Domestic Materials Research Articles

Regional sustainability assessment using emergy accounting approach: The case of Nepal in South Asia

Emergy accounting is an environmental assessment tool that accounts for all the energy pathways in production systems. In this regard, the System Thinking Experimental Learning Laboratory Animation (STELLA) with emergy model are used for a retrospective and prospective assessments. Nepal, a country having a relatively small economy but with faster recent growth as well as its geographical position and potentially high vulnerability to climate change was analyzed as a case study using data for 1998–2015 (retrospective) and 2015–2040 (prospective). As per our results, the rising use of non-renewable resources and decreasing use of locally extracted materials caused higher environmental load and reduced emergy sustainability scores. In addition, the effect of natural disasters, such as the Gorkha earthquake, on environmental performance of Nepal was analyzed by emergy accounting. Futuristic emergy analysis for 2015–2040 showed that total and non-renewable emergy would rise considerably, and the emergy sustainability index could further decrease by 33%. Based on these findings, small yet rapidly growing economies, such as Nepal, could improve their environmental management by reducing the material trade deficit (i.e., by increasing domestic material extraction and reducing imports of non-renewable resources), minimizing the use of non-renewables, improving soil fertility, and promoting renewable resource consumption.

Recycling Crushed Waste Beer Bottle Glass in Fired Clay Bricks

Waste glass is a readily available domestic material. Each year, around 257,000 tonnes of glass waste are produced in Victoria, and the majority is glass packings. Typically, mixed waste glass cullet is deposited in landfills due to the limited recycling techniques. As a result, landfills are facing a growing issue. Therefore, this study investigates the addition of waste beer bottle glass (BG) in fired clay bricks and examines the effects of varying firing temperatures on the physical and mechanical properties of the manufactured samples. Clay bricks containing 10% BG at a firing temperature of 950 °C depicted similar compressive strength results (41 MPa) to the control samples (42 MPa). The results of all tested bricks were found to be below the water absorption limit of 17%. The thermal conductivity of the bricks incorporating BG was investigated, and it was found that the thermal performance improved with the decreasing firing temperature. Moreover, an initial rate of absorption (IRA), XRD, and XRF analysis was conducted. The experimental results have been discussed and compared with the recommended acceptable properties for standard bricks.

Ensuring energy efficiency of refrigeration piping

Improving energy efficiency and energy saving in refrigeration technology depends largely on the use of modern thermal insulation materials in the thermal insulation structures of refrigeration pipelines. The article presents a comparative analysis of the thermal characteristics and operational properties of heat-insulating materials used in refrigeration. The features of RUFLEX thermal insulation materials based on foamed synthetic rubber produced from domestic raw materials and their compliance with the requirements of energy efficiency, durability, operational reliability and safety are considered.

Drivers of Carbon Dioxide (CO2) Emissions in Ghana: A Comparative Analysis on Consumption of Energy by the Industry, Agriculture, Residential and the Transport Sector (2000-2018)

The recent historical increases in energy-related CO2 emissions globally have put the Ghana’s transport, industry, residential and agriculture sector in the spotlight, courtesy of the significantly high pollutant emissions from these sectors. Taking a cue from this, this paper investigates into the drivers of carbon dioxide emissions in Ghana by examining the consumption of energy by the industry, agriculture, residential and the transport sector. In doing so, this study employs the Regression model as a statistical method to examine the relations between dependent variable (carbon dioxide emissions) and the four variables of interest (energy consumption by the industry, agriculture, residential and the transport sector). Decomposition Model was applied to identify the driving forces of the emission or resource utilization. From the analysis, the transport sector contributes to more release of carbon dioxide emissions (over 78%) as compared to the other sectors. This was highly driven partly by economic affluence and population. However, technological advancement played a major role in slowing the growth of Domestic Material Consumption (DMC). Among the drivers of DMC increase, the role of population was relatively less yet very significant as compared to affluence, highlighting large resource consumption due to expanding urban and social lifestyles. In general, this current study offers policy insights for the transportation, agriculture, residential and industry sectors of Ghana and other similar economies that replicate the same condition. Keywords: Carbon dioxide, energy consumption, decomposition analysis, regression analysis, Ghana. DOI: 10.7176/JETP/11-5-01 Publication date: October 31 st 2021

A purposeful approach for measuring greenhouse gas emissions of material flow accounts for the accomplishment of territorial sustainable development and cultural economy goals on climate. The case of the Basque Country

This study aims at developing a purposeful approach for estimating greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and its possible use to recreate alternative scenarios that might potentially facilitate the attainment of the material productivity (MP) ratio needed for achieving territorial sustainable development (SDGs) and circular economy goals on climate. The propounded method associates these two key concepts (GHG-MP) with the domestic material consumption (DMC) and international trade of materials, including product life cycle emissions in the overarching GHG total estimation. Developed utilizing the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) and diverse data, linked to the suggested scheme, from the Basque Country (Spain), this work also relies its scientific foundation upon leading literature in this field to align territorial models of production and consumption with a more localized measurement of GHG emissions. According to its results, the emissions estimated allow advising more contextualized scenarios for the potential achievement of local MP target indicator, when expressed as the amount of economic output―based on gross domestic product (GDP)—generated per unit of materials consumed and traded―in terms of DMC. From a theoretical perspective, this work contributes to the local strategic management of circular economy research and 2030 Agenda, particularly on the subject of measuring progress in the achievement of territorial climate and circular economy goals. From a utilitarian perspective, the findings comprise promising implications for both multilevel policy makers and public/private organizations that further sustainable development and actions against climate change.

Investigating the asymmetric linkages between infrastructure development, green innovation, and consumption-based material footprint: Novel empirical estimations from highly resource-consuming economies

The role of a reliable resource consumption measurement is essential for devising a relevant climate policy. The consumption-based material footprint is trade-adjusted domestic resource consumption that presents an accurate picture of the domestic material footprint. Pursuing the same, this study draws asymmetric linkages between infrastructure development, green innovation, and consumption-based material footprint (MF) in the top 11 highly material-consuming countries. Our preliminary findings strictly reject the preposition of data normality and highlight that the observed relationship is quantile-dependent, which may disclose misleading results in previous studies using linear methodologies. In compliance, a novel empirical estimation technique popularized as Method of Moments Quantile Regression is employed that simultaneously deal with non-normality and structural changes in data. The results exhibit that infrastructure development (green innovation) significantly increases (decreases) MF mainly across medium to higher quantiles (medium-higher level of MF). Interestingly, the resource-depleting effect of infrastructure is highest for higher quantiles and lowest for lower quantiles of MF. Economic growth (globalization) increase MF, and their resource-depleting effect is higher (lowest) for lower quantiles and lowest (highest) for higher quantiles. Lastly, population exhibits an inverted-U shape relationship with MF across lower to higher quantiles. These results suggest pertinent policy recommendations.

Dynamics of economy-wideresource flowand consumption in China, South Korea, and Vietnam-a pan-regional analysis.

The transformation of natural resources across the economy in China, South Korea, and Vietnam has been studied to give a comparative regional perspective based on trends in resource efficiency, bilateral trade dynamics, and progress onregional economic and environmental policy. Consumption of raw materials has been decomposed into economic dynamics and dematerialization, if any, has been testedbased on material flow accountingapproaches. As per the results, domestic material consumption (DMC) continues to increase in China and Vietnam but has stabilized in South Korea. China and South Korea havebecome main net importers of raw materials while Vietnam is about to enter this phase. With relatively lower material efficiency in China and Vietnam compared to South Korea, a higher reliance on intensive production and export of raw materials has been identified. As DMC has soared in all three countries, economic affluence is seen as the main driver with marginal contribution from population growth. However, technological improvements have helped reduce material usage with SouthKorea and China making significant progress. As SouthKorea has begun to dematerialize, China and Vietnam face the strong challenge ofdematerializing economic growth-a reversal that could take several years if resource productivity is not significantly improved. Factors that inhibit better resource efficiency in China and Vietnam include the production and trade of low-end items, energy, and raw materials. However, the increasing economic affluence in China and Vietnam has brought significant environmental improvements from both institutional and technological perspectives-through multiple policy actions. Moreover, as more countries import net resources, regional and global supply chain competition is expected to intensify-making resource efficiency a fundamental economic objective. The results of this study provide important lessons for emerging economies to accelerate resource productivity and reduce the physical intensity of materialsfor sustainable economic development.

Exposure to metals and metalloids among pregnant women from Spain: Levels and associated factors

BackgroundHumans are regularly exposed to metals and metalloids present in air, water, food, soil and domestic materials. Most of them can cross the placental barrier and cause adverse impacts on the developing foetus. ObjectivesTo describe the prenatal concentrations of metals and metalloids and to study the associated sociodemographic, environmental and dietary factors in pregnant Spanish women. MethodsSubjects were 1346 pregnant women of the INMA Project, for whom the following metals arsenic (As), cadmium (Cd), cobalt (Co), copper (Cu), molybdenum (Mo), nickel (Ni), lead (Pb), antimony (Sb), selenium (Se), thallium (Tl) and zinc (Zn) were determined in urine, at both the first and the third trimesters of gestation. Sociodemographic, dietary and environmental information was collected through questionnaires during pregnancy. Multiple linear mixed models were built in order to study the association between each metal and metalloid concentrations and the sociodemographic, environmental and dietary factors. ResultsThe most detected compounds were As, Co, Mo, Sb, Se and Zn at both trimesters. Zn was the element found in the highest concentrations at both trimesters and Tl was detected in the lowest concentrations. We observed significant associations between As, Cd, Cu, Sb, Tl and Zn concentrations and working situation, social class and age. Seafood, meat, fruits, nuts, vegetables and alcohol intake affected the levels of all the metals but Cd and Cu. Proximity to industrial areas, fields and air pollution were related to all metals except Cd, Sb and Se. ConclusionsThis is the first large prospective longitudinal study on the exposure to metals and metalloids during pregnancy and associated factors to include several cohorts in Spain. The present study shows that some modifiable lifestyles, food intakes and environmental factors could be associated with prenatal exposure to metal(loid)s, which may be considered in further studies to assess their relationship with neonatal health outcomes.

QUALITY AND NUTRITIONAL VALUE OF FREEZED SEA BUCKTHORN POWDER

The use of phytopowders as food additives allows you to create highly nutritious mixtures with a pronounced taste and aroma of fresh fruits and berries. Fruit and berry powders are already used in the production of jelly, fruit drinks, drinks, juices and sauces based on domestic plant raw materials with a high proportion of biologically active substances. The most important phytonutrients of sea buckthorn fruits (Hippophae rhamnoides L.) are carotenoids, flavonoids, anthocyanins, sugars, organic and amino acids, tannins and pectin substances, phospholipids, macro- and microelements. The aim of the research was to study the quality and nutritional value of freezedried sea buckthorn powder. Sublimated sea buckthorn was the object of study (TU 10.39.25-007-0111115841-2018) manufactured by IP A.N. Mazurina (Russia, Kaluga region, Borovsky district, Borovsk). The quality of packaging and labeling, as well as organoleptic characteristics, nutritional value and mineral composition of raw materials have been studied. It was determined that the marking of sublimated sea buckthorn does not comply with the regulated requirements of GOST R 51074-2003 and TR CU 022/2011. Organoleptic characteristics of phytopowder are identified as characteristic of this type of raw material. The actual protein and fat content of the test material does not correspond to the levels stated by the manufacturer. The studied raw materials are distinguished by a variety of chemical composition, namely, the content of protein, carotenoids, vitamins E and A, lipids, dietary fiber, unique trace elements – Al, Co, Cr, Cu, Fe, Li, Mn, Ni, Ti, Zn.

Experimental study on the performance of ultra high pressure common rail system

In order to overcome the difficulties of high pressure source design and parts integration in the injector, realizing the ultra high pressure injection and controllable fuel injection rate, an ultra high pressure common rail system based on domestic basic materials and manufacturing technology level was proposed and designed. The working principle of this system was first introduced; the performance test bench of ultra high pressure common rail system was built. Then, the influence of pressure-amplifier device structure parameters on the pressurization pressure peak was analyzed quantitatively, and on the basis of selecting the most appropriate combination of parameters, the pressure and fuel injection rate control characteristics were conducted. The results show that ultra high pressure common rail system can magnify fuel pressure to ultra high pressure state (more than 200 MPa) and by changing the control signal timing of pressure-amplifier device and injector solenoid valve, the flexible and controllable fuel injection rate can be achieved. Under the condition of the same pressurization ratio, the peak value of pressurization pressure increases gradually, and with the increase of pressurization ratio, the increasing trend of the pressurization pressure peak value is nonlinear. At the same time, under the same condition of spring preload, the greater of the spring stiffness, the higher of the rail base pressure can bear, that means the pressure-amplifier device can achieve pressurization at a higher base pressure. But if the spring stiffness is too large, the solenoid valve of pressure-amplifier device will not be opened due to insufficient electromagnetic force, so the specific selection should be considered in a compromise.

Do Tourism Activities and Urbanization Drive Material Consumption in the OECD Countries? A Quantile Regression Approach

The United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (UNSDGs) elaborately encompass a global goal for sustainable consumption and production (Goal 12: SDGs), thus providing potential drivers and/or pathways to attaining sustainable consumption. In view of this global goal, this study examined the role of real income per capita, urbanization and especially inbound tourism in domestic material consumption for the panel of OECD countries. The study is conducted for the period of 1995 to 2016 by employing the panel quantile approach. Interestingly, an inverted U-shaped relationship between outbound tourism and domestic material consumption is established across the quantiles, thus indicating that sustainable domestic consumption is achievable after a threshold of domestic material consumption is attained. In addition, achieving sustainable consumption through economic or income growth is a herculean task for the OECD countries because the current reality indicates that income growth triggers higher consumption of domestic materials. However, the results suggest that urbanization is a recipe for sustainable domestic consumption since there is a negative and significant relationship between the two parameters across the quantiles. Nevertheless, the study presents relevant policy for efficient material and resources utilization and that is suitable to drive the SDGs for 2030 and other country-specific sustainable ambitions.

Technical ceramics for salt production in Western Sahara

ABSTRACT This paper presents evidence of ceramic technology in western Tiris (Western Sahara), dated by thermoluminescence to the third millennium cal. BP. Western Tiris is an arid region mostly covered by desert where recent archaeological fieldwork has nevertheless revealed a significant network of settlements from the Neolithic period inhabited by nomadic people. Domestic pottery and lithic materials are common in the archaeological register of these sites, but three sherds found in the Lejuad XVII rockshelter present features typical of technical ceramics. Laboratory analyses reveal that abundant mineral and organic temper was added to the natural clay which, in addition to the presence of thicker walls than those usually found in domestic pottery, is interpreted as an attempt to increase resistance to thermal shocks. However, the fragments present only mild signals of exposure to high temperatures, up to a maximum of 900 °C. Discussion of these contradictory data leads to the conclusion that the sherds may have been part of a briquetage mould to extract salt by evaporation, a pyrotechnical industry previously unknown in Western Sahara. Its appearance in an arid environment far from production centres is explained as result of sporadic economic activity rather than cross-cultural mobility and trading, which seems to have been intense in the area from Neolithic times. In addition, this paper introduces the use of micro-computed tomography (µ-CT) as a technique for measuring large porosity derived from burned organic materials.

The role of socio‐economic material stocks for natural resource use in the United States of America from 1870 to 2100

Globally, more than half of all extracted materials are used to build and maintain material stocks. The United States of America (USA) is one of the largest global consumers of these materials. To assess the role of stocks for long-term material use in an affluent industrialized economy, we present an analysis of material use and stock accumulation for the USA from 1870 to 2100. On the basis of the dynamics of stocks and resulting end-of-life (EoL) outflows, we investigate stock-building material demand, waste management, and circular economy potentials and present two prospective scenarios until 2100 to highlight the long-term effect of stock-flow dynamics. From 1870 to 2017, we found continuous stock growth, which strongly decelerated after the 2007 crisis. Overall, 40% of historical domestic material consumption was used to build and maintain stocks. EoL outflows from stocks increased until 2017, about half of which were discarded as final waste. In both prospective scenarios to 2100, stock build-up and maintenance require material inputs larger than those used over the whole historical period. Stabilizing stocks near the current level could mitigate 23% of material demand compared to a return to pre-2007 stock growth. Stabilized stocks also result in stable EoL outflows after 2050, whereas ongoing stock growth makes outflows grow until 2080. Increased recycling of these EoL outflows could potentially cover for large parts of material requirements for maintaining stable future stocks. Limiting demand for stocks and increasing recycling will require targeted demand-side policies, adjustments to EoL management, and the establishment of recycling industries within the USA. This article met the requirements for a gold–gold JIE data openness badge described at http://jie.click/badges.

ИННОВАЦИОННЫЙ ПОДХОД К ЛЕЧЕНИЮ ПОПЕРЕЧНЫХ ПЕРЕЛОМОВ КОРНЕЙ МОЛЯРОВ

A tooth fracture is a traumatic injury to a tooth with the disturbance of its crown or root part integrity. A root fracture is a fracture that involves cementum, dentin, periodontium and, in some cases, dental pulp. Root fractures occur in 0.2-7% of all cases of permanent teeth injuries. The aim of the study was to investigate clinical effectiveness of using a material based on hydroxyapatite «Bioplast-Dent» paste and a material based on mineral trioxide aggregate - «Rutsil» in the treatment of a transverse fracture of the medial tooth root 4.6 (clinical case). The object of the study was a patient with a fracture of the medial tooth root 4.6 and destructive processes in the tissues of the apical periodontium of tooth 4.6, who applied to the Chair of Restorative Dentistry with the course of the Faculty for Advanced Training & Retraining of «VSMU» in 2019. Temporary obturation of the root canals of the root of tooth 4.6 was performed using the material based on hydroxyapatite «Bioplast-Dent» in the form of a paste. Permanent obturation of the root canals of the root of tooth 4.6 was carried out using domestic material based on mineral trioxide aggregate (MTA) - «Rutsil». The final restoration of the tooth crown was carried out after X-ray control from the moment of permanent obturation of the root canals in 3 months. Additionally, dynamic R-control was performed in 12 months. The results of the treatment have shown that the use of hydroxyapatite-containing paste and domestic material based on mineral trioxide aggregate - «Rutsil» brings about activation of osteogenesis in periodontal tissues and stops the process of resorption in the fracture line, shortening the time of bone tissue recovery and contributing to a greater success of treatment.

ПІДГОТОВКА МАЙБУТНІХ ПЕРЕКЛАДАЧІВ ДО КРОС-КУЛЬТУРНОЇ ВЗАЄМОДІЇ В ІСПАНО-ІТАЛІЙСЬКОМУ СЕРЕДОВИЩІ КРІЗЬ ПРИЗМУ ФІЛОСОФСЬКОЇ НАУКИ

The article considers the issue of the to-be translators’ training for cross-cultural professional interaction using as an example the communication between representatives of Spanish and Italian cultures. In this study, the author considered the possibility of combining the theoretical discipline of philosophical science with practical exercises for the development of speech competencies in Spanish and Italian foreign languages. After all, philosophy, according to the author, can become an integral auxiliary element in the formation of the worldview of future professionals, the formation of thinking, imagination, disclosure of creative and spiritual potential of the individual for further effective use in the realities of professional activity. The philosophy of education in recent years is considered by many authors as an important element that makes possible conscious educational development, which is not implemented within the dominant mentality. The article also described the essence of the concept of intercultural communication, because it is a fundamental element of professional translation. Given the practicality of new teaching models, the article examines the problem of forming a translator’s personality, their worldview, their human qualities, finding motivation and inspiration, revealing creative and intellectual potential and much more, which includes the process of preparing a translator for cross-cultural professional interaction. The domestic and foreign scientific and journalistic materials of the authors who worked in the field of philosophical science and its relationship with other disciplines and the process of professional training of applicants in higher education were considered and analyzed. Based on the experience and findings of research, the author has developed several examples of practical exercises based on crosscultural interaction in the Spanish-Italian environment, using which students of philology, translation and linguistics can work out and consolidate all necessary competencies in the process of philosophical science tasks. In the course of writing the article, the object of research was analyzed, which was the process of training future translators in higher education on the basis of a combination of philosophy and translation. The subject of research, which was the pedagogical conditions of preparation of future translators for cross-cultural professional interaction on the basis of a combination of philosophy and translation, was also considered. A set of exercises for the practice of cross-cultural interaction in the Spanish-Italian environment was developed, in which students of philology, translation and linguistics can work out and consolidate all the necessary competencies in the process of performing the proposed tasks through the prism of philosophical science. In the future, it is planned to expand and deepen research on this issue and develop new practical exercises and recommendations for their application for a comprehensive coverage of philosophical science for translators.

European Financial Governance: FTT Reform, Controversies and Governments’ Responsiveness

The Eurozone crisis exposed the incompleteness of the Economic and Monetary Union’s governance framework thereby prompting the promotion of a multitude of reform packages and proposals. This simultaneously induced conflict among EU governments on both design and content of such reforms. In case of the financial transaction tax (FTT) proposal, which failed to garner consensus among member governments, it illustrates Ireland’s disapproval clashing with favorable German and French stances. While these governments aligned on the necessity to reform, the process of harmonizing EU financial governance proved rather difficult. In analyzing governments’ variation of reform support or opposition, the societal approach to governmental preference formation is employed. This is considerably conducive in directing academic attention to the role of two explanatory variables, domestic material interests and value-based ideas, in shaping governments’ reform positions. This article encompasses a comprehensive comparative account of domestic preference formation and responsiveness of three EU governments (France, Germany and Ireland), in the case study of the FTT, and demonstrates that the two societal dynamics are prone to have played a role in shaping financial reform controversies. By building on and contributing to Eurozone crisis literature, this approach seems appropriate in analyzing financial governance reform due to the crisis’ domestic impact resulting in increased public salience, issue politicization and an advanced role of elected politicians.

Non-Parametric Computational Measures for the Analysis of Resource Productivity

In this study, we assumed that 28 European countries (Decision Making Units (DMUs)) aimed to accomplish higher economic outputs, using fewer resources and producing fewer emissions in the form of environmental degradation. In this context, we studied the drivers of total factor productivity change (TFPCH) in DMUs, associated with either managerial capabilities (efficiency change (EC)) or innovations (technical change (TC)) in resource-saving production methods, before and after the integration of CO2 (carbon dioxide) emissions as an additional variable (undesirable output) in the initial model of one output (gross domestic product (GDP)) and five inputs (labor, capital, energy, domestic material consumption and recycled municipal waste). The primary focus of this study is to identify best practices that policymakers can adopt as they attempt to reduce productivity loss. Our results highlight the weak areas of individual countries and seem to indicate the action that should be taken to improve their productivity by taking into consideration the main driving force behind productivity and technical efficiency change. Our findings reveal that an effective use of technological developments is determined as important strategic information for ensuring managerial performance.

RESEARCH OF PROCESSES OF FORMATION OF STRUCTURE OF COMPOSITE THERMAL INSULATION MATERIALS ON THE BASIS OF LIQUID GLASS BTAINED WITH THE USE OF ENVIRONMENTALLY SAFE MICROWAVE TECHNOLOGIES

Improving the efficiency of energy use is one of the main tasks in the chemical industry not only in Ukraine but also around the world, which is due to the steady rise in energy prices. In this regard, an effective way to save energy is the thermal modernization of buildings, industrial equipment and communications with thermal insulation materials. It should be noted that the share of domestic materials in the Ukrainian market is not more than 30 %. Therefore, the creation of new types of insulation materials is a very important task. This material is a heat–insulating material based on liquid glass, created with the involvement of microwave radiation as an alternative to traditional convective thermal heating. The technology of production of heat–insulating materials on the basis of liquid glass by hot foaming involves obtaining the material in the form of granules, not plates, due to the difficulty of uniform heating of the inner layers of large samples. The problem of large–scale production of high–quality thermal insulation materials based on liquid glass in plate form is not solved due to poor heating of the inner layers of the plate due to the low thermal conductivity of the swollen outer layers. That is why the production of composite thermal insulation materials based on granular filler and liquid glass binder is proposed to be carried out under the action of microwave radiation. Thermal insulation properties of expanded materials are directly determined by their macrostructure. Therefore, the purpose of this study is to determine changes in the structure of the material from the type and amount of ingredients used in the liquid glass composition. On the basis of the conducted researches it is shown that the materials with use as a filler of zinc oxide and as a gas–forming agent of hydrogen peroxide have the most ordered structure. It is established that their use in the amount of 9–10 wt.h. provides a rate of gas evolution and growth of pore centers, which is comparable to the process of curing composition, which allows to obtain materials with a homogeneous, fine and closed–porous structure, which provides high insulating properties with a thermal conductivity coefficient of 0.05–0.055 W / m · K, which meets the requirements for thermal insulation materials.

Does biomass energy drive environmental sustainability? An SDG perspective for top five biomass consuming countries

Efficient use of biomass energy is integral to achieving many of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Their contributions, trade-off patterns, and implementation vary geographically, requiring in-depth analysis to sustainably manage its impact. Here, we analyzed the contribution of biomass energy intensity and efficiency on sustainable development across the top five biomass energy-consuming countries—Brazil, China, Germany, India, and the US. We compared the impact of biomass energy consumption, economic development, urbanization, and trade openness on carbon dioxide emissions and ecological footprint. Using annual frequency data from 1970 to 2016, we utilized continuously-updated fully-modified, and continuously-updated bias-corrected panel estimation techniques that control for cross-section dependence among sampled countries. Our empirical analysis shows income level escalates ecological footprint and emissions by 0.05–0.21%. Similarly, urban sprawl increases long-term emissions and ecological footprint by 0.07–0.17%. Biomass energy consumption increases ecological footprint by 0.18–0.90% but declines emissions by 0.02–0.09%. However, trade openness reduces both ecological footprint and CO2 emissions by 0.34–0.55%. Our results reveal income level stimulates biomass consumption in early stages of growth, but declines in technologically oriented industrial-based economy, yet, outgrows in service-inspired economy. This shows biomass extraction in developed countries can surpass regenerative capability, necessitating sustainable domestic material consumption management.

CONVERGENCE OF THE MAIN SUSTAINABLE CONSUMPTION AND PRODUCTION INDICATORS IN NEW EU MEMBER STATES 2000–2010

Convergence is one the main targets of enlarged EU. According to the analysis of the main sustainable consumption and productionindicators, except domestic material consumption, convergence has been taking place in new EU member states over the period ofeconomic growth in 2000–2007. However, as indicated by the results due to the global economic crisis in 2009 differences betweenthe countries have increased: the convergence rate – the coefficient of variation – increased. In overall terms, countries in CEE haveimproved in most cases and converged to the average of the group. However, in terms of sustainable development, convergencenot always indicates positive changes. New EU member states while striving to reach higher economic level should maintain lowerlevels of consumption, waste generation and pollution. Much more attention to energy and resource efficiency and decoupling ofeconomic growth and resource consumption is to be paid. KEYWORDS: Central and Eastern Europe, sustainable consumption and production, sustainable region’s development, convergence. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/ 10.15181/rfds.v11i3.625