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This study utilizes data spanning from 2016 to 2022 concerning Chinese national forest parks and the macro-level data of their respective cities. Employing panel data methodology and selecting forest park tourism revenue and total visitor numbers as indicators, the research aims to gauge the development of forest tourism. The investigation employs a panel model with individual and time-fixed effects to examine the impacts of four key environmental improvement indicators on forest tourism development. The findings reveal that soil quality indicators exhibit no significant influence on forest tourism revenue and attendance. Conversely, air quality and water quality indicators demonstrate a significant positive impact on both tourism revenue and attendance in forest parks. The biodiversity indicator notably influences tourist numbers positively but has no significant effect on tourism revenue. Furthermore, the study uncovers pronounced heterogeneity in the impacts of different environmental improvement indicators on forest tourism across various grades and regions of forest parks. Noteworthy variations are also identified in the impacts of these indicators on tourism revenue and attendance within national forest parks. This research contributes valuable insights into the nuanced relationships between environmental improvements and forest tourism, emphasizing the need for tailored strategies based on the heterogeneity observed among different forest park grades and regions. Furthermore, the study uncovers pronounced heterogeneity in the impacts of different environmental improvement indicators on forest tourism across various grades and regions of forest parks. Noteworthy variations are also identified in the impacts of these indicators on tourism revenue and attendance within national forest parks. This research contributes valuable insights into the nuanced relationships between environmental improvements and forest tourism, emphasizing the need for tailored strategies based on the heterogeneity observed among different forest park grades and regions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To investigate the effects and improvements of tightening vehicle emission standards from China Ⅲ to China Ⅴ on ozone (O3) and particulate matter (PM) pollution in the atmospheric environment, this study obtained emission factors of O3 and PM precursors such as nitrogen oxides (NOx), volatile organic compounds (VOCs), and primary PM from gasoline and diesel vehicles through actual testing. Response surface models (RSM) were then created for the environmental concentrations of the target pollutants O3 (RSM-O3_HSS6-200) and PM (RSMPM_HSS9-300) as functions of precursor pollutant emissions. Beijing was chosen as the main receptor region, with the China Ⅲ emission standard serving as the baseline scenario and the China Ⅳ and Ⅴ standards as control scenarios. The results indicate that as vehicle emission standards tightened from China Ⅲ to China Ⅳ and Ⅴ, O3 concentrations in Beijing's environment decreased from 92.7 ppbv to 78.47 ppbv and 72.20 ppbv, respectively, while PM concentrations decreased from 64.12 μg/m³ to 48.23 μg/m³ and 38.60 μg/m³, respectively. Furthermore, the environmental benefits achieved from China Ⅲ to China Ⅳ were higher than those from China Ⅳ to China Ⅴ. Additionally, an analysis of pollutant source contributions revealed that NOx played a major role in reducing O3 concentrations, while primary PM was crucial in controlling PM pollution. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Stricter environmental regulations (e.g. the EU’s Water Framework Directive) will entail many environmental improvement measures in waters that have been affected by hydropower, and dam removals are becoming a more common measure. This paper reviews economic evaluations of dam removals, primarily drawing on studies in the USA, and identifies key, frequently recurring, issues that future evaluations will likely need to consider. The paper also reports on an ex-ante evaluation of the recent removal of the Marieberg Hydropower Plant in the Mörrum River in Sweden. An environmental valuation survey carried out as a key part of this evaluation was conducted as a replication of a previous study, where the policy context was different but the expected ecological outcome similar. The replication study produced comparable results to those of the previous study.

As the length of the tunnel continues to increase, it will be common for a single fan to undertake the ventilation of two or more tunnel faces. However, the construction of multiple faces in a single tunnel will lead to a complex construction environment in the tunnel, the mutual interference of ventilation, and difficulty in discharging pollutants. Based on the simultaneous construction of multiple tunnel faces in a single tunnel, this study analyzed the transport law of pollutants. The diffusion laws of carbon monoxide and dust in multiple-face tunnels under different working conditions were obtained by numerical simulation. It was found that when both sides of the tunnel are ventilated at the same time, the airflow in the tunnel is spiral, the vortex zone will appear near both sides of the face, and the vortex and unstable airflow will appear at the intersection with the inclined shaft. The airflow in the non-equal-length tunnel at both sides is more disordered than that in the equal-length tunnel, and there will be a wider range of eddy currents at the intersection. The change of dust diffusion in the non-equal-length tunnel at both sides is not obvious, and the length of the multiple-face tunnel has little effect on dust settlement and diffusion. The research results are of great significance for improving the construction environment of tunnel faces and improving the working conditions of personnel. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Putting ecological protection in a more prominent position is one of the outstanding features of implementing China ' s new development concept. Therefore, the Chinese government has implemented strict environmental regulation measures to improve the ecological environment, and has achieved remarkable results. Using the relevant data of prefecture-level cities in China from 2011 to 2020 for empirical analysis, this study found that there was a significant U-shaped relationship between environmental regulation and regional economic growth. The consumption-oriented tertiary industry and the production-oriented tertiary industry, with market forces as the main resource allocation mode, developed better in southern China than in northern China. The structural advantage of tertiary industry with market forces as the main resource allocation mode in southern China could transform the positive externalities brought by environmental improvement into economic benefits so as to weaken the negative effect of environmental regulation on economic growth. As the basic industry of the digital economy, the production-oriented tertiary industry represented by computer service and the software industry developed better in southern China than in northern China, and the digital economy advanced rapidly in the advantageous industrial categories in southern China. Threshold model analysis showed that when the development level of the digital economy was low, environmental regulation had a significant promoting effect on the economic development of southern regions, while it had an inhibiting effect on the economic development of northern regions. When the development of the digital economy was high, environmental regulation played a significant role in promoting the economic development of southern and northern China, but it was obviously more intense in southern China than in northern China, making the economic disparities between the two demonstrate an amplified trend. Therefore, to narrow these disparities, it is necessary to further optimize the industrial structure in an accelerated manner, and promote the continuous transformation of environmental dividends into economic benefits while making full use of the opportunities of the digital economy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As the length of the tunnel continues to increase, it will be common for a single fan to undertake the ventilation of two or more tunnel faces. However, the construction of multiple faces in a single tunnel will lead to a complex construction environment in the tunnel, the mutual interference of ventilation, and difficulty in discharging pollutants. Based on the simultaneous construction of multiple tunnel faces in a single tunnel, this study analyzed the transport law of pollutants. The diffusion laws of carbon monoxide and dust in multiple-face tunnels under different working conditions were obtained by numerical simulation. It was found that when both sides of the tunnel are ventilated at the same time, the airflow in the tunnel is spiral, the vortex zone will appear near both sides of the face, and the vortex and unstable airflow will appear at the intersection with the inclined shaft. The airflow in the non-equal-length tunnel at both sides is more disordered than that in the equal-length tunnel, and there will be a wider range of eddy currents at the intersection. The change of dust diffusion in the non-equal-length tunnel at both sides is not obvious, and the length of the multiple-face tunnel has little effect on dust settlement and diffusion. The research results are of great significance for improving the construction environment of tunnel faces and improving the working conditions of personnel.

In response to the alarming environmental problems, there is a pressing need for a fundamental shift towards sustainable construction. However, limited attention has been given in the literature to the governance of this transformative change. The paper aims to address this research gap by investigating how the transition to sustainable construction can be realized despite the barriers encountered. The analysis focuses on the Dutch Building Agreement Steel as an illustrative case. By examining the governance structure of the Agreement and evaluating its results thus far, the study concludes that a collaborative network of partners has effectively developed a roadmap and performed accompanying activities to achieve the intended objectives. Nonetheless, a key challenge lies in mobilizing the entire construction steel chain and the government during the upcoming scale‐up phase to actively adhere to the Agreement. This new form of network governance, facilitated by an independent intermediary, does not replace traditional public governance; rather, it complements it. The approach tested in the Netherlands holds potential for application in other contexts as well. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper reports a study into the possibility of using LED systems of ultraviolet radiation for air ionization and disinfection of air and indoor surfaces in the presence of people. It has been established that UV LED lamps with 120° opening angles have parameters under which radiation intensity does not exceed 30 J/m2 at distances of 2 meters. Based on experimental data, a methodology for designing the placement of lamps in the room was devised, which meets the requirements of the SBM-2015 standard and the European Directive 2006/25/EU. The use of LED emitters with a total intensity of up to 25 J/m2 increases the concentration of aero ions. The background concentrations were 140‒180 cm-3 (positive) and 160‒190 cm-3 (negative). The minimum permissible level is 500 cm-3. As a result of irradiation, the concentrations were 1100‒1460 cm-3 (positive) and 1260‒1470 cm-3 (negative). The influence of the recirculator-air purifier on the concentration of aero ions has not been established. The ionization process began immediately after turning on the irradiation systems in the entire volume of the premises (4‒5 meters from the source). The dynamic equilibrium of aero ion concentrations was established within 10‒15 minutes after the irradiation was switched on. The presence of a large number of people (up to 0.97 m2 per person) did not affect the concentration of aero ions. Under the combined effect of ultraviolet radiation and a recirculator-air purifier, the number of mold fungi colonies decreased by 20 times. Under the influence of only ultraviolet radiation – by 2.3 times. The decrease in the number of microbes under the combined effect was 1.6 times, and under the effect of only ultraviolet radiation – 2.8 times [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In rural areas, agricultural irrigation and drainage systems developed for paddy fields have a high potential to become components of green infrastructure by providing ecosystem services. In order to manage and operate agricultural waterways as green infrastructure, the habitat evaluation of aquatic organisms is important. In this context, we conducted a habitat evaluation of aquatic organisms in the waterway network where environmental improvement was practiced to promote recreational use by residents. Based on evaluation results, the physical characteristics of canals with high biodiversity were investigated. The Evaluation Program for Fish Habitats in Agricultural Canals, which was developed for non-professional users such as residents, was applied to biological (fishes and crustaceans) and physical data collected in the waterway network in the town of Koura, Shiga Prefecture, Japan. The model generated by the program showed high fitness (0.80 for fishes, 0.76 for crustaceans), which suggests the program applies to waterway networks including various types of watercourses. The characteristics of the canals which were assigned a high habitat score by the program included 1) deeper water depth, 2) higher velocity for fish, 3) lower velocity, 4) higher vegetation coverage, and 5) gravel canal bed for crustaceans, relative to the low-scoring canals. The canals in diversion parks developed as part of environmental improvement efforts tended to have these characteristics and higher scores. Therefore, our findings suggest that conserving irrigation canals and developing diversion parks in waterway networks, which were conducted as part of environmental improvement efforts in the target area, contributes not only to promoting recreational use by residents but also to habitat conservation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With the rapid growth yield of global sewage sludge, rational and effective treatment and disposal methods are becoming increasingly needed. Biochar preparation is an attractive option for sewage sludge treatment, the excellent physical and chemical properties of sludge derived biochar make it an attractive option for environmental improvement. Here, the current application state of sludge derived biochar was comprehensively reviewed, and the advances in the mechanism and capacity of sludge biochar in water contaminant removal, soil remediation, and carbon emission reduction were described, with particular attention to the key challenges involved, e.g., possible environmental risks and low efficiency. Several new strategies for overcoming sludge biochar application barriers to realize highly efficient environmental improvement were highlighted, including biochar modification, co-pyrolysis, feedstock selection and pretreatment. The insights offered in this review will facilitate further development of sewage sludge derived biochar, towards addressing the obstacles in its application in environmental improvement and global environmental crisis.

As global health care demand continues to increase, medicinal plant productivity must progress without exhausting critical environmental resources. Hence, it is important to explore practices that can improve the quality, safety, and sustainability of medicinal plants, as well as ecological stability. Organic farming has recently gained significance as a sustainable cultivation alternative owing to increased awareness of the adverse effects of conventional cultivation method. Here, this study aimed to investigate the feasibility of organic farming as a solution for sustainable cultivation of medicinal plants from multiple perspectives and long-term benefits to the environment. Organic agricultural practices of medicinal plants were evaluated from a multi-dimensional perspective (environment, economy, and society) using extensive research data and literature and field surveys. Data from medicinal plant cultivation in Inner Mongolia were acquired for 76 sites from four data stations between 2014 and 2021. Data analysis revealed that organic medicinal plants can improve safety by reducing pesticide exposure risks. Simultaneously, organic agriculture of medicinal plants can improve biodiversity by effectively reducing pesticide and fertilizer use, which also provides natural safe products for health care. With the improvement of quality, the retail price will have a certain advantage, which will improve the income of farmers. Moreover, organic agriculture enhanced profitability because of the higher organic premium on medicinal plant products and improved ecosystem stability by increasing plant diversity. The findings of this study suggest that organic cultivation strategies can improve the quality and safety of medicinal plants and further provide a basis for promoting the sustainable development and ecological stability of medicinal plants. However, not all medicinal plant cultivators are guaranteed to adopt organic farming practices, but if all technological elements are correctly applied, the system can be maintained sustainably to expand the area of organically cultivated plants in the future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As a product combining information and communication technology, digital technology, and traditional trade, digital trade represents a new form of international trade development in the context of economic globalization. As its scale continues to expand, digital trade not only profoundly impacts consumer health behaviors and environmental pollution control but also enhances opportunities for residents to access healthcare products and services. This could potentially have a significant promoting effect on residents' health levels. However, the extent and mechanisms through which digital trade affects residents' health remain unclear. Accordingly, this study fills in a gap in the research by calculating the provincial-level digital trade index for China from 2012–2020 and matching it with data from the China Family Panel Studies. The goal is to find the micro-causal mechanisms of digital trade on residents' health from green consumption and environmental improvement perspectives. The results show that digital trade reduces residents' medical expenses and improves their health. We use a quasi-natural experiment by treating the cross-border e-commerce comprehensive pilot zone as a digital trade treatment group and conducting a difference-in-differences estimation, finding that the health effects of digital trade remain significant. Heterogeneity indicates that the health effects of digital trade are powerful for middle- and high-income households and rural residents. In the east and center, in regions with well-developed transportation infrastructure and digital financial inclusion, the development of digital trade is more conducive to residents' health. Additionally, we demonstrate that digital trade can affect residents' health by promoting green consumption, eliminating energy poverty (i.e., improving indoor air pollution), and enhancing environmental quality (i.e., improving outdoor environmental pollution). This study provides solid scientific empirical evidence for enhancing human sustainable development through global digital trade. • Digital trade reduces residents' out-of-pocket healthcare expenditures and improves their health. • Cross-border e-commerce, a policy event for digital trade, has had a favorable impact on residents' health. • Digital trade benefits middle- and high-income households and rural residents' health. • The impact of digital trade on health varies under different regional and developmental conditions. • Digital trade affects residents' health by influencing green consumption and improving environmental quality. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sustainable urban parks have the basis of their sustainable economy by emphasizing the provision of green raw materials in the environment. Because the economy of sustainable parks has an ecological cycle model in which access to raw materials is possible only through production and consumption with recycling. Therefore, more investment should be made in green areas, including sustainable parks and the focus of economic investments should be gradually shifted from costly and destructive industrial sectors to environmentally friendly green sectors that can lead to more economic production at the same time. It is obvious that the implementation of such an economic development model can be easier and less risky in areas that have a greater share of natural capital. For this purpose, this article examines four components of economic and environmental benefits in a sustainable park through factors such as 1- Energy efficiency and reduction of power transmission costs to sustainable parks. 2- Reducing the demand for buying non-sustainable materials in the environment of sustainable urban parks. 3- Reducing the per capita costs of water consumption in sustainable parks. 4- The design of economic planting of plants in the green landscape of the park is discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Al-Anbar University Journal of Economic & Administration Sciences is the property of Republic of Iraq Ministry of Higher Education & Scientific Research (MOHESR) and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Based on the empirical literature of the payments for environmental services (PES) projects for the environmental improvement and poverty reduction, this paper uses a meta-regression analysis method to study whether PES can achieve the effects of improving environmental quality and reducing poverty levels. For the meta-regression analysis, the literature was mainly searched by the Web of Science core journal database. The explanatory variables of meta-regression analysis are the hypothesis and related features of the models in the original literature by generally taking the binary dummy variables or categorical variables. The dependent variables used in this paper are environmental improvement and poverty reduction. The results show that PES projects based on private ownership rights are more conducive to poverty reduction and environmental improvement. If the country is a buyer of a PES project, it is more likely to achieve the effects of environmental enhancement and poverty alleviation. PES projects based on local conditions can also achieve a win–win situation for the two effects. The effects are more effective as policy implementation time is extended. The findings suggest that in developing countries, the government should set different PES projects according to different regions conditions, to promote project implementation through individual voluntary participation, and to achieve the dual purpose of environmental governance and poverty alleviation based on the expectation of long-term implementation of participant projects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The effect of the Belt and Road Initiative on happiness of the countries along the route is a core issue that needs to be paid attention to consolidate the public opinion foundation of the countries along the route. And it is also a strong proof of the Belt and Road Initiative as a practical way to build a community with a shared future for mankind. Based on the panel data of 140 countries from 2009 to 2019, this paper uses the difference-in-differences method to evaluate the effects of the Belt and Road Initiative on the happiness of the countries along the route, and combines the instrumental variable method and propensity score matching for further verification. The paper found that:（1）The Belt and Road Initiative has significant positive effects on the happiness of residents in countries along the route, but the effects gradually weakened over time.（2）The Belt and Road initiative has more obvious effects on happiness of the countries with a high degree of government stability, large populations, strong scientific research and innovation capabilities, sound financial development, and locations in the Silk Road Economic Belt.（3）The Belt and Road Initiative has positive happiness effects on countries along the route through economic development, government governance, environmental improvement, social support, and free channels of individual choice. In this regard, it is suggested to promote synchronized growth of happiness and economy, improve the economic governance system of countries along the Belt and Road, and strengthen open cooperation in scientific research and innovation capacity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Peasants are producers and the direct stakeholders of rural environmental problems, and also the core subject of the comprehensive rural ecological improvement. However, in the current mode of rural environmental governance, the government takes the dominant role, with low participation of peasants. Based on the representative micro-survey data of China, and from the perspective of the psychosocial effects of the peasants’ self-identification, this research made use of instrumental variables and generalized structural equation mode (GSEM) to explore the reason behand this phenomenon. The research shows that, first, at present Chinese peasants have a low degree of self-identification, and self-identification has a remarkable and positive stimulating effect on the participation of peasants in rural ecological improvement; second, heterogeneity analysis shows that self-identification is a stronger incentive for peasant groups with female offspring and rural families with relatively higher incomes in the participation of rural environmental improvement, and is a less remarkable incentive for rural families with relatively low incomes; and third, the mediation model results indicate that social fairness and social capital are important mediating paths with which self-identification influences the participation of peasants in rural environmental improvement, and the exertion of the stimulating effect of self-identification on the participation in rural environmental improvement is inseparable from the coordination and integration of the perception effect of peasants as the behavioral subject in terms of social fairness, and is still more inseparable from the support of corresponding social capital. What we’ve discovered means that the enhancement of self-identification of peasants by strengthening the construction of public cultural services and cultural guidance in rural area is the crucial element to motivate the peasants to participate in rural environmental improvement so as to realize sustainable rural development.

The Carbon Neutral Declaration has been issued in Japan and various initiatives are introducing to realise it, but in the housing sector it is essential to improve the energy efficiency of the stock of over 50 million homes. However, the progress of insulation retrofitting is slow. In particular, there are many challenges in implementing insulation retrofitting in condominiums, including the requirements of residents consent. This study aims to clarify that thermal environment data and the Comprehensive Assessment System for Built Environment Efficiency (CASBEE) health checklist for motivating thermal insulation retrofitting and to support the effectiveness of this approach. The thermal environment data compares energy consumption and room temperature before and after the retrofit and quantifies the effect of the retrofit. The CASBEE health checklist displays health characteristics and health rankings for each room and health factor by answering 50 questions about the indoor environment in winter. These are considered to visualise the effects of the renovation of respondents' homes and enable them to realise the need for renovation. This method was applied to Ta housing complex in Kanagawa prefecture and X housing complex in Tokyo, where insulation retrofitting had already been carried out, and an attempt was made to verify the effectiveness of the method by comparing the environmental improvements resulting from insulation retrofitting and the differences in residents' responses. The results of the Ta complex showed that the room temperature was 20°C in the living room and 18°C or higher in the entrance hall, indicating that good environment had been achieved; the CASBEE health checklist also showed an improvement in health characteristics and health ranking in both the Ta and X complexes. The results suggest that the effects of retrofitting in terms of both physical and psychological health are significant. In the future, the results will be presented to the management associations of non-retrofitted dwellings and, in combination with experience sessions in retrofitted dwellings, will be verified as an effective motivational tool.

Abstract This article introduces the composition of the satellite navigation system, the working principle of the receiver, and the Beidou application system and then introduces the system architecture and functions of the wireless sensor network and summarizes the advantages and disadvantages of the two systems in practical applications. On this basis, a fusion system and wireless sensor network based on Beidou are designed. First, the application requirements and system characteristics are clarified, and then the overall architecture of the fusion system is proposed, and the workflow, software, and hardware components of the fusion system are described; then, the integrated system is applied in the actual environment. As a technical support is for the automatic monitoring of mountain debris flow and logistics and transportation. Based on the sedimentary characteristics of the S River study area, it is found that the valley morphology is consistent with the distribution analysis of highway flow, and it is found that there are two types of highway flow in the study area. Finally, this paper conducts a visual analysis of the relevant literature on the improvement of the electricity business environment from 2012 to 2020 in the CNKI database and discusses its current status, evolution, and hot spots in depth. Establish a comprehensive framework for improving the business environment of electricity. The research results show that the research of electricity business has new characteristics of the times. The research field always follows the policy orientation, focusing on simplifying the management and decentralization of electricity and economic development and improving the electricity business environment. Among them, the influencing factors and consequences of electricity business are the core themes of the research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Limited-stop bus services are a highly efficient way to release more potential of the public transit system to meet travel demand, especially under constraints on vehicle fleet size and transportation infrastructure. This work first proposes a visualized fare table for the design of limited-stop bus services along a public transit corridor, along which many lines of public transit carry a heavy load of demand back and forth every working day. Based on this proposed fare table, a set of fare strategies and desired aims of fare policy, a differentiated fare structure is established to improve social equity and increase revenue. The nature of the structure can help travellers understand how to be charged between their origins and destinations (e.g. flat, time-based, stop-based or quality-based pricing) and then plan their trips efficiently. Secondly, a model is formulated to minimize the total social cost in designing a fixed demand limited-stop bus service system with a differentiated fare structure. Thirdly, numerical results are carried out with sensitivity analysis within three scenarios of differentiated fare structures. It is found that a differentiated fare structure has a great effect on passenger path choice behaviour and resulting optimal design of bus services. An attractive feature of this differentiated fare structure is that it could not only enhance the operator’s revenue and social equity but also reduce passenger transfers and social cost.

The article is devoted to the current state of the protective forest plantations in the North-West Caucasus, the history of their creation and relevance in the national economy of the region of research. The issues of arrangement, design, breed composition of protective belts, the effectiveness of their use have been covered. At present, measures are needed in the North-West Caucasus to improve and ensure a qualitative change of generations of plantings, reconstruction of forest shelter belts, and therefore the issues under consideration are relevant. The research has revealed the current state, species composition, design of protective forest plantings in the Republic of Adygeya. Common oak, green ash, Tatarian maple, Amur maple are considered to be main forest-forming species. A brief ecological and biological characteristic of black walnut is given as a promising introduced species for field-protective forestation. Marked design - Open planted and permeable constructions are marked. In order to preserve soil fertility in the future, it is necessary to restore and construct new protective forest belts.

The aim of the article is to analyse the possibilities of stimulating interest in sustainable development, climate and environment improvement through work with philosophical literary stories. In this article, we focus on a specific philosophical story called The World According to Anna, written by the Norwegian philosopher and writer Jostein Gaarder. The book is stated for readers of older school age. The main method of the research part is the interpretation of the above artistic text with an emphasis on the depiction of elements appearing as a motivation to think about the complex issues of the environment and its protection. Subsequently, we discuss the possibilities of working with similar books in the process of education. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The significant environmental improvement in China has drawn much research attention in recent years. However, in exploring the factors that lead to pollution reduction, most literature has ignored the slowing economic growth under the 'New Normal' of China. This omission could lead to the overestimation of the pollution reduction effects of other factors. In this paper, we estimate the effect of the economic slowdown using a dynamic Computable General Equilibrium model, CHINAGEM. We find that the contribution of the economic slowdown to pollution reduction ranges from 10% to 30%. This indicates the importance of considering the economic slowdown when evaluating the effects of other factors related to the environmental improvement in China. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of China Tropical Medicine is the property of China Tropical Medicine Editorial Office and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

When leaders in a field agree upon core outcomes for the field, connection, reinforcement, and a shared vision of change are synergistically strengthened. Even when the field is dynamic, theoretically wide-ranging, and dispersed, consensus around core outcomes can help develop strategic research agendas and priorities. Environmental education (EE) is an inherently interdisciplinary field drawing on diverse theoretical foundations and epistemological orientations, resulting in a broad conceptual and empirical landscape. To better understand and situate this within EE, we pursued a modified Delphi study, with participation from 44 professionals and leaders active in North America. Over three Delphi rounds, the panel came to agreement on five core outcomes that focus the EE field: (1) environmentally related action and behavior change, (2) connecting people to nature, (3) improving environmental outcomes, (4) improving social/cultural outcomes, and (5) learning environmentally relevant skills and competencies. Reflecting those commonalities, we propose the following encapsulating statement to describe the field's core outcomes: Environmental education works to move people to action for the tangible benefit of the environment and humanity. To realize these benefits, people must connect experientially with the environment, learn needed skills, and understand the complicated social and cultural connections between humanity and the natural environment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A large part of air pollutant emissions such as PM2.5 in China is from coal-fired power. At present, the cost of coalfired power is only calculated the cost of energy conversion and equipment investment, but the environmental cost in generation process is not reflected in the pricing mechanism. This paper puts forward the concept of “coal-fired power environmental tax”, which caused by environmental damage and economic losses, and converts it to full cost by the method of “coal-fired power full cost”. Only in this concept, it is scientific for comparison between coal-fired power and renewable energy power like wind power. Analysis shows that the full cost of coal-fired power is higher than the full cost of wind power when collecting environmental tax. This paper gives advice of “coal-fired power environmental tax” to promote the development of renewable energy such as wind power and improve the atmosphere.

This study aims to estimate the economic benefit of the environmental improvements in the Hara forests of Qeshm using choice experiment method. Improvement in the environmental status were defined within the framework of three related attributes and the respondents were asked about their willingness to pay for conserving and improving the mangrove forests in this area. The obtained data were analyzed using conditional logit model. Results showed that about 78 percent of respondents are willing to pay for environmental improvement alternatives. The attribute of bird species number in the Hara forests provides the highest probability for the visitors to pay for an improvement level (89790 IRR per household per trip). Additionally, females, older and married respondents as well as those with higher educational level are more likely to participate in environmental conservation programs. Our valuation results can help to increase public awareness about the multiple values of mangrove forests and contribute to better-informed public decisions. It also allows policy-makers to prioritize conservation programs and projects with limited and tight budgets.

Copyright of Coal Science & Technology (0253-2336) is the property of Coal Science & Technology and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Members of the public may express their desire for environmental improvements and achieve results through varying methods. To achieve change, such things as Google Index, the number of incoming letters, the number of visitors, the proposals of the National People's Congress and the motions of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference all play a role. However, studies which theoretically analyze the relationship between public appeals and environmental improvement are relatively scarce. For this reason, this paper uses provincial panel data from 2004 to 2014 to analyze the impact of public appeals on the performance of environmental governance. The results show that, the stronger the public appeals for environmental issues, the greater the government's control over the handling of environmental pollution. In areas with serious environmental pollution problems, including Shanxi and Hebei, the public voice is relatively strong. The impact of the Google index on environmental improvement in central China is stronger than in eastern and western China. By re-measuring the explanatory variables with the number of incoming letters, the number of visitors, the proposals of the National People's Congress and the motions of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference, we have discovered that the appeals of ordinary people can have the same impact on environmental improvement as those of social elites. • Relationship between public appeal and environmental performance in China is analyzed. • Environmental appeal in central China does not have a significant effect. • Ordinary people's online environment appeal exerts the same effect with social elites. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A case study of green kaizen is presented demonstrating results of how to engage operators and management in environmental improvements on the shop-floor by utilizing a method, the Green Performance Map, in a pharmaceutical manufacturing company. The method involves identification of improvement possibilities, an input-output model for visualization (to reach consensus), and a cost saving approach for prioritization of actions (to attain force to take the step). The paper sets out to demonstrate how operationalization is needed to change behaviour, and points at the advantage of utilizing cost as a driver for environmental change. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Poverty alleviation and environmental improvement are two important targets which most developing countries try to achieve. In order to promote the poverty alleviation by using clean energy sources, this paper develops a joint poverty alleviation project including the green energy investment company (GEIC), solar photovoltaic (PV) power plant (SPP) and wind power plant (WPP). By using a tripartite evolutionary game model, evolutionary stable strategies are evaluated. Influence estimate results of key factors show that longer annual operation time and higher on-grid electricity price will increase the participating intention of all the three participators. The government should increase the on-grid electricity price of the SPP properly, but control that of the WPP as the joint poverty alleviation project can also progress well even with relatively low on-grid electricity price of the WPP. A reasonable investment ratio of the SPP and WPP is the guarantee for the smooth development of the joint poverty alleviation project. In this study, the investment ratio of the SPP and WPP of 6:4 is relatively proper and can make the three participators all have relatively high increasing rates of participating intention simultaneously. The results will be of reference value for formulating relevant governmental policies on the poverty alleviation and clean energy development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In recent years, the photocatalytic process has been widely employed as a simple and economical approach for the removal of various harmful pollutants and the production of valuable chemical fuels. Considerable efforts have been made to develop efficient photocatalysts as a key for environmental improvement. In this prospective, vanadium pentoxide (V 2 O 5) has attracted a lot of attention as a photocatalyst due to its outstanding properties such as low cost, narrow bandgap (∼2.3 eV), optical and chemical stability, and multiple oxidation states. This article presents a comprehensive review of the current research activities, including physicochemical properties of V 2 O 5 , performance optimization strategies, photocatalytic mechanism, and the relationship between structure and activity of various V 2 O 5 -based photocatalysts, especially V 2 O 5 -based heterojunction photocatalysts. Finally, the possible future development, opportunities, and key challenges of V 2 O 5 -based photocatalysts are also summarized. We expect to be able to provide some references and suggestions for the rational design and fabrication of highly efficient V 2 O 5 -based photocatalysts for environmental improvement. [Display omitted] • Crystallographic, physicochemical properties and the photocatalytic mechanism of V 2 O 5 are illustrated. • Morphological modification, defect project and heterojunction strategies of V 2 O 5 -based photocatalysts are summarized. • V 2 O 5 -based photocatalysts for photocatalytic degradation of organic pollutants and some other applications are discussed. • The challenges and opportunities of V 2 O 5 -based photocatalysts are proposed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Há um problema no uso de resíduos da produção de alumina da lama vermelha de bauxita. O armazenamento é repleto de catástrofes ecológicas. As lamas vermelhas pioram constantemente o ambiente devido ao pó e à poluição das águas naturais. A lama vermelha é um produto do processamento de bauxita. Uma tonelada de alumina é responsável por 1 a 2,5 toneladas de lama vermelha. Atualmente, não está sendo processado, apesar da disponibilidade de 3.000 publicações e patentes sobre este tema. Um deles é justificado pela ambiguidade na eficácia econômica de seu uso pelos consumidores. Neste artigo, as opções de eficiência econômica e ambiental do uso de lama vermelha são apresentadas como substitutas da cal e calcário usados na purificação de gases industriais emitidos para a atmosfera em grandes quantidades com compostos tóxicos de enxofre. Testes laboratoriais e industriais revelaram as propriedades de sorção das lamas vermelhas. Ao limpar gases do enxofre emitido para a atmosfera por gases de fornos, usinas térmicas, máquinas de sinterização e fornos siderúrgicos. Além disso, é mostrada a eficiência ecológica e tecnológica da purificação de gases contendo enxofre liberados nas áreas de granulação de escórias fundidas de alto forno. There is a problem of using waste of alumina production from bauxite red mud. Warehousing of it is fraught with ecological catastrophes. Red muds constantly worsen the environment due to dusting and pollution of natural waters. Red mud is a product of bauxite processing. One ton of alumina accounts for 1 to 2.5 tons of red mud. Currently, it is not being processed, despite the availability of 3,000 publications and patents on this topic. One of them is justified by the ambiguity in the economic effectiveness of its use by consumers. In this paper, the options for economic and environmental efficiency of RM use are presented as substitutes for expensive lime and limestone used for purification of industrial gases emitted to the atmosphere in large quantities with toxic sulfur compounds. Laboratory and industrial tests revealed the sorption properties of red muds. When cleaning gases from sulfur emitted into the atmosphere by furnace gases, thermal power plants, sinter machines, and steelmaking furnaces. In addition, the ecological and technological efficiency of purification of sulfur-containing gases released in the areas of granulation of molten blast-furnace slags is shown. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: Although previous studies point to much (untapped) potential for energy efficiency enhancement in industry, empirical research that adapts findings of environmental control to the context of energy management remains widely neglected. Specifically, previous environmental research suggests that the implementation of energy management control systems (EnMCS) could be an effective lever for companies to enhance their production systems and operations toward energy efficiency. Yet, empirical evidence for this theoretical proposition is rather missing; thus, debate continues regarding whether the high investments to set up a comprehensive EnMCS pay off in the long run. Based on a sample of 236 German manufacturing companies, this study combines primary data that capture the configuration of EnMCS with secondary data that were used to calculate energy efficiency. The results provide evidence that the extent of EnMCS implementation positively relates to firms’ energy efficiency. Findings from additional moderation analysis suggest that companies might enhance the relationship of EnMCS and energy efficiency performance by establishing a full‐time energy manager or by using external energy consulting support. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Landfill in Tokyo Bay has a direct effect on the disappearance of tideland and shallow waters. Former tideland is a habitat for benthic creatures with the function of decomposing organic substances flowing out from the land area, which were eaten by small fish and served as a feeding point for migratory birds feeding them. Also, in recent years, aquatic plants such as combs forming seaweed beds are being reviewed as being superior to onshore plants in function to absorb CO2 and produce oxygen. In addition, since seaweed is also expected as a fuel for biomass power generation in recent years, this economic value is great. In other words, regenerating tidal flats and seaweed beds in Tokyo Bay will contribute not only to the environmental improvement of the sea area but also to a CO2 reduction as well as alternative energy source, which will greatly contribute to our lives. In this study, we propose a floating type purification facility incorporating the functions of tideland and shallow waters in the northwestern coast of Tokyo Bay and proposing artificial tideland and seaweed bed regeneration. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The improvement of urbanization level in China and long-term development of economy in vast rural areas commonly impel rapid development of urbanization in China by "stronghold type" of small town and "radiation type" of big town. Urbanization road with Chinese characteristics impels urbanization and industrialization development, which needs relying on the development of small town. Due to the impact of town, space environment of "viilage in town" changes, and rural memory weakens. The state of "non city and non township" deeply affects rural development. Meanwhile, due to limited by urban-rural dualism, top-down planning of "viilage in town" is obviously unworkable. In this paper, analysis and interpretation on the problems of "viilage in town" are conducted, the cause is found, and effective channel of solving problem is obtained. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

There has been growing concern among the public over the environmental impacts of the copper (Cu) mining and mineral processing industries. As an effective tool enabling interactions of all energy and material flows with the environment, Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) is used in many countries to identify environmental hotspots associated with operations, based on which improvements can be made. However, robust LCA research in this sector is lacking in China. This study aimed to fill this critical gap by investigating two typical Cu mining and mineral processing operations using different mining technologies, based on globally harmonized LCA methodologies. The results of the overall environmental impacts were obtained using a sensitivity analysis. Electricity (38%–74%), diesel (8%–24%) and explosives (4%–22%) were identified as the three main controlling factors. At the same time, the mineral processing stage was found to be the major production stage (60%–79%), followed by the mining stage (17%–39%) and the wastewater treatment (1%–13%). Global Warming Potential (GWP) was prioritized as the most important environmental issue (59%) across the selected impact categories. In addition, it was initially found that underground mining technology has better environmental performance than open-pit technology. Finally, the potential for improvement was estimated and discussed for the three identified controlling factors. Using GWP as an example, using green electricity can effectively reduce CO 2 emissions by 47%–67%, whereas replacing diesel and explosives with cleaner fuels and explosives may contribute to lower CO 2 emissions by 6% and 9%, respectively. [Display omitted] • Global Warming Potential was the largest contributor to the overall environmental impact across selected impact categories. • The environment impacts of China's Cu mining and mineral processing operations are primarily driven by electricity. • The mineral processing stage predominates the entire environmental impact. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Globalization and a growing awareness of environmental issues are compelling firms to adhere to international environmental standards. Lebanese manufacturing industries are increasingly pressured to integrate environmental standards, mainly the ISO 14001 certification, in order to access - enter and compete - international markets. Although the ISO 14001 model is proposed to promote continual environmental improvement, the standard does not specify definite requirements for environmental performance, other than a commitment to compliance with relevant national regulations. The adoption of ISO 14001 in Lebanon has been relatively slow due to the lack of government support and deficiency in the infrastructure. Despite the existence of very few ISO 14001 certified manufacturing industries in Lebanon, the practical environmental improvement of these industries after the acquisition of the certification is not known. This research study aims to investigate the impacts of implementing an environmental management system, particularly ISO 14001 standard, on firms environmental performance taking Lebanon as a case study. Accordingly, a semi structured in-depth interview was conducted with each certified organization. Findings revealed that the implementation of an EMS brought positive changes in the organization's environmental performance such as decreases in air emissions and wastewater discharges as well as reductions in the use of resources and compliance with the Lebanese environmental legislation. Furthermore, results revealed that non-environmental benefits accrued from the certification, especially market expansion and financial profitability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Schistosomiasis is a global snail-transmitted infectious disease of poverty. Transmission control had been achieved in China in 2015 after the control efforts for over 60 years. Currently, the remaining core regions endemic for Schistosoma japonicum are mainly located in the marshland and lake regions along the Yangtze River basin. Methods: During the period from 2001 through 2015, an integrated environmental improvement of the marshlands was carried out through the implementation of industrial, agricultural and resources development projects in Yizheng County along the Yangtze River. S. japonicum infection in humans, livestock and snails was estimated by serology, stool examination, hatching technique and microscopy during the 15-year study period to evaluate the effect of the integrated environmental improvement on control and elimination of schistosomiasis. Results: A 0.05% overall rate of S. japonicum infection was observed in snails during the 15-year study period, and no infected snails were detected since 2012. The overall prevalence of S. japonicum infection was 0.09% in humans during the study period, and no human infection was found since 2012. In addition, only 13 bovines were identified with S. japonicum infection in 2003 during the 15-year study period, and since 2004, no infection was found in livestock. Conclusion: The results of the present study demonstrate that the implementation of industrial, agricultural and water resources development projects, not only alters snail habitats in marshland regions, and promotes local economic development, which appears a win-to-win strategy to block the transmission of S. japonicum and accelerate socio-economic development along the Yangtze River. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Environmental pollution caused by coal gangue has been a significant challenge for sustainable development; thus, many coal gangue reduction approaches have been proposed in recent years. In particular, coal gangue facility (CGF) construction has been considered as an efficient method for the control and recycling of coal gangue. Meanwhile, the identification and selection of suitable CGF sites is a fundamental task for the government. Therefore, based on the equilibrium strategy, a site selection approach under a fuzzy environment is developed to mitigate coal gangue contamination, which integrates a geographical information system (GIS) technique and a bi-level model to identify candidate CGF sites and to select the most suitable one. In this situation, the GIS technique used to identify potential feasible sites is able to integrate a great deal of geographical data to fit with practical circumstances; the bi-level model used to screen the appropriate site can reasonably deal with the conflicts between the local authority and the colliery. Moreover, a Karush-Kuhn-Tucker (KKT) condition-based approach is used to find an optimal solution, and a case study is given to demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed method. The results across different scenarios show that appropriate site selection can achieve coal gangue reduction targets and that a suitable excess stack level can realize an environmental-economic equilibrium. Finally, some propositions and management recommendations are given. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

How light conditions affect development of park grasslands is a question that has not been satisfactory addressed. The aim of this study was therefore determination of the level to which unfavorable light conditions influence grassy parks area and relationships between parameters which determine state of turf grasses. Researches were conducted in two parks in Warsaw, in various light conditions and included measurement of: leaf density, sward height, leaf area index (LAI), and botanical composition of the communities. The leaf density of shaded areas did not exceed 70%. LAI value varied from 0.5 to 0.9-fold lower than in the areas in half-shade and in sun. The participation of basic lawn species at Skaryszewski Park was higher under shade, while at Łazienki Królewskie was higher in full-sunlight areas. The state of tested grassy areas in limited solar radiation does not satisfy the requirements of recreational and representational functions. The development processes of vegetation coverage were inhibited at the sites of lower solar radiation. LAI was influenced by both leaf coverage and sward height. Agrostis stolonifera and Poa trivialis may be recommended to create grass areas under limited solar radiation.

• An integrated strategic emerging industry-economy-environment system is designed. • The sustainability of SEI is explored by the coupling coordination degree method. • An improved grey prediction model with modified initial condition is proposed. • The spatio-temporal evolution characteristics for IEE are analyzed. Stepping into the stage of high-quality and innovation-driven development, the 14th Five-Year Plan for China places a high priority on advancing the strategic emerging industry (SEI). An integrated strategic emerging industry-economy-environment (IEE) system is constructed to investigate the sustainability of SEI. The development quality of the three subsystems is assessed by the entropy-based TOPSIS. Furthermore, the evolution trend, spatial distribution, and the prospects of the coupling coordination degree (CCD) for the IEE system are researched. Findings indicate that the respective evolution trend of CCD exhibits an N -shape pattern from 2011 to 2019 in the 11 districts of the Yangtze River Economic Belt. Moreover, mutual promotion and interaction exist between the strategic emerging industrial system and the economic system reflected by analogous evolution patterns. The spatial distribution for CCD is featured with a stepwise decline among these 11 districts from lower to upper reaches of the Yangtze River, mostly attributed to the lagged industrial and economic growth in the districts of upper and middle reaches. As predicted by the improved grey Bernoulli model, the prospect for CCD generally will experience an upward trend. Based on the empirical results, countermeasures are suggested to promote the sustainability and unleash the potential of SEI for advancing high-quality development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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This work analyzed how 15 Italian waste incineration (WI) plants registered to the European Eco-Management and Audit Scheme (EMAS) in 2020 reported to the public their environmental sustainability. Their EMAS Environmental Statements (ESs) were analyzed to identify the environmental performance indicators and metrics used by the companies, the improvement actions planned, and the adoption of the Best Available Techniques (BAT) for WI. 197 environmental performance indicators and 140 improvement objectives, with an overall allocated budget of 79.8 M€, were inventoried. WI companies emphasized reporting and improvement of energy consumption, emissions to air, waste production, process management and energy production. Current values of 8 key performance indicators (HCl, NO x , CO, and dust concentrations in flue-gas, water consumption, waste production, and electricity consumption/production per 1 ton of treated waste) were assessed and compared. GHG reporting and compliance with the BAT for WI (on emissions to air, energy and raw materials consumption, and waste production), although often not detailed, w also analyzed. Requesting companies to report a pre-defined subset of key metrics, possibly related to the BAT emissions levels, and an explicit section on the adopted BAT could provide an even more representative description of the environmental performances of the WI plants. This study shows a novel approach that could be extended to other industrial sectors to analyze their environmental performance from a consistent, validated, and publicly available data source (EMAS ESs). It also provides metrics and recommendations that could be useful references for the environmental reporting of the WI sector. [Display omitted] • The analyzed organizations defined 197 indicators and 140 improvement goals. • Energy consumption, emissions to air and waste production received high attention. • 79.8 M€ budget was mostly (73%) allocated to process efficiency improvement goals. • A quantitative comparison of the plants' environmental performance is presented. • The results provide a reference for EMAS implementation and reporting in the sector. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Lightweight construction could be a pathway towards more sustainability. The production of high-end structural components poses a challenge to bring about the closed loop recycling of worn components and increase the use of recycled aluminum scraps. Designers will need to integrate the environmental dimension in the design of aluminum-alloyed parts over their entire lifecycle. Although many ecodesign methods and tools are currently available, there is a gap in their integration into the design process in industry, as well as in the daily practice of the designers. Moreover, existing ecodesign methods are not tailored to the lightweight context. This paper proposes a holistic approach to ecodesign geared to operate within a PLM (Product Life cycle Management) system. A PLM system is a set of tools used to create and manage the product information through its whole life cycle. Within the mechanical design area, a PLM system is composed of the traditional design tools such as Computer-aided design (CAD), Computer-aided manufacturing (CAM), Computer-aided engineering (CAE), etc … and allows bidirectional informational flows between the embedded tools. The proposition aims to foster sustainable design solutions for high-end structural parts used in the transport sector, especially in the automotive and aeronautic industries. It consists on developing a PLM-based single-block ecodesign method in order to achieve: (1) a simplified environmental assessment of a reference product and its design alternatives by providing results in a comparative way; and (2) the stimulation of improvement ideas and a solutions-generation phase thanks to dedicated environmental guidelines. The expected result is an efficient iterative and continuous ecodesign tasks between the environmental assessment and improvement. The proposition is conceived to be handled by the design team and to exchange product information with their traditional design tools within a PLM platform. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]