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Water quality degradation and eutrophication of lakes are global ecological and environmental concerns, especially shallow lakes. This study collected hydrochemical data from 2935 samples of the Chinese part of Xingkai (Khanka) Lake, based on 40 published papers spanning the period from 2001 to 2023. Using the water quality index (WQI), improved geo-accumulation index (Igeo), and redundancy analysis (RDA), we analyzed the overall contamination characteristics of the water environment in Xingkai Lake. Additionally, we explored the impact of climate change and human activities on the lake's water quality. The results showed that the annual WQI for Xingkai Lake ranged from 47.3 to 72, with a general downward trend, indicating improving water quality. Notably, the average WQI in May and total nitrogen (TN) content decreased significantly, signaling further improvement in water quality. The average concentration of TN in sediments was 1401.3 mg/kg, reflecting mild contamination. The Igeo values for the heavy metals Hg and Cr were greater than 1, indicating moderate contamination, while the Igeo values for Cd and Pb were between 0 and 1, which is in the range of uncontaminated to moderately contaminated. Land use and climate change (average annual temperature and annual precipitation) were key factors influencing water quality, with cumulative explanatory ratios of 67.3% and 50.1%. This study utilized land-use change as a metric for human activities, highlighting the potential impacts of climate change and human activities on the water quality of Xingkai Lake. It offers vital insights for the sustainable management of Xingkai Lake and provides valuable references into the management of similar transboundary lakes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article examines resource use issues and the anthropogenic impact on the environment of companies operating in the mineral resource sector of northern Asian regions. The research aims to comprehensively analyze resource consumption and environmental intensity indicators for leading companies in mineral extraction. A set of indicators reflecting the necessary parameters for mineral resource consumption and pollution intensity due to their production activities is constructed based on quantitative and cost indicators. A pollution intensity assessment is carried out based on environmental intensity indicators. The sectoral and corporate-level indicators are of the most interest in industrial production. The study identified seven critical northern Asian companies that play a decisive role in the mining industry, which were examples for analyzing material resource consumption and production greening pace. Reducing resource use and environmental impact is a crucial task for sustainable development. This study emphasizes the importance of evaluating resource consumption and environmental impact for companies in the mineral resource sector, providing valuable insights for companies, government bodies, and international organizations working towards the region's sustainable development and efficient resource management. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In recent years, the conflicts of the human–land coupling system (HLS) in the cross-border transportation corridor areas have become increasingly severe, especially in the China–Mongolia–Russia Cross-Border Transportation Corridor (CMRTC). The vulnerability assessment of the HLS-CMRTC is the key scientific issue for regional sustainable development. Based on the nearly 20 years of a scientific expedition, we set the CMRTC as the study area, constructed the vulnerability assessment index system and quantitative model, assessed the vulnerability of the HLS-CMRTC, revealed the key influencing factors, divided vulnerability risk prevention zones, and proposed the targeted optimization countermeasures. This study found that: (1) The overall vulnerability pattern of the HLS-CMRTC showed a vulnerability level gradually increasing from south to north. (2) Permafrost instability risk, land desertification, temperature increase, and backward social development were key influences. (3) Vulnerability risk prevention zones were divided into four priority and two general zones. The targeted optimization countermeasures were proposed, such as establishing an ecological security barrier, carrying out collaborative ecological risk monitoring, and early warning. The conclusions could provide a decision-making basis for the study area to reduce the vulnerability of the HLS. They could also provide reference and scientific support for achieving sustainable development of the economy and environment in similar regions of the world. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Russia has considerable experience in the development of winter sports and ski resorts. The region around Lake Baikal possesses unique landscapes and cultural unity, making it a hot spot for winter tourism in Russia. The ski resorts around Lake Baikal are among the most attractive tourist destinations during the winter season, attracting a large number of domestic and international tourists. Based on the experience of the Northeast Asia Sustainable Development Research Centre, this study includes a survey of experts from China and Russia. The study focuses on five major ski resorts near Lake Baikal. A comprehensive competitiveness assessment index system and a quantitative evaluation model for winter tourism resorts have been established, which enable a scientific evaluation of the level of comprehensive competitiveness of winter tourism regions near Lake Baikal. The study showed that the Sobolinaya ski resort has excellent competitiveness among the resorts studied, while Bychya and Istland have average competitiveness and Davan and Mamai have low competitiveness. Local natural resources and the level of infrastructure development make the most significant contributions to the overall competitiveness of a resort. The study proposes development measures, such as the creation of a winter tourism complex with the Sobolinaya resort as its core and the establishment of an international special zone for winter tourism along the China–Mongolia–Russia economic corridor. The research results can serve as a basis for decision making to improve the overall competitiveness of the winter tourism industry around Lake Baikal and provide scientific and technical support for cross-border international cooperation in the winter tourism industry between China and Russia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article discusses developing methods for assessing environmental and socio-economic sustainability, using examples of mineral and raw materials sector companies in Northern Asia (Russia). We identified a sustainability criteria system and proposed an indicator system. These indicators represent a mechanism that orders the complex of existing indicators following the goals and strategy of sustainable development at the micro level. The proposed methodology for constructing a generalized index is based on aggregating three indicator blocks that characterize the environmental and socio-economic aspects of company development. The Sustainable Development Generalized Index (SDGI) allowed us to integrate the complex environmental and socio-economic development processes of mineral and raw materials sector companies and assess their sustainability. Its main feature is the reflection of the environmental specificity of companies. The indicator system adapted to the peculiarities of the mineral and raw materials sector development is a tool for identifying the main trends in the extractive industry development and determining the factors that positively or negatively affect the sustainable development of production companies. The obtained results have information significance for state structures in ensuring the regulation, planning, and control of the consequences of decisions made in the greening production activities at the micro level. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The potential of cross-border regional cooperation development is important for evaluating the present and future capacity for regional development. Primorsky Krai (Russia) and Jilin (China) share borders and complementary advantages. China and Russia have growing intention to strengthen cooperation, with geopolitical considerations. This study constructs a regional development potential assessment index system from the perspective of cross-border cooperation, and it establishes a multilayer cross-border regional development potential assessment (RDPA) model with three layers: target, factor, and indicator. By coupling four modules (economic, social, transportation, and resource environment), this study builds a development potential value system. The results illustrate that Primorsky Krai and Jilin have potential for cross-border cooperative development. The results reveal that Primorsky Krai has comparative advantages in port logistics, agriculture, fishery, and mining, which are all complementary to Jilin. These are important directions for cross-border international cooperation. Additionally, this study provides suggestions on decision-making and strategy consultation for the international cooperation between Jilin and Primorsky Krai and creates references for the study of cross-border cooperation opportunities and challenges for other neighboring regions around the world. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Peony seed oil, a type of tree nut oil, has attracted the attention of nutritionists for its rich nutritional content. The aim of this study was to extract oil from the peony seed utilizing green and efficient methods. Specifically, aqueous enzymatic extraction was optimized using the Plackett–Burman design combined with the mixture design to extract the optimal enzyme ratio of peony seed oil. When the dosage of enzymes was 10 mg protein/g peony seed, the optimal ratios of the dosages of papain, cellulase, and pectinase were 16.15%, 31.33%, and 52.53%, respectively. Subsequently, central composite design was adopted to optimize supercritical CO2 extraction to identify the process parameters of extracting residual oil from the residue of the aqueous enzymatic extraction. Almost 6.30% of peony seed oil could be obtained from the residue using continuous extraction for 1.58 h at 49.41 °C and 59.75 Mpa. After mixing the peony seed oil extracted by the two processes, its physicochemical indices were measured. Compared with commercial peony seed oil extracted based on the organic solvent leaching method, the elative density and iodine value were higher based on our approach, whereas the other indices showed no significant differences. Thus, the two-step strategy combining the aqueous enzymatic method and supercritical CO2 extraction can be effectively applied to peony seed oil production. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The International Olympic Committee (IOC) proposed that the host city should consider sustainable development from the Games' beginning to end, and that the host city should make full use of the Olympic infrastructure even after the Games. However, a less systematic evaluation of their sustainability exists, especially for the roads. The new connections built for the Olympic Games cost the most and influenced the host city directly. We apply spatial design network analysis (sDNA) with exploratory spatial data analysis (ESDA) to evaluate the sustainability of the new connections built for the Olympics Games in the 2022 Winter Olympic Games. The results show that the Games encourage the host cities' governments to work towards a common goal, and directly benefits Beijing–Tianjin–Hebei transport coordinated development. In "Edge cities", such as Hengshui, Qinhuangdao, Cangzhou, and Zhangjiakou, traffic accessibility has been promoted dramatically. The foreground network of the region development moved northward, from "Beijing–Shijiazhuang–Baoding" to "Beijing–Tangshan–Qinhuangdao". These findings can be used for policy design, to keep the new connections running with long-term stability, and to constantly create better economic effects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Energy supply bases (ESBs) are vital regions, intended to satisfy global energy demands and secure global energy supplies, which provide large amounts of energy products to their host countries (and even the world through trade). However, due to long-term dependency on energy trade, ESBs are facing the dual pressure of reaching emission reduction targets and securing energy supplies and have become one of the main obstacles for host countries trying to reach emission reduction targets. (1) Methods: We used the EEBT model, SDA model, and CR model to explore the spatio-temporal features and mechanisms of embodied carbon emissions in inter-provincial trade (ECEs-PT) in Shanxi. (2) Results: The spatio-temporal development characteristic of net ECEs-PT outflow in Shanxi is "from expanded coverage to enhanced agglomeration". A total of 98% of the net ECEs-PT is highly concentrated in coal mining and washing (Coalmin), metal smelting and rolling processing (MetalSmelt) and petroleum processing, coking, and nuclear fuel processing (RefPetraol). Moreover, the ECEs-PT driving forces were technology, structure, and scale. While trade expands, the pressure of CEs reduction is increasing. We discussed optimization for different types of sectors. The results could provide scientific support for similar ESBs to reduce carbon emissions more efficiently with less disturbance to energy supply stability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The construction of the Primorsky No. 1 and No. 2 international transport corridors is of great strategic significance to China and Russia. These corridors will solve the problem of the absence of an estuary in Northeast China by sailing from Russian ports and concurrently greatly improve Russia's position in the world's transport system. However, existing research studies mainly focus on the strategic significance of these corridors, while research studies on the identification, evaluation, and mitigation policies of their construction risks are rare, which inhibits the construction progress. To promote the construction of these corridors, we firstly identify the main risks in the construction of these corridors, which are economic, transport infrastructure-related, policy-related, eco-environmental, and disaster-related risks. Then, we establish a comprehensive evaluation system, and by applying the entropy method, we quantitatively evaluate the degrees of risks in regions along the transport corridors, reveal their spatial distribution patterns, and identify the key prevention and control regions for these risks. Afterwards, we propose targeted mitigation policies such as establishing innovative cooperation modes and a special foundation to mitigate economic risk and formulate further regional development policies to mitigate policy-related risk. This research will provide scientific support for risk prevention and control for the construction of these corridors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The problems of preserving the natural environment are relevant for unique natural complexes of territories, such as the Baikal region (Russia). There are few studies devoted to forecasting the green economic development of the eco-socio-economic system of the Baikal region. The previous studies are mainly dedicated to the theory of forming the green economy in the Baikal region. This study aimed to forecast and determine future trends in the Baikal region's eco-socio-economic development based on the green economy. The methodological approach to assess the Baikal region development prospects is based on determining the factors affecting the relationship between various eco-socio-economic components using multiple regression models. We constructed the forecast using the artificial neural networks method, and we assessed the possible impact of anthropogenic factors on the Baikal region's eco-socio-economic system in the future. Based on the obtained forecast, we proposed a mechanism for regulating the green economy formation in the region. The regional governments of the Baikal region should perform the management function. This requires establishing a special interregional Green Development Fund to restructure incoming public funds by redistributing financial flows from contaminating brown to green industries and develop a state program for the Green Development of the Baikal region. The constructed forecast is informational support for decision making for the long-term development of the economy during the transition to the green economy, the development and justification of program activities, and the future's main strategic priorities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The advantages of a quantitative assessment of the spatial and temporal variability of the boundaries and volumes of ravines using modern means and methods of aerial photography from an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) are substantiated, in contrast to traditional survey methods (linear method of benchmarks, tacheometric, aerial and space photography, laser scanning). The erosion zoning and mapping of linear and gully formations on the territory of the Kuitunka, Tarbagataika, and Kunaleika river basins (Selenga middle mountains) are carried out. The reanalysis data were used to assess extreme meteorological events leading to the acceleration of erosion processes. Paleontological material confirms the long duration of erosive-accumulative processes in the Nizhnyaya Bulanka depression. High-accuracy multi-temporal orthophotomaps and digital elevation models of Bulanka gully using unmanned aerial vehicles were produced. The method of quantitative estimation of gully formation rates is offered, which allows estimating with high accuracy the change of area and volume characteristics of erosive forms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Conducting research aimed at establishing the relationship between economic development and non-violation of the environment and developing optimal ways of their interaction is possible only by studying the features of regional development, which requires a comprehensive assessment of the ecological and socio-economic situation of the territories. The Baikal region includes Irkutsk Oblast, Republic of Buryatia, and Zabaykalsky Krai and occupies an exceptional place in Russia, due to Lake Baikal and unique natural features. The results of the assessment of the state of purity and quality of the environment indicate the emerging negative trends associated with water pollution, atmospheric air, and waste disposal in the Baikal region. Therefore, this article proposes the solutions to the problems in achieving sustainable development based on the implementation of the principles of the green economy, providing recommendations on how to reverse the current ecological and socio-economic situation of the Baikal region in a positive direction. Obtained practical assessments are essential for solving the problems of conservation and creating favorable conditions for the life of the population. Implementation of key government regulatory measures and changing existing approaches to managing the region based on the principles of the green economy will reduce the level of anthropogenic pressure on the environment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Tourism is an important sustainable industry in the economy that optimizes the industrial structure. Thus, as a core part of this market, tourism enterprises perform a key role in the effective operation of this industry. This paper applies data envelopment analysis (DEA) and Malmquist index (MI) models to calculate the efficiency of Chinese tourism enterprises between 2005 and 2014. Results showed that: (1) The efficiency and the total factor productivity change index (TFPC) of tourism enterprises remained low, and both have decreased. (2) The efficiency of regional tourism enterprises across China cloud be characterized as high in the east region, low in the central region, and high in both northeast and western regions. (3) The efficiency levels of the cities of Beijing and Shanghai were ahead of the country over the period of this study, while Chongqing, Tibet, Qinghai, and Ningxia all possess a number of obvious advantages in the western region. (4) Centers of overall tourism enterprise efficiency mainly moved in a southeast-to-northwest direction over the period of this research. (5) The spatial autocorrelation of tourism enterprise efficiencies is also assessed in this study, and the results show that the comprehensive efficiency (CE) of tourism enterprises in southeastern coastal regions of China tended to a certain spatial agglomeration effect, while the correlation between the central region and northern China was not significant. (6) The Geodetector model is applied to analyze the key factors driving the spatial differentiation of tourism enterprise efficiencies, and the results show that the degree of opening to the outside world, potential human capital, and traffic conditions were the most important factors driving spatial differentiation in the efficiency of tourism enterprises. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Rapeseed, as the most important oil crop in the world, not only affects national food security but also affects energy security and environmental security. It is very important to conduct a risk assessment of China's rapeseed supply chain and put forward suggestions to construct a safe, effective, and accessible supply chain. In order to accurately evaluate the safety of the rapeseed supply chain from 2010 to 2020, we applied fuzzy multiconnection theory and analytic hierarchy process model (AHP). A comprehensive risk assessment model for the rapeseed supply chain with two primary indicators and 10 secondary indicators was constructed. By establishing the rapeseed risk evaluation model, we quantitatively analyzed the risk of China's rapeseed supply chain. The domestic risk of production is still high, and the international risk under the high import dependence is alarming. We put forward risk prevention and countermeasures for China's rapeseed supply chain. The results show that China has a large demand for rapeseed products, but the increase in China production is limited and the import from other countries is unstable. The proposed suggestions are designed to optimize and enhance the stability of the rapeseed product's supply chain. It is recommended to continue to consolidate and deepen the cooperation with traditional trading partners such as Germany, Spain, the United States, and Brazil; expand other import sources to build a more diversified and efficient rapeseed product import network and extend the supply chain of rapeseed products. This research can be a basis for making decisions for promoting the sustainable and efficient development of the rapeseed supply chain.