Capita Greenhouse Gas Emissions Research Articles

A Risky Business? Climate Change and Meat Reduction in Aotearoa New Zealand. A Media Framing Analysis

ABSTRACT The reduction of red meat in high-income countries is an impactful climate action and necessary to balance the projected growth of meat consumption in middle-income countries. Aotearoa New Zealand (herein Aotearoa) is a high-income country with elevated per capita greenhouse gas emissions. This research presents a media framing analysis of 58 news media stories on meat reduction as a climate action. It illuminates how arguments are constructed rhetorically and debates about meat reduction made convincing. Within Aotearoa media, a “risk” frame has been adopted for both pro meat reduction and anti-meat reduction positions. Arguments favoring reduction considered the risks of meat consumption to both human health and ecological systems. Arguments against meat reduction focused on risks to humans, relying on nutritional science to support claims. Both positions emphasized individual action and responsibility, presenting dietary “choice” as the foremost way to manage risk. In doing so, structural changes such as government policy change or food regulation were de-emphasized.

Econometric Analysis of the Influence of Factors on the Share of Energy From Renewable Sources in the EU

The use of renewable energy is at the core of EU energy policy, reducing dependence on fossil fuels imported from non-EU countries, reducing greenhouse gas emissions and decoupling energy costs from oil prices. Currently, 22.5% of energy consumed in the EU comes from renewable sources. This increase over 2021 is due to strong growth in solar energy. This share is also increasing due to the consumption of non-renewable energy sources in 2022. According to expert forecasts, the share of renewable energy sources in Europe will continue to grow. Achieving the 42.5% target by 2030 will require a deep transformation of the European energy system. The very strong climate and energy policies pursued in the EU for about a dozen years and aimed at limiting emissions of harmful substances into the environment have led to a gradual abandonment of traditional energy sources. Increasing demand for energy while reducing its supply from traditional sources means that in order not to make the economy too dependent on energy imports, the dynamic development of renewable energy is necessary. The EU is therefore taking very extensive operational and strategic actions to use other sources for production, such as wind, solar energy, mechanical water energy, biomass and geothermal energy, as well as tidal waves, ocean heat, wave energy and sea currents. In this study, we assess the impact of energy, economic and environmental factors on the share of renewable energy in the EU. The aim of these studies was to identify the energy, economic and environmental indicators that have the greatest impact on the share of energy from renewable sources in the European Union. The study was conducted using the Statgraphics Centurion software package. The source data for the study was data from the official Eurostat website for the period from 2012 to 2022. The results of this study show that changes in gross domestic product in market prices per capita have a positive impact, as do changes in greenhouse gas emissions per capita negatively affect the share of energy from renewable sources in the EU in the period 2012-2022. This may most likely be due to the fact that EU countries are more likely to invest in renewable energy as they can afford to invest in the development of expensive renewable energy technologies and support subsidies for the promotion and regulation of renewable energy. The negative impact of per capita greenhouse gas emissions on renewable energy development is due to the high share of coal in the EU energy mix, meaning that coal not only has negative environmental impacts, but also negative environmental impacts. development of renewable energy.

Unveiling the health consequences of air pollution in the world’s most polluted nations

Air pollution poses a persuasive threat to global health, demonstrating widespread detrimental effects on populations worldwide. Exposure to pollutants, notably particulate matter with a diameter of 2.5 µm (PM2.5), has been unequivocally linked to a spectrum of adverse health outcomes. A nuanced understanding of the relationship between them is crucial for implementing effective policies. This study employs a comprehensive investigation, utilizing the extended health production function framework alongside the system generalized method of moments (SGMM) technique, to scrutinize the interplay between air pollution and health outcomes. Focusing on a panel of the top twenty polluted nations from 2000 to 2021, the findings yield substantial insights. Notably, PM2.5 concentration emerges as a significant factor, correlating with a reduction in life expectancy by 3.69 years and an increase in infant mortality rates by 0.294%. Urbanization is found to increase life expectancy by 0.083 years while concurrently decreasing infant mortality rates by 0.00022%. An increase in real per capita gross domestic product corresponds with an improvement in life expectancy by 0.21 years and a decrease in infant mortality rates by 0.00065%. Similarly, an elevated school enrollment rate is associated with a rise in life expectancy by 0.17 years and a decline in infant mortality rates by 0.00032%. However, a higher population growth rate is found to modestly decrease life expectancy by 0.019 years and slightly elevate infant mortality rates by 0.000016%. The analysis reveals that per capita greenhouse gas emissions exert a negative impact, diminishing life expectancy by 0.486 years and elevating infant mortality rates by 0.00061%, while per capita energy consumption marginally reduces life expectancy by 0.026 years and increases infant mortality rates by 0.00004%. Additionally, economic volatility shock presents a notable decrement in life expectancy by 0.041 years and an increase in infant mortality rates by 0.000045%, with inflationary shock further exacerbating adverse health outcomes by lowering life expectancy by 0.70 years and elevating infant mortality rates by 0.00025%. Moreover, the study scrutinizes the role of institutional quality, revealing a constructive impact on health outcomes. Specifically, the institutional quality index is associated with an increase in life expectancy by 0.66% and a decrease in infant mortality rates by 0.0006%. Extending the analysis to examine the nuanced dimensions of institutional quality, the findings discern that economic institutions wield a notably stronger positive influence on health outcomes compared to political and institutional governance indices. Finally, the results underscore the pivotal moderating role of institutional quality in mitigating the deleterious impact of PM2.5 concentration on health outcomes, counterbalancing the influence of external shocks, and improving the relationships between explanatory variables and health outcome indicators. These findings offer critical insights for guiding evidence-based policy implications, with a focus on fostering resilient, sustainable, and health-conscious societies.

Club convergence of per capita greenhouse gas emissions in Africa: A multi-sectoral analysis of trends and drivers

This study aims to fill a significant knowledge gap by examining the dynamics of sectoral per capita greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions convergence across 54 African countries from 1980 to 2019. Using the log (t) club convergence approach, this study uncovers the presence of multiple local steady-state convergence patterns within each sector. A significant correlation emerges between the classification of countries regarding their total and energy sector emissions. In particular, less industrialized African countries with higher proportions of renewable energy consumption tend to demonstrate elevated convergence rates in both total and per capita energy emissions. Further, the analysis indicates that wealthier countries with greater trade intensity and increased industrialization are associated with a higher rate of convergence in the agriculture sector. By highlighting the heterogeneity in sectoral patterns and the evolving landscape of GHG emissions in Africa, this study provides valuable insight for the formulation of policies that concurrently address the challenges of sustainable development and climate change mitigation.

The Determinants of Greenhouse Gas Emissions: Empirical Evidence from Canadian Provinces

The main objective of the present study is to examine the determinants of greenhouse gas emissions in Canada using panel data of 10 provinces from 1990 to 2019. The pooled ordinary least squares method is used to estimate the models. The main findings of the basic model show that provinces with larger populations, younger ages, and more income produce higher levels of greenhouse gas emissions. The results of the extended model (per capita greenhouse gas emissions as the dependent variable) show that only five factors (out of ten potential determinants identified)—oil production per capita, gas production per capita, motor vehicles registered per capita, electricity generation intensity, and heating degree days—are significant determinants of per capita greenhouse gas emissions. The results also reveal that the provinces with older populations have lower per capita greenhouse gas emissions in Canada. However, both trend variables played an important role in explaining the greenhouse gas emissions per capita in Canada. Moreover, there were no significant differences among the patterns of the per capita greenhouse gas emissions in Canada after 2005.

Household energy-related carbon footprint in residential neighbourhoods in high-latitude cities: A case of Edmonton in Canada

Understanding all the possible greenhouse gas (GHG) emission sources and factors is key to achieving net zero emissions by 2050, as targeted by the Paris Agreement, and thereby, averting the severe consequences of climate change. In this study, we explored household energy-related GHG (HEGHG) emissions in 265 residential neighbourhoods in a high-latitude city that experiences opposite temperature extremes. Our results revealed that the average annual per capita GHG emissions from dwellings in the city are 45% higher than those from personal transportation, highlighting the urgent need for greater emphasis on reducing GHG emissions from dwellings in high-latitude cities. We found that per capita floor area is positively correlated with GHG emissions. The findings also indicate that per capita HEGHG emissions significantly increase with increasing neighbourhood income levels (r = 0.8). An increase in the percentage of households struggling to afford homeownership is also associated with a decrease in HEGHG emissions (r = -0.3). These findings can help facilitate the focus on areas of high-latitude cities where the mitigation measures may have the most impact in reducing carbon footprint.

Impacts of Climate Change on Food Security in Africa

Africa is the region with the lowest total and per capita greenhouse gas emissions in the world, but it bears the brunt of the adverse effects of climate change. Due to its special geographical location, spanning north and south of the equator, Africa has a vast territory, a large population, and a diverse climate, and its economic and social development is relatively lagging behind, especially the low urbanization and industrialization rates, a large agricultural population, and huge inter-regional climate differences. The existing research mainly focuses on the political, economic, geopolitical, and poverty, education, and health aspects of Africa. The research theme of this paper is the impact of climate change on food security in Africa; using the literature research method, we study the impact of climate change situation on food security in Africa; the purpose of the research is to draw the attention of the international community to climate change and food security; increase the attention and support to Africa, so that Africa can become better. The purpose of the study is to draw the attention of the international community to climate change and food security, and to increase the attention and support to Africa so that Africa can better adapt to the impact of climate change.

Commercial weight-loss diets, greenhouse gas emissions and freshwater consumption.

Weight-loss attempts are widespread in the United States, with many using commercial weight-loss diet plans for guidance and support. Accordingly, dietary suggestions within these plans influence the nation's food-related environmental footprint. We modelled United States (US) per capita greenhouse gas emissions (GHGe) and water footprints associated with seven commercial weight-loss diets, the US baseline, and selected other dietary patterns. We characterised consumption in commercial weight-loss diets both via modelling from provided guidelines and based on specific foods in 1-week meal plans. Cradle-to-farmgate GHGe and water footprints were assessed using a previously developed model. GHGe results were compared to the EAT-Lancet 2050 target. Water footprints were compared to the US baseline. Weight-loss diets had GHGe footprints on average 4.4 times the EAT-Lancet target recommended for planetary health (range: 2.4-8.5 times). Bovine meat was by far the largest contributor of GHGe in most diets that included it. Three commercial diets had water footprints above the US baseline. Low caloric intake in some diets compensated for the relative increases in GHGe- and water-intensive foods. Dietary patterns suggested by marketing materials and guidelines from commercial weight-loss diets can have high GHGe and water footprints, particularly if caloric limits are exceeded. Commercial diet plan guidance can be altered to support planetary and individual health, including describing what dietary patterns can jointly support environmental sustainability and weight loss.

The complex relationship between carbon literacy and pro-environmental actions among engineering students

Lifestyle choices and consumption play a large role in contributing to per capita greenhouse gas emissions. Certain activities, like fossil fuel ground transportation, long-haul flights, diets with animal products and residential heating and cooling contribute significantly to per capita emissions. There is uncertainty around whether literacy about these actions encourages individuals to act pro-environmentally to reduce personal carbon footprints or to prioritize the most effective actions. This study investigated the relationship between carbon literacy and pro-environmental actions performed to reduce greenhouse gas emissions among undergraduate engineering students at the University of Toronto. The pro-environmental actions by the participants produced an average carbon footprint of 4.8 tCO2 (within the subset of actions included in the survey) which was lower than the average for residents each of Toronto, Ontario, and Canada overall but still higher than the global target of ∼2.8 tCO2e. The carbon literacy by participants was best for high impact actions like ground transportation and dietary choices but less so for air travel and there was mixed awareness for the moderate and low impact actions. For high impact actions and many moderate and low impact actions, participants who thought the action was high impact (even if incorrect) had lower carbon footprints related to the associated activity than those who thought the action was moderate or low impact. The overall relationship between pro-environmental action and carbon literacy was weak. It showed that for high impact actions, there is a slight negative correlation between carbon literacy and personal carbon footprint whereas for moderate and low impact actions, there is a positive correlation.

Could taxes on foods high in fat, sugar and salt (HFSS) improve climate health and nutrition in Scotland?

Foods high in fats, sugar and salt (HFSS) have a significant impact on public health, the climate and the economy. As such, it is critical to ascertain how pricing policies could help reduce their consumption in Scotland. This study analysed secondary data of 3260 households from Kantar Worldpanel, which comprised 18 food categories consumed in Scotland. The primary objective was to simulate the implications of an excise tax imposed on HFSS food purchases on climate health and consumer welfare using uncompensated own- and cross-price elasticities estimated from the Exact Affine Stone Index demand model. Two policy scenarios were considered: taxing all HFSS while the prices of the remaining foods remain unchanged; and taxing HFSS while subsidising fruit and vegetables with the revenue generated. The results from the study indicate that imposing taxes on HFSS would reduce their consumption due to price effects. A 10% tax on HFSS food groups while subsidising fruit and vegetables with the tax revenues simultaneously brought about a 5–9% decline in the consumption of HFFS and an 11% and 7% rise in vegetable and fruit consumption respectively. Weekly per capita greenhouse gas emissions could increase by 2% if fruit and vegetables were subsidised with the tax revenues, while decreasing by 3% when only HFSS food groups were taxed. Taxing HFSS without a subsidy policy in place was more regressive on consumers than when fruit and vegetables were subsidised. In conclusion, imposing a revenue-neutral HFSS tax policy would result in a trade-off between dietary, welfare and environmental goals. The policy scenario adopted by the government would depend on the national goal being pursued.

The gap in capacity building on climate, health, and equity in built environment postsecondary education: a mixed-methods study.

Institutions of higher education are feeling increasing pressure from both students and the international climate community to offer more courses and joint degrees on the role of the built environment in advancing climate action, population health, and social equity. The built environment plays a leading role in this new, transdisciplinary approach. Thoughtfully designed buildings, neighborhoods, and communities can simultaneously lower per capita greenhouse gas emissions, reduce population exposure to dangerous climate-sensitive extreme weather events, reduce disparities in climate-related health outcomes, and advance social equity goals. This mixed-methods study explored the extent to which post-secondary courses and joint degree programs teach students the research methods and technical skills they will need to design and implement built environment interventions addressing the effects of climate change on population health and social equity. The study found that the number of universities offering courses addressing climate, health, and equity in the built environment grew from 2018 to 2022. The number of joint planning/public health degree programs rose from four in 2005 to 15 in 2022. No joint architecture/public health degree programs were identified. A detailed review of 99 course descriptions from three universities found that 17 courses (roughly 1/5 of the total) covered population health, built environment, and climate change; and, 2/3 of the set (n = 60) covered two out of the three topics. Schools of public health were more likely to offer courses covering all three topics, whereas schools of architecture were more likely to include the building scale in relevant courses. Exposure pathways and social equity/vulnerable populations were the most common methods included in relevant courses. Professors and administrators at institutions identified by the study as "transdisciplinary-ready" reported that accreditation requirements and university rules governing the allocation of student tuition had slowed efforts to offer cross-listed courses. However, faculty in these institutions regularly collaborate informally with their peers - both on transdisciplinary research and by offering guest lectures in each other's courses. The results of this study show that, while universities have made great strides over the past 18 years in beginning to support transdisciplinary research and pedagogy, institutional barriers and gaps in key content areas remain.

Circularity in Europe strengthens the sustainability of the global food system

Redesigning the European food system on the basis of circularity principles could bring environmental benefits for Europe and the world. Here we deploy a biophysical optimization model to explore the effects of adopting three circularity scenarios in the European Union (EU)27 + UK. We calculate a potential reduction of 71% in agricultural land use and 29% per capita in agricultural greenhouse gas emissions, while producing enough healthy food within a self-sufficient European food system. Under global food shortages, savings in agricultural land could be used to feed an additional 767 million people outside the EU (+149%), while reducing per capita greenhouse gas emissions by 38% but increasing overall emissions by 55% due to the increased population served. Transitioning the EU’s food system towards circularity implies sequential changes among all its components and has great potential to safeguard human and planetary health.

Investigating the Relationship Between Canada’s Environmental Quality and GDP-Alternative Measures: An Error Correction Approach

Abstract This paper investigates the long-run relationship between Canada’s total greenhouse gas emissions (as an indicator of environmental quality) and economic development captured by gross domestic product (GDP) and GDP-alternative measures (which are argued to be more representative of the wider-scale economic progress, Rani & Mandal, 2020). The three GDP-alternative measures assessed were gross national disposable income (GNDI), human development index (HDI), and index of economic freedom (IEF). Time series properties of per capita greenhouse gas emissions (GHGpc) were evaluated. Augmented Dickey Fuller stationarity test was performed for GHGpc, after which, Johansen tests were performed to evaluate cointegration between GHGpc and the economic growth measures. Error correction models were run to evaluate the long-run behavior of GHGpc with per capita GDP and GNDI (GDPpc and GNDIpc, respectively), HDI, and IEF. GHGpc was found to be cointegrated with both GDPpc and all the GDP-alternative indicators. The paper contributes to the existing literature by demonstrating that Canada’s per capita GHG emission has a long-run relationship with both GDP and GDP-alternative indicators. This study represents the first assessment in the body of knowledge of the relationship between Canada’s national-level total GHG emissions and GDP-alternative measures. Keywords: Greenhouse gas, Stationarity, Cointegration, Error correction, GDP-alternatives.

An Analysis of Korean News Media on Sustainability in the Anthropocene

Abstract: The fast levels of industrialization, urbanization, globalization, and expansion of mass consumption that most countries in the world are experiencing today have led to environmental destruction and climate change, eventually threatening the survival of the Earth and humanity. Especially in the case of South Korea, where per capita greenhouse gas emissions have risen to the third highest in the world, there is an urgent need to raise public awareness of the risks of climate change and initiate a more active societal response. This study examines Korean news media trends related to sustainability and explore suggestions for sustainable measures in the Anthropocene. In this way, a total of 1,203 articles was collected, including material from the news archives of newspapers, broadcasting TV, and Internet news channels. The articles have been analyzed by means of word-count-based analysis and topic modeling. The results of this study suggest that there is a need to develop and activate articles that contain more information about the effectiveness of the social response to sustainability and climate change in the Anthropocene.

Fossil Fuels and Fossil Kin: An Environmental Kin Study of Weaponised Fossil Kin and Alberta’sSo‐Called“Energy Resources Heritage”

AbstractAlberta produces 80% of the crude oil extracted in Canada. Canadian resource industry proponents and governments claim to be climate leaders, but Canada produces the highest per capita greenhouse gas emissions of all G20 countries, and is among the top ten carbon dioxide producers globally. Much of this pollution can be tied back to Alberta’s petro‐economy, an industry whose fossil wealth dates back millions of years to a time when flora and fauna were deposited in the lands and waters that Alberta now claims. Expanding on my earlier work on oil, gas, water, fish, and the Cree legal‐ethical principle of wahkohtowin in Alberta’s fossil‐scapes, this article examines what happens when the weaponised fossil kin of Alberta’s fossil and petro‐deposits are extracted and transformed into waste and pollution that disrupt reciprocal relationalities between human and nonhuman beings in Alberta’s watersheds, landscapes, atmospheres, and beyond.

Understanding Socio-metabolic Inequalities Using Consumption Data from Germany

ABSTRACT The Earth’s population of seven billion consume varying amounts of planetary resources with varying impacts on the environment. We combine the analytical tools offered by the socio-ecological metabolism and class theory and contribute to a novel social stratification theory to identify the differences in individual resource and energy use. This approach is applied to German society, we use per capita greenhouse gas emissions (GHG) as a proxy for resource and energy use and investigate socio-metabolic characteristics of individuals from an economic, social and cultural perspective. The results show large disparities and inequalities in emission patterns in the German society. For example, the GHG in the lowest and highest emission groups can differ by a magnitude of ten. Income, education, age, gender and regional differences (Eastern vs. Western Germany) result in distinct emission profiles. We question the focus on individual behavioral changes and consumption choices to reduce carbon emissions instead of structural changes through political decisions. We argue that emission differences are directly linked to the effects of inequalities and class differences in capitalist societies. Our research results show that natural resource and energy consumption are important for explaining social differentiation in modern societies.

A Critical, Temporal Analysis of Saudi Arabia’s Initiatives for Greenhouse Gas Emissions Reduction in the Energy Sector

The per capita greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions of Saudi Arabia were more than three times the global average emissions in 2019. The energy sector is the most dominant GHG-emitting sector in the country; its energy consumption has increased over five times in the last four decades, from over 2000 quadrillion joules in 1981 to around 11,000 quadrillion joules in 2019, while the share of renewable energy in 2019 was only 0.1%. To reduce GHG emissions, the Saudi Arabian government has undertaken initiatives for improving energy efficiency and increasing the production of renewable energies in the country. However, there are few investigative studies into the effectiveness of these initiatives in improving energy efficiency and reducing greenhouse gas emissions. This study provides an overview of the various energy efficiency and renewable energy initiatives undertaken in Saudi Arabia. Then, it evaluates the effectiveness of energy-related policies and initiatives using an indicator-based approach. In addition, this study performs temporal and econometrics analyses to understand the trends and the causal relationships among various drivers of energy sector emissions. Energy intensity and efficiency have improved moderately in recent years. This study will support policymakers in identifying significant policy gaps in reducing the emissions from the energy sector; furthermore, this study will provide a reference for tracking the progress of their policy initiatives. In addition, the methodology used in this study could be applied in other studies to evaluate various climate change policies and their progress.

Greenhouse Gas Emissions in the Process of Landfill Disposal in China

Quantitative accounting of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions has become an important global focus. GHG emissions from the waste sector have high potential in GHG emissions reduction. We analyzed the GHG emissions inventory in the waste sector of the European Union, Germany, the United Kingdom, the United States of America, and Canada from 1990 to 2019. Landfill disposal was the main category of GHGs from the waste sector, with a contribution rate between 69% and 95%. Landfill disposal also played a prominent role in emission reduction, with a contribution rate higher than 86%. GHG emissions from landfill sites in China were calculated using the inventory analysis method recommended by the IPCC and combined with actual situations. The results showed that the highest GHG emissions from landfill disposal in China occurred in 2020, with an estimated 165 million tons of carbon dioxide (CO2) equivalent. In 2019, the per capita GHG emissions from landfill sites in China was 117 kg CO2 equivalent/person, which was higher than Germany (87 kg CO2 equivalent/person) but lower than the European Union (189 kg CO2 equivalent/person).

Stochastic convergence of per capita greenhouse gas emissions: New unit root tests with breaks and a factor structure

This study examines the convergence of per capita greenhouse gas emissions for a global panel of 183 countries. Unlike previous studies that address the effects of structural breaks and cross-correlations separately, a new testing approach is proposed that jointly incorporates structural breaks and cross-correlations. Specifically, we extend the two break tests of Lee and Strazicich (2003) to allow for cross-correlations in a factor structure by adopting the PANIC procedure of Bai and Ng (2004). When accounting for structural breaks and factors, our results show that the evidence of stochastic convergence in greenhouse gas emissions is quite limited compared to other unit root tests that fail to account for cross-correlations. Policy implications of the findings are also discussed.

Greenhouse gas emissions: A rapid submerge of the world.

The investigation of worldwide climate change is a noticeable exploration topic in the field of sciences. Outflow of greenhouse gases in the environment is the main reason behind the worldwide environmental change. Greenhouse gases retain heat from the sun and prompt the earth to become more sultry, resulting in global warming. In this article, a model based technique is proposed to forecast the future climate dynamics globally. Using past data on annual greenhouse gas emissions and per capita greenhouse gas emissions, the fractal curves are generated and a forecast model called the autoregressive integrated moving average model has been employed to anticipate the future scenario in relation to climate change and its impact on sea-level rise. It is necessary to forecast the climate conditions before the situations become acute. Policy measures aimed at lowering CO and other greenhouse gas emissions, or at least slowing down their development, will have a substantial effect on future warming of the earth.