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Highlights: [•] Offsetting development impacts could help achieve no net loss of biodiversity. [•] France recently geared its legislation on offsetting towards no net loss. [•] New guidance promises improved offset design and implementation. [•] Institutional arrangements for delivering offsets are either poor or lacking. [•] Appropriate institutional arrangements are necessary to avoid paper offsets. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

• The 80 km/h speed limit is associated with a significant reduction in fatalities. • Estimated benefits are between 300 and 350 lives saved. • Estimated effects vary between counties, illustrating the potential impact depending on the local context. • The dynamics of the measure evolve over time. Introduction : Speeding is considered to be a major contributor to road fatalities and injuries worldwide. Inappropriate speeding behavior is associated with a high casualty burden. It could be responsible for at least 30% of road accidents. Method : In 2018, the French authorities decided to introduce a new speed limit. They lowered the speed limit to 80 km/h on the unseparated interurban network. The aim was to reduce the number of fatalities and injuries and to implement some measures in line with international commitments. This paper uses different econometric models applied to time series for different groups of counties. Results : The results show a significant positive contribution of the new speed limit. The estimated number of lives saved is between 300 and 350. The overall reduction in the number of fatalities is 10%. The results also show a differentiated impact according to the local context and the different dynamics at play. Conclusions and Practical Applications : The results of this paper are in line with the scientific literature on speed limit reductions. They represent a validation of a debated public decision, while at the same time consolidating the body of knowledge on the subject, helping the decision-maker to adopt an appropriate measure to improve road safety performance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A common task in today's transport simulation research is the assessment of on-demand mobility services on a large scale. A framework that is widely used for such tasks is MATSim, which has been applied frequently to study highly dynamic on-demand mobility services. To date, its efficient fleet management implementation does not yet support on-demand requests that are pre-booked in advance. This type of service, however, is seeing increased interest in the context of long-distance, rural, and inclusive mobility. Therefore, the present paper explores how prebooking can be integrated into MATSim and a use case for the city of Melun in France is presented. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper aims to perform a literature review on the use of multi-criteria methods for assessing agricultural sustainability, focusing on the distribution of papers according to year, journal, and countries, the most productive authors, the most frequently used multi-criteria methods and their characteristics, the type of system and the type of agriculture in which these methods are being performed, the methodological approaches and assessment types, and the sustainability dimensions considered. The data collection has been carried out through the Web of Science™ platform on September 3rd, 2021. After a refinement process, 41 papers were selected. The descriptive analysis was carried out through Bibliometrix tool, while content analysis was performed using Nvivo. The descriptive analysis shows that from 2016 to 2021 the scientific production addressing multi-criteria methods to assess agricultural sustainability started to grow markedly in a very rapid matter, reaching an average of 6 papers per year. France and China are the most scientifically productive countries. The content analysis points out that the most used multi-criteria method is the AHP that was used 11 times. The outranking methods, instead, were used only 3 times. In 68% of the papers the Triple Bottom Line was used as dimensions, and in 41% of the papers the spatial applicability was the farming system. The results highlight that doesn't exist many MCDM/A methods for assessing agricultural sustainability, and most of them are compensatory. These results point out that the use of multi-criteria methods in assessing agricultural sustainability is still underexplored and can be improved. [Display omitted] • Multicriteria methods are powerful tools for assessing agricultural sustainability. • A literature review on agricultural sustainability evaluation was performed. • The number of studies has been increasing in the last five years. • Most of the approaches are based on compensatory multicriteria methods. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Enteric fermentation from dairy cows is a major source of methane. Significantly and rapidly reducing those emissions would be a powerful lever to mitigate climate change. For a given productivity level, introducing fodder with high sources of n-3 content, such as grass or linseed, in the feed ration of dairy cows both improves the milk nutritional profile and reduces enteric methane emissions per liter. Changing cows' diet may represent additional costs for dairy farmers and calls for the implementation of payments for environmental services to support the transition. This paper analyzes 2 design elements influencing the effectiveness of a payment conditioned toward the reduction of enteric methane emissions: (1) the choice of emission indicator capturing the effect of farmers' practices, and (2) the payment amount relative to the additional milk production costs incurred. Using representative farm-level economic data from the French farm accountancy data network, we compare enteric methane emissions per liter of milk calculated with an Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change Tier 2 method, to baseline emissions from a Tier 3 method accounting for diet effects. We also quantify the additional milk production costs of integrating more grass in the fodder systems by estimating variable cost functions for different dairy systems in France. Our results show the relevance of using an emission indicator sensitive to diet effects, and that the significance and direction of the additional costs for producing milk with a diet containing more grass differ according to the production basin and the current share of grasslands in the fodder crop rotation. We emphasize the importance of developing payments for environmental services with well-defined environmental indicators accounting for the technical problems addressed, and the need to better characterize heterogeneous funding requirements for supporting a large-scale adoption of more environment-friendly practices by farmers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper we describe and apply a method probing into linguistic (in)directness in complaint tweets. The sample analyzed consists of French-language Twitter complaint interactions, half of which are between the SNCF (the French National Railway company) and its customers and half between the SNCB (the Belgian National Railway company) and its customers. The aim of this paper is two-fold: first, we present and test a methodology that measures the explicitness (or linguistic (in)directness) of complaints, which, we argue, in line with Decock and Depraetere (2018), must be differentiated from perceived (im)politeness or perceived face-threat. Linguistic (in)directness is analyzed in the complete complaint situation, that is, in the first tweet as well as in the ensuing interaction. Secondly, as the sample shows differences in the realization of complaints in two linguistically close communities, we put forward some hypotheses concerning the relative impact of cultural differences and the companies' response strategy. • We analyze complaint components and how they are linguistically realized. • We differentiate complaint (in)directness and perceived (im)politeness. • Twitter complaints vary in their degree of linguistic (in)directness. • We explore the impact of response strategy on Twitter complaint interaction. • Twitter complaint realizations in French are different in Belgium and France. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As a first step to assess the financial risks associated with biodiversity loss, this paper develops a method to evaluate the exposure of the financial system to biodiversity-related - physical or transition - shocks. We apply it to the security portfolio held by French financial institutions at the end of 2019. Employing the ENCORE database, we assess physical risks by examining how the firms that issued the securities in the portfolio depend on ecosystem services to produce. Our results indicate that they significantly depend on water-related ecosystem services and that 42% of the value of securities held by French financial institutions were issued by firms highly or very highly dependent on at least one ecosystem service. Using the Global Biodiversity Score tool, we assess transition risks by quantifying the biodiversity footprint of the security portfolio and of the firms that issued the securities. We find that the portfolio footprint is equivalent to the loss of 130,000km2 of pristine nature and that 38.5% of the portfolio value comes from firms belonging to sectors in the top 10% of biodiversity footprints. This offers new methodological tools to address the relationship between finance and biodiversity from a financial stability perspective. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Natural forest regrowth on abandoned land represents a major land use change in some regions of Europe. This is driven by various factors related to land abandonment, particularly changing socioeconomic conditions for agriculture and rural depopulation. Little research exists about how the issue is addressed at the policy level. This paper looks into the policymaking related to natural forest regrowth in France and Spain, two countries where land abandonment and natural forest regrowth occur at significant scales. We conduct a policy discourse analysis building upon 27 interviews carried out between 2018 and 2020 with policy actors from various fields that connect with these topics. We find four competing storylines in both countries: extensive agriculture, forestry, landscape conservation, and wilderness. These storylines differ regarding the framing of natural forest regrowth as a problem or an opportunity, and the preferred policy solutions. While storylines rooted in extensive agriculture, landscape conservation and forestry tend to problematize the phenomenon, a wilderness storyline voices an opportunity perspective. In France, a few actors voice elements of an insignificance storyline. Given its spatial importance, natural forest regrowth will likely become more important for future policymaking in the EU. Engaging in further research across disciplines and policy fields is necessary to study the phenomenon and its possible management and governance options. • Policy actors narrate natural forest regrowth on abandoned land through storylines. • Interview results distinguish four storylines on natural forest regrowth. • Three storylines tend to highlight the threat of natural forest regrowth. • Natural forest regrowth has not yet received much political attention. • Shifts towards a rewilding perspective may strengthen an opportunity framing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• The paper has a focus on energy consumption habits and trends using statistical methods. • Occupants' behavior is monitored using smart metering system and awareness surveys. • The impact of a serious game on occupant's behavior is evaluated. The paper has a focus on energy consumption habits, trends and intervention strategies in residential buildings, mainly through the serious game approach with a combination of direct consumer feedback through smart metering. More than 150 homes in France and Spain have been involved in the research experiment and the consumption habits of approximately 50 homes were deeply analyzed. The applied methods, processes, results and findings of the monitoring data analysis are presented in the paper with two aims. First, consumption profiles and trends were determined for apartment homes with regard to heating, domestic hot water and electric consumption. Second, the impact of a serious game experiment was assessed comparing energy consumption, indoor air temperature and users' habits (based on questionnaires) before and after launching the experiment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: This paper constitutes the first attempt to draw lessons from the recent uptake of health economic evaluation of innovative drugs in the French regulatory framework.Study Design: Taking the example of new direct-acting antivirals against hepatitis C virus, the paper asks whether and how the cost-effectiveness (CE) opinions issued by the French National Health Authority improve the information available to support the pricing decisions.Methods: The analysis compares the assessment of these drugs based on three different sources: CE opinions, clinical opinions, and the published cost-utility analyses (CUA) available in the literature and identified through a systematic review.Results: The results show that CE opinions bring to the fore three issues prone to impact the incremental cost utility ratio and those were not available to the decision maker through clinical opinions or published CUA: the stage of treatment initiation, the modeling of the disease progression, and the uncertainty around the efficacy rates.Conclusions: France has introduced the criterion of the cost per QALY gained in the pricing and regulation of innovative pharmaceuticals since 2013. Our analysis shows that the use of CUA does enhance the information available to the decision makers on the value of the treatments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The issue of gender-fair language remains rather controversial in France. Although some recent changes have taken place at institutional level, forms associated with inclusive writing are still discouraged in numerous legal settings. Inspired by the broader research framework of the Eurolect Observatory Project, 1 which focuses on the cross-language contact that derives from the multilingual drafting and translation of EU legislation, this paper investigates the possible dialogue between supranational and national legal varieties and the way(s) in which the topical issue of gender is addressed in French legal provisions. Based on qualitative and quantitative analysis of a corpus consisting of (i) EU directives, (ii) their implementing measures in the French national legal system, and (iii) French national laws, the study investigates different linguistic strategies for expressing gender, which can be categorised under the tripartite division of masculine, binary, or neutral forms. This contribution joins an existing body of recent literature on the discursive articulation of gender in legislative languages (Cavagnoli and Mori, 2019) and narrows down the focus to gender-related provisions in the French language. The analysis is guided by the following research questions: Can a potential intralinguistic dialogue be observed between supranational and national varieties in French legal discourse? And if so, can such a potential dialogue be said to be moving towards (more) gender-fair representation in the law? • Masculine forms in the law are a case of pragmatic indeterminacy. • The strategies used to represent gender in French legal discourse still lack convergence. • The inconsistent use of gender-fair strategies may result in male-biased inferences. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Overheating regulations and calculation methods in 26 European countries were compared. • Most of the existing calculation methods are outdated and do not fit climate-proof buildings. • France requires a mixed-mode operation of naturally ventilated households. • The UK developed a heatwave-based calculation approach. • Comfort-based, multi-zonal, and time-integrated calculation approaches are needed. With the ongoing significance of overheating calculations in the residential building sector, building codes such as the European Energy Performance of Building Directive (EPBD) are essential for harmonizing the indicators and performance thresholds. This paper investigates Europe's overheating calculation methods, indicators, and thresholds and evaluates their ability to address climate change and heat events. e study aims to identify the suitability of existing overheating calculation methods and propose recommendations for the EPBD. The study results provide a cross-sectional overview of twenty-six European countries. The most influential overheating calculation criteria are listed the best approaches are ranked. The paper provides a thorough comparative assessment and recommendations to align current calculations with climate-sensitive metrics. The results suggest a framework and key performance indicators that are comfort-based, multi-zonal, and time-integrated to calculate overheating and modify the EU's next building energy efficiency regulations. The results can help policymakers and building professionals to develop the next overheating calculation framework and approach for the future development of climate-proof and resilient residential buildings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The adoption of soil organic carbon sequestration (SCS) practices on agricultural land offers the double advantage of offsetting greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and improving soil quality. However, little is known about the drivers that might influence winegrowers to adopt these practices, whose uptake remains low on viticultural land. Better understanding these drivers will be crucial to evaluate the efficacy of current policies in the viticulture sector in promoting and incentivising soil organic carbon sequestration in vineyards. This paper identified the factors influencing the adoption of SCS practices by winegrowers in France. A survey of 400 winegrowers investigated current rates of adoption and winegrowers' perceptions of the practices. A binary logistic model suggested that winegrower's age, being an independent winegrower, farm size, the number of workers hired, vine's age, being certified High Environmental Value (HVE), being certified organic, practising irrigation, receiving subsidies, and winegrower's perceived resources, attitude towards SCS practices and confidence significantly influenced the decision to adopt the practices, though their influence differed depending on the practice. The findings provide insights for GHG mitigation planning targeting the viticulture sector • We examined the factors influencing the adoption of viticultural practices in France. • We focused on practices enhancing soil organic carbon sequestration. • A survey of 400 winegrowers investigated uptake and perceptions of the practices. • Organic certification, resources and winegrowers' confidence significantly influenced practice adoption. • Results provide insights for policy making in the viticulture sector. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Data on the extent of food loss and waste and on the destinations of lost and wasted food during the upstream stages of supply chains – primary production and processing – are currently scarce in France and in other industrialized countries. The reasons include a lack of available measurements, wide differences in the definition of what food loss and waste are at these stages, and, especially in the primary sector, its diversity. Research plays an essential role in filling this knowledge gap in order to support decision-makers in adopting strategies for more sustainable food use, to innovate in technology and practices aimed at food loss and waste reduction, and to raise awareness about the role of food in human societies. This study aimed to answer key questions on: i) the extent of food loss and waste at the upstream stages of food supply chains in industrialized countries; ii) how it can be measured at these stages; and iii) the role that reuse and recycling play in the reduction of food loss and waste. The paper provides answers to these questions and discusses methodological issues of food loss quantification relevant to the upstream stages of food supply chains. In this study, food loss is defined as discarded or lost food products, initially intended for human consumption, unless they were used for animal feed (excluding pet food). INRA internal multidisciplinary working groups organized per food sector collected data from a large array of available reports, published studies, and interviews with technical experts and businesses. Four plant sectors (cereals, pulses, oil crops, and fruit/vegetables/potatoes) and six animal sectors (milk, beef, lamb, pork, poultry, eggs, and farmed fish) were analyzed. The results indicate that food loss does indeed occur at the upstream stages of supply chains. The role of the different supply chain stages varies between the food sectors. Based on our study results for the year 2013, between 3 and 11% of food was lost, and up to 12% for fruit, vegetables and potatoes, from production to processing (up to retailing in the case of fruit and vegetables). Recycling, including reuse of discarded food directly as food or indirectly as animal feed, plays a moderate role in food waste reduction during primary production and processing. Our paper shows the limits of implementation, in terms of method and access to data, of the current quantification framework at these stages. Because of data scarcity, a wide range of data sources was used to gather information which, with the help of experts, was interpreted, converted and recalculated into food loss estimates. We therefore argue for a food sector-specific approach to data collection and to the identification of food loss determinants and solutions for reduction. Insights from our study point out the need for improvements towards a more handy and robust quantification framework. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper aims to identify drivers and barriers to the achievement of EU water policy objectives in the agricultural sector by adopting an institutional perspective on water quality management at the landscape level. We apply a conceptual framework combining Integrated Landscape Management (ILM) and Institutional Design Principles (IDP) perspectives to analyze cooperation initiatives involving water suppliers and agricultural stakeholders to protect drinking water catchments from agricultural diffuse pollution. Three cases representing different forms of cooperation in rural landscapes in France were investigated on the basis of primary data collected at the local, water-basin and national levels. The results show that the success of multi-stakeholder collective action depends on both local factors such as characteristics of the water resource and stakeholders (knowledge, resources, trust and social capital) and on factors linked to the EU and national water and agricultural policy frameworks. In addition to the identification of drivers of and constraints on the implementation of EU water policy in agricultural landscapes, the analysis highlights the conceptual added value in combining the IDP and ILM approaches to understand policy implementation processes at the landscape level. • An institutional perspective on EU water policy implementation at landscape level. • A conceptual framework combining the Institutional Design Principles and Integrated Landscape Management approaches. • A cross-case analysis of cooperation for diffuse pollution control in France. • Variables at the local, national and EU levels interact in their influence on collective action. • The materiality and representations of ecosystems play an important role in policy implementation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Testing is a crucial control mechanism in the beginning phase of an epidemic when the vaccines are not yet available. It enables the public health authority to detect and isolate the infected cases from the population, thereby limiting the disease transmission to susceptible people. However, despite the significance of testing in epidemic control, the recent literature on the subject lacks a control-theoretic perspective. In this paper, an epidemic model is proposed that incorporates the testing rate as a control input and differentiates the undetected infected from the detected infected cases, who are assumed to be removed from the disease spreading process in the population. After estimating the model on the data corresponding to the beginning phase of COVID-19 in France, two testing policies are proposed: the so-called best-effort strategy for testing (BEST) and constant optimal strategy for testing (COST). The BEST policy is a suppression strategy that provides a minimum testing rate that stops the growth of the epidemic when implemented. The COST policy, on the other hand, is a mitigation strategy that provides an optimal value of testing rate minimizing the peak value of the infected population when the total stockpile of tests is limited. Both testing policies are evaluated by their impact on the number of active intensive care unit (ICU) cases and the cumulative number of deaths for the COVID-19 case of France. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Lunar Laser Ranging (LLR) measures the distance between observatories on Earth and retro -reflectors on Moon since 1970. In this paper, we study the effect of non-tidal station loading (NTSL) in the analysis of LLR data. We add the non-tidal loading effect provided by three data centres: the German Research Centre for Geosciences (GFZ), the International Mass Loading Service (IMLS) and EOST loading service of University of Strasbourg in France, as observation level corrections of the LLR observatories in our analysis. This effect causes deformations of the Earth surface up to the centimetre level. Its addition in the Institute of Geodesy (IfE) LLR model, it leads to a change in the uncertainties (3- σ values) of the station coordinates resulting in a 0.60% improvement, an improvement in the post-fit LLR residuals of up to 9%, and a decrease in the power of the annual signal in the LLR post-fit residuals of up to 57%. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Dairy goat kid rearing is the foundation of future milk production, yet little is known on this topic. References available to producers are limited, making it more difficult for dairy goat farms to reach their full production potential. This review paper aimed to identify the current recommendations on dairy goat kid rearing practices for intensive production systems and to assess whether the different recommendations were based on scientific literature. Recommendations on dairy goat kid rearing practices, from birth to weaning inclusively, were presented and compared between countries under similar intensive production systems, including Canada, the United States, and France. The different areas of rearing investigated included kidding management, colostrum management, liquid and solid feeding, health management, disbudding, housing, weaning, and growth monitoring. Gaps in the literature were identified in all areas except for disbudding. More research on the topic of goat kid raising practices would be beneficial to refine and validate current recommendations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In a context of massive renovation of residential buildings, stakeholders need decision-support models based on knowledge of the current building stock and accurate simulation of energy demand. This paper presents a new strategy for reducing energy consumption in the building sector, a key factor in combating climate change and promoting sustainability. We introduce an approach to (1) plan retrofits at community level, with a building resolution, for different years of an optimization period and (2) assist local authorities in selecting effective measures to improve the environmental performance of their building stock. The focus is on creating trajectory retrofit plans creation for a building stock with three main retrofit options: improving insulation, heating systems and hot water systems. We adapt a complex but linear approach, a type of problem-solving structure known as a multidimensional multiple-choice knapsack problem, which manages to handle a large number of possible retrofit combinations without becoming unwieldy. The planning process is streamlined as a single-objective optimization task that aims to reduce the total cost of retrofits by reducing their net present value. The efficiency of the model is demonstrated by simulating retrofit scenarios for 4,000 buildings in a French region to prove its ability to tackle large problems. France's targets for decarbonizing the residential sector are taken into account, with a target of reducing GHG emissions by a factor of 10 and a building stock consuming 80kWhEP/m2/year. The results show that these plans are feasible, but that they will require 50% of all buildings to undergo major renovation with abatement costs of around €200/tGES. Our practical application to an actual community demonstrates the model's ability to identify appropriate retrofitting measures and compile building data. • Development of an energy optimization framework integrating a linear simulation model. • Multi-stage optimization generalizing the knapsack problem for building renovation dynamics. • Bridging the gap in energy retrofit strategies by comparing decision-maker and model proposals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

There is a pressing need for a fast and efficient satellite remote sensing tool to estimate coastal bathymetry for any coastline in the world. To date, satellite methods for deriving bathymetry have mainly focused on linking the radiometric response to a known water depth, as with SPOT, Landsat and Sentinel. Here, wave properties (static and dynamic) are approximated using the small time delay between the different color bands of Sentinel-2 to then calculate a depth using wave linear dispersion theory. In this paper, we present a spatial correlation method within the S2Shores (Satellites to Shores) Python toolbox: a processing chain/toolbox of coastal observations using methods applied to optical satellites. The resulting individual bathymetries are finally qualified according to the standards of the International Hydrographic Organization, anticipating their operational use. • S2Shores spatial-correlation method for optical satellite coastal observations. • Bathymetry qualified with the International Hydrographic Organization standards. • Wave characteristics from the time delay between spectral bands of Sentinel-2. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study focuses on assessing the effect of short- and long-term nonlinear deformation (plasticity and creep) on the thermo-hydro-mechanical (THM) responses of Callovo-Oxfordian (COx) claystone, considered as the host formation for the geological radioactive waste disposal in France, if it is licensed. The temperature increase due to heat emitted from the waste package induces a pore pressure rise in low permeability porous rocks such as the COx claystone, due to the difference in the thermal expansion coefficients between water and the argillaceous skeleton. This phenomenon has been evidenced by laboratory and in situ heating experiments. Recently, the key THM phenomena taking place around the high-level radioactive waste (HLW) repository based on the French concept, have been investigated using a thermoporoelasticity approach. In this paper, certain nonlinearities observed in the mechanical behaviour of the COx claystone have been considered in the evaluation of these THM processes. Three numerical simulations (thermoporoelastic, thermoporoelastoplastic and thermoporoelastoviscoplastic) are performed using Comsol Multiphysics code, in which the time-dependent behaviour of the COx is described by a power law whereas the elastoplastic behaviour is modelled by a strain hardening with a Hoek-Brown criterion and a non-associative flow rule. The role of elastoplastic and viscoplastic parts of deformations on the temperature, pore pressure and stresses time evolution in the far-field, is highlighted. • THM processes around a repository for HLW (high-level activity) radioactive waste based on the French concept. • Role of mechanical nonlinearities on the thermal pressurisation and their impacts on pore pressure and stress changes in the far field. • Competition between the thermal pressurisation and the creep mechanism on the variations of the pore pressure and the host rock integrity is highlighted. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In recent years, a wide range of organizations in developed countries have embarked on efforts to address the economic, environmental and social impacts of “food waste.” Based on more than 120 interviews and complementary observations in the United States and France, this paper examines how recent mobilizations impact the way surplus food is actually managed with respect to sustainable production and consumption. This analysis of multiple stakeholders' interests and motives complements a growing literature on food waste prevention and management focused on technical evaluations of “solutions.” Recent frameworks on food surplus and waste establish one hierarchy of preferable categories of solutions: first, prevention (reducing surplus at the source), then recovery (reusing for human consumption) and finally recycling (feeding animals, creating energy or compost). Fieldwork results show that actors with different interests in food commodity chains actually develop competing solutions, both within and between three hierarchies based on environmental, social and economic goals. In the long term, the solutions they promote may therefore not achieve “win-win-win” benefits for all actors and at all scales. Drawing on a distinction between “weak” and “strong” sustainability, this paper argues that “strong” prevention based on holistic changes in the food system is the most sustainable solution to food surplus and waste. It suggests that academics focus on strong food surplus prevention, but also that advocates encourage government and corporate actors to differentiate between weak and strong actions to diffuse strong sustainability across organizations and countries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents a data-based simple model for fitting the available data of the Covid-19 pandemic evolution in France. The time series concerning the 13 regions of mainland France have been considered for fitting and validating the model. An extremely simple, two-dimensional model with only two parameters demonstrated to be able to reproduce the time series concerning the number of daily demises caused by Covid-19, the hospitalizations, intensive care and emergency accesses, the daily number of positive tests and other indicators, for the different French regions. These results might contribute to stimulate a debate on the suitability of much more complex models for reproducing and forecasting the pandemic evolution since, although relevant from a mechanistic point of view, they could lead to nonidentifiability issues. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• The specific heat capacity of six glymes in mixed solvent is presented. • The apparent molar isobaric heat capacities of the glymes solution were analyzed. • In the reach water region the hydrophobic hydration processes of the glymes are observed. • The hydrogen bond is formed between water and glymes molecule in poor water region. • The results obtained have been compared with analogous for cyclic ethers. The paper presents the heat capacities of glyme solutions: monoglyme, diglyme, triglyme, tetraglyme, pentaglyme and hexaglyme, in binary solvents N,N -dimethylformamide + water at four temperatures (293.15 K, 298.15 K, 303.15 K, 308.15 K) obtained using differential calorimeter Micro DSC III, Setaram – France. The concentration of glymes was approximately 0.25 mol/kg. On the basis of the obtained experimental results, the apparent isobaric heat capacities of the glymes were calculated. It was noted that the larger the glyme molecule was, the more pronounced the increase in the value of the apparent molar heat capacity function with the increase in water content in the two-component solvent. The observed changes in apparent isobaric heat capacity as a function of the water content in the mixed solvent are discussed in terms of the hydrophobic nature of the glymes. Moreover, it was shown that the apparent molar isobaric heat capacity of the glymes in pure solvents, i.e. in water and in N,N -dimethylformamide, increases linearly with the increase in the number of oxygen atoms in the glyme molecules i.e. with the size of glyme molecules. Furthermore, a linear correlation was observed between the apparent isobaric molar heat capacity and the enthalpic effect of the hydrophobic hydration of the studied glymes at 298.15 K. The results obtained in this paper are compare with the same obtained for selected cyclic ethers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Recent years have seen a considerable increase in the literature concerning the separate areas of corporate social responsibility and corporate tax aggressiveness. However, comparatively little scholarly attention has been paid to the link between the two. This paper examines how the different activities of corporate social responsibility affect corporate tax aggressiveness. A structural model was tested using partial least squares regression to determine whether the relationships between corporate social responsibility dimensions and tax aggressiveness are positive or negative. Based on a sample of French publicly listed firms, the results indicate that a firm's tax aggressiveness depends on the nature of its corporate social responsibility activities. Notably, the study demonstrates that greater the activity in the social dimension of corporate social responsibility, the lower the level of corporate tax aggressiveness will be, whereas high activity in the economic dimension is associated with a high level of tax aggressiveness. These results extend the prior literature concerning the relationship between corporate social responsibility and tax aggressiveness and suggest that the nature of the relationship, whether negative or positive, tends to differ across the corporate social responsibility dimensions. Overall, the study provides unique insight into the association between CSR activities and corporate tax aggressiveness. Indeed, the paper strongly supports the current literature and argues that the dimensions of corporate social responsibility should not be aggregated into a single measure because interesting and explanatory information is lost when such a method is used, especially with regard to an issue like corporate tax aggressiveness. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Many operators and academics in the field of environmental science stress the key role played by indicators at the interface between science and policy. • We put a priority focus on the perspective and action situations of the operators who design and use the indicators to promote better biodiversity outcomes. We replace those tools in the context of the wider strategy of these operators in favour of biodiversity. • Through the exemple of red lists of threatened species, we show that indicators with the potential to connect and disconnect science and policy are the most useful ones, strategically. • The double-edge purpose of indicators, at the same time informative and evaluative, enables operators to lean towards the informative, or towards the evaluative, following strategic intent. Although thousands of biodiversity indicators have already been designed, scientists and decision-makers are still asking for new versions. Why are we still not satisfied? Our argument is that, if biodiversity indicators aim to improve the effectiveness of science-policy interfaces, it is essential to assess their actual contribution to biodiversity conservation. How? Through an analysis of current uses of indicators in the strategic interactions among a set of actors placed in a given field of biodiversity organized actions This paper presents our investigations into the use of French national and regional red lists of threatened species as a strategic resource for scientists and policy-makers. The manner the red lists are designed, discussed and used is essential so that they can be adapted to suit the way biodiversity is managed in France. The lists systematise information on threatened species in ways that allow users to strategically connect or disconnect knowledge and action, according to the needs of environmental operators in different situations. Their contribution to effective biodiversity actions lies in what we call their potential to act as 'circuit breakers' between science and policy. This research suggests new perspectives both for analysing environmental management situations including indicator design and for operators who want to design new indicators. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• We develop a framework for analysing the role of Science Policy Interfaces in Flood Risk Governance. • We apply this framework to England, France and the Netherlands using policy analysis and stakeholder interviews. • SPIs help diversify FRM; increase their connectivity, facilitate decentralisation of FRM and foster inter-country learning. • SPIs can steer FRG, either along existing pathways, or towards new and potentially transformative change. • SPIs are an underexposed factor explaining dynamics in flood risk governance which merits more systematic empirical study. In the face of increasing threats from flooding, there are growing calls to strengthen and improve arrangements of flood risk governance (FRG). This endeavour requires an appreciation of the multitude of factors stabilising and driving governance dynamics. So-called catalyst flood events, policy champions and advocacy coalitions have tended to dominate this study to date, whilst the potential role played by Science Policy Interfaces (SPIs) has been somewhat neglected and often approached in a reductionist and fragmented way. This paper addresses this gap by drawing from in-depth policy analysis and stakeholder interviews conducted within England, France and the Netherlands under the auspices of the EU-FP7 STAR-FLOOD project. The analysis reveals four prominent ways in which SPIs shape FRG, by i) facilitating the diversification of Flood Risk Management (FRM) strategies; ii) increasing their connectivity, iii) facilitating a decentralisation of FRM and iv) fostering inter-country learning. It identifies different roles of specific interfaces (structures) and interfacing mechanisms (processes) in shaping governance dynamics. This way, the analysis reveals various 'entry points' through which SPIs can steer FRG, either along existing pathways, or towards new and potentially transformative change. The study shows that SPIs are a hitherto underexposed factor explaining dynamics in flood risk governance which merits additional systematic empirical study. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Half of parental transfer crowded out by the means-tested scholarship. • IV estimate using nonlinear schedule slightly higher (0.5) than OLS (0.4). • Larger estimated crowding-out effect under IV is driven by non-intact families. • Predictions of the altruistic model (full eviction) not validated. • Means-testing necessary to prevent a windfall effect for wealthy parents. This paper investigates the extent to which means-tested scholarships received by higher education students crowd out parental financial support at the intensive margin. We estimate a private transfer function using survey data collected in France in 2014 on a sample of students aged 18–24 who receive public scholarships. Introducing the amount of public transfer as an exogenous covariate, we find that one additional euro of scholarship is associated with a decrease in parental transfers of 0.40 euro. Using an instrumental variable strategy that exploits the non-linear schedule of the scholarship amount, we find a larger effect with a decrease of about 0.50. Our results suggest that a substantial part of the scholarship benefits low-income parents by reducing the amount of money they give to their student children. [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Proponents of short food supply chains (SFSC) have lauded their environmental benefits. Nevertheless, most studies on SFSCs have focused on their climate impact, while the synthetic pesticide use by farmers participating in SFSCs has received little research attention. In this study, we investigate the effect of farmers' involvement in different SFSC channels on synthetic pesticide use and crop yields. This study relies on data obtained from the 2020 French agricultural census and a 2018 French national survey on the phytosanitary practices of representative market gardeners. This paper uses a multinomial endogenous treatment effect model in order to account for endogeneity. We demonstrate that the effect of SFSC participation on farmers' synthetic pesticide use varies depending on the type of SFSC channel employed. Farmers who sell part of their vegetable crops through direct-to-consumer (DTC) channels use significantly fewer synthetic pesticides than those who only sell their crops through long food supply chains (LFSC). However, there is no evidence that farmers involved in direct-to-retailer (DTR) channels use significantly fewer synthetic pesticides. In addition, we have not found any evidence that SFSC participation decreases crop yields. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

By implementing Principal Component Analysis (PCA) of multitemporal satellite data, this paper presents modeling solutions for air pollutant variation in three scenarios related to COVID-19 lockdown: pre, during, and after lockdown. Tropospheric NO 2 satellite data from Sentinel-5P was used. Two novel PCA-models were developed: Weighted Principal Component Analysis (WPCA) and Rescaled Principal Component Analysis (RPCA). Model results were tested for goodness-of-fit to empirical NO 2 data. The models were used to predict actual near-surface NO 2 concentrations. Model-predicted NO 2 concentrations were validated with NO 2 data acquired at ground monitoring stations. Besides, meteorological bias affecting NO 2 was assessed. It was found that the weather component had substantial impact on NO 2 built-ups, propitiating air pollutant decrease during lockdown and increase after. WPCA and RPCA models well fitted to observed NO 2. Both models accurately estimated near-surface NO 2 concentrations. Modeled NO 2 variation results evidenced the prolongated effect of the total lockdown (up to half a year). Model-predicted NO 2 concentrations were found to highly correlate with monitoring station NO 2 data collected on the ground. It is concluded that PCA is reliable in identifying and predicting air pollution variation patterns. The implementation of PCA is recommended when analyzing other pollutant gases. [Display omitted] • PCA is reliable for identifying and predicting air pollution variation. • WPCA and RPCA models well fitted observed NO 2. • Both models accurately estimated near-surface NO 2 concentrations. • Total lockdown had prolongated effect on NO 2 concentrations. • Weather conditions propitiated air pollutant decrease during lockdown and increase after. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The ratio between lidar extinction and backscatter coefficients, also known as lidar ratio (LR), is an important parameter in atmospheric aerosol studies. In this paper, we propose a method to determine the 532 nm LR using in situ measurements performed over the 2015–2016 period at the puy de Dôme (PUY) station, central France, located at about 1465 m altitude. This method uses a Mie code with the measured aerosols size distribution and refractive index determined from aerosols optical measurements as inputs. The LR values obtained have been compared to LR calculated also with a Mie code but with refractive index determined from the measured aerosol chemical composition. A good correlation is observed for the period 2015–2016 with an agreement which increases to 99% after a significant imaginary part refractive index reduction, corresponding to much less carbonated particles than initially estimated. >50% of the LR values calculated at the station are within the 60–80 sr range under ambient atmospheric conditions. A statistical comparison with the CALIOP spatial lidar retrieval gives a good agreement at the location of PUY between retrieved values (62 sr) with a negligible bias and a dispersion indicative of a similar variability of LR (about 14 sr). The influence of air mass history on the LR has also been studied using backward trajectory analysis and CALIOP aerosol types along the trajectories, identifying five source regions. For continental, smoke and polluted dust aerosols types, CALIOP and PUY LR show a good agreement. For dusty and mainly clean marine aerosols, the differences observed between both suggest that air masses coming from the Atlantic Ocean sector at altitudes lower than 2.5 km, have experienced mixing with continental air masses during their travel increasing their LR before reaching the PUY station. • Lidar ratio retrieved from in situ aerosols measurements and Mie calculation. • Continental air masses have higher lidar ratios than oceanic air masses. • Evidence of aerosol aging or mixing for oceanic air masses. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ecological networks (ENs) aim to accommodate production and conservation within landscapes by shaping the spatial scope of conservation policies based on ecological criteria. The environmental effectiveness of these networks has been extensively studied; however, it has rarely been linked to their economic cost. This paper investigates whether EN-based spatial targeting relaxes the production-conservation trade-off and, if so, what the processes underlying its performance may be. We design an EN at the national level (France), with common farmland birds defined as a conservation goal and grassland expansion defined as a conservation lever. A dynamic, mechanistic, ecological-economic model simulates policy scenarios up to 2050 with alternative targeting strategies, including the EN. The results reveal that EN targeting is almost twice as cost-effective as a nationally homogeneous policy and about as cost-effective as focusing on biodiversity reservoirs, but with higher biodiversity gains. These outcomes rely on higher initial bird abundance in targeted regions, as well as positive feedback and spillover supported by bird dispersal. However, the EN's superiority only appears in the medium term because of ecological inertia. These interdisciplinary insights on a tool from ecology and conservation biology echo policy needs for the design and implementation of sustainable landscape management strategies. • Joint economic and ecological impacts of ecological networks (ENs) are poorly known • Ecological-economic modeling to evaluate EN-based conservation policies ex-ante • Spatiotemporally explicit simulations for bird conservation in France • EN doubles cost-effectiveness in the middle term compared to homogeneous policy • Dispersal generates benefits beyond intervention perimeter (biodiversity spillover) [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The future of agriculture constitutes a major challenge to the achievement of sustainable development. There are new perspectives on greening (focusing on ecological objectives) and sustainability (combining both ecological and social goals). Academic papers mainly study the ecological efficiency of agricultural public policies, while real public policies, such as the European Common Agricultural Policy, examine both ecological and social considerations. The objective of this paper is to consider economic, social and ecological objectives within the design of agricultural public policies. Using a bio-economic model applied to France, we compare different optimal public strategies. We show that, when the biodiversity objectives are either very limited or very demanding, grassland subsidies are the best instruments from both green and sustainable points of view. However for medium objectives, reducing crops subsidies is the cheapest way to green the CAP, while subsidies on grasslands are the only strategy from a sustainability perspective. Our work highlights new trade-offs related to policy implementation, such as social acceptance or technical difficulties, and the spatial equity of performance among regions. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Proper understanding of the determinants of household CO2 emissions is essential for a shift to sustainable lifestyles. This paper explores the impacts of date of birth and income on household CO2 emissions in France and in the USA. Direct CO2 emissions of French and American households are computed from consumer budget surveys, over the 1980–2000 time period. Age Period Cohort estimators are used to isolate the generational effect on CO2 emissions — i.e. the specific effect of date of birth, independent of the age, the year and other control variables. The paper shows that French 1935–55 cohorts have a stronger tendency to emit CO2 than their predecessors and followers. The generational effect is explained by the fact that over their lifespan, French baby boomers are better off than other generations and live in energy and carbon inefficient dwellings. In the USA, the absence of a generational effect on CO2 emissions can be explained by the fact that intergenerational income inequalities are weaker than in France. Persistence of the generational effect once income and housing type is controlled for in France can be explained by the difficulty for French 1935–55 cohorts to adapt to sober energy consumption patterns. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

There are several major available renewable energies, such as wind power which can be considered one of the most potential energy resources. Thus, wind power is a vital green source of electric power generation. The prediction of wind power is a critical issue to decrease the uncertainty of the energy systems. It is an essential process to balance energy demand and supply. The main objective of the current paper is to present an efficient prediction tool to estimate wind power using time-series datasets. We develop an enhanced variant of the ANFIS (adaptive neuro-fuzzy inference system) using the advances of metaheuristic (MH) optimization algorithms. We propose a new variant of the marine predator algorithm (MPA), called MPAmu, using additional mutation operators to augment the MPA to prevent its premature convergence on local optima. The developed MPAmu is used to optimize the ANFIS parameters and to boost its configuration process. We use well-known datasets collected from wind turbines located in France to evaluate the proposed MPAmu-ANFIS model using several evaluation metrics. Additionally, we compare the developed MPAmu-ANFIS to the traditional ANFIS and several modified ANFIS models using different MH algorithms. More so, we compare the developed model to other time-series prediction models, such as support vector machine (SVM), feedforward neural network, and long short term memory (LSTM). The findings of the current paper reveal that the application of MPAmu contributes significantly to boosting the prediction accuracy of the traditional ANFIS. • Develop a new time-series forecasting approach for wind power production. • Boost the performance of the ANFIS using the advances of swarm intelligence methods. • Propose an efficient variant of the MPA using the mutation operators. • Evaluate the MPAmu-ANFIS using real-world wind datasets with extensive comparisons. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: The MéO (for Métrologie Optique) telescope is the Satellite and Lunar Laser Ranging (SLR) dedicated telescope of Observatoire de la Côte d’Azur (France) located at plateau de Calern. The telescope uses an altazimuth mount. The motorization of the mount has a capability of 6deg/s allowing the follow up of Low Earth Orbits (LEO) satellites, as well as Medium Earth Orbits (MEO) and geostationary (GEO) satellites, and the Moon. The telescope has a primary mirror of 1.54m. It uses a Nasmyth focus equipped with an EMCCD camera. The telescope field of view, defined by the equivalent focal length and the size of the camera, is currently 3.4arcmin×3.4arcmin. Space debris observation with an optical telescope ideally requires a large field of view, accurate pointing, a fast slew rate, a high sensitivity, accurate astrometric positions, and a precise method for orbit propagation. The challenge is to obtain accurate orbits for all debris without compromising the field of view. The MéO telescope has a larger diameter than the ones habitually used for space debris tracking. It should improve the current accuracy of observations in the GEO region. For LEO, such sensitivity should allow observations of small pieces of debris at low altitudes. This paper presents the preliminary experiments carried out to benefit from the high astrometric quality of the instrument, namely the method developed to extract and to compute the astrometric positions of LEO and MEO satellites, as a test of the capabilities of such an instrument (very small field of view, but large aperture) for space debris tracking. Furthermore, we analyse the ability of MéO to keep track of an object for which only a preliminary orbit (computed by the Laplace method from previous observations) is known, so that high precision measurements can be obtained and the object can be catalogued with an updated orbit. The feasibility of our astrometric methods was tested throughout 2010. This paper presents the methods used and the difficulties encountered. The originality of our paper does not strictly reside in the methods used but in their adaptation to a telescope presenting such a small field of view. We discuss our first results obtained for LEO and MEO satellites. In particular, we give an estimate of the astrometric errors for the geodetic satellite Lageos-1 by comparing its positions deduced from our reduction strategy with those obtained from a reference orbit. We also present research to use the Laplace method to produce preliminary orbital elements. In this context, we discuss a novel improvement to the Laplace method. To put it in a nutshell, this article provides original results covering all fields of orbit estimation, from satellites tracking to preliminary orbit determination. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Data centers are estimated to have the fastest growing carbon footprint from across the whole information and communication technology (ICT) sector. Evaluating the performance of data centers in terms of energy efficiency and sustainability is becoming an increasingly important matter for organizations and governments (e.g., for regulation or reputation purposes). It nonetheless remains difficult to achieve such evaluation, as data centers imply to take into consideration a wide range of dimensions and stakeholders. Even though a wide range of sustainability performance indicators exist in the literature, there is still a lack of frameworks to help data center stakeholders (spanning from data center owners, governmental regulators to engineers/field operators) to evaluate and understand how a data center performs in terms of sustainable development/behavior. Our research work proposes such a framework, whose originality lies in the combination of state-of-the-art sustainability metrics with the biomimicry commandments of eco-mature system, which enables holistic sustainability assessment of data centres. From a theoretical perspective, the proposed model is designed based on a benefit-cost analysis using the Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP) technique. This approach allows data center stakeholders for specifying their own preferences and/or expertise in the comparison process, whose practicability is demonstrated in this paper considering three data center candidates, which are respectively located in France, Germany and Sweden. • A new model for comparing data center sustainability performance is proposed. • The model makes use of state-of-the-art sustainability metrics together with biomimicry lessons. • The model is designed based on a benefit-cost approach using the AHP technique. • A comparison study is carried out with three distinct data center candidates. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As a new concept of Neutral Beam Injectors (NBI) for DEMO-like reactors, SIPHORE (IRFM, CEA, in France) expects to extract negative deuterium ions and photo-neutralize the accelerated D-. The Swiss Plasma Center (SPC) of EPFL is involved in this project by developing an innovative helicon source, which could provide the adequate D 2 negative ion blade-shaped plasma, in terms of density and homogeneity along the axial direction. In the Resonant Antenna Ion Device (RAID), the test bed, a helicon wave is sustained by a resonant antenna plasma source at 13.56 MHz (input power ≤ 10 kW), connected to a cylindrical vacuum chamber (1.5 m long, 0.4 m diameter) and is surrounded by 6 Helmholtz coils, providing a DC magnetic field up to 800 G on axis. To characterize the helicon wave propagation, RAID has been recently equipped with a three-axis magnetic probe (B-dot). The paper describes the RAID experiment and its helicon source, including a 3D characterization of density and temperature, together with the B-dot design and calibration. It presents measurements of helicon wave propagation; in typical H 2 plasmas (0.3 Pa), preliminary results show a helicon wave right-handed polarized with a wavelength of approximately 240 mm. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The ITER project is under construction in Cadarache, France, to assemble and operate an experimental nuclear fusion facility. The aim of this paper is the description of the implementation of the French Order of February 7, 2012, concerning Basic Nuclear Installation (also called "INB" Order) [1] within the European Union Domestic Agency (EU-DA), specifically on the Electron Cyclotron Upper Launcher (EC UL). The EC UL will be used for the control and heating of the ITER plasma. The launcher includes the port plug and related in-vessel items (nuclear shielding, blanket module, and optics) and the ex-vessel first confinement items (diamond window, isolation valve, waveguides, miterbends, tapers and port plug back end). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The reproductive parameters of dairy cattle have continuously declined worldwide over the last 50 years. Nutritional imbalances are identified as risk factors for this decrease of reproductive performance. The present paper aims to quantify the decrease in the pregnancy per artificial insemination (P/AI) in the case of high milk ketones before and after AI. A total of 388,731 test-day from the Brittany Milk Recording Program in France from 226,429 cow-lactations were provided for this trial. For each test-day, information about lactation characteristics, date of AI, date of the following calving, and acetone and β-hydroxybutyrate (BHB) values were included. Ketones were predicted by Fourier transform mid-infrared spectroscopy using MilkoScan Foss analyzers (Foss, Hillerød, Denmark). Many thresholds were evaluated to define cows with hyperketolactia. Hyperketolactia statuses were then categorized into 1 of 4 possible classes according to the milk ketone dynamics for each AI and each threshold of acetone or BHB values (low-low, high-low, low-high, and high-high) within 20 d before and after AI. Similarly, the dynamics of udder health were characterized by changes in somatic cell counts measured at the same test day as ketone bodies. A logistic regression with a Poisson correction was performed to explain the relationship of P/AI with milk ketones and somatic cell count dynamics. Predicted acetone and BHB ranged from −0.51 to 4.92 m M (mean = 0.08 m M , SD = 0.10 m M) and −0.62 to 5.85 m M (mean = 0.07 m M , SD = 0.1 m M), respectively. Hyperketolactia defined by high acetone levels before AI was not associated with decreased P/AI, but high acetone levels after AI were associated with a >10% reduction in P/AI for all thresholds >0.10 m M. Hyperketolactia, defined by high BHB values before, after, or before and after AI, was associated with a 6 to 14% reduction in P/AI compared with cows with low BHB values. These associations are lower than those reported in previous trials in which blood ketones were used. High ketones in advanced lactation are likely to be the result of various primary disorders (secondary ketosis). Because the present work demonstrated that this situation is considered a risk factor for deteriorated reproductive performance, we suggest that high ketones in early and advanced lactation should be of interest to farm advisors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Composition of plants and saproxylic beetles assemblages co-varied with habitat variables. • The contribution of habitat variables to species composition inertia was relatively weak. • Forest subgroups showed weaker relationships with habitat variables than did full-taxa. • We found seven habitat thresholds above which species richness was significantly higher. To encourage forest managers to use biodiversity indicators in their work, providing environmental variables that depict species habitats, have well-calibrated and strong relationships with biodiversity and are easy to routinely record would be a step forward. The Index of Biodiversity Potential (IBP) is a rapid habitat assessment method widely used in France. It uses ten variables that indicate potential habitat for forest-dwelling species and is easy for forest managers to implement during their day-to-day activities. The objective of this paper is to evaluate the indicator power of these IBP variables at the stand scale, i.e. their capacity to co-vary with empirical species richness and composition data for nine taxa. The data were obtained from 487 plots set up in 19 forested areas in France. Taxonomic data focused on corticolous lichens, corticolous and saproxylic bryophytes, polypores, saproxylic beetles, ground beetles, hoverflies, birds, bats and vascular plants. For the latter five taxa, we built subgroups of forest-specialist species. The IBP variables were recorded on 1-ha circular plots centered on the sampling point used to record taxonomic data. We explored the relationships between the IBP variables and species composition/richness of nine taxa at the stand scale. Furthermore, we searched for threshold values for all the significant relationships found between species richness and the IBP variables. Variations in the species composition of vascular plants and saproxylic beetles, and to a lesser extent, polypores, bats and lichens, were significantly related to habitat variations (ranked according to the Procrustes significance level). The contribution of the IBP variables to the total inertia of species composition was about 18.7% on average. The IBP variables had a lower number of significant relationships with species richness than with species composition. Unexpectedly, the forest subgroups mainly showed fewer significant relationships with habitat variables than did the full-groups, both for species richness and composition. We highlighted seven significant thresholds in the habitat variables above which species richness was significantly higher. Finally, we recommend that forest managers (i) routinely use a rapid habitat assessment such as the IBP, (ii) orient silvicultural practices to ensure conservation of autochtonous tree species, large logs and different types of aquatic habitats above the thresholds highlighted in this study, and (iii) periodically complete a biodiversity assessment at the forest scale by recording taxonomic data. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The increasingly efficient use of scarce resources is a central theme in the gradual transition towards a circular economy. Hazardous materials represent a category of resources that is often difficult—and potentially risky—to transport, store, or neutralize. As a result, hazardous materials are rarely included in closed material loops. The present paper analyzes HorsePower, a business concept centered around an innovative way of utilizing horse manure. Horse manure is generated in millions of tons in horse-rich countries such as the UK, Germany, and France. It is a hazardous resource, as it may spread diseases, and cannot be disposed of or landfilled economically. The content analysis of 21 semi-structured interviews carried out with different business actors participating in the HorsePower business network reveals that the success of HorsePower stems from its ability to combine the complementary capabilities and material needs of a relatively complex network of business actors including stables, sawmills, logistical service providers, and heat and power plants. Each actor receives added value; the benefits from participation are greater than the sacrifices of participation. Furthermore, the findings show that certain types of hazardous resources, when combined with resources produced by another actor, may be burned efficiently and safely in specific power plants, reducing the need for other types of fuel. The observations imply that novel approaches for effectively sharing ideas and resource needs across organizational boundaries are needed to facilitate the development of additional innovative CE business concepts, leveraging both actor-specific capabilities and intra-actor resource dependencies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Health effects from long- and short-term exposure to fine particulate matter (PM 2.5) have resulted in an annual average PM 2.5 standard across Europe and World Health Organisation guidelines for annual (10 μg m−3) and 24 h PM 2.5 concentrations (25 μg m−3). Developing strategies to reduce both annual and 24 h average PM 2.5 requires that the conditions that produce the magnitude of these metrics are understood. This paper presents a standard and replicable set of statistics that link the magnitude of annual and daily PM 2.5 metrics to variation in i) hourly PM 2.5 concentrations, ii) geographic regions traversed by air mass back trajectories, and iii) the 'urban increment' and 'regional contribution' to urban PM 2.5 concentrations. These statistics are calculated between 2009 and 2018 at monitoring sites across Paris and the Île-de-France region, France, where there is a national objective to achieve the WHO annual PM 2.5 guideline, and where short-term PM 2.5 episodes still occur. The aim is to investigate changes in the conditions producing annual average, and 24 h PM 2.5 concentrations exceeding 25 μg m−3, and how these long- and short-term metrics could be reduced further. The statistics indicate that reductions between 2009 and 2018 in both annual PM 2.5 concentrations (PM 2.5AA , −0.79 μg m−3 y−1 averaged across 3 urban background sites (33% average 2009–2018 reduction)) and the number of days with 24 h PM 2.5 concentrations above 25 μg m−3 (D24h25, -6 days y−1 (62% average 2009–2018 reduction)), were driven by reductions in local emissions in Paris and the Île-de-France region. For example, reduction in PM 2.5AA and D24h25 were greater at urban traffic sites, and between 2009 and 2018 the highest hourly PM 2.5 concentrations occurred less frequently during rush hour periods, while the lowest hourly PM 2.5 concentrations occurred more frequently during the day. In addition, when relatively moderate and high hourly PM 2.5 concentrations were measured, air mass back trajectories spent more time (during the 4 preceding days) over European geographic regions, compared to the ocean indicating an increased relative contribution from regional transport to these hourly PM 2.5 concentrations. Consequently, there is now a greater difference in the contribution of different hourly PM 2.5 concentrations to annual and 24 h PM 2.5 compared with 2009, with relatively high hourly PM 2.5 concentrations having a larger contribution to D24h25, and moderate hourly PM 2.5 concentrations having a larger contribution to PM 2.5AA. Strategies to reduce PM 2.5 concentrations in Paris should consider how mitigation measures will affect different ranges of hourly PM 2.5 concentrations to understand the (potentially differing) effect on long- and short-term PM 2.5 impact metrics. Comparison of hourly PM 2.5 concentrations at urban sites and upwind rural sites showed regional contributions to PM 2.5AA of approximately 50% and 70% at urban traffic and urban background sites, respectively. The largest regional contributions were also estimated for the highest hourly PM 2.5 concentrations, compared to moderate hourly PM 2.5 concentrations. Regional emission reductions could therefore make a substantial contribution to achieving the WHO air quality guidelines in Paris. • Changes in fine particulate matter measured in Paris assessed between 2009 and 2018. • Changes in annual and 24 h PM 2.5 metrics linked to changes in hourly PM 2.5 • Reduction in annual and 24 h PM 2.5 driven by local emission reductions. • Large regional contribution to PM 2.5 at urban background and traffic sites calculated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Evaluating the impacts on biodiversity by means of the life cycle assessment (LCA) is a task researchers are currently facing. One impact assessment method that aims to do so is the recently developed biodiversity impact assessment BIA+. The aim of the present paper is to test this method and to show its applicability and feasibility. Additionally opportunities and challenges of this method shall be revealed. For this purpose, a case study for assessing the impacts of biodiesel production on freshwater biodiversity is introduced. Two substances, namely phosphorus and 1,4-dichlorobenzene (DCB), which are used for the biodiesel production for fertilization and the usage of pesticides, are being considered. The inventory data needed for the case study is gathered through the grey water footprint of the crop production that forms the basis of the European biodiesel consumption. Further, the BIA+ method is applied in order to assess the impacts of the biodiesel consumption in Europe for the year 2010 on freshwater biodiversity. The results reveal that even though assumptions have to be made and the results are highly uncertain, this method helps to identify hotspots within production processes. By including the BIA+ as an impact assessment method into LCA, impacts of products can be assessed with regard to biodiversity including genetic, species and ecosystem diversity. The main impact hotspot occurs in France with a potential loss of the biodiversity of 0.5 points. The lowest loss of the biodiversity occurs in Brazil (loss of 8.05*10–06 points). The results are mainly influenced by the impact of the toxic substance 1,4-DCB. By means of the case study, it is shown that the BIA+ method is applicable. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Air pollution impact assessment is a major objective for various community councils in large cities, which have lately redirected their attention towards using more low-cost sensing units supported by citizen involvement. However, there is a lack of research studies investigating real-time mobile air-quality measurement through smart sensing units and even more of any data-driven modelling techniques that could be deployed to predict air quality accurately from the generated data-sets. This paper addresses these challenges by: a) proposing a comparative and detailed investigation of various air quality monitoring devices (both fixed and mobile), tested through field measurements and citizen sensing in an eco-neighbourhood from Lorraine, France, and by b) proposing a machine learning approach to evaluate the accuracy and potential of such mobile generated data for air quality prediction. The air quality evaluation consists of three experimenting protocols: a) first, we installed fixed passive tubes for monitoring the nitrogen dioxide concentrations placed in strategic locations highly affected by traffic circulation in an eco-neighbourhood, b) second, we monitored the nitrogen dioxide registered by citizens using smart and mobile pollution units carried at breathing level; results revealed that mobile-captured concentrations were 3–5 times higher than the ones registered by passive-static monitoring tubes and c) third, we compared different mobile pollution stations working simultaneously, which revealed noticeable differences in terms of result variability and sensitivity. Finally, we applied a machine learning modelling by using decision trees and neural networks on the mobile-generated data and show that humidity and noise are the most important factors influencing the prediction of nitrogen dioxide concentrations of mobile stations. Highlights • We proposed an air quality evaluation framework using fixed and mobile sensing units. • It also integrates machine learning methods to predict the air quality from mobile data. • Three experimenting protocols for air pollution monitoring have been implemented. • NO2 pollution at human breathing levels was 3-5 times higher than those of static units. • Decision trees and neural networks can accurately predict mobile air quality. • Humidity and noise are the most important factors affecting the NO2 prediction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

After World War II, twenty-nine coastal Salinas (122 km2), located in the vicinity of coastal lagoons and in deltas, were exploited along the Mediterranean coastlines in South France. Today, only five of these are still actively producing salt, currently representing 175 km2. Concomitant with the abandonment of many of the smaller Salinas, the larger Salinas in the Rhône delta (Camargue) strongly increased their surfaces at the expense of natural ecosystems, of which a part has also been abandoned after 2009. This paper documents these changes in landscape use by chronological GIS mapping and describes the fate of the 91 km2 of abandoned Salina surfaces. The majority of this area (88 km2) is included in the Natura 2000 network, among which most (74 km2) has been acquired by the French coastal protection agency (Conservatoire du Littoral) to be designated as Protected Areas. Only a very minor part (<1%) has been lost for industry and harbour development. Managing abandoned Salinas as Protected Areas is a challenge, because of the different landscape, biodiversity conservation, natural and cultural heritages issues at stake. In two cases, abandoned Salinas have been brought back again into exploitation by private initiative thus allowing for the protection of original hypersaline biodiversity. In other cases, the shaping of the landscape by natural processes has been privileged. This has facilitated the spontaneous recreation of temporal Mediterranean wetlands with unique aquatic vegetation, and offered opportunities for managed coastal re-alignment and the restoration of hydrobiological exchanges between land and sea. In other areas, former salt ponds continue to be filled artificially by pumping favouring opportunities for waterfowl. This has often been combined with the creation of artificial islets to provide nesting ground for bird colonies protected from terrestrial predators. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Highlights • Application of MPC to energy-efficient buildings with passive energy storage. • Use balanced truncation method to reduce the order of the building model. • A time-continuous optimisation method with interior penalty is applied. • Develop tracking MPC based on reduced-order model. • Present simulation results of an experimental passive house model. Abstract In France, buildings account for a significant portion of the electricity consumption (around 68%), due to an important use of electrical heating systems. This results in high peak load in winter and causes tensions on the production-consumption balance. In view of reducing such fluctuations, advanced control systems (including the Model Predictive Control framework) have been developed to shift heating load while maintaining indoor comfort and taking advantage of the building thermal mass. In this paper, a framework for developing optimisation-based control strategies to shift the heating load in buildings is introduced. The balanced truncation method and a time-continuous optimisation method were used to develop a real-time control of the heating power. These two methods are well suited for control problems and yield precise results. The novelty of the approach is to use reduced models derived from advanced building simulation software. A simulation case study demonstrates the controller performance in the synthesis of a predictive model-based optimal energy management strategy for a single-zone test building of the "INCAS" platform built in Le Bourget-du-Lac, France, by the National Solar Energy Institute (INES). The controller exhibits excellent performance, reaching between 6 and 13% cost reduction, and can easily be applied in real-time. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: In this paper, we are interested in the statistical forecasting of the daily mean PM10 concentration. Hourly concentrations of PM10 have been measured in the city of Rouen, in Haute-Normandie, France. Located at northwest of Paris, near the south side of Manche sea and heavily industrialised. We consider three monitoring stations reflecting the diversity of situations: an urban background station, a traffic station and an industrial station near the cereal harbour of Rouen. We have focused our attention on data for the months that register higher values, from December to March, on years 2004–2009. The models are obtained from the winter days of the four seasons 2004/2005 to 2007/2008 (training data) and then the forecasting performance is evaluated on the winter days of the season 2008/2009 (test data). We show that it is possible to accurately forecast the daily mean concentration by fitting a function of meteorological predictors and the average concentration measured on the previous day. The values of observed meteorological variables are used for fitting the models and are also considered for the test data. We have compared the forecasts produced by three different methods: persistence, generalized additive nonlinear models and clusterwise linear regression models. This last method gives very impressive results and the end of the paper tries to analyze the reasons of such a good behavior. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Using primary data collected at the national and local levels in France, this paper shows how water price increase, initially intended to generate environmental benefits through reducing water use, has produced economic incentives for households to drill their own garden boreholes. The paper first presents the results of a national survey which identifies the increasing number of garden boreholes as an issue of concern in a majority of the French counties. It then presents a microeconomic model which represents the households' decision to construct a borehole. The model is used to simulate the impact of various water pricing scenarios on tube well development and residential water demand at regional level. The paper ends with a discussion of the social impact of emerging independent supply strategies. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: This paper reviews the possible future situation of the Rhone River in the Swiss part of its catchment. Physical processes in the Alps govern the behaviour of the Rhone from its source (Rhone Glacier) to the Lake of Geneva, and substantial changes are expected to occur in the amount and seasonality of precipitation, and in the response of snow and glaciers to a warming climate. As a result, discharge in the alpine part of the Rhone River is likely to undergo an increase in winter and early spring, but strongly decreases from late spring to late autumn. These changes in water regimes will certainly be accompanied by more frequent geomorphic hazards, related to increases in heavy precipitation events and the melting of permanently frozen grounds. The direct and indirect impacts of a warming climate will affect key economic sectors such as tourism, hydropower, and agriculture, while shifts in extreme events will have an impact on the vulnerability of infrastructure and a range of economic sectors and services. Projections of the future course of events can help in advance planning and decision making in order to alleviate some of the more negative consequences of climate and hydrological impacts on key economic sectors in the region. This paper will thus discuss issues related to current and future water governance in the region, whether water-related policies are sufficiently robust today to cope with what may be rapid changes in water availability and water use in coming decades, and to resolve possible rivalries between economic sectors that may be increasingly confronted with problems of water availability at critical times of the year. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]