Environmental Performance Indicators Research Articles

Effects of using hydrogen on the exergetic and environmental damage performance of an UAV turbojet engine

In this study, the performance effects of using hydrogen instead of JP-8 fuel in an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) jet engine was investigated. Exergy analysis and environmental damage analysis were used to obtain performance parameters. These performance parameters were exergy destruction ratio, thrust-specific fuel consumption, air-to-fuel ratio, exergy efficiency, waste exergy ratio, environmental effect factor, sustainability index, and exergetic improvement potential values. Turbojet engine was operated at three different throttle settings (50%, 75%, and 100%) to examine the impact of different load types on the performance parameters. The results obtained by using JP-8 and hydrogen fuels at different throttle settings showed consistency. For all throttle settings, the highest exergy efficiencies took place in the nozzle as approximately 90%. On the other hand, the combustion chamber had the lowest exergy efficiencies for all conditions and took values between 30% and 40%. Calculated exergy destruction ratios indicated that the hydrogen use improved or saved the jet engine’s energy performance. Except the combustion chamber, compressor, turbine, and nozzle exergy destruction ratios decreased as 6.2%, 6.5%, and 10.8%, respectively. Moreover, the use of hydrogen fuel did not significantly change the performance parameters, in fact reduced the environmental impact approximately 113%. The findings indicated the potential benefits of hydrogen fuel use when compared to JP-8 fuel.

Sustainability indicators for evaluation of the Water-Energy-Food Nexus in urban agriculture

ABSTRACT Application of the Water-Energy-Food Nexus system is essential for addressing Water-Energy-Food Security and Environmental Protection in urban agricultural areas. However, there is currently no standardized framework for measuring and comparing sustainability indicators in these areas using the WEF Nexus practices. This study proposes sustainability measurement indicators to evaluate the WEF Nexus sustainability. The Analytical Hierarchy Process (AHP) was employed to identify the most crucial indicators for policymakers. The WEF nexus sustainability indicators were selected based on three dimensions of sustainability: social, environmental, and economic. The study focused on Varamin, a semi-arid city in Tehran that serves as a center for urban agriculture. Research results indicate that water-related components are crucial in arid and semi-arid regions. Based on the environmental sustainability indicators, pollution prevention, with a priority of 52.8%, is a critical component of sustainability. Finally, several key indicators are recommended for decision-makers to address sustainability. Allocating national budgets to create environmental policies and increasing public education on environmental issues are two priorities for achieving sustainability goals. However, future studies should utilize the Analytic Network Process (ANP), which enables interdependencies among decision components, as the AHP approach has some limitations.

Green logistics performance Index as a benchmarking tool for EU countries environmental sustainability

Logistics performance has a significant impact on the natural environment. The paper analyses it from a broad macro perspective of European Union countries. Also, it proposes the methodology of creation and possibilities of use of the Green Logistics Performance Index (GLPI) to deepen the analyses and compare countries. The paper's primary goal is to introduce and justify the implementation of the GLPI. First, a literature review is provided, covering the concept of green logistics and environmental problems. Next, the Logistics Performance Index (LPI) and Environmental Performance Index (EPI) are described in detail as the components of GLPI, and the methodology of GLPI creation is presented. Finally, the GLPI is calculated for all European Union countries in 2018 (the latest data) and 2010 to compare the differences and see the progress or regress. This part of the paper gives an overview of GLPI as a benchmarking tool, pointing out the positives and negatives, and transferring the best environmental practices from leading counties to others. In the end, the benefits of GLPI are described together with its utility suggestions.

Applicability of Carbon Footprint as Indicator for Environmental Performance of Food Products

Applicability of Carbon Footprint as Indicator for Environmental Performance of Food Products

Exploring How Environmental Accounting Impact Company Value: A Literature Review

This research aims to adress the persistent environmental challenges in Indonesia, drawing attention to its low Environmental Performance Index (EPI) ranking and escalating carbon emissions. Despite governmental regulations, many corporations continue to inadequately comply. By using the literature review method, this research explores the contemporary understanding of corporate environmental practices and their impact on corporate value, revealing inconsistent findings. The study emphasizes the potential positive impact of effective environmental management, urging companies to view environmental costs as strategic investments in corporate reputation and long-term value. In conclusion, the study advocates for future research to delve into the intricate mechanisms through which environmental factors influence corporate value across industries, regions, and emerging trends in sustainable finance. This research aspires to provide valuable insights for refining policies and business practices in Indonesia, fostering sustainable development and environmental responsibility

Shading Performance of Public Open Spaces: A Multi-Criteria Evaluation Framework for Housing Projects

This study investigates the impact of building grouping patterns on enhancing shading in public open spaces, considering different solar orientations, housing densities, and the hot climatic conditions of Saudi Arabia. The study considered a set of environmental performance indicators, including the percentage of open space shaded areas, heat gains through the building envelope, open space surface temperature, and the natural ventilation potential of each grouping pattern of the buildings. The results showed that at a building height of five floors, the percentage of open space shaded areas ranged from 14% to 53%. However, using the suggested multi-criteria evaluation framework to consider the above-mentioned performance indicators revealed more in-depth observations. Configurations that included parallel rows of buildings staggered and centralized in the middle of the site offered the best performance in this regard. This shows that compact grouping patterns in which open spaces are decentralized offer more urban shading and protection against undesirable heat gains through the building envelope during summer. The results of this study will enable a wider exploration of different building grouping patterns, which are needed in the harsh hot climate of Saudi Arabia to respond to current rapid housing development plans.

Integration of Industry 4.0 with reliability centered maintenance to enhance sustainable manufacturing

AbstractAchieving sustainability in manufacturing requires optimizing reliability and productivity while reducing environmental impact. This article introduces a novel approach by integrating Industry 4.0 technologies with reliability centered maintenance (RCM) to create a “smart RCM” model. In an era where Industry 4.0 leverages the Internet of Things (IoT), cyber physical systems (CPSs), cloud computing, and cognitive computing, this integration transforms conventional RCM into a data‐driven and efficient system. A case study conducted in a cement plant illustrates the benefits of smart RCM implementation. Key performance indicators (KPI), including increased production volume, reduced downtime, enhanced mean time between failures (MTBF), and improved overall equipment effectiveness (OEE), showcase the positive impact of smart RCM. Furthermore, specific environmental performance indicators, such as energy consumption, carbon footprint, and water consumption, exhibit favorable changes, contributing to sustainability. The implementation of smart RCM also presents an attractive payback period, making it an appealing approach for industries looking to optimize maintenance practices and environmental performance. Despite potential challenges in workforce adaptation and resistance, the integration of Industry 4.0 with RCM emerges as a transformative strategy.

Environmental issues, governmental policies, and accountability on the public communication agenda. Statistical results from Central and Eastern European countries

This paper highlights the importance of environmental policies in a social and economic context characterized by multiple structural crises. The beginning of the XXI-st century proposes a new perspective, based on the transition from industrial to clean energy and green economies. In this context, environmental preservation should be seen as a main goal for decision-makers and the civic community. The paper aims to identify several relevant predictors that are involved in the further dynamics of the Environmental Performance Index. In order to argue the role played by economic factors in preserving the environment, the paper used quantitative and multivariate statistics, being based on linear, nonlinear, and multiple equations of regression. Using one-way ANOVA and nearest neighbourhood methods, the paper highlights the fact that environmental performance is strongly related to economic welfare, governmental coordination of climate policies, the level of sustainable development, and civic accountability.

Assessing the impact of artisanal gold mining on the environmental sustainability of groundwater resource for water security in southwestern Ghana

The increase in illegal gold mining (galamsey) activities that harm the environment by polluting water sources necessitates the need to take meaningful steps towards protecting the environment.The Jacobu water system in the Amansie Central district was selected as a case study. The purpose of the work is to assess the environmental sustainability of groundwater resource and whether surface water pollution has seeped into the water table to pollute groundwater resource. Methodologically, the study employed groundwater sustainability assessment framework, involving both linear and non-linear sustainability index functions, as well as analytical hierarchy process (AHP). Four groundwater sustainability aspects of quantity, quality, ecosystem and management were assessed. Also, thirteen groundwater sustainability indicators were created for the study. Using the linear sustainability index function, the environmental sustainability index was 0.845, which indicates an excellent level. For the assessment to properly reflect the reality in the study area, the combined linear and non-linear sustainability index function revealed a good level, 0.765, showing an environmentally good overview of Jacobu groundwater resource. This, therefore, suggests the need to ensure continuous protection of groundwater resource. Generally, the study area has not yet experience hydromorphic dispersion of polluted surface water into groundwater resources. For a sustainable groundwater in the future, strict control measures by enforcing environmental laws and regulations to prevent possible pollution of groundwater resource due to ‘‘galamsey’’ activities is critical to protect the invisible resource. This can be done through community engagement, and innovative approaches to monitoring and controlling illegal mining activities. This is to help sustain future generation's security of the ‘invisible’ groundwater resource in Ghana and contributes to Goal 6 (Ensuring Access to Clean Water and Sanitation) of the Sustainable Development Goals set by the United Nations.

Studying financial development with low-carbon architecture development and green technological innovation: sustaining SDG-9.

In order to accomplish Sustainable Growth Goal 9, this research analyzes in detail how green technological innovation, low-carbon architectural improvement, and more significant financial growth all work together to reach the goal. This research meticulously integrates secondary data from reputable sources to examine the relationship between economic growth, technological innovation in the built environment, and environmental sustainability from 1994 to 2019. For economic insights, the World Bank's World Development Indicators is a go-to resource, while Yale University's Environmental Performance Index (EPI) is a go-to for environmental metrics. Our research is based on this synthesis of multi-dimensional data, which enables an in-depth investigation of the interplay between financial development, sustainable architecture, and technical progress toward SDG-9. This research employs quantitative and qualitative methodologies to shed light on the intricate interaction between these elements, making it useful for policymakers, scholars, and stakeholders dedicated to directing sustainable development paths.

RETRACTED: Investigating the potential of the limestone calcined clay cement with cement content below 50 wt%: Hydration properties and environmental impact analysis

Limestone calcined clay cement (LC3) is a promising strategy and technology to mitigate the climate change in the field of cement-based materials. The purpose of this work was to systematically investigate the properties of the LC3 system with cement content below 50 wt%, in which two clays with kaolinite content of 33.2% (MK30) and 50% (MK50) were used for comparison. Cement pastes and mortars were prepared with four coupled replacement levels of 50 wt%, 65 wt%, 75 wt% and 85 wt% by calcined clay and limestone. The compressive strength of the mortars was tested for up to 90 days. The hydration process was monitored in detail by isothermal calorimetry, phase assemblages calculated by quantitative XRD-Rietveld refinement and the reaction of metakaolin in calcined clay calculated by mass balance approach. Finally, an environmental performance indicator with consideration of CO2 emission and compressive strength was also introduced to evaluate the application feasibility of these different low-cement LC3 systems. From the observation of the experiment, cement hydration dominated the compressive strength of LC3 system before 3 days, while the pozzolanic reaction between metakaolin and CH as well as the synergistic reaction between metakaolin and limestone supported the late-strength development regardless of the calcined clay types. Compared to MK30, MK50 was more conducive to hydrates precipitation and microstructure densification, resulting in a higher compressive strength. The environmental performance indicator showed that LC3-50 and LC3-35 prepared by MK30, and LC3-50, LC3-35 and LC3-25 prepared by MK50 can be treated as ideal systems, as they presented much lower environmental impact and also maintained the desired compressive strength. The results of this work present a promising contribution to realizing the environmental sustainability of cement production.

Climate adaptation and resilience indices for the Caribbean region: an assessment of four leading indices

ABSTRACT Countries of the Caribbean region share a common vulnerability and risk of disappearing if the dangers of climate change and global warming are not addressed collectively and urgently. Over the last decade, four open-source international indices, the Global Climate Risk Index (GCRI), Good Life Index (GLI), Norte Dame Global Adaptation Initiative (ND-GAIN), Yale Environmental Performance Index (EPI), have been developed and employed in research and policy as a measurement tool to aggregate data and examine risks exacerbated by climate change. Countries are ranked internationally based on their level of vulnerability and readiness to implement adaptation solutions. No index is explicitly developed for the Caribbean. However, there is an imperative to bridge community and national adaptation planning, which remains to be better integrated into climate policy and adaptation. Thus, we provide a timely assessment of the four most widely employed indices, reviewing individual country performances, 2010–2020. The results show some similarities regarding the best and worst performers, but significant variation is observed in the rate of improvement and degree of inertia. Each index has strengths and weaknesses. ND-GAIN is the index with the region's most transparent methodology and comprehensive coverage.

Dynamic Analysis of the EU Countries Sustainability: Methods, Models, and Case Study

The agenda for sustainable development actualizes sustainability analysis of countries’ social, ecological, and economic conditions, as well as the necessity of designing practical recommendations to realize the sustainable development goals (SDGs). Sustainability analysis is a part of decision making and policy development in a broad environmental, economic, and social context. That is why this analysis goes beyond simple technical assessment. In order to make sustainability a target variable in development strategies, it is necessary to use special methods combining mathematical tools and managerial content. The paper systematizes modern mathematical methods for assessing economic sustainability and proposes a methodology for the integrated assessment of the social, economic, and environmental sustainability of countries, which were tested on data from 24 EU countries over 12 periods. The case study results derived from spatial and temporal samples are consistent with the currently observed processes in the EU. The content basis is the UN concept of sustainable development, the instrumental basis is multivariate comparisons, the Mahalanobis distances method, the correlation and regression analysis, analysis of variance, time series analysis, and trends analysis. Composite indices of social, economic, and environmental sustainability of the EU countries, each of them including five indicators, were developed in this study; the levels of social, economic, and environmental sustainability of EU countries were determined, as well as individual instability indicators. Mahalanobis distances and relative and absolute sustainability indicators were calculated and determined. Cluster analysis of the EU countries by levels of social, economic, and environmental instability and Mahalanobis distances, the diagnosis of the current situation and dominant trends were carried out for testing the hypothesis that there are positive relations between the instability of development and Mahalanobis distances. Hypotheses about the relationship between instability and the level of country development, reflected in the values of socio-economic and environmental indicators, and whether countries with good values of social, environmental, and economic indicators are the most sustainable, were investigated.

The road towards environmental sustainability: Investigating the role of information and communication technologies and green technology innovations

Human activity is considered to be the largest contributor to global warming and environmental deterioration. In order to limit the destruction and transition toward a more sustainable environment, governments and corporations, are increasingly turning to Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) and green technology innovations. However, no consensus on whether ICT exert a positive or negative influence on the environment appears in the literature, and solid empirical evidence linking green technologies to environmental performance is lacking. This study fills this gap by empirically testing the impact of ICT and green technology on environmental sustainability measured using the environmental performance index (EPI) and takes into account the Environmental Kuznets Curve (EKC) framework. Further, it includes a set of control variables: financial development, urbanization, trade openness, and foreign direct investment. It uses a balanced panel for 21 countries for the years between 1995 and 2019. Results show that both ICT and green technology innovations exert a significant positive impact on environmental sustainability. Financial development, urbanization, and foreign direct investment also positively influence environmental sustainability, while trade openness negatively impacts the environment. The findings offer policy implications for governments on how to exploit the potential of ICT and green technology to achieve environmental sustainability.

Evaluation of the Impacts of the “Uma Terra e Duas Águas” Program (P1+2) on the Quality of Life and Environmental Sustainability of Beneficiaries in the Semiarid Region of Ceará, Brazil

Purpose: Social policies for accessing water during droughts have contributed to coexisting with dry periods. One of these policies involves the construction of cisterns through the “Um Milhão de Cisternas” Program (P1MC) and the “Uma Terra e Duas Águas” Program (P1+2). To comprehend the effects of P1+2, this study aims to assess its impacts on the quality of life and environmental sustainability of beneficiaries compared to non-beneficiaries. Method/design/approach: The research was conducted in the municipalities of Canindé and Itapiúna, Ceará, and data were collected through questionnaires administered to P1+2 beneficiaries and non-beneficiaries. From the data, the Quality of Life Index (QLI) and the Environmental Sustainability Index (ESI) were calculated for beneficiaries and non-beneficiaries. Results and conclusion: The QLI of beneficiaries was lower than that of non-beneficiaries, suggesting a need for greater monitoring of beneficiaries and potential adaptations. The ESI was higher for beneficiaries, indicating some effect of the program on environmental sustainability. The low ESI for beneficiaries highlights weaknesses in the context of water security in the semiarid region. Research implications: Contributing to the improvement of P1+2, population quality of life, and environmental sustainability. Originality/value: It is a novel research in this region, and it is important to generate data about P1+2 to understand its benefits and propose improvements.

Evaluation of the Impacts of the “Uma Terra e Duas Águas” Program (P1+2) on the Quality of Life and Environmental Sustainability of Beneficiaries in the Semiarid Region of Ceará, Brazil

Purpose: Social policies for accessing water during droughts have contributed to coexisting with dry periods. One of these policies involves the construction of cisterns through the “Um Milhão de Cisternas” Program (P1MC) and the “Uma Terra e Duas Águas” Program (P1+2). To comprehend the effects of P1+2, this study aims to assess its impacts on the quality of life and environmental sustainability of beneficiaries compared to non-beneficiaries.
 
 Method/design/approach: The research was conducted in the municipalities of Canindé and Itapiúna, Ceará, and data were collected through questionnaires administered to P1+2 beneficiaries and non-beneficiaries. From the data, the Quality of Life Index (QLI) and the Environmental Sustainability Index (ESI) were calculated for beneficiaries and non-beneficiaries.
 
 Results and conclusion: The QLI of beneficiaries was lower than that of non-beneficiaries, suggesting a need for greater monitoring of beneficiaries and potential adaptations. The ESI was higher for beneficiaries, indicating some effect of the program on environmental sustainability. The low ESI for beneficiaries highlights weaknesses in the context of water security in the semiarid region.
 
 Research implications: Contributing to the improvement of P1+2, population quality of life, and environmental sustainability.
 
 Originality/value: It is a novel research in this region, and it is important to generate data about P1+2 to understand its benefits and propose improvements.

Revisiting the nexus between economic growth and environment health: an empirical study on 180 nations.

Sustainability is considered to be one of the biggest issues in the current time. This study aims to understand the role of sustainability further by revisiting the much-debated and intricate relationship between economic growth and environmental performance and to provide guidance to policymakers. Using a large sample of data from 180 countries over the period from 2002 to 2017 a measure that captures the various aspects of environmental performance, the study performs a test of the Environmental Kuznets Curve (EKC) hypothesis, which defines the relationship between economic growth and environmental deterioration. Controlling for several associated macroeconomic and governance variables, the results suggest that for certain regions, viz. Asia, Eastern Europe, and North America, higher economic growth, as proxied by per capita GDP, has a negative association with environmental performance (measured by Environmental Performance Indices, EPI), indicating that the former may prove detrimental to the later. The results suggest a unidirectional relationship between the two variables and are also robust to endogeneity concerns that are often emphasized in the EKC literature. The study documents similar results for lower-income and lower-middle-income countries. Interestingly, the authors also find that small-sized governments in developing nations have a positive association with environmental performance.

On the Asymmetry of the Nexus between Governance and Environmental Pollution

Governance has attracted the attention of researchers as a multifaceted and effective variable in the economic performance of countries during last three decades. On the other hand, with the intensification of environmental concerns of governments, the analysis of the relationship between governance and the worsening of environmental sustainability indicators, such as the volume of pollutant emissions, has also become one of the study primacies of environmental economists. The present study aimed to investigate the aforesaid relationship for a group of developing and developed countries for the period 1990 to 2020. To this end, the Nonlinear Autoregressive Distributed Lag (NARDL) model based on panel data was used, which permits examination of the existence of non-linear relationships between variables. Main results show asymmetry in the magnitude of the effects of governance indicators on carbon dioxide emissions in developed and developing countries as the coefficient of the positive shock to economic governance for developed countries (0.52) is almost twice that of developing nations (0.27). We found that economic governance enhancement has a stronger impact on reducing environmental pollution and thus protecting the environment.

Relationship Between Environmental Reports and Environmental Performance: A case of the Processing Industry in the Republic of Slovenia

Abstract Background/Purpose Environmental protection issues faced by companies constitute a challenging research topic. The main objective of the study was to research if companies’ environmental performance relates to the quality of information contained in the environmental reports. Methods In order to assess the environmental performance of companies involved we develop the Environmental Performance Index based on the Slovenian Environment Agency’s data on emissions in air, water and waste. We measured the correlation between the Environmental Performance Index and quality of environmental reporting using Spearman’s correlation coefficient. Results and Conclusion The results of our analyses revealed that there is no significant correlation between companies’ environmental performance and the quality of their environmental reporting. However, the reasons for the obtained result can be at least partially attributed to the low quality level of analysed environmental reports. This is a reason why the calculated correlation is not as tangible as it would be if company reports would provide more information and therefore more data for analysis. Our findings suggest that voluntary environmental reporting should be complemented by legally defined mandatory elements for such reporting.

Environmental Performance Analysis Of CV Barokah Tofu Waste Factory Using Green Productivity

Tofu is a food product that is a necessity for daily consumption by the community. The basic ingredient in making tofu is soybeans which have high nutritional value and can be a healthy protein alternative for the community. Tofu is made from coagulated soybean seed sediment, so that the processing produces water which becomes waste in the tofu-making industry. In increasing production it is necessary to have attention to environmental performance. The aspect of environmental performance is in the form of liquid waste resulting from a large number of tofu production processes. The purpose of this study is to analyze the liquid waste from tofu production using the Green Productivity (GP) method to provide suggestions for improvements in increasing company productivity. Based on the results of the study, the company has an initial environmental performance index (EPI) of -376.305. The initial Green Productivity Index (GPI) at CV Barokah has a value of 0.003 and GPI Liquid Waste of 0.75. There are two alternative solutions, namely the utilization of liquid waste to become Nata de soya and liquid organic fertilizer. The alternative chosen is the utilization of liquid waste as organic fertilizer with a profit of Rp. 126,447,163 with the final productivity value also increasing to 703.10%.