country's total energy consumption. Consequently, Chinese policymakers should prioritize the implementation of regulations that uphold fundamental principles to enhance environmental quality while maintaining rapid economic growth and a competitive advantage in the industrial sector. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Green hydrogen is an ideal option for decarbonizing energy systems. This article examines the status and policies of the green hydrogen industry in the world's top three energy-consuming economies. An entire industry chain–technology, economy, and roadmap assessment framework has been adopted to make a multi-dimensional discussion. The results show that: (1) China's hydrogen application potential for 2050 is 112 Mt/year (82% of which will be green hydrogen), the United States' is 93 Mt/year (∼100% green hydrogen), and the European Union's is 71 Mt/year (∼100% green hydrogen). (2) By 2030, green hydrogen is targeted to reach competitive costs in China (US$2.18/kg), the United States (US$1/kg), and the European Union (US$2.16/kg). (3) The most noticeable limitations in China, the U.S., and the EU are pipelines, raw materials for SOEC, and raw materials for PEM, respectively. • An EIC-TER model is used to analyze the synergy of segments in the industry chain. • The application potential of green hydrogen in different sectors is analyzed. • The critical role of strategies to expand the green hydrogen industry is analyzed. • Green hydrogen is expected to reach competitive costs in the 3 economies by 2030. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Industrially, ammonia is generated mainly using the energy-intensive and CO 2 -emitting Haber-Bosch process, which is not conducive to sustainable economic and social development. The chemical looping ammonia synthesis (CLAS) is capable of coupling green energy, which is one of the available alternatives to the Haber-Bosch process, but the ammonia production rate of most of its nitrogen carriers is unsatisfactory. In this work, we designed a self-assembled nitrogen carrier using ZSM-5 molecular sieve (ZSM-5) and nickel (Ni) to modify chromium nitride (CrN). ZSM-5 molecular sieves have a rich pore structure, which enables the gas-phase reactants to react with the lattice nitrogen in the subsurface layer of the nitrogen carrier. Nickel can facilitate the dissociation of hydrogen during hydrogenation due to its higher hydrogen affinity. The ammonia production rate of the nitrogen carrier can reach 451.2 μmol g−1 h−1 at 700 °C and atmospheric pressure, and be able to remain 358 μmol g−1 h−1 after eight cycles. Furthermore, we also propose a full-coverage design strategy for nitrogen carriers: simultaneous optimization of the chemical and mass transfer processes in the nitrogen carrier. This work advances the design of high-performance nitrogen carrier, thus facilitating the applications of CLAS for the distributed ammonia synthesis. [Display omitted] • ZSM-5 molecular sieve was used to construct an efficient mass transfer interface. • Full-coverage optimization: chemical and mass transfer process. • The self-assembled chromium-based nitrogen carrier had a dual active site. • The microscopic mechanism was revealed by DFT calculations. • The ammonia synthesis rate reached 451.2 μmol g−1 h−1. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As greenhouse gas emissions become serious, the need for sustainable and efficient hydrogen storage solutions to replace traditional fuel energy becomes increasingly urgent. This study focuses on enhancing the hydrogen storage performance of CuBTC, a metal-organic framework (MOF) via green synthesis, aligning with the green circular economy principles of reducing energy consumption and chemical solvent waste. By applying the Design of Experiments methodology, we systematically explored the impact of different synthesis conditions on CuBTC properties, offering valuable insights for mechanochemical synthesis and hydrogen storage applications. Identified optimal conditions significantly increased CuBTC hydrogen uptake to 3.2 wt% at 20 bar, comparable to solvothermal CuBTC at 3.37 wt% and 10% higher than prior studies. This optimal CuBTC also possesses a comparable hydrogen adsorption rate to solvothermal CuBTC and an accelerated adsorption rate compared to smaller CuBTC crystal samples. A notable achievement of this work is the drastic reduction of the CuBTC synthesis time to just minutes while eliminating the need for chemical solvents. This breakthrough consumes less than 2% of the energy required for traditional solvothermal synthesis and completely avoids chemical solvent waste, marking a significant environmental and efficiency improvement. In addition, the CuBTC formation mechanism was explored in this research, shedding light on the intricate process of crystal structure development. Our findings demonstrate that the ball-milling technique can significantly enhance the hydrogen storage capabilities of CuBTC while reducing energy consumption and chemical solvent waste during the synthesis process. [Display omitted] • Successfully synthesised CuBTC using mechanochemical synthesis in minutes. • Design of Experiment identified key parameters for mechanochemical synthesis. • CuBTC formation occurred through an intermediate phase. • Low energy CuBTC synthesis achieved high hydrogen uptake. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The first overarching objective of the Space Agenda 2030 is to strengthen the role of the space sector as a major driver of sustainable development. To achieve this objective, the European Space Agency launched already 10+ years ago the ESA Business Applications Programme to foster the adoption of space technologies in non-space sectors, promoting the development of commercial satellite-based projects (i.e., projects developing business applications based on Earth Observation, Satcom and Navigation satellite technologies and data) and contributing to achieving Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). While space technologies undeniably offer substantial societal benefits, there exists an opportunity to provide professionals and academics with a comprehensive perspective on the ongoing progress of commercial satellite-based projects in their vital role in advancing the achievement of Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and tackling Grand Challenges. Our research aims to clarify commercial satellite-based applications' direct and indirect impacts on SDGs and their features contributing to achieving them. We develop a taxonomy of the ESA Business Applications programme portfolio, analysing 603 commercial satellite-based applications developed between 2014 and 2022 across 34 variables (including SDGs directly or indirectly impacted), sourced from the program's web pages. We perform descriptive statistics and exploratory data analysis to present commercial satellite-based applications' direct or indirect impact on the 169 SDG targets. Finally, we describe the features of commercial satellite-based projects (e.g., geographical scope, satellite technology adopted, non-space domains of application) contributing to the SDGs' achievement. Our results show that 603 commercial satellite-based applications impact at least one SDG. Overall, SGD3 is the most impacted (136, 22 %), followed by SDG11 (105, 17 %) and SDG2 (78, 12 %). 257 Earth Observation-based applications mostly impact SDG2 (58, 23 %), SDG15 (38, 15 %) and SDG11 (34, 13 %). 230 Satellite Navigation-based applications mostly impact SDG3 (68, 30 %), SDG11 (52, 23 %) and SDG6 (22, 10 %). 116 Satellite communication-based applications mostly impact SDG3 (33, 28 %), SDG11 (16, 14 %) and SDG4 (15, 13 %). Moreover, we identify 14 application domains, and for each of them, we investigate their impact on SDGs. The application domains that mainly impact SDGs are Health (91, 16 %), Food and Agriculture (85,15 %), and Energy (51, 9 %). Our research demonstrates and strengthens the space sector's role as a major driver of sustainable development. Researchers may adopt the methodology in other contexts, overcoming the geographical and data accessibility limitations of our research. • EO and GNSS-based applications demonstrate their value across diverse sectors and end-users. • Earth Observation-based applications mostly impact SDG2, SDG15, and SDG11. • Satellite Navigation-based applications mostly impact SDG3, SDG11, and SDG6. • Satellite communication-based applications mostly impact SDG3, SDG11, and SDG4. • Businesses tend to invest mainly satellite-based applications impacting SDGs 3, 11, 12, and 15. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• The relationship between ESGD factors and subjective well-being is complex and nonlinear across income levels. • Renewable energy and digital skills only increase well-being in higher quantiles, reflecting affordability and economic complexity barriers in developing nations. • Women's political participation has mixed effects, negatively impacting well-being at lower quantiles but positively benefitting it at higher quantiles. • The "digital economy paradox" shows more digital skills combined with limited digital economies decreases well-being in lower-income countries. This study examines the heterogeneous impact of environmental, social, governance, and digital (ESGD) factors on subjective well-being across 86 countries from 2005 to 2019, using Method of Moments Quantile Regression. The results reveal complex, nonlinear relationships between ESGD factors and well-being. CO2 emissions display an inverted U-curve, suggesting eventual negative impacts after initial gains. Our findings suggest that renewable energy only benefits higher quantiles, revealing affordability issues. Social and governance factors like labor participation and women's political participation relate nonlinearly to well-being across income levels, reflecting employment quality and social norms differences. Similarly, digital factors improve well-being in high-income countries but not lower-middle-income nations, due to economic complexity gaps and the digital divide. A "digital economy paradox" emerges where more digital skills combined with limited digital economies decrease well-being in lower-middle income countries signifying the need for tailored digital policies. This study enhances understanding of links between ESGD factors and well-being patterns. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Both economic growth targets and environmental targets drive green growth. • The two types of targets crowd out each other in driving green growth. • They drive green growth through a shared channel of stimulating green innovation. Stimulating green growth is an important element of China's economic planning. Green growth has dual attributes of greenness and growth, while economic growth targets and environmental targets respond to these two attributes, respectively. Whether the combination of dual targets is more effective than a single target is critical to understanding the dynamics of green development. Although scholars and practitioners have studied government performance targets, we know little about interaction effects of different targets in a multi-target system. This study considers the interaction effects of environmental and economic growth targets on green growth. Using panel data from China's provinces, we find both economic growth and environmental targets can drive green growth. However, these targets crowd out each other in driving green growth, implying a trade-off between economic growth and environmental protection. The crowding-out effect exhibits a clear inverted U-shaped trend influenced by environmental governance and technological support, as it is prominent mainly in provinces with moderate environmental governance and technological support. Furthermore, economic growth targets affect green growth by promoting investment in research and development, while environmental targets drive green growth by promoting industrial agglomeration. Notably, green innovation is a shared channel for both types of targets to influence green growth, making both targets crowd out each other. These findings suggest that we should value synergy between multiple targets in the future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Improving Coastline Edge Detail: EDS module enhances edge fitting. • Bridging Semantic Gap: CSDS and AFM collaboration enhances semantic information. • Outperforms with mIoU: CSAFNet achieves remarkable 96.72% mIoU value. The extraction of coastlines from remote sensing images is vital for promoting sustainable development in coastal areas, conserving marine environments, strengthening disaster response capabilities, and supporting scientific research. However, current coastline detection approaches using remote sensing face challenges related to resolution, terrain, boundary, and data, requiring accurate solutions for reliability. Here, we introduce the Collaborative Supervision and Attention Fusion (CSAFNet) model for pixel-level sea-land segmentation, with a primary goal of improving the accuracy of coastline extraction. The model integrates the Edge Deep Supervision (EDS) module to enhance coastline edge detail fitting. Additionally, the Collaborative Semantic Deep Supervision (CSDS) module and Attention Fusion Module (AFM) collaborate to bridge the semantic gap between different hierarchical features, resulting in a more precise and detailed delineation of coastlines. Experimental validation on the publicly available SLSD 1 1 The dataset was initially labeled as "sea-land segmentation data" by the authors. For ease of discussion, we will adopt the practice of using the initial letters of each word as an abbreviation. dataset has demonstrated superiority over various advanced methods, with an impressive mIoU value of 96.72%. Through simple optimization, detailed and rich coastlines can be extracted, validating the feasibility of coastline extraction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Green mergers and acquisitions (GM&A) are pivotal for attaining green competitive advantages and fostering sustainable development. This study exploits data from Chinese publicly traded companies spanning 2010–2021 to examine the impact of GM&A on corporate environmental responsibility (CER). Utilizing a difference-in-differences design, the results document that GM&A significantly enhances firms' environmental responsibility. This conclusion remains robust after a comprehensive set of checks. GM&A spurs green technology innovation, eases financial constraints, and elevates corporate environmental awareness, thus mitigating environmental pollution. Additionally, the positive impact of GM&A on CER is particularly pronounced in regions with high market liberalization and firms with substantial social capital. These findings offer valuable insights for policymakers crafting GM&A policies to raise environmental quality and contribute to the literature on the relationship between GM&A and CER. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Green development is the inevitable requirement of high-quality development in the resource-based regions, and it is also the fundamental guarantee for realizing environmental sustainability in the resource-based regions. Based on the panel data of 242 cities in China from 2006 to 2019, this paper explores whether mineral resource abundance is a blessing or a curse for carbon emission intensity and whether fiscal policy plays an intermediary role. We draw the following conclusions: (1) The overall performance of mineral resources is a carbon curse effect, because the carbon curse effect of mineral resources is greater than the carbon blessing effect. (2) Mechanism analysis reveals that the decrease in fiscal pressure and the increase in fiscal dependence are the formation paths of carbon blessing and carbon curse, respectively. (3) Heterogeneity analysis shows that the occurrence and intensity of the carbon curse are related to the level of local foreign investment, government intervention, and industrial diversification. The research results explain the supplementary motivation of government quality and provide Chinese evidence for the transformation and upgrading of resource-based regions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Artificial intelligence (AI) plays a significant role in realizing sustainable economic development. This paper uses the textual content of annual reports of listed companies to count 73 words frequencies related to AI and construct AI indicators through precise vocabulary. It also examines how AI affects environment, social, and governance (ESG) performance at the firm level using unbalanced panel data of Chinese listed firms from 2007 to 2022. The results indicate that the development of artificial intelligence has significantly improved the ESG performance of Chinese listed companies, and the conclusion still holds after a series of robustness tests. As a moderating variable, macroeconomic policy uncertainty reinforces the positive impact of AI on ESG performance. In terms of the impact mechanism, AI enhances firms' ESG performance by increasing firms' total factor productivity and R&D expenditures. The results of heterogeneity analysis show that AI has a significant positive impact on the ESG performance of non-state-owned firms, firms with executives without overseas backgrounds, and technology and capital-intensive firms. Compared with the western region, AI in the eastern and central regions has a more significant improvement effect on ESG performance. Our study deepens the knowledge and understanding of the role played by AI in the green development process at the micro level. It provides valuable suggestions and reflections for promoting AI development at the micro-enterprise level. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Government intervention in industrial development is prevalent across both developed and developing nations. This paper evaluates the efficacy of Chinese government intervention in high-tech industries in fostering economic development. Methodologically, we assess government intervention's effectiveness by examining the heterogeneity of agglomeration effects in high-tech industries across various locations before and after policy interventions. Our study reveals several key findings: (1) Overall, high-tech industry agglomeration yields positive intra-industry and local spillover effects. (2) Agglomeration effects exhibit significant spatial and temporal variations. Before 2013, government intervention was limited, and high-tech industries predominantly clustered in the eastern region due to market forces, resulting in significantly positive agglomeration effects. However, post-2013, government intervention became evident, particularly driven by competitive dynamics in less-developed regions and central government support for these areas. Consequently, high-tech industries in these regions generated positive intra-industry and local spillover effects, leading to a shift in the distribution of high-tech industry hubs towards the central and western regions. Nonetheless, agglomeration effects diminished in these regions, signaling distortions. (3) Not all high-tech industries exert positive impacts; for instance, the ICT manufacturing sector, characterized by general technology, demonstrates the most pronounced effects, whereas the aerospace manufacturing industry shows relatively weaker agglomeration effects. (4) High-tech industries primarily enhance industrial profitability by refining intermediate inputs and foster local total factor productivity and green total factor productivity through knowledge spillovers. Consequently, policy interventions should aim to effectively facilitate intermediary mechanisms. These findings offer valuable insights into how governments can judiciously intervene in high-tech industries to promote sustainable economic development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Integrating the digital economy into the real economy (thereafter referred to as digital-real integration) is one of the important ways to promote the efficiency improvement of green development. We adopt the panel data of 30 provinces and cities in China (excluding Tibet, Hong Kong, Macao, and Taiwan) from 2011 to 2021 as the basis of our study. We also use the coupled coordination model to measure the level of digital-real integration in each region. Then, we set up a spatio-temporal geographically weighted regression model to examine the spatio-temporal distribution pattern and the specific mechanism of its impact on the efficiency of regional green development. Our study finds that the vast majority of provinces in the country are in the coupling and coordination state on the verge of dysfunction and mild dysfunction. Moreover, coordinating with the development speed of the digital economy to reach the state of dynamic interconnection and constraints is difficult for the real economy. Second, the level of digital-real integration can contribute to the improvement of green development efficiency, and that in Xinjiang and Qinghai is lower than in other provinces. Further in terms of spatial distribution, the digital-real integration in the Yangtze River Delta region (Shanghai, Jiangsu, Zhejiang, Anhui) and Fujian Provinces during the 11-year period obviously promotes the efficiency of green development. Finally, through the mechanism analysis, the digital-real integration development can be found to promote the improvement of green development efficiency via three channels: industrial structure rationalization, factor market development degree, and government intervention. Findings of this paper provide some basis and reference for better promoting the digital-real integration and then realizing the long-term sustainable development of the region. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• The first standardized assessment for soil quality at Sb smelting site is developed. • Soil resilience index (SRI) and soil contamination index (SCI) are both evaluated. • Soil quality in Sb smelting site is mainly limited by low level of soil resilience. • The weak soil resilience is caused by relatively low specific microbial abundances. Antimony smelting activities damage the soil and vegetation surroundings while generating economic value. However, no standardized methods are available to diagnose the extent of soil degradation at antimony smelting sites. This study developed a standardized framework for assessing soil quality by considering microbial-induced resilience and heavy metal contamination at Xikuangshan antimony smelting site. The soil resilience index (SRI) and soil contamination index (SCI) were calculated by Minimum Data Set and geo-accumulation model, respectively. After standardized by a multi-criteria quantitative procedure of modified Nemerow's pollution index (NPI), the integrated assessment of soil quality index (SQI), which is the minimum of SRI NPI and SCI NPI , was achieved. The results showed that Sb and As were the prominent metal(loid) pollutants, and significant correlations between SQI and SRI indicated that the poor soil quality was mainly caused by the low level of soil resilience. The primary limiting factors of SRI were Fungi in high and middle contaminated areas, and Skermanella in low contaminated area, suggesting that the weak soil resilience was caused by low specific microbial abundances. Microbial regulation and phytoremediation are greatly required to improve the soil quality at antimony smelting sites from the perspectives of pollution control and resilience improvement. This study improves our understanding of ecological effects of antimony smelting sites and provides a theoretical basis for ecological restoration and sustainable development of mining areas. [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In recent years, the Arctic Ocean has been experiencing the impacts of climate change. Global warming has led to the melting of ice caps and a significant reduction in ice coverage. As a result, the Arctic Ocean has indirectly opened up two new shipping routes known as the "Northeast Passage" and the "Northwest Passage." The opening of these new routes has the potential to transform Northeast Asia into a major transshipment hub, linking the Indo-Pacific and Europe regions. Novel business models are also generated and investigated within the maritime industry. This study involved conducting semi-structured interviews with potential stakeholders from industry, government, and academia. Additionally, qualitative analysis software- NVivo11 was utilized along with grounded theory for data analysis. The rationale supporting this view includes the advantages of Taiwan's shipping industry, its strategic geographic location, and the potential for shorter shipping routes through the Arctic. Additionally, Taiwan can establish conducive conditions to enhance its international standing and diplomatic relationships concerning Arctic Ocean matters. This initiative will facilitate the sustainable development of Taiwan's maritime industry in the Arctic region. • The evolving perspectives of Taiwan's maritime and transportation industry in balancing economic and environmental considerations. • Incorporating stakeholders' feedback into policy formulation: Perspectives and insights. • Positioning and reflections on Taiwan's development strategy for the Arctic sea routes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Small biomass piece, huge power—a fulcrum to lift two global lifelines, where water and energy meet. Initiative of new-to-nature electron–ion nexus and inter-functional synergy showcased sustainable integration between over-limit solar-evaporative desalination, even in backlit environments, and robust long-term all-day clean electricity co-generation. Sparks were created when intersecting with engineering. [Display omitted] The water–energy nexus has garnered worldwide interest. Current dual-functional research aimed at co-producing freshwater and electricity faces significant challenges, including sub-optimal capacities ("1 + 1 < 2"), poor inter-functional coordination, high carbon footprints, and large costs. Mainstream water-to-electricity conversions are often compromised owing to functionality separation and erratic gradients. Herein, we present a sustainable strategy based on renewable biomass that addresses these issues by jointly achieving competitive solar-evaporative desalination and robust clean electricity generation. Using hydrothermally activated basswood, our solar desalination exceeded the 100% efficiency bottleneck even under reduced solar illumination. Through simple size-tuning, we achieved a high evaporation rate of 3.56 kg h−1 m−2 and an efficiency of 149.1%, representing 128%–251% of recent values without sophisticated surface engineering. By incorporating an electron–ion nexus with interfacial Faradaic electron circulation and co-ion-predominated micro-tunnel hydrodynamic flow, we leveraged free energy from evaporation to generate long-term electricity (0.38 W m−3 for over 14 d), approximately 322% of peer performance levels. This inter-functional nexus strengthened dual functionalities and validated general engineering practices. Our presented strategy holds significant promise for global human–society–environment sustainability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This review comprehensively evaluates the integration of solar-powered electrolytic hydrogen (H 2) production and captured carbon dioxide (CO 2) management for clean fuel production, considering all potential steps from H 2 production methods to CO 2 capture and separation processes. It is expected that the near future will cover CO 2 -capturing technologies integrated with solar-based H 2 production at a commercially viable level, and over 5 billion tons of CO 2 are expected to be utilized potentially for clean fuel production worldwide in 2050 to achieve carbon-neutral levels. The H 2 production out of hydrocarbon-based processes using fossil fuels emits greenhouse gas emissions of 17-38 kg CO 2 /kg H 2. On the other hand,. renewable energy based green hydrogen production emits less than 2 kg CO 2 /kg H 2 which makes it really clean and appealing for implementation. In addition, capturing CO2 and using for synthesizing alternative fuels with green hydrogen will help generate clean fuels for smart cities. In this regard, the most sustainable and promising CO 2 capturing method is post-combustion with an adsorption-separation-desorption processes using monoethanolamine adsorbent with high CO 2 removal efficiencies from flue gases. Consequently, this review article provides perspectives on the potential of integrating CO 2 -capturing technologies and renewable energy-based H 2 production systems for clean production to create sustainable cities and communities. [Display omitted] • Carbon capture-storage and H 2 production technologies are comprehensively reviewed. • Clean fuel production technologies from captured CO 2 and produced H 2 are evaluated. • Renewable-powered integrated systems for clean fuel production are proposed. • Solar-powered H 2 production from water is a promising solution in integrated systems. • Promising carbon management and green energy support sustainable cities and communities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hydrogen produced by renewable energy sources (green hydrogen) is at the centrepiece of European decarbonization strategies, necessitating large imports from third countries. Egypt potentially stands out as major production hub. While technical and economic viability are broadly discussed in literature, analyses of local acceptance are absent. This study closes this gap by surveying 505 locals in the Suez Canal Economic Zone (Port Said and Suez) regarding their attitudes towards renewable energy development and green hydrogen production. We find overall support for both national deployment and export to Europe. Respondents see a key benefit in rising income, thereby strongly underlying the economic argument. Improved trade relationships or improved political relationships are seen as potential benefits of export, but as less relevant for engaging in cooperation, putting a spotlight on local benefits. Our study suggests that the local population is more positive than negative towards the development and scaling up of green hydrogen projects in Egypt. • Local stakeholders in Egypt largely support green hydrogen development. • Both national deployment and export to Europe are supported. • Local economic benefits are a strong motive for support. • Improved trade or political relationships to Europe are minor concerns. • Results rest on survey of 505 locals in the Suez Canal Economic Zone (Port Said and Suez). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sustainable development has been the guiding political principle worldwide since the adoption of the UN SDGs in 2015. Transport is of highest relevance for meeting this ambition; it enables people to move to destinations to meet their needs, and it causes substantial negative effects in the social, economic, and environmental dimensions. Cities are of highest relevance for transport because of their prevalence, and because challenges and opportunities are particularly pronounced in cities, but few attempts have been made to evaluate how cities translate the higher-level sustainability ambitions to their local contexts. Based on a survey of 402 municipalities in Germany, this study investigates local stakeholders' priorities in terms of sustainable urban mobility (SUM). Expert planners in local administrations assign higher priority to all SUM aspects than this is the case in the official local strategic planning objectives, such as those formulated in Sustainable Urban Mobility Plans (SUMPs), with congestion being the only exception. Accessibility and further domain-specific aspects consistently get higher priority than the environmental effects of transport. Local stakeholders consistently commit first and foremost to the function of transport systems and give the minimization of negative effects only secondary priority. Priorities assigned to the SUM aspects are higher in larger cities than in smaller cities, particularly for the expert planners' assessments. Further studies with similar designs in other parts of the world would help to better understand the transferability of the mechanisms identified in this study and support higher-level efforts to achieve sustainability goals. • Expert survey on local priorities for sustainable mobility in 402 German cities. • Larger cities give higher priority to sustainable mobility than smaller cities. • Accessibility generally prioritized over environmental aspects. • Importance Performance Analysis proves suitable for analyzing planners' priorities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • Impact of artificial intelligence development on water pollution is analysed. • Artificial intelligence technologies can help reduce levels of water pollution. • Conditions in central China need examining to formulate a targeted development plan. • Results remain valid after instrumental variables regression and robustness test. Analysing the impacts of AI development on water pollution is of great significance for improving water environment management measures and promoting global sustainable development. In this study, macro and micro panel data of China from 2008 to 2019 were used to measure the development level of AI at the industry and provincial levels in China, and a panel data regression model was constructed to analyse the effects of AI development on water pollution and regional heterogeneity. The measurement results show that the development level of AI is increasing. Among the six industries, the intelligence level of the manufacturing industry has developed the fastest, by approximately 48.74 times compared with the baseline. At the provincial level, Guangdong Province made the greatest progress in intelligence level, increasing by approximately 23.6 times. The regression results show that AI technology is helpful in reducing the level of water pollution, and this conclusion remains valid after the regression of instrumental variables and robustness testing. In terms of regional heterogeneity, AI technology can significantly reduce the degree of water pollution in eastern and western China. However, the development of AI technology in the central region has no significant impact on water pollution, and a risk of increasing the degree of water pollution exists. The reasons may be that the eastern region has high levels of economic vitality and technological innovation and a strong ability to transform AI achievements, which can significantly improve the water environment. Industrial support policies in the western region are strong, and the application of AI can quickly improve production methods and significantly reduce water pollution levels. In comparison, the levels of economic development, technological innovation, and policy support in the central region need to be strengthened, so the environmental effect of AI is not significant. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Mercury adsorption on activated carbon modelled for real WtE fabric filter. • Dynamic conditions (i.e., variable Hg inlet mass, growing filter cake) considered. • Good model performance (mean absolute percentage error < 1 %) • Model useful for virtual Hg sensor development and activated carbon feed control. A model capable to estimate the mercury (Hg) removal efficiency in the fabric filter of a real Waste-to-Energy plant with dynamic operating conditions has been developed. The mathematical model is based on Langmuir equation and Hg mass balance on mercury, in both gaseous and adsorbed phases, along the growing filter cake and inside the activated carbon particles. The activated carbon properties and the Langmuir isotherm parameters have been obtained by fitting the model to real plant data, characterized by variable mercury inlet concentrations. The model is then validated on another dataset coming from the same plant. The obtained Hg removal efficiency falls within ± 3 % error band and with a mean absolute percentage error equal to 0.87 %. The model is suitable for the development of a data-driven activated carbon feed control strategy to increase the economic and environmental sustainability of the WtE plants as well as in the development of virtual sensors to use as a replacement when the continuous stack mercury monitors fail. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Women's mortality at a reproductive age has been a global concern, and its decrease has been incorporated as a target of the UN Sustainable Development Goals. The aim of this study was to describe the spatial–temporal evolution of mortality rates among women of reproductive age in Brazilian municipalities by groups of causes and socioeconomic indicators from 2000 to 2018. Ecological analysis. This work was an ecological, descriptive study that analyzed estimates of mortality rates among women of reproductive age (15–49 years) by main groups of causes of death from the Global Burden of Disease (GBD) study in three consecutive trienniums, T1 (2000–2002), T2 (2009–2011), and T3 (2016–2018). To quantify the temporal evolution in mortality rates, the present study calculated the percentage change for each triennium. The spatial analysis of mortality rates was carried out using Moran's index. The Pearson coefficient was used to analyze the correlation between the data. A significant decline in mortality rates was found for all groups of causes in all regions of the country. Despite the downward trend, the percentage change from 2009 to 2011 to 2016 to 2018 showed a decrease in the group of Noncommunicable Diseases (NCDs) and external causes. The decline in mortality rates of women due to external causes showed only a minimal change in the North and Northeast regions from T2 to T3, whereas a cluster of neighboring municipalities with high mortality rates persisted in the municipalities of the South region and in the state of Roraima. The ranking of the main causes of death in Brazilian municipalities showed an increase in neoplasms in detriment to cardiovascular diseases (CVDs). The main causes of death in women of reproductive age at a more local level could be used to recognize inequalities and to develop interventions aimed at tackling premature and preventable deaths. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present research investigates the advancement of sustainable transportation by promoting electric vehicles, expanding public transit, and implementing tax increases on fossil fuels and automobiles, via crucial strategies. The present study has examined a market with a fossil fuel vehicle (FFV) manufacturer, an electric vehicle manufacturer, and the government. The manufacturers' pricing strategies are geared towards optimizing profits, whereas the government's objectives for transportation are centered on attaining sustainability across economic, environmental, and social dimensions. The government has considered two strategies, one taxation-based and the other non-taxation-based, to achieve its objectives. In the taxation-based strategy, fixed taxes on fossil-fuel vehicles and fossil fuels are considered, while in the non-taxation-based strategy, subsidies for purchasing electric vehicles and the number of buses purchased for public transportation are predefined. Based on this, eight scenarios with different values for the predefined factors of each strategy have been defined to attain their respective objectives. Game theory has been utilized to determine an optimal solution based on Norwegian data, owing to the interconnected decision-making among stakeholders. By analyzing the findings, managers can enhance their decision-making capabilities. The results suggest that appropriately adjusting subsidies, taxes, and bus numbers within specific thresholds is crucial for mitigating air pollution and achieving other objectives. The assertion that electric cars are a definitive solution may not be accurate, as it depends on the source of the generated electricity. While excessive subsidies in non-renewable energy countries can lead to increased pollution, even in Norway, where most electricity is renewable, rising demand for electric vehicles contributes to air pollution due to increased production. In countries where electricity generation is not primarily from renewable resources, the growth of electric vehicles further exacerbates pollution. Simultaneous increases in fuel taxes and tariffs on fossil fuel vehicles negatively impact the demand for fossil fuel vehicles and government revenues. Therefore, it is recommended that an increase in fuel taxes be implemented to optimize both government revenues and social welfare. This approach safeguards public revenues, promotes societal well-being, and mitigates air pollution. • Examining the impact of promoting Evs and public transportation on sustainable transportation development. • Pricing of electric and fossil fuel vehicles using game theory and based on a case of Norway. • Studying the impact of tax, subsidies, and public transportation expansion on sustainable transportation goals. • Investigating vehicle selection based on government policies (allowing EV access to dedicated bus lanes). • Examining the Rebound effect of excessive promotion of electric vehicles or buses. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study investigates the environmental and financial implications of an offshore wind-driven green hydrogen generation system using Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) and Life Cycle Cost Analysis (LCCA) methodologies. Global Climate Models (GCM) are employed to predict wind speeds crucial for system efficacy, followed by sizing the electrolyser system based on projected offshore wind power output. As a result of this study, LCA utilizing the GREET 2023 reveals a Global Warming Potential (GWP) of 0.7 kgCO 2 -eq./kgH 2 and 0.753 kgCO 2 -eq./kgH 2 for GWP-20 and GWP-100, respectively. Fine Particulate Matter Formation (FPMF) is calculated as 0.24 gPM 2.5 /kgH 2 for FPMF-20 and 0.53 gPM 2.5 /kgH 2 for FPMF-100. In LCCA, under the base scenario, the Net Present Cost (NPC) and Levelized Cost of Hydrogen (LCOH) are estimated at $49.65 million and $4.36/kgH 2 , respectively. Despite various incentives and tax scenarios explored, it is revealed that Internal Rates of Return (IRRs) fall below the anticipated cost of equity, indicating non-profitability. • Environmental and economic evaluation of offshore wind-driven hydrogen production. • Among all components, the spar-buoy system is responsible for the highest GWPs. • GWPs of the electrolyser system are almost negligible compared to the wind turbine. • Hydrogen production from the proposed system is not feasible without any incentive. • IRRs fall below anticipated cost of equity; tax incentives crucial for profitability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sustainable farming on ever-shrinking agricultural land and declining water resources for the growing human population is one of the greatest environmental and food security challenges of the 21st century. Conventional, age-old organic farming practices alone, and foods based on costly cellular agriculture, do not have the potential to be upscaled to meet the food supply challenges for feeding large populations. Additionally, agricultural practices relying on chemical inputs have a well-documented detrimental impact on human health and the environment. As the available farming methods have reached their productivity limits, new approaches to agriculture, combining friendly, age-old farming practices with modern technologies that exclude chemical interventions, are necessary to address the food production challenges. Growing genetically modified (GM) crops without chemical inputs can allow agricultural intensification with reduced adverse health and environmental impacts. Additionally, integrating high-value pleiotropic genes in their genetic improvement coupled with the use of modern agricultural technologies, like robotics and artificial intelligence (AI), will further improve productivity. Such 'organic-GM' crops will offer consumers healthy, agrochemical-free GM produce. We believe these agricultural practices will lead to the beginning of a potentially new chemical-free GM agricultural revolution in the era of Agriculture 4.0 and help meet the targets of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Furthermore, given the advancement in the genome editing (GE) toolbox, we ought to develop a new category of 'trait-reversible GM crops' to avert the fears of those who believe in ecological damage by GM crops. Thus, in this article, we advocate farming with no or minimal chemical use by combining chemical-free organic farming with the existing biofortified and multiple stress tolerant GM crops, while focusing on the development of novel 'biofertilizer-responsive GE crops' and 'trait-reversible GE crops' for the future. • Current regulations do not permit GM food be labelled organic or GM content be used in certified organic products. • Despite the hype, organic products have remained a niche market which is artificially sustained by the willingness of the rich to pay more and the profit motive of the farmers. • Modernizing GM agriculture by AI-based environment-friendly robotics technologies and avoiding synthetic agrochemicals will ensure a 'greener' future. • Developing biofertilizer-responsive GM crops is imperative, and can be based on selective host-microbe interactions governed by chemotaxis signalling and quorum sensing • Novel GM/ GE varieties should be engineered for higher secondary metabolite biosynthesis , and enhanced secretion of useful root exudates (volatile organic compounds, organic enzymes, siderophores, small secreted proteins, and terpenes) for better microbial associations in the rhizosphere. • For those who fear ecological damage by GM crops, we should develop 'trait reversible GM crops', as it would help build confidence among those vacillating and overly cautious in applying the precautionary principle. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The rationality of power transaction data based on power data analysis can effectively promote the diversified development of China's power industry and meet the diverse electricity needs of the people in production and life. Professional technical personnel in the power field will integrate new technological means into the rationality of transaction data work, which will provide guidance for its sustainable development. Based on this, this article conducts a more targeted analysis from three levels: the advantages of electricity trading data rationality based on electricity data analysis, the classification of electricity trading data rationality based on electricity data analysis, and the exploration of electricity trading data rationality methods based on electricity data analysis, in order to provide reference for the effective promotion of Gini in related project engineering. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

WEEE recycling not only effectively reduces environmental pollution and resource waste, but also creates economic benefits, which is in line with the concept of green development. However, the recycling market for used and end-of-life electrical products is characterized by problems such as asymmetric information and easy manipulation or loss of data, which may bring losses to enterprises. In this paper, by constructing a game model of the government, producers, and third-party recyclers, We delve into the optimal strategies of individual entities within the supply chain, contemplating both scenarios: the incorporation of blockchain technology and its absence, to determine the most logical and effective approach for each. The results show that the optimal strategies of the supply chain actors change in the case of adopting blockchain technology. At the same time, the profitability of each entity within the supply chain is predominantly influenced by the rate of inventory availability, information loss rate and input technology cost, and each subject can choose whether to put into use blockchain technology according to the actual situation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With the increasingly serious global environmental pollution problem, the ESG system established on the sustainable development theory has attracted the attention of all the countries. Compared with the effect of ESG information disclosure practice in western countries, ESG information disclosure practice in China is facing great challenges. Due to the inconsistency of the disclosure forms and disclosure standards of ESG information, the phenomenon of ESG information greenwashing cannot be effectively suppressed. From the perspective of ESG information collection, integration and verification, this paper analyzes the key factors restricting the quality of ESG information disclosure. The distributed accounting technology, across-chain interaction technology, and the characteristics such as imtamability and traceability of the Blockchain can effectively deal with the above constraints. By establishing a private chain within the enterprise, which is interacting with multiple external alliance chains, the enterprises can improve the quality of ESG information disclosure. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The study addresses the growing importance of sustainable purchasing trends among younger generations, specifically Millennials and Centennials, who are influenced by their digital environment and commitment to sustainable development. We conducted a systematic review following the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses for Protocols (PRISMA) to examine the role of artificial intelligence (AI) within the sustainable purchasing trends of these generations. The analysis reveals that AI, along with e-commerce, social networks and the sharing economy, is transforming purchasing decisions towards more sustainable and ethical choices. Virtual assistants and platforms such as Ant Forest promote energy-saving and sustainability behaviors among users. Companies can use AI to adapt their sustainable products to consumers' interests and foster a more sustainable marketplace. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hydrogen bioenergy represents a promising direction in the field of sustainable development, with the potential to become a key component of the future energy system. This article provides an overview of contemporary strategies for the development of hydrogen bioenergy, examining their impact on achieving sustainable development goals. By analyzing recent scientific research, potential advantages and challenges associated with the development of this industry were considered, and possible pathways for optimizing strategies for the development of hydrogen bioenergy were identified. The aim of the study was to present a comprehensive review of current trends and prospects in this area, contributing to the development of effective solutions for achieving sustainable development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The sustainability of dry regions has become a key issue for global development. Their natural and cultural landscapes are facing threats resulting from ongoing global changes. This paper presents an overview of geomorphological, climatic-environmental, and archaeological studies in the hyper-arid eastern Tarim Basin (Lop Nur), northwest China, a world-renowned crossroad for early east-west communications, to provide a scientific foundation for sustaining its nature-culture heritage. The late Quaternary landscape changes in the Lop Nur region are characterised by cycles between oases and yardang deserts, shaping the extensive aeolian landform. Archaeological evidence suggests humans' adaptation and resilience to today what are viewed as inhospitable environments since the late Pleistocene by exploiting the diverse range of oasis resources, movement, and encouraging adjacent populations to diversify their subsistence base. Settlement- and regional-scale deterioration of available water resources, affected by environmental and climatic dynamics, caused the eventual abandonment. Periodic occupation and abandonment in the Lop Nur region accompanying oasis-desert/yardang environment cycles provide important lessons for present-day policymakers to contextualise the relationship between human communities and fragile ecosystems. The open-air sites in the Lop Nur region represent the best-preserved oasis-desert civilisation, suffering cultural history losses. We propose the urgent necessity to establish a transdisciplinary database, construct a master chronological framework of settlement, and integrate the culture-nature heritage within the network of the Silk Roads. The scientific management of river networks is also critical for protecting those riverine cultural relics. The site- and group-level management of heritage needs to be adapted to the projected changes in climate and environment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents a comprehensive techno-economic analysis of the world's first large-scale commercial Power-to-X (PtX) plant in Kassø, Denmark. This innovative facility combines solar photovoltaic (PV), an electrical grid, green hydrogen production, methanol synthesis, and district heating in an integrated system. We conduct an in-depth analysis to explore optimal operating conditions, the potential for sector coupling within the power and heat sectors, and the economic feasibility of the integrated system. In particular, we study different scenarios considering changes in solar PV power generation, electricity market price, CO 2 price, and methanol price to explore their impacts on the system performance. Our results show that the electrolyzer's operation, a pivotal component of the system, heavily depends on the electricity spot price as well as the methanol price. Based on the green production of methanol, a premium price of 4800 DKK/t (0.64 €/t) is considered in this study (selling price of 8400 DKK/t). The results show that in case of high electricity prices (2022 spot market) or no premium price for methanol, the optimum annual production of methanol decreases by 58% and 67%, respectively. Furthermore, we observe that the variability of solar power output significantly impacts the plant's performance and economic viability, as it supplies about 30% of the plant's power consumption. Although the results are unique to the Kassø plant, the study's techniques and insights can be applied to other comparable systems around the world. The study also highlights how crucial it is to take market, climate, and technical factors into account when developing and running integrated energy systems. • Techno-economic analysis of the world's first large-scale commercial Power-to-X (PtX) plant in Kassø, Denmark. • Insights to optimal operating conditions, sector coupling potential, and economic feasibility of Power-to-Methanol plants. • Analysis of the impact of market dynamics on the operational efficiency and economic viability of the integrated plant. • Study of the role of intermittent solar power and its impact on the performance and economic sustainability of the plant. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Recent years have seen a significant increase in interest in green manufacturing as a key driver of global carbon-neutral efforts and sustainable development. To find the research hotspots of green manufacturing and reveal future research trends, this study reviewed and analyzed research articles from the Web of Science database on green manufacturing from 1991 to 2022 using a bibliometric method. The findings indicate a significant rise in the number of articles related to green manufacturing since the 2010s. Moreover, there has been an increase in the involvement of scholars from developing countries such as China and India in this field. Based on the literature review and bibliometric cluster analysis on green manufacturing, we believed that future research may continue following the lines of intelligent technology integration, adoption of frontier engineering techniques, and industry development in line with carbon reduction targets. A framework for future green manufacturing development is proposed, with a focus on Chinese policies. The framework could provide policy implications for developing countries looking to pursue opportunities for development in green manufacturing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]