Managing methane concentrations in western Canada: climate actions towards a net-zero target

The <scp>SDGs</scp>: A change agenda shaping the future of business and humanity at large

There is growing interest in the use of advanced reactor systems for powering industrial processes which could significantly help to reduce CO 2 emissions in the global energy system. However, there has been limited consideration into the role nuclear power would play in meeting current and future industry heat demand, especially with respect to the advantages and disadvantages nuclear power offers relative to other competing low-carbon technologies, such as Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS). In this study, the current market needs for high temperature heat are considered based on UK industry requirements and work carried out in other studies regarding how industrial demand could change in the future. How these heat demands could be met via different nuclear reactor systems is also presented. Using this information, it was found that the industrial heat demands for temperature in the range of 500 ∘ C to 1000 ∘ C are relatively low. Whilst High Temperature Gas-cooled Reactors (HTGRs), Very High Temperature Reactors (VHTRs), Gas-cooled Fast Reactors (GFRs) and Molten Salt Reactors (MSRs) have an advantage in terms of capability to achieve higher temperatures (&gt;500 ∘ C), their relative benefit over Liquid Metal-cooled Fast Reactors (LMFRs) and Light Water Reactors (LWRs) is actually smaller than previous studies indicate. This is because, as is shown here, major parts of the heat demand could be served by almost all reactor types. Alternative (non-nuclear) means to meet industrial heat demands and the indirect application of nuclear power, in particular via producing hydrogen, are also considered. As hydrogen is a relatively poor energy carrier, current trends indicate that the use of low-carbon derived hydrogen is likely to be limited to certain applications and there is a focus in this study on the emerging demands for hydrogen.

Given the interconnectedness of climate change and sustainable development, policymakers and scholars have started to investigate how climate actions can contribute to achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), and vice versa. To date, research has mainly focused on the national and international levels, while little is known about the interlinkages between climate actions and the SDGs at the transnational level. Not only nation states, but also non-state actors undertake ambitious actions designed to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and to promote sustainable development. Using content analysis and network analysis techniques, we examine the interlinkages between the climate actions of 72 transnational initiatives and the 169 targets of the 17 SDGs. We find that actions of 71 initiatives contribute to achieving 16 SDGs, thus generating valuable co-benefits. Besides SDG 13 on climate action and SDG 17 on partnerships for the goals, transnational climate actions frequently address SDGs 9 on industry, innovation and infrastructure, SDG 7 on affordable and clean energy, and SDG 12 on responsible consumption and production. While SDG 3 on good health and well-being and SDG 4 on quality education are barely addressed, SDG 5 on gender equality is not at all covered by transnational climate actions. Additionally, the network reveals that SDG 9 is highly synergistic with many other frequently addressed SDGs and functions as an important connector between them. Finally, our results indicate that transnational initiatives fill a governance gap left by states with regards to SDG 12. Climate initiatives of non-state actors can thus complement state-led actions to implement the Paris Agreement and the SDGs jointly.

Reforming fossil fuel subsidies requires a new approach to setting international commitments

Techno-economic aspects of increasing primary energy efficiency in industrial branches using thermal energy storage

Collaborations with and among faith-based organizations (FBOs), natural scientists, development organizations, and youth offer untapped potential for achieving the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). FBOs are important cultural partners for achieving the SDGs globally in numbers of adherents (80% of humanity) and resources, owning 8% of habitable land, half the world’s schools, and many health and community development services; they provide assets for formal and informal education, forming youth leaders, and social justice action. Natural scientists are also critical to SDG achievement because the environmental components in many goals require specialized skills and background. We focus on Climate Action (SDG 13) as it links to other SDGs and because climate justice directly connects to human development - a major area of FBO work, and engages scientist outreach and youth action. We surveyed The UN Environmental Program (UNEP) Faith for Action and other major FBO networking initiatives that were formed to address the SDGs as well as literature covering other interfaces and partnerships between religion, sustainability, youth, SDGs, science, climate change, and education. We examined curriculum and guidebooks to identify best practices and identified gaps in partnership development. The Faith Pavilion and multifaith statements at COP28 and the international Catholic movements emerging from the SDGs-concurrent 2015 Laudato Si' encyclical and its follow-up 2023 Laudate Deum are exemplary in mobilizing educators, institutions, and organizations to integrate SDGs into activities through a faith and particular mission lens. International development FBOs and diverse religious groups worldwide support climate adaptation and mitigation by connecting their central mission to environmental care. Today’s youth are unprecedented in number, sense of urgency, experience of climate anxiety and grief, and engaged sustainability actions. Yet, youth, FBOs and scientists are often not included in SDGs work. We recommend developing partnership skills, cultural and religious literacy materials, programs, and toolkits for secular groups and scientists partnering with FBOs, and networking opportunities to form partnerships. Connecting FBOs, including youth organizations, to larger youth climate movements and other collaborative climate networks, and creating climate action materials connecting to faith backgrounds of particular youth, will better equip potential partners for achieving the SDGs.

Manage the environmental risks of perovskites

Formulation of the problem. This study aligns with UN Sustainable Development Goal No. 13 – Climate Action – by addressing key climate-related challenges impacting sustainable development in Ukraine. It focuses on analyzing the dynamics of temperature-dependent natural resource indicators in the North-western Black Sea region, a vital industrial-agricultural area. Understanding the thermal regime is essential for adapting socio-economic sectors to climate change. The research supports planning and resilience in southern Ukraine under changing climate conditions. It is part of projects at the Faculty of Hydrometeorology and Ecology, Odesa I.I. Mechnikov National University, including: 'Forecasting hazardous meteorological phenomena over the southern regions of Ukraine' (No. DR 00115U006532); 'Comprehensive probabilistic-forecasting modeling of extreme hydrological events on the rivers of southern Ukraine to ensure sustainable water use under climate change conditions' (No. DR 0121U010964); 'Zoning of Ukraine's territory based on vulnerability to climate change and selection of optimal adaptation pathways.' This work fills critical gaps in the study of regional climate dynamics. Analysis of previous research it proves the importance of studying the climatic indicators of the temperature regime of the North-Western Black Sea region, which is a leading highly developed industrial-agricultural region of Ukraine. The underestimation of certain aspects of the dynamics of climatic characteristics of the regional climate in the context of global climate change has led to these aspects being still insufficiently studied today. The purpose. This article aims (using the Odessa station as an example) to present the results of a physical-statistical approach to determining regional responses in the main indicators of the temperature regime of the North-Western Black Sea region to the changes occurring in the climate system of the present period. Research methods. The implementation of the physical-statistical approach was conducted using classical methods of statistical and graphical analysis. Presentation of the main research material. Based on long-term empirical data, it was determined that during the period from 2013 to 2023, compared to the standard climatic period (1961-1990), the average number of days with maximum air temperature above 0°C increased in all winter months. For the studied area, January remains the coldest winter month, with an average of 23,5 days with a minimum air temperature of 0°C or lower. The beginning of the 21st century is characterized by warmer winter conditions (compared to the period 1961-1990), which has led to a decrease in the number of days with low air temperature. Over the last eleven years (2013-2023), 65 thaw periods were registered. They most frequently occurred in January, in December and in February. Research results and Practical value. The obtained results provide a basis for analyzing the dynamics of regional climate changes in the context of global climate change. The rational and timely application of the climate information presented in this article will contribute to the development of effective adaptation pathways, which, in turn, will make a significant contribution to ensuring the sustainable development of Ukraine. Future tasks will focus on researching the thermal regime indicators of other stations in the North-Western Black Sea region, involving additional empirical data.

Promoting and achieving sustainable development goals (SDGs) and net zero will be a high priority among companies and institutions. Several strategies are being developed to motivate and integrate SDGs and net zero-related approaches in companies, among which the circular economy (CE) is gaining momentum due to its documented impact on the elements of the SDGs and net zero. In fact, recent studies began to examine the relationship between CE, SDGs and net zero through different perspectives and with different areas of application. Although this relationship is primarily for the implementation of the SDGs and net zero targets, very few studies demonstrate concerns about CE-SDG-net zero relationships, specifically with smart CE. Although the traditional CE influences the SDGs and net zero positively, the traditional approach remains insufficient in several areas, including the lack of real-life information, where most CE practices and principles reside. To address this gap, a smart CE has been established by researchers to unleash the potential of achieving SDGs and net zero. To explore the smart CE and to tackle the existing literature gap, this study focuses on identifying the influence of smart CE with a focus on achieving SDGs and net zero with a single textile case study. The study is divided with four phases, as follows. The first phase attempts to select the best and most feasible CE practices that have a major impact on SDGs and net zero. The second phase understands the smart integrated success factors for adopting selected CE practices. The third phase evaluates and analyzes the overall common success factors for selected CE practices, and finally, the fourth phase validates the available results from the previous phases through feedback from various reliable sources. A case study methodology has been used in this study to understand the core of the research, while it should be noted this study is groundbreaking work in the field of research. Two different multi-criteria decision-making tools (MCDMs) have been used, namely the Best Worst Method (BWM) and the grey DEMATEL for selecting the best and most feasible CE practices and for evaluating the commonly collected success factors. Two theories (CSF theory and TOE theory) have been used to strengthen the study's theoretical background and contribution. To assist practitioners, the available results are discussed in a way that understands the relationship between the chosen CE practices and their considered influential success factors with SDGs and net zero through digitalization.

Impact of COVID-19 pandemic on health system & Sustainable Development Goal 3.

With the advancement of urbanization and industrialization, methane emissions from human activities have been on the rise, playing a critical role in global warming. As a potent greenhouse gas, the impact of methane on climate change has attracted increasing attention, particularly in China, a major global emitter of methane. Studying its distribution and influencing factors in the near-surface atmosphere is of great importance. This paper aims to explore the distribution patterns and key drivers of methane in Chinas near-surface atmosphere. By reviewing relevant literature and analyzing remote sensing data, it examines the variation patterns of methane concentrations in different regions of China and their main influencing factors. The research data comes from the AIRS (Atmospheric Infrared Sounder) satellite remote sensing dataset, which spans methane concentration data from 2002 to 2020, focusing on seasonal variations and regional differences. The results show that regions like Inner Mongolia, Heilongjiang, Qinghai, and Gansu exhibit higher methane concentrations, which are mainly influenced by human factors such as wetland distribution, agricultural activities (e.g., rice paddies), and mining activities. Moreover, methane concentrations peak in autumn and winter, closely related to seasonal agricultural activities and heating demands. The study highlights the vital role of methane emission control in mitigating climate change and suggests strengthening the monitoring and management of methane emission sources to help achieve Chinas carbon neutrality goals.

Börsenverein des Deutschen Buchhandels is the German publishers and booksellers association. Sustainability and working towards achieving the 17 UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) are top priorities for the organization. This includes the aim of reducing carbon emissions. Börsenverein is a member of the International Publishers Association, the Federation of European Publishers and the European and International Booksellers Federation as well as a corresponding member of STM and collaborates with all these associations in its work on sustainability. At the domestic level, Börsenverein has established a Sustainability Working Group with three task forces to lead its efforts, focusing on promoting the book sector’s achievement of selected SDGs, such as SDG 12 (Responsible Consumption) and SDG 13 (Climate Action). At the same time, the book sector has an outstanding role and opportunity in promoting other SDGs through the works it publishes, distributes, and makes accessible to readers. Börsenverein strives to foster the positive impacts of this “carbon handprint” on SDGs such as SDG 4 (Quality Education), SDG 5 (Gender Equality), SDG 10 (Reduced Inequalities), and SDG 16 (Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions). Concrete first steps include an external sustainability audit, member-facing events, and a conference.

The STEM Fellowship High School Big Data and AI Challenge provides students with a unique opportunity to utilize Open Data to investigate one of the UN Sustainable Development Goals while learning data science fundamentals in an experiential learning format – an essential skill set for a young researcher in the digital age. This year students tackled the challenge of Harnessing AI and Open Data Analytics to Combat Social Inequities Among Adolescents. Students suggested their own evidence-based solutions following the principles of Open Science. They investigated different topics, ranging from Optimizing Educational Equity to Advancing Equity for Disabled Youth. These future leaders were tasked with using Open Data to enhance our understanding of social inequities and explore areas for innovation to close inequity gaps and propagate the social pursuit of prosperity for all. Various topics were investigated, identifying different forms of socioeconomic determinants which impact inequity among adolescents on a global scale. By applying computational thinking, students explored the interplay between adolescent inequities and external factors, ultimately contributing to the development of new educational and social development approaches. STEM Fellowship has designed an interdisciplinary, agile educational environment with in-depth learning modules for students as a means to bridge the gap between traditional high school courseware and computational inquiry. Students learned how to uncover hidden patterns and trends in structured and unstructured data using a range of data analytics tools and programming languages. Python, R, LaTeX, and machine learning were some of the tools the students learned and used throughout the program. Additionally, all participants prepared a short slideshow and presented their research to a group of their peers. We are privileged to witness the analytical capabilities of this talented generation of students, and we are confident that they will demonstrate excellence throughout their academic and professional careers. The Western Canada and Eastern Canada finalist events were the culmination of the top participants’ trailblazing research, and were held at the Hunter Hub for Entrepreneurial Thinking at the University of Calgary in Calgary and at Microsoft Canadian Headquarters in Toronto respectively. On behalf of the STEM Fellowship, we extend our sincere congratulations to all students who participated in the challenge and wish them the best for all of their future endeavours. We also want to express our appreciation to all of the STEM Fellowship volunteers who made this challenge possible. We greatly appreciate the patronage of the program by the Canadian Commission for UNESCO, as well as the Lieutenant Governor of Alberta and the Lieutenant Governor of Ontario. We want to thank Canadian Science Publishing, Environment and Climate Change Canada, Let’s Talk Science, National Research Council Canada, RBC Future Launch, SciNet at the University of Toronto, Hunter Hub at the University of Calgary, Microsoft Canada, Canadian Science Publishing, Overleaf, and Cisco Academy for their invaluable support.

BackgroundGlobal progress in the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) requires significant national and international research efforts and collaboration. The current study aimed to provide policymakers, academics, and researchers with a snapshot of global SDGs-related research activity.MethodThis was a cross-sectional descriptive bibliometric study. SciVerse Scopus was used to retrieve SDGs-related research publications for the period from 2015 to 2019.ResultsIn total, 18,696 documents were found. The Sustainability journal ranked first (n = 1008; 5.4%) in the number of SDGs-related publications. The World Health Organization was the most active institution in publishing SDGs-related documents (n = 581; 1.3%). Most of the retrieved documents belonged to SDG 17 (partnership) followed by SDG 13 (climate action), and SDG 12 (responsible consumption and production), while SDG 7 (affordable and clean energy) had the least number of publications. The European region (n = 9756; 52.2%) had the highest research contribution while the Eastern Mediterranean region (n = 1052; 5.6%) had the least contribution. After exclusion of SDG 17, the SDG 3 (good health and well-being) was the top researched SDG for the African region, the Eastern Mediterranean regions, and the South-Eastern Asian region. For the region of the Americas, European region, and the Western Pacific region, the SDG 13 (climate action) was the most researched. The SDG 7 (affordable and clean energy) was the least researched in the African region, the region of the Americas, the European region, and the South-East Asian region. In the Eastern Mediterranean region, SDG 10 (reduced inequality) was the least researched while in the Western Pacific region, SDG 5 (gender inequality) was the least researched. The most researched targets of SDG 3 were targets 7 (sexual and reproductive health services) and 8 (universal health coverage) while the least researched targets were 5 (substance use disorders) and 9 (death from hazardous materials). International research collaboration within SDG 3 between high- and low-income countries was inadequate.ConclusionThe analysis presented in the current study are useful for researchers, institutes, governments, funding agencies, and policy-makers. Countries in Africa, the Middle East, and South-East Asia need to increase their funding and research collaboration in the field of SDGs.

Cities have become primary actors on climate change and are increasingly setting goals aimed at net-zero emissions, which warrants closer examination to understand how they intend to meet these goals. The incomplete and heterogeneous nature of city climate policy documents, however, has made systemic analysis challenging. We analyze 318 climate action documents from cities with net-zero targets using machine learning-based natural language processing (NLP) techniques. We aim to accomplish two goals: (1) determine text patterns that predict ‘ambitious’ net-zero targets; and (2) perform a sectoral analysis to identify patterns and trade-offs in climate action themes. We find that cities with ambitious climate actions tend to emphasize quantitative metrics and specific high-emitting sectors in their plans. Cities predominantly emphasize energy-related actions in their plans, but often at the expense of other sectors, including land-use and climate impacts. The method presented in this paper provides a replicable, scalable approach to analyzing climate action plans and a first step towards facilitating cross-city learning.