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Composite materials use recently increased, although treatments at their End of Life are inexistent or highly inefficient (from the environmental perspective). Thus, openness to cooperation is needed, supported by methodologies for design for de-manufacturing. The approach proposed in the present work aims at transforming industrial processes' scraps and off-specification pieces in primary materials, through re-design, without the risk of cannibalisation. It is mainly intended for industrial processes of composite materials; its objective is to find alternative applications to their invaluable final disposal and supports the merging of existing supply chains (Industrial Symbiosis). Nevertheless, it can be easily extended to non-composite and/or non-scraps. Re-design enables the establishment of waste-to-treasure composite scraps' life cycles and is evaluated through Life Cycle Assessment. The application of the approach involved four Italian companies and results reveal that industrial symbiosis can reduce emissions (from −45% to more than −90%). Guidelines were outlined: involve End of Life operators to know how waste treatments, share information, favour networking and proximity, apply design for disassembly principles, consider simple shapes and modularity during (re)design. Future works will focus on off-the-shelf components and the economic evaluation of the proposed de-manufacturing actions and supply strategies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

While scholars have explored how focal firms harness demand-side value through ecosystem development, less emphasis has been placed on understanding how peripheral complementors become competitive. Unlike focal firms, complementors can seldom set value extraction rules. How can complementors lacking critical supply-side resources establish themselves as ecosystem leaders? We conducted a longitudinal analysis of Xiaomi, which began life as a smartphone software complementor within the Android ecosystem but ultimately gained architectural control by orchestrating the creation of a derivative ecosystem. We elucidate how these resource-disadvantaged firms may begin with fueling an "identity movement" among underserved users centered around a pivotal "foothold resource." This movement serves as their entry point into an ecosystem and enables them to build a demand-side community. They then employ "demand pull" as concrete evidence to substantiate their vision, coalesce supply-side resources, and ultimately become an orchestrator. While conventional strategy research emphasizes supply-side resources as drivers of value creation, we explore the synergy between demand-side mobilization and supply-side orchestration. Finally, we illustrate how firms lacking resources craft compelling visions in conjunction with substantive actions to engage evolving target audiences. This approach allows them to secure more advantageous positions within the ecosystem, thereby transforming its structure over time. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Startup accelerators, which aim to improve the set of choices representing a startup's entry strategy, have become increasingly influential in both regional development and the strategies of individual startups. This article explores an accelerator's impact on startup performance and whether that impact varies substantially by features of the startup's founding environment. Leveraging data from a leading startup accelerator, I use a regression discontinuity framework to hold startup quality constant so that I can compare the performance of admitted startups to those that do not make the cut, and I examine whether any observed performance differentials are driven by accelerator admission and by characteristics of the startup's earlier environment. I find evidence that startups from better pre-accelerator environments experience stronger gains from accelerator admission. I also find evidence of home bias, as local startups have a stronger treatment effect. These results provide evidence of ecosystem effects whereby the impact of one organizational sponsor in an ecosystem is strongly moderated by other features in the ecosystem. The findings help to explain the concentration of accelerator programs in already successful entrepreneurial ecosystems and reveal how such programs may interact with founding environments to complement resource abundance or magnify prior resource inequalities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Eco-industrial parks (EIPs) are considered effective means to enhance economic growth, improve competitiveness, maintain environmental quality, and improve social quality. They have many direct and indirect benefits, which makes the majority or most countries seek to implement these projects. Given its importance, international organizations such as United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO), World Bank Group (WBG), and Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) have developed an international framework for EIP projects which consists of several tools. Among the tools of the framework is EIP selection tool that evaluates the current performance of industrial parks, whether already existing or newly made ones in the following areas: management, environmental, social, economic, replicability, and visibility. The tool highlights the score per category of criteria of the selected park and therefore the scope of intervention on the park. In this study, the EIP selection tool will be used to study the performance of the industrial parks located in the Province of Algiers to consider their potential to be transformed into EIP. Upon applying the tool to assess 3 industrial zones (Rouiba – Reghaia, Oued Semar & Elharrache) and 2 zones of activities (Kaidi & Dar Elbaida) in the province of Algiers, we found that all of the 3 industrial zones have the capabilities of transferring into EIP but the most appropriate zone is Rouiba – Reghaia zone. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Blockchain has the potential to bring numerous benefits to life cycle assessment (LCA), such as traceability, transparency, and accurate inventory data and assessment results. Consequently, there has been a gradual emergence of research focusing on the integration of blockchain and LCA in recent years. The aim of this study is to provide an up-to-date and comprehensive state of research on blockchain-LCA integration. Methods: This study undertook a systematic review of published articles on blockchain-LCA integration, analyzing the papers indexed so far in the Web of Science and SCOPUS. Thirty-one articles were identified, on which a bibliometric analysis was carried out. Furthermore, this study extracted and synthesized the data for the themes of benefits, barriers, frameworks and models, and case studies, and conducted detailed analysis for each theme. Results and discussion: The results indicated that the current state of research in this field is still in its early stages. Most articles proposed various potential benefits across different stages of the integration. However, the integration faced various technical, organizational, and system-related barriers. Only a limited number of articles presented frameworks, models, and case studies. Currently, there is a significant lack of case studies rooted in real-world data. Based on the results of the review, this study offered relevant suggestions for future development of the blockchain-LCA integration. Additionally, this study proposed a novel and practical generic framework to provide guidance for the continued advancement in this field. Conclusion: This work reveals that the number of studies of blockchain-LCA integration is increasing, but this field is still in the early stages. Many potential benefits and barriers to the integration were proposed, but most of them lack validation within the existing research. In particular, there is a great need for real-world case studies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This research explores strategies for carbon reduction through the utilization of rice straw waste in Thailand, focusing on three project approaches: (1) converting rice straw into biomass fuel pellets for power plants, (2) transforming rice straw into biochar using high-tech systems and blending it with fertilizers, and (3) using conventional systems for biochar production. The study assesses the greenhouse gas (GHG) reduction potential of these approaches compared to traditional open-field burning of rice straw. The results indicate that Project 2, which involves high-tech biochar production, exhibits the highest potential for GHG reduction and carbon sequestration, with a potential to reduce emissions by approximately 12.19–13.05 MTCO2e/year. This approach also has potential for generating valuable carbon credits due to biochar’s long-term carbon sequestration and soil enhancement benefits. In contrast, Project 1 yields a reduction of about 4.06–4.35 MTCO2e/year, while Project 3 results in negative emission reduction. The study recommends prioritizing and incentivizing biochar production projects, upgrading low-tech systems, balancing the use of biomass fuel pellets, leveraging carbon credits for funding, and enhancing public awareness. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sustainability has become a paramount concern in the manufacturing industry, with a growing emphasis on eco-friendly products to preserve our planet’s life-support systems. However, evaluating the "greenness" of a manufactured product is a complex task due to data availability, varying definitions of "green" products, and diverse environmental impacts. This research addresses this challenge by identifying, classifying, and prioritizing Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) to assess green manufactured products, specifically within the Indian manufacturing context. A systematic approach was employed, incorporating Pareto analysis and the Full Consistency Method (FUCOM) to identify the most significant KPIs and assign them priority. Industry, academia, and customer perspectives were considered, resulting in distinct priorities. Industry experts prioritize economic aspects, while academia emphasizes health and safety. Customers focus on air quality and greenhouse gas emissions. This diversity of perspectives underscores the need for businesses to tailor their sustainability strategies to meet evolving customer demands while considering economic implications. The study identifies 30 vital KPIs crucial for evaluating green product manufacturing, encompassing dimensions like waste management, energy efficiency, workplace safety, and societal compliance. By considering these KPIs, businesses can make informed decisions to improve sustainability, reduce their environmental footprint, and align with consumer expectations. The findings provide a roadmap for businesses and policymakers to develop more effective strategies, targeting diverse stakeholder groups and promoting the production and use of green products. This research contributes to the growing body of knowledge in sustainable manufacturing and serves as a valuable tool for manufacturers in India and beyond, aiding them in navigating the complexities of manufacturing green products and meeting the rising demand from environmentally conscious consumers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With the integration of a large number of microgrids in the power distribution network operation, economic and strategic challenges arise. To address these challenges, this research provides a comprehensive investigation into the operational, economic, and strategic dynamics of microgrids. Through careful data analysis, the study interprets the complications of microgrid responses to seasonal changes. It also investigates energy consumption patterns and production dynamics. The detailed analysis of microgrid configurations reveals the unique attributes and challenges of PV, wind, and hydropower microgrids. Moreover, the research explains the financial implications of microgrid integration, from setup costs to potential ROI. It is also examining the cooperative relationship between microgrids and conventional grids. Key findings highlight that solar microgrids contribute 3.2% to 5.3%, wind microgrids provide 5.9% to 7.4%, and hydropower microgrids contribute 24.4% of total power. Energy purchase peaks at 850,000 kWh in August and declines to 580,000 kWh in May. 170,000 kWh of energy is sold back to the grid in May. Moreover, the grid energy costs reduced from $0.178 kWh to $0.30 kWh. The total net present cost of the system is achieved at $37,880,023.33. Renewable energy production ranges from 480 kW to 2,300 kW, with a penetration level reaching 160%. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper aims to develop and validate a comprehensive framework for managing and assessing circular maturity in industrial ecosystems at the corporate level. Leveraging theoretical constructs related to principles, factors, strategies, and circular business models, the paper introduces a methodological approach for evaluating circular economy development within corporate industrial ecosystems. The framework is empirically tested and illustrated through a case study focusing on the corporate industrial ecosystems of Novolipetsk Steel (NLMK) and Metalloinvest in Russia for the period 2016–2020. The study reveals that both companies have made strides in integrating sustainable development goals (SDGs) related to the circular economy into their operational strategies, albeit with varying degrees of documentation and strategic focus. Content analysis of annual sustainability reports and estimation of the number of environmental, social and corporate governance (ESG) indicators and global reporting initiative (GRI) standards used by the industrial ecosystems further support these findings and suggest a growing interest in circular economy development, particularly within the NLMK ecosystem. The study finds that NLMK exhibits a more pronounced increase in circular economy practices compared to Metalloinvest, with a significant rise in the use of terms related to circularity in their reports, indicating strategic shifts towards these principles. The innovative aspect of this paper lies in its development of a multi-level methodological framework for circular maturity assessment, which incorporates both theoretical and empirical dimensions. This approach not only provides a structured way to measure and enhance circular economy practices but also bridges the gap between theory and practical application. The paper concludes by offering insights into the construction of systemic mechanisms for enhancing circular maturity at the corporate level, thereby contributing both to theoretical discourse and practical applications in the field of industrial sustainability. Key findings include the identification of specific areas where circular economy practices can be strengthened and the demonstration of how a systematic approach to circularity can lead to substantial improvements in sustainability outcomes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The use of fossil fuels has generated large amounts of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions into the atmosphere, resulting in harmful environmental impacts. Faced with this situation, it is necessary to search for new sources of energy and fuels to mitigate the adverse effects of this excessive use and create opportunities for a cleaner energy transition. In this context, the production of green hydrogen (GH) stands out as an effective and more sustainable alternative, although it still faces obstacles to its wider use. These challenges can be solved with the application of industrial symbiosis (IS). The objective of this review was to identify the scenario and understand the application of the IS concept in GH production. To achieve this purpose, a bibliometric review of publications indexed in Scopus was carried out, also seeking to identify global positions in relation to the use of this technological approach. The results indicate that the theme presents emerging characteristics, such as the low concentration of data in a single author or country, characterizing a developing study concept. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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In the rapidly evolving landscape of Industry 4.0 and the transition towards Industry 5.0, manufacturing systems face the challenge of adapting to dynamic, hyper-customized demands. Current Simulation Optimization (SO) systems struggle with the flexibility needed for quick reconfiguration, often requiring time-consuming, resource-intensive efforts to develop custom models. To address this limitation, this study introduces an innovative SO design strategy that integrates three flexible simulation modeling techniques—template-based, structural modeling, and parameterization. The goal of this integrated design strategy is to enable the rapid adaptation of SO systems to diverse production environments without extensive re-engineering. The proposed SO versatility is validated across three manufacturing scenarios (flow shop, job shop, and open shop scheduling) using modified benchmark instances from Taillard's dataset. The results demonstrate notable effectiveness in optimizing production schedules across these diverse scenarios, enhancing decision-making processes, and reducing SO development efforts. Unlike conventional SO system design, the proposed design framework ensures real-time adaptability, making it highly relevant to the dynamic requirements of Industry 5.0. This strategic integration of flexible modeling techniques supports efficient decision support, minimizes SO development time, and reinforces manufacturing resilience, therefore sustaining competitiveness in modern industrial ecosystems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Edge-assisted IoT technologies combined with conventional industrial processes help evolve diverse applications under the Industrial IoT (IIoT) and Industry 4.0 era by bringing cloud computing technologies near the hardware. The resulting innovations offer intelligent management of the industrial ecosystems, focusing on increasing productivity and reducing running costs by processing massive data locally. In this research, we design, develop, and implement an IIoT and edge-based system to monitor the energy consumption of a factory floor's stationary and mobile assets using wireless and wired energy meters. Once the edge receives the meter's data, it stores the information in the database server, followed by the data processing method to find nine additional analytical parameters. The edge also provides a master user interface (UI) for comparative analysis and individual UI for in-depth energy usage insights, followed by activity and inactivity alarms and daily reporting features via email. Moreover, the edge uses a data-filtering technique to send a single wireless meter's data to the cloud for remote energy and alarm monitoring per project scope. Based on the evaluation, the edge server efficiently processes the data with an average CPU utilization of up to 5.58% while avoiding measurement errors due to random power failures throughout the day. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The innovation ecosystem can greatly enhance enterprises' innovation performance. However, little is known about how the industrial innovation ecosystem (IIE) improves innovation ability within the equipment manufacturing industry (EMI). The fsQCA method is utilized in this study to explore the intricate causality behind innovation performance. The conclusions are as follows: (1) There are six factors for high innovation performance, including the technological innovation subject, the knowledge innovation subject, research and development (R&D) investment, R&D personnel, the industrial internet platform, and government subsidies. None of these is a standalone prerequisite for high innovation performance. (2) Four configuration paths achieve remarkable performance. Three configuration paths achieve inefficient performance, and these have an asymmetric relationship with the above four paths. (3) Under the premise that a technological innovation network is perfect, R&D investment and industrial internet platforms both play a crucial role in innovation performance. Meanwhile, neglect in the application of industrial internet platforms and a lack of innovative subjects are important factors for low innovation performance. This study enriches the theoretical applications for innovation management within the EMI from an IIE perspective. It provides practical and management reference to promote innovative ability and enhance the manufacturing performance for China and other developing countries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Symbiotic relationships between enterprises help mitigate resource and environmental impacts of industrial activities via exchanging waste or by‐products as material inputs among each other. However, the emergence of such symbiotic relationships under complex driving factors across different geographical scales remains hitherto not well understood. Here, we provide an analytic framework including a random forest model and Shannon index, to systematically describe and explain the scale effects of driving factors underlying the symbiotic relationships. Based on a questionnaire survey for 324 enterprises in Chun'an, a typical industrial city in eastern China, we applied this analytical framework. The results show that, first, the quantity of symbiotic relationships exhibits an inversely proportional function across various geographical scales. Second, there exist significant differences in the dominant factors at different scales. Finally, the diversity of importance of factors and the emergence of symbiotic relationships exhibit a consistent trend of fluctuation, providing evidence for the explanatory potential of our proposed analytical framework for the driving mechanisms of emergence. We find that when enterprises are simultaneously affected by multiple driving factors with potent forces (referred to as the diversity of importance), symbiotic behaviors are more likely to occur. Moreover, our results suggest that fostering symbiotic relationships necessitates considering the variations in driving factors across different scales comprehensively and formulating targeted promotional measures tailored to the specific driving factors of different enterprise types. Our proposed framework would help to maximize industrial symbiosis potentials in a specific region. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Journal of Industrial Ecology explores the intersection of natural and economic systems, focusing on methodologies to minimize environmental impacts of material goods. The special issue on product lifetimes delves into the complexities of extending product lifetimes to reduce environmental impacts, with a focus on repairability, value frameworks, and barriers to longevity. The articles highlight the need for interdisciplinary approaches and empirical validation to develop effective strategies for product lifetime extension within a circular economy framework. [Extracted from the article]

Accurate assessments of global primary material extraction, trade of primary materials and products, material use, waste, and emissions support the development of policies that facilitate the decoupling of economic activity, natural resource use, and related environmental impacts. Here, we quantify all crucial aspects of global and country‐by‐country material requirements needed to fuel economic activities, covering both territorial‐ and demand‐based indicators. These data have been assembled by a consortium of research partners that compile the global material flow and resource productivity online database for the International Resource Panel, which contributes to the global dataset for the System of Environmental–Economic Accounting (SEEA) framework and is employed to monitor progress for the Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) indicators 8.4 and 12.2. We present the main findings of the 2024 update, including methodological improvements and result differences, and discuss the main findings and limitations. Since the last update, we have identified a slowing of global materials extraction since about 2014, a continuation of solid growth in direct trade of materials and products, persistent inequality in resource use between high‐ and low‐income countries, and a prolonged improvement in global material productivity. The full dataset used herein can be downloaded from the Global Material Flow Database hosted by the United Nations Environment Program International Resource Panel. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Transitioning to a circular economy (CE) can contribute to the achievement of long‐term climate targets. A comprehensive evaluation of CE strategies requires a macro‐level approach that integrates environmental, social, and economic goals. Policy support, behavioral changes, innovation, and new business models play key roles in this transition. Additionally, understanding the potential synergies, benefits, and trade‐offs associated with these strategies is essential for their effective implementation. This paper proposes a novel approach, using macroeconomic modeling, industrial ecology, and behavioral concepts to evaluate the impacts of CE strategies on socioeconomic and climate systems. As an application, the paper investigates the environmental and economic effects in Japan of increasing the extended producer responsibility (EPR) fee on energy‐using durable goods. We show that increasing the fee makes households substitute conventional goods for circular services. Also, while increasing EPR fees for energy‐using durable goods may decrease the materials needed to produce and operate these goods, the overall impact on sustainability goals is rather low. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To fight plastic pollution and reach net‐zero ambitions, policy and industry set goals to increase the recycling of plastics and the recycled content in products. While this ideally reduces demand for virgin material, it also increases pressure on recyclers to find suitable endmarkets for the recyclate. This may lead to two effects: a multiplication of recycled content in applications already made of plastic and a substitution of non‐plastic materials with cheap, low‐quality recyclate. Both areas of application may be sources of microplastic (MP) pollution. Combined with the inherent degradation of recyclate during its lifecycle, but also during recycling, we expect the increase in recycled content will subsequently lead to an increase in MP pollution. We propose a framework to investigate the risk of MP generation through plastic applications throughout their subsequent lifecycle of production, use phase, and end of life. We apply the framework to two prominent examples of recyclate endmarkets, that is, textiles and wood–plastic, and point out where the degradation effects can cause higher release. To conclude, we outline a research agenda to support policymakers in their decision making on specifying targets for recycling and recycled content. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Environmental impacts resulting from plastic food packaging, made from both fossil‐based and bio‐based polymers, are increasingly analyzed in life cycle assessment (LCA) studies. However, the literature reveals significant variations in results for the same polymer within the same scope. To enhance the reliability of these assessments, data quality assessment (DQA) plays a relevant role. However, despite most of the LCA studies employing aggregated life cycle inventory (LCI) datasets, in the literature, DQA methods for aggregated processes are not available. To fill this gap, in this paper, a DQA for aggregated LCI datasets is proposed and demonstrated through its application to 101 aggregated LCI datasets, extracted from Ecoinvent and GaBi databases. The DQA method has been developed by adapting and integrating the pedigree matrix and the data quality ranking proposed by the recently published EC Plastic LCA method. The three data quality indicators (DQIs) used are technological, geographical, and time‐related representativeness. The application of this method exhibits an overall positive evaluation of the selected datasets with differences among the three DQIs. Moreover, it highlights the role of metadata structure in adequately supporting a robust DQA. Indeed, in the absence of a common framework that defines, assesses, and provides access to data quality information, transparency must be assured by the operator in the metadata interpretation and related assumptions along the DQA process. Finally, although the proposed DQA method was developed for the plastic sector, its application can be extended to LCI aggregated datasets relevant to other sectors, materials, and products. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Carbon disclosures are essential for investors to evaluate firms' efforts to combat climate change. In this study, we focus on a specific type of carbon disclosures—namely, emission allowance disclosures—that capture how firms implement emission reductions under the European Union emission trading system (EU ETS). Given the continuously changing institutional features of the EU ETS and the lack of authoritative guidance on how firms should account for emission allowances in their financial statements, it is exceedingly difficult for investors to understand numerical emission allowance disclosures and to compare them across—and even within—firms. Motivated by this criticism, we hypothesize and find that textual disclosures complementing numerical emission allowance disclosures are associated with lower information asymmetries between firms and their investors. Further analyses show that textual disclosures that: (i) describe the accounting approach, and (ii) contain institutional information on the EU ETS, respectively, are particularly important for improving the information environment of numerical emission allowance disclosures. Overall, our findings suggest that text can improve the understanding of numbers in a carbon disclosure context. Therefore, our study not only contributes to the (industrial ecology) literature but also has important implications for regulators, policymakers, investors, financial analysts, and firms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The rollout of electric vehicles and photovoltaic panels is essential to mitigate climate change. However, they depend on technology‐critical elements (TCEs), which can be harmful to human health and whose use is rapidly expanding, while recycling is lacking. While mining has received substantial attention, in‐use dissipation in urban areas has so far not been assessed, for example, corrosion and abrasion of vehicle components and weather‐related effects affecting thin‐film photovoltaic panels. Therefore, the question arises to which extent TCEs dissipate during use and which potential non‐occupational human health impacts could occur. We assessed the available information on urban in‐use dissipation and human health concerns and conducted exploratory modeling of in‐use technology stocks, in‐ and outflows, and in‐use dissipation of neodymium, dysprosium, lanthanum, praseodymium, cerium, gallium, germanium, and tellurium contained in 21 vehicle and renewable energy technologies, for Vienna, Austria. In prospective scenarios, TCE dynamics in a trend‐continuation vis à vis official city policy plans and a more ambitious transition scenario were then assessed. We find that electrifying the vehicle fleet without demand‐reduction is the main driver of TCE consumption, effectively doubling cumulative end‐of‐life outflows to 3,073 [2,452–3,966] t and cumulative in‐use dissipation to 9.3 [5.2–15.7] t by the year 2060. Sufficiency‐based measures could reduce demand and in‐use dissipation well below levels with continued trends, thus highlighting the need to combine decarbonization with demand‐reducing measures. These results help assess potential future in‐use dissipation dynamics and inform discussions about potential public health hazards associated with exposure to TCEs accumulating in the urban environment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Information communication and technology (ICT) services and solutions can improve resource efficiency in a variety of sector, but also result in direct environmental impacts. This study assesses the direct environmental impacts of an ICT service that improves vehicle fuel efficiency using a cradle‐to‐grave life cycle assessment (LCA). This is one of the first studies to examine the entire life cycle of an ICT service from development to use and maintenance, with a focus on software—an aspect that is typically neglected in previous studies. The results suggest that software development and maintenance and the use of in‐vehicle communicators for data transmission have the largest environmental impacts across multiple categories. Deployed across a fleet of 150,000 vehicles over 5 years, we estimate that the ICT service is responsible for 174 tCO2e. However, this is negligible compared with the total emissions of the fleet and the potential savings from the service, given a single diesel vehicle in this fleet emits around 130 tCO2e over the same period. We explore several scenarios to reduce the footprint of the ICT service. The largest potential reduction of around one‐third is achieved by replacing in‐house servers with cloud computing in a data center located in a region with low‐carbon electricity. The study demonstrates how LCA can be used to assess the environmental impacts of ICT services and the importance of considering software in these assessments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To meet climate targets, consumption‐based household emissions need to fall rapidly. An important but still poorly understood question is whether generational change could contribute to decreases in emissions. It is sometimes assumed that younger generations such as Millennials and Generation Z are more concerned about climate change and have greener lifestyles than previous generations of the Silent Generation, Baby boomers, and Generation X, but carbon footprinting analysis typically focuses on age groups rather than comparing generations over time. This paper provides a first assessment of the change in consumption‐based carbon footprints of the Silent, Baby boomer, Generation X, and Millennial generations within the United Kingdom between 2001 and 2020 and a comparison of the footprints of different generational groups. The analysis is based on environmentally extended input–output analysis, using the Living Costs and Food Survey and emission data from the UK multi‐regional input–output database. We find some evidence for the hypothesis that younger generations have smaller footprints than older generations as Generation X and Millennial households have smaller carbon footprints compared to the generation before them at a similar life stage. We find that factors such as decarbonization, household occupancy, total expenditure, and changing consumption patterns contribute to the UK's changing carbon consumption emissions between 2001 and 2020, and the importance of these factors varies for different generational groups. However, future research that uses a longer time series is required to assess generational differences in carbon footprints over the whole lifespan of several generations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Transforming into eco‐industrial parks (EIPs) by applying collaborative measures and stakeholder engagement is a practical and political response to the decline of current industrial parks, and a solution for fostering sustainable industrial development. While the brownfield approach (EIP development through retrofits and new strategies of existing establishments) is common, greenfield development—where sustainability is inherent in planning, design, and construction—is gaining interest. The present study uses the case of GreenLab in Denmark to explore the emergence and development of greenfield EIPs, showcasing the potential of a middle‐out approach and emphasizing the role of curation in contrast to top‐down and bottom‐up processes. The study draws on a process‐model analytical framework, encompassing the evolutionary phases, the actors involved, and the co‐creation of the journey. The development of GreenLab is found to have passed through three phases of evolution: pre‐emergence, emergence, and probation, increasing the "networkness" in the business park. We point to several critical factors that drove these phases, among which shared vision, road mapping, and engagement and political support from local, regional, and national actors are critical. Furthermore, strategic planning, continuous funding, and strong collaboration with research institutions have been essential. The replication potential of GreenLab is substantial, and the experiences accumulated over the years can guide other greenfield EIPs and new research avenues considering greenfield EIPs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper calculates the future levelized cost of storage (LCOS) and conducts a prospective life cycle assessment (PLCA) for second‐life batteries (SLB) in Flanders, Belgium. A cradle‐to‐grave approach is chosen for climate change (CC) and economic impacts of SLB. Impacts of processes related to the first and the second life are allocated according to the delivered electricity. Furthermore, impacts are determined according to their temporal occurrence. For LCOS, activities are time adjusted by discounting. For PLCA, new background databases are generated and changed based on the activities occurrence in time. Additionally, future CC impact of three Belgian energy paths is modeled, introducing user‐defined scenarios of PLCA. To conceptualize impacts, three use cases are defined: (a) residential, (b) industrial and (c) utility use case (UTI). The residential and industrial use cases (INDs) represent photovoltaic (PV) installations with battery storage, the UTI is a large‐scale battery participating in the Belgian secondary reserve market. Lowest LCOS of the SLB in 2050 are found in the IND, namely 39.66 €/MWh, and are below the benchmark batteries. CC impact of SLB in the residential is 58.7 gCO2eq$\text{gCO}_2{\rm eq}$/kWh and below the benchmark batteries. The CC impact of SLB is 75.2 and 78.5 gCO2eq$\text{gCO}_2{\rm eq}$/kWh in the industrial and UTI and thus higher than the benchmark batteries. Crucial for both assessments are increased dismantling and repurposing facility throughput, fair charging tariffs, the manufacturing, the charging electricity generated by PV installations, and power electronics. On the contrary, changing the background does not lead to major changes in CC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The decarbonization of transport is a key goal facing climate change. The electrification of the powertrain for passenger cars is part of this goal to reduce carbon emissions. This involves a big change in the global supply chain, specifically in countries with a high weight of the traditional automotive sector, such as Spain, where above 10% of the GDP comes from this industry. There is a forecasted shift from the sector of traditional automotive parts to the electric sector, where batteries and electric components will be the major part of the powertrain. This work evaluates socioeconomic and environmental impacts of the changes in the car industry from the ramp‐up of the electric vehicles market in Spain, and also in the European Union and the rest of the world. To do it, we use an environmentally extended multiregional and multi‐sectoral input–output model. Our simulations include the technological change and demand shifts estimated to achieve the penetration of electric vehicles up to 2030 and 2050. The results show significant impacts on employment and economic indicators by 2050, when the share of electric vehicles is expected to increase up to a relevant level. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cities are important actors in the global challenge of tackling climate change. They are not only responsible for the majority of emissions but also highly capable of taking action. An important precondition for effective climate mitigation is a city‐level greenhouse gas emission inventory to guide mitigation action. Yet, most cities in developing countries, in particular African cities, lack that crucial information. This study aims to assess the current state of the development of African cities' emission inventories. A total of 270 inventories from 137 cities across 54 African countries were identified from 15 research articles, 5 reports, and 3 data platforms. We find the lack of standardized protocols results in inventories that are often not comparable, while data scarcity emerged as a common problem. We observe that insufficient engagement from local governments impedes the creation of a data‐rich environment. Additionally, current inventory protocols do not fully address the data limitations faced by African cities, further hindering inventory development. To mitigate these challenges, multi‐agent collaboration is essential to enhance the accounting capabilities of local governments. Developing refined protocols that consider data constraints is necessary. Moreover, advanced technologies may provide opportunities to overcome data bottlenecks. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As environmentally extended input–output tables are increasingly used for footprint and supply chain analysis, there has been a growing demand for precise, reliable, and intertemporally consistent environmental accounts. Energy accounts are particularly relevant. As well as providing insights into embodied energy, in the case of the multi‐regional input–output (MRIO) database EXIOBASE, they are the basis of the air emissions from fuel combustion. In this study we review previous methods and provide a more integrated and robust implementation for the EXIOBASE energy accounts that ensures higher levels of consistency between economic and physical data. Our results show that the new procedure significantly improves the precision of the energy use coefficients and multipliers, while reducing the number of outliers. The procedure is made publicly available for full transparency and made open source such that users and developers may raise issues and suggest improvements to the procedure. Furthermore, the procedure is standardized so it can be applied to any MRIO model with only minor adjustments to the input data. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This work presents the PULPO (Python‐based user‐defined lifecycle product optimization) framework, developed to efficiently integrate life cycle inventory (LCI) models into life cycle product optimization. Life cycle optimization (LCO), which has found interest in both the process systems engineering and life cycle assessment (LCA) communities, leverages LCA data to go beyond simple assessments of a limited number of alternatives and identify the best possible product systems configuration subject to a manifold of choices, constraints, and objectives. However, typically, aggregated inventories are used to build the optimization problems. Contrary to existing frameworks, PULPO integrates whole LCI databases and user inventories as a backbone for the optimization problem, considering economy‐wide feedback loops between fore‐ and background systems that would otherwise be omitted. The open‐source implementation combines functions from Brightway2 for the manipulation of inventory data and pyomo for the formulation and solution of the optimization problem. The advantages of this approach are demonstrated in a case study focusing on the design of optimal future global green methanol production systems from captured CO2 and electrolytic H2. It is shown that the approach can be used to assess sector‐coupling with multi‐functional processes and prospective background databases that would otherwise be impractical to approach from a standalone LCA perspective. The use of PULPO is particularly appealing when evaluating large‐scale decisions that have a strong impact on socioeconomic systems, resulting in changes in the technosphere on which the background system is based and which is often assumed constant in standard LCO approaches regardless of the decisions taken. This article met the requirements for a gold‐gold JIE data openness badge described at http://jie.click/badges. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A systemic understanding of the use of wood resources is required to defossilize society and promote bio‐based developments. This study provides a novel approach to represent a comprehensive material flow analysis (MFA) spanning the entire wood value chain; encompassing wood harvest to products, use in society, collection, reuse, recycle, energy generation, and trade. By recognizing wood as a complex material, with changing properties throughout its lifespan, we developed a method where we employed a color‐coded system for processes (27 boxes) and 110 flows to symbolize distinct life stages and the dynamic characteristics, including 23 different trade flows. The wood processes and flows are categorized (11 categories) into different wood types (e.g., softwood and hardwood) and harmonized to include all available data on each single step of the wood life cycle, improving data traceability and visualization, and allowing for replicable analysis with respective data noted for each process and flow. Methodological obstacles due to different units, uncertainty of flows, and discrepancies in data are addressed and adjustments proposed. Switzerland was chosen as a case study as a large number of various types of data were available to perform the analysis. The categorized and harmonized flows of woody biomass mapped and analyzed in the MFA provide a comprehensive basis to identify and recommend avenues to increase cascading use of wood as a carbon sink, by considering relevant aspects like the network of flows and processes, the quality and availability of the woody biomass, and the organization of the industry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Recycling schemes for long‐lived products are challenged by the presence of "legacy substances," which have been used in production in the past, but are nowadays classified as substances of concern. This study quantitatively evaluates the trade‐offs between phasing out legacy substances, increasing circularity levels, and reducing life cycle impacts of polyvinylchloride (PVC) window profiles recycling in Germany based on a comprehensive dynamic material and substance flow analysis coupled with a prospective life cycle assessment. Scenario results indicate that although lead had been phased out in virgin PVC by 2015, lead concentrations in end‐of‐life PVC window profiles will remain above 0.3% until the end of the century without a restriction of lead in recycled PVC and will be by factor 3–5 higher compared to a restriction as stipulated by EU 2023/923. However, the latter is associated with lower recycling rates and higher life cycle environmental impacts of PVC window frame waste management, which cannot be fully compensated by the introduction of new waste treatment pathways using currently available technologies. The study serves to introduce a new comprehensive modeling framework, which allows for the consideration of trade‐offs between substance, material, and environmental impact dimensions as a basis for discussing and developing sustainable waste management strategies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Building stock models can provide information on the current and future environmental impacts of buildings. Therefore, these models are useful tools for identifying trajectories that are compatible with the objectives of the Paris Agreement. However, the models often lack detail, which can lead to underestimations of the actual impacts of national building stocks, resulting in misinformed decision‐making. This study presents the steps needed to create an archetype‐based bottom‐up building stock model that uses Python and Brightway2. Prospective environmental assessments, including circularity assessments, can be performed by combining life cycle assessment (LCA) with material flow analysis (MFA). An important facet of this model is that it supports the development of a practical and easily reproducible method for the high‐precision modeling of a building stock. This model is open source, is readily adaptable to other countries, and does not require programming knowledge. This combined LCA‐MFA method can be used to assess the potential to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from the Austrian building stock in five future scenarios involving sufficiency, energy, material, and design‐related measures. The results show different reduction potentials for embodied and operational GHG emissions depending on the set of measures taken. In all scenarios, mineral and synthetic materials contribute the most to embodied GHG emissions. Finally, the issue of validating building stock models is addressed, and numerous cross‐evaluations are proposed to ensure the reliability of results. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Extending multi‐regional input–output (MRIO) models with spatially explicit life cycle impact assessment (LCIA) models allows practitioners to quantify biodiversity impacts at every step of global supply chains. Inconsistencies may be introduced, however, when high‐resolution characterization factors (CFs) are aggregated so as to match the low spatial granularity of MRIO models. These aggregation errors are greater when CFs are aggregated via proxies, such as ecoregion land shares, instead of based on spatially explicit elementary stressor flows. Here, we describe our approach to tailoring application‐specific CFs for use in MRIO studies. We apply a global agricultural production model, Spatial Production Allocation Model (MapSPAM), with the LCIA database, LC‐IMPACT, to create crop‐specific national CFs. We investigated i) if the differing aggregation approaches and the increased spatial explicitness of the constructed CFs deviate substantially from those in LC‐IMPACT, and ii) what the resulting consequences for national production and consumption‐based biodiversity footprints are when combining the tailor‐made CFs with the EXIOBASE MRIO model. For the year 2020, we observe an increase in global production‐based biodiversity impacts of 23.5% for land use when employing crop‐specific CFs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Bio‐based polymers may present a sustainable, circular way to reduce the environmental impact of plastics because they are produced from biomass that absorbs CO2 during its growth. However, sourcing (type of biomass used and cultivation location), production, and end‐of‐life affect the environmental impact of bio‐based plastics. We assessed the effect of sourcing and end‐of‐life options on the environmental impact of bio‐based high‐density polyethylene (bio‐HDPE) in 31 sourcing scenarios and five end‐of‐life options. Our study found that careful consideration of biomass sourcing (biomass type and production location) and end‐of‐life is needed to optimize the environmental impact of bio‐based plastics. If these aspects are not considered, the environmental impact of bio‐HDPE may exceed that of its petrochemical‐based counterpart. The direct availability of fermentable sugars indicated a lower environmental impact. The production location affected the resources needed for biomass cultivation and the environmental impact of processing due to the energy mix. Recently published guidelines do not allow biogenic carbon to be accounted for during the production stage, but only upon the incineration of the plastic. Our results show that this way of attributing biogenic carbon results in an apparent disadvantage for bio‐based plastics compared to petrochemical‐based plastics. Furthermore, it disadvantaged mechanical recycling of bio‐based plastics compared to incineration, a result out of line with circular economy principles. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The circular economy (CE) challenges the traditional linear economic model by emphasizing the importance of resource efficiency, recycling, and regeneration in society. However, the role of gender in CE practices remains underexplored. This article presents a systematic literature review on how gender dynamics intersect with CE, highlighting the implications of gendered labor distribution, access to resources, and decision‐making processes. Women, often pivotal in household and community resource management, are underrepresented in policy and research. Gender perspectives are therefore crucial for addressing social, environmental, and justice dimensions within CE. The study employs the lens of care labor to reveal power imbalances and the exclusion of marginalized groups, advocating for inclusive policies to achieve socially sustainable and equitable CE futures. The review identifies the overrepresentation of women in undervalued, informal activities and the dominance of men in highly valued, technologically advanced CE roles. It also underscores the benefits of gender diversity in corporate governance, which enhances sustainability practices. The article calls for a deeper examination of gender's impact on CE, suggesting a research agenda to integrate gender perspectives, enhance CE effectiveness, and promote equity. The findings indicate that addressing gender inequalities in CE is essential to prevent replicating the shortcomings of the linear economy and to foster innovative, inclusive, and sustainable development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Increasing social, economic, and political pressure causes many companies to pledge to decarbonize. A common measure involves the use of Energy Attribute Certificates (EAC), such as the European Guarantees of Origin (GO), to reduce emissions from electricity procurement (Scope 2). However, previous studies find no effect on additional renewable energy capacity. Focusing on Norway and Germany as dominant contributors to net GO exports and imports, this study examines the GO trade alongside corporate carbon accounting data to answer the research question: Does the decarbonization of corporate electricity procurement using Guarantees of Origin contribute to the expansion of renewable electricity generation capacity in Norway and Germany? The analysis of CDP and Association of Issuing Bodies data reveals Norway's consumption mix is more carbon intensive than Germany's because Norway exports GO and imports fossil electricity attributes. German companies report predominantly market‐based approach, mainly using green tariffs and GO for zero emission claims, while Norwegian companies favor the location‐based approach. The largest share of GO issued in Norway comes from hydropower plants aged 41 to 70 years. The results highlight the urgency to revise corporate carbon accounting standards. GO lack additionality due to double counting of renewable attributes. Potential solutions include additionality criteria, GO trade restrictions based on physical capacities, and age limits for eligible power plants. This study's novelty is linking CDP data with GO trade, to assess the integrity of corporate decarbonization strategies. It contributes valuable insights to ongoing discourse on the role of EAC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Biodiversity loss is one of the planetary boundaries that is most urgently in need of action. However, very little is known about the consumers' willingness to pay (WTP) for products with higher (or lower) levels of biodiversity performance. Therefore, this research was conducted to investigate how consumers' WTP is influenced by a product's impact on biodiversity. To address this question, we collected representative data from 524 German consumers in a survey‐based experiment. Drawing on prospect theory, we identified the shape of the WTP reaction function for a given product in relation to its biodiversity performance. We demonstrate that consumers with sufficiently high levels of education and concern about biodiversity loss are willing to pay more for products with above‐average biodiversity performance and less for products with below‐average biodiversity performance. However, the extent to which a product outperforms the industry average does not influence consumers' increased WTP. From a sustainable development perspective, these observed patterns highlight the problematic contrast between the pressing need for substantial improvements in product biodiversity performance and the limited incentives provided by consumers. Consequently, the findings suggest that the incentives that consumers currently provide for corporate biodiversity management are insufficient to assist in staying within the planetary boundaries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As the largest producer and consumer of copper, China is facing enormous challenges from carbon peaking and neutrality. This article adopts "bottom‐up" and "top‐down" methods to construct a more accurate model, to predict the CO2 emissions of China's copper smelting industry, and explores its potential for carbon reduction in the future from three scenarios as the baseline scenario (BAU), the general low‐carbon (NLC), and the enhanced low‐carbon (ELC). The results show that the CO2 emissions can achieve a peak in 2028 either in NLC or ELC scenarios, with a peak range of 14.9–16.88 million tonnes. Prior to reaching the peak, the contributions of energy adjustment, material substitution, and process selection to carbon reduction have significantly improved, and the contribution rates increased from 30.91%, 4.11%, and 1.46% to 42.7%, 32.07%, and 15.63% in ELC scenario. After the peak, the contribution of energy adjustment gradually slows down, while the material substitution continues to increase, and the contribution rates increased from 21.25% and 32.07% to 29.38% and 40.01% in NLC and ELC scenarios. In the future, concentrate oxygen‐enriched bottom‐blowing smelting and direct refining from waste copper anode furnaces show ideal potential for carbon reduction before 2025, increasing the proportion of recycled copper production, and adjusting energy structure will be more effective from 2025 to 2035. The conclusions of this study can provide a scientific basis for formulating policy recommendations for green and low‐carbon development of the copper industry in China and all over the world in the future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The emerging field of prospective life cycle assessment (pLCA) offers opportunities for evaluating the environmental impacts of possible future consumption shifts. One such shift involves a transition from meat‐based to plant‐forward diets, acknowledged to mitigate environmental impacts of the food system under present day conditions. Current diets are often meat intensive ("meat‐based"), whilst "plant‐forward" diets include mainly plant‐based foods, encompassing flexitarian, vegetarian, and vegan diets. Here we illustrate the application of pLCA in a case study of meal options, implementing shared socio‐economic pathway scenarios in the LCA background system to represent future production conditions. We assess the climate footprints and land‐based biodiversity footprints of a typical meat‐based meal in Germany and Indonesia compared to a plant‐forward meal in both countries (i.e., four meals), now and in 2050. Our findings show that the plant‐forward alternative maintains a lower impact per serving in all future scenarios. At the same time, the reduction in impact for the meat‐based meals is more pronounced in future scenarios due to shifts in the agricultural system. Our findings highlight the importance of supply‐side measures to produce lower‐impact ingredients, complementing demand‐side interventions to reshape food consumption. Results are further evaluated in cultural and nutritional contexts, highlighting the practical decision‐making constraints faced by consumers. We find potential "leakage" effects in calories and nutrition when choosing a lower‐impact, plant‐forward meal. These leakage effects should be considered in future studies seeking to evaluate the environmental implications of meal substitutions in the context of broader dietary requirements. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Construction activities are a major driver of greenhouse gas emissions worldwide. However, the majority of construction‐driven emissions are indirect, meaning that these emissions occur during the manufacturing and transport of construction materials. This is in contrast with direct emissions, which are directly emitted from construction machinery. These indirect impacts are represented as embodied emissions and are difficult to quantify at scale, limiting the effectiveness of climate policymaking in the building sector. This paper presents results from a comprehensive account of embodied emissions within the Canadian construction sector, at a resolution far higher than existing global accounts, as well as novel analyses of flows and intensities of embodied emissions. It has the specific goal of serving as a baseline for future analyses of decarbonization scenarios and the more general goal of highlighting the importance of a consumption‐based approach to climate policymaking in the sector. The accounts are produced via an environmentally extended input–output analysis based on Canadian supply–use tables for the year 2018, and results are presented for the 13 provinces and territories as well as 19 categories of buildings and infrastructure. Results show that demand from construction drives 13% of Canada's consumption‐based emissions, residential construction is by far the largest driver of emissions, and at 0.28 kgCO2eq per Canadian dollar of GDP, the efficiency of Canadian construction is roughly in line with the OECD average. A disproportionate share of emissions is driven by construction in provinces that are growing fast in terms of their populations, feature significant extractive industries, and feature higher emissions intensities. The construction sectors of western provinces are highly interconnected and receive a disproportionate proportion of embodied emissions from Alberta, whose high level of emissions promises to complicate decarbonization efforts. This article met the requirements for a gold‐gold JIE data openness badge described at http://jie.click/badges [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Leather production is a historic industry that still has an economic influence throughout the world. Leather making is done following a sequence of complex chemical and mechanical steps, using energy, quantity of water and chemicals, and generating waste. For several decades, many organizations have been working toward a cleaner tannery industry resulting in better practices, saving energy and water, and increasing wastewater treatment efficiency. Solid waste management remains a big issue. Another question posed today is the use of chromium in tanning. It is why a lot of research is now dedicated to metal‐free tanning solutions. Chromium alternatives exist but none can actually rival all the advantages of chromium and a balance must be found with environmental issues. To measure the environmental performance of leather, several tools are available. The LWG (Leather Working Group) audit is one of them. On the side of consumers, some reliable leather ecolabelings exist. Finally, life cycle assessment (LCA) is the most exhaustive tool for characterizing leather's environmental performance. Numerous LCA studies done in the past two decades underline the difficulty in obtaining general results, considering the large variety of processes used depending on tanneries, localization, and raw materials. In addition, the data available for LCA are still poor in regard to the specific data needed for leather chemicals. The best methods associated with new technologies, audit, and labeling lead leather production into a cleaner and environment‐friendly industry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

One of the key challenges in conducting consequential life cycle assessment (LCA) is to identify and quantify what is likely to be affected by changes in market behavior—so‐called marginal effects. Although the critical importance of uncertainty and sensitivity assessments in attributional LCA is recognized, they are rarely conducted in consequential studies. Thus, this paper aims to address two objectives: first, to examine the uncertainty and robustness of marginal effects in consequential LCA and second, to identify the most influential group of inputs contributing to the overall variance in climate change impact scores. To accomplish this, the study employs an enhanced consequential LCA framework that integrates a multiregional economic optimization model with consequential LCA tools. The framework is applied to assess the climate implications of a 6% increase in clinker substitution within average Eastern North American cement production by 2030, relative to 2020 levels. Through this framework, a Monte Carlo simulation is conducted to evaluate the dispersion of the results. Subsequently, a variance‐based one‐at‐a‐time sensitivity analysis is performed to rank the most influential groups of inputs affecting the robustness of result across macroeconomic, material flow, economic, transport, and consequential life cycle inventory databases. Afterward, a conceptual framework is proposed to guide practitioners in prioritizing areas for testing consequential LCA results based on region‐specific information. This work aims to contribute to decision‐makers' access to more reliable information to support the development of effective environmental regulatory measures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Industrial symbiosis can be seen as a collaborative process where actors jointly identify, develop, and maintain resource management innovations, primarily related to secondary material and energy flows, to reduce waste generation and increase resource efficiency. Although industrial symbiosis is commonly recognized and promoted as a process creating business values for involved businesses, knowledge of what kind of values are created and how remains unstructured—and possibly incomplete. This is problematic because, without wider considerations as to what business values can be created through industrial symbiosis, the concept may not garner sufficient support from businesses and policy makers. Therefore, this paper aims to develop and present a framework that captures the wide range of business value propositions of industrial symbiosis, including benefits and sacrifices, along with their enabling mechanisms. The framework was developed based on a synthesis of the literature and interviews with actors involved with existing industrial symbiosis networks and is divided into four domains: costs, revenues, risks, and soft values. Beyond providing an overview of industrial symbiosis business values, the framework has additional uses, such as assisting in negotiations of relationship governance terms, including pricing and compensation mechanisms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Due to climate change and the urgent need to reduce the greenhouse gas emissions of industrial processes, decarbonizing energy‐intensive industries is highly important. In Europe, emissions trading is the main regulatory instrument providing incentives to replace conventional production facilities with low‐carbon alternatives. Using the example of primary steelmaking, this study aims to evaluate the impacts of product benchmark revisions on the transformation of integrated steel mills. To this end, an optimization model for the strategic planning of economically favorable transformation pathways is developed. The model is combined with a prospective assessment of economic and climate impacts from steelmaking processes. By applying the model to a case study from Germany, legislative conditions in which steel manufacturers are encouraged to transform their production infrastructure are identified. Based on current regulations on product benchmarks for steelmaking, investments into low‐carbon technologies are slowed down until allocations of emissions allowances expire. However, benchmark revisions have the potential to speed up transformation plans significantly. In the analyzed scenarios, the greenhouse gas emissions of primary steelmaking between 2024 and 2034 decreased by up to 15%. These results are further strengthened by sensitivity analyses on the main market influences. Hence, this study provides policy recommendations on favorable revisions of product benchmarks for primary steelmaking. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Despite the many benefits of greenhouses, it is challenging to meet their heating demand, as greenhouses belong to the most energy‐intensive production systems in the agriculture sector. Industrial symbiosis can bring an effective solution by utilizing waste heat from other industries to meet the greenhouse heat demand. This study proposes an optimization framework by which optimum symbiotic relationships can be identified. For this aim, the spatial analysis is integrated into an optimization model, in which geographical, technical, and economic parameters are considered simultaneously to identify the optimal location for developing new agricultural greenhouses. The objective function is to minimize the heating costs, that is, the investment cost of piping and electricity cost for pumping heat‐carrying fluid from supplier to demand. The model is applied to the case study of Switzerland, and currently existing municipal solid waste incinerators, cement production plants, and biogas plants are considered potential waste heat sources. Results show that the import of tomato, cucumber, and lettuce to Switzerland can theoretically be replaced by vegetable production in new waste‐heat supplied greenhouses (zero import scenarios). Accounting for the economy of scale for pipeline investment costs leads to selecting large‐scale greenhouses with a cost reduction of 37%. The optimization results suggest that 10% of the greenhouses needed to satisfy the total domestic demand for lettuce, tomato, and cucumber could be placed on a suitable land plot in the direct vicinity of a waste heat source, with low costs of waste heat supply. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As the European Union transitions to the circular use of plastics, robust life cycle assessments are crucial in understanding and preparing for this new economy. Additives are essential to the production of all plastics but were reported as missing from life cycle assessments (LCAs) of plastic materials a decade ago. This study expands upon previous research by investigating if plastic additive impacts are now included in LCAs of recycled plastic materials or if they are still absent. In part I, we conduct a systematic literature review of 93 LCAs on plastics, including mechanical recycling pathways, and distinguish if plastic additive impacts are considered in (i) in‐text discussions and (ii) the life cycle inventories (LCIs) of each study. We then compare the types of additive inclusion within the corpus to ascertain whether author knowledge or data availability dictates additive inclusion in plastic LCAs. We find that data disclosure and detailed discussions of specific additive impacts are missing across the corpus due to poor transparency in LCI disclosure or overly generic disclosures of additives. The lack of detailed and transparent discussions and disclosure indicates that additive impacts are missing from LCAs of recycled plastic materials, leading to incomplete analyses of their impacts. Until addressed, such a gap may lead to inaccurate or incomplete circular plastic material LCAs. In part II, we assess the quality of generic disclosures and explore how database quality and transparency have contributed to additive omissions in LCAs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Silicon carbide (SiC) is a niche nonmetallic material that is essential in many industrial processes. Here, we integrate material flow analysis and supply chain resilience analysis to understand global SiC stocks and flows and to assess its supply chain. We use industry interviews to fill data gaps and collect information on the SiC system to overcome data scarcity. We find that globally around 1000 kt of SiC is produced each year. The biggest use of SiC is the abrasives industry (40%), followed by metallurgy (28%), refractories (20%), technical ceramics (0.7%), other uses (0.7%), and semiconductors (0.01%). As an energy‐intensive material, the SiC supply chain is under pressure, increasing the relevance of resilience considerations. Besides typical supply chain risks such as low diversity of supply and geopolitical trade restrictions, SiC particularly faces risks due to its energy‐intensive production process and associated emissions. In the SiC semiconductor supply chain, losses of nearly 75% are a particular issue. Due to high demand in the SiC market, stockpiles are negligible, and substitution is difficult in most sectors. We find that in the case of SiC, sustainability measures such as use reduction, recycling, or decreasing energy use or emissions would also positively contribute to supply chain resilience. This article met the requirements for a gold‐gold JIE data openness badge described at http://jie.click/badges. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Plastic additives are as essential as polymers to the production and performance of plastic materials. Additive content can vary in composition and functionality depending on the product, producer, application, and production method. Such variation may be a barrier to achieving high‐quality recycling and planning for plastic circular economy futures. Yet, as found in Part I, although there is increasing awareness of the importance of additives in plastics, they are often poorly disclosed or only briefly discussed in life cycle assessments (LCAs). In part II, we focus on the inclusion of additives in plastic processes in the database most used in plastic LCAs to date (Ecoinvent) and find that additives have historically been omitted from plastic granulate data and in production processes in the evaluated database. Thus, many practitioners will need to separately include additives in their models of plastic life cycles. To support practitioners in this endeavor, we then assess the availability of the 13,587 additives identified in the recent UN Chemicals in Plastics Report across the three major LCI databases (CarbonMinds, Ecoinvent, and LCA for Experts [GaBi]). We find that databases currently cover only 1,209 of these additives. Moreover, we assert that transparency regarding additive inclusion in plastics datasets, availability of additive datasets, and additive data completeness are major barriers to additive inclusion in plastic LCAs. Thus, we recommend focusing on the development of additive datasets, and we provide a tool for the identification of additive dataset availability and data gaps to improve the quality of plastic LCAs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]