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The application of anaerobic digestion is mounting worldwide because of its economic and environmental benefits. As a concern, the rate and extent of the anaerobic digestion of pulp and paper mill sludge was tested using the biochemical methane potential (BMP) with different food/microorganisms (F/M) ratio. The study was evaluated at five different F/M ratios (i.e. 0.5, 1.0, 1.5, 2.0, 2.5). In addition to that reaction kinetics and the influence of biodegradability were also evaluated for the biomethane potential of substrates. The highest cumulative methane yield was obtained in F/M ratio 2.0 with 3.4 L followed by F/M ratio 1.5 and 2.5 with 3.3 L and 2.9 L, respectively. The maximum methane production rate 3.66 L CH 4 was perceived as per kinetics. The biomass activity may be affected due to the high substrate concentration during BMP test of lower F/M ratios. On the other hand, F/M ratio greater than 2.0, methane yield was decreased due to increased volatile fatty acid production reduces the reactor pH and inhibits methanogens activity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The limited water supply of the Metropolitan Area of Mexico City has become a challenge for local companies. The region's aquifer is listed as closed due to pressure on the water supply as a result of growth in manufacturing as well as increased domestic water use. The environmental, economic and legal benefits of a cleaner production scenario studied were highly encouraging; implementation of cleaner technologies reduces water extraction by up to 16 times. While initial investment is high, the internal rate of return rate is approximately 35% per year, implying a three year return on initial investment. Under this scenario, the business complies with environmental regulations, avoiding great amounts of water extraction and future wastewater discharge, thus conserving this vital resource. This study proves what Silvo et al. (2009) states that In the longer run the combination of the Integrated Pollution and Prevention Control permit approach with other regulatory and voluntary policy instruments taking into account the results of system assessments such as Life Cycle Assessment could potentially produce eco-efficient solutions. Thus, for this industry, cleaner production pays off in the long run. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Product-oriented policies gain more and more attention in environmental policies. In this framework, we studied cases (here presented only housing and computers and paper) in a life cycle perspective in order to determine their environmental impacts (in terms of GHG emissions, resource use and waste production) over the period 1990–2010. We also evaluated their potential for improvement up to 2010 by applying product-oriented strategies. We identified clear technical (theoretical) potential for improvement, especially for housing, packaging and computers and paper in offices. We then carried out a Delphi-based survey among stakeholders in order to investigate potential measures. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Internalizing environmental costs is a necessary condition for an effective environmental policy. Since the majority of socio-economic activities cannot be free of environmental impacts, the noninternalized (external) environmental costs impose a peculiar thievery of welfare. Charging environmental costs through environmental taxes and other economic instruments is a necessary condition for avoiding welfare thievery. In this context, the anti-tax approaches emerging within ecological economics are found to be misleading and directing away from an effective environmental policy. Environmental responsibility is a different issue from the charging of the environmental costs. Therefore, environmental taxes should not be considered as an induction to less environmental responsibility and, hence, to environmental degradation. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

This paper presents research performed on set-based multi-criteria optimization for the preliminary design of slab frame bridges. As a result of immense CO2 emissions emerging from concrete production, there is a need for optimization methods decreasing the volume of concrete without affecting the function of the structure. Previous research suggests a general correlation between CO2 footprint- and cost reduction, due to minimized material use. However, the aspect of buildability may conflict with lessened material, as optimized designs might simultaneously be less buildable. This research aimed to develop an optimization method with respect to the investment cost and environmental impact while also considering buildability cost aspects. The optimization algorithm shows the possibilities of reducing the environmental impact by up to 13.7% for a slightly increased cost of 2.3%. Thus, by implementing optimization procedures in the early stages of the planning process the holistic cost effects related to green solutions can be presented, favoring the choice of sustainable designs amongst clients during tendering procedures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Growing awareness of the need to enhance environmental performance resonates across various industrial sectors. However, efforts toward sustainability remain inadequate, especially given the pressing issue of Climate Change. To address this, this paper introduces a novel preliminary approach grounded in Lean Thinking principles, featuring a structured three-step process enhanced with visual tools. Step one involves pinpointing the green sustainability measures and their deployment locations, facilitating the identification of urgent actions. Step two delves into identifying potential barriers that could hinder measure adoption, resulting in a refined set of implementable actions for greater improvements. Finally, in the third step, we select and prioritize the most viable measures, accounting for case-specific factors like costs and their impact on environmental performance. This study culminates in a real-world application within a luxury plywood production company, illustrating the framework's ability to align environmental objectives with economic success by avoiding unprofitable choices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With the changes in energy structure and system configuration, the uncertainty on both the supply and demand sides of the power system will significantly increase. The approach of increasing reserves to cope with the uncertainty is becoming unsustainable both technically and economically. It is necessary to accurately characterize system flexibility and propose flexibility-oriented dispatching optimization strategies. Based on this, this paper conducts research on the evaluation system for flexibility supply-demand balance and the coordinated optimization dispatch strategy of generation-load-storage resources. Firstly, a flexibility demand-supply balance evaluation system is proposed, which covers the quantification of flexibility demand, the quantification of flexibility supply capability, and the design of flexibility metrics. Secondly, a two-stage optimization dispatching model for generation-load-storage resources is constructed. In stage 1, the optimization obtains the operating power of generation, load and storage resources to meet the load demand, while in stage 2, the flexibility supply potential is considered to optimize the redispatch power of the flexibility resources to meet the flexibility demand. Finally, simulations are conducted in a typical industrial park with generation, load, and storage resources, and the results show: 1) The quantification of flexibility demand based on the polytope form is more accurate, ensuring that the obtained flexibility supply-demand balance evaluation results can effectively support system flexibility dispatching; 2) Compared with the traditional dispatching strategy that consider reserve capacity, the operational cost of the dispatching strategy considering flexibility supply-demand characteristics in this paper decreased by 3.31%, environmental costs decreased by 4.56%, and the penalty cost for flexibility deficiency decreased by 17.37%. The research results can leverage the synergistic effect of generation -load-storage resources, achieving a scientific balance between the economy, low-carbon, and adequacy of the generation-load-storage system, and provide a scientific approach for considering flexible supply-demand balance in the power system dispatching, supporting the stable and sustainable operation of the high-penetration new energy system. • A comprehensive evaluation system for flexible supply-demand balance is designed; • The flexibility demand quantification model based on the polytope form is constructed; • A two-stage coordinated optimization dispatching model for generation-load-storage resources is constructed; • The two-stage dispatching power and costs of the generation-load-storage resources in 24 period are examined. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With the growing global energy demand and limited production of conventional crude oil, the extraction of unconventional heavy and extra-heavy oil is receiving unprecedented attention. China is the fourth largest producer of heavy oil. High viscosity and complex formation environments increase the difficulty of exploiting heavy oil. To alleviate the economic cost and environmental pollution pressure brought by heavy oil production, China has achieved significant advancement in the innovation of heavy oil recovery, including accelerating the transformation of thermal technology to non-thermal technology and the use of new energy technology to achieve the goal of low-carbon economy and green environmental protection. Based on the background of heavy oil in China, this paper recharacterizes the high-viscosity mechanism of heavy oil. From different aspects, including basic principles, main characteristics, applicability, limitations, and challenges, this paper comprehensively reviews existing heavy oil recovery technologies, including thermal recovery, in-situ upgrading, cold recovery, and new energy technologies. Currently, in China, the main target of heavy oil recovery is achieving the "carbon peaking and carbon neutrality" goals, which can be described as low energy consumption, low emission, and low pollution. To facilitate the low-carbon transition in the extraction of heavy/extra-heavy oil and attain environmental sustainability goals, it is essential to increase the proportion of non-thermal factors in thermal recovery technologies, develop efficient in-situ catalysts, adopt clean cold extraction techniques, and advance the development of new energy technologies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Propose an end-of-use condition estimation method based on reliability and warranty policy. • Present a two-stage optimization model for the Re -X decision-making problem. • Develop a condition-based end-of-use processing policy under demand uncertainty. • Reduce lifecycle cost and environmental impact for product family. • Demonstrate the methodology with case study and result analysis. The concept of circular economy has been diffused in recent decades to promote economic growth that does not add to the burden on natural resource extraction. Re -X options (e.g., reuse, repair, refurbish, remanufacture, recycle) have been gradually adopted in the product development process and optimized to reduce or eliminate waste and pollution. Although manufacturing incorporating Re -X options can be more environmentally friendly, it involves more sources of uncertainty than traditional manufacturing since the end-of-use products can be collected from multiple origins with various quantities and qualities, and the market demand for both new and remanufactured products cannot be forecasted perfectly. Thus, there is a need to optimize the Re -X policy to alleviate the negative impacts of the higher uncertainty. One option is using the reliability information of new products to estimate the end-of-use conditions and applying multi-stage stochastic optimization to capture multiple demand scenarios. This paper develops a two-stage stochastic optimization model to optimize the quality thresholds for reuse, recycling, and remanufacturing options. Our objective is to minimize the total cost, energy consumption, and environmental impact of producing and providing warranty service for a product family. The model employs reliability information of product components to estimate the warranty service cost and the end-of-use conditions of the returned resources. A case study on a general product family is implemented to illustrate the efficacy of the optimization model. Results show that the two-stage optimization can achieve cost and environmental impact reduction for a hybrid manufacturing and remanufacturing process. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Artisanal and small-scale mining has both positive benefits and negative costs. • Mapping impacts of ASM on to the SDGs shows the positive and negative contributions it can have to achieving these goals. • Valuing ecological, economic and social impacts of ASM in Guyana shows the value the industry can have to the country. The artisanal and small-scale mining (ASM) sector in Guyana has, over the last decade, become the main engine for economic growth, the key source of foreign exchange and a vital source of employment across the country. It has therefore served as a vital driver in alleviating poverty and helping the country to make progress on the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) relating to poverty and economic growth. At the same time, however, the sector has contributed to significant levels of deforestation and water pollution, threatening progress on other SDGs. In this paper we develop a framework that allows an evaluation of the impact of the sector upon progress towards a variety of the relevant SDGS and their accompanying targets and indicators. We extend this framework by presenting valuations of the environmental and social impacts from the ASM sector and compare this to the economic benefit from the sector in terms of contribution to GDP, foreign exchange, taxation and indirect employment benefits, allowing us to understand the trade-offs involved in the use of the ASM sector as a tool for achieving the SDGs. Our assessment shows prominent economic benefits crucial for the country to achieve the economic related SDG targets but at a significant social and environmental cost that will hinder the country achieving the social and ecological SDG targets. The framework presented in this paper can thus be used to identify policy areas that need prioritizing in order to address the social and ecological costs associated with ASM whilst maintaining and possibly improving the economic prosperity it provides. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper we develop a modified production model to calculate changes in pollution abatement costs (PAC) when both data on bad outputs and information on the inputs assigned to pollution abatement activities are not available. To calculate the PAC of reducing bad output, we introduce a measure that captures variation in the abatement intensity of technologies used to reduce water discharges. We then decompose the change in PAC into three components to identify their relative contribution to changes in PAC: (1) changes in the level of inputs, (2) changes in pollution abatement intensity, and (3) technological change. We demonstrate how to calculate PAC and these three components using data from 1997 to 2007 on a sample of pulp mills required to comply with the effluent limits for dioxin set by the U.S. EPA's Cluster Rule. We find regulation-induced technological change is consistently associated with declining PAC, while both changes in inputs and abatement intensity are associated with increasing PAC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Purple non-sulfur bacteria (PNSB) can produce either hydrogen or accumulate PHB. • PHB production depends on the pH, high C/N ratios, and N, S, P, limitation. • An excess of carbon from acetate or butyrate favors PHB production. • R. sphaeroides and R. capsulatus accumulate more PHB than other PNSB. • Wastewater and consortia are recommended to reduce economic costs. Purple non-sulfur bacteria (PNSB), most commonly called photobacteria, are a group of photoheterotrophic bacteria well known for their ability to produce hydrogen while degrading several carbon substrates, such as organic acids and carbohydrates, as well as organic matter in wastewater and effluents from other processes, such as dark fermentation. Given that this group of photobacteria is also capable of accumulating polyhydroxybutyrate (PHB) as a storage compound, this review paper aims to present and discuss the different operational and nutritional conditions reported in the literature that favor PHB production by PNSB in order to guide the process conditions that should be used. A comparison of the accumulated PHB content among different PNSB strains on several carbon and nitrogen sources and concentrations is also outlined. This paper also addresses some future perspectives for PHB production, such as the use of wastewater as a substrate and mixed cultures to reduce economic costs and the environmental impact and make the PHB production process more profitable, sustainable and attractive. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The additive manufacturing (AM) paradigm, especially in the distributed manufacturing setting, is a novel paradigm that can bring production of components closer to the consumers, at potentially lower economic and environmental costs. In this paper, we present a comparative analysis of AM with conventional manufacturing (CM) from the energy consumption perspective to assess under what conditions AM is better—a key gap in the area. Leveraging an energy consumption survey between CM and AM supply chains, this paper analyzes the significance of transportation in a cradle-to-gate partial life cycle analysis. Though the decentralization of AM has been discussed in energy consumption assessments, it has not been discussed in terms of how the distributed components and their transportation would affect the two supply chains' scenarios. This gap motivated this research to conduct energy efficiency assessment of AM and its comparison with CM in a distributed supply chain. Our analysis showed that transportation contributed 3x to 4.5x increase in the overall energy impact in CM compared to corresponding transportation in the AM setting. In effect, from our analysis, for every three CM parts, the transportation energy consumption approximately equaled the energy needed to manufacture one similar part in AM. Our analysis leverages the solid-to-envelope ratio "α", defined as the volume of solid material within a part's envelope. Based on our analysis, AM would be the preferred production method for α values falling within the range of 0.08–0.22 (8–22% of raw material efficiency in CM). Hence part geometry, where AM has greater potential for energy savings by reduction in the amount of material waste, is a good indicator for using AM over CM for energy efficiency. We also discuss several future directions for better assessment of AM versus CM under different settings and upcoming innovations such as Industry 4.0. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Supply chain effectiveness and general societal prosperity, as well as economic and ecological productivity will be highly affected in the next decades, entailing challenges for the supply chain and logistics sector. Thereby this sector plays a significant role within the transformation process of economic systems, yet the capacities of it remain up till now underestimated. This paper suggests a holistic approach to assess transformation potential of the supply chain and logistics sector towards more sustainable economic systems while defining innovative business strategies to meet future macroeconomic developments. This is achieved through an integrated assessment of production and consumption systems, considering the interests of the key stakeholders. Moreover, the paper combines advanced methods to develop future macroeconomic scenarios and to assess the strategic business opportunities of the supply chain and logistics sector addressing societal developments, e.g. new consumption patterns. The analysis relies on modern theories of Environmental and Ecological Economics, contributing to transformation theories. Moreover, the innovative role of supply chain and logistics management in achieving sustainable macroeconomic goals at regional and international levels is addressed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract The objective of this paper is to understand how industrial symbiosis initiatives can contribute to the emergence of regional industrial ecosystems for sustainability transitions of local industrial production systems. We offer a conceptual framework that integrates industrial ecology literature and strategic niche management perspective from the sustainability transitions research field. The framework provides a conceptual foundation for analysing the individual industrial symbiosis initiatives and their aggregated contribution to the emergence of regional industrial ecosystems. Analytically, we conceptualise two different heuristic levels – the local industrial symbiosis experiments level and the regional industrial ecosystems niche level – which are interlinked through three niche processes. We represent the merits of our conceptualisation through a case study in an empirical setting where we selected a highly industrialised and rarely explored region; namely, the Autonomous Region of Catalonia in Spain. We identify and analyse eight industrial symbiosis initiatives that evolved during 18 years in the region. In the light of our conceptual framework, the results show that interlinked initiatives from the region have been gradually adding up to emerging regional industrial ecosystems. However, the region is still missing a broad regional network with articulated expectations and visions and shared cognitive, formal and normative rules. If emerging regional network provides support and protection for new initiatives, a regional culture change can be realised to achieve sustainability transition of local industrial production systems employing closed industrial production loops. The theoretical contribution of this paper is that we combine two different research streams that have not often learned from each other and we also develop a novel conceptual approach for ex-post evaluation of regional industrial ecosystem development. Moreover, our conceptual framework can be extended as a prescriptive management tool for planning and implementation of industrial symbiosis initiatives in Catalonia as well as in other regions. Highlights • Industrial ecology and sustainability transitions fields were integrated. • A conceptual framework building on the SNM processes was developed. • Eight industrial symbiosis initiatives from the same region were analysed. • Interlinked initiatives have gradually contributed to the regional niche level. • Results suggested continuous support and protection for the new initiatives. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Sustainable business model innovation is about creating superior customer and firm value by addressing societal and environmental needs through the way business is done. Business models require intentional design if they are to deliver aspired sustainability impacts. Scant research has been done on 'ecologies' of different business models in order to understand and improve these and create positive impact on the environment, society, economy and other key stakeholders. Hence, in this paper a novel framework is presented to enable a systemic form of sustainable business model experimentation. The framework is based on the recognition of three key issues which have not yet been sufficiently incorporated in the literature on sustainable business models: construct clarity, boundary setting and uncertainty about outcomes. These concepts are discussed first. Building on earlier work, the resulting framework incorporates potential side-effects and boundary setting based on the concept of an 'ecology of business models'. Second, an approach is proposed that could stimulate more profound forms of sustainable business model innovation: The Ecology of Business Models Experimentation map. Third, the approach is illustrated through two cases. The approach could help minimise symbiotic dependency on less sustainable business models; help destroy unsustainable business models by outcompeting them; and maximise contributions to favourable institutional infrastructures for more sustainable business models. This paper contributes to research on sustainable business model innovation, design and experimentation by providing a potential approach for 'business model ecology redesign'. Highlights • 3 issues in sustainable business model design are identified: • Construct clarity, boundary setting and uncertainty about outcomes. • A framework to enable systemic business model experimentation is presented: • The Ecology of Business Models Experimentation (EBME) map. • The cases of THANKS and HOMIE are used to illustrate the EBME map. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract This paper deals with the efficiency of the 28 European Union (EU) Member States for the years 2008, 2010, 2012 and 2014 by employing Data Envelopment Analysis (DEA) and directional distance function to tackle undesirable outputs. Eight parameters are used, namely municipal solid waste (MSW) generation, employment rate, capital formation, gross domestic product (GDP), population density and for the first time sulphur oxide (SOx), nitrogen oxide (NOx) and greenhouse gases (GHG) emissions from the waste sector for the relevant countries. The innovation of this paper lies in the fact that both new parameters are taken into account and that diverse modelling techniques have been employed in terms of the outputs and inputs used. The empirical results obtained were bias corrected in order to get the correct efficiency scores for each country studied. Overall the most efficient countries were shown to be Germany, Ireland and the UK. These results were then reviewed against the recycling rate of each country for the examined time periods. The recycling rate actually depicts the DEA results, namely more efficient countries seem to have a higher recycling rate too. Moreover the DEA efficiency results were contrasted to the overall treatment options used in the countries under consideration. Overall it is noticed that countries employing all four treatment options with high use of more sustainable ones and decrease in the use of landfill are the ones that also proved to be efficient according to DEA. These results resemble the image of a financial crisis hit Europe which tried to take advantage of the more sustainable treatment options in order to achieve a transition to a circular economy, whereas the value of products, materials and resources needs to be maintained in the economy for as long as possible and the generation of waste minimised. This can be a valuable lesson for policy makers in the design and application of national and EU legislations and directives in order to achieve also the targets towards a circular economy driven Europe. Highlights • Employing DEA to assess national waste generation. • Three novel environmental production frameworks designed. • Directional distance function to tackle undesirable outputs. • Comparison of results with treatment options and recycling rates. • Policy implications under a circular economy approach. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Concerns about environmentally sustainable supply chain management have increased widely in recent years. As a consequence, supply chain members have cooperated with one another to make efficient contracts, frequently called green supply-chain management contracts. The purpose of this paper is to investigate one such contract between a single manufacturer and multiple retailers with limited resources for several types of products under greenhouse-gas emission regulations. Each retailer orders the products regularly within a limited budget and warehouse capacity. In response to orders, the manufacturer produces products and ships them after inspections. Demand for the products can be either known or have some uncertainty, which can best be represented using fuzzy number demand. To reflect demand properties, this paper introduces two nonlinear integer programming models, a crisp model and a fuzzy model. A genetic algorithm (GA) and hybrid genetic algorithm-pattern search (HGAS) are developed to solve the models. Numerical experiments evaluating the efficiency of the algorithms showed that the HGAS method performed better than the GA. Also observed is that the crisp model's average total costs were lower than those of the fuzzy model. The results as a whole indicate that the models can evaluate the performance of contracts and optimize cooperative green supply chain management. Highlights • We formulate two NIP models for GSCM with GHG emissions constraints, assuming constant and fuzzy demand, respectively. • The extension principle is used to apply the fuzzy set theory to the fuzzy model. • GA and HGAS methods are proposed. • HGAS performs better than GA in accuracy. • The total cost of GSCM is changing in accordance with the upper limit of GHG emissions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Lean manufacturing has proven its positive effects on operational and economic performance in multiple cases. However, growing consciousness regarding sustainability and the Triple Bottom Line approach requires an integral performance based on three main goals: economic growth, environmental preservation, and social responsibility. Given the relevance that lean manufacturing has acquired, it is important to understand its effects on sustainability. Thus, this paper presents a literature review, discussing the most relevant findings of research in this sphere, and identifying current trends concerning the effect of lean manufacturing on sustainable performance. A total of 69 papers were reviewed, following a five-step synthesis methodology. Common and contrasting results were categorized according to each pillar of the triple bottom line, which allowed for the identification of not only growing research trends, but also of knowledge gaps. Unlike previous literature reviews, this study approaches lean manufacturing's effect on performance from a multidimensional point of view, accounting for all three triple bottom line pillars. It contributes on the identification of the main current research trends, which favors branches: one which supports complementary interactions between lean manufacturing and all three pillars of the triple bottom line, and the other, which evidences trade-offs among them. According to the results of the review, knowledge gaps on the matter remain, which require further research. Highlights • A systematic literature review of investigations linking lean manufacturing and sustainable performance is presented. • Presents effects of lean manufacturing on each triple bottom line pillars (operational, environmental and social). • There is a short of theoretical knowledge and empirical evidence on how LM practices affect sustainable performance. • Future lines of research from the identified gaps in the literature are proposed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract High-tech minerals are essential for strategic emerging industries, and urban mines have become principal potential reservoirs of secondary high-tech mineral resources. In order to evaluate high-tech urban mines to understand their criticality and determine their potential and priority for high-tech minerals recovery, this paper develops a model with three dimensions - resource index, technology index, and environmental index. This model is applied to data from China, and a Monte Carlo simulation is conducted to estimate uncertainty. The results show that high-tech urban mines in China are divided into three clusters. The first cluster includes urban mines which have high scores in all three indices, they should be the top priority of collection and recycling. The second cluster covers high-tech urban mines with middle scores in resource index and technology index, and environmental index span from low to high. They are important second resources reservoirs of high-tech metals and should be paid significant attention. In the third cluster, high-tech urban mines have low scores in all three indices, they are not the focus of development but can't be ignored. Spent batteries, mobile phones and magnet motors are key reservoirs of high-tech metals. Furtherly, this paper presents that the evaluation model construction and evaluation results are deeply affected by consumption behavior, technology level, industrial development and the policy direction of the country. Based on the results, this paper proposes that urban mining should be treated as a national strategy to release the dual constraints of resources and environment, catalogue of key urban mining should be made, and to build a dynamic evaluation system and adjust the catalogue over time, and develop technologies for more effective and environment-friendly extraction material of urban mines. Graphical abstract Image 1 Highlights • A three-dimension model is developed to evaluate high-tech urban mines in China. • High-tech urban mines in China are divided into three clusters. • Spent batteries, mobile phones and magnet motors are key reservoirs of high-tech metals. • The evaluation is deeply affected by country's actual conditions, and industrial characteristics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract This study presents a literature review of environmental reports based on papers published in 20 accounting journals between 2006 and 2015. A majority of the papers were published in journals, such as Accounting, Auditing & Accountability Journal, Accounting Forum, Critical Perspectives on Accounting, and Accounting, Organizations and Society. For each article, the aims and results obtained, methodologies adopted, data sources, industrial sectors, and countries involved were identified. Most of the studies present a longitudinal approach and use content analysis as their methodology. The most extensively used theories are the legitimacy and stakeholders theories. The purpose of this study is to contribute to the reflection of the state of the art of research in social and environmental accounting. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract This study aimed to identify and analyze the environmental management practices in the industry carried out in Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa (BRICS) in the period from 2011 to 2015, with the aid of scientific literature published in the Scopus database. Due to the expansion of the bloc's development, these countries presented a high potential to impact the environment. Therefore, this study is relevant because it identifies trends about the Environment Management Practices that have been followed in industries of BRICS, increasing the theoretical allowance for discussions concerning Environment Management Practices in these countries. Consequently, a survey on environmental management practices was conducted using the keyword "industrial environmental management practices" and the name of each country. Besides that, a "second quest" was added with the term "case study" to refine the results. We found out that China, India, South Africa and Brazil have been studying solutions for the CO 2 emissions by employing different environmental management practices. In addition, in the studies on China, India and Brazil, environmental management practices recurrently approached topics concerning the supply and water quality, the regulatory standards of environmental management and the practice of Green Supply Chain Management. However, we did not find papers concerning the environmental management practices in Russia through the employed methodology. We concluded that China, India and Brazil tend to present papers on the issue of environmental management (in English and in the database, from which they were gathered) because these countries show a more sustainable development, thus publishing a higher number of researches in this field, whereas Russia and South Africa do not follow this trend due to a weaker environmental engagement. With regard to that, it is suggested that further studies investigate the environmental management practices in other developing and developed countries, which would allow to draw a comparison with other groups. Graphical abstract Source: Authors (2017). Image Highlights • The BRICS environmental management practices were investigated. • The case study articles found in the Scopus database were considered. • The environmental management practices concerning the CO 2 emission were the main focus of attention of the BRICS. • Practices concerning water quality were recurrent in China, India and Brazil. • Each country presents environmental management practices specific to their realities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract With the focus on sustainable development, the value recovery from End-of-Life (EOL) and End-of-Use (EOU) products has been given considerable attention by the whole society. Reverse logistics is the process for value recovery and re-creation through a series of activities, i.e., repair, remanufacturing, recycling and energy recovery. However, due to the stochastic reverse product flow, unstable quality of used products, and the price fluctuation of recycled and remanufactured products, the planning of a reverse logistics system is more complex compared with that of a forward supply chain. In this paper, we propose a two-stage stochastic bi-objective mixed integer programming model for the network design problem of a multi-product multi-echelon sustainable reverse logistics system under uncertainty, which aims at providing a set of Pareto solutions between profitability and environmental performance. Furthermore, due to the heterogeneous nature, the processing operations performed at remanufacturing and recycling centers for different products are by no means identical. Different from the previous modelling efforts derived from a genetic "capacitated location problem", this paper considers the impact from the system flexibility on sustainable reverse logistics network design. Thus, the model is formulated in two parallel ways with either efficiency-focused non-flexible capacity or effectiveness-focused flexible capacity. The experimental analysis illustrates that increasing environmental requirement will decrease the profitability of the reverse logistics system, while, increasing flexibility may yield positive impacts on both economic and environmental performance when the efficiency loss is kept at a proper level. Highlights • Incorporating flexibility in sustainable reverse logistics network design. • Formulating mathematical model for decision support under uncertainty. • Different solution methods were tested, compared and discussed. • Results were analyzed for providing managerial implications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract To alleviate the high risks to oil supply caused by high dependency on oil imports, China is actively seeking alternative energy sources to reduce its imported oil (IO). Coal-to-liquid (CTL) is regarded as an option in China. However, few analyses have examined the net energy impact of substituting IO with CTL and determined how effective the substitution would be. Energy return on investment (EROI) analysis, an important index to characterise the viability of a natural resource from an energy standpoint, can provide insights into these issues. This paper first introduces new methods to calculate the EROIs between CTL and IO from a life-cycle perspective. Then, based on the EROI values, a new, simple method is provided to calculate the net energy change resulting from the substitution of IO with CTL. The results show that without considering the environmental inputs, the mean EROI of CTL with/without internal energy inputs is 0.29/1.44, and that of IO is approximately 5.60. When environmental inputs are considered, these values decrease to 0.27/1.09 and 5.07, respectively. In general, IO has a better net energy return than CTL. Moreover, substituting 1 MJ IO with CTL would lead to a net energy loss of 0.3–4.6 MJ. The above results suggest that China should be more cautious in developing the coal liquefaction industry from a net energy perspective. Highlights • New methods are provided to estimate the EROI of IO and CTL from a life-cycle perspective. • This paper considers the impact of the energy inputs to control GHG emissions on EROI. • The EROIs of IO and CTL are about 0.86–1.79 and 4.28–6.50 respectively. • Substituting 1 MJ IO with CTL would lead to a net energy loss of 0.3–4.6 MJ. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Currently, data is increasingly becoming a crucial production factor and strategic resource for economic development. However, there is no consensus on whether data plays a significant role in promoting city green development. This paper examines the effect and the mechanism of big data on carbon emission reduction based on a quasi-natural experiment of Big Data Comprehensive Pilot Zones (BDCPZ) in China, using a difference-in-difference approach and combining panel data from 261 cities in China from 2010 to 2019. The study found that: (1) The policy of BDCPZ significantly reduced carbon emissions, which confirms the critical importance of the digital dividend in China's green development process. (2) We find the emission reduction effect of BDCPZ is achieved in three main ways: promoting industrial upgrading, improving energy use efficiency and increasing green TFP in manufacturing. (3) Further analysis reveals that the carbon emission reduction effect of BDCPZ varies depending on city population size, levels of manufacturing development, resource endowments, and pilot cities with low carbon related policies. This paper empirically confirms the digital dividend in city green transformation, provides evidence and policy guidance for the broad application of the digital economy in the field of green and low-carbon development, and enriches research in development economics and environmental economics. It helps to provide novel policy insights for the government to implement proactive policies of carbon reduction, and to build a diversified carbon reduction governance system to successfully achieve "carbon peak" and "carbon neutral" targets. • We empirically identified the digital dividend in China's green transformation using the BDCPZ policy. • We explored three mechanisms of BDCPZ construction for green development. • The digital dividend is greater in large cities, advanced manufacturing bases and non-resource-based cities. • The digital dividend is amplified in pilot cities for carbon trading and low-carbon cities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

On the one hand, wind power production on land seems necessary for decarbonizing the electricity sector. On the other hand, we risk replacing one environmental problem with other environmental problems. The present paper provides a novel contribution to the literature on how to regulate the development of wind power plants on land (WPPs). Current regulation is largely based on a concession system, where both ecological taxes and offset schemes are left unexplored. We develop a theoretical model of WPP development with offsets and ecological taxes. We show that if additional loss of pristine nature and biodiversity is acceptable at some monetary price, establishing an offset market for WPP development and combining it with an ecological tax will be socially desirable. In fact, this solution is preferable to both only having an ecological tax or only having a compulsory offset market. Compared to only an ecological tax, it leads to lower environmental costs and more electricity from wind power production. By looking at a WPP project and two restoration cases, we demonstrate how an offset scheme could be conducted and conclude that offsetting WPPs could be possible. However, since wind power, to our knowledge, never have been exposed to an offsetting scheme, high quality measurement methods and thorough regulations must first be in place to ensure equivalence in the values of ecosystem services lost and gained. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper uses a combination of the contingent valuation method (CVM) and value transfer (VT) to estimate the value of non-market benefits associated with the achievement of good (marine) environmental status (GES) as specified in the EU Marine Strategy Framework Directive (MSFD) for Atlantic member states. The increased use of geographic information systems in VT means that many VT exercises now include spatial elements such as distance decay and population density. This paper explores impact of distance decay on welfare estimates as well as the impact from the modifiable area unit problem (MAUP) when population density is included as an explanatory variable. These issues can have a large effect on a VT estimate. In this study the overall value for achieving GES for Atlantic member states varied between €2.37billion and €3.64 billion. It was found that the different distance decay specifications changed values between −3% and 82% with a mean absolute difference of 25% and by adjusting the spatial scale in an effort to overcome the MAUP changed aggregate values between 13% and 25% with a mean of 17%. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper assesses EU nature conservation and EU climate protection policies within the context of their local implementation in Vienna/Austria in order to gain insights into the decision-making process as well as to show the extent of achievements and experienced difficulties. In this connection, this paper also investigates based on published knowledge and the perceptions of stakeholders the awareness of nature conservation measures as climate-change adaptation and possibly ways of improvement. In order to address these issues, additionally to an in-depth literature review, 16 experts working in Vienna in the field of either nature conservation or climate protection were interviewed. The transcriptions of these interviews were then used in a qualitative content analysis. The findings show that the vast majority of the interviewed stakeholders see EU climate policy and nature conservation policy separately. Furthermore, the implementation of EU climate and nature conservation policy in Vienna is indicated as a “learning by doing” process. There the currently limited cooperation between stakeholders can be improved. Our study also finds that the awareness of different stakeholder groups of the possibility to use nature conservation as a measure against climate change is limited. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Circular Economy (CE) is currently a popular notion within the policy and business advocacy groups. Despite being visionary and provocative in its message, the research on the CE concept is emerging. The two intertwined objectives of the paper are; first to identify, discuss and develop the various definitions provided by the emerging literature. Secondly, to suggest an initial research approach with which research on CE can be conducted. Our analysis shows that the existing CE work is mainly done on the practical and technical levels of the actual physical flows of materials and energy in production-consumption systems. The focus of the extant literature is on concrete metrics, tools, instruments and computations. Therefore, the basic assumptions concerning the values, societal structures, cultures, underlying world-views and the paradigmatic potential of CE remain largely unexplored. We argue that CE has already become what Gallie (1955) more than six decades ago termed as an “essentially contested concept” (ECC). The paper further suggests a model for CE research that helps in the categorization, classification and organization of research and investigation on CE. The model can help in limiting the observed unbalance and enhance the contribution of the CE approach to a more sustainable global society. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In response to global climate change and greenhouse gas emissions, China not only is under enormous pressure to reduce emissions from all over the world, but also confronts the problem of domestic energy shortage and ecological environment deterioration. Compared with other developed countries and regions, China has implemented an extensive development model over a long period, consuming large amounts of resources and sacrificing the environment. Therefore, how to reduce emissions and conserve energy is essential for the rapid development of China. To deal with this issue, this paper proposes the improved DEA models for measuring emission-reduction and energy-conservation (EREC) efficiency. Compared with other DEA models, the models in this paper consider not only the heterogeneity of energy management in varied regions, but also the technology gap between regions. In order to assess the level of technological development in different regions, this paper proposes a new technology gap ratio index (TGR). The proposed approach is applied for measuring the EREC efficiency of 211 Chinese cities. The results show that the overall EREC efficiency of Chinese cities is low, and the central area has the lowest EREC efficiency. There is significant technology gap between the regions; the technology level is the highest in the eastern region but the lowest in the northeastern region. We also reveal that managerial and technical factors are the two main sources for the loss of EREC efficiency in Chinese cities. The specific strategies of management and technology are suggested for all cities in different areas. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In some coastal cities there is an urgent need to decide on adaptation investments given the long periods needed to complete the relevant infrastructures. However such decisions are usually made under significant uncertainty due to local climate change and socio-economic impacts. The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) has developed four global scenarios according to different representative concentration pathways (RCPs); however, using these scenarios directly is equivalent to using incomplete information in the decision-making process because they do not provide information on what sea level rise behavior is most probable. In this study, I propose a model which assigns probabilities to IPCC scenarios with Local Sea Level Rise (LSLR) information. I obtain expected damage and risk measures for the world's 120 major coastal mega-cities at specific moments in time. That is, I consider uncertainty in both scenario selection and within each scenario. With this information it is possible to make adaptation investment decisions under uncertainty with a criterion of not exceeding certain risk levels in the future. The paper shows that in the year 2100 for the equal probability mixed scenario (25% RCP 2.6, 50% RCP 4.5 and 25 RCP 8.5) the expected damage is US$ 1,251,732 millions for New Orleans and US$ 1,196,517 millions for Guangzhou. The risk measurements show that in that year the damage in the 5% of worse cases will be US$ 2,800,756 millions for Guangzhou and US$ 1,832,466 millions for New Orleans. However, not all countries have sufficient resources to make the necessary adaptation investments, so we analyze expected damage and risk according to World Bank country income groups. The paper shows that the USA and China will need to make major adaptation investments in the future. The coastal LSLR risk in lower-income cities is also calculated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Over recent decades, China's economy has continued to develop steadily and rapidly, contributing to a large environmental cost. Therefore, many researchers propose various methods to evaluate environmental efficiency to deal with these serious issues accurately. This paper is the first to evaluate environmental efficiency using a model featuring not only a parallel structure with three component processes (primary, secondary, and tertiary industries) in the first stage but also a sewage treatment process in the second stage. Simultaneously, we propose radial but also nonradial versions of the Environmental Multiple Variable Return to Scale (EMVRS) model. These two models both consider shared inputs as well as shared outputs, and the proportion of the shared inputs and shared outputs utilized in each component process is assumed to be unknown. Additionally, we further analyze the factors influencing environmental efficiency by utilizing the Tobit model. The results when EMVRS is applied to Chinese provinces can be divided into 3 parts: (1) Most provinces do not purify wastewater appropriately contributing to the bad environmental efficiency. (2) The efficiency values of the three industry types are similar or identical to each other in most provinces. (3) The population of people employed negatively impacts environmental efficiency. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study examined the relationship between government environmental governance (GEG) and regional green development. The findings suggest that GEG boosts green innovation by promoting the "innovation compensation effect" while inhibiting regional green development due to increased environmental costs, supported by the "compliance cost effect". The relationship between GEG and regional green development is moderated by economic development and environmental pollution in an inverted U-shaped pattern. When economic development and environmental pollution are at lesser levels, the positive effect of GEG amplifies as economic growth and environmental pollution ascend. However, if economic growth and environmental pollution continue to escalate, the positive impact of GEG will lose its strength. In low-carbon pilot cities, GEG negatively affects regional green development, whereas the opposite effect is seen in non-pilot cities. Regardless, there is an inverted U-shaped moderating impact of economic development or environmental pollution in both low-carbon pilot and non-pilot cities, yet the inflection point varies across regions. This paper offers an original perspective by creating a theoretical link between green development and environmental governance and emphasizes the significance of a nonlinear viewpoint when examining the relationship between variables in the regional green development process, thereby expanding our understanding of green development phenomena. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cities are the main carbon dioxide (CO 2 ) emitters in China, and it is important to explore both the characteristics and reduction potential of their CO 2 emissions. This paper calculates the industrial energy-related CO 2 emissions (IECEs) of 17 cities in China's Yangtze River Delta (YRD) region from 2005 to 2014 and analyses the driving factors of CO 2 emissions using the Logarithmic Mean Divisia Index (LMDI). In addition, this paper predicts the CO 2 reduction potential of this group of cities for the period from 2015 to 2020. The results show that (1) during the sample period, industrial CO 2 emissions in the studied cities increased by a factor of 1.61. Economic output is the greatest contributor, followed by population size. Energy intensity and energy structure are the two main emission mitigation factors; (2) the driving factors of CO 2 emissions in the group of cities exhibit distinct spatial characteristics, indicating that future analyses of cities in this area should have distinctly different foci; and (3) the forecasting results show that under moderate and aggressive scenarios, CO 2 emissions in the studied cities can be reduced by 281.59 Mt and 711.90 Mt, respectively, by 2020. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper is the second part of a two-paper series on framework development and application demonstration of the Inclusive Impact Index (Triple I), a single-index of sustainability assessment. This Part II aims to exemplify findings obtained from Part I, which developed a full-scale framework for estimation of Triple I, based on the current context of life cycle sustainability assessment. The entire life cycle of inedible vegetable oil-derived biodiesel production and use in cruise ships in Ha Long Bay, was used as a case study for the demonstration. Furthermore, this paper also examines the sustainable potential of several blends of Hibiscus sabdariffa L. (Roselle) and Vernicia montana L. (Trau) biodiesel. Consequently, implications for sustainable biodiesel policies in Quang Ninh Province have been introduced. Under Triple I, the sustainable potential of different biodiesel systems in Ha Long Bay was examined with respect to impacts on ecological footprint, biocapacity, ecosystem quality, human health and the economy. Several biodiesel-petroleum diesel blends were considered in this paper involving B5 (5% by volume (vol%) biodiesel), B10 (10 vol% biodiesel), B20 (20 vol% biodiesel) and B100 (neat biodiesel). Triple I gages the sustainability of all biodiesel blends as alternatives to petroleum diesel. The findings suggest that the application of B10 and B20 blends are most appropriate, as they were the most stable and equivalent in terms of economic, environmental and social impacts, particularly in the case of B20. Since B100 has considerably high sustainable potential but longer Triple I payback time compared to the three lower blends, this study proposes a consideration of B20 and B10 for short-term and B100 for long-term biodiesel application pathways. Results of Triple I are in line with previous studies, and this confirms the precision of Triple I as a sustainability assessment index. On the other hand, by quantitatively revealing what and how an individual factor and its changes can affect the sustainability of a biodiesel system, Triple I has proved its superiority to other indexes. Nevertheless, due to the absence of social impacts in the Triple I estimation, this study recommended for a further development of the Triple I framework to contemplate evaluating social aspects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the context of the ongoing worldwide efforts directed to achieving environmental sustainability by mitigating environmental challenges and reversing the depletion of the environmental resources, the work presented in this paper has the purpose to identify the most effective solution for ensuring access to good quality drinking water for the localities in the southern part of Constanta County, Romania. At present, the communities in the analyzed area are using drinking water abstracted from ground water sources which have registered continuous quality degradation over the last 30 years, while the water losses in the water supply systems are high. As the existing water treatment facilities are unable to remove the pollutants found in the raw water (ammonia, nitrates, Iron and Manganese), within a complex regional project which aims at the same time for reduction of water losses and reaching drinking water quality compliance, a comprehensive analysis was prepared, in order to identify the most efficient solution for supplying the localities at the border of the Black Sea with sufficient and appropriate quality water. This paper shows the systematic approach used for conducting the options analysis in which there have been considered different applicable solutions ranging from decommissioning the existing sources and construction of a regional water supply local treatment, to keeping the existing sources and construction of new appropriate treatment facilities or blending water from multiple sources. The conducted analysis has revealed that the most feasible option for long term sustainability of water supply is the construction of a regional water supply system supplied by a very good quality wellfield with additional flow input from an existing water treatment plant having spare capacity available. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The European Study of Cohorts for Air Pollution Effects (ESCAPE) is a13-nation study of long-term health effects of air pollution based on subjects pooled from up to 22 cohorts that were intended for other purposes. Twenty-five papers have been published on associations of various health endpoints with long-term exposures to NOx, NO2, traffic indicators, PM10, PM2.5 and PM constituents including absorbance (elemental carbon). Seven additional ESCAPE papers found moderate correlations (R2 = 0.3–0.8) between measured air quality and estimates based on land-use regression that were used; personal exposures were not considered. I found no project summaries or comparisons across papers; here I conflate the 25 ESCAPE findings in the context of other recent European epidemiology studies. Because one ESCAPE cohort contributed about half of the subjects, I consider it and the other 18 cohorts separately to compare their contributions to the combined risk estimates. I emphasize PM2.5 and confirm the published hazard ratio of 1.14 (1.04–1.26) per 10 μg/m3 for all-cause mortality. The ESCAPE papers found 16 statistically significant (p < 0.05) risks among the125 pollutant-endpoint combinations; 4 each for PM2.5 and PM10, 1 for PM absorbance, 5 for NO2, and 2 for traffic. No PM constituent was consistently significant. No significant associations were reported for cardiovascular mortality; low birthrate was significant for all pollutants except PM absorbance. Based on associations with PM2.5, I find large differences between all-cause death estimates and the sum of specific-cause death estimates. Scatterplots of PM2.5 mortality risks by cause show no consistency across the 18 cohorts, ostensibly because of the relatively few subjects. Overall, I find the ESCAPE project inconclusive and I question whether the efforts required to estimate exposures for small cohorts were worthwhile. I suggest that detailed studies of the large cohort using historical exposures and additional cardiovascular risk factors might be productive. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Efficiency improvements such as the adoption of many energy efficiency measures represent a driver for increasing industrial process performance due to related economic costs and significant environmental impacts. The energy audit, a well-known tool for analyzing energy flow and assessing energy saving opportunities, is demonstrated in this paper as one of the steps in an energy efficiency initiative. The focus of this study is on investigating the outcomes of energy efficiency improvements and analyzing the benefits achieved under various energy efficiency measures from energy audits based on case studies. Specifically, the objectives of the paper are listed as follows: (i) multidimensionality of energy audits for energy conversion, (ii) example tools used for energy audits, (iii) outline of competences of energy auditors. By discussing energy audit structure, new insights into non-energy benefits are defined with very positive outcomes in achieving the reduction of energy consumption and carbon emissions in industrial processes. The results show that the cost-effective and energy conservation potentials represent reduction in energy consumption by 30%, 13%, 70%, 14%, 10%, and 5% respectively for targeted processes used by energy-efficiency investments. The energy-efficiency investment plans were carefully formed based on local realities with the reasonable and acceptable return period of less than 2 years. The paper demonstrated non-benefits for achieving industrial energy efficiency, which should be embodied in the energy auditing framework and considered by plant operations managers during evaluation of energy efficiency investments. Based on six case studies, competences of energy auditors are also formulated as well. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In response to global warming, it is urgent to control and reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, especially from the supply chain perspective. The most often discussed topic in this domain indicates that emission trading scheme (ETS) could be employed as one of policy instruments for supply chain emissions management. Via mathematical models, scholars have shown that the employment of emission trading is affecting supply chain performances (both environmental and economic) in different levels. However, previous literature focus on the cost-effectiveness analysis only from the mathematical aspect. To provide policy-makers and companies with the theoretical bases on this hot topic, it is significant to discuss how ETS, one of market-based instruments, could be imposed in the context of supply chain from the mechanical point of view. By incorporating ideas from relevant literature, this paper generates two concepts/modes in imposing ETS on supply chain: jointly imposed supply chain emission trading (e.g., jointly imposed SC-ETS) and separately imposed supply chain emission trading (e.g., separately imposed SC-ETS). It illustrates the working principles of both concepts/modes and conducts a sandbox example to analyze the cost-effectiveness of them. Furthermore, this paper discusses the challenges and opportunities of implementing two modes from practical aspects. Results of quantitative analysis and discussion show that for the sake of both policy-makers and supply chain companies, the separately imposed SC-ETS allowing selling permits would be so far the better mode to manage supply chain GHG emissions compared to the jointly imposed SC-ETS. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In order to analyze the action mechanism of environmental pressures on the development of environmentally friendly technologies (EFTs), this paper constructs a neo-schumpeterian simulation model containing firms' production, pricing, pollution abatement investment, (environmental) R&D, entry & exit decision-making and consumer choice behavior. The objective of this paper is to investigate the influence of consumer demand preferences and environmental policies on firms’ environmental investment decision-making as well as the development of EFT. Results showed that consumers prefer product price, a market-based instrument (MBI) combined with an information-oriented instrument (IOI) can promote the development of EFT, while MBI applied alone will reduce environmental investment. Under scenarios that consumers prefer product quality, a command and control environmental policy (CAC) can promote the development of EFT to a greater extent, but it inhibits environmental investment and damages the average profit rate of profit of the industry. If consumers prefer environmental performance of firms, CAC or IOI is advantageous to the change of EFT. However, in such a case environmental investment and consumer utility are reduced. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper analyzes the effect of inherent uncertainty on the willingness-to-pay (WTP) for a policy aimed at reducing expected climate change impacts. To do this, it relates outcome uncertainty to the probability of occurrence of one of these impacts within a given time horizon. Unlike the existing studies, this paper links outcome uncertainty to the uncontrollable component of environmental uncertainty derived from the stochastic nature of an ecosystem's behavior. Results show that the WTP for the policy in the presence of uncertainty does not decrease compared to the scenario where climate change impacts are assumed to occur with certainty. This suggests individuals are adopting a precautionary attitude when stating their WTP. Thus, the paper provides economic justification for preventive measures in highly uncertain contexts. However, findings are not conclusive with respect to the influence of the degree of uncertainty on the support for such measures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper joins the debate on the relationship between inequality and the environment. Departing from the past contributions, which focused either on the theories of environmental behavior or on economic interests, this paper develops arguments about “political choice” mechanisms that help explain the linkages between inequality and national policymaking related to the establishment of protected areas. A cross-national analysis of the interactions between inequality, democracy and the legal designation of protected areas in a global sample of 137 countries shows that, ceteris paribus, the effects of inequality vary depending on the strength of democracy: in relatively democratic countries inequality is associated with less land in protected areas, whereas in relatively undemocratic countries the reverse is true. The highly significant effects of inequality undermine the democratic dividend in the arena of nature conservation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The EKC hypothesis postulates that the relationship between economic growth and environmental deterioration is represented by an inverted U-shaped function. Its validity has been questioned from several perspectives and a need for public policies has been expressed. This paper uses a heuristic approach to analyze the relationship between per capita income and land consumption, as proxied by the number of Building Permits issued by public authorities. Using data from the Italian regions, we run a panel data regression model to test whether the EKC hypothesis holds. Results confute it, evidencing a U-shaped relationship. In the authors' opinion, the combined effect of market conditions, lifestyle evolution and institutional and political factors have produced an adverse effect on environment. On this basis, the paper claims that, when social and intergenerational aspects are involved, a balanced mix of market, policies and institutional architecture is needed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Environmental impact assessment is an important process, prior to approval of the investment plan, providing a detailed examination of the likely and foreseeable impacts of proposed construction activity on the environment. The objective of this paper is to develop a specific methodology for the analysis and evaluation of environmental impacts of selected constructions – flood protection structures using risk analysis methods. The application of methodology designed for the process of environmental impact assessment will develop assumptions for further improvements or more effective implementation and performance of this process. The main objective of the paper is to improve the implementation of the environmental impact assessment process. Through the use of risk analysis methods in environmental impact assessment process, the set objective has been achieved. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Metallic material processing plays a significant role in terms of global environmental impact. As a result, energy- and resource-efficient strategies in the metal shaping technology domain need to be identified urgently. Recently, the scientific world has been paying more and more attention to the environmental impact analysis of manufacturing processes. Despite this increased attention, the state of the art in the domain of environmental impact analysis of metal shaping processes is still characterized by gaps in knowledge and in methodologies. In particular, metal forming processes are still not well documented, in terms of their environmental impact, and there is a lack of systematic and comparative approaches. This paper offers a contribution to a better understanding of the environmental impact of forming and machining processes. A thorough methodology has been developed to take into due account all the environmental factors of influence on both of the considered technologies. A comparative analysis has been performed, varying the production batch size and part geometry. The importance of an environmental performance analysis that can include both batch size and geometry variations is discussed and highlighted throughout the paper. Finally, the application of the proposed methodology has resulted in the setting up of an eco-design tool, here defined as a Process Sustainability Diagram (PSD), which allows the greenest technology to be selected for the analyzed case study, while varying the considered factors of influence. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, a novel CMOQPSO algorithm is proposed, in which cultural evolution mechanism is introduced into quantum-behaved particle swarm optimization (QPSO) to solve multiobjective environmental/economic dispatch (EED) problems. There are growing concerns about the ability of QPSO to handle multiobjective optimization problems. Two important issues in extending QPSO to multiobjective context are the construction of exemplar positions for each particle and the maintenance of population diversity. In the proposed CMOQPSO, one particle is measured for multiple times at each iteration in order to enhance its global searching ability. Belief space, which is based on cultural evolution mechanism and contains different types of knowledge extracted from the particle swarm, is adopted to generate global best positions for the multiple measurements of each particle. Moreover, to maintain population diversity and avoid premature, a novel local search operator, which is based on the knowledge in belief space, is proposed in this paper. CMOQPSO is compared with several state-of-art algorithms and tested on EED systems with 6 and 40 generators respectively. The comparative results demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed algorithm. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Developing green materials for infrastructure construction is of vital importance for sustainable development. Limestone calcined clay cement (LC3) is an appropriate alternative for the reduction of CO 2 emissions and resource consumption in the cement industry. Recycled concrete aggregate (RCA), seawater and sea sand are potentially advantageous from a sustainability perspective, especially in coastal regions. Fiber-reinforced polymer (FRP) bars with excellent corrosion resistance are ideal alternative materials for steel bars in a corrosive environment. In this paper, a new type of green concrete structure incorporating LC3, seawater, sea sand, RCA, and FRP bars was investigated, and the performance was assessed to verify the considerable sustainable advantages while considering life cycle cost and environmental impacts. The results showed that the proposed LC3 concrete exhibited lower environmental impacts: compared with traditional concrete, and the CO 2 and energy consumption of LC3 concrete were reduced by 32%–41.7% and 23.3%–28%, respectively. Although the initial cost was higher for LC3 and CFRP bars, this disadvantage could be offset by their longer service life and lower maintenance costs during their life cycle. Compared with traditional RC structures, the total cost, CO 2 and energy consumption in the life cycle were reduced by 39%, 30.5%–65.4%, and 18.5%–58.9% for the LC3 concrete structure, respectively. In contrast to the life cycle cost, the LC3 replacement ratio had a negative effect on the environmental indices for the LC3 concrete and structure. Considering the promising advantages in economy and environmental impact, the proposed LC3 concrete and structure provides an effective approach for the sustainable development of the construction industry. • A type of green concrete structure incorporating LC3, seawater, sea sand, RCA, and FRP bars. • LC3 concrete exhibits lower environmental impacts, decreased as the LC3 replacement ratio increases. • LC3 concrete structure shows excellent environmental and economic advantages. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With the deterioration of natural resources and the aggravation of environmental pollution, there is a growing imperative to implement industrial green reform through green technology investment (GTI). This paper constructs a nonlinear dual-objective function by drawing on the theory of two-sided matching under the carbon trading regulation, aiming to examine GTI selection decisions made by two oligarchic manufacturers (i.e., oligarchs) and a monopoly supplier (i.e., supplier). The supplier offers multiple green technologies, while oligarchs rack their brains to buy green technologies in an attempt to exploit their social, economic and environmental potentials. Available technologies vary in terms of their environmental efficiency and cost. Then, a two-sided matching mechanism is constructed to explore the availability of stable matchings and examine the impacts of the carbon price and green improvement coefficient on GTI, product pricing decisions and profits within a competitive environment. Finally, a Monte-Carlo experiment is designed to analyze the impact of uncertain market risks on supplier's decisions. The results show that there is a two-sided matching mechanism that enables oligarchs and suppliers to obtain stable matching solution sets. Higher carbon prices lead to higher product prices, lower market demand, and improved environmental performance. Product price and market demand are positively correlated with investment volumes of oligarchs themselves and negatively correlated with those of their competitors. Investment risk has a certain negative impact on suppliers' profitability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• A joint energy-frequency regulation power market is proposed for energy transition. • Environmental cost of fossil-fueled generation is incorporated into electricity trading. • Renewable energy generation is motivated to actively manage uncertainty and intermittency of outputs. • Extensive numerical simulations are conducted to validate the proposed system. Striving to develop renewable energy generation (REG) has become a global trend. Due to high carbon emissions, fossil-fueled generation units (FFGUs) in an electrical energy market such as the day-ahead and real-time electricity markets are facing unprecedented constraints. From the perspective of FFGUs, an effective way is to change their market roles from energy suppliers with high environmental costs to secure and reliable frequency regulation service providers. To help FFGUs successfully complete the transition, a bi-level optimization model for the joint energy and regulation service market is proposed in this paper. Different from existing joint markets, both the environmental cost of FFGUs and the frequency regulation service (FRS) cost of REG units are considered in this research for market operators to determine the scheduling priorities of submitted bids from generation units. In the frequency regulation service market model, a dynamic approach to determining the FRS demand is applied, which not only incentivizes REG units to initiatively manage their outputs, but also derives the price signals through the equilibrium of the FRS demand and supply to ensure the revenue of FFGUs in the FRS market. Meanwhile, the decision-making model of the FFGUs under the proposed market mechanism is also presented. Finally, extensive numerical experiments demonstrate the feasibility and efficiency of the mechanism. Simulation results show that the proposed mechanism can stimulate a smooth transition of FFGUs by adapting to actual situations and policy changes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Urbanization nowadays is a very important driving force for China's social and economic development, but the resource shortage and pollution accompanied have troubled China especially in the urban areas. As the capital of China, Beijing is a mega-city and densely populated. Its development and prosperity is supported by a large amount of material consumption, rendering a severe shortage of natural resources and serious pollution. Underlying the premise of maintaining its development and prosperity, Beijing is facing an enormous challenge in dealing with heavy pollution load. Therefore, it is a very important step to decouple the relationship between economic development and environmental pollution. This paper makes a study on the relationship between the economic growth and pollution load for Beijing based on the analysis of Environmental Kuznets Curves (EKC) which builds an econometric model using data over the period 1990–2014. We found the intensity of most pollutants have arrived at the turning point around 2006 while the total amount of most emissions remain at a high level, this is a favorable initiation for the transforming the development patterns as it has begun to decouple the pollution intensity and economy. Based on the statistics, this paper further analyzes the driving factors behind the active change. We found that the adjustment of industrial structure, a reasonable city planning, powerful measures in pollutants control and technology advance, contribute a lot to the transformation. Especially in the recent years, Beijing and correlative regions took joint measures to prevent and reduce air pollution, which have an apparent functions. Finally, this paper proposes several suggestions for Beijing to decouple the economic growth and environmental pollution load, based on these important conclusions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]