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As the world embarks on a global mission to tackle climate change, reducing carbon represents a key challenge given the escalating global warming. The U.K. is among many other nations that are determined to decarbonise all sectors and strive to achieve a net zero carbon target by 2050. While much attention has been paid to improving performance and reducing carbon emissions in electrical machines, the current research landscape focuses mainly on the thermal and electromagnetic facets. Surprisingly, carbon emissions from the production stage, especially those related to raw material consumption, remain a largely unexplored area. This paper wishes to shed light on a neglected dimension by providing a comprehensive review of carbon emissions in the manufacture of electrical machines, thus contributing significantly to the wider discourse on carbon emission reduction by comparing the carbon emission values associated with various materials commonly used for the main components of these machines. A further case study is included to assess and explore the impact of material alterations on a synchronous machine, from a carbon emission perspective. A reliable material guide will provide engineers at the design stage with the critical insight needed to make informed material selection decisions, highlighting the critical role of carbon emission values beyond conventional thermal and electromagnetic considerations, achieving sustainable and environmentally conscious electrical machine design. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The serious consequences of climate warming have increasingly become a globe agenda in recent decades. China has been actively participating in various initiatives to address global climate change and has made commitments to reduce carbon emissions. Although the logistics industry is regarded as the "new driving force of national economic development", its carbon intensity is relatively high. Therefore, whether the logistics industry can develop in a green and low-carbon way is very crucial. This paper takes the green logistics efficiency of China's provincial logistics industry as the research object. The Super-SBM model is used to measure the China's green logistics efficiency, then the general dynamic characteristics is depicted by kernel density analysis. With the GML (Global Malmquist-Luenberger) index model, the reasons for the changes in green logistics efficiency are explained. Finally, Moran's I index is used to analyze the spatial correlation of green logistics efficiency in each province. The results show that the green logistics efficiency in China is at a low level, but with an upward trend. China's green logistics efficiency has a significant positive spatial correlation, showing a zonal pattern of high in the east and low in the west, and a polarization phenomenon. In addition, the bottleneck of the overall development of green logistics efficiency in China depends on the level of green technology. Furthermore, the results also imply that green technology advancement is an inherent key factor for green logistics efficiency to achieve growth. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Due to global warming, the overheating risk in the severe cold region of China has attracted attention, but so far, no studies have examined summer overheating in this region. This paper aims to reveal the overheating risk in recent and future climates in the severe cold region of China. An 18-storey residential building in the severe cold region of China was monitored from May to September 2021 to validate the simulation data of the indoor temperature. Weather files of the typical meteorological year (TMY) from 2007 to 2020, observations in 2021, and forecasts for the climate in different carbon emission scenarios (2030, 2060) were used to simulate the indoor temperature and assess the overheating risk. The results revealed the severity of the overheating risk; the overheating hours in the south-facing bedroom were recorded as 884 h (24.07%) with the TMY weather data and 1043 h (28.40%) in 2030 and 1719 h (46.81%) in 2060 under the RCP8.5 carbon emission scenario. Thus, the low carbon emissions policy may significantly alleviate overheating. Moreover, to cope with climate change, it is suggested that the Chinese local design standards should consider the summer overheating risk and make the necessary adjustments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As concerns around climate change and global warming intensify, extreme weather events such as heavy rain, blizzards, and smog-induced haze have greatly impacted the commuting travel mode selection of urban residents. Such behavioral shifts have in turn led to changes of the carbon emissions generated from these residents. This paper constructs a "extreme weather (W)–travel behavior (B)–carbon emissions (C)" research framework. Using a multiple logistic regression model, the transportation mode shift model, and the econometric model of urban resident's travel behavior under the influence of extreme weather conditions were constructed. The marginal effects of weather on residents' commuter behavior, through the use of transportation type and distance of travel were also obtained. The study found that the overall carbon dioxide emission levels of daily commuting has gradually decreased due to the influence of extreme weather. However, as some travelers still adopted high-emission commuting modes through the use of taxis or ride-sharing services, there was still a slight increase in CCDE levels in certain extreme weather contexts. In particular, when haze was prevalent, vehicle restriction policies only reduced CCDE by 2.18%, while the remaining 77.83% of total CCDE remaining unchanged. This research provides a key reference point for governmental departments in urban transportation management and environmental protection to formulate policies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Reducing the emissions of greenhouse gases (GHGs) is vital for mitigating climate change and meeting commitments to international agreements such as the COP 21 Paris Agreement of 2015. Agriculture is reported to account for approximately 11 percent of total global GHG emissions such that: the agricultural sector has an important role to play in meeting climate change mitigation objectives. However, there is currently little consensus on how farm management and interventions, along with interactions with in-field variability, such as soil type, affect the production and assimilation of GHGs in arable crop lands. Practical recommendations for farmers are often vague or generalised, and models (e.g. on the amount of nitrogen fertiliser applied) are used despite limited understanding of the influence of local conditions, such as the importance of soil type. Here, we report the findings of a systematic map of the evidence relating to the impact on GHG flux from the in-field management of arable land in temperate regions. Methods: We searched for, collated and catalogued research relating to the effects of in-field arable farming practices in temperate systems on GHG emissions. Results from 6 bibliographic databases, a web-based search engine and organisational websites were combined with evidence from stakeholders. Duplicates were removed and the results were then screened for relevance at title and abstract, and full-text levels according to a predefined set of eligibility criteria (following consistency checking). Relevant studies were then coded and their meta-data extracted and used to populate a systematic map database describing each study's settings, methods and measured outcomes. Results: The mapping process identified 538 relevant studies from 351 articles. Nearly all of these (96%) were found from traditional research papers, with 42% from European countries and nearly half (203 studies) lasting for 12 months or less. Over half of all studies (55%) investigated multiple interventions with chemical fertiliser (n = 100), tillage (n = 70), and organic fertiliser (n = 30) the most frequently studied single intervention types. When combining individually studied and multiple interventions, the top three intervention types most frequently studied were: chemical fertiliser (n = 312); organic fertiliser (n = 176) and tillage (n = 158). Nitrous oxide was the most commonly studied outcome, with over double the number of studies compared to carbon dioxide, the next most studied outcome. Sandy loam and silty loam were the most commonly studied soils but there was a good distribution of studies across other types. However, studies predominately focused on humid sub-tropical (Cfa) and temperate oceanic (Cfb) climates, with hot summer Mediterranean (CSa) and warm summer Mediterranean (Csb) climate zones less represented. Conclusions: The mapping process identified clusters of research for chemical and organic fertiliser especially in relation to nitrous oxide emissions and for both carbon dioxide and nitrous dioxide in relation to tillage. Therefore, there is potential for further synthesis for these interventions. The spread of research across soil textures and in the humid sub-tropical and temperate oceanic climates may enable further synthesis to provide tailored in-field advice for farmers and provide an evidence base to inform subsidies policy. However, smaller amounts of research relating to biochar, cover crops, crop rotation, and nitrogen inhibitors highlight gaps where further research would be beneficial. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To avoid the potential adverse impacts of climate change from global warming, it is suggested that the target of net zero emissions should be reached by this mid-century. Thailand is aiming to achieve carbon neutrality by 2050. Since electricity generation is one of the largest producers of carbon dioxide emission, the associated emissions must be greatly reduced to achieve the targets mentioned above. Thus, new generation expansion plans must be well developed. This paper discusses the development of generation expansion plans considering Thailand's latest policies along with enhancement of the existing multi-period linear programming model, allowing new electricity generation technologies having low emissions, e.g., solar PV with battery and hydrogen blending in natural gas, to be integrated into generation expansion planning. Then, four generation expansion plans with different levels of hydrogen blending in natural gas are proposed and discussed. It is found that Thailand can achieve carbon neutrality by 2050 by promoting more use of renewable energy altogether with trade-off between land for solar PV installation and amount of hydrogen blended in natural gas. The lesson learned from this study provides crucial information about possible pathways to achieve carbon neutrality in the electricity sector for policy makers in other countries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Biochar was recently included as a promising negative emissions technology (NET) in the Special Report on Global Warming of 1.5 °C published by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change. Unlike other NETs, it can potentially be used to mitigate global climate change while adding to local resilience in countries highly exposed and sensitive to impacts of climate change, such as least-developed countries (LDCs). The study is as an empirical contribution to the, as of yet, underdeveloped literature on deployment of negative emissions technologies in LDCs in general and on biochar use in developing countries and LDCs specifically. Nine historical and existing biochar projects in Tanzania are mapped in order to analyse problems, goals and common trade-offs associated with small- to medium-scale biochar production in LDCs. The mapping is based on a literature and document study, interviews with project actors, and on-site visits to biochar projects during 2019. The paper gives support to the observation made in the biochar literature that while biochar has many potential socio-economic and environmental benefits, combining them in one single project is difficult. It is concluded that implementing biochar projects in Tanzania will likely involve trade-offs between the development and subsistence strategies and needs of local communities, the motivational forces of different project participants, and the uneven regulatory capacity of the state. We end by reflecting on the use of biochar projects to offset carbon emissions made elsewhere. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: A number of empirical methods have been developed to study China's sectoral carbon emissions (CSCE). Measuring these emissions is important for climate change mitigation. While several articles have reviewed specific methods, few attempts conduct a systematic analysis of all the major research methods. In total 807 papers were published on CSCE research between 1997 and 2017. The primary source of literature for this analysis was taken from the Web of Science database. Based on a bibliometric analysis using knowledge mapping with the software CiteSpace, the review identified five common families of methods: 1) environmentally-extended input-output analysis (EE-IOA), 2) index decomposition analysis (IDA), 3) econometrics, 4) carbon emission control efficiency evaluation and 5) simulation. The research revealed the main trends in each family of methods and has visualized this research into ten research clusters. In addition, the paper provides a direct comparison of all methods. The research results can help scholars quickly identify and compare different methods for addressing specific research questions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Global warming is caused by rising carbon dioxide concentrations, while ecological and environmental issues are becoming increasingly evident. Many governments' main objective in addressing climate challenges is to achieve carbon balance. Exploring the distribution and changing trends of carbon balance can contribute to carbon balance strategies. This study takes the Yangtze River Economic Belt (YREB) as the study area, analyzing the spatial and temporal dynamic changes in carbon emissions and carbon sequestration in the YREB from 2000 to 2017. The county-level supply–demand ratios and accessibility are calculated based on the enhanced two-step floating catchment method according to the dynamic flow radius. According to our experimental results, carbon emissions can achieve different degrees of carbon balance according to the flow radius. After carbon emissions flow between counties within the province, some provinces can realize the transition from carbon surplus to carbon balance. With the expansion of the flow radius and the increase in internal mobility, more counties can participate in carbon sequestration, and some provinces can achieve carbon neutrality after carbon emissions transfer across provinces. Hubei, Chongqing, Zhejiang, Hunan and other provinces with special carbon sequestration capacity are very sensitive to changes in the radius of carbon emission flow. In 2017, when the carbon emission flow radius is 50 km, the net carbon emission of the flow can be reduced by 3%. If the radius is increased to 200 km, the YREB can achieve carbon balance. This study can provide decision-making information for carbon emission ecosystem management in the YREB. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the debate between proponents of green growth and degrowth, the core issue is whether decoupling carbon emissions and resource use from GDP growth is possible, and if so, possible at a rate fast enough to achieve policy goals such as global warming of maximum 1.5 °C or 2 °C. In this paper, the claims by degrowth scholars on the limits of decoupling growth and carbon emissions are critically examined by assessing the economic and climate consequences of their claims. It is claimed that their pessimistic view on decoupling is not based on robust arguments but rather mystifications of what decoupling is. Following the assumptions by leading degrowth scholars – that decoupling (decrease of the emission intensity of GDP) are unlikely to be larger than 4% and that levels of GDP need to converge in a degrowing world – indicates that the 1.5 °C target is ruled out altogether and that in order to reach the 2 °C target, the economies of the global north would have to be reduced with over 90% and for middle income countries with around 70%. This appears as very unlikely to happen. Yet, there might be alternatives, which are discussed by sketching a realist and dynamic theory of decoupling. • The pessimist assumptions on decoupling by some degrowth scholars presuppose an economic collapse of unseen magnitude • Alternatively, stringent climate goals such as 1.5 °C, are not attainable • These pessimist assumptions are, however, not based on robust arguments, and ways to demystify decoupling is discussed [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The rising GHG emissions and climate change have resulted in number of catastrophes such as floods, droughts and heat waves. Accordingly, researchers are interested in exploring the nexus between GHG emissions and economic growth. This research study is motivated to explore the moderation of transportation competitiveness for economic growth and carbon emissions of transport sector in global perspective. The annual time series data for study variables are used for time period from 2008 to 2018 for 121 countries. The panel quantile regression (PQR) estimation technique is used for analysis of results. The study results validated inverted U-shaped environmental Kuznets curve (EKC) for quantile group-1 and 2, while U-shaped EKC was validated for quantile group-3 and 4. The moderation of transport competitiveness significantly tends to achieve environmental sustainability for economic growth and carbon emissions of transport sector for quantile group-1 and 2. However, the moderation of transport competitiveness increases carbon emissions of transport sector in quantile group-4. The study results implicated that process of economic growth resulted in expansion of transport sector in quantile group-3 and 4 beyond sustainable level. The various policy recommendations are advocated to improve the quality of transport sector to mitigate carbon emissions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nowadays, the methodology aiming to achieve carbon neutrality and net zero energy on a large scale is known. Despite this, few specialists are mastering this technology globally. What new scenarios. applied at the neighbourhood scale. generate a significant reduction in the rate of CO2 emissions and energy demand? In addition, a lack of massive, regular, and consistent data on carbon emissions and energy consumption has made it significantly difficult to understand the origins of climate change at the building and neighbourhood scales. This work has, as its main goal, the assessment of different strategies that facilitate reduction in the concentration of CO2 and lower energy demands at the district level. The life cycle assessment of a new district has been carried out over 100 years during the four stages of the life cycle of the neighbourhood (construction, operation, demolition and end of life). The results showed that up to 93% of greenhouse gas (GHG) was produced during the operational stage. The energy demand due to transport and waste management represented 60% of the total energy demand of the district during the operational stage. There is still a possibility to maintain air temperature growth around 1.5 °C in the next decade by means of the following: Global warming + 100% of heavy renovation of all buildings + 100% of electric car − renewable energy. This strategy would facilitate a reduction of over 92% of the CO2 produced at the district level. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Boreal forest ecosystems are regions vulnerable to climate change. Such areas act as the main atmospheric carbon sinks in the world. Wildfires are among the drivers of ecosystem modification and functioning. Boreal wildfires emit an annual average of about 10% of global fire emissions. Taking into account recent climate warming and increases in the frequency of wildfires, boreal forests might switch their functional role from carbon sink to an additional source of atmospheric carbon. Soil respiration is the second largest component of the global carbon cycle and is highly sensitive to disturbance factors, including wildfires. To study the effect of wildfires on soil CO2 emission rates, the fire chronosequence was investigated. During the first few years following the fire, the soil CO2 emission rates were lower compared with the usual levels. It was found that 23 years after a fire, the site demonstrated transition behavior in soil emission rates between disturbed and completely recovered areas. The emission rates at the earliest successional stages are mainly controlled by soil moisture during the summer period. For the other successional stages, soil temperature had a huge impact on soil emission. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Global warming may cause the average atmospheric temperature to exceed 2 °C by the end of this century, instigating climate change and adversely affecting human lives. Emissions of carbon dioxide (CO 2) should be reduced to overcome the problems of global warming and climate change. The applications of negative emission technologies (NETs) are proposed to reduce terrestrial CO 2 and are identified as one of the prominent options for the energy system transition. Most negative emission technologies require energy to function, which has to be produced from additional energy sources. Understanding the interdependence of the energy sources and NETs for planning the carbon-constrained energy sector is essential. A novel graphical approach, founded on the concepts of Pinch Analysis, to decarbonize the energy sector is purported in this paper. The proposed method determines the minimum integration of negative emission technologies required to attain the allowed CO 2 emission limit while satisfying the energy demand. Four different examples are used to show the applicability of the suggested approach with different NETs: carbon capture and sequestration (CCS), bioenergy with carbon capture and storage (BECCS), and direct air capture (DAC). In these examples, renewable-based energy sources, fossil-based energy sources, as well as energy-producing negative emission technologies are used as compensatory energy sources. The proposed graphical approach has the potential to be used as a planning tool to decarbonize the energy sector involving interdependent energy sources and NETs. [Display omitted] • Negative emission technologies help decarbonize the energy sector. • Identified dependence between the energy sector and negative emission technologies. • A graphical method is proposed to integrate negative emissions technologies. • Determined minimum compensatory energy for adopting negative emission technologies. • The proposed graphical approach provides insight into the overall systems planning. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Global warming, climate change, and resource depletion have forced us to reconsider energy usage and efficiencies over the last few decades. Residential and commercial buildings are both large energy consumers, so improving energy and material usage efficiency in this sector is a common research topic. According to a recent study, the Building Sector (BS) accounts for 40% of greenhouse gas emissions. The primary objective of this paper is to examine and assess the potential of Renewable Energy Systems (RES) and their combinations for enhancing energy efficiency in the BS. Specifically, the focus will be on converting low energy-efficient buildings into highly efficient ones. The potential of the RES and their combinations for the BS is evaluated based on payback durations, energy generation, and reduction of CO 2 emissions. The optimization flow charts for the RES, feasibility studies, commercialization road maps of energy storage systems and the necessity of control mechanisms for enhancing RES efficiency were discussed. Additionally, the technology drawbacks are discussed, along with various innovative techniques recommended to direct future study in this area. Finally, this article assists the audience clear idea in the selection of the right combination of potential RES based on different conditions to achieve deep decarbonization in BSs. • Buildings sector (BS) responsible for 40% of GHG emissions. • Study assesses potential of Renewable Energy System (RES) in BS. • RES evaluated on payback, energy generation, and CO 2 reduction. • Optimization, feasibility and commercialization studies were discussed. • Article recommends right RES combinations for deep decarbonization in BS. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Carbon dioxide (CO2) in the atmosphere occurs as the result of various chemical, physical, and biological processes. The presence of CO2 around atmosphere greatly affects the agroforestry and agroindustry of coffee. This study aimed to describe the CO2 cycle in agroforestry and agroindustry of Gayo Arabica coffee (Coffea arabica) and net CO2 ha-1 of coffee plantation. CO2 cycle was analyzed based on the movement of CO2 around the agroforestry and agroindustry of coffee. CO2 cycle model describes net CO2, CO2 emission, CO2 reduction, and CO2 sequestration. Net CO2 ha-1 of coffee plantation was 162.75 x 10-2 t CO2 e ha-1, with CO2 emission was 203.84 x 10-2 t CO2 e ha-1, CO2 reduction was 3.10 x 10-2 t CO2 e ha-1, and CO2 sequestration was 363.49 x 10-2 t CO2 e ha-1. This research formulates the calculation of equivalent carbon emissions in the arabica coffee production system in the field and primary processing, using various methods (remote sensing analysis and calculation of direct and indirect equivalent carbon emissions). The CO2 cycle positively impacts the sustainability of agroforestry and agroindustry of Gayo Arabica coffee. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Global warming has become one of the major threats to the security of human survival, security, and sustainable development. Agricultural production has been widely suspected as one of the main sources of anthropogenic carbon emissions. Analyzing the changing characteristics and influencing factors of agricultural carbon emissions is of great significance for the mitigation of global climate change and the sustainable development in agriculture. Taking China, a large agricultural country, as an example, this study used the empirical model to quantify carbon emissions from agricultural inputs from 1991 to 2019, and analyzed the driving factors using ridge regression. We found that agricultural carbon emissions in China have been on the rise in the past 30 years, but at a markedly slower pace. From 2008 to 2019, the average annual growth rate of agricultural carbon emissions was 1.47%, down significantly from 2.92% between 1991 and 2007. The carbon emissions per unit of planting area showed an overall increasing trend, which grew from 179.35 t ce/km2 to 246.26 t ce/km2, with an average annual growth rate of 1.13%. The carbon emissions per unit of agricultural output mainly showed a decreasing trend, which decreased from 0.52 kg ce/CNY to 0.06 kg ce/CNY, with an average annual rate of change of −7.42%. China's agricultural carbon emissions were closely related to macro-policies. Fertilizer inputs, agricultural industry structure, and energy use intensity were significantly positively correlated with carbon emission intensity. The degree of urban feedback to rural areas, public investment in agriculture, and large-scale planting were significantly negatively correlated with carbon emission intensity, but the impacts of these factors had a "lag effect". In order to reduce carbon emissions from agriculture and promote development in green agriculture, we suggest that the government should further increase the degree of urban feedback to rural and public investment in the agricultural sector. In addition, large-scale agricultural production should be encouraged to increase resource efficiency and reduce carbon emissions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The increase in global surface temperatures will surpass the 2 °C target set by the Paris Agreement unless carbon emissions are lowered to zero by 2050. To date, the building sector is responsible for 38% of all carbon emissions, thus one of the main targets is represented by the development of building strategies that can facilitate the transition toward carbon-neutral buildings. The main strategies are today represented by nearly zero energy buildings (nZEBs), zero energy buildings (ZEBs)/net zero energy buildings (NZEBs) and net zero carbon buildings (NZCBs). Particularly, NZCBs completely target zero operational and embodied carbon during their life cycles, fulfilling the leadership role in the decarbonization of the construction sector. Moreover, adopting the European Standard EN 15978:2011, carbon emissions can be precisely classified to enhance strategies aimed at reducing them. Commercial viability remains a fundamental economic driver, but the higher initial capital costs hinder the NZCBs. In addition, legislative, socio-cultural, technological, professional and geographical barriers hold back its diffusion. NZCBs can be met by a four-steps program: embodied carbon reduction, operational carbon reduction, increase in renewable energy supply and offset and carbon storage. Circular economy principles are strictly connected to design for disassembly and for adaptability to reduce embodied carbon, while passive design and solar and geothermal energy production can satisfy the renewable energy demand of the building. The aim of this narrative review is to determine and describe which is the current state of the art for NZCB definition, the drivers and barriers toward its application in a broader context and which strategies are eligible to meet the ambitious goal of zero operational and zero embodied carbon emissions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

It is generally accepted in the scientific community that carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions, which lead to global warming, arise from using fossil fuels, namely coal, oil and gas, as energy sources. Consequently, alleviating the effects of global warming and climate change necessitates substantial reductions in the use of fossil fuel energy. This paper uses a financial market-based approach to investigate whether positive stock returns cause changes in CO2 emissions, or vice-versa, based on the Granger causality test to determine cause and effect, or leader and follower. If Granger causality can be determined in any direction, this will enable a clear directional statement regarding temporal predictability between stock returns and CO2 emissions. The empirical data include annual CO2 emissions from fuel combustion of the three main fossil energy sources, namely coal, oil and gas, based on 18 countries with sophisticated financial markets that are in the Morgan Stanley Capital International (MSCI) World Index from 1971 to 2017. The empirical results show clearly that all the statistically significant causality findings are unidirectional from the stock market returns to CO2 emissions from coal, oil and gas, but not the reverse. More importantly, the regression results suggest that when stock returns rise by 1%, CO2 emissions from coal combustion decrease by 9% among the countries that are included in MSCI World Index. Furthermore, when stock returns rise 1%, CO2 emissions from oil combustion increase by 2%, but stock returns have no significant effect on CO2 emissions from gas combustion. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Background Reducing the emissions of greenhouse gases (GHGs) is vital for mitigating climate change and meeting commitments to international agreements such as the COP 21 Paris Agreement of 2015. Agriculture is reported to account for approximately 11 percent of total global GHG emissions such that: the agricultural sector has an important role to play in meeting climate change mitigation objectives. However, there is currently little consensus on how farm management and interventions, along with interactions with in-field variability, such as soil type, affect the production and assimilation of GHGs in arable crop lands. Practical recommendations for farmers are often vague or generalised, and models (e.g. on the amount of nitrogen fertiliser applied) are used despite limited understanding of the influence of local conditions, such as the importance of soil type. Here, we report the findings of a systematic map of the evidence relating to the impact on GHG flux from the in-field management of arable land in temperate regions. Methods We searched for, collated and catalogued research relating to the effects of in-field arable farming practices in temperate systems on GHG emissions. Results from 6 bibliographic databases, a web-based search engine and organisational websites were combined with evidence from stakeholders. Duplicates were removed and the results were then screened for relevance at title and abstract, and full-text levels according to a predefined set of eligibility criteria (following consistency checking). Relevant studies were then coded and their meta-data extracted and used to populate a systematic map database describing each study’s settings, methods and measured outcomes. Results The mapping process identified 538 relevant studies from 351 articles. Nearly all of these (96%) were found from traditional research papers, with 42% from European countries and nearly half (203 studies) lasting for 12 months or less. Over half of all studies (55%) investigated multiple interventions with chemical fertiliser (n = 100), tillage (n = 70), and organic fertiliser (n = 30) the most frequently studied single intervention types. When combining individually studied and multiple interventions, the top three intervention types most frequently studied were: chemical fertiliser (n = 312); organic fertiliser (n = 176) and tillage (n = 158). Nitrous oxide was the most commonly studied outcome, with over double the number of studies compared to carbon dioxide, the next most studied outcome. Sandy loam and silty loam were the most commonly studied soils but there was a good distribution of studies across other types. However, studies predominately focused on humid sub-tropical (Cfa) and temperate oceanic (Cfb) climates, with hot summer Mediterranean (CSa) and warm summer Mediterranean (Csb) climate zones less represented. Conclusions The mapping process identified clusters of research for chemical and organic fertiliser especially in relation to nitrous oxide emissions and for both carbon dioxide and nitrous dioxide in relation to tillage. Therefore, there is potential for further synthesis for these interventions. The spread of research across soil textures and in the humid sub-tropical and temperate oceanic climates may enable further synthesis to provide tailored in-field advice for farmers and provide an evidence base to inform subsidies policy. However, smaller amounts of research relating to biochar, cover crops, crop rotation, and nitrogen inhibitors highlight gaps where further research would be beneficial.

Low carbon manufacturing is of growing importance due to the severity of energy shortage and increasing energy costs, as well as a series of environmental problems, i.e., climate change and global warming. This paper investigates the potential of process parameter optimization to minimize carbon emissions during machine processing. A process model of CNC machining is first presented to scope the system boundaries for energy footprint and process efficiency. A multi-objective optimization model is then proposed to explore the impact of cutting speed and feed rate on carbon emissions and processing time. The benefit of the approach is illustrated through a case study of a CNC cylindrical turning process. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As the first legally binding global agreement on climate change, the Paris Agreement aims to limit long-term global warming to less than 2 °C, preferably below 1.5 °C compared to pre-industrial levels. Road transport, as one of the primary sources of energy consumption and carbon emissions, has great potential for energy conservation and emission reduction in achieving the climate goals. However, current approaches cannot efficiently reduce road travel, making it challenging to decarbonize in the transport sector. Therefore, in this paper, we propose STRICTs, a blockchain-enabled motor vehicle restrictive and trading system based on the carbon emissions cap. STRICTs allows automated carbon emission auditing and carbon emission violation punishment without relying on third-party escrow. Through a decentralized enforcer, STRICTs also enables carbon permit trading reliably and transparently. Finally, we implement a proof-of-concept prototype of the system based on Hyperledger Fabric and conduct experiments for comprehensive performance evaluation through CO2 Emission by Vehicles dataset. The experiment results show the practically affordable performance of STRICTs. [Display omitted] • Carbon emission calculation and carbon emission permit allocation method is developed. • Vehicle data chain is built to guarantee the reliability and correctness of collected vehicle data. • Restrictions on carbon emission allowance is presented to reduce carbon emissions. • A smart-contract-based decentralized enforcer is proposed to audit user's carbon emission behavior. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

China is the largest source of carbon emissions in the world, and the Chinese iron and steel sector is the main contributor to the growth in greenhouse gas emissions. In addition to excessive greenhouse gas emissions, climate change and global warming have seriously threatened the survival of animals, plants and even humans. To cope with global climate problems, it is our responsibility to establish environment-friendly iron and steel enterprises. In this study, data envelopment analysis (DEA) is used to evaluate the environmental protection performance of China's iron and steel enterprises based on the panel data during 2015–2017. We first establish an environment-related index system for the industry and build a range-adjusted measure model. Then, the global Malmquist productivity index based on DEA is introduced to analyse environmental efficiency and environmental productivity. The results show that most Chinese iron and steel enterprises achieved high environmental efficiency. However, many enterprises exhibited low environmental productivity and especially Shougang Group, HBIS Tangsteel and Anyang Iron and Steel continued to decline from 2015 to 2017. In general, Valin Hengyang and Shaanxi Iron and Steel achieved better performance in environmental protection. Based on the above results, the environmental problems in our country are still very serious. Thus, the government needs to formulate suitable environmental regulations to reduce the gap between the global frontier and contemporaneous frontier over two periods. Furthermore, entrepreneurs should introduce some advanced environmental technologies to improve their technical level and environmental protection level. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Using time series data for the period 1959–2015, our empirical analysis examines the simultaneous effects of the individual components of the global carbon budget on temperature. Specifically, we explore the possible effects of carbon emissions caused by fossil fuel combustion, cement production, land-use change emissions, and carbon sinks (here in terms of land sink and ocean sink) on climate change. The simultaneous inclusion of carbon emissions and carbon sinks allows us to look at the coexistent and opposing effects of the individual components of the carbon budget and thus provides a holistic perspective from which to explore the relationship between the global carbon budget and global warming. The results reveal a significant positive effect of carbon emissions on temperature for both fossil fuels emissions and emissions from land-use change, confirming previous results concerning carbon dioxide and temperature. Further, while ocean sink does not seem to have a significant effect, we identify a temperature-decreasing effect for land sink. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mastering complexity is the next big challenge for science. Understanding and managing complexity is of critical importance if we are to find ways of solving environmental challenges such as global warming, and if we are to build societies that do not destroy themselves through conflict and war. Eliminating the carbon gas emissions inevitably implies higher energy costs and slower growth. There is no miraculous economic boom. Behind the shortages (energy, transport, semiconductors) there are deeper forces which can stay even for a long-term period. Green alternatives are not solving the problem of shortages. On the contrary. That shows, among many other things, the new complexity of the global economy. The New Global Economy is not about a bright future. It is about selecting a positive rule among many possible rules, a rule that indicates a positive behaviour of the global economy. Green should transform itself from truism into beating reality. The present available resources are, in general economic terms, more valuable than future resources. Having resources now means that we can or should expand our opportunities. This is simple economics, yet quite complex at the level of the global economy. The present command of resources is one of the most sensitive issues on the global stage. What stays unchanged when the economy is subjected to symmetrical transformation, i.e. transformations which do not alter the whole validity of the system? The obvious answer is: cooperation, interconnectivity and trade. We speak a lot about transitions in the global economy. Therefore, we are compelled to speak about some critical points and order parameters. Global economy should also be based on continuously expanding and charging towards the frontier of innovation. Governments and businesses working hand in hand make the economies more innovative. Global cooperation, if it is to become a reality, is about shared convictions. Indeed, we have no option but to act in the presence of uncertainty and often that means that a better situation could be simply an unattainable one. And we should, much more than now, resort to diplomacy as a global tool to cope with global uncertainties. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

It is generally accepted in the scientific community that carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions, which lead to global warming, arise from using fossil fuels, namely coal, oil and gas, as energy sources. Consequently, alleviating the effects of global warming and climate change necessitates substantial reductions in the use of fossil fuel energy. This paper uses a financial market-based approach to investigate whether positive stock returns cause changes in CO2 emissions, or vice-versa, based on the Granger causality test to determine cause and effect, or leader and follower. If Granger causality can be determined in any direction, this will enable a clear directional statement regarding temporal predictability between stock returns and CO2 emissions. The empirical data include annual CO2 emissions from fuel combustion of the three main fossil energy sources, namely coal, oil and gas, based on 18 countries with sophisticated financial markets that are in the Morgan Stanley Capital International (MSCI) World Index from 1971 to 2017. The empirical results show clearly that all the statistically significant causality findings are unidirectional from the stock market returns to CO2 emissions from coal, oil and gas, but not the reverse. More importantly, the regression results suggest that when stock returns rise by 1%, CO2 emissions from coal combustion decrease by 9% among the countries that are included in MSCI World Index. Furthermore, when stock returns rise 1%, CO2 emissions from oil combustion increase by 2%, but stock returns have no significant effect on CO2 emissions from gas combustion.