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In 2017, a carbon emissions trading market will be launched nationwide by the China government. Calculating the enterprise carbon emissions is an important prerequisite and basis for trading. This paper discussed types of greenhouse gases, calculation boundaries and methods, energy consumption, carbon emissions, and intensity of a representative integrated pulp and paper mill in China based on China Guidance and Greenhouse Gas Protocol Tools. The results showed that there were 435,000 tonnes (t) of CO2 emissions from that mill in 2014 that did not contain emissions of biomass energy, which was 8 times higher than that of fossil energy. The pulp carbon intensity based on the mill was 0.230 t CO2/Adt, which accounted for 7.50% to 57.4% in other pulps' based on the product. Intensity based on Gross Domestic Product (GDP) was 1.090 t CO2e/1000 USD and accounted for 56.8% intensity in the China paper industry. The intensity based on sales accounted for 52.6% in the firstclass enterprise in the developed country. It also showed that intensity was influenced by the species of raw material, energy, and products, which provided the mill with measures for energy saving and emissions reduction to obtain the redundant carbon emissions in the trading. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

While development zones are the main locations of the urban industrial economy and sources of energy consumption, studies on the interactive relationship between mixed land use and CO2 emissions in these zones have not attracted much attention. In this paper, the development zone is selected as the research object, and a honeycomb grid with a side length of 50 meters is used as the unit to measure multiple dimensions of mixed land use. The efficiency and intensity of CO2 emissions are estimated for these units, and the coupling model is used to analyse the interactive relationship between these two factors. The results show that (1) the mixed land use degree of different types of development zones differs; the bonded zone has the highest degree, while the economic and technological development zone and the high-tech development zone have higher degrees than the industrial development zones. (2) The CO2 emissions capacities of economic and technological development zones and high-tech development zones are better than those of industrial development zones and bonded areas. (3) There is a strong interaction between the mixing degree of land use and the intensity of CO2 emissions; the relationship between the two may be diverse and complex in different development zones. (4) The coordinated development level between mixed land use and CO2 emissions in economic and technological development zones and bonded areas is better than that in high-tech development zones, which in turn is better than that in industrial development zones. Based on existing measurements of mixed land use, the index of land use intensity is introduced in this paper and the land use classification in development zones is refined to supplement the land use compatibility matrix. The results of this study have implications for the development zone to enhance mixed land use and low-carbon development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As prominent oil producers, Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries have played a significant role in the global energy market. However, as the world's attention increasingly shifts towards environmental sustainability, understanding the implications of the GCC's economic activities on CO2 emissions becomes indispensable. This research paper investigates the relationship between specific economic indicators and their impact on CO2 emissions in the GCC from 2001 to 2021. This study employs quantile regression, a robust statistical method that estimates the conditional quantiles of a response variable given a set of predictor variables. The findings reveal several essential insights: Financial institution efficiency is significant and negative at a 1% level at the lower (10th, −83,537.3) and higher quantiles (90th, −549,002.3). The relationship between the GDP per capita and CO2 emissions varies across quantiles, highlighting the complexity of the growth–environment nexus. Total patents exhibit a positive and significant relationship with emissions, underscoring the importance of directing innovation towards environmentally sustainable solutions. Renewable energy consumption displays a nuanced relationship with CO2 emissions, with a more substantial negative impact observed at higher consumption levels. This underscores the potential of renewable energy to mitigate emissions when integrated at scale. This study's outcomes hold crucial policy implications for GCC countries as they seek to align economic growth with environmental sustainability. The findings emphasize the importance of fostering financial institution efficiency, promoting green innovation, and expanding renewable energy sources to reduce emissions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

For China to reach its "dual carbon" aim, the digital economy presents both opportunities and obstacles. This paper examines the potential impact of digital economy development on regional carbon dioxide emissions, concluding that while the direct impact on regional carbon dioxide emissions through industrial structure upgrading and technological progress is unclear, the indirect impact through promoting energy structure transformation is both positive and clear. This research experimentally validates the results of a theoretical analysis using panel data from 30 Chinese provinces from 2011 to 2019 and the STIRPAT model and discovers an inverted U-shaped association between digital economy development and regional carbon dioxide emissions. According to the transmission path test, the digital economy primarily achieves its carbon dioxide emission reduction effect by promoting energy structure transformation, while the carbon dioxide emission reduction effect from upgrading industrial institutions and technological progress is insignificant. By region, the expansion of the digital economy in eastern China has a large carbon dioxide emission reduction effect but not in central and western China. The policy implication of this paper is that curbing new carbon dioxide emissions caused by digital infrastructure construction using the digital economy to accelerate energy structure transformation and accelerating digital economy development in central and western China can be effective policy options for the Chinese government to achieve the goal of carbon dioxide emission reduction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With the development of a low-carbon economy, zero-energy structures will become prevalent and take center stage in the construction industry. This paper uses the CiteSpace software to create knowledge maps of authors, institutions and keywords, and then examined and commented on research publications regarding zero-energy buildings in order to understand the research state and development trends of zero-energy buildings. The findings demonstrate that: (1) Since its inception in 2000, research on zero-energy buildings has advanced significantly; (2) A subject analysis approach is used to identify development trends and research emphasis, and the four research areas with the most papers published are energy fuels, construction building technology, civil engineering and green sustainable science technology; (3) China, the United States and Italy are the countries with the most activity in zero-energy building research; (4) Out of the eight most prominent keywords for the study subjects, the design of zero-energy buildings, the estimation of the carbon emissions of zero-energy buildings, the technical challenges of zero-energy buildings and the follow-up energy-saving measures of zero-energy buildings are the four fundamental topics covered in the most cited papers; (5) There are three obstacles to the development of zero-carbon buildings: unclear standards, immature technology and insufficient development momentum. The following three problems should receive more attention in the future: how to develop a widely accepted zero-carbon building standard; how to coordinate national support to achieve technological breakthroughs; and the establishment of an effective incentive mechanism at the international and national levels to promote the development of zero-carbon buildings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

China has stepped into the assertive stage of transforming the economic development mode and economic growth momentum, while green and low-carbon development is undoubtedly the way to promote high-quality economic development in the new period. As the core of modern economic growth, the spatial scale concentration of finance plays a crucial role in the development of economic transformation. In this paper, the SBM-GML production index method was used to measure the green low-carbon development level of 30 provinces in China from 2003 to 2019. It also empirically examines the impact and effect of financial agglomeration on green low-carbon development from a two-dimensional perspective of time and space using a systematic generalized matrix and a spatial dynamic panel model. At the same time, the spatial spillover effects of financial agglomeration were measured using a partial differential approach combined with the mediating effect model to reveal the path of financial agglomeration on green low-carbon development. It was found that, firstly, financial agglomeration achieves green low-carbon, and high-quality development through economic growth, industrial structure upgrading, and technological innovation improvement. It also achieves the enhancement of green, low-carbon development through the dual improvement of green technological progress and green technological efficiency. Second, financial agglomeration can enhance the green low-carbon development of neighboring regions; the positive effect of financial agglomeration has a significant positive spatial spillover. Third, the relationship between financial agglomeration and green low-carbon development shows a significant inverted U-shaped relationship, i.e., short-term promotion and long-term inhibition; at present, financial agglomeration, as a whole, has not crossed the critical value but still has a promotional effect on green low-carbon development. Finally, this article points out that in order to effectively promote green, low-carbon development, China needs to continuously promote the formation and optimization of financial agglomeration and make concerted efforts in economic growth, industrial structure upgrading, and technological progress. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

All provinces of China respond to the central government, predict future carbon dioxide emissions, and formulate action plans detailing how the province intends to fulfill its target of carbon emission peaking before 2030. Based on the bottom‐up energy consumption prediction and top‐down goal verification, this paper constructs a set of regional carbon dioxide emission prediction methods. Compared to the traditional bottom‐up prediction method, this method could simplify the parameters while improving the prediction accuracy. This model is used to predict and analyze the process of carbon dioxide emission peaking in Zhejiang. The results show that the mean absolute percentage error of the retrospective prediction value is only 1.56%. Zhejiang will reach carbon dioxide emission peaking around 2029–2030, and the peak value will be 569.7 million tons. Different factors have different effects on the process of carbon dioxide emission peaking. There is a strong correlation between the peak time of carbon dioxide emission and the production time of major energy‐consuming projects in Zhejiang. Meanwhile, if the 16 nuclear reactors are not put into operation, Zhejiang will not be able to achieve the goal of carbon dioxide emission peaking. Besides, the basic data used in this model is mainly from the local statistical departments of the region. Thus, it can be applied to other provinces and regions conveniently. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the contemporary tramp shipping industry, route optimization and scheduling are directly linked to enhancements in operations, economics, and the environment, making them key factors for the effective management of maritime transportation. To enhance effective ship-to-cargo matching and the refinement of maritime transportation itineraries, this paper introduces a time efficiency and carbon dioxide emission multi-objective optimization algorithm named ETE-SRSP (efficiency–time–emission multi-optimization algorithm). ETE-SRSP incorporates several factors, including the initial positions of ships, time windows for loading and unloading operations, and varying sailing speeds. Within the ETE-SRSP framework, pioneering an approach that integrates ballast and laden sailing velocities as decisional parameters, it employs a multi-objective optimization technique to investigate the intricate interplay between temporal efficiency and carbon dioxide emissions. Additionally, the model's proficiency in mitigating emissions and managing costs is clearly demonstrated through the optimization of these objectives, thereby offering a robust framework for decision support. The experimental results show that the optimal sailing speeds derived from the ETE-SRSP, under typical time-weight scenarios, can achieve an optimal balance between emission reduction and cost control. In summary, this study underscores the optimization strategy's potential to effectively address the maritime sector's need for economic growth and ecological conservation, showcasing its practical value in the industry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The relationship between population, agriculture, and carbon dioxide emissions has been an issue of concern to scientists and institutions for many years. Concerns about the impact of population growth on the environment and agriculture go back several decades. As the world's population continued to grow, scientists and researchers became increasingly aware of the potential consequences of this growth on food production, resource use, and greenhouse gas emissions. A growing population means higher demand for food. This has increased pressure on agriculture to produce more food, often leading to increased acreage and more intensive farming methods. Intensification involves the increased use of fertilizers, pesticides, and machinery, which can lead to higher greenhouse gas emissions. The goal of this study is to quantify the contribution of agriculture and population growth to carbon dioxide emissions. In this context, 412 papers were found on the Web of Science. Papers in this area often address the role of agriculture in greenhouse gas emissions, including its direct and indirect effects on the carbon cycle. Although most studies were published in 2020, the number of publications has changed over time as regulations in the field have emerged. The data show that the country with the most authors is China, which is recognized as a country with a significant increase in scientific research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents an empirical investigation into the effects of energy transition and digitization on carbon dioxide emissions, serving as a proxy for environmental sustainability, across 28 Chinese provinces from 2000 to 2021. Utilizing both static and dynamic regression analyses, the study reveals a significant driving effect of the energy transition on environmental sustainability, primarily through a reduction in carbon dioxide emissions. Notably, this influence is more pronounced in the eastern region of China, followed by the central and western regions, indicating regional heterogeneity in the impact of the energy transition. Furthermore, digitization is found to have a substantial moderating effect, enhancing energy conservation and emission reductions. As digitization progresses, its capability to diminish the impact of energy transitions on carbon dioxide emissions becomes more apparent, particularly in the eastern region, while this effect is less marked in central and western China. The study also delves into the nonlinear relationship between energy transitions and carbon dioxide emissions, discovering that increased levels of digitization can exacerbate the negative effects of energy transitions on emissions. These findings offer valuable insights into the dynamics of energy transition and digitalization, highlighting their crucial roles in shaping environmental sustainability in China. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Carbon emission reduction has become a worldwide concern on account of global sustainability issues. Many existing studies have focused on the various socioeconomic influencing factors of carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions and the corresponding transmission mechanisms, while very few models have unified the scale effect, structure effect, and technique effect in the context of China. This paper attempted to analyze the impact of economic growth, industrial transition, and energy intensity on CO2 emissions in China by constructing an autoregressive distributed lag (ARDL) model. The results showed that there are long-term cointegration relationships between the three factors mentioned above and CO2 emissions. There is an inverted U-shaped relationship between economic growth and CO2 emissions, which not only verifies the environmental Kuznets curve (EKC) hypothesis, but also upholds the scale effect. In addition, the proportion of added value of secondary industry and energy intensity has significant positive impacts on CO2 emissions. On one hand, this confirms the structure effect and technique effect; on the other hand, it implies that the reduction effect is the dominant effect in the case of China, instead of the rebound effect. This paper is expected to make a valuable contribution to research in the field of sustainable development by providing both theoretical support and implementation of path choice for CO2 reduction in China. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Modern marine propulsion systems must be reliable, energy efficient, environmentally friendly, and economical. Efforts to reduce fuel costs and carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions per nautical mile have a significant impact on the choice of propulsion system. Considering that there is no alternative for maritime transport, various technical and technological solutions are being considered that aim to improve efficiency and reduce the negative impact on the environment. One of the ways to achieve this goal is slow steaming, which reduces fuel consumption and CO2 emissions. The designed speed of the vessel has a significant impact on the efficiency of slow steaming. Slow steaming is particularly suitable for large container ships with a design speed of more than 20 knots. In this paper, the effects of slow steaming are analyzed using the example of a container ship with diesel-engine propulsion. Propulsion systems with low-speed and medium-speed marine diesel engines with mechanical power transmission are investigated. Data on the required engine power and propeller speed were used for the study, obtained from calculations during testing of the ship's hull model. The effects of speed reduction on specific fuel consumption and emission reduction were analyzed using numerical models of two-stroke and four-stroke diesel engines. The models were calibrated and validated using data provided by the engine manufacturers. The paper analyses four different cases where one or two low-speed diesel engines, or three or four medium-speed diesel engines, are used for propulsion. The analysis concludes that slow steaming can effectively reduce fuel consumption and CO2 emissions, but the choice of the optimal propulsion system is highly dependent on maritime market conditions in maritime transportation. The choice of propulsion system affects the potential of slow steaming. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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Climate change has become a significant concern for developing countries given the risk that it poses to energy and food independence, and to general productivity. Despite having an energy system with low carbon intensity when compared to other Latin American countries, Colombia is already facing climate change impacts and requires urgent efforts to mitigate them. As a developing country, the challenge is bigger as policies for economic growth should be in line with the global commitment of reducing greenhouse gas emissions. With the aim of contributing to the design of climate policies by using data driven methodologies and scientific evidence, this study assesses the impact of economic development on the environment by examining the validity of the environmental Kuznets curve hypothesis for Colombia. Statistically validated and stable autoregressive distributed lag models are estimated for three different environmental indicators: carbon dioxide emissions, methane emissions, and the ecological footprint. Moreover, the effects of other variables such as urbanization, foreign direct investment, the value added by the agricultural and industrial sectors, and energy use are analyzed with dynamic simulations. To the best of our knowledge, there are no reports of EKC estimation using these variables in statistically validated models for Colombia; thus, this paper adds to the scientific evidence of the EKC hypothesis in developing countries. Empirical evidence supports a long-run equilibrium relationship among investigated variables and the existence of an inverted U-shaped EKC relationship between gross domestic product (GDP) and methane emissions, and GDP and the ecological footprint. The results of this paper show that shifting to renewable energy sources and leveraging the use of cleaner technologies in agricultural and industrial sectors are key factors for economic growth without harming the environment, which has important scientific value because of its evidence-based approach for public policy making in developing countries, particularly Colombia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper addresses issues related to modeling energy consumption and emissions using microscopic traffic simulations. This paper develops a method in which a traffic model is used to calculate the energy needed to travel through selected types of intersections. This paper focuses on energy consumption and derived values of calculated energy, which can be, for example, carbon dioxide emissions. The authors present a review of the scientific literature on the study of factors affecting energy consumption and emissions and methods to estimate them in traffic. The authors implemented an energy consumption model into a microsimulation software module to estimate results as a function of varying traffic volumes at selected types of intersections and for selected traffic organization scenarios. The results of the study show the lowest energy consumption and the lowest emissions when road solutions are selected that contribute to reducing vehicle travel times on the urban street network at higher average vehicle speeds. In addition, the positive impact of the share of electric vehicles in the traffic flow on the reduction of energy consumption and emissivity was estimated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

China, as the world's largest energy consumer, is faced with the growing pressure of carbon emission reduction. Promoting the sustainable transformation of the economy and society has become a major concern for all sectors of society. This paper assesses the potential impacts of industrial added value on energy consumption and carbon dioxide (CO 2 ) emissions from 2010 to 2020 in China using a multi-objective, linear programming model. The results show that when the industrial energy consumption is 3695.17 Mtce and the industrial CO 2 emission is 9364.16 Mt, the goal of energy saving and emission reduction can be achieved. This corresponds to an annual average growth rate limit of industrial added value of 7.8%. In addition, we find that when the annual average growth rate of industrial added value is greater than 9.9%, changes in the annual average growth rate of industrial added value have no impact on economic development. However, industrial energy consumption intensity and industrial carbon emission intensity decrease with the increase in the annual average growth rate of sub-sectors. This study proposes that energy conservation, emission reduction, and a realization of the sustainable transformation of industry scheme need to be achieved by the Chinese government in order to to continue to promote the development of several sectors with low industrial energy consumption intensity and low industrial carbon emission intensity through policy implications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Based on a detailed analysis of the impact mechanism of industrial restructuring on carbon dioxide emissions in the Yellow River Basin, this paper first calculated the carbon dioxide emission data of 57 prefecture-level cities in the Yellow River Basin from 2009 to 2019 and constructed indicators from two dimensions: the advancement and the rationalization of the industrial structure. Then, the Stochastic Impacts by Regression on Population, Affluence, and Technology (STIRPAT) model was used to empirically analyze the influencing factors of industrial structure adjustments on carbon dioxide emissions in the Yellow River Basin. Consequently, changing carbon dioxide emission trends in the Yellow River Basin under various scenarios were predicted. The research observed the following: (1) the eastern part of the Shandong Peninsula Urban Agglomeration and the Energy Golden Triangle have higher carbon dioxide emissions; (2) the advancement of industrial structures in the Yellow River Basin has a better emission reduction effect than the rationalization of industrial structures; (3) increased foreign investment will lead to an increase in carbon dioxide emissions in the Yellow River Basin, and a "Pollution Refuge Effect" will emerge; (4) accelerated industrial transformations and upgrades, high-quality economic development, and a moderate population growth rate are consistent with future development trends. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In recent years, the global economy has become more closely related among countries, and people's pursuit of economic growth has caused the destruction of the environment. This paper selected panel data from 30 provinces in China from 1997 to 2020 to investigate the dynamic relationship between trade liberalization, financial development and carbon dioxide emissions by constructing a PVAR model. We also consider technology as an important variable for studying the effect on carbon dioxide emissions. We draw the following conclusions. First, financial development promotes carbon dioxide emissions, while trade liberalization has no significant impact on carbon dioxide emissions. Second, China's trade liberalization promotes financial development, which has limited support for international trade. Third, there is a two-way causal relationship between financial development and carbon dioxide emissions, and there is also a two-way causal relationship between trade liberalization and financial development. Finally, there is a significant inverted "U" curve relationship between trade liberalization and innovation efficiency, environmental regulation and innovation. According to the results, we believe that openness to trade impacts emissions of carbon dioxide, opening a new function path: namely, trade openness and financial development result in high carbon dioxide emissions; consequently, China has relied on this process in the development of their financial system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Escalating geopolitical factors are closely related to climate warming, but researchers have not fully considered this. Therefore, the purpose of this study is to explore the interaction between geopolitical risk (GPR) and carbon dioxide (CO2) in China. This paper uses the recently developed GPR index and a bootstrap Granger rolling-window estimation. Empirical results spanning different subsamples reveal a two-way causal relationship between GPR and CO2. GPR transforms energy consumption and economic activities through trade disputes, military deployments and energy issues, which have a complex impact on CO2 emissions. Oppositely, CO2 emissions affect GPR through changes in international cooperation and shaping of geopolitical systems. In view of these empirical results, we put forward several policy recommendations. The Chinese government can effectively consider GPR to control CO2 emissions by increasing green investment and signing environmental contracts. Enterprises must focus on research and development (R&D) and investment in new energy innovations. In addition, international organizations can be a useful tool for monitoring decarbonization policies and resolving conflicts between countries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

There are differences in economic level, population size, and technical level in different stages. At the same time, as a coal-dependent country, other regions have foreign dependence on coal. Then the primary factors and influence degrees of CO2 emissions in different stages and areas with different coal dependents will be various. This paper adds urbanization rate, industrial structure, and energy consumption structure to the traditional STIRPAT model. Based on the expanded STIRPAT model, the panel data of 30 regions in China from 2005 to 2019 are used to analyze the different stages and areas with foreign coal dependence. The main influencing factors and degree of influence of CO2 emissions. Regression finds that population size, energy consumption, and industrial structure will increase regional carbon dioxide emissions. There is an "inverted U-shaped" curve relationship between economic development, technological level, and carbon dioxide emissions. The improvement of the urbanization rate can reduce carbon dioxide emissions. Carbon dioxide emissions. An "inverted U-shaped" curve relationship between per capita GDP and CO2 emissions in three research periods from 2005 to 2010, 2011 to 2015, and 2016 to 2019. At the same time, the inhibition effect of the urbanization rate is constantly strengthened, and the promotion effect of the coal consumption ratio is decreasing year by year. The influence of population size, technical level, and industrial structure on carbon dioxide emissions in the whole country and areas with different coal dependents varies with the study period. To provide a theoretical basis for local conditions and regional management in the future direction of energy-saving and carbon reduction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Economic development is mainly dependent on fossil fuels. The massive use of fossil fuels has led to changes in the climate environment, in which the deterioration of air quality has affected people's daily lives. This paper introduces the green growth level as a control variable to explore the connection between carbon dioxide emissions and the level of economic growth. It uses the EKC algorithm and VEC model to analyze Nanjing city's data from 1993 to 2018. Given the data availability, the ARIMA algorithm was used to project carbon emissions for 2019–2025. It is found that the EKC curve of Nanjing City shows an N-shape, and the growth of economic level will cause the enhancement of carbon dioxide emissions. Carbon emissions will reach 7,592,140 tons in 2025. At present, we are in an essential stage of transition from N-shape to inverted U-shape, and this paper makes several recommendations based on the findings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Energy transition plays a crucial role in supporting sustainable economic growth and the reduction in carbon emissions. In fact, China implemented the national sustainable development experimental zone policy to achieve sustainable development goals, including an energy transition. This paper divided the energy transition dimension into energy consumption and carbon dioxide emissions based on the perspectives of energy input and output. Furthermore, using panel data for 214 cities at the prefecture level in China from 2006 to 2019, the study measured the impact of the national sustainable development experimental zone policy on energy transitions by employing a difference-in-difference (DID) model and an intermediary effect model. The results showed that the national sustainable development experimental zone policy reduced energy consumption and carbon dioxide emissions and accelerated energy transition. The conclusions still held after a series of robustness tests. Additionally, the results of the heterogeneity analysis of different experimental zone types indicated that, compared with prefecture-level experimental zones, county experimental zones play a more obvious role in reducing energy consumption and carbon dioxide emissions. In addition, the results of the heterogeneity analysis of the urban geographical location showed that the national sustainable development experimental zone policy had different negative effects on urban energy consumption and carbon dioxide emissions in different regions, and the impact of policy on energy transition was experienced, in decreasing order, by the western, central, and eastern regions. The results of the mechanism verification indicated that the national sustainable development experimental zone policy can affect energy consumption and carbon dioxide emissions via technological progress and upgrading industrial structure, which had a relatively high aggregation order in the variables deployed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Governments and policymakers worldwide have been setting targets to achieve an ambitious net‐zero emission target by 2050 to tackle the pressing issue of climate change. However, achieving the net‐zero emission target by 2050 depends on the factors determining the transition from traditional fossil fuel energy sources to renewables. In connection with this, policymakers have emphasised the need to transition from a linear to a circular economy. In this paper, we investigate the effectiveness of the progress towards a circular economy in reducing CO2 emissions and promoting environmental sustainability. To do so, we use annual historical data for a panel of 29 European countries from 2000 to 2020. Using an identification strategy that adopts heteroscedastic‐based instrumental variables and addresses endogeneity issues, we find that progress towards a circular economy significantly improves environmental quality via reducing CO2 emissions. Our findings suggest that business strategies promoting recycling and circular economy practices play an important role in environmental sustainability by reducing emissions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper empirically investigates the interactions among CO2 emissions, economic growth, and three selected types of fossil energy consumption (coal, gas, and oil) using time series data from China over the period 1965-2015. Classic econometric analysis technologies including the Johansen cointegration test, the vector error correction model (VECM), and the Granger causality test based on VECM are employed to meet our objectives, and the presence of breaks in the data is also considered. Cointegration test result supports the existence of a long-run equilibrium relationship among the five variables, and the error correction mechanisms of the system involving the five variables are proven to be effective by VECM. Additionally, the Granger causality test based on VECM reveals that the bidirectional causalities between GDP and coal consumption, between GDP and gas consumption, and between coal consumption and CO2 emissions and unidirectional causalities running from GDP and oil consumption to CO2 emissions, from GDP to oil consumption, and from coal consumption to oil and gas consumption are found. Furthermore, several policy implications are proposed in the final section of this paper based on the empirical results. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper examines the social, economic and environmental potential of Urban Agriculture (UA) based on information from forty distinct locations in each of the two regions: Adelaide, South Australia and Kathmandu Valley, Nepal, representing the diverse developmental background. Modelling is used to estimate equivalent employment, scale appropriateness, and earnings in comparison to labour use from commercial urban farming and gardening style UA, together with carbon dioxide emissions for two vegetable types. The study investigates the influence of distance and production scale under manual to modest mechanisation for urban vegetable production, finding that the interplay between labour use and mechanisation can favour scale-appropriate UA practices with better labour productivity and economic and social advantage. The distribution (assumed to be by car for UA) contributes the largest proportion of emissions, and the production component (even with mechanisation) contributes a relatively small portion per unit of production. We recommend that governments and planners should facilitate scale-appropriate mechanisation through better planning and policy instruments for UA's sustainability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Biofouling attaches to immersed surfaces in between hull cleanings. Due to high speeds and relatively short port times, biofilm often attaches to the immersed surfaces of containerships. In most cases, this type of fouling is not given much importance since it is assumed that it will not cause any fouling penalties. In this paper, the fouling penalties related to fouling with biofilm on the example of the Post Panamax and Post Panamax Plus containership fleets sailing in the Adriatic Sea are assessed. In addition, the investigation is performed for real environmental conditions that a containership can encounter on a sailing route passing through the Adriatic Sea. Thus, the impact of waves and wind is taken into account based on mean values of significant wave height and wind speed for containerships sailing at the design speed along the analyzed route. The procedure for the determination of the detrimental effects of biofilm on the increase in fuel consumption and carbon dioxide emissions is given. Further, the proposed procedure includes the determination of calm water resistance by the Holtrop and Mennen method, the added resistance in waves by Liu and Papanikolaou's method, spectral analysis using the Tabain's spectrum for the Adriatic Sea, the wind resistance by the Blendermann method, and added resistance due to biofouling using the Granville method. Thereafter, a time-dependent biofouling growth model proposed by Uzun et al. is incorporated, and the adequate timing for underwater hull cleaning is determined for several hull cleaning costs. The obtained results demonstrate that, from an environmental point of view, proactive hull cleaning should be applied, while, from an economic perspective, optimal timing for underwater hull cleaning is recommended. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As a market-based instrument for transportation demand management, a transport fee-charging policy can not only effectively reduce traffic congestion, but also improve air quality. Considering the urgent need to improve urban transport fee-charging policies and reduce transport carbon emissions, the paper focuses on the role of the performance of fee-charging policies in reducing the carbon emissions of urban transport. In this study, we propose a methodological framework for the performance evaluation of urban traffic carbon emission fee-charging policies. First, we analyze the current situation of the implementation of fee-charging policies and their relationship with urban traffic congestion. Subsequently, we analyze changing trends of carbon emissions associated with transportation travel in Beijing in recent years, to identify the main sources of carbon emissions from transport. Finally, we used the DEA method to evaluate the performance of the fee policies for urban transport, which are meant to reduce carbon emissions, analyze their implementation efficiency, and then discuss the main factors affecting their efficiency. The results show that with the implementation of fee-charging policies, urban traffic congestion has eased. The overall carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions from transportation in Beijing grew rapidly. CO2 emissions generated by car travel are the main source of carbon emissions from transportation in Beijing. The average value of the overall technical efficiency (TE) of Beijing's fee-charging policies to reduce transportation carbon emissions from 2006 to 2018 is 0.962, indicating that the overall implementation of Beijing's fee-charging policies has been effective. Adjustments to the fee structure reduce motor vehicle travel to an extent, increase the proportion of green travel, and reduce the intensity of transportation carbon emissions. The technical non-efficiency in Beijing's fee-charging policy is mainly due to non-efficiency of scale, followed by pure technical non-efficiency. Appropriately adjusting the fee structures imposed by different policies would help to improve the efficiency of policy implementation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper revisited the link between intra-industry trade (IIT) between Portugal and Spain and Portuguese carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions. The research also considers the effects of foreign direct investment (FDI) on CO2 emissions, pondering the arguments of the pollution haven hypothesis and the halo hypothesis. As an econometric strategy, this investigation has applied panel data, namely a Pooled Mean Group of an Autoregressive Distributed Lag (ARDL) model and Panel Quantile Regression (PQR). The preliminary unit root tests indicated that IIT, Portuguese and Spanish renewable energy, and Portuguese FDI are integrated into the first differences and stationary with the second generation test (Pesaran methodology). In the next step, this study applied the multicollinearity test and cross-dependence between the variables. The variance inflation factor test demonstrated that FDI and IIT have no multicollinear problems. However, as expected, collinearity exists between Portuguese and Spanish renewable energy. Regarding the cross-sectional dependence test, this investigation concluded that the variables have a dependence between them. The cointegration test revealed that the variables are overall cointegrated. In the econometric results with the ARDL estimator, this investigation has found that IIT between Portugal and Spain is negatively correlated with Portuguese CO2 emissions, showing that this type of trade encourages environmental improvements. However, the PQR demonstrates that there is an opposite relationship. According to this, Portuguese and Spanish renewable energy is negatively impacted by CO2 emissions, revealing that renewable energy aims to decrease pollution. Finally, Portuguese FDI reduces CO2 emissions, which is explained by product differentiation, innovation, and monopolistic competition. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

At present, the trend of all sectors and industries, especially the oil and gas industry, is towards reducing carbon dioxide emissions. Along with the modernization of technological processes, special attention has been paid to the reduction in greenhouse gas emissions from vehicles that run on gasoline and diesel. An effective solution in this field is the transition from vehicles with combustion engines to electric vehicles, similar to the use of the electric bus in public transportation. How to charge these electric buses is a challenge for researchers. By proposing a flash charging method for electric buses, the feasibility of using these buses is obtained. Due to the pulsating nature of the power demand in this charging method, the prevention of negative effects on the network by this type of load should be considered. These negative effects can include power quality problems, voltage drop, frequency instability, and overload of transmission lines and transformers. This paper presents a flywheel energy storage system (FESS)-based flash charging station for electric buses. The specifications of the components of this charging station are designed and sized for a case study for line 1 of Tehran Bus Rapid Transit (BRT). A charging strategy based on the proposed charging cycle is presented to minimize the high-power short-duration demand from the grid. The energy consumption of the electric bus based on the electricity consumption model is calculated. Based on theoretical calculations, for the case study, there is a need for installing 12 flash charging stations based on FESS in line 1 Tehran BRT. In this line, an electric bus with a battery capacity of 80 kWh is proposed. The power and energy capacity of these charging stations are sized to 600 kW and 3.334 kWh, respectively. Additionally, an economic comparison regarding the proposed charging station is conducted. The theoretical results of the design and sizing of the proposed charging station are validated based on simulation and experimental results for a small-scale laboratory setup. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Since the emergence of the COVID-19 pandemic, people all around the globe have seen its effects, including city closures, travel restrictions, and stringent security measures. However, the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic extend beyond people's everyday lives. It impacts the air, water, soil, and carbon emissions as well. This article examines the effect of energy and the COVID-19 pandemic on China's carbon dioxide emissions in light of the aforementioned context, using the daily data from 20 January 2020 and ending on 20 April 2022. Using the nonlinear autoregressive distributed lag model for empirical analysis, the findings indicate that COVID-19 pandemic confirmed cases and renewable energy advance environmental sustainability due to their negative effects on carbon dioxide emissions, whereas fossil fuel energy hinders environmental sustainability due to its positive effect on carbon dioxide emissions. Moreover, these results are also supported by the results of the frequency domain causality test and the Markow switching regression. In light of these results, there are several policy implications, such as vaccination, renewable energy utilization, and non-renewable energy alternative policies, which have been proposed in this paper. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This research investigates the complex interplay between carbon dioxide emissions, population dynamics, migration patterns, foreign direct investment, and gross domestic product in Vietnam. The paper uses the unrestricted fixed and random panel data method. The data is collected from the World Bank and Vietnam General Office of Statistics. This study employs a multidimensional analytical framework in the country's rapid economic growth context, combining quantitative and qualitative methods to unravel the nuanced relationships within this nexus. The main finding of this study reveals significant correlations between carbon dioxide emissions, population, migration, FDI- foreign direct investment inflows, and GDP- gross domestic product growth, highlighting the pivotal role of these factors in shaping Vietnam's economic landscape. The study draws on comprehensive datasets spanning multiple years. The research reveals significant correlations, notably the positive link between foreign direct investment inflows and gross domestic product growth. Simultaneously, the study sheds light on the environmental challenges associated with urbanization and the socioeconomic impacts of internal migration. The findings of this paper contribute to the theoretical understanding of these interconnected factors, emphasizing the need for an integrated policy approach. Policy recommendations include sustainable urban development strategies, sector-specific foreign direct investment initiatives, and inclusive migration policies. Additionally, fostering green technologies, community engagement, and international collaborations are proposed to advance Vietnam's sustainable development goals. This research is a foundation for policymakers, scholars, and stakeholders, offering actionable insights to guide Vietnam toward a balanced and resilient future. The study's methodology, findings, and policy implications contribute to the academic discourse on sustainable development and provide remarkable guidance for navigating the complexities of economic growth and environmental stewardship in emerging economies.

Featured Application: The presented results can be used to evaluate the energy-saving potential and ecological impact of electric motors of various energy efficiency classes in various applications of electric drive. The high energy intensity of the modern industry and the threat of climate change determine the high urgency of increasing the energy efficiency of electric motors. In this paper, energy consumption, energy costs, payback periods, and CO2 emissions of 75 kW, 4 pole induction motors with direct grid supply in a fixed-speed pump unit are evaluated. Motors of the IE2, IE3, and IE4 efficiency classes according to IEC 60034-30-1 standard are compared in terms of life-time energy savings, payback period, and CO2 emissions. To carry out the analysis, polynomial interpolation of the data from the available manufacturer datasheets of the motors is used. It concluded that even though the initial investment cost of the IE4-motor is higher than that of IE3-motor, the IE4-motor is more profitable if more than 3 years of operation are considered and also provides significant reductions of CO2 emissions. The paper presents a calculation method of the aforementioned indicators which can be useful for companies, researchers, and engineers for quick assessment and selection of technical solutions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to establish a set of steps for helping companies to create a Green Supply Chain Strategy based on the reduction of their carbon footprint. The aim is to put forward a simple guideline that companies can follow and guide them in achieving their carbon emission targets, as well as obtaining attractive supply chain savings. Design/methodology/approach: Based on a literature review and benchmarking this paper proposes a methodology based on three pillars: 1) Corporate Carbon Strategy; 2) Carbon emission roadmap; and 3) Implementation and tracking. Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP) techniques were used in order to create a green strategy and support the decision-making processes to select the most interesting alternatives for carbon emission reduction and supply chain savings. The supply chain of a metallurgical company is used to illustrate the case study where the proposed methodology is used. The criteria used for the carbon alternatives selection was based on three factors: 1) the supply chain cost of the alternative; 2) carbon emission impact in terms of CO2 tonnes; and 3) marketing effect. Findings: The paper identifies some specific steps for developing a Green Supply Chain Strategy. The case study developed, demonstrates the importance of following a proper methodology based on a set of steps, it also demonstrates that some alternatives focus on improving the supply chain, such as the facilities location, can also improve the key performance indicator related with carbon emission. Originality/value: The study provides guidance for manufacturing companies in implementing their Green Supply Chain Strategy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The efforts towards the liberalization of electricity markets have sped up recently in some countries within the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) region. This step of opening up the electricity markets is aimed at establishing competitive and efficient electricity markets that not only reduce electricity prices, but also support a sustainable future by reducing carbon dioxide ( CO 2 ) emissions from electricity generation and promoting the wider adoption of renewable energy (RE)-based electricity generation. This paper assesses the effects of the electricity market liberalization process in Singapore and the Philippines on these expected outcomes during the period 2015–2020. The regression analysis results suggest that in the specified period, the liberalization of the electricity market in Singapore has delivered both household and industry electricity price reductions and improvement in the RE share. However, there is no significant effect of the electricity market liberalization process on the electricity generated CO 2 emissions. For the same period, the results imply that with the electricity market liberalization process in the Philippines, the electricity prices for household consumers and electricity-generated CO 2 emissions have increased. Additionally, the liberalization process has no significant impact on both the RE share and industry electricity prices in the Philippines. To overcome the obstacles and strike a balance between the expected outcomes, policy recommendations are given for ASEAN economies following the pathway of liberalized electricity markets. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The European Union (EU) is committed to decarbonising its economy by 2050. To that end, significant reductions in greenhouse gases from the energy and agricultural sectors are of critical importance. However, while the EU member states each pursue a different climate strategy, all member states' emissions are regulated by EU climate law. This paper investigates the factors explaining carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions in the 27 member countries, using fully modified least squares (FMOLS) and quantile regression models. Before estimations, panel unit root and cointegration tests have been used for the period 1990-2018. The applied model examines the impact of economic growth, energy intensity, renewable energy consumption and agricultural trade on carbon dioxide emissions. Estimates have shown that the intensification of energy stimulates carbon emissions. Economic growth indicates an increase in carbon emissions. The results reveal that agricultural trade decreases carbon dioxide emissions in the EU, highlighting that intra EU trade is more environmentally friendly. Finally, the impact of renewable energy is limited to contributing to climate mitigation goals by reducing emissions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions from the road sector have attracted increasing attention in current years. This paper attempted to provide a systematic review of the existing research efforts on road life-cycle CO2 emissions by analyzing the system's boundary division, identifying the CO2 emission contributions of each life-cycle phase, listing major emission contributors, exploring related emission reduction technologies, and giving directions for future development. The research showed that the road life cycle is usually divided into five phases: material production, construction, use, maintenance and end-of-life (EOL) phases. The use phase and the initial construction stage (including material production and construction phases) contributed the most CO2 emissions during the road life cycle. In detail, the production of cement, asphalt and steel were the three main emission contributors in the material production phase. The pavement roughness, albedo, and concrete carbonation were the main factors affecting emissions in the use phase. In addition, emission reduction technologies such as using recycled materials and recycling techniques, lowering mixing temperature, and equipment energy substitution were commonly used to reduce emissions from material production and construction phases. The application of emerging technologies such as carbon capture and storage, carbon sink, and the use of hydrogen, solar and photovoltaic in the road sector may have emission reduction potentials and should be highlighted more in future studies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Natural gas has returned to prominence in the agenda of European countries since the beginning of the invasion of Ukraine by Russia in 2022. However, natural gas is a fossil source with severe environmental implications. This paper aims to verify the impact of natural gas on carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions for a European panel from 1993 to 2018 for sixteen countries. An Autoregressive Distributed Lag (ARDL) model in the form of an unrestricted error correction model was used to identify the short-run impacts, the long-run elasticities, and the speed of adjustment of the model. The results indicate that in the short-run, natural gas has a negligible impact on CO2 emissions when faced with oil consumption (6.7 times less), whereas the consumption of renewables and hydroelectric energy proved to be able to decrease the CO2 emissions both in the short- and long-run. The elasticity of oil consumption is lower than the unit, indicating that efficiency gains have been achieved during the process of the energy transition to clean energy sources. If economies use non-renewable energy, governments must continue to prefer natural gas to oil. Renewables and hydroelectric consumption must be used to revert the path of CO2 emissions. Given the unstable scenario that has been caused by the War in Eastern Europe, politicians should focus on accelerating the transition from fossil to renewable energies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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

With the development of China's economy, more and more energy consumption has led to serious environmental problems. Faced with the enormous pressure of large amounts of carbon dioxide ( C O 2 ) emissions, China is now actively implementing the development strategy of low-carbon and emission reduction. Through the analysis of the influencing factors of C O 2 emissions in China, five key influencing factors are selected: urbanization level, gross domestic product (GDP) of secondary industry, thermal power generation, real GDP per capital and energy consumption per unit of GDP. This paper applies the Elman neural network optimized by the Firefly Algorithm (FA) to forecast the C O 2 emissions in China. And the results show that the performance of the FA–Elman is better than the Elman neural network and Back Propagation Neural Network (BPNN), verifying the effectiveness of the FA–Elman model for the C O 2 emissions prediction. Finally, we make some suggestions for low-carbon and emission reduction in China by analysing key influencing factors and forecasting C O 2 emissions using the FA–Elman model from 2017 to 2020. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study examines how electric utilities and regulators can encourage residential consumers to conserve electricity during the hottest summer days and shift electricity load from the day to off-peak, nighttime hours. We analyze a two-year field experiment involving 280 Texas households that explores approaches to conservation and load-shifting to enable emission reductions and reduce generation costs. Our critical peak pricing intervention reduces electricity consumption by 14% on the peak hours of the hottest days, leading to greenhouse gas emission reductions of about 16%. A key contribution of this study is the use of high-frequency appliance-level data. We show that 74% of the critical peak response is from reducing air conditioning. In a complementary nighttime pilot program, consumers respond strongly to lower prices by programming the timing of electric vehicle charging. Our work highlights how automation can influence the consumer tradeoffs relating to effort costs, discomfort, monetary incentives, and warm glow. This paper was accepted by Rajesh Chandy, Special Section of Management Science on Business and Climate Change. Supplemental Material: The data and online appendices are available at https://doi.org/10.1287/mnsc.2020.02074. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Life cycle assessments in the construction industry reveal that 70–80% of all CO2 emissions occur precisely at the stage of material production (stages A1–A3 of the life cycle). Therefore, not only does the strength and thermal properties of the material selected for construction have major importance, but also the environmental impact of the material and the amount of energy spent to extract, manufacture and transport the materials. The paper presents the thermal calculations for envelope structures, assessing their environmental impact with respect to three parameters: carbon dioxide emissions, total energy consumption and amount of waste generated during material production. The research method used was an analysis of documents from real manufacturers and calculations of the main environmental parameters. Our investigation has led us to conclude that the largest amount of carbon dioxide emissions is produced by structures containing reinforced concrete, since the weight fraction of concrete is significantly greater than that of all other compared materials. The largest amount of non-renewable energy is consumed by structures containing clay bricks and reinforced concrete, since they consist of natural sources. The largest amount of waste is generated by structures containing expanded polystyrene and reinforced concrete consisting of cement, whose production in turn generates a large amount of waste. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]