Climate Change Goals Research Articles

Uncovering the key mechanisms of how deep decarbonization benefits air pollution alleviation in China

Addressing climate change and air pollution goals in conjunction would be efficient and cost-effective. Dealing with these two challenges is a common issue for urban clusters pursuing sustainable development. Expected to become the fourth international first-class bay area, the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area (GBA) takes the lead in exploring a green and low-carbon transition path as a key element of being a pioneering economic reform demonstration zone. Based on an integrated modeling framework that couples an energy-economy model (IMED|CGE), decomposition analysis, and regression methods, the potential contribution of achieving the climate mitigation target to air pollutant reduction in the GBA by 2050 was quantified. The results showed that the transport sector has the most significant potential for carbon reduction. Energy intensity and structural transformations are the main contributors to reducing carbon emissions, with the latter becoming increasingly important over time. Climate policy can effectively reduce air pollutant emissions; however, this effect varies for different pollutants and sectors. Based on the assessment of the synergy index and cost of abatement, sectors with priority for synergic governance were identified. The regression results indicated that the carbon shadow price would be significantly more effective in reducing air pollutant emissions in the post-2030 period than before 2030, except for SO2 and NH3, partially because of the existing actions that cause the synergistic effects to decline. In addition, end-of-pipe removal measures still play a relatively significant role in reducing air pollutants, particularly VOC, NH3, and primary PM2.5. Thus, the findings suggest that priority should be given to sectors with huge synergistic benefits, such as transportation and power generation while paying attention to possible trade-offs.

Deployment planning tool for environmentally sensitive heavy-duty vehicles and fueling infrastructure

A novel planning tool is introduced for projecting vehicle and fueling infrastructure deployment of near-zero and zero emission heavy-duty vehicles (HDVs). To address climate change and air quality goals, the tool is based on a systematic methodology to develop rollout scenarios that meet environmental goals at the lowest cost, and identify policy to facilitate the deployment. Called TRACE (Transportation Rollout Affecting Cost and Emissions), the methodology provides a framework for developing and analyzing scenarios that consider the technical and socio-political constraints and incentives in the emerging HDV sector. For the California Greenhouse Gas (GHG) Scenario requiring an 80% reduction in 1990 GHG levels by 2050, TRACE projects a significant population of biomass-sourced renewable diesel-fueled internal combustion vehicles, complemented by a substantial population of battery and fuel cell electric powertrain adoption by 2050. In contrast, the Zero Emission Vehicle Scenario projects a near-complete (100%) adoption of battery and fuel cell electric powertrains by 2050 with a 0.53% higher cumulative cost than the GHG Scenario. The policy implications include a need for (1) near-term benefits of low/negative carbon intensity biomass without diminishing adoption of zero emission HDVs, and (2) both renewable fuel and fuel cell electric vehicle incentives tailored to vocational demand.

Advances in orthodontic clear aligner materials.

Rapid technological improvements in biomaterials, computer-aided design (CAD) and manufacturing (CAM) have endorsed clear aligner therapy (CAT) as a mainstay of orthodontic treatment, and the materials employed for aligner fabrication play an all-important role in determining the clinical performance of clear aligners. This narrative review has attempted to comprehensively encompass the entire gamut of materials currently used for the fabrication of clear aligners and elucidate their characteristics that are crucial in determining their performance in an oral environment. Historical developments and current protocols in aligner fabrication, features of contemporary bioactive materials, and emerging trends related to CAT are discussed. Advances in aligner material chemistry and engineering possess the potential to bring about radical transformations in the therapeutic applications of CAT; in the absence of which, clear aligners would continue to underperform clinically, due to their inherent biomechanical constraints. Finally, while innovations in aligner materials such as shape memory polymers, direct three-dimensional (3D) printed clear aligners and bioactive materials combined with clear aligner materials are essential to further advance the applications of CAT; increased awareness of environmental responsibilities among aligner manufacturers, aligner prescribing clinicians and aligner users is essential for better alignment of our climate change goals towards a sustainable planet.

Climate neutrality strategies for energy-intensive industries: An Austrian case study

The industry is responsible for 24% of anthropogenic emissions and a quarter of total energy consumption worldwide. Accelerating the action plan for climate neutrality for the industry, particularly the energy-intensive industrial subsectors, which are responsible for about 70% of the sector's emissions and energy consumption, is crucial to achieving the climate change goals. Iron and steel, pulp and paper, nonmetallic minerals emphasizing cement and nonferrous metals focusing on aluminum are the four energy-intensive industrial subsectors investigated in this study. We evaluate the benefits and obstacles of various mitigation methods for each subsector over two time horizons: short/medium-term emission reductions and long-term emission reductions. Actions that have already been implemented in some industrial sites and do not require extensive infrastructural upgrades are generally considered in the short/medium term. This group covers boosting energy efficiency by retrofitting plants and adopting the best available or best practice technologies in existing process stages, as well as substituting fossil fuels as energy sources with bioenergy, hydrogen, or electricity (low-emission electricity). This strategy can reduce emissions in the shortest possible timeframe; nevertheless, the reduction is insufficient, and additional efforts are required to transition the industry to a low-carbon economy by 2050. These further efforts are viewed as long-term reductions that broadly address mitigation alternatives connected to process emissions, which are an inherent part of the production processes of industrial subsectors across a more extended period. The frontline technologies studied in this category are fossil fuel feedstock change to non-fossil gases such as hydrogen, carbon capture usage and storage, a higher degree of electrification and increased use of secondary raw material. By evaluating the conditions for each subsector, this study also analyses the industrial landscape along the industrial value chain, showing that all of these four technology groups need to be implemented in a sector-specific approach to close the ambitious net-zero emissions gaps. In this essay, Austrian energy-intensive industrial subsectors are assessed as case studies using a comprehensive approach that includes influencing factors such as the subsector's current energy and emissions intensity, energy infrastructure, future national and international policies, and related decarbonization techniques. Transitioning from fossil fuels to emission-free fuels as raw materials (in the iron and steel subsector) and energy sources, as well as circular economy paths, have more potent effects on decarbonizing the Austrian industry. When these strategies are integrated with CO₂ capture solutions for the cement industry and energy efficiency improvements for relevant subsectors, Austrian industrial emissions can be reduced by more than 65% compared to the current level.

Nudging greater vegetable intake and less food waste: A field experiment

Diet change and food waste reduction are key levers for meeting climate change goals, but little is known about pursuing policies to shape both behaviors simultaneously. In a between-subjects field experiment, we randomly assign distinct cognitive and behavioral nudges focused on increasing vegetable consumption and decreasing food waste among foodservice consumers. The individual and joint efficacy of nudges in changing the intake and waste of each meal component is measured by scale. We find increases in both vegetable consumption (effect size = 0.90) and wasted food (effect size = 0.96) among participants randomly assigned to meals with 50 % (vs 25 %) of the plate covered with vegetables (behavioral nudge). Information about the social costs of food waste (cognitive nudge) mitigated the increase in waste induced by the 50 % vegetable nudge by encouraging greater vegetable intake. However, these mitigation effects disappeared if participants also received information (a second cognitive nudge) recommending increased vegetable consumption to improve health. Displaying meals on a larger plate (behavioral nudge) significantly increased selection of larger portion sizes, which led to greater vegetable intake but no change in waste. These results highlight the need to understand interactions between nudges when pursuing policies to accomplish multiple behavioral changes in foodservice settings.

Development and optimization of NIRS prediction models for simultaneous multi-trait assessment in diverse cowpea germplasm.

Cowpea (Vigna unguiculata (L.) Walp.) is one such legume that can facilitate achieving sustainable nutrition and climate change goals. Assessing nutritional traits conventionally can be laborious and time-consuming. NIRS is a technique used to rapidly determine biochemical parameters for large germplasm. NIRS prediction models were developed to assess protein, starch, TDF, phenols, and phytic acid based on MPLS regression. Higher RSQexternal values such as 0.903, 0.997, 0.901, 0.706, and 0.955 were obtained for protein, starch, TDF, phenols, and phytic acid respectively. Models for all the traits displayed RPD values of >2.5 except phenols and low SEP indicating the excellent prediction of models. For all the traits worked, p-value ≥ 0.05 implied the accuracy and reliability score >0.8 (except phenol) ensured the applicability of the models. These prediction models will facilitate high throughput screening of large cowpea germplasm in a non-destructive way and the selection of desirable chemotypes in any genetic background with huge application in cowpea crop improvement programs across the world.

Renewable energy in fisheries and aquaculture: Case studies from the United States

Fisheries and aquaculture are highly reliant on fossil fuels and must transition to renewable energy to reduce carbon emissions and meet global planetary heath goals. Here, we assessed total and renewable energy use in farmed catfish and wild-caught salmon, two of the largest seafood sectors in the United States (U.S.). Interviews were used to explore participants’ views of key barriers and opportunities to replace fossil fuel use. Modeled scenarios were used to assess changes in grid source energy and electricity costs for the farmed catfish sector using the U.S. EIA National Energy Modeling System. We found that renewable energy makes up 5% of direct energy use in catfish aquaculture in Mississippi and Alabama. Catfish industry interviewees indicate that cheap electricity costs and diurnal energy use are barriers to onsite implementation of renewables. Projected renewable energy use for the catfish sector could be as high as 41% of total direct energy use in 2050 under modeled scenarios, which would result in 86% lower CO2 emissions but 34% higher electricity costs. For wild-capture pink salmon from Prince William Sound, Alaska (AK) and sockeye salmon from Bristol Bay, AK, renewable energy makes up 2% and 0% of direct energy use, respectively. Wild-caught salmon industry interviewees identified the short duration of the fishing season as a barrier for onsite renewable energy, though there is a desire for more regional renewable energy technologies to lower electricity costs and increase reliability. Proposed renewable energy projects at utilities in fish processing towns in AK would only make modest improvements in the share of direct energy from renewables due to fuel use by fishing vessels. This is the first study to characterize current and potential renewable energy use among parts of the fisheries and aquaculture sectors in the U.S. We found that energy needs for fisheries and aquaculture are influenced by their often-remote location, production methods, and seasonal energy demands, which require context-specific solutions. There is the need for federal and state policies and incentives to shift energy sources used in these sectors to meet national and international climate change goals while supporting food security.

Born Green: Drivers and Competencies of Green Entrepreneurship

Sustainable development is one of the most prominent discussions of our times and promoting green new ventures can help reduce ecological footprints and meet the climate change goals. Despite its importance for the next decades, the study of green entrepreneurship (GE) is still very poor and being an emerging field of study can be considered still in its infancy. (Demirel et al, 2019; Sher et al, 2020).
 The current paper aims at providing a contribute to management science and business management practice by focusing on the research questions: (a) what are the most relevant theoretical frameworks researching drivers that trigger green entrepreneurial intention (GEI), and (b) what are the main theoretical frameworks investigating competencies that might favour or enhance the specific form of green entrepreneurial intention.
 Several theories have been developed to explain the classic entrepreneurial intention (EI) being the most noted the theory of planned behaviour (TPB) (Ajzen, 1991), and theory of entrepreneurial event (TEE) (Shapero and Sokol, 1982). A different stream of literature focus on individual competencies that can allow key issues to be captured and influence entrepreneurial intentions which are variable and can be acquired and learned over time (Mitchelmore and Rowley, 2010; Man et al, 2002). Nevertheless, these models do not contemplate on the role of the entrepreneurial intentions for a specific form like GE (Sher et al, 2020).
 We conducted a systematic literature review aiming at analysing quantitatively and qualitatively the relevant articles in indexed journals based on the PRISMA approach - Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses.
 Main findings are that recent relevant studies mainly adapt TPB to the determinants of GE by inserting new specific precedent variables. As to GE competencies, main authors depart from classic theoretical frameworks and finetune their approach to the more specific and broader dimensions of GE.

Perovskite Solar Cells

Solar energy is set to play a big role in future energy generation and achieving climate change goals [...]

SUPPORTING SUSTAINABILITY THROUGH THE USE OF OFFSHORE WIND ENERGY: THE CASE OF UNITED KINGDOM

To meet the goal of sustainability and transition to a green economy, renewable energy sources have to be used. Although many countries have declared their transition to a smart, green and sustainable economy, there is still modest evidence of achieving climate change goals, Sustainable Development Goals and other related societal and environmental goals. This paper aims to give an overview of the current global and regional trends, and the strategic frameworks on the use of wind energy to clarify its potential, especially offshore wind energy, using the example of the United Kingdom as one of the global leaders in this area. For several decades, the United Kingdom has implemented various regulations and mechanisms to improve climate action and the transition to a green economy. It offers specific Contract for Difference schemes to offshore wind producers, under which they are entitled to a specially defined purchase price of electricity produced for 15 years. Thus, the United Kingdom is one of the global leaders in offshore wind energy generation. Initiatives, strategic frameworks and regulations in the United Kingdom can serve as guidelines for other countries in developing their own strategic framework.

Framework and content of energy transition in Southeast Asia with ASEAN and the EU

Abstract According to the latest Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) report, energy transition and globally collaborative solutions play a crucial role in mitigating or preferably preventing human-induced global warming. Factual, legal, security policy and economic determinants shape the field of energy use, energy transition as well as tied climate change policy. Both Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and the EU, aware of this fact, are coordinating their endeavours to achieve a climate neutral future. This article discusses the energy transition in the ASEAN in the context of climate change considerations, the effects of this transition on people, and if and how the unique ASEAN way, law and economic governance in ASEAN are conducive to it. Here, the 45-year strategic partnership between ASEAN and the European Union (EU) provides opportunities to shape a socially just energy transition. The article shows which actors are affected by this transition, and which challenges and practical opportunities energy governance and the EU–ASEAN partnership offers. The article concludes that a long-termism approach is crucial in this regard to keep costs to a minimum by spurring concerted cooperation efforts to align and harmonize climate change goals, and ensuring a secure, sustainable energy supply. In particular, it is the absence of judicial control mechanisms for (private) actors, groups and individuals affected by the energy transition that precludes accountability and contradicts a path for extending and strengthening the fundamental concept of trust in informal governance structures in ASEAN. At the same time, it is argued that this also prevents an effective and efficient expansion of joint EU–ASEAN efforts, which for the time being, it seems, will remain political in nature with no assertive effect.

(Invited) U.S. Department of Energy Initiatives in Lithium Battery Recycling and the Supply Chain

For the U.S. to meet climate change and circular economy goals, to ensure good stewardship of critical materials, and to meet strategic supply chain goals for economic development and national security, a strong commercial recycling industry for recycling is vital. Identified by the blueprint developed by the Federal Consortium for Advanced Batteries (FCAB) and the Administration’s 100 Day report for high-capacity batteries as a key strategic focus area, recycling offers the strongest pathway to ensuring the U.S. can capitalize on the strong market demand for EVs and to ensure the materials are available for the U.S. to reintegrate into the supply chain. However, recycling alone is not enough to enable the U.S. goals to create a resilient and sustainable supply chain. Recycling needs to consider all end-of-life potential and challenges for lithium ion batteries, and the requalification of those materials in the battery supply chain. This requires a look at all supply chain segments as a whole to determine the areas for largest impact for sustainability and economic development.

Assuring the integrity of offshore carbon dioxide storage

Carbon capture and storage is a key mitigation strategy proposed for keeping the global temperature rise below 1.5 °C. Offshore storage can provide up to 13% of the global CO2 reduction required to achieve the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change goals. The public must be assured that potential leakages from storage reservoirs can be detected and that therefore the CO2 is safely contained. We conducted a controlled release of 675 kg CO2 within sediments at 120 m water depth, to simulate a leak and test novel detection, quantification and attribution approaches. We show that even at a very low release rate (6 kg day−1), CO2 can be detected within sediments and in the water column. Alongside detection we show the fluxes of both dissolved and gaseous CO2 can be quantified. The CO2 source was verified using natural and added tracers. The experiment demonstrates that existing technologies and techniques can detect, attribute and quantify any escape of CO2 from sub-seabed reservoirs as required for public assurance, regulatory oversight and emissions trading schemes.

Foreseeing the future of green Technology. Molecular dynamic investigation on passive membrane penetration by the products of the CO2 and 1,3-butadiene reaction

The use of carbon dioxide as a reagent in organic synthesis is a useful strategy for attenuating its rising atmospheric levels and satisfying modern climate change goals. One of the most promising reactions for this reason is the telomerisation of CO2 with 1,3-butadiene, which yields the highly functionalized δ-lactone, 3-ethylidene-6-vinyltetrahydro-2H-pyran-2-one (EVL). Aside from EVL, several byproducts can form during this reaction such as acids, lactones and the covalent butadiene dimer (BDDI); however, their properties and possible harmful effects on biological systems are still unknown. In this work, the membrane structure altering properties and the passive transport of these compounds across the membrane is investigated by molecular dynamics (MD) simulations and well-tempered metadynamics (WT-MD). In addition, the pure liquid densities and hydration free energies of these compounds are determined by using MD simulations and ab initio calculations. It was found that in high concentrations, aside from the BDDI, all investigated compounds can penetrate the membranes, out of which the two acids prefer the membrane interior to the bulk phase. All the other compounds have formed micelles in the membrane exterior. Even though BDDI does not penetrate the bilayer, all of the investigated compounds disturb the membrane structure. The concentration-dependence of the passive penetration was calculated in the case of four compounds, and it can generally be said that at higher concentrations the permeation barriers are lower. Density-based (D2E) free energy calculations based on classical MD simulations were found to reproduce the results of the WT-MD simulations within the limits of chemical accuracy.

Ten-Year Changes in Global Warming Potential of Dietary Patterns Based on Food Consumption in Ontario, Canada

Many studies have evaluated the life cycle environmental impacts of diets based on a single period, but few studies have considered how environmental impacts of diets change over time, even though dietary patterns (DPs) change due to policy and socio-demographic factors. This study evaluated changes in the global warming potential (GWP) of DPs in the province of Ontario, Canada, using a life cycle assessment. We quantified the farm-to-fork GWP of six DPs (Omnivorous, No Pork, No Beef, No Red Meat, Pescatarian, and Vegetarian), using dietary intake data from a 2014 and 2015 survey. Throughout this period, the biggest decrease in GWP was for DPs containing beef, even though these DPs still have the highest GWP (3203 and 2308 kg CO2e, respectively, based on the annual energy intake of one individual). Across all DPs, plant-based proteins contributed less than 5% to GWP, while meat and fish contributed up to 62% of the total GWP. Ten-year GWP reductions are insufficient to meet climate change and other sustainability goals, and major dietary shifts are needed, particularly substituting animal-based proteins with plant-based proteins. To design effective interventions for shifting towards sustainable diets, research is needed to understand how socio-demographic and regional differences influence individuals’ food choices.

Study on the Impact Mechanism of China’s Carbon Emission Trading on Cities’ Sustainable Development

As an important tool for global climate governance, carbon emissions trading systems have received a lot of attention. Rising carbon emissions do lead to 'non-linear' shocks to the global climate and the economy-society-region. The greenhouse effect of carbon emissions may generate new economic costs and the Chinese government nowadays has attached great importance to low carbon sustainable development as well. This article presents the background of China's carbon emissions trading on sustainable urban development and the countermeasures taken by the Chinese government. By examining the current combination of China's economic and policy goals for carbon neutrality, it provides an in-depth analysis of the implications of the establishment of carbon markets for sustainable development and concludes the article with policy responses and recommendations for the early achievement of climate change goals. To this point, the implementation of carbon emissions in China offers a diverse and attractive sustainable development opportunity for all players in the ecosystem.

Driving Markets Toward a Greener Future: Kaiser Permanente.

The climate is changing, and, it seems, the health care sector has contributed to the problem. According to The Commonwealth Fund, the health care system accounts for about 10% of the carbon dioxide emitted annually in the United States. Globally, the health care sector is responsible for about 4.6% of worldwide greenhouse gas emissions. Recognizing their part in adding to an urgent global problem, more health care systems are cutting back on waste, carbon emissions, and energy use. As part of our continuing series looking at sustainability in health care, we've talked to three large health care systems to see what they're doing to clean up their act. This feature focuses on the climate change goals of Kaiser Permanente.

Solar calcium looping cycle for CO2 capturing in a cement plant. Definition of process parameters and reactors selection

Technologies to capture carbon dioxide (CO2) from industrial processes are needed to reach the climate change goals. In case of the cement industry, calcium looping cycle (CaL cycle) for CO2 capturing has gained more attention not only because it can be integrated in an existent cement plant, but also because the calcination step of the CaL cycle can be carried out using renewable energy sources such as concentrated solar power (CSP). However, material issues associated with the continuous cycling processing of particles, such as reduction of sorption capacity and particles attrition, are the bottleneck of CaL cycle. We studied the performance of cycled limestone under real CO2 capture conditions related to cement industries using Thermogravimetric Analysis (TGA). We found that not all limestone samples can be used for this purpose, since the calcination reaction can be strongly hindered after the first calcination-carbonation step is performed. Based on TGA results as well as on reactor analysis, a solar rotary kiln and a modified rotary kiln were defined as the two reactors to enable the implementation of a solar CaL cycle into a cement plant, where the spent and crushed sorbent is directly used in the subsequent cement production process. The solar calciner has to be operated at ≈950 °C to achieve feasible residence times of the treated solid material of less than 12 min. A temperature gradient of around 50 K inside the carbonator (carbonation temperature 600–650 °C), can favour the removal of almost all CO2 content in the flue gas.

Who is More Willing to Pay for Green Electricity? a Case Study of Anyang City, China

Green electricity (GE) is of great importance for effectively combating climate change and global Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The willingness-to-pay (WTP) for GE by end users has great influence on its widespread application, especially at the household level. Researchers have analyzed the mechanisms of residents' WTP and predicted how much they could afford for GE. However, most of these studies have focused on developed (affluent) countries and regions, and residents' WTP as well as the corresponding monetary amount of their WTP were not considered together in previous studies. In this study, we try to fill the gap of the inadequate research of residents' WTP in underdeveloped areas through an analysis of the WTP of urban residents in a small Chinese city (Anyang). A total of 274 household-scale samples were collected by face-to-face interviews in December 2019. We found that approximately 60% of respondents gave a positive response to WTP, with an average value of 8.39 yuan per month. Educational attainment, per capita disposable income in the household, the length of residents' time living in urban areas and the rate of neighbors' approval of WTP are all positively correlated with the tendency of the residents' positive response toward WTP. The three factors of per capita disposable income, the rate of neighbors' approval of WTP and the degree of residents' environmental concerns are positively correlated with the amount of residents' WTP. More importantly, we demonstrated the existence of a weak “Herd Effect” in residents' views of WTP. Finally, some suggestions for policymakers are given, such as raising household income through retraining and raising residents' environmental awareness through education and community advertisements. This study also highlights that the widespread application of GE at the household level will be of great assistance to the GE industry overall. Therefore, the rising economic cost of GE should not be shared by the households in the long term.

Reforestation Opportunities in Indonesia: Mitigating Climate Change and Achieving Sustainable Development Goals

Reforestation in the tropics is highlighted as an important intervention to mitigate climate change globally because of its potential for high CO2 removal rates, ranging from 4.5 to 40.7 t CO2e ha−1 yr−1 during the first 20 years of tree growth. Reforestation is critical to meeting emissions’ targets of the Paris Climate Agreement, as well as achieving Indonesia’s Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC) targets. Increasing carbon stocks through forest and land rehabilitation activities (RHL) is one of the Ministry of Environment and Forestry (MoEF) five main strategies for reducing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from the land sector. This study focuses on reforestation opportunities to support Indonesia’s NDC in reducing GHG emissions by 2030. We identified unproductive areas of land (shrub, open land) with highly degraded conditions as potential areas for reforestation. Based on Indonesian data of land cover change, we found that reforestation activities during 2019–2030 (11 years) under a realistic, ambitious and very ambitious scenario may remove carbon up to −0.25 GtCO2e (equal to −23 MtCO2e yr−1), −1.3 GtCO2e (equal to −124 MtCO2e yr−1) and −2.7 GtCO2e (equal to −247 MtCO2e yr−1), respectively. Based on international data of land cover change (Hansen et al. 2013), reforestation activities during 2019–2030, under a realistic, ambitious, and very ambitious scenario, have the opportunities to remove −17 MtCO2e yr−1, −118 MtCO2e yr−1, and −241 MtCO2e yr−1, respectively. This study demonstrates that ambitious and very ambitious scenarios of reforestation activities can significantly contribute to Indonesia’s forestry-related NDC in 2030 by reducing the Indonesia Business As Usual (BAU) emissions up to 17% and 35%.