Environmental Consequences Research Articles

Carbon Footprints and Income Inequality: A Panel Data Analysis of the 66 Largest Carbon Emitting Nations

In this study, we delved into the complex interaction between carbon emissions and critical economic and environmental factors using Two-step Sys-GMM Dynamic Panel Data Estimation. Our comprehensive dataset encompassed 66 major carbon-emitting nations spanning 1990-2020, providing a robust analytical foundation. Our key findings revealed a noteworthy positive relationship between income inequality, as measured by the Gini index, and carbon emissions across all models. This implies that higher income inequality is linked to increased carbon emissions, possibly due to consumption disparities and resource utilization. Furthermore, the relationship between income and emissions displayed intriguing dynamics. While income per capita exhibited a positive association with emissions, suggesting that growing economies tend to emit more, the squared income per capita variable showcased an inverted U-shaped pattern. This suggests that emissions increase at a diminishing rate as income levels reach a certain threshold, aligning with the Environmental Kuznets Curve hypothesis. Surprisingly, we observed that rising income inequality contributed to long-term carbon reduction, hinting at potential shifts in consumption behavior driven by environmental policies as nations develop. Our analysis also highlighted the roles of energy consumption and urbanization in elevating emissions, emphasizing the need for energy efficiency and sustainable urban planning. Conversely, a higher share of renewable energy was linked to reduced emissions, underscoring the urgency of transitioning to cleaner energy sources. Furthermore, net foreign direct investment and international trade exhibited positive associations with carbon emissions, emphasizing the environmental consequences of globalization. Our research underscores the potential of targeted policies addressing income inequality to promote social equity while reducing emissions. Striking a balance between economic growth and environmental sustainability remains crucial, given the intricate dynamics between income and emissions.

Navigating household food insecurity and environmental sustainability on a low income: An exploration of Sheffield mothers.

In 2023, 25% of adults in England, Wales and Northern Ireland experienced food insecurity. The concentration of food insecurity in both socioeconomically disadvantaged groups and households containing children raises concerns about its uneven nutritional and health impacts across different groups. In parallel with rising food insecurity over the past decade, concerns about the environmental consequences of human diets are intensifying, where urgent changes are needed to people's diets to avoid irreversible environmental damage. It is generally assumed that cost has a significant impact on people's ability to adopt more environmentally sustainable food practices. This UK Research Council-funded project seeks to gain insights into the ways in which low-income mothers (are able to) engage with environmentally sustainable food practices. RQ1 will examine the day-to-day food practices that mothers undertake for their families to offer insights into everyday food insecurity and the relevance of environmentally sustainable food practices. RQ2 will explore biographical experiences to highlight how mothers' life histories influence their familial food practices, including their current household food security and engagement with environmentally sustainable food practices. Finally, RQ3 will explore mothers' upcoming prospects of food insecurity and environmentally sustainable food practices. These research questions will be explored through a qualitative longitudinal, feminist study of 15 low-income mothers in Sheffield, UK, combining in-depth interviews with ethnographic elements. Gaining improved knowledge of mothers' food practices on a low income will be valuable to influence realistic, effective and meaningful philosophies, policies and practical action that prioritises equity, good nutrition and environmentally sustainable food practices.

Climate Risks and Economic Consequences of Rising Global CO2 Emissions in Aviation, Shipping, and Heavy-Duty Transport

This study examines methods to lessen the environmental consequences of global CO2 emissions from the hard-to-abate transport sector. The paper analyzed historical and projected trends in global CO2 emissions from the hard-to-abate transport industry under two scenarios: the stated policy scenario (STEPS) and the announced pledged scenario (APS). The study covered the historical period from 2010 to 2022 and projected emissions up to 2050. The analysis revealed that the compound annual growth rate (CAAGR) of STEP exceeded that of APS in 2030 and 2050 for challenging emissions from heavy- duty vehicles, aircraft, and shipping when compared to the baseline year of 2022. The aviation industry has a higher CAAGR of 5.3% and 2.5% for 2030 and 2050, respectively, compared to heavy-duty vehicles at 1.6% and 0.9% for 2030 and 2050, respectively, and shipping at 0.7% and 0.9% for 2030 and 2050, respectively, under STEPS. Under the APS scenario, shipping showed a negative CAAGR of -0.8% and -2.8% for 2030 and 2050, respectively, and 0.4% and -1.8% for 2030 and 2050, respectively, for heavy-duty trucks. In comparison, the aviation industry had CAAGRs of 4.5% and 0.8% for 2030 and 2050, respectively. The data shows that the aviation industry is expected to see a far greater CAAGR in emissions than heavy-duty vehicles and shipping in both STEPS and APS scenarios. Targeted efforts are necessary to mitigate the environmental effects of air travel in the upcoming decades. The paper also examined 56 publicly traded international transportation companies and their corresponding carbon emission targets. Only seven companies, or 12.5%, have established goals for reducing emissions from 2023 to 2050; 10 companies, accounting for 17.9%, have committed to achieving carbon neutrality by 2040 to 2060; five corporations, representing 8.9%, have set targets for reducing emission intensity from 2025 to 2034; and 34 global corporations, making up 60.7%, have committed to achieving net zero emissions between 2040 and 2050. Despite some progress in setting emission reduction targets in the air travel industry, many companies still need to set carbon footprint reduction goals.

Environmental impact assessment of manufacturing seawater desalination technology using life cycle assessment

Abstract The seawater desalination technology, named WEFO (Water with Electrolysis, Filtration, and Ozonation), holds significant potential for addressing clean water scarcity in coastal areas. This study employs Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) to evaluate the environmental impact of producing the WEFO device. The LCA results indicate notable environmental impacts, mostly attributable to using stainless steel and aluminum alloy. Stainless steel contributes 72.81% to abiotic depletion, 85.54% to acidification, 47.64% to eutrophication, 79.87% to freshwater ecotoxicity, 81.05% to terrestrial ecotoxicity, and 81.40% to photochemical oxidation. Meanwhile, aluminum alloy is responsible for 57.48% of global warming and 64.10% of ozone layer depletion. The manufacturing process of these materials emits pollutants that damage air and water quality and contributes to climate change and ecosystem disturbance. To mitigate these impacts, it is advisable to decrease the utilization of materials with significant environmental consequences in components such as wheel plates, faucets, and frames, replacing them with more environmentally friendly alternatives. Implementing these alternatives is expected to make WEFO technology more sustainable and provide an environmentally friendly solution to clean water scarcity in coastal areas while preserving human and ecosystem health.

The environmental consequences of rapid urbanization in central Florida reconstructed with high resolution 241Am and 210Pb dating in lake sediments

Throughout the 20th century, Florida was one of the fastest growing states in the US, putting unique environmental stress on the region. Accurately dated lake sediments can provide invaluable records of environmental change that extend beyond monitoring records. Here, we analyze profiles of americium-241 (241Am), cesium-137 (137Cs), lead (Pb), zinc (Zn), and uranium-series radionuclides in Lake Bonny in Lakeland, Florida. The 241Am peak is sharp in the sediment profile, while the 137Cs peak is broader and spread evenly across two layers. The measured 137Cs inventory of ~448Bq/m2 is less than half of the expected inventory from atmospheric deposition (accounting for decay since deposition), indicating significant losses. The reliability of 137Cs as a chronological tool can be complicated in environments with low quantities of 2:1 clays and low available potassium (K), characteristic of Florida and the U.S. southeast. Using a piecewise constant rate of supply 210Pb model verified by 241Am, we reconstruct sedimentation and chemical change in this lake. Highest sedimentation rates in the lake occur during decades of peak population growth in the mid-20th century. Uranium (U) and radium-226 (226Ra) inputs to the lake reach a maximum in the 1960s, consistent with expansion of local phosphate mines and elevated groundwater pumping during that time in response to drought conditions. Total Pb in the sedimentary record captures the rise and fall of the use of leaded gasoline, but Zn inputs to the lake remain nearly two orders of magnitude above background levels in the last decade. Our high-resolution chronology of the lake reveals regional impacts on water and lake quality in central Florida during a period of rapid population growth.

We Can Optimize Protein Nutrition and Reduce Nitrogen Waste in Global Pig and Food Production Systems by Adopting Circular, Sustainable, and One Health Practices.

We have exceeded the earth's carrying capacity to manage the amount of nitrogen (N) waste being generated globally, which can have devastating environmental consequences if immediate action is not taken. Our global food system is a major N user and contributor to N waste. Pork is the most consumed animal-derived protein source in the world, but like other food producing animals, the nitrogen use efficiency of converting dietary protein to edible lean meat is less than 50%. However, the undigested dietary N is excreted in manure can be recycled by using appropriate manure storage and application methods to crop land to prevent further N losses and emissions to the environment. Therefore, feed and manure, along with animal health and mortality are the main contributors to nitrogen use efficiency in pig production systems. Practical approaches to reduce N losses and emissions to the environment from pig production must be focused on fine-tuning dietary amino acid concentrations to match individual pig requirements, optimizing feed ingredient resource use, upcycling agri-industrial by-products and appropriate sources of food loss and waste, improving manure management, and maintaining pig health.

Analyzing the Influence of Financial Technology and Environmental Taxation on Energy Transformation in BRI Nations

This research examined the management, financial technology, and environmental taxation elements impacting energy transformation in Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) countries concerning foreign direct investment (FDI). The study aims to analyze data from 2014 to 2022, encompassing a balanced group of 148 BRI member nations—72 from minimal and lower-middle-class countries and 78 from significant and middle-income industrialized nations. Utilizing the two-step systems generalized method of moments (GMM) framework and verifying with the two-stage least squares (2SLS) approach, the study identified critical drivers and barriers to energy transformation in these countries. The findings indicate that effective management practices, advanced financial technologies, and appropriate environmental taxation policies significantly influence energy transformation and FDI inflows. Additionally, the research reviewed the impact of cruise tourism on human health and environmental ecosystems, highlighting severe environmental consequences such as habitat deterioration, marine pollution, and ecosystem disturbances. Human health issues linked to air and water pollution, including respiratory disorders and water-borne illnesses, were also identified. The socioeconomic effects on nearby communities were significant, underscoring the need for stringent regulations and sustainable practices. This comprehensive analysis provides essential insights for policymakers, industry stakeholders, and scholars, advocating for integrated policies to promote sustainable energy transformation and mitigate the adverse effects of cruise tourism.

CO2 to fuel: Role of polymer electrolytes on efficiency and selectivity

Global primary energy consumption, which heavily depends on fossil fuels, is on track for depletion, with projections suggesting exhaustion by 2100. This trajectory is further compounded by the persistent rise in atmospheric CO2 levels, currently at 420 ppm, which significantly contributes to climate change and its detrimental environmental consequences. To address this urgent challenge, various strategies have been proposed, including CO2 capture and storage, as well as its conversion into usable fuels. Leveraging the abundance of CO2 as a carbon source, coupled with sustainable energy resources such as solar, wind, and thermal energy, holds promise for generating value-added goods while mitigating environmental harm. This review focuses on the electrochemical reduction of CO2, presenting a dual-pronged approach aimed at decreasing atmospheric CO2 levels. The imperative to simultaneously combat declining atmospheric CO2 concentrations and advance cleaner, sustainable energy sources underscores the urgency of this endeavor. Specifically, we highlight the pivotal role of diverse polymer electrolytes, encompassing cation, anion, and bipolar membranes, in facilitating electrochemical CO2 reduction. Exploring the impact of functional groups within these membranes on CO2 reduction reaction provides insights into potential advancements in synthesis of eco-friendly fuel from conversion of CO2.

ENVIRONMENTAL EFFECTS OF PORT ACTIVITIES IN COTONOU, BENIN (WEST AFRICA)

The environmental effects of port activities on the biological environment are one of the growing concerns due to the importance of ports for maritime trade and the environmental consequences they generate. Activities related to maritime transport, waste management, and dredging can disrupt marine ecosystems, introduce invasive species, and pollute the waters. The objective of this research is to analyze the environmental effects of port activities in Cotonou, Benin. The data comes from several sources, including field studies, research reports, and marine pollution data. The information includes water quality measurements, observations on marine biodiversity, and data on waste management practices in ports. The methods of analysis include case studies, statistical analyses of pollution data, and ecological impact assessments. Comparisons are made between port areas and surrounding marine areas to evaluate the effects of port activities. Risk assessment models are also used to understand the implications of the bioaccumulation of toxic substances in the food chain. The results of the research show that maritime transport is a major vector for the introduction of exotic species, which can disrupt local ecosystems. The discharge of hydrocarbons and solid waste has harmful effects on the health of aquatic organisms and raises concerns about the bioaccumulation of toxins. Dredging operations disturb marine habitats, burying organisms and introducing pollutants into the environment. Plastic waste poses a serious threat to marine life, leading to health issues for species and affecting the integrity of coastal ecosystems. The main hazards associated with port activities include fire, workplace and traffic accidents, water pollution, explosions, drownings, and contamination of the natural environment by toxic substances and accidental discharges. Discharges from ships at sea constitute one of the major sources of water pollution caused by maritime transport. Several types are observed. Cargo losses frequently occur during loading or unloading due to handling errors or faulty equipment. This can involve any type of goods.

Non-Invasive Assessment of Microplastic Contamination in the Avian Biodiversity of Gharana Wetland, Jammu and Kashmir

Microplastic pollution has become a global environmental concern with potential impacts on ecosystems and wildlife. This study aimed to investigate the presence of microplastics in the avian fauna of the Gharana Wetland, employing a non-invasive monitoring approach through the analysis of bird droppings (scat). Gharana (meaning welcome home) wetland is a protected site under J&K Wildlife Protection Act, 1978. Gharana Wetland Conservation Reserve (GWCR) is recognized as “Important Bird Area” by Birdlife International, UK and Bombay Natural History Society (BNHS). It is an essential habitat for numerous avian species which are native as well as migratory one. Scat samples were collected of various avian species inhabiting the Gharana Wetland, representing diverse trophic levels within the ecosystem. Microplastic extraction and analysis were conducted using established protocols involving digestion, filtration and microscopic examination. Preliminary results revealed the presence of microplastics scat of multiple avian species which was further confirmed by using FTIR technique for chemical analysis of particles. The types microplastics varied among the avian samples, suggesting diverse sources and routes of ingestion. Commonly identified microplastics included fragments, fibers and microbeads. The prevalence of microplastics in avian scat raises concerns about the potential ecological impacts on both individual birds and the broader wetland ecosystem. This work highlights the use of scat analysis as a non-invasive tool for monitoring microplastic pollution in bird populations, which is critical for conservation efforts. It emphasizes the importance of reducing microplastic contamination in freshwater environments and encourages more investigation into the long-term consequences on bird health and potential food chain transmission. Proactive efforts are required to mitigate environmental consequences.

Dynamic nexus between urban digitization and pollutant discharge: RBC theory and empirical evidence from China

An economy undergoing digitalization may experience environmental degradation. This study aims to explore the potential environmental consequences of digitalization. First, the paper develops a real business cycle model that incorporates pollution constraints and endogenous digital capital investment. Second, the study identifies three stages of endogenous digital capital accumulation: resource mismatch, scaling, technology spillovers, and eventual monopolization. Correspondingly, environmental changes unfold in three stages: degradation, subsequent improvement, and regression back to deterioration. Finally, the empirical analysis draws on the process of digital capital accumulation across Chinese cities, revealing that while digital capital accumulation initially contributed to environmental degradation, technology spillovers could help mitigate these effects. Furthermore, the study highlights the differing levels of digital capital across cities, placing them at various stages of development. It underscores the critical need for policymakers to carefully balance the scale of digital capital, as both insufficient and excessive accumulation can exacerbate environmental challenges. This analysis offers valuable insights for policymakers seeking to foster digital development while mitigating environmental pollution.

Seasonal variations and hydrological management regulate nutrient transport in cascade damming: Insights from carbon and nitrogen isotopes

Reservoirs around the world have significantly altered the natural transport of nutrients in rivers. However, the specific effects of the cascade damming on the migration, transformation, and environmental consequences of these nutrients remain unclear. To address this knowledge gap, we analyzed spatiotemporal variations in water chemistry, nutrient concentrations, stable isotope of dissolved inorganic carbon (δ13CDIC) and nitrate isotope (δ15N-NO3-) in seven cascade reservoirs along the Wujiang River, each characterized by different regulatory regimes. Our findings reveal that the average absolute changes in concentrations of total nitrogen (TN), total phosphorus (TP), and silicon dioxide (SiO2) during the wet season (WS, spring and summer) were 2.4, 1.4, and 1.1 times higher than those observed in the dry season (DS, autumn and winter). During the WS, the average apparent retention efficiency (*RETf) values in the Hongjiadu reservoir were 97 % for TN, 98 % for TP, and 95 % for SiO2, indicating substantial nutrient consumption in the cascading reservoirs. Conversely, during the DS, the *RETf values for TN, TP, and SiO2 were negative, suggesting notable nutrient accumulation within the reservoirs. The nutrient fluxes released downstream from the cascade reservoirs in the Wujiang River were significantly greater than the upstream inflow fluxes. These findings help demonstrate how downstream discharge across cascade reservoirs amplifies nutrient flux disparities due to dam construction. Our study enhances the understanding of how cascade dam construction impacts nutrient dynamics, supporting the optimization of reservoir operation models and advancing scientific water resource management and conservation efforts.

Flume tank trials to investigate the snagging of towed demersal fishing gears on boulders

The snagging of towed demersal fishing gears on seabed features and obstructions can have economic, safety, ecological and environmental consequences. Nevertheless, very little is known about the snagging process, the extent to which it occurs and how best to mitigate it. Here we present the results of a systematic flume tank study to investigate which gear-types are more likely to snag on boulders, which part of a given gear snagging is more likely to occur, and what are the characteristic features of the boulders shapes and size that increase the likelihood of snagging. As a case study we focus on gears that are typical of Jammerbugt, Denmark and show that tickler chain beam trawls are more likely to snag, while the snagging likelihood of the otter trawl, Danish seine and chain mat beam trawl are similar. Our approach and the methodology we develop will help design safer and more sustainable gears that interact less with the seabeds habitats and features. They will provide insights as to which gears can be used on which fishing grounds, contribute to a reduction of abandoned, lost and discarded fishing gears (ALDFG), improve fisher safety, and help fisheries managers develop measures that will promote more environmentally friendly and sustainable fisheries.

Konsekuensi Lingkungan Dan Sosial Dari Penebangan Liar: Implikasi Hukum Dan Strategi Penegakan

Introduction: Illegal logging is a critical issue that harms the environment, economy, and society. This activity results in forest degradation, increases the risk of natural disasters, and undermines the economic potential of sustainable natural resource management.Purposes of the Research: This study aims to analyze the environmental impacts of illegal logging and the penalties imposed on offenders under applicable laws.Methods of the Research: The study employs a normative juridical method, focusing on the legal framework surrounding illegal logging. The analysis highlights the environmental and economic consequences of illegal logging and evaluates the effectiveness of law enforcement measures.Results of the Research: Illegal logging leads to environmental degradation, including heightened risks of flooding and landslides due to soil instability and reduced water absorption. Economically, it diminishes potential revenue from sustainably managed natural resources. Offenders may face sanctions such as fines, compensation, and rehabilitation costs. Strong law enforcement and collaboration between the government, NGOs, communities, and the private sector are essential for effective forest protection.

The Power of Human Narrative: Inspiring Action on Climate Change

News reporting on climate catastrophes can be sensational and shocking, and thereby rightly evoke the commensurate sense of enormity and immense challenge inherent in climate change. The global governance solutions, however, present as insufficient to the scale of the problem and hampered by geopolitical, economic, energy resource needs and other complexities. Whether transmitted through the traditional print press, television or modern media, such headlines influence perceptions on climate change either directly, among those choosing to follow climate issues, or else passively.This perspective article acknowledges the potentially powerful role of ordinary people everywhere in driving implementation through personal, household, consumer or producer choices as models of behaviour or through the pressure this brings to bear on leaders and society at large. It looks at how this potential may be affected by the fear engendered by global headlines. Combining this with the inherent political, social, economic and other complexities of climate change, looming deadlines determined by global governance processes, and perceived absence of adequate solutions in those processes, despair can result, which disempowers, undermines agency and deters self-efficacy. Such dissemination of knowledge on the devastating social and environmental consequences of climate change, in apparent absence of adequate solutions, may therefore hinder rather than motivate the efforts and perceptions of ordinary people at grassroots level, individually and collectively, and thus stymy a significant potential driver of mitigation and adaptation implementation.The article suggests that invoking hope, empathy and shared experience in communication on climate change, rather than fear alone, can be potentially far more motivating. It concludes that disseminating stories of human triumph over climate adversities, of which there are many global examples, has the potential to educate, inspire and contribute to driving transformational change at scale, by harnessing the cumulative actions and positive influence of ordinary people, householders, consumers and business owners everywhere. It remains important, at the same time, to also convey the seriousness and realistic concerns for our climate future.This article utilises international news and other publications to illustrate the news coverage of catastrophic climate events and international climate governance processes which address the challenges. It draws upon literature including international agency and academic journal publications to look at relevant aspects of climate communication and examples of positive climate narratives. This perspective article is written from the perspective and observations of a former senior United Nations official with over 25 years’ experience on multilateral governance in sustainable development.

Environmental risk assessment of pesticide use in high-tech agriculture in a valley of northwest Mexico

ABSTRACT A level 1 Environmental Risk Assessment, based on the USEPA guidelines, was conducted using a risk quotient to evaluate the risk of pesticide use. The Culiacan Valley was chosen as study area because of its importance as agricultural zone in northwest Mexico. Records of pesticide applications allowed the critical contaminants to be identified, and a stratified random sampling was carried out to assess pesticide presence in agricultural soils. For each pesticide detected a toxicity reference value was used, and the risk quotient was determined based on the worst possible scenario for five trophic levels. Critical contaminants such as organochlorines, organophosphates and synthetic pyrethroids represented high risk for aquatic and low risk for terrestrial biota. Overall, the study indicates that a more exhaustive risk assessment should be conducted. This information could be useful in the design of better pesticide regulations aimed at mitigating undesirable environmental consequences.

Infrastructural violence and urban development in African cities: The case of Takoradi Central Market in Ghana

Cities in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) are undergoing socio-spatial transformations, including mega retail/marketplace infrastructure projects. While often celebrated, these projects also present adverse socioeconomic and environmental consequences, which we illustrate by turning to the Takoradi Central Market (TCM) in Ghana as a case study. Herein, we deploy infrastructural violence as a lens to interrogate these consequences by probing the nature and forms of violence resulting from (re)developing the TCM and the underlying institutional logics, processes, and practices reproducing them. Our findings suggest that the forms of violence experienced by traders from the TCM redevelopment manifest through marginalization, abjection, and deprivation. More crucially, we illuminate that these embodied forms of violence from the TCM infrastructure are co-constitutive and structural. That is, they are reproduced through the country's prevailing institutional logic and practices around urban planning and development, including centralized and technocratic infrastructure planning processes that are deeply embedded in tokenistic/symbolic participatory planning and partisan politics.

Intensified susceptibility to riverbed incisions under sand mining impacts in the Vietnamese Mekong Delta: A long-term spatiotemporal analysis

The Vietnamese Mekong Delta (VMD) has experienced severe morphological changes for decades, resulting in serious social, economic, and environmental consequences. Several natural and anthropogenic factors have contributed to the increasing rate of riverbed incision along the VMD. While previous studies have assessed riverbed incisions in specific affected regions or within limited timeframes, a comprehensive analysis of long-term spatiotemporal variations in incised sediment volumes across the entire delta has been lacking. This study quantitatively evaluated the spatial and temporal morphological changes in the VMD utilizing bathymetric data from 1998 to 2020. Additionally, susceptibility zones, categorized into seven classes for incised and accreted sediment volumes, were delineated considering the influence of sand mining activities. Furthermore, this study pioneers the quantification of sand mining contributions to riverbed incisions along the VMD. The analysis revealed pronounced and irregular morphological alterations in the delta channels over the 22 years of the study. The estimated net annual incision volumes for the entire region were -119 Mm3/year, −69 Mm3/year, and -66 Mm3/year for the 1998–2005, 2005–2017, and 2017–2020 time intervals, respectively. Between 2017 and 2020, the dynamic processes intensified notably, with some areas experiencing either high incision (up to −13 m/year) or high accretion (up to 11 m/year). Intriguingly, most incise-prone areas were partly situated within regions associated with sand mining. The contribution of licensed sand mining to annual net riverbed incisions increased from 27.7 % in 2005–2017 to 35.3 % in 2017–2020. This study highlights the influence of sand mining on exacerbating the vulnerability of different areas within the VMD and provides valuable insights for effective sediment management strategies.

Challenges and opportunities to a sustainable bioenergy utilization in climate mitigation: a global perspective

Bioenergy is perceived to play a vital role in climate mitigation, transition to renewable energy consumption, energy security, and local and rural socio-economic development. However, exploiting renewable bioenergy resources may need to be more sustainable in the current predominant paradigm. In this study, we raise two broad research questions: (1) what are the significant challenges to the current global bioenergy production and consumption system, and (2) what are the opportunities for a sustainable and circular bioenergy system? We qualitatively analyzed how the current bioenergy production and consumption system results in unintended negative consequences. Taking the example of biofuels, this research exemplifies some critical systemic flaws in how bioenergy is currently utilized in the transportation sector. We do this by broadening the system boundaries to identify the social, economic, and environmental consequences often distant in time and space. We conducted semi-structured interviews, workshops, and literature studies to gather data on the significant bioenergy production and consumption drivers, socio-economic factors, and ecological impacts. The causal loop diagram technique illustrates this broader system's systemic cause-effect and feedback relationships. In the current system of bioenergy production and consumption, negative socio-economic and ecological consequences limit the potential of exploiting bioenergy for climate mitigation. Firstly, bioenergy is neither carbon neutral nor renewable from a broader systems perspective, given that biomass cultivation, feedstock refining, and processing are closely coupled with natural resource use (e.g., water, energy, chemicals, and fertilizers) and other nutrient cycles (e.g., nitrogen, and phosphorus). Secondly, large-scale bioenergy developments negatively impact food security, land use change, ecosystem services, and biodiversity in certain regions. Thirdly, the current globalized bioenergy economy is fundamentally unsustainable due to the displacement of bioenergy production's negative social and ecological impacts from consumer to producer regions. We identify and discuss the critical system interventions to be placed throughout the system as significant leverages for managing the unintended negative consequences of the present dominant bioenergy production and consumption regimes.

A Design Methodology Incorporating a Sound Insulation Prediction Model, Life Cycle Assessment (LCA), and Thermal Insulation: A Comparative Study of Various Cross-Laminated Timber (CLT) and Ribbed CLT-Based Floor Assemblies

Mass timber is increasingly being employed in constructing low- and mid-rise buildings. One of the primary reasons for using mass timber structures is their sustainability and ability to reduce environmental consequences in the building sector. One criticism of these structures is their lower subjective sound insulation quality. Therefore, acoustic treatments should be considered. However, acoustic solutions do not necessarily contribute to lower environmental impacts or improved thermal insulation performance. This paper discusses a design methodology that incorporates the development of a sound insulation prediction tool (using an artificial neural networks approach), life cycle assessment analysis, and thermal insulation study. A total of 112 sound insulation measurements (in one-third octave bands from 50 to 5000 Hz) are utilized to develop the network model and are also used for the LCA and thermal insulation study. They are lab-based measurements and are performed on 45 various CLT- and ribbed CLT-based assemblies. The acoustic model demonstrates satisfactory results with 1 dB differences in the prediction of airborne and impact sound indices (Rw and Ln,w). An acoustic sensitivity study and a statistical analysis are then conducted to validate the model’s results. Additionally, an LCA analysis is performed on the floor assemblies to calculate their environmental footprints. LCA categories are plotted against the acoustic performance of floors. No correlations are found, and the results emphasize that a wide range of sound insulation can be achieved with similar environmental impacts. Within each acoustic performance tier, the LCA results can be optimized for a floor assembly by selecting appropriate materials. The thermal insulation of floors is then calculated. Overall, a strong positive correlation is found between the total thermal resistance and heat loss against acoustic performance. Designers should be cognizant of the trade-offs between acoustic, thermal insulation, and environmental performance when choosing assemblies with favorable environmental impacts relative to acoustic and thermal insulation ratios.