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Investing in projects that support environmental benefits, such as tree harvesting, has the potential to reduce air pollution levels in the atmosphere in the future. However, this kind of investment may increase the current level of emissions. Therefore, it is necessary to estimate how much the policy affects the current level of CO2 emissions. This makes sure the policy doesn't increase the level of CO2 emissions. This study aims to analyze the effect of the One Billion Trees program on CO2 emissions in New Zealand by employing the 2020 input–output table analysis. This investigation examines the direct and indirect effects of policy on both the demand and supply sides across six regions of New Zealand. The results of this study for the first year of plantation suggest that the policy increases the level of CO2 emissions in all regions, especially in the Waikato region. The direct and indirect impact of the policy leads to 64 kt of CO2 emissions on the demand side and 270 kt of CO2 emissions on the supply side. These lead to 0.19 and 0.74% of total CO2 emissions being attributed to investment shocks. Continuing the policy is recommended, as it has a low effect on CO2 emissions. However, it is crucial to prioritize the use of low-carbon machinery that uses fossil fuels during the plantation process. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Many studies have concentrated on the energy capacity of biodiesel to reduce CO2 emissions at the aggregate level and not much at the sectoral level. This study addresses this gap and attempts to estimate the impact of the use of palm biodiesel on the transport CO2 emissions in Malaysia during 1990–2019. It also predicts the impact of implementing the B10 blending program (10% biodiesel in diesel fuel) on CO2 emissions from transport in this country. For this purpose, this study uses the dynamic autoregressive distributed lag (ARDL) and Kernel-based regularized least squares. This model can plot and estimate the possible actual changes in biodiesel consumption to predict its impacts on transport CO2 emissions. The results suggest that a one-way Granger causality exists GDP from transport, diesel consumption and motor petrol consumption to palm biodiesel consumption. An increase of 1% in the use of biodiesel reduces carbon emissions from road transport by 0.004% in the long run, while, in the short run, it is associated with a 0.001% increase in transport CO2 emissions. The simulated results from the dynamic ARDL model suggest that a 10% increase in the share of biodiesel consumption in fuel transport by 2030 would reduce the rate of the increase in road transport carbon emissions. The improvement and management of new technologies in oil palm plantation and harvesting can help increase palm oil production for biofuels and edible oil and to reduce forest replacement and therefore biodiversity and food security. Highlights: • Results show that GDP and diesel energy consumption stimulate palm biodiesel. • Motor petrol use increases road transport CO2 emissions in the short- and long-run. • Palm biodiesel use decreases road transport CO2 emissions in the long-run. • Continuing current conditions in Malaysia will not reduce CO2 emissions in the future. • The relationship between biofuel consumption and transport CO2 emissions is not clear. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The use of renewable energy as a fuel source and expansion of forest areas are the best ways for reducing CO2 emissions. This study aims to examine the effects of forest plantation area, renewable energies, real gross domestic product (GDP), and technological innovation on CO2 emissions in 9 regions of New Zealand between 2006 and 2019. For this purpose, it employs a pooled mean group methodology. Investigating the regional impacts of various variables, especially the forest area, on CO2 emissions is the main contribution of this study. The results suggest that planted forest areas can reduce CO2 emissions in the long run, but its impact in the short run is not significant. Non-renewable energy consumption is the major contributor to CO2 emissions in both the short and long run. While technological innovation and renewable energy consumption appear effective in reducing carbon emissions in the short term, they still contribute to increased CO2 emissions in the long term. At the regional level, we found that the forest plantation areas in Manawatu-Whanganui and Gisborne are important regions for reducing CO2 emissions. By taking account of these results, New Zealand should take swift action to properly manage and increase the current level of forest areas and if applicable expand them. It also needs to improve the current level of use of renewable energy to achieve its abatement goals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aims to provide an assessment of total and sectoral CO2 emissions of Iran using a macroeconomic climate analysis. It uses two quantitative approaches (i.e., energy–economy–environment indicators and econometric analysis) that complement each other. According to the latest accessible data (1971–2016), evidence shows that, first, the change in Iran's total primary energy supply can significantly explain the variation of CO2 emissions in Iran, while energy intensity and CO2 intensity cannot significantly explain its variability. Second, CO2 emissions in Iran are increasing rapidly and the country is not moving toward the green economy situations. Third, the increase in energy intensity is mostly related to significant increases in energy consumption rather than increases in economic activity. This evidence shows that Iran's CO2 intensity highly depends on the consumption of fossil fuels. Fourth, the econometric estimates suggest that CO2 emissions, in comparison with other examined variables, change significantly in response to changes in per capita GDP, energy intensity, and carbon intensity. Fifth, the main contributors to industrial CO2 emissions are industrial per capita GDP and energy and carbon intensities, while in the transport sectors, the main contributors are the number of vehicles, transport energy intensity, and carbon intensity. Sixth, further decomposition analysis shows the positive impact of per capita GDP and the negative impacts of energy structure and energy efficiency on total CO2 emissions in Iran. © 2020 Society of Chemical Industry and John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Assessing poverty using multiple dimensions of deprivation provides a comprehensive picture of poverty. No one factor, like income or any monetary-based indicator is uniquely able to capture all of the factors that contribute to poverty. This study attempts to evaluate the multidimensional poverty measure among Malaysian Employee Provident Fund (EPF) retirees by using Alkire and Foster multidimensional poverty index to a set of deprivation dimensions. The findings indicate that around 84% of EPF retirees were identified as multidimensionally poor, meaning that they are in acute poverty. On average, poor retirees are deprived of 48% of weighted indicators. The results also show that women are more multidimensionally poor compared to men in terms of transportation, income, home ownership and education. The study discovered that Indian retirees are more deprived than other ethnic groups, followed by Malays. In this regard, it is necessary to strengthen current retirement savings institutions to reduce the impacts of the retirement crisis. The government needs to provide a Social Security system that rolls back the decline of Malaysian's retirement savings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study uses a computable general equilibrium approach to investigate the impact of high global food and agricultural commodity prices and two mitigation options (a rise in agricultural input subsidies and an improvement in agricultural productivity) on poverty and economic performance of Malaysia. Simulated results showed that, as a whole, the high global food price has a negative impact on the economic growth of Malaysia. It decreases real gross domestic product of Malaysia by 0.53%. Although the food price hike initially increases poverty in urban areas, it would significantly decrease the poverty of rural and noncitizen households. However, both mitigation options can reduce the negative impact of the shock on the poverty and economic growth of Malaysia. The agricultural subsidy rise option cannot reduce the poverty level of all household groups, whereas the productivity improvement option can alleviate the poverty level of all household groups. In conclusion, results suggest that the agricultural productivity improvement option is more effective than the agricultural subsidy rise option to mitigate the negative impact of global food price shocks on the economy and poverty of Malaysia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study attempts to analyze the short- and long-run impacts of the probable change in rainfall and temperature simultaneously on food availability and access to food issues, as the two dimensions of food security, in Malaysia. It uses an integrated method comprising of a stochastic method and a computable general equilibrium model using the latest (2010) input-output table published in 2015. The stochastic method, which relates to the Monte Carlo simulation, provides the probable changes in rainfall and temperature patterns and their probability of occurrence based on historical data of rainfall and temperature and crop productivity. It was found that, simultaneous variation of rainfall and temperature, in both the short- and long-run, contracts the economic performance of Malaysia. Findings also show the negative impact of rainfall-temperature variability, in both time periods, on food availability and access to food due to a reduction in the supply of agricultural products, a commodity inflation pressure and a reduction in household income. Moreover, results suggest that the climate variability shocks lead to a reduction in the consumption and welfare of all household groups, particularly in rural areas. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The imbalance between Th2 and Treg cells plays fundamental role in the pathogenesis of allergic asthma. The current study aimed at assessing the expression of some Th2 and Treg cell-related parameters in patients with allergic asthma. Material and Methods: The serum and peripheral blood mononuclear cell (PBMC) samples were collected from 30 patients with asthma and 36 healthy subjects. The serum levels of transforming growth factor (TGF)-β, interleukin (IL)-4, as well as the expression levels of GATA3 and FOXP3 genes in PBMCs were determined by the enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR), respectively. The PBMCs were cultured for 48 hours with/without phytohemagglutinin (PHA) stimulation. The TGF-β and IL-4 levels in supernatants were also determined. Results: The serum levels of IL-4, the expression level of GATA3, and GATA3/FOXP3 ratio in patients with asthma were significantly higher than healthy subjects (P <0.002, P <0.001, and P <0.004, respectively). The FOXP3 expression did no differ between the two groups. The serum level of TGF-β as well as its secretion profile in non-stimulated and stimulated PBMCs isolated from patients with asthma were significantly higher than those of the controls (P <0.03, P <0.001, and P <0.001, respectively). The serum TGF-β levels in severe asthma were significantly higher than moderate asthma; whereas the TGF-β secretion by PHA-stimulated PBMCs isolated from moderate asthma was higher than that of severe pattern of the disease (P <0.001 and P <0.05, respectively). The GTAT3/FOXP3 expression ratio in moderate asthma was significantly higher than severe form (P <0.04). Conclusion: The results confirmed a Th2 cell-biased pattern and possible contribution of TGF-β in allergic asthma. TGF-β may have different expression patterns in moderate and severe asthma and the two forms of the disease may have differences in some main immunological parameters. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]