Ecological Performance Research Articles

Assessing the Ecological Effects of Fiscal Investments in Sloping Land Conversion Program for Revegetation: A Case Study of Shaanxi Province, China

The study of the ecological effects of the Sloping land conversion program (SLCP) has great significance for afforestation optimization policies based on cost-effectiveness. This paper uses the panel fixed effect model and the panel threshold model to study the ecological effects of fiscal investments in the SLCP at the county level in Shaanxi Province of China. The regional ecological performance indicated by the normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI) has improved after the implementation of the SLCP, but the vegetation suffers degradation risks due to the cessation of subsidies. The results demonstrate strong support for a time lag effect, an effect of diminishing marginal returns, and a threshold effect whereas a significant but negative direct effect of SLCP’s fiscal investments on the vegetation. Specifically, it takes approximately four years after fiscal investments for the NDVI to realize the greatest investment performance. The marginal contribution of fiscal investments to ecological performance reveals an increasing trend initially, followed by a decreasing trend. In addition, the ecological effects of fiscal investments in the SLCP are moderated negatively by ecological endowments. The results indicate that fiscal investments in the SLCP should consider its cost-effectiveness in policy design and improvements.

Investment in renewable energy and green financing and their role in achieving carbon-neutrality and economic sustainability: Insights from Asian region

The successful transition of industrial operations from a conventional system to an environmentally friendly one is a prerequisite for achieving the goals of COP26 and Sustainable Development. Several factors influence a company's ecological and economic performance, and it is unlikely to achieve sustainability goals using traditional manufacturing methods. Thus, nations must capitalize on novel technologies and eco-friendly policies to revive the natural climate. This study highlights the significance of investing in renewable energy and green financing. It explains how nations can benefit from these programs, attain carbon-neutrality goals, and ensure green economic growth. Using the panel data of 12 Chinese provinces from 2000 to 2019 and analyzing it through dynamic and fully modified ordinary least squares techniques, this study highlights that both programs significantly helped China move towards carbon-neutrality goals and improve environmental quality. They also give countries a starting point for economic sustainability and enable them to combat issues like climate change and environmental degradation. Since it stresses input-output structure and uses negative yield in environmental quality and green growth instead of only focusing on production, this work differs from others that have analyzed traditional productivity. The findings may help achieve green economic development by highlighting the crucial role of clean energy and environmentally friendly funding in a nation's sustainable development.

Impact of enterprises of the mining and metallurgical complex of the Sverdlovsk region on the environment and directions of its reduction

Purpose of the work. A long-term intensive work of mining and metallurgical enterprises in Sverdlovsk region, caused by the presence of a large number of ore deposits, inevitably leads to the serious negative environmental impact. The purpose of this work is the analysis of this impact in recent years, measures taken by the largest enterprises for its reduction and the assessment of area and abilities of the work in this direction. Methodology. In this work, data from open sources for analysis and systematization were used – government reports on the state of the environment in Sverdlovsk region, scientific reports, official statistical data. Results and their field of application. There are data on environmental impact of the largest mining and metallurgical enterprises of Sverdlovsk region: JSC “EVRAZ Kachkanarskiy ore mining and processing combine”, JSC “Vysokogorskiy mining and processing combine”, JSC “Nizhnetagilskiy metallurgical combine”, JSC “United Company RUSAL Ural’s aluminum” and others analyzed and systematized. There are the opportunities of this negative impact reduction and required direction of actions according to the authors described: 1) development and implementation of the integrated territorial eco-technological approach that includes the elaboration of various and heterogeneous natural-technological, economic, managerial and social aspects; 2) implementation of green technologies; 3) environmental quality prediction and the use of prediction data when implementing production activity. Conclusions. A number of large enterprises of the industry show the trend of the improving of ecological performance through a variety of activities in the area of environmental protection. It should be noted that one of the factors mainly determining the degree of environmental impact, remains the volume of production. The implementation of complex and ambitious tasks related to the environmental impact of the mining and metallurgical enterprises reduction requires the introduction of serious scientific and practical developments with appropriate financial support and consistent implementation of state policy.

Digital Finance and County Ecological Performance—New Evidence from China Counties

As a new product that combines finance and digital technology, digital finance is of great significance to the governance of the ecological environment. Based on the panel data of 2128 counties in China from 2014 to 2020, the fixed effect model and a panel threshold model are established, and the direct impact, heterogeneity, and transmission paths of digital finance development on ecological environment quality are empirically analyzed. The results demonstrate that the progress of digital finance has a significant negative effect on ecological environmental performance, and robustness tests support this conclusion. Additionally, industrial agglomeration and structural transformation are crucial mechanisms through which digital finance hinders ecological environmental performance. Moreover, the adverse influence of digital finance development on the ecological environment is particularly pronounced in densely populated areas, county-level cities, and non-poverty-stricken counties. Fourthly, based on the development level of digital finance itself, digital finance has a double threshold effect on the performance of county ecological environment. When digital finance is at a low level and a high level, its negative impact on eco-environmental performance is the greatest. Between the low level and the high level of digital finance, digital finance has the greatest negative impact on the performance of the ecological environment. Finally, suggestions are put forward to promote the green development of digital finance, foster balanced regional development, and expedite industrial transformation in underdeveloped regions.

Design Transition of Emirati Public Housing from Urban Sprawl to Vertical Urban Forms: Impacts on Energy and Ecological Performances

Design Transition of Emirati Public Housing from Urban Sprawl to Vertical Urban Forms: Impacts on Energy and Ecological Performances

Government environmental protection expenditure and national ESG performance: Global evidence

Drawing on comprehensive indicator data of national ESG performance across 27 countries from 2006 to 2020, this study employs a panel Tobit model to examine the impact of government environmental protection spending on national ESG performance. The results demonstrate that government environmental protection spending has a significant and positive effect on national ESG performance. Moreover, the analysis of heterogeneity indicates that the allocation of funds towards environmental protection not only bolsters the ecological and societal performance of a nation, but also elevates its governance standards. Additionally, the mechanism analysis highlights that augmenting government spending on environmental protection leads to an upsurge in green innovation, which in turn has a positive impact on the national ESG performance. This study offers crucial insights into the factors that drive national ESG performance, specifically through the lens of government spending on environmental protection. It provides valuable guidance to policy makers on how to optimize such spending and enhance the national ESG performance.

Design, preparation and hydration of ecological ultra-high performance concrete (eco-UHPC) with raw waste rock chips

High carbon emissions and high costs have limited the applications of UHPC. The use of environmentally friendly aggregates and fillers can help to address this issue. In this study, an ecological UHPC (eco-UHPC) was designed by using raw waste rock chips (RWRC) with waste rock chips (WRC) and waste rock powder (WRP) to replace quartz sand (QS) and part of the cement to obtain the UHPC with low carbon emissions and low cost. The compressive strength of the eco-UHPC was tested and the microstructure and hydration product were characterized by SEM, XRD and TGA. Calorimetry and MIP tests were carried out to determine the exothermic behavior and pore structure of eco-UHPC. The results showed that the 28-day compressive strength of eco-UHPC with WRC as fine aggregate was 4.3 % higher than that of the sample with QS. For the UHPC sample with WRC as the only aggregate, the addition of 10 wt% WRP slightly increased the compressive strength from 7 d to 56 d by promoting the formation of hydration products and refining the pore structure of UHPC, but the opposite was true for the sample with high content of WRP. In addition, the results of the ecological evaluation showed that the advantages of eco-UHPC produced by RWRC are environmental friendliness and low cost.

Product Design and Biomimetics

Building professionals face urgent and complex challenges related to climate change adaptation and biodiversity loss. It is essential to restructure and upgrade cities to promote ecological and social health rather than damage it. The application of biomimetics emerges as a solution where whole ecosystems and their functions are mimicked to significantly improve the ecological performance of buildings and urban environments. It contributes to some of the United Nations global Sustainable Development Goals such as “Goal 6: Ensure availability and sustainable management of water and sanitation for all”; “Goal 11: Make cities inclusive, safe, resilient and sustainable”; “Goal 12: Ensure sustainable consumption and production patterns”; “Goal 13: Take urgent action to combat climate change and its impacts”; and “Goal 15: Sustainably manage forests, combat desertification, halt and reverse land degradation, halt biodiversity loss”. The aim is to link research with practical development, sharing the hypothesis that in the future buildings and cities can be active contributors in socio-ecological systems, through strategic and technological approaches. A building has been designed in Granada that integrates with ecosystem services to address water stress and apply regenerative design principles. Extensive research covers the topics mentioned above, as well as important elements for future practical applications. The result is a building with a cyclic rainwater harvesting, purification and reuse system that meets the established objectives. Rainwater and humidity collecting blades are used, taking advantage of the non-potable resource obtained.

Effects of carbon-based nanofillers on mechanical, electrical, and thermal properties of bast fiber reinforced polymer composites

Bast fiber-reinforced polymer composites (BFRPs) are grabbing considerable research attention due to their assertive impact on the environment and excellence in biodegradability. Though BFRPs have excellent ecological performance factors, they also lack in some cases, such as lower mechanical, electrical, and thermal properties, due to the significant moisture absorption, minimal thermal stability, and inherent nature of bast fibers. BFRPs exhibit weaker fiber/matrix interfacial adhesion as compared to synthetic fiber-reinforced polymer composites, resulting in lower mechanical properties. Nowadays, a wide variety of fiber and matrix modification techniques are practiced improving the fiber-matrix interaction, which ultimately improves the mechanical properties. Among the fiber and matrix modification techniques, nanofiller integration is the most promising one. This study reviews the impacts of introducing carbon-based nanofillers, particularly graphene and carbon nanotubes (CNT), in diversified BFRPs. The influence of carbon-based nanofillers on the mechanical, electrical, and thermal behavior of BFRPs and their potential prospects are comprehensively reviewed. The paper concludes with the challenges and difficulties in composite processing, along with the techniques for overcoming them.

How does the digital economy affect ecological well-being performance? Evidence from three major urban agglomerations in China

The booming digital economy (DIG) has deeply altered the pattern of people’s lives and production and plays a key role in increasing human well-being and achieving urban sustainability. This study investigates the relationship between the DIG and ecological well-being performance (EWP) in the urban agglomerations of Yangtze River Delta (YRD), Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei (BTH) and Pearl River Delta (PRD) from 2010 to 2020. The main results are as follows. Overall, the DIG can significantly enhance EWP. In terms of spatial spillover effect, there is no spatial spillover effect in BTH and YRD urban agglomerations, and there is a negative spatial spillover effect in PRD urban agglomerations. The overall performance is that the DIG promotes the growth of EWP in the region, while the increase of DIG in the neighboring regions will hinder the enhancement of EWP in the region. In terms of regional heterogeneity, the size of the direct contribution of the DIG to EWP is “PRD > YRD > BTH”. Finally, technological innovation and industrial structure optimization are mechanism variables. This study offers direction for improving EWP.

Study of Environmental Economic Performance According to Energy Use and CO2 Emissions, Air Quality, and Government Policies to Achieve SDGs in Baubau City

Economic development is required to prioritize aspects of sustainability, namely by not ignoring environmental elements to ensure the benefits of future generations. This study focuses more on presenting development achievement information (in GDP) on ecological performance through energy use, CO2 emissions, air quality, and environmental management by taking the case of medium-scale cities as a differentiator from previous studies. Ecological performance using the standard issued by AGCI. It was found that economic performance was under pressure as indicated by slowing economic growth. Seven sectors make up the GDP structure which is in the process of using energy and producing CO2 emissions. Environmental quality is maintained, and the government's seriousness in creating environmentally sound economic development is demonstrated by the regulations that govern this matter.

Rest–grazing before soil thawing alters the below‐ground distribution and extent of rooting in Carex subalpine meadows

AbstractLivestock activities impact plant rhizomes and roots in the topsoil, particularly in the early stages of spring for a Carex subalpine meadow. Rest–grazing during critical periods can prevent harm to these roots and rhizomes caused by livestock, thereby enhancing the ecological performance of grasslands. In accordance with soil thawing and plant re‐greening, we designated five rest–grazing periods during the spring in a Carex subalpine meadows. The findings demonstrate that the topsoil of 0–10 cm, largely consisting of Carex roots, housed over 70% of root volume and root mass. After the plant had regained its greenery for a certain duration, rest–grazing resulted in higher vertical root length distribution index. With earlier rest–grazing, root growth in deeper soil was promoted, consequently transporting more organic material to the deeper soil. Deferred rest–grazing time has the potential to enhance lateral rooting extent, root resistance to vertical uprooting, and root accumulation in topsoil. It follows that increased root accumulation in the topsoil leads to greater loss of soil nutrients and carbon. Consequently, we recommend rest–grazing prior to soil thawing for Carex subalpine meadows, which encourages Carex root growth and fosters greater biomass accumulation in deeper soils. Avoiding “running for the green” and “trampling tillage” has a positive effect on both productivity and long‐term soil nutrients and carbon pool management in pastures.

Analyzing asymmetric ecological performance under structural change, technological innovation, and trade diversification: fresh insights from the USA.

The present research scrutinizes the influences of trade diversification, air transportation, technological innovation, and economic complexity on ecological footprint from 1990 to 2019. The findings of the both time series unit root (with and without structural break) tests confirm that none of a single variable is stationary more than the first difference. Furthermore, the Wald and nonlinear autoregressive distributed lag bound methods check asymmetry and long-term cointegration relationship between the intended variables, respectively. Moreover, this study uses the nonlinear autoregressive distributed lag model to estimate the short-run and long-run coefficients/elasticity of the ecological footprint function. Following the empirical evidence, the findings revealed that positive (negative) components in trade diversification curtail the ecological footprint in the long-run. In addition, a positive shock in air transportation leads to an increase in ecological footprint in the long-run. Nevertheless, a negative shock in air transportation exerts a significant and adverse influence on the level of ecological footprint in the long-run. Furthermore, a positive (negative) shock in technological developments significantly reduces environmental pollution in the US economy in the long-run. Besides, the outcomes from economic complexity discovered a positive shock will significantly overcome the pressure on the environment in the long-run. However, in the short-run, it is observed that negative shock in trade diversification will lead to increase the ecological footprint level in USA. Similarly, a positive shock in air transportation will lead to increase the pollution level in the short-run. In contrast, a negative shock in air transportation will lead to reduce the pressure on the environment in the short-run. Besides, in terms of policy realization, the present research recommends adopting trade synchronization, harmonic trade strategies, and investment in technological innovations to diminish the existing level of ecological footprint in the region. For sustainable development, this study put forward for instantaneously encouraging the expansion of the digital economy and reducing air pollution, accelerating the green transformation, and impelling the industrial agglomeration process in the USA.

Design-driven regional industry transformation and upgrading under the perspective of sustainable development

This study combines relevant theories and methods from economics and ecology to investigate design-driven transformation and upgrade paths for the long-term success of regional industries in the context of sustainable transformation, drawing on the design research literature's emphasis on sustainability, synergy, and a systemic approach. This evaluation may be thought of as a precondition for transformation. The regional industrial base dictates the upgrading route for sustainable transformation. Huaihua, a prefecture-level city in Hunan Province, China, serves as a case study for this investigation. Huaihua City's ecological footprints, human development index, and ecological welfare performance are used to evaluate the region's industrial base. A system based on quantitative data criteria and hierarchical analysis was built to choose top regional industries. The design study has promising implications for the sustainable transformation of major regional industries since it is an interdisciplinary, collaborative, and methodical type of research. Huaihua City, as a representative region of the less developed southwest region in China, designs a sustainable industrial transformation and upgrading path by providing a theoretical basis and quantitative measurement criteria for the sustainable transformation of regional industries.

Ecological Welfare Performance Evaluation and Spatial–Temporal Difference Evolution of Blue Economic Zones: A Case Study of the Blue Economic Zone of Shandong Peninsula

The construction and development of the Blue Economic Zone on the Shandong Peninsula in China was elevated to a national strategy in 2011, and it has achieved year-on-year economic growth, driving the economic development of Shandong Province. However, it has also generated problems, such as a fragile ecological environment, unbalanced regional development, and prominent human–land conflicts. Therefore, on the basis of the idea of green sustainable development, this paper measures the ecological welfare performance of seven prefecture-level cities in the Blue Economic Zone of Shandong Peninsula from 2011 to 2020 using an entropy-weighted model together with the TOPSIS method. It then analyzes their spatial distribution characteristics using the natural breaks method. Our findings show that the overall ecological welfare performance level in the Shandong Peninsula BEZ shows a stable upward trend, and that the ecological welfare performance of each city is similar to that of the divided region. The ecological welfare performance levels of Weifang, Rizhao, and Binzhou are relatively low. Dongying, Weihai, Qingdao, and Yantai form a cluster of cities with high ecological welfare performance. Therefore, for the advancement of the Shandong Peninsula BEZ, the government should the government should reasonably deploy the industrial structure; actively implement industrial transformation; strengthen the synergistic development among cities to achieve complementary advantages, coordinating the growth of rural and urban areas; and improve the social security system to achieve high-quality sustainable development in the Shandong Peninsula BEZ.

Ecological Design Practice and Sustainable Performance of Multinational Tea Firms in Kenya

The performance of firms has remained a global issue based on climate change that has caused global warming. Most countries have adopted green strategies so as to reduce the effects of climate change on business sustainability. Climate change affects agricultural-processing firms directly, leading to poor performance. Ecological design is one of the concepts introduced by businesses as a measure of solving the problem of sustainable performance. This study aimed to determine the relationship between green ecological design and the sustainable performance of multinational tea firms in Kenya. The study was anchored on ecological, sustainable, and institutional theories. Correlational and cross-sectional research designs were adopted. A sample of 225 managers was selected using a stratified sampling technique from a target population of 512 from the three multinational tea firms of James Finlay, George Williamson and Ekaterra with primary data being collected using a questionnaire. The content, face, criterion, and construct validity of the instrument were achieved through interrogation of the instrument by supervisors and experts. Reliability was examined using the Cronbach Alpha coefficient, where a score of 0.801 was realised. Linear regression and correlation analysis were used to establish the coefficient of determination and correlation coefficient. The results of the study established that there was a significant but weak (R2 = 0.034, F = 7.411; p<0.05) relationship between eco-design and sustainable performance, implying that whenever multinational tea firms invested in eco-design as a green supply chain practice, there was adequate improvement on their sustainable performance. The study recommends that multinational tea firms in Kenya should put resources into the development of eco-design methods. The findings of this study are expected to baseline information that may assist in developing sustainable performance strategies in the tea sector

Heat hardening enhances metabolite-driven thermoprotection in the Mediterranean mussel Mytilus galloprovincialis.

Introduction: Temperature affects organisms' metabolism and ecological performance. Owing to climate change, sea warming constituting a severe source of environmental stress for marine organisms, since it increases at alarming rates. Rapid warming can exceed resilience of marine organisms leading to fitness loss and mortality. However, organisms can improve their thermal tolerance when briefly exposed to sublethal thermal stress (heat hardening), thus generating heat tolerant phenotypes. Methods: We investigated the "stress memory" effect caused by heat hardening on M. galloprovincialis metabolite profile of in order to identify the underlying biochemical mechanisms, which enhance mussels' thermal tolerance. Results: The heat hardening led to accumulation of amino acids (e.g., leucine, isoleucine and valine), including osmolytes and cytoprotective agents with antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties that can contribute to thermal protection of the mussels. Moreover, proteolysis was inhibited and protein turnover regulated by the heat hardening. Heat stress alters the metabolic profile of heat stressed mussels, benefiting the heat-hardened individuals in increasing their heat tolerance compared to the non-heat-hardened ones. Discussion: These findings provide new insights in the metabolic mechanisms that may reinforce mussels' tolerance against thermal stress providing both natural protection and potential manipulative tools (e.g., in aquaculture) against the devastating climate change effects on marine organisms.

Assessing the ecological performance of French territories using a spatially-nested approach

Territories are at the forefront of efforts to curtail the trajectory of their environmental impacts and enhance their economic and ecological resilience. To expedite the process of curving the ecological footprint, France has launched the Ecological Transition Plan (ETP). However, environmental programs in France are orchestrated at the national and regional levels, which tends to diminish the heterogeneity of territorial dynamics. This underscores a disparity in scale that might potentially hinder the translation of the ETP's objectives (Top-Down) into feasible local initiatives (Bottom-Up), and vice versa. To bridge this gap, we suggest employing the Ecological Footprint as a monitoring framework, in conjunction with a spatially-nested approach. This combination aims to guarantee the precise conversion of objectives into impactful local actions. Results reveal that only 27% of French territories are encountering an ecological deficit, while the remaining 73% are classified as ecological reserves. The primary sectors contributing to this ecological overshoot are “road transport” (28.8%), followed by “industry” (21.4%), and “agriculture” (19.5%). We posit that this spatially-nested analysis can unravel territorial heterogeneities and facilitate the design of more nuanced and appropriately tailored ecological actions across different scales.

Research on the Ecological Innovation Efficiency of the Zhongyuan Urban Agglomeration: Measurement, Evaluation and Optimization

The objective of carbon peaking and carbon neutralization put forward higher requirements for the intensive use of energy and resources, and green and efficient development has become an essential part of high-quality development. Ecological innovation focuses on resource preservation and application and the improvement of the ecological environment while driving economic development through innovation; therefore, ecological innovation has become a solution to balance resource conservation, environmental protection, and efficient development effectively and has received widespread attention. This research takes 30 cities of the Zhongyuan Urban Agglomeration as research subjects and constructs an urban agglomeration’s evaluation index system to measure ecological innovation efficiency. By utilizing the entropy-weight TOPSIS model and super-efficiency SBM-DEA model, the ecological innovation performance of the Zhongyuan Urban Agglomeration is measured and evaluated from 2006 to 2020; then, redundancy analysis is applied to analyze the correlation between ecological innovation inputs and outputs. The final results illustrate that: (1) The overall ecological innovation performance level of the Zhongyuan urban agglomeration is relatively low, and the ecological innovation ability of some cities is inadequate; (2) From the temporal perspective, the temporal evolution of the Zhongyuan urban agglomeration showed a less obvious U-shaped trend, and the innovation output benefits of the core development region are considerably superior to those of the co-development region, and the ecological innovation transformation efficiency of the Zhongyuan urban agglomeration shows a fluctuating trend; (3) From the spatial perspective, there are eight cities at the “high output and high efficiency” level but 19 cities at the “low output and low efficiency” level, and the ecological innovation performance of most cities in the north is obviously better than that in the south from the perspective of spatial distribution. Therefore, to further improve the ecological innovation ability and performance of the Zhongyuan urban agglomeration, relevant policies should be fully practiced and implemented, such as building Nanyang as a sub-central city, constructing an efficient ecological economy demonstration area in the south of Henan province, effectively integrating Zhengzhou and Kaifeng, and the innovative radiation of Zhengzhou as a national central city to other cities.

What evidence exists on the ecological and physical effects of built structures in shallow, tropical coral reefs? A systematic map protocol

BackgroundShallow, tropical coral reefs face compounding threats from habitat degradation due to coastal development and pollution, impacts from storms and sea-level rise, and pulse disturbances like blast fishing, mining, dredging, and ship groundings that reduce coral reefs’ height and variability. One approach toward restoring coral reef structure from these threats is deploying built structures. Built structures range from engineered modules and repurposed materials to underwater sculptures and intentionally placed natural rocks. Restoration practitioners and coastal managers increasingly consider incorporating built structures, including nature-based solutions, into coral reef-related applications. Yet, synthesized evidence on the ecological and physical performance of built structure interventions across a variety of contexts (e.g., restoration, coastal protection, mitigation, tourism) is not readily available to guide decisions. To help inform management decisions, here we aim to document the global evidence base on the ecological and physical performance of built structures in shallow (≤ 30 m) tropical (35° N to 35° S latitude) coral ecosystems. The collated evidence base on use cases and associated ecological and physical outcomes of built structure interventions can help inform future consideration of built structures in reef restoration design, siting, and implementation.MethodTo discover evidence on the performance of built structures in coral reef-related applications, such as restoration, mitigation, and coastal protection, primary literature will be searched across indexing platforms, bibliographic databases, open discovery citation indexes, a web-based search engine, a novel literature discovery tool, and organizational websites. The geographic scope of the search is global, and there is no limitation to temporal scope. Primary literature will be screened first at the level of title and abstract and then at the full text level against defined eligibility criteria for the population, intervention, study type, and outcomes of interest. Metadata will be extracted from studies that pass both screening levels. The resulting data will be analyzed to determine the distribution and abundance of evidence. Results will be made publicly available and reported in a systematic map that includes a narrative description, identifies evidence clusters and gaps, and outlines future research directions on the use of built structures in coral reef-related applications.