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Rationale: Rapid on‐site detection of persistent organic pollutants (POP) is highly desirable for environmental protection. Methods: Herein, a rapid on‐site analytical workflow was developed for the investigation of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons and perfluorinated compounds using multiwalled carbon nanotube–modified paper spray ionization (PSI) coupled with a miniature ion trap mass spectrometer. Critical parameters regarding PSI and miniature mass spectrometry analysis were optimized. Results: The analytical performance of the developed method was evaluated under optimized conditions, obtaining a short analysis duration of less than 1 min, sufficient linearity with correlation coefficients greater than 0.99, acceptable recovery rates of 93.1%–105.8% with relative standard deviations of between 3.5% and 10.3%, and reasonable sensitivity with limits of detection and quantitation of 2–200 and 5–500 μg/L, respectively. Conclusions: Considering these aspects, it was concluded that the present approach demonstrated a promising solution for rapid on‐site detection of emerging POPs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper reports an innovative study that aims to address key issues in the efficient recycling of wastepaper cellulose. The research team utilized the temperature-responsive upper critical solution temperature (UCST) polymer P(NAGA-b-DMA) in combination with the LytA label's affinity for choline analogs. This innovative approach enabled them to successfully develop a novel soluble immobilized enzyme, P(NAGA-b-DMA)-cellulase. This new enzyme has proven highly effective, significantly enhancing the degradation of wastepaper cellulose while demonstrating exceptional stability. Compared with the traditional insoluble immobilized cellulase, the enzyme showed a significant improvement in the pH, temperature stability, recycling ability, and storage stability. A kinetic parameter calculation showed that the enzymatic effectiveness of the soluble immobilized enzyme was much better than that of the traditional insoluble immobilized cellulase. After the immobilization reaction, the Michaelis constant of the immobilized enzyme was only increased by 11.5%. In the actual wastepaper degradation experiment, the immobilized enzyme was effectively used, and it was found that the degradation efficiency of wastepaper cellulose reached 80% of that observed in laboratory conditions. This novel, thermosensitive soluble immobilized cellulase can efficiently catalyze the conversion of wastepaper cellulose into glucose under suitable conditions, so as to further ferment into environmentally friendly biofuel ethanol, which provides a solution to solve the shortage of raw materials and environmental protection problems in the paper products industry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Paper, which is in fact a very complex cellulose-based product derived from different lignocellulosic resources, is usually regarded as a simple omnipresent commodity in our lives. Wood fibers derived from trees are the most employed sources for papermaking purposes. From an environmental protection perspective, and for their essential role in our life (they give us the life itself through their foliar system supporting the photosynthesis process), trees should not be extensively cut down and they should be used less and less for papermaking. Thus, employment of non-woody alternative sources for papermaking could be exploited more as an attractive and feasible option. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As acetonitrile is a widely used solvent for the chemical industry, the recovery of acetonitrile from acetonitrile wastewater is significant for both industrial cost reduction and environmental protection. In this article, a simple, low‐energy, and low‐cost strategy is proposed for the effective separation of acetonitrile from high‐concentration acetonitrile wastewater. The approach is based on a sequential combination of two steps: salt‐induced phase separation and hydrophobic filtration. The acetonitrile wastewater was first induced to split into two phases by salt, that is, the acetonitrile‐rich phase and the water‐rich phase, then the above two phases were poured into the hydrophobic filter paper funnel for the separation. It was shown that NaCl is a suitable salting‐out reagent, and that hydrophobic filter papers—obtained from modification by butyltrichlorosilane and octyltrichlorosilane were the optimal choice for hydrophobic filtration. The salt‐induced phase separation process is able to increase the volume fraction of acetonitrile in the acetonitrile‐rich phase up to 92%. The acetonitrile‐rich phase can pass through the hydrophobic filter paper, whereas the water‐rich phase was intercepted. The hydrophobic filter paper retained strong hydrophobicity and high acetonitrile‐separating capacity after 3 months storage, or upon immersion in acetonitrile‐water mixtures for 12 h, or applied for 25 consecutive separations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Fluoroquinolones (FQs) are widely used for their excellent antimicrobial properties, yet their release into aquatic environments pose risks to ecosystems and public health. The accurate monitoring and analysis of FQs present challenges due to their low concentrations and the complex matrices found in actual environmental samples. To address the need for auto-pretreatment and on-line instrumental analysis, developing new microextraction materials and protocols is crucial. Such advancements will provide better analytical assurance for the effective extraction and determination of FQs at trace levels, which is of great significance to environmental protection and human health. In this work, we presented a Co2+ mediated paper-based molecularly imprinted polymer chip (CMC@Co-MIP), combined with UPLC analysis, to develop an effective analytical method for identifying and quantifying trace amounts of ciprofloxacin (CIP) and enrofloxacin (ENR) in water samples. Notably, the addition of Co2+ in CMC@Co-MIP helped to capture the template molecule CIP through coordination before imprinting, which significantly improved the ordering of the imprinted cavities. CMC@Co-MIP exhibited a maximum adsorption capacity up to 500.20 mg g−1 with an imprinting factor of 4.12, surpassing previous reports by a significant margin. Furthermore, the enrichment mechanism was extensively analyzed by various characterization techniques. The developed method showed excellent repeatability and reproducibility (RSD < 13.0 %) with detection limits ranging from 0.15 to 0.21 μg L−1 and recoveries ranging from 64.9 % to 102.3 % in real spiked water samples. We developed a novel microextraction paper-based chip based on Co2+ mediation, which effectively improved the selectivity and convenience of extracting FQs. This breakthrough allowed the chip to have a high enrichment efficiency as well as provide a robust on-line instrumental program. It also confirms that the imprinting scheme based on metal ion coordination is a high-performance strategy. [Display omitted] • A novel paper-based molecularly imprinted polymer chip (CMC@Co-MIP) was synthesized. • The imprinting protocol based on metal coordination was a high-performance strategy. • The chip showed excellent adsorption of fluoroquinolones, reaching 500.20 mg g−1. • The chip exhibited potentiality for environmental water samples pretreatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Once printed, books are always accompanied by the smells of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) which are continuously emitted not only by inks but also by papers themselves throughout their lives. Although the VOCs from papers may bring mild discomfort to readers, they are considered as very important factors that feature the degradation of papers and show potential applications in cultural relic appraisal. In this study, an analytical approach based on solid phase microextraction combined with gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (SPME-GC/MS) was proposed for the evaluation of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) emitted by Chinese traditional handmade papers. The VOCs evaluations and artificial aging processes were both applied to recent-made papers and naturally aged papers from a traditional Chinese calligraphy and painting scroll (collected by the National Museum of China). To be noticed, a large number of aliphatic acids, aldehydes, ketones, furan derivatives, benzene series and terpenoid substances indicated that the VOCs signals not only reveal the degradation of paper but also tentatively reflect the storage environment along hundreds of years ago. The semi-quantitative evaluation of markers indicated that the historical paper is under a serious degradation due to the high capacity it releases. Our results provided a path way to get the degradation information of ancient paintings as well as potential realistic applications such as the conservation of paper-based relics and the environmental protection in libraries and museums. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Accurate and up‐to‐date biodiversity forecasts enable robust planning for environmental management and conservation of landscapes under a wide range of uses. Future predictions of the species composition of ecological communities complement more frequently reported species richness estimates to better characterize the different dimensions of biodiversity. The models that make community composition forecasts are calibrated with data on species' geographic patterns for the present, which may not be good proxies for future patterns. The future establishment of novel communities represents data on species interactions unaccounted for by these models. However, detecting them in a systematic way presents challenges due to the lack of monitoring data for landscapes with high environmental turnover, where such communities are likely to establish. Here, we propose lightweight monitoring over both ecological and anthropogenic disturbance gradients using passive sensors (i.e., those that operate continuously without much human input) to detect novel communities with the aim of updating models that make community composition forecasts. Monitoring over these two gradients should maximize detection of novel communities and improve understanding of relationships between community composition and environmental change. Further, barriers regarding cost and effort are reduced by using relatively few sensors requiring minimal upkeep. Ongoing updates to community composition forecasts based on novel community data and better understanding of the associated uncertainty should improve future decision‐making for both resource management and conservation efforts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article presents the development of a method to prepare nanocrystalline cellulose (NCCs) from laser-printed waste paper using factorial design 2³ experiments by controlled acid hydrolysis of the waste paper. The method applies high gain ultrasound and subsequent flotation, washing, and bleaching stages. Characterization of the raw material, prepared pulp, test sheets, and NCCs is presented. Optimum conditions to obtain high quality NCCs were found to be 65% acid, for 40 min time of treatment, and residual load in the range of 130 to 570 mmol/kg of NCCs. The obtained NCCs were 80 to 700 nm long depending on the acid hydrolysis conditions. They exhibited high values of whiteness (90.3% Elrepho), α-cellulose contents (95%), degree of polymerization (731), viscosity (9.59 cP), and chemical compositions similar to that of Whatman paper. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The development of probes for the testing of the carcinogenic pollutant 2,4,6-trinitrophenol (TNP) is of great importance for environmental protection and human health. In this paper, a new rapid and sensitive fluorescence detection method based on carbon dots (CDs) was designed for the detection of TNP. The CDs were synthesized by simple pyrolysis using citric acid as raw material and characterized by various advanced techniques. The addition of TNP caused a significant turn off in the fluorescence of the CDs. The fluorescence quench intensity and TNP concentration exhibited a good linear correlation in the range of 0–80 μM with a minimum detection limit of 0.48 μM and a related coefficient of 0.994. The analytical method was applied to the determination of trace TNP in river water and tap water with recoveries in the range of 98%–110% and relative standard deviations less than 5%. Importantly, carbon dots functionalized papers (CDFPs) were prepared using the synthesized CDs and successfully applied to the determination of TNP in aqueous solutions, demonstrating the promising application of the method. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Our everyday lives are surrounded by green revolutions, environmental protection, sustainable lifestyles, sustainable development, and safeguarding our planet. Despite the fact that environmental challenges affect all human activities, few academic fields have written about them. Marketing is a good example. Businesses have begun changing their conduct to address society's "new" environmental concerns. Green marketing and environmental marketing are commonly used in the news. Many organizations in numerous sectors utilise green marketing to follow this trend. The American Marketing Association (AMA) defines „green marketing' as the promotion of ecologically friendly products. Thus, green marketing includes adjusting products, changing production processes, packaging, and advertising. Environmental Marketing and Ecological Marketing are synonyms. Changing to "green" may look costly initially, but it will pay off in the long term. Researchers can use this study to learn about green marketing, its importance, potential, and obstacles. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We report a paper-based chemosensor array device (PCSAD) for the quantitative detection of oxyanions including the herbicide glyphosate (GlyP) in aqueous media. The mechanism of the oxyanion detection relies on a coordination-binding-based sensor array. In this study, the competitive coordination binding among Zn2+, four catechol dyes, and seven oxyanions caused noticeable colour changes. The colour changes were employed for qualitative and quantitative analyses using an in-house automated image-processing algorithm with pattern recognition for digital images. A linear discrimination analysis discerned similarly structured oxyanions with 100% accuracy. The regression analysis allowed the accurate quantification of GlyP in the herbicide products with a limit of detection of 16 mg/L, which is lower than the health advisory value for children (20 mg/L) stipulated by the environmental protection agency (EPA). PCSAD is a powerful sensor device for the on-site quantification of aqueous anions for environmental assessment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The safety climate shows the attitude and general perception of the organization's management regarding safety. This study investigates the impact of safety training on the safety climate of operational employees working in the West Oil and Gas Company. Materials and Methods: This study is quasi-experimental interventional research, which was conducted in the first half of 2019 in West Oil and Gas Production Company with a pretest- posttest design. The study population included all workers in the operational departments of The West Oil and Gas Production Company. The sampling was done randomly with 240 people. The study questionnaire included a demographic information questionnaire and the safety climate questionnaire of "the safety organization of England." The validity of the questionnaire was confirmed by safety professors, and its reliability was obtained at 0.84 using the Cronbach α coefficient. Results: The mean score of safety climate components before the intervention was 2.65, and after the educational intervention reached 3.66. The safety improvement had the highest score among the components of the safety climate. Also, the lowest mean score of the component before the intervention was related to the violation of safety rules, which had the lowest mean score after the intervention of the licensing system. Conclusion: Educational intervention improved the safety climate in West Oil and Gas Production Company, so safety training plays a vital role in increasing the safety climate in the oil and gas industries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • GQD-DDT and GQD-MPA was synthesized using novel hydrothermal protocol. • GQD-DDT and GQD-MPA was used for the identification of cations using colorimetric and spectrophotometric assay. • GQD-DDT and GQD-MPA have well activity for ion sensing in aqueous solution. This study describes the synthesis of various types of thiolated-graphene quantum dots (GQDs) for the simultaneous multi-sensing of heavy metal ions using one-droplet microfluidic paper-based analytical devices (OD- µ PADs). For the first time, functionalized GQDs were synthesized and stabilized on the surface of hydrophobic fiber-glass with simple manufacturing and assembly strategy towards colorimetric chemosensing of ions including iron, copper, cobalt, mercury, chrome, manganese, and nickel. For this purpose, GQDs are functionalized by various organic species including cysteamine, decanethiol, and mercaptopropionic acid (MPA) towards specific electrostatic interaction with metal ions of Fe (II), Cu (II), Co(II), Hg (II), Mn (II), and Ni (II). Therefore, an innovative GQDs-based miniaturized chemo-system was proposed for the environmental analysis. Additionally, the results were confirmed using fluorescence spectrometry as an optical detection method. Finally, this simple and efficient colorimetric platform was used for facile metal ions detection in human urine models, and environmental fluids, which can provide a commercial device for sensing contaminants by non-professional users in biomedical/environmental mixture. As an economical technique, this platform presents a "mix-and-sense" system without dye (as a side substance) or chemical treatments. The low instrumental requirements, the color uniformity, and the disposability of OD- μ PADs approve the commercial application of the engineered ion-chemosensor. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ethiopia is experiencing deterioration in river quality resulting in adverse effects on human health and hydrobionts. This study aimed to analyse the effects of specific environmental stressors on the distribution and abundance of macroinvertebrates in the Upper Awash River. The study was conducted from January 2018 to March 2018. Macroinvertebrates were collected from five sites using standard handheld nets. Physicochemical parameters including electrical conductivity, dissolved oxygen, total phosphorous, nitrate-nitrogen, pH, dissolved oxygen and water temperature that can affect the distribution and abundance of macroinvertebrates were assessed. A total of 14,465 individuals belonging to 33 families of insects and 5 families of the noninsect group were identified. Among all recorded taxa, Diptera was the most abundant and diversified order. Macroinvertebrates among the five sites showed variation in species evenness, richness, and Shannon Diversity Index. Values obtained from biotic indices and environmental parameters indicated the presence of organic pollution at different levels. The impacted downstream site paper mill waste (Walgata) had the relatively highest H-FBI index followed by Osole (more agricultural activities) indicating that Walgata and Osole were poorer in benthic faunal diversity than other sites. In addition, as habitat and water quality degradation increased, the number and percentage of Plecoptera, Ephemeroptera, and Trichoptera (EPT) decreased. The selected metrics will be also useful for the monitoring and assessment of the riverine systems and to access the impact of different stressors. As perturbation increased, species diversity, ETHbios index, Average Score Per Taxon, and family richness decreased, while the percentage of Chironomidae, Diptera, Dominant Taxa, and Hilsenhoff Family-Level Biotic Index increased indicating that tolerant species become abundant in degraded river bodies. Environmental protection agencies of governmental and nongovernmental organizations should make awareness for the local people so that they reduce activities that affect the river. Paper factory should also monitor its effluent from directly discharging into the Upper Awash River. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In La Moitié de la Gloire, Axel Mayenfisch's documentary about the 1952 Swiss expedition to Chomolungma (Mount Everest), André Roch recalls how the retreating climbers simply abandoned much of their gear, either leaving it where it was or "throwing it into holes [crevasses]." Roch's tale was by no means unusual, as mountaineers at that time gave little thought to what became of their waste. By the 1970s, however, climbers were becoming increasingly aware of their impact on the environment. The resulting change of attitude led many mountaineering organizations to take concrete steps to protect the mountains (e.g., cleanup campaigns) and to issue waste management guidelines for trips into the high mountains. The Union internationale des associations d'alpinisme 1982 Kathmandu Declaration—a charter of ten principles for achieving greater harmony with the mountain environment—was an important milestone in this process. Drawing on documents held in the extensive archives of the Union internationale des associations d'alpinisme, the current paper retraces the path that led to the Kathmandu Declaration and the process by which the environment became an important aspect of the aforementioned organization's work. It also examines the hypothesis that the organization has progressively adopted a conservationist stance toward protecting nature; its aim is to reconcile environmental protection and economic development (especially tourism). The history of the Kathmandu Declaration supports this hypothesis, as it shows how the notion of sustainable development, which emerged in the 1980s, came to dominate conceptions of mountain protection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ecosystem ecology, like all scientific disciplines, is often propelled forward by "classic" papers that identify key concepts within the field and define the core questions for generations of scientists. Here, we examine the legacy and sustained impact of a paper long considered a classic in ecology, E.P. (Gene) Odum's 1969 "The strategy of ecosystem development." Odum's paper presented testable predictions about species diversity, energy flow, and biogeochemical dynamics during ecosystem succession and provided guiding principles for environmental conservation and management. Odum's 24 predictions on "ecosystem development" were a key component of this paper's legacy: The framework was referenced in 62.0% and tested in 28.7% of 1598 citing papers we examined. Although we found that support for Odum's framework grew over time, support for any particular prediction was inconsistent, highlighting the unresolved nature of some of the framework's principles. Odum's conceptual framework for ecosystem studies—as well as his forward-thinking attempts to connect ecosystem ecology with humans and society—continues to be pertinent to current and future research frontiers. Simplicity of the framework was its strength, and major limitation, painting ecosystem functioning in broad strokes, with no acknowledgement about interactions among the predictions. Newer generations have their work cut out for them by bridging evolutionary biology and ecosystem science or metabolic theory and ecological stoichiometry. Similarly, newer generations are using Odum's multidisciplinary approach to address the most pressing global change issues and designing solutions that make the Earth life sustaining system compatible with growing human demands. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper examines transport and mobility in rural and remote communities, focusing on trade‐offs between development and environmental protection in the Anthropocene. In Sarawak, a state of Malaysia, unpaved logging roads provide basic mobility for remote communities while contributing to the unsustainable and inequitable extraction of natural resources. I argue that the conditions under which transport infrastructure is provided prevent the possibility for sustainable development and pitch local people against a landscape that is the source of livelihoods and identities. The paper is interested in the life and agency of infrastructure and the environment, new materialism and critical approaches to development within human geography. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Analysing the coordination and spatial spillover effects between industrial development and environmental protection is crucial for regional sustainable development. This paper examines the spatial and temporal evolution characteristics of the coupling coordination level between industrial development and environmental protection, as well as the evolution of the decoupling type within this system. under the evolution of the coupling coordination mode and decoupling model. Additionally, it analyzes the spatial spillover effects using the spatial panel vector autoregression model. The main conclusions are as follows: First, the coordination level between industrial development and environmental protection is increasing over time in each province. Second, the decoupling status of industrial development and environmental protection shows distinct stages, progressing towards strong decoupling over time. Third, regional industrial development has a positive spillover effect on both industrial development and environmental protection in neighbouring regions, whereas regional environmental protection has a negative spillover effect on industrial development but a positive spillover effect on environmental protection in neighbouring regions. This paper suggests that provinces should focus on the synchronisation industrial development and environmental protection and implement differentiated strategies based on their specific conditions. Additionally, joint management and governance should be pursued between neighbouring provinces. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Although forest devolution, as a type of decentralization, is a high priority in the policy agendas of developing countries, recentralization has also occurred. In this paper, we focus on emerging recentralization within the devolution process of Collective Forest Tenure Reform (CFTR) in China's southern provinces and conceptualize this process as "recentralized forest devolution." In this paper, we update a key framework for analyzing decentralization and recentralization in governance processes based on the "policy arrangement approach." Case studies were conducted in four counties of the Fujian and Yunnan provinces by tracing governance dynamics from 2001 to 2019. Our study found that the central government has tightened upward accountability and recentralized power for environmental conservation since 2012 under the discourse of "Ecological Civilization." At the local level, recentralized forest devolution was expressed in terms of the restricted timber harvest levels for the purposes of environmental conservation. Therefore, forest devolution could be more vulnerable than expected by researchers and potentially interwoven with recentralization processes. Discourses, actors, property rights, and power are, therefore, considered to be interwoven in the complex dynamics of decentralization and recentralization. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sea level information, and its understanding, are essential for research in oceanography and coastal engineering. This paper describes sea level variability in the Clyde using data from 10 tide gauges. High coherence of sea level variability is found between the Firth of Clyde and estuary of the River Clyde, and between the Firth and estuary and the upstream part of the river. Consequently, if gaps exist in any of the records, missing information can be inferred from others. This applies to timescales of typically hours and longer, appropriate for storm surge or mean sea level change studies. No evidence exists for ‘see-saw’ oscillations of the river on subtidal timescales, as reported for the River Thames, but higher-frequency variability (typical period 45 minutes) is found with equal, or opposite, phase at different river locations. Such a standing wave behaviour would be one of the few reported examples of ‘river seiches’. Data from several agencies are used: two gauges of the UK National Network of the Environment Agency, five from the Scottish Environment Protection Agency, and three from Peel Ports. Only the former tend to be used in academic studies, but the present paper has demonstrated how useful complementary sources can be. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The development of offshore wind farms is an important step toward increasing the share of green energy in Poland's energy mix, offering promising prospects for the energy industry. However, in addition to numerous benefits, such investments also carry potential risks for the marine environment, including the risk of spills of hazardous substances such as gear oils, hydraulic oils, and lubricants. This paper analyses the potential impact of oil spills from offshore wind farms on the marine ecosystems of the Baltic Sea, taking into account hydrometeorological factors, particularly protected areas (such as Natura 2000 sites) and the intensity of ship traffic in the area of the planned farms. Simulations of spill scenarios are also presented to assess the potential extent of pollution and its impact on the environment. This paper emphasises the importance of advanced monitoring and safety systems in minimising the risk of accidents and responding quickly to possible incidents. The development of offshore wind farms in Poland presents itself as a key element in a sustainable energy development strategy, combining advanced technology with environmental concerns. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The paper studies the problems brought about by Resolution 40066 of 2022 of the Ministry of Mines and Energy of Colombia, regarding the new requirements it sets up for the flaring and venting of natural gas in Colombia. These requirements, which must be followed by the investing companies, imply an investment in infrastructure and technology that may imply a contractual imbalance and a negative impact on foreign investors. From a documentary analysis method with a systematic and deductive approach, the authors analyze the problematic scenario posed by the resolution and concludes that it is necessary to find a balance between the two legal interests at stake: the environment and free enterprise. As a result, the paper supplies a comprehensive and integrative view of the State's obligation to protect the environment, but also to ensure a stable and predictable legal framework for investments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • A novel MOG with muti-functional detection of Fe(III) and Cr(VI) was fabricated. • We firstly reported the test paper fabricated by In Situ growth based on MOG. Heavy metals, like iron and chromium(Cr), have been proved to be a serious pollutant to environmental and biological systems. Long-term exposure to Cr(VI) ions through drinking water is harmful to human and will cause some serious diseases. Therefore, exploring new method for selective and rapid detection of such specific pollutants in water is crucial for environmental protection and human health. Herein, a novel functional metal organic gel(MOG) was successfully fabricated. Its detection limit of Cr(VI) was 2.4 × 10−8 mol·L−1 in aqueous solution, and 1.2 × 10−6 mol·L−1 for Fe(III) Based on the excellent deformability of MOG materials, a fluorescent test paper which could realize visible detection of Cr(VI) was fabricated by the in situ growth of Zn-MOGs onto the filter paper. To the best of our knowledge, it is the first sample of Zn-MOGs Based Test Paper (Zn-MOGs-FP) fabricated by in situ growth. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We developed a novel strategy for fabrication of microfluidic paper-based analytical devices (μPADs) by selective wet etching of hydrophobic filter paper using a paper mask having a specific design. The fabrication process consists of two steps. First, the hydrophilic filter paper was patterned hydrophobic by using trimethoxyoctadecylsilane (TMOS) solution as the patterning agent. Next, a paper mask penetrated with NaOH solution (containing 30% glycerol) was aligned onto the hydrophobic filter paper, allowing the etching of the silanized filter paper by the etching reagent. The masked region turned highly hydrophilic whereas the unmasked region remains highly hydrophobic. Thus, hydrophilic channels, reservoirs, and detection zones were generated and delimited by the hydrophobic barriers. The effects of some factors including TMOS concentration, etching temperature, etching time, and NaOH concentration on fabrication of μPAD were studied. Being free of any expensive equipment, metal mask and expensive reagents, this rapid, simple, and cost-effective method could be used to fabricate lPAD by untrained personnel with minimum cost. A flower-shaped μPAD fabricated by this presented method was applied to the glucose assay in artificial urine samples with good performance, indicating its feasibility as a quantitative analysis device. We believe that this method would be very attractive to the development of simple microfluidic devices for point-of-care applications in clinical diagnostics, food safety, and environmental protection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Protecting crops from various threats, including vermin, pests, animals and rodents, is essential for sustaining agriculture. In India, especially in regions like Rajasthan, animal attacks result in significant crop losses, up to 40%. This section underscores the importance of safeguarding crops against these threats. Methods: According to our sustainable agriculture assessment and cognition of the primary issue of the community that was conducted across multiple rural sites within the Sawai Madhupur district of Rajasthan from 2020 to 2023. This paper employs a comparative method to conduct a comprehensive review of animal-repellent systems, along with delving into interdisciplinary research in related fields to identify key factors influencing their effectiveness and proposes a novel holistic farm protection solution system. Result: The proposed system offers robust crop protection while aiding environmental conservation and preserving local wildlife in Rajasthan, India. This paper underscores the importance of adopting IoT-based technologies for sustainable agriculture. It is a valuable resource for researchers, agronomists and various agriculture stakeholders to implement these advancements. This system holds promise for enhancing crop security, minimizing resource waste and ensuring food chain stability for generations to come. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the quest for effective environmental governance, the integration of legal and cultural pluralism within conservation strategies emerges as a critical factor, especially in regions marked by rich ethnic diversity and complex historical legacies. This paper explores the symbiotic relationship between state conservation efforts and the engagement of local communities, with a particular focus on the Indigenous Maroon communities in the Blue and John Crow Mountains (BJCMs) of Jamaica. It underscores the imperative of aligning conservation objectives with the aspirations and traditional practices of these communities to foster sustainable ecosystems and safeguard Indigenous autonomy. Central to this discourse is the development of collaborative frameworks that respect and incorporate the legal and cultural dimensions of pluralism, thereby facilitating a co-managed approach to environmental stewardship. This study emphasizes the role of collaboration and trust as pivotal elements in cultivating a mutual understanding of the interdependencies between state law and Indigenous law. This research advocates for a reciprocal exchange of knowledge between the state and community members, aiming to empower the latter with the resources necessary for effective environmental protection while respecting their legal autonomy. This approach not only enhances conservation initiatives overall, but also ensures that these efforts are informed by the rich cultural heritage and traditional ecological knowledge of the Maroon communities. By examining the conservation practices and governance challenges faced by the Maroons in the BJCMs, this paper reveals the nuanced dynamics of implementing state-led conservation laws in areas characterized by cultural and legal pluralism. The findings highlight the necessity for state regulatory frameworks to enable collaborative governance models that complement, rather than undermine, the traditional governance structures of the Maroons. This research contributes to the broader discourse on environmental governance by illustrating the potential of culturally informed conservation strategies to address environmental threats while respecting and reinforcing the social fabric of Indigenous communities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This special issue examines environmental governance, conceptualized as environmental protections, support for sustainable development, and the regulation of large-scale development projects. Through analysis of dynamics during the commodities super-cycle of the 2000s–2010s, contributors explore the multifaceted ways that societal actors interact with the state to support, oppose, or modify environmental governance, with a focus on communities impacted by export activities and economic elites who favor their expansion. Several papers seek to understand the governance of sectors—mining, oil, and soy. Others begin with natural areas threatened by development—urban wetlands and forests. As a collection, the papers reveal three commonalities that affect the extent to which environmental governance institutions address demands of impacted communities: (1) the question of whether a policymaking process takes place in reaction to mobilizing, or whether it proactively engages environmental questions as they pertain to local populations; (2) strategies by civil society, and above all impacted residents, to ensure the implementation of environmental policies; and (3) debates over knowledge, including community efforts to harness expertise and information to counter paradigms advanced by business actors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simple Summary: In response to the challenges posed by a growing global population, the livestock industry must increase food production while ensuring environmental sustainability. This paper explores how feed producers can tackle these challenges using advanced formulation techniques. By leveraging AI decision support systems, producers can optimize feed composition to promote animal health and environmental stewardship. The study's findings offer valuable insights into improving animal feed production, supporting the livestock industry in achieving sustainability goals and contributing to global environmental conservation efforts. The unprecedented challenges presented by the increase in global population have placed substantial demands on the livestock industry for human nutrition, necessitating heightened animal productivity and leading to an increased demand for natural resources to produce animal feed. Feed producers are leading the charge, consistently refining formulations to adapt to the evolving needs of livestock, driven in part by the cost of over 50% associated with feed production. This paper critically analyses the pressing issues within feed formulation, addressing the requirement for environmentally sustainable practices amidst the challenges of climate change. The exploration extends to how advanced decision support tools can enhance formulation techniques and profitability and contribute to environmental sustainability. Through an in-depth review of current feed formulation technologies, encompassing their applications and limitations, this study aims to enhance the existing knowledge base. Additionally, we examined future trends, highlighting the essential role of connecting technologies to establish a resilient and sustainable system. The emphasis is on the potential of formulation techniques to positively impact the environment and enhance the overall quality and performance of the animals. This paper provides actionable insights to improve animal production by examining feed formulation models and decision support tools. The anticipated outcome is a more informed and sustainable decision-making process, addressing the multifaceted challenges confronted by the livestock industry and making contributions to global efforts in climate change mitigation and environmental stewardship in animal production agriculture. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper reports on a collaboration between advocacy organisation, Sweltering Cities, artists and researchers who developed a multi-site research project that provided South West Sydney residents an opportunity to engage in drama and poetry workshops that gave voice to their lived experience of rising surface temperatures, as well as their desire for environmental protection and climate action. The research featured in this paper contributes to previous research that finds aesthetic modes of engagement to be powerful with regard to ecological awareness, capable of being a positive motivator of small shifts in thinking which are a precursor to climate action. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

While new infrastructure, as a technological extension of traditional infrastructure, has important digital economy attributes, mismatched investment in new infrastructure can still be environmentally damaging. To this end, this paper explores the potential impact of the matching relationship between the new infrastructure investment (NII) and the upgrading of industrial structure (UIS) on environmental pollution from the perspective of coupling and coordination between the two. Through a series of quantitative empirical and robustness tests on China's relevant data from 2011 to 2019, this paper concludes that the coupling coordination level (NUC) of NII and UIS has an inhibitory effect on major environmental pollutants; in terms of mediating effect, NUC can reduce the emission of major environmental pollutants by improving energy consumption structure (ECS) and green innovation level (GII); in terms of nonlinear change characteristics, there is a threshold effect of NUC on the emission of industrial sewage and industrial dust; in terms of spatial properties, NII, NUC, PM2.5 and industrial sewage have positive spatial spillover effects. This study provides theoretical and empirical evidence that can support the government's decision to implement differentiated new infrastructure investment decisions based on environmental protection, and it also provides a certain level of reference for developing countries to make more environmentally friendly new infrastructure investment decisions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper examines the shift in international water law from traditional nation-state governance to embracing hydrological units such as watersheds through the lens of scalar politics. It scrutinizes how the United Nations Water Conventions, by advocating various legal principles such as equity and no harm, have triggered rescaling in transboundary water governance globally. Through an extensive survey of legal documents, this paper further uncovers diverse scalar reconfigurations that permeate bilateral, multilateral and regional water treaties and interface with existing social, political and legal structures across different regions, highlighting the multiplicity of rescaling processes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An innovative thermal-sensitive ink has been developed and thoroughly tested on polyester fabric. Unlike conventional methods, this new ink eliminates the need for chemical pretreatment and post-printing washing of the fabric before or after printing. It utilizes high-temperature disperse dyes and a biodegradable carrier molecule called a triblock copolymer, specifically Poly(ε-caprolactone-lactic acid)-poly(ethylene glycol)-poly(ε-caprolactone-lactic acid) (PCLA-PEG-PCLA). This remarkable copolymer comprises dihydroxy polyethylene glycol (PEG), ε-caprolactone (CL), and L‐lactide (LA). Upon contact with a heated surface, such as a fiber or textile, the ink droplets swiftly transition rapidly, transforming into a gel-like state. This transition enhances the ink's viscosity, effectively preventing undesired spreading and resulting in precise edge definition on the fabric. To comprehensively evaluate the performance of polyester fabric printed with this innovative ink, a series of meticulous evaluations have been conducted. These evaluations encompass pH levels, particle size, surface tension, viscosity, ink droplet formation, as well as real-time photo-rheological and LF‐NMR analyses conducted on the surface of the polyester fabric. The newly developed inks demonstrate exceptional effectiveness and are highly suitable for digital printing applications across various materials. Furthermore, the implementation of this new ink can significantly reduce the reliance on chemicals and minimize wastewater production during the manufacturing process. [Display omitted] • A novel thermosensitive ink has been prepared by combining a triblock compolymers (PCLA- PEG- PCLA) with high-temperature disperse dyes. • This new printing technology significantly reduces the use of chemicals by eliminating the need for pretreatment. • Fabrics printed with thermosensitive ink demonstrate excellent printing accuracy and color fastness. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Underwater bubble plume images contain a wealth of information on wave field and flow characteristics, which can provide valuable research data for marine development, environmental protection, and underwater surveys. However, based on fusing image features and wave field environment features, identifying accurately the underwater bubble plume is still very difficult. In order to improve the accuracy and robustness of bubble plume identification in complex underwater environments, an underwater bubble plume recognition algorithm based on multi-feature fusion understanding is proposed. In this paper, a weight-independent dual-channel residual convolutional neural network (CNN) for feature extraction of the original optical images and the nonsubsampled contourlet transform (NSCT) low-frequency images, and the multi-scale composite feature map groups are generated. Then adaptive fusion is performed based on the feature contribution of the target in different types of images. Next, logical region of interest (ROI) masks are generated by the attention mechanism and superimposed on the fused image to further highlight the target features. Finally, the multi-scale dual-channel fused feature maps containing ROI masks are used for underwater bubble plume target recognition. The experimental results show that the designed recognition network can effectively fuse the features of the original optical images and the NSCT low-frequency imagers, improve the depth of information fusion, and retain the target texture features and the morphological features while reducing the interference of the background information, and have good recognition accuracy and robustness for multi-scale bubble targets in the underwater environment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Freshwater biodiversity is under great threat across the globe as evidenced by more severe declines relative to other types of ecosystems. Some of the main stressors responsible for these concerning trends is habitat fragmentation, degradation, and loss stemming from anthropogenic activities, including energy production, urbanization, agriculture, and resource extraction. Habitat protection and restoration both play an integral role in efforts to save freshwater biodiversity and associated ecosystem services from further decline. In this paper, we summarize the sources of threats associated with habitat fragmentation, degradation, and loss and then outline response options to protect and restore freshwater habitats. Specific response options are to legislate the protection of healthy and productive freshwater ecosystems, prioritize habitats for protection and restoration, enact durable protections, conserve habitat in a coordinated and integrated manner, engage in evidence-based restoration using an adaptive management approach, ensure that potential freshwater habitat alterations are mitigated or off-set, and future-proof protection and restoration actions. Such work should be done through a lens that engages and involves local community members. We identify three broad categories of obstacles that could arise during the implementation of the response options outlined: (a) scientific (e.g., inaccessible data or uncertainties), (b) institutional and management (e.g., capacity issues or differing goals across agencies), and (c) social and political (e.g., prioritizing economic development over conservation initiatives). The protection and restoration of habitats is key to Bend the Curve for freshwater biodiversity, with a comprehensive, connected, and coordinated effort of response options needed to protect intact habitats and restore fragmented, degraded, and lost habitats and the biodiversity and ecosystem services that they support. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

AbstractPlains Bison once had the largest population and range of any terrestrial herbivore in North America. Bison now occupy less than 2% of their historic range, mostly behind fences of state-run and private organizations. In 2014, Indigenous groups across North America signed The Buffalo Treaty, calling for bison rewilding. This paper examines barriers to rewilding on Canada’s prairies in the provinces of Manitoba, Saskatchewan, and Alberta. Through interviews we asked government and NGO representatives what prevents bison reintroduction and rewilding. Our results suggest that the main barriers are social acceptance and material resources. These findings support previous research in the United States and Europe and provides a foundation for future research that could include other actors, such as landowners, Indigenous organizations, and industry representatives. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper traces the temporal tactics of continually renewed coloniality—where some impasses are made to appear insurmountable while others demand swift solutions—in relation to housing and mining at Borroloola in Australia's Northern Territory. Distinct policy and regulatory regimes encourage analyses that set housing and mining apart. Yet together they signal the settler state's simultaneous remedial and extractive orientations to remote Aboriginal communities. Mining leeches into housing, and housing is a promise extracted from late liberal recognition, for community members forced to wait for promised amenities while fighting for long‐term environmental protections. The analysis demonstrates the central significance of temporal control to settler colonialism: by selectively deferring action; by producing the appearance of actions that are not actually taken; and by intervening to expedite processes that serve the interests of extractive capital. We argue that the confection of intermittent urgency to intervene is a key feature of the deferrals enacted by Australian settler governance, as it rations remedial solutions and displaces harms into mortgaged futures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

People's increasing demand for fossil fuels not only leads to environmental pollution but also highlights their non-renewable nature. Therefore, the urgency of developing renewable energy sources is evident. Tree branches and leaves undergo cycles of growth and decay with the changing seasons, showcasing their renewable potential. Despite this, they remain underutilized as new energy materials, particularly in the realm of high-energy-density lithium batteries. While this paper did not directly explore the utilization of various branches and leaves as raw materials for lithium–sulfur battery (LSB) cathodes, it revealed promising findings: they not only demonstrate good battery capacity but also boast considerable cycle life. The carbonized material from the leaves of Acer buergerianum can be used as the electrode of LSBs and could achieve 318.8 mA h g−1 at 4C and a decay rate of only 0.03% at 1C for 400 cycles., respectively. Therefore, the innovative method of turning decaying leaves into energy contributes significantly to the future of renewable energy and environmental protection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Excessive environmental regulation can achieve environmental improvement, but it is not conducive to sustainable environmental improvement. This paper takes the “one-size-fits-all” (OFA) in the process of China’s central environmental protection inspection (CEPI) as an example to explore the occurrence mechanism from the perspective of multiple co-governance. Using the fuzzy set qualitative comparative analysis (fsQCA), we find that four distinct mechanisms can result in OFA. Based on the four distinct mechanisms, we find that even if the pollution behavior of enterprises is not serious, local governments may still adopt OFA under a combination of other conditions; non-key cities of environmental protection are more prone to OFA; giving full play to the role of public inspection is a key step to avoiding local government violations. However, the effectiveness of public environmental attention is insufficient under the dual driving force of pollution and the economy under the lack of vertical environmental regulatory pressure. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Rolling oil sludge (ROS) is a type of solid waste produced during steel rolling; this waste contains not only a high iron content but also many harmful organic components and is a very attractive secondary resource. This paper introduces the sources and hazards of ROS, summarizes the recycling methods integrated with steel production, classifies traditional treatment technologies, and analyzes their advantages and disadvantages. Combined treatment is the main direction of ROS treatment methods in the future. The ROS recycling techniques applied in different industries are summarized. Finally, existing problems and future work are described to promote the remediation and resource utilization of ROS. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In recent years, with the development of China's industry, the pollution problem of heavy metal wastewater in the country has become increasingly serious. In this paper, peanut shells modified with zinc chloride were selected as an adsorbent for the adsorption of Ag+ , and the optimal conditions for this adsorption were investigated. The results showed that the best adsorption effect was achieved at pH 4.0, an initial concentration of 250 μg/mL of Ag+ , a dosage of 0.10 g of peanut shell, a contact time of 40 min, and a temperature of 20°C. The prepared materials were also characterized by scanning electron microscopy and an X-ray diffraction analyzer. It was found that the skeleton did not change after the peanut shell treatment: the pores became larger; and the peanut shells had good adsorption capacity for Ag+ after being modified with zinc chloride. The kinetic, thermodynamic, and isothermal properties of the adsorption process were analyzed, showing that the adsorption conforms to the quasisecond-order kinetic equation and to the Freundlich adsorption isotherm. By this method, the heavy metal Ag+ in wastewater can be absorbed at low cost and with high efficiency, providing protection to the environment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Double-sided planetary grinding (DSPG) with a fixed abrasive is widely used in sapphire substrate processing. Compared with conventional free abrasive grinding, it has the advantages of high precision, high efficiency, and environmental protection. In this study, we propose a material removal rate (MRR) model specific to the fixed-abrasive DSPG process for sapphire substrates, grounded in the trajectory length of abrasive particles. In this paper, the material removal rate model is obtained after focusing on the theoretical analysis of the effective number of abrasive grains, the indentation depth of a single abrasive grain, the length of the abrasive grain trajectory, and the groove repetition rate. To validate this model, experiments were conducted on sapphire substrates using a DSPG machine. Theoretical predictions of the material removal rate were then juxtaposed with experimental outcomes across varying grinding pressures and rotational speeds. The trends between theoretical and experimental values showed remarkable consistency, with deviations ranging between 0.2% and 39.2%, thereby substantiating the model's validity. Moreover, leveraging the insights from this model, we optimized the disparity in the material removal rate between two surfaces of the substrate, thereby enhancing the uniformity of the machining process across both surfaces. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A long history of theory exists to underpin our understanding of how to engage individuals and communities in more effective environmental conservation and sustainability practices. Yet rarely do we delve deeply into sociocultural theories of learning, which help demonstrate how learning and action are fundamentally intertwined in our interactions, our societies, and the world around us. To our detriment we ignore this compelling, well-grounded, and robust body of empirical and theoretical evidence. As climate change, biodiversity loss, and other pressing social-ecological issues intensify, the key to stemming and solving the greatest challenges of our time requires engaging individuals and communities. In this theoretical paper, we attend to the history and underpinnings of sociocultural theories of learning and their implications for environmental literacy, in particular, collective environmental literacy. We also discuss how such underpinnings are important to understand when pursuing carefully designed, actionable, and effective sustainability solutions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the field of preparation of cerium oxide by Venturi jet pyrolysis reactor, the spray pyrolysis process can achieve energy saving and environmental protection. The atomization effect of transverse air flow on the droplet directly affects the morphology of the product, and this research can improve the high value of cerium oxide applications. In this paper, a novel Venturi jet pyrolysis reactor has been developed. The atomization stage in the preparation process was studied by combining experiment and numerical simulation. The results show that the entire atomization process can be divided into primary atomization and secondary atomization. The primary atomization process of the liquid jet consists of columnar fragmentation and surface fragmentation, which are dominated by Rayleigh–Taylor (R-T) instability and Kelvin–Helmholtz (K-H) instability respectively. In the process of atomization of liquid column, the increase in gas velocity helps to promote the atomization. The Sauter mean Diameter value at 35 and 40 m/s gas velocity is the smallest, and the atomization effect of Venturi reactor is the best. With the increase in Weissenberg number (Wi), the crushing mode of droplets in Venturi reactor gradually changes from envelope to envelope—core and further evolves into core-layer. The core-layer crushing effect is the best, and the distribution range of daughter droplets is larger. The crushing state of atomized droplets in Venturi reactor is summarized. When Wi < 12, it is vibration crushing; when 12 < Wi < 30, it is packet crushing; when 30 < Wi < 45; it is pack-core crushing; and when 45 < Wi < 75, it is stamen-layer breakage. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Education is an essential part of ecotourism, and first-hand experiences in nature can lead to increased awareness and concern for the environment. Environmental education in ecotourism, however, is generally shaped by anthropocentric views of human-nature relationships which emphasise human exceptionalism and human agency in protecting nature. This paper re-imagines child-nature relationships in ecotourism through a post-humanist lens, based on semi-structured interviews with professionals in ecotourism, conservation and education. We set out to re-imagine how conservation awareness may be promoted among young children by de-constructing the human-nature binaries and stewardship pedagogies upon which environmental education and conservation are founded. The research shows that ecotourism sites can provide an ideal space for nature-based learning with young children. This requires thinking differently when planning outdoor spaces for young children, by inviting them to construct understandings of the interconnectedness of nature, and to learn and intra-act with the more-than-human world. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper examines the impact of the digital economy on sustainable development, using panel data from cities at the prefecture level and above in China from 2011 to 2019. The results indicate: (1) The digital economy is conducive to boosting growth, increasing employment, reducing energy consumption, and cutting emissions, thereby promoting sustainable development. These findings prove robust. (2) Mechanism test outcomes reveal that, from the perspective of technological innovation, the digital economy can promote sustainable development through increasing R&D input and enhancing innovation output. (3) An extended analysis of the risk of a digital "divide" demonstrates that "dividend" of the digital economy is primarily manifests in spurring economic growth, enhancing energy efficiency, and strengthening environmental protection in lagging regions, while the digital "divide" effect is manifested in the stronger employment stimulating effect of developed regions versus backward areas. The results of this study not only enrich the relevant research system, but also provide empirical evidence to support accelerating digital transformation, strengthening technological innovation governance, and advancing sustainable development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The digital representation of seafloor, a challenge in UNESCO's Ocean Decade initiative, is essential for sustainable development support and marine environment protection, aligning with the United Nations' 2030 program goals. Accuracy in seafloor representation can be achieved through remote sensing measurements, including acoustic and laser sources. Ground truth information integration facilitates comprehensive seafloor assessment. The current seafloor mapping paradigm benefits from the object-based image analysis (OBIA) approach, managing high-resolution remote sensing measurements effectively. A critical OBIA step is the segmentation process, with various algorithms available. Recent artificial intelligence advancements have led to AI-powered segmentation algorithms development, like the Segment Anything Model (SAM) by META AI. This paper presents the SAM approach's first evaluation for seafloor mapping. The benchmark remote sensing dataset refers to Puck Lagoon, Poland and includes measurements from various sources, primarily multibeam echosounders, bathymetric lidar, airborne photogrammetry, and satellite imagery. The SAM algorithm's performance was evaluated on an affordable workstation equipped with an NVIDIA GPU, enabling CUDA architecture utilization. The growing popularity and demand for AI-based services predict their widespread application in future underwater remote sensing studies, regardless of the measurement technology used (acoustic, laser, or imagery). Applying SAM in Puck Lagoon seafloor mapping may benefit other seafloor mapping studies intending to employ AI technology. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Museum-based settings such as zoos provide a unique opportunity to engage educators in professional development opportunities. For instance, zoo settings can provide professional development opportunities focused on facilitating learning through a lens of conservation action to promote sustained action by teachers and their students. In this paper, we present an overview of a new zoo-based teacher professional development program designed to develop educators’ connections with wildlife and experiences with conservation actions. The program specifically aligns to the CARE framework for conservation education that addresses limitations of prior models for moving individuals from caring about wildlife to taking action to protect wildlife. We present results from two implementations of this professional development program with 21 teachers. The implications of these findings are discussed with reference to the value of action-based frameworks for guiding zoo-based teacher professional development and empowering educators to facilitate learning through a conservation lens to promote conservation action. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article focuses on the role emotions play as a heuristic tool in determining the hierarchy of norms in EU's Arctic policy. In the Arctic, appropriate behaviour prescribed by the norms regarding climate change mitigation (the European Green Deal and the Paris Agreement), environmental protection according to EU environmental law and UN-recognised Indigenous Peoples' rights contradict each other. When multiple norms are to be applied in a situation and they conflict with each other, a prioritisation needs to be made among these norms. This paper investigates how emotions contribute in a heuristic way to determining this priority. It finds out that fear of climate change enables climate change mitigation and regulations of the European Green Deal to gain primacy over environmental protection norms and Indigenous Peoples' rights. Self-confidence of the EU and its trust in Nordic member states in these two areas constrain the EU from taking further protective measures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The current research examines the interlink within G-20 economies. Advanced econometrics methods were employed in the panel data collected from 1990 to 2019. Within an employed method, co-integration, panel unit tests, and vector error models were considered, unveiling long-term interactions and the casual interlink between proposed variables. This method is essential to highlight the complicated relationship between energy usage and economic factors. It also supports the global efforts to minimize environmental degradation and fossil fuel usage to achieve the Paris Agreement goals. The current study's findings show a significant and robust long-term equilibrium between primary energy consumption, financial growth, price of energy, and trade openness. The findings further suggest that fluctuations in primary energy consumption directly impact financial growth, with trade openness being essential to this relationship. Renewable energy sources also play a vital role in mitigating carbon emissions that precisely explain sustainable financial growth without comprising the protection of environmental integrity. For the member countries of the G-20, the findings emphasize improving energy efficiency, funding for renewable energy, and maintaining stable energy prices to promote sustainable financial growth. This paper contributes to the existing literature examining the co-integration between renewable energy consumption, financial growth, and trade openness for the long run, stresses the necessity of comprehensive energy policies, and employs superior econometric estimation techniques. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]