Decrease In Carbon Dioxide Emissions Research Articles

Egyptian Ecosystem's Impacts on Climate Change: A Case Study of Some Agricultural Indicators

Objective: the current study aims to empirically examine the dynamic impacts of ecosystem, with a particular focus on some agricultural indicators such as agricultural value added, crop production index, and livestock production index on CO2 emissions using annual time series data from 1990 to 2021. In order to enhance agricultural practices and develop successful sustainable agriculture policies in Egypt's agriculture sector. Method: A literature review involving numerous studies has revealed that agriculture is a significant contributor to the emission of CO2 into the atmosphere, hence exacerbating the phenomenon of global warming. These studies utilized many methodologies, including ARDL, DOLS, FMOLS, CCR, and Johansen, to accomplish their objectives. These methodologies were applied to annual data from multiple countries. Therefore, this study used Johansen's cointegration test to fulfill their objectives. Results and Discussion: The findings indicate that a 1% rise in agriculture value added and crop production index is found to be associated with a long-run decrease in carbon dioxide emissions of around 0.48% and 0.78%, respectively. A bidirectional causal relationship existed between carbon dioxide emissions and livestock production. Additionally, livestock production has a causal effect on crop production and conversely, crop production influences livestock production. Research Implications: Enhancing agricultural productivity and environmental sustainability can be achieved by adopting climate-smart practices in the agriculture sector, at both local and global levels. Originality/Value: This research study makes a valuable contribution to the existing body of literature by examining the significant and causal connections between environmental degradation and agriculture in the long term. This research demonstrates its significance and worth through its potential to aid policymakers in Egypt and other developing countries in formulating and executing efficient policies designed to address environmental degradation.

Understanding the nonlinear effect of digital technology development on CO2 reduction

AbstractDigital technology, including advancements in artificial intelligence, the Internet of Things, and data analytics, has the potential to revolutionize tackling the problem of carbon dioxide emissions and achieving sustainable development. The paper aims at checking the nature of the impact of digital technology development on carbon dioxide reduction for the EU countries in 2013–2020. The study applies the following methods: entropy methods, panel‐corrected standard error, and feasible generalized least squares. The digital technology development index enabled the classification of all the EU countries into two distinct groups: High Digital Technology Development and Moderate/Lower Digital Technology Development. The findings confirm that digital technology development has a significant impact on decreasing carbon dioxide emissions. In the first stage, the growth of digital technology causes a faster decrease in carbon dioxide emissions. However, beyond a certain threshold, the further improvement of digital technology results in diminishing marginal benefits of CO2 emissions reduction. Thus, the EU government should catalyze the extension of digital technologies among all sectors and levels. In addition, it requires enhancing digital literacy of the society and local authorities.

Reduction in Emissions by Massive Solar Plant Integration in the US Power Grid

Fossil fuels, the predominant energy source in the United States, have been identified as major contributors to environmental pollution through the release of harmful emissions. As a countermeasure, there has been an increasing focus on the exploration and development of cleaner energy alternatives to alleviate the environmental degradation caused by fossil fuels and to satisfy the growing energy needs. This study conducted scenario analyses to evaluate the impact of integrating solar energy into specific US power grids on reducing carbon emissions. The analysis encompassed electrical systems within California, New England, New York, and the Southwest, utilizing datasets from the Energy Information Administration and National Renewable Energy Laboratory. The Energy Information Administration dataset includes information on net generation according to each source and carbon emissions according to fuel type, whereas the National Renewable Energy Laboratory dataset provides hourly projections for 6000 theoretical photovoltaic installations and detailed solar energy output data every five minutes over a year. Our findings indicated a notable decrease in carbon dioxide emissions following the introduction of solar power facilities. The most significant reductions were observed in the Southwest and California, attributed to solar plant integration. Conversely, New York and New England were identified as regions requiring additional policy measures and incentives to meet the emission reduction goals.

Modelling the socio-economic impacts of coal-fired electricity phaseout under carbon neutrality target: A dynamic CGE-based study of China

Given its significant carbon emissions, the phaseout of coal-fired electricity emerges as a crucial strategy in achieving the goal of carbon neutrality, which will fundamentally reshape China's social-economic landscape. In this study, a dynamic computable general equilibrium (CGE) model was constructed to evaluate the economic and social ramifications of phasing out coal-fired electricity, encompassing diverse pathway scenarios. The results suggest that the phaseout of coal-fired electricity will significantly influence the socio-economic system compared to the Business as Usual (BAU) scenario. Different phaseout scenarios are projected to yield a cumulative decrease in carbon dioxide emissions ranging from 36.38 to 60.15 Gt between 2020 and 2060. Consequently, there will be a cumulative GDP ranging from 22.22 to 36.29 trillion yuan, accompanied by a cumulative decline in employment affecting 23.68 to 29.92 million individuals. The anticipated trends in annual GDP and job losses are expected to exhibit a U-shaped curve, initially increasing, and then decreasing from 2020 to 2060 compared to the BAU scenario. A distinct trade-off is anticipated to arise between the potential for carbon reduction and the resultant losses in jobs and economic output. The more optimistic scenario, characterized by a lower peak value, an earlier peak time, and a later phaseout time, is projected to result in a relatively lower socioeconomic impact per unit of CO2 emissions reduction. These findings provide policymakers with vital insights, informing the development of strategies for a gradual transition away from coal-fired electricity while minimizing socio-economic repercussions.

The Impact Of Islamic Finance, Economic Growth, And Globalization On CO2 Emissions

This paper examines the impact of Islamic finance, economic growth, and globalization (economic, social, political, and overall aspects) on carbon dioxide emissions in 4 countries for the period 2015-2020. Employing the System GMM estimation method, which fulfills criteria for model unbiasedness, validity, and consistency. Findings reveal that Islamic finance, economic growth, and globalization simultaneously contribute to increasing and decreasing carbon dioxide emissions with a significance level of 0.010. Partially, Islamic finance and globalization’s overall aspect in short or long term contribute to a decrease in carbon dioxide emissions with a significance level of 0.010. Meanwhile, economic growth and globalization in economic, social, or political aspects in short or long term contribute to an increase in carbon dioxide emissions with a significance level of 0.010. This scientific article provides a new contribution to the research results that have been obtained with a significance level of 0.010 or 99 per cent confidence level.

Development of a modified gas turbine-based sustainable power generation and water treatment system; Economical/environmental considerations and data-driven optimization

Developing environmentally friendly solutions that optimize existing power plants while considering economic factors is crucial for ensuring sustainable energy production and mitigating environmental impact. This study promotes a gas turbine-based power plant design that prioritizes environmental concerns and underscores its versatility. The proposed setup is composed of various components, including a gas turbine, a Rankine cycle (RC), an organic Rankine cycle (ORC), a reverse osmosis (RO) desalination unit, a proton exchange membrane electrolyzer (PEME), and a hydrogen blending module. This system engenders the simultaneous generation of hydrogen, electrical power, and desalinated water. Additionally, the direct utilization of produced hydrogen in the proposed system offers improved technical performance and serves as an effective means to mitigate greenhouse gas emissions. A resilient programming code is formulated to systematically evaluate the system through the lenses of techno-economic and environmental considerations. Incorporating innovative modifications into the existing system resulted in an 8% cost reduction, a 1.2% decrease in carbon dioxide emissions, and a 5% enhancement in exergy efficiency. To attain optimal performance of the system, a data-driven and machine learning methodology is employed, wherein two distinct optimization scenarios are used to define the conditions that yield the utmost system performance. In the first scenario, the optimal values for cost, exergy efficiency, and normalized CO2 emissions have been computed as 39%, 5963 $/h, and 367.4 kg/MWh, respectively. In the subsequent scenario, the optimized system demonstrates the capability to generate a fresh water flow rate of 840.4 kg/s. Concurrently, the cost rate for the system equates to 7054.5 $/h.

Thermo-economic-environmental evaluation of an innovative solar-powered system integrated with LNG regasification process for large-scale hydrogen production and liquefaction

In order to achieve a sustainable energy future, it is of utmost importance to harness solar energy for the production of liquid hydrogen. This undertaking is justified by the significant role that liquid hydrogen plays as a clean and highly efficient fuel source, effectively addressing the pressing concerns regarding greenhouse gas emissions and reducing reliance on conventional fossil fuels. An additional advantage lies in the easy storage and transportation capabilities of liquid hydrogen, making it a viable solution for energy storage across diverse sectors. In this regard, the current research presents a novel solar-powered setup consisting of parabolic trough solar collectors (PTSCs), a sequential organic Rankine cycle (ORC), a liquefied natural gas (LNG) regasification unit, and a module dedicated to the production and subsequent liquefaction of hydrogen. A meticulously crafted MATLAB code is utilized to replicate the operations of the proposed system, facilitating a thorough examination of its energy, exergy, environmental, and economic performance. The proposed system exhibits a net output power of 1.13 MW and possesses the capacity to produce hydrogen at a rate of 34.92 kg/h, featuring a levelized cost of hydrogen (LCOH) of 3.59 $/kg. Additionally, the system encompasses a cooling capability of 192 kW. From an environmental perspective, this configuration contributes to a decrease in carbon dioxide emissions by 255.96 kg/h. After conducting a dynamic analysis with meteorological data, it was determined that the system has the potential to generate an annual hydrogen output of 536.84 tons in San Francisco.

Solar water heating: comprehensive review, critical analysis and case study

The increasing global demand for renewable energy sources underscores the significance of Solar Water Heating Systems (SWHS), emphasizing the need for thorough research and analysis in this domain. SWHS play a pivotal role in addressing energy efficiency and environmental sustainability, making it imperative to conduct in-depth studies on their utilization. Hence, this paper aims to provide a comprehensive overview of SWHS. It starts by explaining the principles behind these systems, including their components and classification. Moreover, this review consolidates various studies that have been conducted on SWHS to highlight both their advantages and disadvantages. Additionally, a case study is conducted in which it takes into consideration important economic and environmental factors. In particular, it focuses on several scenarios present in Lebanon such as family homes, schools, restaurants hotels and gyms to estimate potential cost savings achieved through implementing SWHS as opposed to relying solely on electric heaters. Furthermore, this investigation also examines the corresponding payback period associated with adopting SWHS along with assessing the significant reduction in carbon dioxide emissions possible if these systems were widely implemented. The findings of the study demonstrate that there is a direct correlation between the extent to which SWHS are utilized and both the payback period and reduction in CO2 emissions. It was observed that when SWHS are used more frequently, with a high percentage of time (Pr=0.9), significant advantages can be achieved. For instance, for different types of establishments such as family homes, schools, restaurants, hotels, and gyms, it was estimated that average payback periods would be 14.2 years, 4.6 years, 9.2 years, 4.4 years, and 5.3 years, respectively. These results indicate that adopting a greater dependency on SWHSs not only leads to quicker cost recovery but also significantly contributes towards reducing carbon dioxide emissions. The analysis reveals that the yearly decrease in carbon dioxide emissions per individual is 0.16 t within a household, 0.016 t per student in an educational institution, 0.04 t per customer within a dining establishment, 0.37 t for each occupied bed in a hotel accommodation, and 0.11 t per individual at a gym. This paper serves as guidelines to SWH community. Additionally, it adds a practical insights into economic and environmental issues relevant to both Lebanon and countries with similar climates.

The impact of economic growth, tourism, natural resources, technological innovation on carbon dioxide emission: evidence from BRICS countries.

The main objective of this manuscript was to investigate the relationships among economic development, tourism, the use of natural resources, technical advancement, and carbon dioxide emissions in the BRICS group of nations. Data from the panel was gathered from 1995 to 2018. Modern methodology tools including the CS-ARDL tests, Westerlund cointegration tests, and panel data unit root tests have been used in this study. Results of the models show that all the variables were transformed to the first difference to make it stationary. The Westerlund model test results suggest that dependent and independent variables have robust cointegration. Results of the CS-ARDL models reveal that all the variables signed, and significance are aligned with the economic theory. It indicates that except for tourism, the rest of the variables like technical innovation, natural resources, and economic growth have positive and significant effects on carbon dioxide emissions both in the short and long runs. Additionally, a 1% rise in economic growth, technical innovation, and natural resources over the long term would raise carbon dioxide emissions in the BRICS economies by 1.79%, 0.15%, and 0.10%, respectively. However, a 1% increase in tourism would result in a 0.39% decrease in carbon dioxide emissions among the nations in the panel data set. Therefore, the promotion of sustainable tourism and advancement in technological innovation is highly important in these countries, so the high impact of environmental degradation pressure may reduce to some extent. An in-addition comprehensive set of policies should be made on encouraging low-carbon transportation, promoting sustainable tourism certification, boosting local produce, reducing waste management, and provide education and awareness campaigns to tourists.

Cost minimization oriented energy management of PV-assisted refueling and recharging stations for FC-ultracapacitor hybrid trams

Fuel cell (FC) and ultracapacitor hybrid trams offer a sustainable and efficient transportation option, with the ability to store and use renewable energy for propulsion. However, their widespread adoption is limited by the availability of reliable and cost-effective refueling and recharging infrastructure. In this study, the use of mixed-integer linear programming (MILP) optimization for the energy management of photovoltaic (PV)-assisted refueling and recharging stations for fuel cell ultracapacitor hybrid trams is investigated. The electrolyzers and recharging units can either be supplied by the grid or by PV, depending on the availability of renewable energy.The study's main contribution is the consideration of the tram-station and internal tram transactions in a single optimization-based energy management structure and the all-in-one renewable energy assisted refueling and recharging station concept, which considers both the hydrogen and electricity supply requirements. The proposed structure was tested using the data of the Istanbul Kabataş-Bağcılar tram line, and the results showed a 46.48% reduction in operating cost and a significant decrease in carbon dioxide emissions and power drawn from the grid. The study provides valuable information for rail system operators and state authorities and opens up possibilities for future studies in the integration of hydrogen fuel cell vehicles into refueling stations.

Pathways to decarbonising the transport sector: The impacts of electrifying taxi fleets

The impacts of climate change have prompted governments to pledge to introduce policies aiming to limit the increasing temperature. One of the strategies involves reducing and, eventually, eliminating internal combustion engines in favour of electric vehicles. This strategy has been implemented by many transportation services, and FREE NOW has pledged to be carbon neutral by 2030. This study analyses the FREE NOW taxi fleet composition in Dublin in 2021 and investigates the reduction in emissions from fully electrifying the fleet. The analysis uses an emissions tool to model a combination of scenarios, consisting of different vehicle powertrain and fuel type configurations. An emission factor is applied to the EVs to calculate the emissions produced by the electricity used to power the vehicles. The results show a 77% decrease in carbon dioxide emissions from fully electrifying the fleet. Multi-criteria analysis is used to assess the strengths and weaknesses of each scenario developed. The S-5 scenario, consisting of the EVs only, scored the highest for many of the criteria. S-5 was identified as the best option for the taxi fleet, followed closely by S-4 involving an upgrade to all plug-in hybrid EVs. The S-4 scenario seems to be a good alternative when an EV is too expensive or access to charging infrastructure is not provided. The infrastructure currently available in Dublin will not accommodate the all-EV taxis target by 2030.

How Does Information and Communication Technology Affect Geothermal Energy Sustainability?

There are many advantages of geothermal energy, as an environmentally friendly resource, with some other problems to be addressed before the full potential of this sustainable and renewable resource, which is natural, could be harnessed. This research will aim to examine what effect ICT, that is, information and communication technology factors with sustainability in the economy, has on geothermal energy output among the considered 27 EU nations within the time frame 1990 to 2021. The novelty of this research is the ability to clarify the role of ICT toward geothermal power sustainability in the EU27 region. As well as the magnitude of effects of ICT on the geothermal power sustainability in EU13 developing countries and EU14 developed countries using the ARDL estimator. Autoregressive distributed lag (ARDL) was adopted, and the findings show that a significant increase in the geothermal energy industry sustainability can occur in EU14 emerged economies using ICT factors than among the 13 emerging economies. Among additional factors, human capital, economic sustainability, and institutional quality contribute more positively to geothermal energy sustainability in EU14 emerging economies than in EU13 emerging economies. Similarly, further results show that a remarkable decrease in carbon dioxide emissions can occur in EU13 emerging economies using geothermal energy output than in EU14 emerged economies. All these results outputs are an indication that geothermal power sustainability among the European Union countries could be remarkably boosted by increasing the level of ICT determinants to attain the 2030 energy union goals. This study recommends that the considered European countries should prioritize the good functionality of ICT indicators in attaining societal objectives and that of the environment as well.

How Did the Pandemic Affect Our Perception of Sustainability? Enlightening the Major Positive Impact on Health and the Environment

Since the World Health Organization (WHO) declared the outbreak of severe acute respiratory syndrome COVID-19 virus 2 (COVID-19) virus disease 2 (SARS-CoV-2) on 9 January 2020, the entire world has been exceptionally interested in examining the impact of this pandemic on people and the environment. The pandemic led to unprecedented measures to halt air traffic and close factories due to lockdowns, economic closures, and the stopping of transportation of all kinds. The decline in the use of coal by power plants, oil refining, and steel manufacturing had a beneficial effect on air pollution and caused a decrease in carbon dioxide emissions. Moreover, the concept of sustainability has become more prevalent, reflecting the increasing awareness of the responsibility placed on every member of society. Sustainability is the quality and quantity of change that meets our needs without destroying the giving planet, which is the hope for the survival of future generations. We summarized and discussed the studies and research documenting these effects on the environment and health worldwide to come up with objective conclusions, and to draw some recommendations and concepts about the importance of sustainability. The significance of this article lies in that it aims to briefly review some of the positive and negative impacts observed and reported during the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic on health and the planet’s environment for the duration of April 2020–October 2022, and finally discuss the challenges and prospects to endorse planet sustainability. While COVID-19 had many beneficial effects on the planet’s recovery, there were also profound effects on health due to the disease itself. Government and policymakers must take measures to prevent this environmental healing process from being transient.

Building envelope optimization using geopolymer bricks to improve the energy efficiency of residential buildings in hot arid regions

This study explored the potential of producing geopolymer bricks from industrial waste including ferrosilicon and aluminum slag. The bricks' physico-mechanical properties show that they conform to many codes and standards. Also, the thermal conductivity of 0.28 W/mK is achieved, which is significantly lower than that of conventional bricks. social residential buildings in New Aswan City, Egypt, is employed as a case study for examining the fabricated bricks' implementation. Using the Design Builder software, it was found that the proposed fabricated brick samples showed energy savings of 5.70–14.90% and a decrease in carbon dioxide emissions of 0.47–7.67% compared to conventional wall brick. The temperature profile reveals that the fabricated brick samples have achieved the desired level of human comfort. Finally, the financial viability of each brick type was analyzed using the simple payback time (SPP). A return on investment of 8.76–15.79 years was determined for the produced brick samples. Therefore, geopolymer bricks are widely recognized as a significant improvement in environmental sustainability.

Evaluation of Three Marine Algae on Degradability, In Vitro Gas Production, and CH4 and CO2 Emissions by Ruminants

Livestock production systems are responsible for producing ~18% of the total anthropogenic greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. Numerous alternatives, such as feed additives or supplements, have been proposed to meet these challenges. Marine algae have been proposed for gas reduction in ruminants; nevertheless, there are still very few experimental reports. Thus, the objective of the current study was to identify the volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in three marine algae—Kelp (Macrocystis pyrifera), Ulva (Ulva spp.), and Silk (Mazzaella spp.)—and to test their in vitro ruminal fermentation characteristics, gas profiles, and ability to mitigate biogas production. The evaluation of the VOCs in marine algae was performed using a flash gas chromatography electronic nose (FGC-E-Nose). The in vitro study was elaborated through in vitro incubation and gas production. The data obtained were analyzed using a completely randomized design. In total, forty-three volatile compounds were identified for Kelp algae, thirty-eight were identified for Ulva algae, and thirty-six were identified for Silk algae; the compounds were from different chemical families and included aromas, alcohols, aldehydes, phenolics, carboxylic acids, esters, and nutraceutical properties. Dry matter degradability was significantly (p < 0.05) affected by the algae type. The cumulative ruminal gas production was different (p < 0.05) between treatments. Kelp algae presented a major (V; p < 0.05) volume of gas produced compared to the other algae. Lag time (l; p < 0.05) was increased by Kelp alga; however, there were no differences (p>0.05) between the Silk and Ulva algae. The gas production rate was higher (s; p < 0.05) for Silk algae compared to the others. Ulva and Silk algae demonstrated a significant (p < 0.05) decrease in carbon dioxide emissions. Nevertheless, Kelp algae reduced the proportional methane (CH4) production (p < 0.05) after 48 h of incubation, with the lowest emission rate of 47.73%. In conclusion, algae have numerous bio compounds that provide some properties for use in ruminant diets as additives to reduce methane and carbon dioxide emissions.

Mitigating Climate Change Effects: A Global Approach

The following theses are claimed, several contrasting current climate policies and taxonomies. Analysis, based on solely carbon dioxide emission and energy budget, concludes a set of concrete solutions for mitigating climate change effects. Some of the theses violate more orthodox policy which is thus protested against in order to move forward. • Our long-term goal must be to stop using all carbon-containing fuels, including natural gas and other fossil products as well as biofuels. • We must electrify society and industry, with electricity from only non-carbon-based power including nuclear power, hydro-electric, wind and solar power. • We must prepare ourselves for changes. Even if the present emission volumes of carbon dioxide were possible to stop immediately, various lag effects are inevitable and negative development will therefore continue for considerable time. • We must count with continued melting of land ice, the complete liquifying of the Antarctica ice expected to lead to a global sea level rise by some 60 m, flooding most capitals. Among various solutions to mitigate the effects of ice melting, including lowered global temperatures, the following is proposed. • To mitigate sea level rise, stationary water reservoirs should be built around the world. With estimated melting rates it would require ca 1 million reservoirs be deployed or expanded during the next 20-40 years. • Such reservoirs could also solve the emergent problem of lack of fresh water in many places. They could also be used for local storage of hydroelectric energy by using pump storage hydroelectric (PSH) technology. • All energy production sources should be analyzed according to a Total Balanced Energy Budget (TBEB) with the main objective of minimizing the emissions of greenhouse gases. • For each region/country, a table of available or conceivable complementary electric energy sources should be made and ranked according to TBEB—the sources given priority weights depending on feasibility, significance, and environmental friendliness. Tables are presented for Sweden, Norway, Denmark, Germany, France, Ukraine, California, Massachusetts, Maine, Peru, Australia, China and Japan. Generally, we find the following rank of priority applicable. • Solar energy from desert arid areas is given highest priority in replacing carbon-based forms of energy. Submarine electric cables may be deployed along the Australia-Singapore model, if the available power grids are insufficient for the energy transport. • Electrolysis of water producing clean hydrogen gas is given very high priorityboth for using hydrogen as fuel as well as for energy storage. Improved efficiency should be achieved by the development of electrolysis catalysts. • Hydroelectric power in combination with PSH is given high priority to mitigate both grid power fluctuations as well as source (solar and wind) intermittence. • False hope should not be seeded among society and politicians by inflating projects that are less realistic or suboptimal for technological, economic or other reasons. Here, probably most forms of “biofuels” (which although being “carbon neutral” do produce carbon dioxide) and “carbon capture” (catching carbon dioxide gas at the combustion site, compressing it to liquid and depositing it in salt mines or empty oil fields) are considered less significant compared to other more direct solutions. Both biofuels and carbon capture may be associated with social and environmental issues. • Political legislation and instruments (“taxonomy”) invented with the original objective of mitigating negative climate change effects should be reanalyzed and changed if not functional. The EU Emissions Trading System (EU ETS)—a market for outlet rights, for example, is a local initiative which despite its valuable ambition might be suboptimal with respect to goal of efficient decrease of carbon dioxide emission globally. Similarly, “climate taxonomy” can create loopholes bypassing a sound TBEB. • Science-based targets (SBT) to decarbonize the private sector as part of global efforts to achieve the temperature goal of the Paris Agreement should be further encouraged. • Solve economic and political challenges allowing and promoting establishment of required international energy collaborations (e.g., for solar energy cross-continental transport programs).

Innovative Development of Renewable Energy During The Crisis Period and Its Impact on the Environment

The article examines the innovative trends in the renewable power generation, taking into account the impact of crises, as well as the impact of renewable energy on air pollution in the world (environmental change). Hierarchical agglomerative and iterative methods of cluster analysis, as well as econometric models were used to test the hypotheses. Carbon dioxide emissions and renewable power generation for 78 countries during 2000-2020 are taken into account as the database of the study. The results showed that there are groups of countries with sharp, high, moderate and low growth rates of renewable power generation. In addition, the results of econometric analysis indicate that the growth of renewable power generation does not always cause a decrease in carbon dioxide emissions. For a number of countries (Australia, Canada, Mexico, Poland) such connection is not essential at all. The results of the study can be useful in shaping and adapting environmental strategies around the world.

Effect on the strength of GGBS and fly ash based geopolymer concrete

In the present global context, the use of environmentally sustainable friendly components in the manufacturing of concrete is a positive development. Due to the fact that many industrial by-products were used as a base material in the manufacturing of Geopolymer concrete, it was recognized as the most prominent one in line with the trend. Furthermore, geopolymer concrete was shown to be a feasible alternative to conventional Portland cement (OPC)-based concrete, resulting in a decrease in carbon dioxide emissions into the atmosphere. As a consequence, the impact of global warming has been mitigated, and environmental issues raised by OPC usage have been addressed. This research attempted to make geopolymer concrete under ambient curing circumstances using fly ash, Ground Granulated Blast Furnace Slag (GGBS), a decreased amount of alkaline activator, and bio-additives. In ambient-cured geopolymer concrete incorporating fly ash GGBS, a broad variety of attributes, including mechanical and durability parameters, were investigated. Mechanical tests were carried out, including the slump test, workability test, compression test, splitting tensile test, and flexural test. The durability attributes were assessed using the acid attack test, sulphate attack test, and chloride attack test.

СНИЖЕНИЕ СУММАРНЫХ ЭНЕРГЕТИЧЕСКИХ ЗАТРАТ НА ТЕХНОЛОГИЧЕСКИХ ОПЕРАЦИЯХ В АПК – ПУТЬ СНИЖЕНИЯ ВЫБРОСОВ ПАРНИКОВЫХ ГАЗОВ В АТМОСФЕРУ

The article is devoted to the search for ways to reduce carbon dioxide emissions into the atmosphere when performing technological operations in agricultural production. It is proposed to calculate the efficiency of using machine and tractor units based on the methods of physical economics, when not a monetary unit is used as an indicator of efficiency, but an energy unit, which is an indirect indicator of saving or increasing emissions of carbon dioxide. It is substantiated that a decrease in total energy costs when performing technological operations for the production of grain and other crops directly leads to a decrease in greenhouse gas emissions into the atmosphere. Examples of computational experiments are given to identify the most optimal brand of a tractor and optimize the parameters of the working width and speed of the seeding machine-tractor unit K-5250 + Agromaster, leading to a decrease in total energy costs and, accordingly, to a decrease in carbon dioxide emissions and carbon sequestration from the air by reducing losses harvest

Circularity, entropy, ecological conflicts and LFFU

ABSTRACT The economy is not circular, it is increasingly entropic. Energy from the photosynthesis of the distant past, fossil fuels, is burned and dissipated. Even without further economic growth the industrial economy would need new supplies of energy and materials extracted from the “commodity frontiers”, producing also more waste (including excessive amounts of greenhouse gases). Therefore, new ecological distribution conflicts (EDC) arise all the time. Such EDCs are often “valuation contests” displaying incommensurable plural values. Examples from the Atlas of Environmental Justice are given of coal, oil and gas-related conflicts in several countries combining local and global complaints. Claims for climate justice and recognition of an ecological debt have been put forward by environmentalists from the South since 1991, together with a strategy of leaving fossil fuels underground (LFFU) through bottom-up movements. This could make a substantial contribution to the decrease in carbon dioxide emissions.