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Climate change scenarios have been used to evaluate future climate change impacts and develop adaptation measures to mitigate potential damage. This study investigated strategies to reduce nonpoint source loads in an agriculturally dominated watershed and adapt to climate change despite uncertainty. We also investigated strategies for adapting to future meteorological conditions characterized by uncertainty. We utilized the latest future climate change scenarios—shared socioeconomic pathways—and explored measures to reduce nonpoint source loads by implementing nonpoint pollution abatement facilities in a watershed model. The simulation results indicate that the future frequency of rainfall events may decrease based on observations and the types and features of rainfall events in the scenarios. However, the variability of runoff loads in the context of future climate scenarios may increase because of factors influencing surface runoff, including the amount and intensity of rainfall. Nonpoint source loads are expected to exhibit high uncertainty in the future. Finally, the optimal solution can be determined through a simulated evaluation of the cost–benefit of installing the abatement facilities, considering the abatement efficiency and maintenance period. Overall, implementing effective management practices is crucial for reducing nonpoint source loads resulting from agricultural activities while adapting to increasingly variable meteorological conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Developing countries, especially Africa, contribute the least to greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions while facing disproportionate impacts of climate change, including environmental and economic. Climate change cost projection studies using integrated assessment models (IAMs) are mostly global and often make policy recommendations for specific regions. This study aims to quantify the abatement costs of implementing four climate policies to limit global warming to 2 degreesCelsius above the pre-industrial era in the Africa and Middle East (AME) region. Representative concentration pathways (RCPs) from 2010 to 2100 were employed to forecast these costs. The RCPs were assessed using PAGE 09, an IAM called the policy analysis for greenhouse effects, which evaluates the costs and benefits of climate actions or inactions. The findings indicate that in 2030 at a 90% confidence level, RCP 2.6 is projected to result in a 1.63% GDP loss, equivalent to a potential cost of up to $1,698,829.95 million. Conversely, RCP 6.0 could lead to a loss of as much as 12.22% of GDP. However, the study reveals that as the policies are consistently implemented, the percentage loss of GDP gradually declines and approaches zero by 2100 for RCPs 2.6, 4.5, and 8.5. In the case of RCP 6.0, the decline begins earlier, from 2030. These findings suggest that the economic impact of the RCP climate policies varies during the early stages of their implementation but can become beneficial to the AME region, progressively leading to 2100 with sustained efforts. However, using the RCP profiles directly for a multicultural region like AME is challenging due to the limitations of employing the shared socio-economic pathways (SSPs) for different emission scenarios and the issue of inconsistent baselines. It is arguable that a hybrid approach combining elements from the four climate pathways could be pursued in the AME region, specifically Africa, to minimize associated economic costs. The AME is essentially diverse. Therefore, the study recommends improving the regional representation of the SSPs and, perhaps, the RCPs, to enhance the accuracy of future assessments. This study is the first to quantify climate change mitigation costs for the AME region by leveraging RCP projections up to 2100, emphasizing Africa, which has been historically neglected despite its high vulnerability index. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • A novel core–shell Co 2 (PS 3)@Co 2 P is designed as a pre-catalyst. • The Co 2 (PS 3)@Co 2 P catalyst with fast surface reconstruction. • The PO 4 3−, SO 3 2− and SO 4 2−-decorated CoOOH as a true catalyst. • The oxyanions can enhance the activity and stability in seawater. • The oxyanions can optimize the intermediates' chemisorption. The design of pre-catalysts and the rational manipulation of corresponding electrochemical reconstruction are vitally important to construct the highly durable and active catalysts for seawater oxidation, but rather challenging. Herein, a novel core–shell catalyst of Co 2 (PS 3)@Co 2 P (labeled as CoPS) by epitaxial growth of amorphous cobalt phosphide (Co 2 P) on crystalline cobalt phosphorous trichalcogenide (Co 2 (PS 3)) is firstly designed as a pre-catalyst for alkaline seawater oxidation. Various characterization techniques are employed to demonstrate that the unique amorphous-crystalline nanowire structure (CoPS) achieves the rapid surface reconstruction into active CoOOH and diversiform oxyanions species (labeled as CoPS-R). Theoretical simulations uncover that the in situ derived oxyanions (PO 4 2−, SO 3 2− and SO 4 2−) on the surface of CoOOH can tune the electron distribution of Co site, thereby optimizing the chemisorption of oxygen evolution reaction (OER) intermediates on CoOOH and reducing the energy barrier of determining step. Consequently, in an alkaline natural seawater solution, the reconstructed CoPS-R catalyst exhibits small overpotentials of 357 and 402 mV for OER at 200 and 500 mA cm−2, respectively, together with an impressive durability over 500 h at a large current density of 500 mA cm−2 benefiting from the strong repulsive effect of the derived PO 4 2−, SO 3 2− and SO 4 2− oxyanions. This work offers a new insight for comprehending the relationship of structure-composition-activity and develops a new approach toward the construction of efficient and robust OER catalysts for seawater electrolysis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the rapid development of air pollution over the past two decades in Shandong Province, it has played a detrimental role, causing severe damage to regional ecological security and public health. There has been little research at the county scale to explore the spatiotemporal causes and heterogeneity of PM2.5 pollution. This study utilizes a Geographically and Temporally Weighted Regression Model (GTWR) to environmentally model meteorological elements and socioeconomic conditions in Shandong Province from 2000 to 2020, aiming to identify the key driving factors of PM2.5 concentration changes across 136 counties. The results show that PM2.5 pollution in Shandong Province peaked in 2013, followed by a rapid decline in pollution levels. Geographically, counties in the western plains of Shandong generally exhibit higher pollution levels, while most counties in the central hills of Shandong and the Jiaodong Peninsula are in low pollution areas. Strong winds positively influence air quality in the southeast of Shandong; high temperatures can ameliorate air pollution in areas outside the southeast, whereas air pressure exhibits the opposite effect. Precipitation shows a significant negative correlation in the Laizhou Bay and central Shandong regions, while relative humidity primarily exerts a negative effect in coastal areas. The impact of fractional vegetation cover is relatively mild, with positive effects observed in southern Shandong and negative effects in other regions. Population density shows a significant positive correlation in the western plains of Shandong. Economic factors exhibit predominantly positive relationships, particularly in the northwest and the Jiaodong Peninsula. Electricity consumption in southern Shandong correlates positively, while industrial factors show positive effects province-wide. PM2.5 pollution in Shandong Province demonstrates significant spatiotemporal heterogeneity, aligning with governmental expectations for the effectiveness of air pollution control measures. The conclusions of this study can be utilized to assess the efficiency of air pollution abatement at the county level and provide quantitative data support for the revision of regional emission reduction policies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Supply chain carbon abatement is an important way to promote low-carbon transformation of the social economy and address global climate change. This paper analyzes the issue of supply chain carbon abatement under different power structures, as well as the effect of consumers' low-carbon preference and carbon tax rate on the optimal decisions. This paper constructs five different models, namely ML-NO model, ML-CS model, RL-NO model, RL-CS model and VI model. The research finds that VI model is the most ideal model for promoting supply chain carbon abatement. The optimal abatement efforts, market demand, and total profits in the VI model are all the largest among the five models. Whether the supply chain leader is the manufacturer or the retailer, cost sharing contract can enhance optimal abatement efforts, market demand, and profits of both parties. In any model, the leader in Supply chain earns higher profits than the follower. When consumers' low-carbon preference increases, the optimal abatement efforts, market demand, and profits of both parties will all increase, and the growth rate is gradually accelerating. For the manufacturer with high carbon emissions, when the carbon tax rate increases, the optimal abatement efforts first increase and then decrease. For the manufacturer with low carbon emissions, when the carbon tax rate increases, the optimal abatement efforts will also increase. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The quest for cost effective but active electrocatalysts for water oxidation is at the forefront of research towards hydrogen economy. In this regard, bamboo as biomass derived N-doped cellulosic carbon has shown potential electrocatalytic performance towards water oxidation. The impregnation of optimum metallic Fe boosts the performance further, achieving an over potential value of 238 mV at a benchmark current density of 10 mA cm-2. Owing to its promising OER performances in alkaline freshwater, the electrocatalyst was further explored in alkaline saline water and alkaline real seawater, exhibiting overpotentials of 272 mV and 280 mV, respectively, to reach 10 mA cm-2 current density. Most importantly, the protective graphitic multilayer surrounding the metallic Fe allowed the electrocatalyst to demonstrate excellent durability over 30 h even at a high current density in alkaline real seawater electrolyte. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In recent years, due to global climate change, increasing resource scarcity, and environmental constraints, countries have prioritized energy conservation and emissions reduction. However, enterprises are primarily responsible for energy saving and emissions reduction. To encourage industrial enterprises to engage in energy conservation and emissions reduction, high-carbon enterprises must purchase carbon emission rights from low-carbon counterparts. Common modes of energy conservation and emission reduction of industrial enterprises include reducing production scale, improving energy utilization efficiency, and expanding renewable energy. This article constructs three differential game models to identify the applicable scope of various energy conservation and emission reduction strategies, comparing and analyzing the equilibrium results. The study concludes that when the cost of changing the production mode and the income obtained from the production of unit product is large, the low-carbon enterprise can obtain the maximum benefit by reducing the production scale mode. Otherwise, low carbon enterprises can be maximized through improving energy efficiency mode. For both low-carbon and high-carbon enterprises, reducing production scale is the fastest way to enhance efficiency when the costs of energy conservation and emission reduction are substantial. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Selective catalytic NH 3 -to-N 2 oxidation (NH 3 -SCO) is highly promising for abating NH 3 emissions slipped from stationary flue gas after-treatment devices. Its practical application, however, is limited by the non-availability of low-cost catalysts with high activity and N 2 selectivity. Here, using defect-rich nitrogen-doped carbon nanotubes (NCNT-AW) as the support, we developed a highly active and durable copper-based NH 3 -SCO catalyst with a high abundance of cuprous (Cu+) sites. The obtained Cu/NCNT-AW catalyst demonstrated outstanding activity with a T 50 (i.e. the temperature to reach 50% NH 3 conversion) of 174°C in the NH 3 -SCO reaction, which outperformed not only the Cu catalyst supported on N-free O-functionalized CNTs (OCNTs) or NCNT with less surface defects, but also those most active Cu catalysts in open literature. Reaction kinetics measurements and temperature-programmed surface reactions using NH 3 as a probe molecule revealed that the NH 3 -SCO reaction on Cu/NCNT-AW follows an internal selective catalytic reaction (i -SCR) route involving nitric oxide (NO) as a key intermediate. According to mechanistic investigations by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, Raman spectroscopy, and X-ray absorption spectroscopy, the superior NH 3 -SCO performance of Cu/NCNT-AW originated from a synergy of surface defects and N-dopants. Specifically, surface defects promoted the anchoring of CuO nanoparticles on N-containing sites and, thereby, enabled efficient electron transfer from N to CuO, increasing significantly the fraction of SCR-active Cu+ sites in the catalyst. This study puts forward a new idea for manipulating and utilizing the interplay of defects and N-dopants on carbon surfaces to fabricate Cu+-rich Cu catalysts for efficient abatement of slip NH 3 emissions via selective oxidation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In response to climate change, the proportion of renewable energy penetration is increasing daily. However, there is a lack of flexible energy transfer mechanisms. The optimization effect of low-carbon economic dispatch in a single park is limited. In the context of the sharing economy, this study proposes a research method for multi-park electricity sharing and benefit allocation based on carbon credit trading. Firstly, a framework for multi-park system operation is constructed, and an energy hub model is established for the electrical, cooling, and heating interconnections with various energy conversions. Secondly, a park carbon emission reduction trading model is established based on the carbon credit mechanism, further forming an optimal economic and environmental dispatch strategy for multi-park electricity sharing. Matlab+Gurobi is used for solving. Then, based on asymmetric Nash bargaining, the comprehensive contribution rate of each park is calculated by considering their energy contribution and carbon emission reduction contribution, thereby achieving a fair distribution of cooperation benefits among multiple parks. The results show that the proposed method can effectively reduce the overall operational cost of multiple parks and decrease carbon emissions, and the benefit allocation strategy used is fair and reasonable, effectively motivating the construction of new energy in parks and encouraging active participation in cooperative operations by all parks. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

CO2 conversion is gradually seen as a better way for society to effectively use carbon sources and avoid climate crisis associated with fossil CO2 emissions. And the decision to deploy CO2 technology scale should be relied on its environmental impact. In this work, life cycle assessment model evaluates the environmental performance of CO2 conversion by photocatalytic reaction process with two different catalysts (NiAl-LDH and Co-ZIF-9). Six impact categories considered in this analysis, including climate change, acidification potential, depletion of abiotic resources, eutrophication potential, ozone layer depletion potential, and photochemical oxidation potential. Results indicated that CO2 conversion with Co-ZIF-9 photocatalyst has a better environmental impact than the NiAl-LDH photocatalyst route. Moreover, the Co-ZIF-9 catalyst scenario also has a lower total environmental burden than the conventional CO production route. Sensitivity analysis shows that recycle performance of the catalyst is highly sensitive to the production process in two scenarios. This study could provide a framework for robust decisions in CO2 conversion by photocatalytic reaction, which is useful for policymakers to decide the feasibility of industrialization. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cyclones are employed in many waste treatment industries for the dust collection or abatement purposes. The prediction of the dust collection efficiency is crucial for the design and optimization of the cyclone. However, this is a difficult task because of the complex physical phenomena that influence the removal of particles. Aim of the paper is to present two new meta-models for the prediction of the collection efficiency curve of cyclone separators. A Backpropagation Neural Network (BPNN) and Support Vector Regression (SVR) models were developed using Python environment. These were trained with a set of experimental data taken from the literature. The prediction capabilities of the models were first assessed by comparing the estimated collection efficiency for several cyclones against the corresponding experimental data. Second, by comparing the collection efficiency curves predicted by the models and those obtained from classic models available in the literature for the cyclones included in the validation dataset. The BPNN demonstrated better predictive capability than the SVR, with an overall mean squared error of 0.007 compared to 0.015, respectively. Most important, a 40% to 90% accuracy improvement of the literature models predictions was achieved. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Metal atom catalysts have been among the most important research objects due to their specific physical and chemical properties. However, precise control of the anchoring of metal atoms is still challenging to achieve. Cobalt and iridium atomic arrays formed sequentially ordered stable arrays in graphdiyne (GDY) triangular cavities depending on their intrinsic chemical properties and interactions. The success of this method was attributed to multifunctional integration of GDY, enabling selective growth from one to several atoms and various atomic densities. The bimetallic atom arrays show several advantages resulting from reducibility of acetylene bonds, space limiting effect, incomplete charge transfer between GDY and metal atoms, and sp‐C hybridized triple bond skeleton. This well‐designed system exhibits unprecedented oxygen evolution reaction (OER) performance with a mass activity of 2.6 A mgcat.−1 at a low overpotential of 300 mV, which is 216.6 times higher than the state‐of‐the‐art IrO2 catalyst, and long‐term stability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Meeting the Paris Agreement’s climate targets necessitates better knowledge about which climate policies work in reducing emissions at the necessary scale. We provide a global, systematic ex post evaluation to identify policy combinations that have led to large emission reductions out of 1500 climate policies implemented between 1998 and 2022 across 41 countries from six continents. Our approach integrates a comprehensive climate policy database with a machine learning–based extension of the common difference-in-differences approach. We identified 63 successful policy interventions with total emission reductions between 0.6 billion and 1.8 billion metric tonnes CO2. Our insights on effective but rarely studied policy combinations highlight the important role of price-based instruments in well-designed policy mixes and the policy efforts necessary for closing the emissions gap. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Concrete production is associated with extensive energy consumption and significant CO2 emissions. In addition, tremendous amounts of freshwater are used as a mixing agent. Urgency is increasing to develop sustainable cementitious materials and promote freshwater-saving strategies. An environmentally friendly alternative binder, seawater mixed with one part alkali activated material, is studied. In this work, a cradle-to-gate life cycle assessment was applied to study the equivalent CO2 emission and cost properties of the clinker-free binder. The seawater mixed mortar possesses comparable mechanical properties to Portland cement, with 3 d flexural and compressive strengths of 5.3 MPa and 25.2 MPa. In addition, the mortar developed in this work is of similar cost as commercial cement, but reduces CO2 emissions by 44.8%. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Threat mapping is a necessary tool for identifying and abating direct threats to species in the ongoing extinction crisis. There are known gaps in the threat mapping literature for particular threats and geographic locations, and it remains unclear if the distribution of research effort is appropriately targeted relative to conservation need. We aimed to determine the drivers of threat mapping research effort and to quantify gaps that, if filled, could inform actions with the highest potential to reduce species' extinction risk. We used a negative binomial generalized linear model to analyze research effort as a function of threat abatement potential (quantified as the potential reduction in species extinction risk from abating threats), species richness, land area, and human pressure. The model showed that threat mapping research effort increased by 1.1 to 1.2 times per standardized unit change in threat abatement potential. However, species richness and land area were stronger predictors of research effort overall. The greatest areas of mismatch between research effort and threat abatement potential, receiving disproportionately low research effort, were related to the threats to species of agriculture, aquaculture, and biological resource use across the tropical regions of the Americas, Asia, and Madagascar. Conversely, the threat of linear infrastructure (e.g., roads and rails) across regions, the threat of biological resource use (e.g., hunting or collection) in sub‐Saharan Africa, and overall threats in North America and Europe all received disproportionately high research effort. We discuss the range of methodological and sociopolitical factors that may be behind the overall trends and specific areas of mismatch we found. We urge a stronger emphasis on targeting research effort toward those threats and geographic locations where threat abatement activities could make the greatest contribution to reducing global species extinction risk. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Micro-energy network systems make full use of renewable energy and reduce dependence on external power grids, which is of great significance for enhancing the reliability of regional energy systems. Since it needs various energy production equipment to meet multiple energy demands, achieving optimal operation is the key to a successful micro-energy network system. This research is based on an industrial park in China, where we optimize the micro-energy network system to minimize the economic cost, environmental impact, and carbon emissions. Life cycle assessment is used to calculate the environmental impact and carbon emissions, and a multi-objective optimization model is constructed to which the NSGA-II is applied. The results show that in the comprehensive optimization scenario, the environmental impact is reduced by 34.0–67.3%, the economic cost is increased by 3.6–5.2%, and carbon emissions reduced by 10.2–24.3%. Findings from this study suggest that the capacity of solar photovoltaic and light pipes should be expanded by 100% and 50% and that gas turbine units and air source heat pumps should be added for power generation and winter heating. This would reduce reliance on the power grid, increase stability, and realize structural optimization of the micro-energy network systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The collection of papers in this special issue examines empirical evidence from Asia, Europe, and North America, analyzes how climate change affects the spatial economy, and explores the feasibility of carbon neutrality as a countermeasure to climate change. It begins by discussing the research background, the motivation for emphasizing spatial considerations, and the analysis in climate change studies. Each accepted paper is then elaborated upon regarding topic selection, methodology, and findings. The issue highlights the crucial role of spatial elements in climate studies and aims to inspire further research in this direction. By leveraging regional science and analytical tools, the goal is to develop more effective and equitable policies for carbon abatement. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Within the "dual carbon" framework, sustainable agriculture is pivotal for climate change mitigation and long-term agricultural health. To explore the environmental effects of agricultural trade, this study assesses the carbon emissions from agriculture using information from 30 provinces in China (excluding Tibet, Hong Kong, Macao, and Taiwan due to a lack of available data) from 2001 to 2021. Then, we analyzed the impact of agricultural trade on agricultural carbon emissions and tested for the possible existence of mechanisms. Finally, we validate the synergistic effects of agricultural trade on pollution and carbon abatement. The findings were as follows: (1) Agricultural trade significantly suppresses agricultural carbon emissions. (2) Agricultural technological progress and the rationalization of the structure of the agricultural industry are the two influencing mechanisms. (3) The inhibitory effect of agricultural trade on agricultural carbon emissions is more pronounced in southern regions and regions with lower degree of topographic relief and higher agricultural industrial agglomeration. (4) Agricultural trade fosters the collaborative advancement of mitigating agricultural pollution and reducing carbon emissions. As a result, this study confirms that agricultural trade has a role in reducing carbon emissions and that giving full play to the environmental effects of trade in agricultural products contributes to the high-quality development of agriculture. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Designing electrocatalysts for seawater splitting remains challenging. A Ru–Co alloy supported by an N-doped carbon substrate catalyst has been designed using etching and a low-temperature treatment method. Studies show that the superior performance of this catalyst is related to the hollow-structured N-doped carbon frame and surface reconstruction of the Ru–Co alloy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hydrogen production from electrolysis of seawater is considered one of the most promising endeavors. However, the complexity of the seawater environment (corrosion‐prone, slow kinetics, and side reactions such as precipitation generation) leaves much room for progress in research on efficient and stable catalysts. In recent years, in order to improve the technology of hydrogen production from electrolytic seawater, scientists have focused on the preparation of catalysts and the design of electrolytes, which has resulted in important progress. In order to further understand the current research status and development prospects of seawater hydrogen evolution reaction (HER), this article summarizes the general design rules for electrocatalysts and electrolytes in seawater HER in recent years. For structure modulation, the effects of catalyst modulation strategies such as heterostructures, elemental doping, manufacturing defects, morphology engineering and others on performance enhancement are highlighted. Overall design guidelines are summarized for the electrolyte and directions for future in‐depth exploration are proposed with a view to the early realization of seawater hydrogen production on an industrial scale. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study investigated a novel electrocatalyst with a core–shell structure of CoNiP@N,P-C. The unique carbon shell of this catalyst serves a dual purpose: exposing numerous active sites and safeguarding CoNiP nanoparticles from dissolution caused by the electrolyte. As a result, the CoNiP@N,P-C nanoparticles exhibit exceptional electrochemical properties. The CoNiP@N,P-C catalyst displays overpotentials of 234 and 314 mV for the HER and OER, respectively, within a simulated seawater solution (1 M KOH + 0.5 M NaCl), indicating its outstanding catalytic performance. Moreover, when subjected to full seawater splitting, the CoNiP@N,P-C catalyst exhibited high activity, achieving a 1.71 V cell voltage at a current density of 10 mA cm−2. As revealed by density functional theory (DFT) calculations, the CoNiP@N,P-C catalyst exhibits Gibbs free energy for hydrogen adsorption (ΔGH* = −0.19 eV) that is decreased in comparison with CoP@N,P-C, NiP@N,P-C, and N,P-C (−0.321 eV, −0.434 eV, and 0.723 eV, respectively). This finding confirms that the core–shell structure plays a role in enhancing the HER kinetics and improving the catalytic performance, which is consistent with the experimental observations. Consequently, this study introduces the concept of utilizing bimetal phosphide core–shell structures for overall seawater splitting, offering a novel approach in this field of research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To address the issues of the low usage efficiency and illogical structure in rural regions, this study builds a rural integrated energy system (RIES) that incorporates the complementary use of biogas, wind, and light. For resolving the RIES optimum-low-carbon-economic-dispatch problem, a source–load-cooperative optimal-dispatch strategy is proposed. Firstly, a multi-energy integrated demand response (IDR) model based on time-of-use tariffs and time-varying biogas costs is established on the demand side. Secondly, power-to-gas devices are added on the supply side to optimize the system's electricity–gas-coupling relationship and increase the wind power output space. Thirdly, an RIES-oriented carbon-trading model is constructed by considering the actual carbon emissions of gas loads and the stepped-carbon-trading mechanism. Finally, an optimal-dispatch model is built with the objective function of reducing the total energy cost, wind abandonment cost, IDR cost, and carbon emission cost, while the problem is transformed into a mixed-integer linear problem and solved using CPLEX 12.9. By setting up four scenarios for example analysis, the results show that on typical days in spring, summer, autumn, and winter, the total operating costs of the stepped-carbon-trading system (Scenario 1), taking into account the source-side power-to-gas (P2G) device and the load-side IDR, are reduced by 12.25%, 11.25%, 12.42%, and 11.56%, respectively, compared to the system without the introduction of the IDR (Scenario 3). In contrast to the system that lacks a P2G device at the source end (Scenario 2), the overall costs are decreased by 4.97%, 3.07%, 5.02%, and 5.36%, but the wind power consumption rates are increased by 11.63%, 7.93%, 11.54%, and 11.65%, respectively. Stepped emission trading (Scenario 1) reduces the total operating costs by 5.12%, 3.15%, 5.21%, and 6.84%, respectively, while reducing the biogas costs by 9.75%, 7.74%, 9.67%, and 9.57%, respectively, in comparison to traditional emission trading (Scenario 4). The example results demonstrate the economics, effectiveness, and reliability of a stepped-carbon-trading system with an integrated P2G load-side energy demand response. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), including all 209 congeners, are designated as persistent organic pollutants (POPs) due to their high toxicity and bioaccumulation in human bodies and the ecosystem. The need for PCB remediation still remains long after their production ban. In this study, a catalytic hydro-dechlorination (HDC) method was employed to dechlorinate 2,4,4'-trichlorobiphenyl (PCB 28), a congener found ubiquitously in multiple environmental media. The HDC of PCB 28 was experimentally studied at mild temperatures viz. ~20, 50, and ~77°C and atmospheric pressure. Et3N (triethylamine) was added as a co-catalyst. The dechlorination rates increased with temperature as well as Et3N dosage, and the HDC pathway was hypothesized based on the product and intermediates observed. The less chlorinated intermediates suggested that the position of the chlorine strongly impacted HDC rates, and the preference of HDC at para positions can be orders of magnitudes higher than the ortho. The activation energy was estimated in the range of 12.4–13.9 kJ/mole, indicating a diffusion-controlled HDC system. Implications: The remediation need for polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) still remains long after their production ban around the world. The development of low-cost methods is highly desirable, especially for developing countries, in response to the Stockholm Convention. In this study, the dechorination of a ubiquitously present PCB congener was studied using a catalytic hydro-dechlorination (HDC) method in low temperatures up to ~77°C and was able to achieve near 100% dechlorination in 6 hr. Results indicated that the HDC process can be performed under mild temperatures and atmospheric conditions and can be a potential solution to real world PCB contamination issues. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Economic growth and excessive fossil energy consumption have direct effects on environmental destruction and greenhouse gas increments. The existing appropriate pattern for economic performance increase as well as pollution emissions abatement is a basic issue in industry activities. In this paper, a data envelopment analysis (DEA) model is introduced for estimating the directional marginal profit maximization of supply chain divisions based on wasted energy and power losses. The purpose of this study is to estimate the directional marginal productivity in the supply chain, which enables us to find the optimal direction of efficient divisions on the frontier. This makes the allocation of resources create a marginal profit increase and the pollution emissions be abated simultaneously. Indeed, the proposed model considers the synergistic effects of each input on MP estimation in predetermined directions. The model is able to estimate the marginal profit maximization of desirable output and undesirable output decrease for each input simultaneously. The results suggested that the gas field division of one of the supply chains had fundamental capacities for energy production increments and flare gas decrements. Furthermore, the gas field division of this supply chain also had a considerable structure for the marginal profit maximization of outputs based on flare gas decreases. Additionally, the distribution lines of 0.80% supply chains provided wasted energy reduction by adding one extra unit to the line's capacity in the determined direction. Especially, there were supply chains that had investment opportunities for an acceptable abatement of power losses. This not only enables divisions to respond to fluctuations in demand as they produce more energy in critical situations like climate change but also decreases harmful emissions as wasted energy in supply chain divisions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) photoproduction in seawater with metal-free photocatalysts derived from biomass materials is a green, sustainable, and ultra environmentally friendly way. However, most photocatalysts are always corroded or poisoned in seawater, resulting in a significantly reduced catalytic performance. Here, we report the metal-free photocatalysts (RUT-1 to RUT-5) with in-situ generated carbon dots (CDs) from biomass materials (Rutin) by a simple microwave-assisted pyrolysis method. Under visible light (λ ≥ 420 nm, 81.6 mW/cm2), the optimized catalyst of RUT-4 is stable and can achieve a high H2O2 yield of 330.36 µmol/L in seawater, 1.78 times higher than that in normal water. New transient potential scanning (TPS) tests are developed and operated to in-situ study the H2O2 photoproduction of RUT-4 under operation condition. RUT-4 has strong oxygen (O2) absorption capacity, and the O2 reduction rate in seawater is higher than that in water. Metal cations in seawater further promote the photo-charge separation and facilitate the photo-reduction reaction. For RUT-4, the conduction band level under operating conditions only satisfies the requirement of O2 reduction but not for hydrogen (H2) evolution. This work provides new insights for the in-situ study of photocatalyst under operation condition, and gives a green and sustainable path for the H2O2 photoproduction with metal-free catalysts in seawater. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Yangtze River Delta is advancing efforts to synergize the reduction of pollution and carbon emissions, yet there is scarce literature quantitatively assessing its potential for such synergy. This study utilized the Data Envelopment Analysis method to calculate the marginal abatement costs of PM2.5 and CO2 from a total factor perspective for the Yangtze River Delta. By comparing the cost changes between independent reduction and synergistic reduction, the potential for pollution and carbon reduction synergy was estimated at the regional, provincial, and municipal levels. The study also simulated the changes in synergistic effects under different development scenarios. The findings were as follows: ① From 2011 to 2021, compared to independent reduction, the marginal costs for both pollution reduction and carbon emission reduction in the Yangtze River Delta significantly decreased in the synergistic reduction scenario, with marginal abatement costs of pollution reduction reduced by 35.28% and those of carbon emission reduction by 32.41%. ② At the provincial level, there was a clear heterogeneity among the marginal abatement costs of the three provinces and one municipality in the Yangtze River Delta, with Anhui having the lowest costs for both pollution reduction and carbon emission reduction, while Shanghai had relatively higher costs. ③ Compared to independent reduction, Anhui Province exhibited the most significant reduction in marginal abatement costs under synergistic reduction, highlighting its outstanding potential for synergizing the reduction of pollution and carbon emissions. ④ At the municipal level, prioritizing low-carbon development was the governance approach minimizing pollution reduction costs; prioritizing clean air was the strategy minimizing carbon emission reduction costs; and aiming for the maximization of synergistic effects required different cities to explore synergistic strategies for reducing pollution and carbon emissions matching their own stages of economic development, resource endowments, and environmental levels. This study, by estimating the marginal abatement costs of pollution reduction and carbon emission reduction in the Yangtze River Delta, reveals the temporal patterns and spatial characteristics of the region′s potential for synergizing the reduction of pollution and carbon emissions and provides valuable insights for scientifically advancing such efforts in the Yangtze River Delta. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Geographically distributed cloud data centers (DCs) consume enormous amounts of energy to meet the ever-increasing processing and storage demands of users. The brown energy generated using fossil fuels is expensive and significantly contributes to global warming. Considering the environmental impact caused by the high carbon emissions and relatively high energy cost of brown energy, we propose the integration of renewable energy sources (RES), especially solar and wind energy, with brown energy to power cloud data centers. In our earlier study, we addressed the intermittency of renewable energy sources, where we replaced the random initialization of artificial neural network (ANN) edge weights with the harmony search algorithm (HSA)-optimized assignment of weights. This study incorporated reliably forecast solar and wind energy into the input parameters of our proposed green energy manager (GEM), for cost minimization, carbon emission minimization, and better energy management of cloud DCs, to make our current study more reliable and trustworthy. Four power sources, on-site solar energy and wind energy, off-site solar energy and wind energy, energy stored in energy storage devices, and brown energy, were considered in this study and simulations were carried out for three different cases. The simulation results showed that case 1 (all brown) was 58% more expensive and caused 71% higher carbon emissions than case 2.1 (cost minimization). Case 1 (all brown) was 39% more expensive and had 80% higher carbon emissions than case 2.2 (carbon emission minimization). The simulation results justify the necessity and importance of the GEM, and finally the results proved that our proposed GEM is less expensive and more environmentally friendly. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Catalytic combustion of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) usually requires external energy input to hold the desired reaction temperature via electric heating. This work presents an example of internal onsite heating of the catalytic active sites via hydrogen catalytic combustion with air over a conventional Pd/Al2O3 catalyst. Hydrogen combustion was ignited by the catalyst at room temperature without electric heating, and thus the temperatures were readily varied with the concentrations of H2. Representative oxygenated VOCs such as methanol, formaldehyde and formic acid can be completely oxidized into CO2 and water by co-feeding with H2 below its low explosion limit of 4% using Pd/Al2O3 as shared catalyst. The catalytic performance apparently is not sensitive to the sizes of Pd nanoparticles in fresh and spent states, as revealed by XRD and STEM. This provides an option for using renewable green hydrogen to eliminate VOC pollutants in an energy-efficient way. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Alkaline seawater electrolysis has garnered significant attention as an efficient, green, and sustainable method for producing green hydrogen in recent years. However, the lack of highly active anodes in seawater electrolysis to prevent chloride oxidation reactions has limited its commercial application. In this study, Au single atoms were deposited on NiCoFeS through the electrochemical deposition method. The optimized catalyst exhibited significantly enhanced activity in seawater electrolyte; the Au@NiCoFeS catalyst achieved a current density of 10 mA/cm2 with only 183 mV and maintained its performance without degradation for 250 h at a current density of 200 mA/cm2, with no corrosion observed on either the catalyst or the substrate. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As the imperative to address climate change intensifies, understanding the effectiveness of policy interventions becomes paramount. In the context of addressing these urgent challenges and given the inadequacy of current policies to address this issue, this study examines the extent to which Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) and Long-Term Targets (LTTs) can contribute to achieving ambitious climate goals. Recognizing the critical need for effective climate action, we employ the advanced modelling tools PROMETHEUS and GCAM to assess the implications of different scenarios–Current Policies (CP), Nationally Determined Contributions (NDC), and combination of NDCs with Long-Term Targets (NDC_LTT)–on the future development of energy system and emission. This study, by employing these well-known models, seeks to provide an improved understanding of the impacts of NDCs on global emission trajectories and whether the integration of NDCs and LTTs can help close the gap towards Paris-compatible pathways. The study analyzes various sectors including buildings, transportation, electricity generation, and industry to provide insights into the limitations of existing policies and the potential of enhanced commitments to drive transformative changes in a global scale. The effectiveness of these policies varies across different sectors, highlighting the challenges that need to be addressed for achieving the required emission reduction targets in the medium- and long-term. Key findings indicate significant shifts in energy consumption, fuel mix, technology adoption, and emission trajectories, particularly under the synergistic action represented by the NDC_LTT scenario. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This review proposes that mineral-based greenhouse gas (GHG) mitigation could be developed into a substantial climate change abatement tool. This proposal was evaluated via three objectives: (1) synthesise literature studies documenting the effectiveness of geological minerals at mitigating GHG emissions; (2) quantify, via meta-analysis, GHG magnitudes that could be abated by minerals factoring-in the carbon footprint of the approach; and (3) estimate the global availability of relevant minerals. Several minerals have been effectively harnessed across multiple sectors—including agriculture, waste management and coal mining—to mitigate carbon dioxide/CO2 (e.g., olivine), methane/CH4 (e.g., allophane, gypsum) and nitrous oxide/N2O (e.g., vermiculite) emissions. High surface area minerals offer substantial promise to protect soil carbon, albeit their potential impact here is difficult to quantify. Although mineral-based N2O reduction strategies can achieve gross emission reduction, their application generates a net carbon emission due to prohibitively large mineral quantities needed. By contrast, mineral-based technologies could abate ~9% and 11% of global CO2 and CH4 anthropogenic emissions, respectively. These estimates conservatively only consider options which offer additional benefits to climate change mitigation (e.g., nutrient supply to agricultural landscapes, and safety controls in landfill operations). This multi-benefit aspect is important due to the reluctance to invest in stand-alone GHG mitigation technologies. Minerals that exhibit high GHG mitigation potential are globally abundant. However, their application towards a dedicated global GHG mitigation initiative would entail significant escalation of their current production rates. A detailed cost-benefit analysis and environmental and social footprint assessment is needed to ascertain the strategy's scale-up potential. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In order to improve the treatment effect of dielectric barrier discharge (DBD) on chlorinated volatile organic compounds (CVOCs), the NiO/α-Mn3O4 composite catalyst was prepared by co-precipitation method, and the gaseous o-chlorotoluene was catalyzed by DBD. The catalyst was characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscope (SEM), and specific surface area and aperture analyzer (BET). The effects of gas flow rate, applied voltage, initial concentration, and relative humidity on the degradation efficiency and energy yield of o-chlorotoluene were investigated. The results showed that the NiO/α-Mn3O4 composite catalyst had the best catalytic performance when the molar ratio of Ni/Mn was 0.3 and the calcination temperature was 400 °C. When the initial concentration of o-chlorotoluene was 140 mg/m³, the applied voltage was 8 kV, the gas flow rate was 0.9 m³/h and the relative humidity was 65%, the degradation efficiency and mineralization rate of o-chlorotoluene were increased by 33.9% and 13.1%, respectively, compared with that of DBD system alone. The concentration of O3 and NO2 decreased by 48.2 mg/m³ and 12.3 mg/m³ respectively, and the CO2 selectivity increased by 12%. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We consider a growing economy which is subject to recurring, random, uninsurable, and potentially large and long-lasting climate shocks leading to destruction of infrastructure, land degradation, collapse of ecosystems or similar loss of productive capacity. The associated damages and the hazard rate are endogenously driven by the stock of greenhouse gases. We highlight the important role of the relative risk aversion and provide analytical solutions for the optimal climate policy, the growth rate and the saving propensity of the economy. We stress the importance of jointly determining these variables, especially if the objective is to formulate meaningful policy prescriptions. If, for example, the growth rate or the saving rate are assumed to be exogenous, and thus independent of the characteristics of climate shocks and economic fundamentals, then future economic developments in the face of climate change and, consequently, the future mitigation efforts will deviate from the optimal paths. In a quantitative assessment we show that with log-utility and under favorable technological and climatic conditions the abatement expenditure represents only 0.5% of output, equivalent to $37 per ton carbon. Under less favorable conditions, coupled with a relative risk aversion which exceeds unity, the abatement propensity increases to 2.9%, equivalent to $212 per ton carbon, and it jumps to a striking 16% in the pessimistic scenario involving severe shocks and low efficiency of abatement technology. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Over the past four decades, temporal variability in March sea ice area (SIA) within the Bering Sea occasionally contradicts prevailing northeasterly wind, raising doubt about the primary regulatory role of wind speed in governing maximum SIA. We argue that at least two spatial modes, extracted through the Empirical Orthogonal Function analysis, are necessary to explain the variations in the maximum SIA in the Bering Sea. Wind field emerges as the primary regulator of EOF1, governing both the direct influence of wind divergence (WD) and the indirect influence of meridional heat transport on sea ice. EOF2 is directly governed by ocean heat transport (OHT). Considering only the direct impact on sea ice, the OHT is directly responsible for the maximum SIA changes in 1995–2007, while in 2008–2014, the wind field is the largest driver. Since 2015, historically low SIA is attributed to significantly enhanced wind convergence and reduced zonal heat transport in the Gulf of Anadyr. Wind field directly controls the maximum SIA for less than half of the observation time, with OHT driving the rest. Declining trends observed in both WD and OHT suggests a future distribution pattern for the maximum SIA in the Bering Sea, characterized by an increase in the east and a decrease in the west. Long‐term retreat of sea ice on the western side of the Bering Sea is anticipated to exert significant impacts on local ecosystems, commercial activities, and even indigenous communities. Plain Language Summary: Over the past 43 years, interpreting maximum sea ice area fluctuations in the Bering Sea involves understanding a combined response to wind field and ocean heat transport (OHT). Disentangling these processes is challenging due to the significant coupling between the ocean, atmosphere, and sea ice. We found that wind field, traditionally seen as the dominant force, directly impacts sea ice changes for less than 50% of the observation period. However, in view of the fact that OHT is susceptible to the influence of wind patterns, it can be concluded that wind field emerges as the primary modulating factor when indirect effects are taken into account. The characteristics of long‐term light ice years in the Bering Sea over the last 10 years are the result of the combined effects of enhanced wind convergence outside the Bering Sea continental shelf and reduced eastward heat transport in the Gulf of Anadyr. In addition, we also predicted the future distribution characteristics of sea ice in the Bering Sea. Key Points: The direct influence exerted by wind field on local sea ice coverage is observed to be relatively constrained in the Bering SeaThe fluctuation in the March sea ice area (SIA) has been interpreted as a combined response to local wind divergence (WD) and zonal heat transportThe recent protracted light‐ice years is due to the intensification of wind convergence and the abatement of eastward heat transport [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We investigate the power system and climate policy implications of the anticipated expansion in electricity demand from datacentres. We perform a joint optimization of Generation and Transmission Expansion Planning for the island of Ireland considering uncertainty in future datacentre growth under various climate policies. Datacentre expansion imposes significant extra costs on the power system. A renewable energy target is more costly than a technology-neutral carbon reduction policy due to the restriction to invest solely in renewable energy, and the divergence in costs increases non-linearly in electricity demand. A carbon reduction policy is more robust to uncertainties in projected demand than a renewable policy. The increased demand from datacentres, which is relatively constant, is best matched by a power supply with constant output, generally fossil-fuelled power plants, potentially in combination with carbon capture and sequestration technology, than variable supply. Datacentre demand increases power system costs by 6% under a carbon reduction policy, and by 9% to 15% under renewable energy targets. However, the abatement cost of carbon under renewable targets decreases at higher levels of demand, while the opposite is true for the abatement cost under technology-neutral targets. High renewable targets crowd out other low-carbon options, namely CCS, leading to a higher cost solution for the same reduction in emissions, although this result is sensitive to increases in fossil fuel prices. The results suggest that climate-related energy policy should focus on technology-neutral carbon reduction policies. The climate impacts of datacentres on energy demand and thus supply requirements should also feature in climate and energy policy discussions. Climate policy that focuses on renewable energy only is more expensive than a technology-neutral climate policy The costs of a renewable-only focused climate policy increase non-linearly as demand increases [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This document provides a summary of various studies and research on the impact of air pollution on human health. It emphasizes the association between exposure to fine particulate matter and health outcomes, such as neurodegenerative diseases, and the role of oxidative stress in toxicity. The document also highlights the need for targeted strategies to mitigate health effects and the importance of understanding the combined effects of gaseous and particulate pollutants. It includes 16 publications covering topics such as traffic-related pollution, indoor air pollutants, and the influence of ship traffic on air quality. The findings underscore the need for new approaches to studying air pollution and its health effects, as well as the importance of considering multiple factors in assessing and monitoring air pollution. The document acknowledges the authors of the contributions and expresses appreciation for their work. [Extracted from the article]

Efficient carbon emission reduction technologies in buildings are necessary for achieving the "Dual carbon" goal in China. In this study, a comprehensive evaluation model is proposed to assess the effect of carbon emission reduction based on the analytic hierarchy process–entropy weight–coefficient of variation model which takes newly built residential buildings in Zhuzhou City as the research object. The results show that the preferred materials for the roof and exterior walls of the building's envelope structure were flame-retardant extruded polystyrene boards, and porous shale bricks were preferred as the main materials for the exterior walls. In addition, the rooftop solar photovoltaic system and energy-saving air conditioning technology were suitable in terms of being renewable and were better utilized. In the end, carbon emissions were significantly reduced when using the building decarbonization technologies. This study provides a new reference for choosing materials and technologies for the design of residential buildings in Hunan Province and even other regions with hot summers and cold winters. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To date, the existing literature lacks any studies that compare timber and concrete apartment buildings in the Finnish context regarding their carbon footprint, handprint, and the cost of frame structures. This study rigorously analyzes and calculates the carbon footprint, carbon handprint, and costs associated with various structural solutions in a proposed multi-story building located in Laajasalo, Helsinki, Finland. While the primary focus is on wooden frame construction, exploring both its challenges and opportunities, this study also includes a comparative assessment with concrete frame construction. In Finland, regulations require a sprinkler fire extinguishing system to be installed inside. Also, weather protection is typically added to the top of building in connection with the construction of wooden apartment buildings. When the costs of a sprinkler system and weather protection are taken into account, the cost of achieving positive climate effects through a concrete frame is 290% higher than that of a solid wood frame. Our findings will provide a robust basis for assessing the sustainability and feasibility of construction methods, offering valuable insights into environmental and economic considerations for decision-makers in Finland and beyond as regulations evolve and awareness of climate impacts grows. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Renewable energy initiatives are required to achieve carbon neutrality, which is a primary goal of mitigating climate change. Renewable energy is attaining attention as it is environmentally friendly and more effective than typical forms of energy. For a sustainable environment, the latest green energy techniques like wind energy, are predominantly employed in emerging countries. The present study considered the nonlinear wind energy-CO2 emissions nexus in the top ten wind energy-consumer nations (the USA, China, India, Germany, France, Spain, the UK, Brazil, Canada, and Italy). Most previous studies use panel data tools that provide typical outcomes on the wind energy-CO2 emissions nexus, regardless of the reality that few countries have no proof of such a connection individually. The present research, conversely applies a unique econometric methodology "Quantile-on-Quantile" that can analyze time-series dependence in every nation individually to attain global yet country-specific evidence for the nexus between the variables. We specifically investigate how the wind energy quantiles impact the CO2 emissions quantiles asymmetrically by providing a suitable foundation to apprehend the overall dependent framework. The outcomes reveal that the usage of wind energy is helpful in achieving carbon neutrality at distinct quantiles in selected nations. The degree of the asymmetric association between wind energy-CO2 nexus changes by nation, requiring individual attention and awareness on the governments' part when forming the policies of wind energy to achieve carbon neutrality. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Climate change has posed a lot of dangers to economic growth and development. Such dangers include hotter temperatures, severe storms, increased drought, inadequate food supply, poverty, displacement of people and many risks to human life. These dangers occur on earth through human activities which release greenhouse gas emissions. Consequently, this paper aims to look at environmental sustainability through digital transformation, in order to reduce the effect of climate change on economies, businesses, governance, and socio-political outcomes in the 21st century. It also identified how digital transformation plays an increasingly significant role in promoting environmental sustainability. The paper adopted a systematic literature review, a qualitative approach, and a historical analysis. Findings revealed that non-conformity with environmental best practices has gross adverse effects on achieving sustainable development. It was also discovered that non-enforcement of environmental laws and regulations poses a danger to environmental sustainability. The paper concluded that adopting digital transformation will be of great advantage to environmental sustainability thus reducing the impact of climate change and accelerating sustainable development in our economies. This paper recommended strict enforcement of environmental laws and regulations. There should be a paradigm shift in the approach to achieving environmental sustainability by improving the circular economy through digital devices (enabling reuse and recycling), extending the lifespan of software and devices, and promoting technologies that help reduce carbon emissions and energy consumption. Also, the importance of less usage of energy by switching to LED light bulbs and energy-efficient electric appliances in our various homes and offices should be emphasized. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The rational synthesis of zeolites with designed morphology is a highly challenging task. In this study, we propose 1,5-bis(methylpiperidine)pentylammonium hydroxide (BMPPAOH) as an organic structure-directing agent (OSDA) based on theoretical calculations. The morphology of zeolite samples is characterized by XRD, SEM, TEM, N2 sorption isotherms, and UV Raman spectroscopy. This simple bis-quaternary ammonium salt favored the formation of spiral morphology in Beta zeolite spheres (S-Beta). The crystallization of zeolite in the presence of BMMPAOH is a two-stage process, where nanoparticles agglomerate into spheres in the early stages followed by the emergence of S-Beta crystals with spiral morphology. The synthesized Pt-S-Beta catalysts show higher catalytic activity in VOC abatement compared with other Pt-Beta samples. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Morocco's commitment to the Marrakech and Paris Agreements' sustainability goals necessitates the implementation of Net Zero Energy Building (NZEB) initiatives to mitigate climate change and promote sustainable development for the built environment industry. Utilizing Morocco's abundant solar resources, NZEBs aim to minimize energy use and carbon emissions in buildings, aligning with global climate objectives and enhancing economic stability through reduced energy costs. This approach aids Morocco in adapting to climate change and achieving international financial and environmental targets. This paper explores Morocco's energy strategy and the regulatory framework for Nearly Zero Energy Buildings, providing a NZEB definition, assessment metrics, and performance indicators, while addressing the challenges posed by existing laws on energy-efficient buildings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper documents evidence that financial constraints increase firms' toxic emissions given that firms actively trade off abatement costs against potential legal liabilities. Exploring three quasi-natural experiments in which firms' financial resources are likely exogenously affected, we find that relaxing financial constraints reduces U.S. public firms' toxic releases. The effects of financial constraints on toxic releases are amplified when regulatory enforcement and external monitoring weaken. Overall, our evidence highlights the real effects of financial constraints in the form of environmental pollution, which is a costly negative externality imposed on society and public health. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Achieving ambitious climate targets, such as the 1.5 °C goal, demands significant financial commitment. While technical feasibility exists, the economic implications of delayed action and differing scenarios remain unclear. This study addresses this gap by analyzing the investment attractiveness and economic risks/benefits of different climate scenarios through a novel emissions cost budgeting model. A simplified model is developed using five global scenarios: announced policies (type 1 and 2), 2.0 °C, and 1.5 °C. A unit marginal abatement cost estimated the monetary value of avoided and unavoided emissions costs for each scenario. Net present value (NPV) and cost–benefit index (BI) were then calculated to compare the scenario attractiveness of the global emission budgets. The model was further applied to emissions budgets for China, the USA, India, and the European Union (EU). Increasing discount rates and gross domestic product (GDP) led to emission increases across all scenarios. The 1.5 °C scenario achieved the lowest emissions, while the baseline scenario showed the highest potential emissions growth (between 139.48% and 146.5%). Therefore, emphasis on the need for further financial commitment becomes important as the emissions' abatement cost used as best case was estimated at USD 2.4 trillion per unit of 1 Gtons CO2 equivalent (eq.). Policy delays significantly impacted NPV and BI values, showcasing the time value of investment decisions. The model's behavior aligns with real-world observations, including GDP growth influencing inflation and project costs. The simplified model could be coupled to existing integrated assessment frameworks or models (IAMs) as none offer cost–benefit analysis of climate scenarios to the best of our knowledge. Also, the model may be used to examine the economic attractiveness of carbon reduction programs in various nations, cities, and organizations. Thus, the model and analytical approach presented in this work indicate promising applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Developing countries, particularly those with high ambient temperatures (HAT), are experiencing a surge in air conditioner (AC) installations. Fixed-speed ACs, which rely on on–off control, are the most used. However, fixed-speed ACs lack humidity control and experience compressor cycling, leading to poor thermal comfort and increased energy consumption. Variable-speed compressor technology eliminates compressor cycling, which increases the effective coefficient of performance, especially at part-load conditions. This study compares the transient performance of variable-speed and fixed-speed AC units in Cairo, Egypt, as an example of a HAT environment. During a 2-month experimental investigation, the variable-speed unit provided 41% electrical energy savings while maintaining a comfortable environment. Analytical modeling using a machine learning model trained by the experimental measurements predicted annual energy savings of 473 kWh/year and an overall electrical energy savings percentage of 30.5%. The study also explored different scenarios for implementing variable-speed ACs in Egypt, a developing HAT country. With a 60% market penetration for variable-speed AC as the most probable scenario, the electrical energy savings up to the year 2032 add to 1.33 TWh, leading to 79.3 million USD in cost savings and 2.64 MMT of CO2 emissions reduction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Global warming, threats to humankind as driven by the emissions of different greenhouse gases (GHGs) including carbon dioxide (CO2), is becoming a great concern to deal with the vagaries of climate. Plantation ecotypes with greater carbon(C) sink capability are leading among the potential abatement strategies for sequestration of terrestrial C. The present investigation emphasizes on total C stock and litter C status under 13 years old Swietenia macrophylla (Mahogany) pure plantation in Terai belt of West Bengal, India. Stratified tree technique was adopted to estimate the above ground biomass through non-destructive method whereas quadrate method of sampling was followed for estimating leaf litter. The present investigation showed that the total above ground biomass (AGB) of the plantation was 179.73 Mg ha−1 including 95.02 Mg ha−1 (52.83%) shared by stem and in other hand the branch contributed 55.37 Mg ha−1 (30.81%) and the remaining 29.34 Mg ha−1 (16.32%) by leaves. The below ground (root) biomass (BGB) was assessed to be 53.91 Mg ha−1. The biosphere part recorded C was 109.81 Mg ha−1, comprising the total C of AGB and BGB of 84.47 Mg ha−1 and 25.34 Mg ha−1, respectively. Soil C stock (at 0–60 cm) of 40.36 Mg ha−1 comprised 25.30 Mg ha−1 at 0–20 cm followed by 10.46 Mg ha−1 at 20–40 cm and 4.60 Mg ha−1 at 40–60 cm depth, respectively. The total litter production was 6.92 Mg ha−1 yr−1 in 2016–17 and 8.39 Mg ha−1 yr−1 in 2017–18, respectively. The amount of total C storage of plantation was observed to be 150.17 Mg ha−1, comprising 109.81 Mg ha−1 in biosphere and 40.36 Mg ha−1 in soil. The litter C stock of 3.48 Mg ha−1, was excluded from the ecosystem carbon budgeting (ECB), because it acts as a transitional between lithosphere and biosphere. Conclusively, the mahogany-based plantation is not only remunerative to the farmers but also provisions significant improvement in soil fertility along with C sequestration which deploys a crucial part in the sustainable maintenance of the ecosystem in addition to providing a guideline for ECB of the plantation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Climate change and urbanization have led to an increase in the amount of water flowing into traditional drainage systems, which results in frequent urban flooding. Low–Impact Development (LID) facilities, with their distributed feature, are one of the important means to mitigate flooding and have been widely used. In this paper, based on integrated catchment management (ICM), we compare the abatement of runoff, flooding, and ponding under two durations of rainfall and eight different return periods with runoff as the control objective (RACO) and flooding as the control objective (FACO) for the deployment of LID facilities. The waterlogged area of FACO is higher by a range of 92.462 m2 to 24,124.39 m2 compared to RACO. Both percentage reduction of overflow volume and runoff volume tend to decrease gradually with the increase in the return period. For the percentage reduction of runoff volume per unit area, sometimes RACO is greater than FACO, and sometimes vice versa, while for the percentage reduction of overflow volume per unit area, the range where FACO exceeds RACO is between 0.29 to 10.95 (%/ha). The cost of FACO has decreased by 4.94% to 46.20% compared to RACO. This shows that FACO's LID deployment method can fully utilize the capacity of LID facilities to mitigate inundation, reducing the cost of LID facilities to a certain extent. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The construction industry provides infrastructure and structures to society by consuming a substantial quantity of non‐renewable energy, which results in significant carbon dioxide emissions. Carbon dioxide (CO2) could pose a serious danger to the economy of any nation if proper measures are not put in place with the country being one of the leading producers and end‐users of fossil fuels in the world. This article seeks to evaluate the barriers to the adoption of carbon trading practices (CTP) in the construction sector with the view to ensuring low carbon usage. The article adopted quantitative approach with data obtained using questionnaire. Mean Item Score (MIS), standard deviation (SD), factor analysis and Kruskal–Wallis test was carried out in relation to the research questions. The study showed that the most significant barriers to the adoption of carbon trading are difficulties in obtaining finance, attitude to environmental sustainability and climate change, lack of cost‐effective abatement options and methods, lack of awareness of carbon market opportunties and risk in changes in the rules governing participation and credit among others. This study provides valuable insights into barriers of CTP in construction and will help stakeholders concerned with building energy performance to develop a functional framework for energy analysis in buildings to prepare possible risk analysis from the onset of project design spanning through completion. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Numerical optimization models are used to develop scenarios of the future energy system. Usually, they optimize the energy mix subject to engineering costs such as equipment and fuel. For onshore wind energy, some of these models use cost-potential curves that indicate how much electricity can be generated at what cost. These curves are upward sloping mainly because windy sites are occupied first and further expanding wind energy means deploying less favorable resources. Meanwhile, real-world wind energy expansion is curbed by local resistance, regulatory constraints, and legal challenges. This presumably reflects the perceived adverse effect that onshore wind energy has on the local human population, as well as other negative external effects. These disamenity costs are at the core of this paper. We provide a comprehensive and consistent set of cost-potential curves of wind energy for all European countries that include disamenity costs, and which can be used in energy system modeling. We combine existing valuation of disamenity costs from the literature that describe the costs as a function of the distance between turbine and households with gridded population data, granular geospatial data of wind speeds, and additional land-use constraints to calculate such curves. We find that disamenity costs are not a game changer: for most countries and assumptions, the marginal levelized cost of onshore wind energy increase by 0.2–12.5 €/MWh. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]