Avert Climate Change Research Articles

A Techno-Economic-Environmental Feasibility Study of Residential Solar Photovoltaic/Biomass Power Generation for Rural Electrification: A Real Case Study

To avert climate change, there has been a rise in the usage of green energy sources that are also beneficial to the environment. To generate sustainable energy in a financially and technically efficient manner, our research attempts to close the gaps. The potential of green sources like photovoltaic (PV) and biomass for a rural community southwest of Sohag Al Gadida City, Sohag, Egypt, is examined in this research considering its techno-economic (TE) and eco-friendly feasibility. The HOMER Pro v3.14 package is used as a scaling and optimization instrument, to calculate the price of the PV/biomass setup and the size and characteristics of its parts. This is to estimate the corresponding electrical production and reduce the total annual cost for the customer. The suggested system structure is validated through the presentation of simulation outcomes and evaluations utilizing MATLAB/SIMULINK R2022a. In addition, a TE-environmental investigation of the optimized PV/biomass structure is performed. The optimum structure is carefully chosen from the best four configurations using the demand predilection by analogy to the perfect technique based on the generation cost, operation cost, energy production, and renewable fraction. The results also indicate that using hybrid PV/biomass is an attractive choice with the initial capital cost (ICC: USD 8.144), net present cost (NPC: USD 11,026), a low cost of energy (LCOE: 0.184 USD/kWh), and the high renewable fraction (RF: 99.9%) of the system. The annual CO2 emission performance of a PV/biomass system is much better than that of the grid alone and PV/diesel. This method might be applied in rural areas in other developing countries.

Levelized-cost optimal design of long-distance CO2 transportation facilities

With the need to develop carbon-neutral technologies and reduce greenhouse gas emissions to avert climate change, carbon capture, storage and utilization (CCS/CCUS) techniques have emerged as effective pathways to achieve these targets. Despite being a critical aspect of CCS/CCUS chains, carbon dioxide transport is an astonishingly under-researched domain. This study presents an efficient and robust computational model to cost-optimally design of long distance carbon dioxide transport pipelines (trunk) connecting a source-sink pair. Several physical and topographical conditions have been accounted for to propose optimal design solutions for different case studies. This involves right-sizing of pipes and booster stations and placing the latter at the right locations. The implications of uncertainties in modelling of the costs have also been studied. The model is very flexible and general in the sense that it can work with a variety of cost models and design constraints. Further, unlike most studies, an appropriate hydrodynamic model for pressure and density calculations has been incorporated. Genetic algorithm and interior point methods have been employed to find optimal design parameters that minimize the “per ton levelized transportation cost”, and their performances have been compared. Results demonstrate that pipe diameters and elevation changes have the most significant impact on the pressure drop, optimal design parameters and the cost. Lastly, several improvements have been made over our previous study in this domain.

An econometric study of eco‐innovation, clean energy, and trade openness toward carbon neutrality and sustainable development in OECD countries

AbstractInternational entities have highlighted the issue of climate change and global efforts toward becoming carbon neutral by 2050. Given the current emphasis on Agenda 2030 and the commitment to achieve net zero emissions, this study lures motivation from the United Nations sustainable development goals (SDGs) of access to affordable clean energy, innovation, sustainable economic growth, sustainable consumption, and production to avert climate change. To this end, this study assesses the role of eco‐innovation, clean energy, trade openness, human capital, and economic growth toward carbon neutrality and sustainable development in the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) countries. The study utilized regression models to analyze the relationship between the variables. The study findings show that eco‐innovation, clean energy utilization, and human capital have a negative impact on CO2 emissions. Trade openness and economic growth have a positive impact on CO2 emissions except that trade impact is insignificant. The results of the causality test show bidirectional causality between eco‐innovation, clean energy utilization, human capital, and CO2 emissions as well as a one‐way causality from trade openness and economic growth to CO2 emissions. Moreover, the impulse‐response and variance decomposition analysis results show that human capital and clean energy will be the key drivers contributing to the reduction of carbon emissions in the future while eco‐innovation, trade openness, and economic growth will steadily increase CO2 emissions. The study proposes expanded development and deployment of clean energy technologies to curtail CO2 emissions and achieve SDGs.

Promising electric aviation industry and its bright future

There have been rising concerns about the amount of greenhouse gas emissions that commercial aviation produces each year. Greenhouse gases generated by aircraft trap the sunlight in the ozone layer, causing the planet's temperature to rise yearly. Thus, developing more electric aircraft (MEA) and all-electric aircraft (AEA) is crucial to serve as alternatives to traditional fossil-fuel airplanes to avert climate change. Although electric aircraft theoretically provide numerous benefits in improving efficiency, reducing noise levels, and cutting emissions, numerous challenges exist, such as energy density, cost, and power distribution. This paper aims to analyze these challenges and looks for potential technologies or systems, including electromechanical actuators, high energy-density lithium batteries, and superconducting motors, to resolve these challenges. Overall, the electric aviation industry is promising with further improved new technologies. While MEA will become common shortly, there will still be at least two to three decades before AEA establishes ground and become prevalent in the commercial aviation industry.

Review: The Energy Implications of Averting Climate Change Catastrophe

Conventional methods of climate change (CC) mitigation have not ‘bent the curve’ of steadily rising annual anthropic CO2 emissions or atmospheric concentrations of greenhouse gases. This study reviews the present position and likely future of such methods, using the recently published literature with a global context. It particularly looks at how fast they could be implemented, given the limited time available for avoiding catastrophic CC (CCC). This study then critically examines solar geoengineering, an approach often viewed as complementary to conventional mitigation. Next, this review introduces equity considerations and shows how these even further shorten the available time for effective action for CC mitigation. The main findings are as follows. Conventional mitigation approaches would be implemented too slowly to be of much help in avoiding CCC, partly because some suggested technologies are infeasible, while others are either of limited technical potential or, like wind and solar energy, cannot be introduced fast enough. Due to these problems, solar geoengineering is increasingly advocated for as a quick-acting and effective solution. However, it could have serious side effects, and, given that there would be winners and losers at the international level as well as at the more regional level, political opposition may make it very difficult to implement. The conclusion is that global energy consumption itself must be rapidly reduced to avoid catastrophic climate change, which requires strong policy support.

Mangrove Plantation in Indian Sundarbans: Development of Coastal Livelihood and Averting Climate Change

Mangrove Plantation in Indian Sundarbans: Development of Coastal Livelihood and Averting Climate Change

Implementing a Sustainability Framework in Healthcare: A Three-Lens Framework.

The list of sustainability issues that can pose risks to people, society, and healthcare organizations (HCOs) has been steadily growing over the last decade. HCOs and related industries are responsible for greenhouse gas emissions, pollutants, and unsustainable practices with a substantial death and disability footprint. There is an urgent need for health care transformation that advances quality, safety and value in order to address the public health crisis arising from healthcare pollution and to the meet rapidly moving deadlines to avert climate change. Sustainability initiatives are yet further linked with diversity, equity, inclusion, and justice, with HCOs being asked to disclose their commitments to these as part of "good" environmental society and governance (ESG) practices. In this paper, we review approaches to embed sustainability as a core strategy in HCOs and discuss implementation from the standpoint of a three-lens political, strategic, and cultural framework. We discuss solutions to embed sustainability and to facilitate buy-in, and provide a pathway to operationalize sustainability initiatives.

Are climate change policies politically costly?

Are policies designed to avert climate change (Climate Change Policies, or CCPs) politically costly? Using data on governmental popular support and the OECD's Environmental Stringency Index covering 30 countries between 2001 and 2015, our results show that CCPs are not necessarily politically costly: policy design matters. First, in contrast to non-market-based CCPs (such as emission limits), only market-based CCPs (such as emission taxes) entail political costs for the government. Second, the effects are only present when CCPs are adopted during periods of high oil prices, prior to elections, or in countries depending strongly on non-green (dirty) energy sources. Third, CCPs are only politically costly when inequality is high and/or social insurance/transfer does not sufficiently address the regressivity of CCPs. Our results are robust to numerous robustness checks including to address concerns related to endogeneity issues.

Battery electric vehicles and fuel cell electric vehicles, an analysis of alternative powertrains as a mean to decarbonise the transport sector

There is a debate among members of the scientific community concerning the transition to renewable-energy-operated modes of transportation to reduce carbon emissions and address the impact of climate change. This paper studies the individual strengths and concerns that the adoption of the alternative powertrains of battery electric vehicles and fuel cell electric vehicles possess. The analysis is mostly done from a qualitative point of view that includes the current state of the market, infrastructure, raw-materials mining issues, powertrain cost analysis, energy-efficiency analysis and technology-specific advantages and disadvantages. The study offers an insight into how, despite the differences, both technologies can easily complement each other. The study also addresses briefly the status quo of the internal combustion engine vehicle as a means to offer a wider perspective and contrasting effect on the current situation of alternative powertrains. The conclusions highlight the importance of embracing the strengths of all the different powertrains as an approach to overcome their weaknesses or limitations and leave aside the one-solution-fits-all narrative. Further development of vehicle technologies pushes civilization one step closer to independence from fossil fuels and averting climate change.

Hope from Despair*

Hope from Despair^*

At the intersection of mind and climate change: integrating inner dimensions of climate change into policymaking and practice

Dominant policy approaches have failed to generate action at anywhere near the rate, scale or depth needed to avert climate change and environmental disaster. In particular, they fail to address the need for a fundamental cultural transformation, which involves a collective shift in mindsets (values, beliefs, worldviews and associated inner human capacities). Whilst scholars and practitioners are increasingly calling for more integrative approaches, knowledge on how the link between our mind and the climate crisis can be best addressed in policy responses is still scarce. Our study addresses this gap. Based on a survey and in-depth interviews with high-level policymakers worldwide, we explore how they perceive the intersection of mind and climate change, how it is reflected in current policymaking and how it could be better considered to support transformation. Our findings show, on the one hand, that the mind is perceived as a victim of increasing climate impacts. On the other hand, it is considered a key driver of the crisis, and a barrier to action, to the detriment of both personal and planetary wellbeing. The resultant vicious cycle of mind and climate change is, however, not reflected in mainstream policymaking, which fails to generate more sustainable pathways. At the same time, there are important lessons from other fields (e.g. education, health, the workplace, policy mainstreaming) that provide insights into how to integrate aspects of mind into climate policies. Our results show that systematic integration into policymaking is a key for improving both climate resilience and climate responsiveness across individual, collective, organisational and system levels and indicate the inner human potential and capacities that support related change. We conclude with some policy recommendations and further research that is needed to move from a vicious to a virtuous cycle of mind and climate change that supports personal and planetary wellbeing.

Sanctions and international interaction improve cooperation to avert climate change.

Imposing sanctions on non-compliant parties to international agreements is advocated as a remedy for international cooperation failure. Nevertheless, sanctions are costly, and rational choice theory predicts their ineffectiveness in improving cooperation. We test sanctions effectiveness experimentally in international collective-risk social dilemmas simulating efforts to avoid catastrophic climate change. We involve individuals from countries where sanctions were shown to be effective (Germany) or ineffective (Russia) in increasing cooperation. Here, we show that, while this result still holds nationally, international interaction backed by sanctions is beneficial. Cooperation by low cooperator groups increases relative to national cooperation and converges to the levels of high cooperators. This result holds regardless of revealing other group members' nationality, suggesting that participants' specific attitudes or stereotypes over the other country were irrelevant. Groups interacting under sanctions contribute more to catastrophe prevention than what would maximize expected group payoffs. This behaviour signals a strong propensity for protection against collective risks.

A review on biomass and wind as renewable energy for sustainable environment

As the population is increasing at a rapid pace, we now find ourselves in a position where cities are using a growing amount of renewable energy. Renewable energy is the key to help avert climate change and this approach must be sustainable. At the juncture, this review analyses the potential of wind, biomass and hybrid systems in the field of renewable energy production. Initially, the manuscript addressed the feedstocks and their potential for different biofuels such as bioethanol, biodiesel, biomethane, biohydrogen and biohythane from the biomass. With a focus on long-term energy sustainability, this article investigates performance analysis and sustainability of wind energy systems and biomass-based hybrid configurations with wind and its various design factors, problems, and gaps were examined. According to the findings, biomass-based hybrid energy systems can provide a cost-effective and environmentally beneficial alternative, particularly for off-grid rural electrification. The study provides designers, academicians, and policymakers with vital information on the most recent design restrictions and other factors related to biomass-wind hybrid energy systems.

Understanding the risk perception of energy efficiency investments: Investment perspective vs. energy bill perspective

Promoting energy efficiency is an important element of environmentally friendly energy policy and necessary to avert climate change. In this context, understanding the investment decision-making of individuals is important to develop and implement effective policy instruments. Literature analyzing decision-making of energy efficiency investments and especially the influence of connected risk finishes with two different conclusions, i.e., analyzes risk from two different perspectives. First, studies within the investment perspective describe investment risk, caused by volatile future energy bill savings, as a key barrier for energy efficiency investments. Second, studies within the energy bill perspective argue that energy efficiency is reducing energy price exposure and the resulting decrease of overall risk is described as investment promoting. This dichotomy in risk perception is the focus of our study. With the help of a theoretical model as well as a case study based on real-world data of the German retrofitting market, we analyze how the contrary perspectives influence expected utility, i.e., decision-making. Thereby, we find that decision-makers invest more in energy efficiency when evaluating from the energy bill perspective and derive important implications for environmentally friendly energy policymaking.

Clean and Competitive: Opportunities for U.S. Manufacturing Leadership in the Global Low-Carbon Economy

The United States needs an integrated national strategy to address the twin challenges of bolstering its manufacturing sector and averting climate change. Timely federal RD&D and deployment policies targeted to specific manufacturing industries could create comparative advantage, expanding domestic investment and employment. KEY TAKEAWAYS ▪ Sincere efforts to fulfill national pledges to achieve net-zero emissions will drive a nearly complete retooling of global manufacturing. ▪ This retooling gives the United States a chance to rebuild domestic manufacturing while converting to clean production. To seize it, the federal government must act strategically and forcefully to leverage the nation’s strength in innovation. ▪ Clean hydrogen production will become a core sector of the global low-carbon economy. Focused policies could enable significant domestic investment and job creation, both in the industry itself and in hydrogen-using industries like steelmaking. ▪ Next-generation heat pumps, novel drying technologies, and related innovations will be in high demand worldwide to cut emissions from buildings and low-temperature industrial processes. Smart, targeted policies could bring their production onshore. ▪ Clean chemical manufacturing will require innovations in recycling and bio-based production. A well-funded and coordinated national program could convert U.S. strengths in this industry into durable advantages and large rural investments. ▪ Biotechnology-based proteins could displace emissions from agriculture. The United States is a global leader in this emerging industry, and a robust federal policy could help secure that position.

Are Climate Change Policies Politically Costly?

Are policies designed to avert climate change (Climate Change Policies, or CCPs) politically costly? Using data on governmental popular support and the OECD’s Environmental Stringency Index, we find that CCPs are not necessarily politically costly: policy design matters. First, only market-based CCPs (such as emission taxes) generate negative effects on popular support. Second, the effects are muted in countries where non-green (dirty) energy is a relatively small input into production. Third, political costs are not significant when CCPs are implemented during periods of low oil prices, generous social insurance and low inequality.

Sisyphus and Climate Change: Educating in the Context of Tragedies of the Commons

The tragedy of the commons is a primary contributing factor in ensuring that humanity makes no serious inroads in averting climate change. As a recent Canadian politician pointed out, we could shut down the Canadian economy tomorrow, and it would make no measurable difference in global greenhouse gas emissions. When coordinated effort is required, it would seem that doing the “right thing” alone is irrational: it will harm oneself with no positive consequences as a result. Such is the tragedy. And that is the challenge that we take up here. Though Garrett Hardin suggests that the solution is a governmental process that rules over all contenders, since a world government seems unlikely before the planet hits the tippy point, we suggest an educational initiative instead: one that holds a mirror up to the behaviour of individuals, rather than to the behaviour of individuals in groups. Such an educational initiative would be focused on priming individuals to keep constant track of what they do as individuals as opposed to focusing on the behaviour of humanity in general. Such an educational initiative would focus on tackling the “problem solvers” rather than just “the problem”.

The Impact of Climate Change on Agriculture and Food Security in the Greater Horn of Africa

ABSTRACT The Horn of Africa is at stake concerning climate change. The considerable population size of the Horn of Africa is a pastoral community living out of livestock and small farmers living in subsistence agricultural production. The loss of livestock and harvests resulting from a drought causes the deprivation of millions of citizens. The effect has triggered mass migration within and several offshore destinations. The question is, while Africa produces a low carbon emission, remains the primary victims of climate change. Africa lacks resources and technical expertise to respond to the devastating effects of climate change. This study aims to analyse the agency of climate change as a social and political process. Therefore, this paper seeks remedies on how to avert climate change threats by examining the collective responsibilities and different stakeholders. The article would conduct an inquiry on the responsibility of industrial nations vis-à-vis climate change. The paper employs a qualitative research method to explores how to mitigate climate change threats.

Humanizing heat as a service: Cost, creature comforts and the diversity of smart heating practices in the United Kingdom

Why do people heat their homes the way they do? What are the underlying patterns or justifications for their heating preferences and practices? In this study, using data from the Energy Systems Catapult's Living Laboratory, we present a novel conceptual framework that ties together insights from “lived experiences” research with “narratives and energy biographies.” We synthesize from these approaches the notion of “energy phenomenology,” which holds that heating practices will be mediated by individual identity, experiential preferences and needs, socio-material attachment, and lifestyle changes. In other words, the energy phenomenology framework demands that we understand the lived experiences, practices, and identities that intercede and shape smart heat services and consumption. Then, we test this framework with three sets of primary data—undirected diary studies and blogging, directed diary studies and blogging, and household interviews—involving 100 homes using smart heating controls across Birmingham (West Midlands), Bridgend (Wales), Manchester (Greater Manchester), and Newcastle (Northumberland) in the United Kingdom. We identify seven different phenomenological uses of smart heat—parental care, alleviating pain, fresh air, personal care, zoophilism (caring for pets, animals, and plants), social signaling, and structural fortification. Rather than merely germinating from rational choices based on available information about the likely costs and benefits of their behavior, smart heating—an essential tool for the decarbonisation of buildings, fossil energy, and electricity—is a phenomenological process. Policy and research efforts that fail to appreciate these dynamics risk capturing only a partial and incomplete picture of how and why people heat homes and domestic spaces. The outcome could be that these policies will fail to meet their objective of decarbonizing domestic heating and averting climate change.

With Power Comes Responsibility – A Rangelands Perspective on Forest Landscape Restoration

Tree planting has long been promoted to avert climate change and has received renewed impetus in recent years with the Bonn Challenge and related forest restoration initiatives guided by the forest and landscape restoration (FLR) framework. Much of the focus for reforestation and afforestation is on developing countries in Africa, Asia and South America, where large areas of rangelands in drylands and grassy biomes are portrayed as “degraded”, “unused”, and in need of more trees. This perception is rooted in persistent theories on forests and desertification that widely shaped colonial policy and practice and remain influential today’s science-policy frameworks. From a rangelands perspective, the global FLR thrust raises two main concerns. First, inappropriate ecological understandings of the ecology of drylands and grassy biomes encourage afforestation, grazing restriction and fire suppression, with negative impacts on hydrology, carbon storage, biodiversity, livestock production and pastoral livelihoods. Second, their target-driven approach requires large-scale afforestation and massive funding to achieve. Nearly half of the area pledged to the Bonn Challenge is in fact destined for forestry and other commercial plantations, which threaten pastoral livelihoods and cause ecological damage while having very limited potential to mitigate climate change. As the officially endorsed framework of the Bonn Challenge and related global restoration initiatives, FLA has become a powerful instrument for guiding global restoration efforts and funding. Its proponents have a responsibility to ensure that the framework is evidence-based and underpinned by appropriate ecological models for different ecoregions.