Search

Composite materials use recently increased, although treatments at their End of Life are inexistent or highly inefficient (from the environmental perspective). Thus, openness to cooperation is needed, supported by methodologies for design for de-manufacturing. The approach proposed in the present work aims at transforming industrial processes' scraps and off-specification pieces in primary materials, through re-design, without the risk of cannibalisation. It is mainly intended for industrial processes of composite materials; its objective is to find alternative applications to their invaluable final disposal and supports the merging of existing supply chains (Industrial Symbiosis). Nevertheless, it can be easily extended to non-composite and/or non-scraps. Re-design enables the establishment of waste-to-treasure composite scraps' life cycles and is evaluated through Life Cycle Assessment. The application of the approach involved four Italian companies and results reveal that industrial symbiosis can reduce emissions (from −45% to more than −90%). Guidelines were outlined: involve End of Life operators to know how waste treatments, share information, favour networking and proximity, apply design for disassembly principles, consider simple shapes and modularity during (re)design. Future works will focus on off-the-shelf components and the economic evaluation of the proposed de-manufacturing actions and supply strategies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

While scholars have explored how focal firms harness demand-side value through ecosystem development, less emphasis has been placed on understanding how peripheral complementors become competitive. Unlike focal firms, complementors can seldom set value extraction rules. How can complementors lacking critical supply-side resources establish themselves as ecosystem leaders? We conducted a longitudinal analysis of Xiaomi, which began life as a smartphone software complementor within the Android ecosystem but ultimately gained architectural control by orchestrating the creation of a derivative ecosystem. We elucidate how these resource-disadvantaged firms may begin with fueling an "identity movement" among underserved users centered around a pivotal "foothold resource." This movement serves as their entry point into an ecosystem and enables them to build a demand-side community. They then employ "demand pull" as concrete evidence to substantiate their vision, coalesce supply-side resources, and ultimately become an orchestrator. While conventional strategy research emphasizes supply-side resources as drivers of value creation, we explore the synergy between demand-side mobilization and supply-side orchestration. Finally, we illustrate how firms lacking resources craft compelling visions in conjunction with substantive actions to engage evolving target audiences. This approach allows them to secure more advantageous positions within the ecosystem, thereby transforming its structure over time. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Startup accelerators, which aim to improve the set of choices representing a startup's entry strategy, have become increasingly influential in both regional development and the strategies of individual startups. This article explores an accelerator's impact on startup performance and whether that impact varies substantially by features of the startup's founding environment. Leveraging data from a leading startup accelerator, I use a regression discontinuity framework to hold startup quality constant so that I can compare the performance of admitted startups to those that do not make the cut, and I examine whether any observed performance differentials are driven by accelerator admission and by characteristics of the startup's earlier environment. I find evidence that startups from better pre-accelerator environments experience stronger gains from accelerator admission. I also find evidence of home bias, as local startups have a stronger treatment effect. These results provide evidence of ecosystem effects whereby the impact of one organizational sponsor in an ecosystem is strongly moderated by other features in the ecosystem. The findings help to explain the concentration of accelerator programs in already successful entrepreneurial ecosystems and reveal how such programs may interact with founding environments to complement resource abundance or magnify prior resource inequalities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sustainability has become a paramount concern in the manufacturing industry, with a growing emphasis on eco-friendly products to preserve our planet’s life-support systems. However, evaluating the "greenness" of a manufactured product is a complex task due to data availability, varying definitions of "green" products, and diverse environmental impacts. This research addresses this challenge by identifying, classifying, and prioritizing Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) to assess green manufactured products, specifically within the Indian manufacturing context. A systematic approach was employed, incorporating Pareto analysis and the Full Consistency Method (FUCOM) to identify the most significant KPIs and assign them priority. Industry, academia, and customer perspectives were considered, resulting in distinct priorities. Industry experts prioritize economic aspects, while academia emphasizes health and safety. Customers focus on air quality and greenhouse gas emissions. This diversity of perspectives underscores the need for businesses to tailor their sustainability strategies to meet evolving customer demands while considering economic implications. The study identifies 30 vital KPIs crucial for evaluating green product manufacturing, encompassing dimensions like waste management, energy efficiency, workplace safety, and societal compliance. By considering these KPIs, businesses can make informed decisions to improve sustainability, reduce their environmental footprint, and align with consumer expectations. The findings provide a roadmap for businesses and policymakers to develop more effective strategies, targeting diverse stakeholder groups and promoting the production and use of green products. This research contributes to the growing body of knowledge in sustainable manufacturing and serves as a valuable tool for manufacturers in India and beyond, aiding them in navigating the complexities of manufacturing green products and meeting the rising demand from environmentally conscious consumers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This research explores strategies for carbon reduction through the utilization of rice straw waste in Thailand, focusing on three project approaches: (1) converting rice straw into biomass fuel pellets for power plants, (2) transforming rice straw into biochar using high-tech systems and blending it with fertilizers, and (3) using conventional systems for biochar production. The study assesses the greenhouse gas (GHG) reduction potential of these approaches compared to traditional open-field burning of rice straw. The results indicate that Project 2, which involves high-tech biochar production, exhibits the highest potential for GHG reduction and carbon sequestration, with a potential to reduce emissions by approximately 12.19–13.05 MTCO2e/year. This approach also has potential for generating valuable carbon credits due to biochar’s long-term carbon sequestration and soil enhancement benefits. In contrast, Project 1 yields a reduction of about 4.06–4.35 MTCO2e/year, while Project 3 results in negative emission reduction. The study recommends prioritizing and incentivizing biochar production projects, upgrading low-tech systems, balancing the use of biomass fuel pellets, leveraging carbon credits for funding, and enhancing public awareness. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With the integration of a large number of microgrids in the power distribution network operation, economic and strategic challenges arise. To address these challenges, this research provides a comprehensive investigation into the operational, economic, and strategic dynamics of microgrids. Through careful data analysis, the study interprets the complications of microgrid responses to seasonal changes. It also investigates energy consumption patterns and production dynamics. The detailed analysis of microgrid configurations reveals the unique attributes and challenges of PV, wind, and hydropower microgrids. Moreover, the research explains the financial implications of microgrid integration, from setup costs to potential ROI. It is also examining the cooperative relationship between microgrids and conventional grids. Key findings highlight that solar microgrids contribute 3.2% to 5.3%, wind microgrids provide 5.9% to 7.4%, and hydropower microgrids contribute 24.4% of total power. Energy purchase peaks at 850,000 kWh in August and declines to 580,000 kWh in May. 170,000 kWh of energy is sold back to the grid in May. Moreover, the grid energy costs reduced from $0.178 kWh to $0.30 kWh. The total net present cost of the system is achieved at $37,880,023.33. Renewable energy production ranges from 480 kW to 2,300 kW, with a penetration level reaching 160%. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper aims to develop and validate a comprehensive framework for managing and assessing circular maturity in industrial ecosystems at the corporate level. Leveraging theoretical constructs related to principles, factors, strategies, and circular business models, the paper introduces a methodological approach for evaluating circular economy development within corporate industrial ecosystems. The framework is empirically tested and illustrated through a case study focusing on the corporate industrial ecosystems of Novolipetsk Steel (NLMK) and Metalloinvest in Russia for the period 2016–2020. The study reveals that both companies have made strides in integrating sustainable development goals (SDGs) related to the circular economy into their operational strategies, albeit with varying degrees of documentation and strategic focus. Content analysis of annual sustainability reports and estimation of the number of environmental, social and corporate governance (ESG) indicators and global reporting initiative (GRI) standards used by the industrial ecosystems further support these findings and suggest a growing interest in circular economy development, particularly within the NLMK ecosystem. The study finds that NLMK exhibits a more pronounced increase in circular economy practices compared to Metalloinvest, with a significant rise in the use of terms related to circularity in their reports, indicating strategic shifts towards these principles. The innovative aspect of this paper lies in its development of a multi-level methodological framework for circular maturity assessment, which incorporates both theoretical and empirical dimensions. This approach not only provides a structured way to measure and enhance circular economy practices but also bridges the gap between theory and practical application. The paper concludes by offering insights into the construction of systemic mechanisms for enhancing circular maturity at the corporate level, thereby contributing both to theoretical discourse and practical applications in the field of industrial sustainability. Key findings include the identification of specific areas where circular economy practices can be strengthened and the demonstration of how a systematic approach to circularity can lead to substantial improvements in sustainability outcomes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Longer lifetimes of consumer products are promoted as an element of sustainable consumption, yet there is a widespread notion that lifetimes are currently in decline, often attributed to planned obsolescence or throwaway mentality. However, empirical evidence is inconclusive and often subject to high uncertainties. Here, we explore long‐term trends in the lifetimes of large household appliances using dynamic material flow analysis. We investigate the sales and ownership of these products since their introduction in Norwegian households and use this co‐evolution to estimate the lifetimes. By combining two model types with uncertainty analysis, we show that a significant lifetime decrease was likely experienced only by washing machines (–45%) and ovens (–39%) around the 1990s–2000s. This finding challenges the narratives about planned obsolescence despite their prevalence decreasing consumer incentives for longer product use and repair. We suggest multiple technical, economic, and social factors that could be responsible for the decrease, for example, a reduction in relative prices of appliances or changes in habits surrounding laundry and kitchen use. Our results suggest that factors affecting product lifetimes are not uniform but context‐dependent, which has implications for lifetime extension policy. The presented method could help monitor the long‐term effectiveness of such a policy. This article met the requirements for a gold‐gold JIE data openness badge described at http://jie.click/badges. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Eco-industrial parks (EIPs) are considered effective means to enhance economic growth, improve competitiveness, maintain environmental quality, and improve social quality. They have many direct and indirect benefits, which makes the majority or most countries seek to implement these projects. Given its importance, international organizations such as United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO), World Bank Group (WBG), and Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) have developed an international framework for EIP projects which consists of several tools. Among the tools of the framework is EIP selection tool that evaluates the current performance of industrial parks, whether already existing or newly made ones in the following areas: management, environmental, social, economic, replicability, and visibility. The tool highlights the score per category of criteria of the selected park and therefore the scope of intervention on the park. In this study, the EIP selection tool will be used to study the performance of the industrial parks located in the Province of Algiers to consider their potential to be transformed into EIP. Upon applying the tool to assess 3 industrial zones (Rouiba – Reghaia, Oued Semar & Elharrache) and 2 zones of activities (Kaidi & Dar Elbaida) in the province of Algiers, we found that all of the 3 industrial zones have the capabilities of transferring into EIP but the most appropriate zone is Rouiba – Reghaia zone. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Blockchain has the potential to bring numerous benefits to life cycle assessment (LCA), such as traceability, transparency, and accurate inventory data and assessment results. Consequently, there has been a gradual emergence of research focusing on the integration of blockchain and LCA in recent years. The aim of this study is to provide an up-to-date and comprehensive state of research on blockchain-LCA integration. Methods: This study undertook a systematic review of published articles on blockchain-LCA integration, analyzing the papers indexed so far in the Web of Science and SCOPUS. Thirty-one articles were identified, on which a bibliometric analysis was carried out. Furthermore, this study extracted and synthesized the data for the themes of benefits, barriers, frameworks and models, and case studies, and conducted detailed analysis for each theme. Results and discussion: The results indicated that the current state of research in this field is still in its early stages. Most articles proposed various potential benefits across different stages of the integration. However, the integration faced various technical, organizational, and system-related barriers. Only a limited number of articles presented frameworks, models, and case studies. Currently, there is a significant lack of case studies rooted in real-world data. Based on the results of the review, this study offered relevant suggestions for future development of the blockchain-LCA integration. Additionally, this study proposed a novel and practical generic framework to provide guidance for the continued advancement in this field. Conclusion: This work reveals that the number of studies of blockchain-LCA integration is increasing, but this field is still in the early stages. Many potential benefits and barriers to the integration were proposed, but most of them lack validation within the existing research. In particular, there is a great need for real-world case studies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The low‐carbon transition requires widespread adoption of lithium‐ion batteries (LIBs), which rely on critical raw materials. Lithium (Li) demand is expected to increase 10‐fold by 2050 globally, raising concerns over the sustainability of future supply. As one of the world's largest producers and consumers of LIBs, China's role is pivotal in addressing resource constraints, enhancing circularity, and enabling global climate commitments. This paper uses a dynamic material flow analysis model to trace Li flows and stocks in China's LIBs system, taking 2021 as the base year and designing scenarios to 2050 to assess the potential role of circular economy (CE) strategies in addressing primary lithium constraints. While previous studies have concentrated on electric vehicle (EVs) LIBs, this research provides more comprehensive coverage of Li chemicals and products, assesses future Li demand considering saturation curves across different applications/groups, and provides a broader overview of policy interventions to align with CE strategies. Results illustrate that Li cumulative demand in China's LIBs sector is expected to reach 6.65 Mt from 2022 to 2050 under the business‐as‐usual (BAU) scenario. In parallel, there is a significant potential for addressing primary Li constraints through different combinations of circularity strategies, with a reduction of 60%–100% by 2050 compared to the BAU. The contribution of recycled Li is highly dependent on the strategies adopted to optimize end‐of‐life (EOL) LIBs management and battery chemistry innovation. Policies to address this are discussed including waste regulatory instruments, new remanufacturing business models, and continuous support to research and development activities to help close the loop of lithium and ease Li constraints. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Biological diversity—the complex tapestry of life and ecosystems—is facing an urgent global crisis, with increasing extinction rates and the loss of variety on all levels of biodiversity from genetic to ecosystem diversity. This study analyzes 2843 environmental, social, and governance (ESG) reports by companies from 43 countries, focusing on Global Reporting Initiative (GRI) standards, and examines the quality of biodiversity‐related disclosure (BRD) from 2010 to 2019. The study achieves three objectives. First, it provides a global assessment of the quality of BRD, which declines after 2015 despite increased recognition of the importance of biodiversity. Second, it identifies the influence of climate‐related risks and management incentives as internal determinants of BRD quality. Third, in examining the consequences of BRD, it highlights the impact of BRD quality on investor risk perception and stakeholder perceptions (i.e., corporate reputation). Improved BRD quality increases perceived risk. For companies with biodiversity impacts, however, the effect is the opposite, suggesting that investors do not fully understand the risks of biodiversity dependency. These findings suggest the need for equal recognition of biodiversity alongside climate change in reporting standards and policies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article explores the challenges companies face when establishing cooperative relationships to implement industrial ecology initiatives. It examines the effectiveness of methodological devices in fostering inter‐firm relations and creating a favorable environment for executing industrial ecology strategies. The theoretical framework of proximities is used to analyze the nature of the connections that form between firms based on these strategies. Based on interviews and social network analysis from three case studies in France, the study concludes that geographical proximity is important for cooperative relationships, but it is not enough on its own. The activation of organized proximities requires intermediary actors and methodological devices. In addition, these collaborations need consistent and effective support to ensure their long‐term sustainability; without such support, they tend to be short lived. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Construction and demolition waste management (CDWM) is a grand challenge on a global scale. Traditional CDWM has heavily relied on anthropological approaches, which may prevent stakeholders from acquiring a comprehensive understanding of a macro standpoint for developing effective strategies. The emergence of geospatial technologies offers a more objective and precise approach for CDWM to enhance resource management and support environmental and socio‐economic sustainability. However, a holistic review of how these geospatial technologies have been applied to CDWM is still lacking. To fully harness the potential of geospatial technologies for CDWM, this study aims to examine how different categories of geospatial technologies serve different application scenarios in CDWM through a systematic literature review. Through delving into 73 papers spanning 2004 to 2024, the results find this research discipline has been a hotspot since 2017. Existing CDWM literature has predominantly utilized geographic information systems (GIS) technology, followed by remote sensing technology and a hybrid technology strategy. Geospatial technologies have been extensively integrated with other non‐geospatial technologies. Existing literature is mainly distributed across four application scenarios: identification and classification, site selection, quantification, and decision support. Finally, three research gaps have been also pinpointed, directing future studies to devote specific efforts to improving data accuracy, combining geospatial technologies with traditional methods as well as expanding application scenarios from a life cycle perspective. This paper offers academics and practitioners a clear roadmap on how to utilize geospatial technologies for propelling the discipline of CDWM toward high efficiency and precision. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Despite their relevance in building stock modeling, building lifetimes are poorly understood and tend to form the weakest link in forecasting energy use, greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, waste generation, and resource use. Here, we develop a methodology to trace building lifetimes for cohorts in two central areas built up after fires in the 1840s. Using Geographical Information System (GIS) data of the current building stock and archival material, we determined yearly hazard rates for buildings within the cohort 1841–1845 in the historical center of Trondheim, Norway. We find that hazard rates are very sensitive to events ranging from global to hyperlocal scales and that demolition rates have slowed down significantly since the 1980s when municipal preservation policies came into effect. In contrast, age‐based lifetime approaches fail to capture the effects of such events as they only account for the delay between construction and demolition. We discuss the use and limitations of hazard rates to better reflect changes in demolition that are not correlated with building age. Our study underscores that building lifetimes are a property of a wider system rather than an attribute of individual structures. In that sense, hazard rates are a more suitable approach to capture spatiotemporal changes of building stocks and could be further used in scenarios in dynamic models. This article met the requirements for a gold‐gold JIE data openness badge described at http://jie.click/badges. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The use of fossil fuels has generated large amounts of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions into the atmosphere, resulting in harmful environmental impacts. Faced with this situation, it is necessary to search for new sources of energy and fuels to mitigate the adverse effects of this excessive use and create opportunities for a cleaner energy transition. In this context, the production of green hydrogen (GH) stands out as an effective and more sustainable alternative, although it still faces obstacles to its wider use. These challenges can be solved with the application of industrial symbiosis (IS). The objective of this review was to identify the scenario and understand the application of the IS concept in GH production. To achieve this purpose, a bibliometric review of publications indexed in Scopus was carried out, also seeking to identify global positions in relation to the use of this technological approach. The results indicate that the theme presents emerging characteristics, such as the low concentration of data in a single author or country, characterizing a developing study concept. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Circular economy and criticality assessments require comprehensive monitoring of anthropogenic material flows and stocks at a regional level. Therefore, this study presents a multiregional trade‐linked dynamic MFA model for zinc. The model covers the entire life cycle from mining to recycling for the regions China, Europe, North America, Latin America, and Asia. The dynamic approach allows the analysis of the development of the cycles from 1995 to 2020. The interregional trade is quantified at each life cycle stage by using the Comtrade database. Sensitivity analysis is applied to account for uncertainties in the exogenous data. The results reveal large regional disparities in the zinc industry. While China shows enormous growth, Europe has already reached a steady state in zinc consumption and anthropogenic stock. The current global consumption is strongly driven by China, leading to a strong increase of its zinc stock in use. However, Europe has the largest zinc stock in use, especially on a per capita basis. North America's zinc consumption is decoupled from its economic growth, as evidenced by the recent decline in its zinc stock in use. In terms of recycling, Europe shows the highest volumes and the best circular performance, as indicated by high recycling rates, partly due to the extensive use of more easily recyclable product types. In all regions, there is potential for increased recycling by treatment of zinc‐bearing steelmaking dusts. China's strict regulation successfully triggered large‐scale implementation of respective recovery processes, leading to increasing recycling rates. This article met the requirements for a gold‐gold JIE data openness badge described at http://jie.click/badges. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Buildings provide indispensable services for human well‐being, but their construction and use are responsible for a substantial fraction of societies’ resource requirements and greenhouse gas emissions. Mapping and quantifying the material stocks in buildings is a key research frontier in industrial ecology. Reliable and spatially highly resolved maps of material stocks in buildings worldwide are so far not available. Existing approaches based on nighttime light data allow large‐scale coverage, but their spatial resolution is usually ∼0.5–1 km. Other methods using light detection and ranging (LiDAR) and cadaster data achieve higher resolution and accuracy, but do not allow wall‐to‐wall mapping of large regions. Based on high‐resolution Earth Observation data combined with material intensity factors (kg per m3 of building volume), we quantify and map material stocks in buildings at the unprecedented resolution of 90 m globally. We distinguish 18 types of materials in five types of buildings. We find that global material stocks in buildings amount to 547 (391–672) Gt, approximately half of total global societal material stocks. We find highly unequal distributions of material stocks in buildings per capita and per unit area of each country. Our results agree well with previous detailed estimates of material stocks in buildings in dedicated regions or individual cities. Improved and harmonized material intensity factors emerge as a key research area for improving the accuracy of material stock maps. Our results are available as data products with high spatial and thematic resolution to facilitate future studies; for example, of secondary resource potentials. This article met the requirements for a gold‐gold JIE data openness badge described at http://jie.click/badges. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Two common iron oxide-bearing wastes—a drinking water treatment residual and a passive mine water treatment sludge (MWTS)—were utilised with and without modification as media in microcosm experiments to treat artificial benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene, and xylene (BTEX)-contaminated wastewater. In all cases, the removal of BTEX was observed over the 160-day experiments, with benzene being the most recalcitrant. The solubilisation of iron was observed, which, alongside the syntropic relationship between the methanogens and firmicutes, allowed several anaerobic processes to occur, including iron reduction in concert with the biodegradation of BTEX. Nitrogen sparging prior to microcosm establishment, compared to aeration, was seen to lead to the greater subsequent removal of BTEX, indicating that anaerobic conditions favoured removal. The rates of BTEX removal indicated that these iron oxide-bearing wastes, an abundant waste stream, may be an interesting candidate for cost-effective media for BTEX remediation in applications such as permeable reactive barriers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Transitioning to a circular economy (CE) can contribute to the achievement of long‐term climate targets. A comprehensive evaluation of CE strategies requires a macro‐level approach that integrates environmental, social, and economic goals. Policy support, behavioral changes, innovation, and new business models play key roles in this transition. Additionally, understanding the potential synergies, benefits, and trade‐offs associated with these strategies is essential for their effective implementation. This paper proposes a novel approach, using macroeconomic modeling, industrial ecology, and behavioral concepts to evaluate the impacts of CE strategies on socioeconomic and climate systems. As an application, the paper investigates the environmental and economic effects in Japan of increasing the extended producer responsibility (EPR) fee on energy‐using durable goods. We show that increasing the fee makes households substitute conventional goods for circular services. Also, while increasing EPR fees for energy‐using durable goods may decrease the materials needed to produce and operate these goods, the overall impact on sustainability goals is rather low. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To fight plastic pollution and reach net‐zero ambitions, policy and industry set goals to increase the recycling of plastics and the recycled content in products. While this ideally reduces demand for virgin material, it also increases pressure on recyclers to find suitable endmarkets for the recyclate. This may lead to two effects: a multiplication of recycled content in applications already made of plastic and a substitution of non‐plastic materials with cheap, low‐quality recyclate. Both areas of application may be sources of microplastic (MP) pollution. Combined with the inherent degradation of recyclate during its lifecycle, but also during recycling, we expect the increase in recycled content will subsequently lead to an increase in MP pollution. We propose a framework to investigate the risk of MP generation through plastic applications throughout their subsequent lifecycle of production, use phase, and end of life. We apply the framework to two prominent examples of recyclate endmarkets, that is, textiles and wood–plastic, and point out where the degradation effects can cause higher release. To conclude, we outline a research agenda to support policymakers in their decision making on specifying targets for recycling and recycled content. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Symbiotic relationships between enterprises help mitigate resource and environmental impacts of industrial activities via exchanging waste or by‐products as material inputs among each other. However, the emergence of such symbiotic relationships under complex driving factors across different geographical scales remains hitherto not well understood. Here, we provide an analytic framework including a random forest model and Shannon index, to systematically describe and explain the scale effects of driving factors underlying the symbiotic relationships. Based on a questionnaire survey for 324 enterprises in Chun'an, a typical industrial city in eastern China, we applied this analytical framework. The results show that, first, the quantity of symbiotic relationships exhibits an inversely proportional function across various geographical scales. Second, there exist significant differences in the dominant factors at different scales. Finally, the diversity of importance of factors and the emergence of symbiotic relationships exhibit a consistent trend of fluctuation, providing evidence for the explanatory potential of our proposed analytical framework for the driving mechanisms of emergence. We find that when enterprises are simultaneously affected by multiple driving factors with potent forces (referred to as the diversity of importance), symbiotic behaviors are more likely to occur. Moreover, our results suggest that fostering symbiotic relationships necessitates considering the variations in driving factors across different scales comprehensively and formulating targeted promotional measures tailored to the specific driving factors of different enterprise types. Our proposed framework would help to maximize industrial symbiosis potentials in a specific region. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Accurate assessments of global primary material extraction, trade of primary materials and products, material use, waste, and emissions support the development of policies that facilitate the decoupling of economic activity, natural resource use, and related environmental impacts. Here, we quantify all crucial aspects of global and country‐by‐country material requirements needed to fuel economic activities, covering both territorial‐ and demand‐based indicators. These data have been assembled by a consortium of research partners that compile the global material flow and resource productivity online database for the International Resource Panel, which contributes to the global dataset for the System of Environmental–Economic Accounting (SEEA) framework and is employed to monitor progress for the Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) indicators 8.4 and 12.2. We present the main findings of the 2024 update, including methodological improvements and result differences, and discuss the main findings and limitations. Since the last update, we have identified a slowing of global materials extraction since about 2014, a continuation of solid growth in direct trade of materials and products, persistent inequality in resource use between high‐ and low‐income countries, and a prolonged improvement in global material productivity. The full dataset used herein can be downloaded from the Global Material Flow Database hosted by the United Nations Environment Program International Resource Panel. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Carbon disclosures are essential for investors to evaluate firms' efforts to combat climate change. In this study, we focus on a specific type of carbon disclosures—namely, emission allowance disclosures—that capture how firms implement emission reductions under the European Union emission trading system (EU ETS). Given the continuously changing institutional features of the EU ETS and the lack of authoritative guidance on how firms should account for emission allowances in their financial statements, it is exceedingly difficult for investors to understand numerical emission allowance disclosures and to compare them across—and even within—firms. Motivated by this criticism, we hypothesize and find that textual disclosures complementing numerical emission allowance disclosures are associated with lower information asymmetries between firms and their investors. Further analyses show that textual disclosures that: (i) describe the accounting approach, and (ii) contain institutional information on the EU ETS, respectively, are particularly important for improving the information environment of numerical emission allowance disclosures. Overall, our findings suggest that text can improve the understanding of numbers in a carbon disclosure context. Therefore, our study not only contributes to the (industrial ecology) literature but also has important implications for regulators, policymakers, investors, financial analysts, and firms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Environmental impacts resulting from plastic food packaging, made from both fossil‐based and bio‐based polymers, are increasingly analyzed in life cycle assessment (LCA) studies. However, the literature reveals significant variations in results for the same polymer within the same scope. To enhance the reliability of these assessments, data quality assessment (DQA) plays a relevant role. However, despite most of the LCA studies employing aggregated life cycle inventory (LCI) datasets, in the literature, DQA methods for aggregated processes are not available. To fill this gap, in this paper, a DQA for aggregated LCI datasets is proposed and demonstrated through its application to 101 aggregated LCI datasets, extracted from Ecoinvent and GaBi databases. The DQA method has been developed by adapting and integrating the pedigree matrix and the data quality ranking proposed by the recently published EC Plastic LCA method. The three data quality indicators (DQIs) used are technological, geographical, and time‐related representativeness. The application of this method exhibits an overall positive evaluation of the selected datasets with differences among the three DQIs. Moreover, it highlights the role of metadata structure in adequately supporting a robust DQA. Indeed, in the absence of a common framework that defines, assesses, and provides access to data quality information, transparency must be assured by the operator in the metadata interpretation and related assumptions along the DQA process. Finally, although the proposed DQA method was developed for the plastic sector, its application can be extended to LCI aggregated datasets relevant to other sectors, materials, and products. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The rollout of electric vehicles and photovoltaic panels is essential to mitigate climate change. However, they depend on technology‐critical elements (TCEs), which can be harmful to human health and whose use is rapidly expanding, while recycling is lacking. While mining has received substantial attention, in‐use dissipation in urban areas has so far not been assessed, for example, corrosion and abrasion of vehicle components and weather‐related effects affecting thin‐film photovoltaic panels. Therefore, the question arises to which extent TCEs dissipate during use and which potential non‐occupational human health impacts could occur. We assessed the available information on urban in‐use dissipation and human health concerns and conducted exploratory modeling of in‐use technology stocks, in‐ and outflows, and in‐use dissipation of neodymium, dysprosium, lanthanum, praseodymium, cerium, gallium, germanium, and tellurium contained in 21 vehicle and renewable energy technologies, for Vienna, Austria. In prospective scenarios, TCE dynamics in a trend‐continuation vis à vis official city policy plans and a more ambitious transition scenario were then assessed. We find that electrifying the vehicle fleet without demand‐reduction is the main driver of TCE consumption, effectively doubling cumulative end‐of‐life outflows to 3,073 [2,452–3,966] t and cumulative in‐use dissipation to 9.3 [5.2–15.7] t by the year 2060. Sufficiency‐based measures could reduce demand and in‐use dissipation well below levels with continued trends, thus highlighting the need to combine decarbonization with demand‐reducing measures. These results help assess potential future in‐use dissipation dynamics and inform discussions about potential public health hazards associated with exposure to TCEs accumulating in the urban environment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Information communication and technology (ICT) services and solutions can improve resource efficiency in a variety of sector, but also result in direct environmental impacts. This study assesses the direct environmental impacts of an ICT service that improves vehicle fuel efficiency using a cradle‐to‐grave life cycle assessment (LCA). This is one of the first studies to examine the entire life cycle of an ICT service from development to use and maintenance, with a focus on software—an aspect that is typically neglected in previous studies. The results suggest that software development and maintenance and the use of in‐vehicle communicators for data transmission have the largest environmental impacts across multiple categories. Deployed across a fleet of 150,000 vehicles over 5 years, we estimate that the ICT service is responsible for 174 tCO2e. However, this is negligible compared with the total emissions of the fleet and the potential savings from the service, given a single diesel vehicle in this fleet emits around 130 tCO2e over the same period. We explore several scenarios to reduce the footprint of the ICT service. The largest potential reduction of around one‐third is achieved by replacing in‐house servers with cloud computing in a data center located in a region with low‐carbon electricity. The study demonstrates how LCA can be used to assess the environmental impacts of ICT services and the importance of considering software in these assessments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Transforming into eco‐industrial parks (EIPs) by applying collaborative measures and stakeholder engagement is a practical and political response to the decline of current industrial parks, and a solution for fostering sustainable industrial development. While the brownfield approach (EIP development through retrofits and new strategies of existing establishments) is common, greenfield development—where sustainability is inherent in planning, design, and construction—is gaining interest. The present study uses the case of GreenLab in Denmark to explore the emergence and development of greenfield EIPs, showcasing the potential of a middle‐out approach and emphasizing the role of curation in contrast to top‐down and bottom‐up processes. The study draws on a process‐model analytical framework, encompassing the evolutionary phases, the actors involved, and the co‐creation of the journey. The development of GreenLab is found to have passed through three phases of evolution: pre‐emergence, emergence, and probation, increasing the "networkness" in the business park. We point to several critical factors that drove these phases, among which shared vision, road mapping, and engagement and political support from local, regional, and national actors are critical. Furthermore, strategic planning, continuous funding, and strong collaboration with research institutions have been essential. The replication potential of GreenLab is substantial, and the experiences accumulated over the years can guide other greenfield EIPs and new research avenues considering greenfield EIPs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To meet climate targets, consumption‐based household emissions need to fall rapidly. An important but still poorly understood question is whether generational change could contribute to decreases in emissions. It is sometimes assumed that younger generations such as Millennials and Generation Z are more concerned about climate change and have greener lifestyles than previous generations of the Silent Generation, Baby boomers, and Generation X, but carbon footprinting analysis typically focuses on age groups rather than comparing generations over time. This paper provides a first assessment of the change in consumption‐based carbon footprints of the Silent, Baby boomer, Generation X, and Millennial generations within the United Kingdom between 2001 and 2020 and a comparison of the footprints of different generational groups. The analysis is based on environmentally extended input–output analysis, using the Living Costs and Food Survey and emission data from the UK multi‐regional input–output database. We find some evidence for the hypothesis that younger generations have smaller footprints than older generations as Generation X and Millennial households have smaller carbon footprints compared to the generation before them at a similar life stage. We find that factors such as decarbonization, household occupancy, total expenditure, and changing consumption patterns contribute to the UK's changing carbon consumption emissions between 2001 and 2020, and the importance of these factors varies for different generational groups. However, future research that uses a longer time series is required to assess generational differences in carbon footprints over the whole lifespan of several generations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper calculates the future levelized cost of storage (LCOS) and conducts a prospective life cycle assessment (PLCA) for second‐life batteries (SLB) in Flanders, Belgium. A cradle‐to‐grave approach is chosen for climate change (CC) and economic impacts of SLB. Impacts of processes related to the first and the second life are allocated according to the delivered electricity. Furthermore, impacts are determined according to their temporal occurrence. For LCOS, activities are time adjusted by discounting. For PLCA, new background databases are generated and changed based on the activities occurrence in time. Additionally, future CC impact of three Belgian energy paths is modeled, introducing user‐defined scenarios of PLCA. To conceptualize impacts, three use cases are defined: (a) residential, (b) industrial and (c) utility use case (UTI). The residential and industrial use cases (INDs) represent photovoltaic (PV) installations with battery storage, the UTI is a large‐scale battery participating in the Belgian secondary reserve market. Lowest LCOS of the SLB in 2050 are found in the IND, namely 39.66 €/MWh, and are below the benchmark batteries. CC impact of SLB in the residential is 58.7 gCO2eq$\text{gCO}_2{\rm eq}$/kWh and below the benchmark batteries. The CC impact of SLB is 75.2 and 78.5 gCO2eq$\text{gCO}_2{\rm eq}$/kWh in the industrial and UTI and thus higher than the benchmark batteries. Crucial for both assessments are increased dismantling and repurposing facility throughput, fair charging tariffs, the manufacturing, the charging electricity generated by PV installations, and power electronics. On the contrary, changing the background does not lead to major changes in CC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A systemic understanding of the use of wood resources is required to defossilize society and promote bio‐based developments. This study provides a novel approach to represent a comprehensive material flow analysis (MFA) spanning the entire wood value chain; encompassing wood harvest to products, use in society, collection, reuse, recycle, energy generation, and trade. By recognizing wood as a complex material, with changing properties throughout its lifespan, we developed a method where we employed a color‐coded system for processes (27 boxes) and 110 flows to symbolize distinct life stages and the dynamic characteristics, including 23 different trade flows. The wood processes and flows are categorized (11 categories) into different wood types (e.g., softwood and hardwood) and harmonized to include all available data on each single step of the wood life cycle, improving data traceability and visualization, and allowing for replicable analysis with respective data noted for each process and flow. Methodological obstacles due to different units, uncertainty of flows, and discrepancies in data are addressed and adjustments proposed. Switzerland was chosen as a case study as a large number of various types of data were available to perform the analysis. The categorized and harmonized flows of woody biomass mapped and analyzed in the MFA provide a comprehensive basis to identify and recommend avenues to increase cascading use of wood as a carbon sink, by considering relevant aspects like the network of flows and processes, the quality and availability of the woody biomass, and the organization of the industry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As environmentally extended input–output tables are increasingly used for footprint and supply chain analysis, there has been a growing demand for precise, reliable, and intertemporally consistent environmental accounts. Energy accounts are particularly relevant. As well as providing insights into embodied energy, in the case of the multi‐regional input–output (MRIO) database EXIOBASE, they are the basis of the air emissions from fuel combustion. In this study we review previous methods and provide a more integrated and robust implementation for the EXIOBASE energy accounts that ensures higher levels of consistency between economic and physical data. Our results show that the new procedure significantly improves the precision of the energy use coefficients and multipliers, while reducing the number of outliers. The procedure is made publicly available for full transparency and made open source such that users and developers may raise issues and suggest improvements to the procedure. Furthermore, the procedure is standardized so it can be applied to any MRIO model with only minor adjustments to the input data. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Biodiversity loss is one of the planetary boundaries that is most urgently in need of action. However, very little is known about the consumers' willingness to pay (WTP) for products with higher (or lower) levels of biodiversity performance. Therefore, this research was conducted to investigate how consumers' WTP is influenced by a product's impact on biodiversity. To address this question, we collected representative data from 524 German consumers in a survey‐based experiment. Drawing on prospect theory, we identified the shape of the WTP reaction function for a given product in relation to its biodiversity performance. We demonstrate that consumers with sufficiently high levels of education and concern about biodiversity loss are willing to pay more for products with above‐average biodiversity performance and less for products with below‐average biodiversity performance. However, the extent to which a product outperforms the industry average does not influence consumers' increased WTP. From a sustainable development perspective, these observed patterns highlight the problematic contrast between the pressing need for substantial improvements in product biodiversity performance and the limited incentives provided by consumers. Consequently, the findings suggest that the incentives that consumers currently provide for corporate biodiversity management are insufficient to assist in staying within the planetary boundaries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Extending multi‐regional input–output (MRIO) models with spatially explicit life cycle impact assessment (LCIA) models allows practitioners to quantify biodiversity impacts at every step of global supply chains. Inconsistencies may be introduced, however, when high‐resolution characterization factors (CFs) are aggregated so as to match the low spatial granularity of MRIO models. These aggregation errors are greater when CFs are aggregated via proxies, such as ecoregion land shares, instead of based on spatially explicit elementary stressor flows. Here, we describe our approach to tailoring application‐specific CFs for use in MRIO studies. We apply a global agricultural production model, Spatial Production Allocation Model (MapSPAM), with the LCIA database, LC‐IMPACT, to create crop‐specific national CFs. We investigated i) if the differing aggregation approaches and the increased spatial explicitness of the constructed CFs deviate substantially from those in LC‐IMPACT, and ii) what the resulting consequences for national production and consumption‐based biodiversity footprints are when combining the tailor‐made CFs with the EXIOBASE MRIO model. For the year 2020, we observe an increase in global production‐based biodiversity impacts of 23.5% for land use when employing crop‐specific CFs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The decarbonization of transport is a key goal facing climate change. The electrification of the powertrain for passenger cars is part of this goal to reduce carbon emissions. This involves a big change in the global supply chain, specifically in countries with a high weight of the traditional automotive sector, such as Spain, where above 10% of the GDP comes from this industry. There is a forecasted shift from the sector of traditional automotive parts to the electric sector, where batteries and electric components will be the major part of the powertrain. This work evaluates socioeconomic and environmental impacts of the changes in the car industry from the ramp‐up of the electric vehicles market in Spain, and also in the European Union and the rest of the world. To do it, we use an environmentally extended multiregional and multi‐sectoral input–output model. Our simulations include the technological change and demand shifts estimated to achieve the penetration of electric vehicles up to 2030 and 2050. The results show significant impacts on employment and economic indicators by 2050, when the share of electric vehicles is expected to increase up to a relevant level. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Recycling schemes for long‐lived products are challenged by the presence of "legacy substances," which have been used in production in the past, but are nowadays classified as substances of concern. This study quantitatively evaluates the trade‐offs between phasing out legacy substances, increasing circularity levels, and reducing life cycle impacts of polyvinylchloride (PVC) window profiles recycling in Germany based on a comprehensive dynamic material and substance flow analysis coupled with a prospective life cycle assessment. Scenario results indicate that although lead had been phased out in virgin PVC by 2015, lead concentrations in end‐of‐life PVC window profiles will remain above 0.3% until the end of the century without a restriction of lead in recycled PVC and will be by factor 3–5 higher compared to a restriction as stipulated by EU 2023/923. However, the latter is associated with lower recycling rates and higher life cycle environmental impacts of PVC window frame waste management, which cannot be fully compensated by the introduction of new waste treatment pathways using currently available technologies. The study serves to introduce a new comprehensive modeling framework, which allows for the consideration of trade‐offs between substance, material, and environmental impact dimensions as a basis for discussing and developing sustainable waste management strategies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Building stock models can provide information on the current and future environmental impacts of buildings. Therefore, these models are useful tools for identifying trajectories that are compatible with the objectives of the Paris Agreement. However, the models often lack detail, which can lead to underestimations of the actual impacts of national building stocks, resulting in misinformed decision‐making. This study presents the steps needed to create an archetype‐based bottom‐up building stock model that uses Python and Brightway2. Prospective environmental assessments, including circularity assessments, can be performed by combining life cycle assessment (LCA) with material flow analysis (MFA). An important facet of this model is that it supports the development of a practical and easily reproducible method for the high‐precision modeling of a building stock. This model is open source, is readily adaptable to other countries, and does not require programming knowledge. This combined LCA‐MFA method can be used to assess the potential to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from the Austrian building stock in five future scenarios involving sufficiency, energy, material, and design‐related measures. The results show different reduction potentials for embodied and operational GHG emissions depending on the set of measures taken. In all scenarios, mineral and synthetic materials contribute the most to embodied GHG emissions. Finally, the issue of validating building stock models is addressed, and numerous cross‐evaluations are proposed to ensure the reliability of results. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cities are important actors in the global challenge of tackling climate change. They are not only responsible for the majority of emissions but also highly capable of taking action. An important precondition for effective climate mitigation is a city‐level greenhouse gas emission inventory to guide mitigation action. Yet, most cities in developing countries, in particular African cities, lack that crucial information. This study aims to assess the current state of the development of African cities' emission inventories. A total of 270 inventories from 137 cities across 54 African countries were identified from 15 research articles, 5 reports, and 3 data platforms. We find the lack of standardized protocols results in inventories that are often not comparable, while data scarcity emerged as a common problem. We observe that insufficient engagement from local governments impedes the creation of a data‐rich environment. Additionally, current inventory protocols do not fully address the data limitations faced by African cities, further hindering inventory development. To mitigate these challenges, multi‐agent collaboration is essential to enhance the accounting capabilities of local governments. Developing refined protocols that consider data constraints is necessary. Moreover, advanced technologies may provide opportunities to overcome data bottlenecks. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This work presents the PULPO (Python‐based user‐defined lifecycle product optimization) framework, developed to efficiently integrate life cycle inventory (LCI) models into life cycle product optimization. Life cycle optimization (LCO), which has found interest in both the process systems engineering and life cycle assessment (LCA) communities, leverages LCA data to go beyond simple assessments of a limited number of alternatives and identify the best possible product systems configuration subject to a manifold of choices, constraints, and objectives. However, typically, aggregated inventories are used to build the optimization problems. Contrary to existing frameworks, PULPO integrates whole LCI databases and user inventories as a backbone for the optimization problem, considering economy‐wide feedback loops between fore‐ and background systems that would otherwise be omitted. The open‐source implementation combines functions from Brightway2 for the manipulation of inventory data and pyomo for the formulation and solution of the optimization problem. The advantages of this approach are demonstrated in a case study focusing on the design of optimal future global green methanol production systems from captured CO2 and electrolytic H2. It is shown that the approach can be used to assess sector‐coupling with multi‐functional processes and prospective background databases that would otherwise be impractical to approach from a standalone LCA perspective. The use of PULPO is particularly appealing when evaluating large‐scale decisions that have a strong impact on socioeconomic systems, resulting in changes in the technosphere on which the background system is based and which is often assumed constant in standard LCO approaches regardless of the decisions taken. This article met the requirements for a gold‐gold JIE data openness badge described at http://jie.click/badges. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Bio‐based polymers may present a sustainable, circular way to reduce the environmental impact of plastics because they are produced from biomass that absorbs CO2 during its growth. However, sourcing (type of biomass used and cultivation location), production, and end‐of‐life affect the environmental impact of bio‐based plastics. We assessed the effect of sourcing and end‐of‐life options on the environmental impact of bio‐based high‐density polyethylene (bio‐HDPE) in 31 sourcing scenarios and five end‐of‐life options. Our study found that careful consideration of biomass sourcing (biomass type and production location) and end‐of‐life is needed to optimize the environmental impact of bio‐based plastics. If these aspects are not considered, the environmental impact of bio‐HDPE may exceed that of its petrochemical‐based counterpart. The direct availability of fermentable sugars indicated a lower environmental impact. The production location affected the resources needed for biomass cultivation and the environmental impact of processing due to the energy mix. Recently published guidelines do not allow biogenic carbon to be accounted for during the production stage, but only upon the incineration of the plastic. Our results show that this way of attributing biogenic carbon results in an apparent disadvantage for bio‐based plastics compared to petrochemical‐based plastics. Furthermore, it disadvantaged mechanical recycling of bio‐based plastics compared to incineration, a result out of line with circular economy principles. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The circular economy (CE) challenges the traditional linear economic model by emphasizing the importance of resource efficiency, recycling, and regeneration in society. However, the role of gender in CE practices remains underexplored. This article presents a systematic literature review on how gender dynamics intersect with CE, highlighting the implications of gendered labor distribution, access to resources, and decision‐making processes. Women, often pivotal in household and community resource management, are underrepresented in policy and research. Gender perspectives are therefore crucial for addressing social, environmental, and justice dimensions within CE. The study employs the lens of care labor to reveal power imbalances and the exclusion of marginalized groups, advocating for inclusive policies to achieve socially sustainable and equitable CE futures. The review identifies the overrepresentation of women in undervalued, informal activities and the dominance of men in highly valued, technologically advanced CE roles. It also underscores the benefits of gender diversity in corporate governance, which enhances sustainability practices. The article calls for a deeper examination of gender's impact on CE, suggesting a research agenda to integrate gender perspectives, enhance CE effectiveness, and promote equity. The findings indicate that addressing gender inequalities in CE is essential to prevent replicating the shortcomings of the linear economy and to foster innovative, inclusive, and sustainable development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]