Footprint Calculation Research Articles

Spatio-temporal analysis of carbon footprints for urban public transport systems based on smart card data

The increasing severity of global climate change has made reductions in carbon emissions an urgent global issue. The relative lack of carbon footprint analyses of urban public transportation systems (UPTS) is therefore surprising, given that UPTS is an important component of urban transportation and one that may play a crucial role in carbon emission reduction. This study conducts a spatio-temporal analysis of carbon footprints for UPTS during the COVID-19 pandemic based on smart card data in Beijing. Since the core of carbon footprint calculation is to estimate travellers' trip trajectories and the ridership of urban rail transit (URT) and buses, we construct a novel multi-layer urban rail network model to calculate passenger volume and travellers' trajectories through a traffic assignment model. Furthermore, we utilize the Generalized Additive Model (GAM) to analyse the correlation relationship between the carbon footprints of buses and URT. Additionally, we conduct statistical analysis of the carbon footprint of UPTS. The results of the spatio-temporal analysis of carbon footprints for UPTS show significantly lower carbon emissions during holidays compared to those on working days, and emissions during peak hours contribute approximately half of the total daily UPTS emissions, while there are notable variations in the distribution of the carbon footprint among different districts. Moreover, our analysis reveals a positive correlation between the carbon footprints of buses and URT. The statistical analysis reflects different patterns of carbon footprint distribution on different dates during the pandemic, but the carbon footprint distributions on selected dates all follow a power-law distribution. This study may facilitate the understanding to the impacts of UPTS on the environment during the COVID-19 pandemic, and also provide important guidance and reference for the development of carbon emission reduction strategies.

Machine learning modeling of water footprint in crop production distinguishing water supply and irrigation method scenarios

Crop water footprint (WF) calculation via physical process-based crop or hydrological models has basic requirements in terms of cost, time, and knowledge threshold. It is unsuitable for laypersons such as policymakers or cross-disciplinary researchers. Here, machine learning (ML) is an effective solution owing to low cost, high speed, and low processing difficulty. However, the feasibility and applicability of ML modeling for crop WFs at multiple spatial scales remain unverified. Here, we quantitatively evaluated the applicability, optimal model parameters and importance of the feature variables of four ML methods, including random forest (RF), light gradient boosting machine (LightGBM), generalized additive model (GAM), and artificial neural network (ANN), for constructing WF models for crop production at site and provincial scales. The models were tested through the case study for major grain crops (wheat, maize, soybean, and rice) in China over 2000–2019, distinguishing between irrigated and rainfed crops and between different irrigation methods. The findings show that the WF simulation accuracy for the irrigated scenario was higher than that for the rainfed scenario. The type of feasible ML model varied with crop types, variable combinations, water supply scenarios, and spatial scales. At the site scale, the RF model was generally suitable for simulating WF of maize, soybean, and rice, with R2 values ranging from 0.7 to 0.78 under different irrigation scenarios; the LightGBM was more suitable for simulating wheat with R2 values ranging from 0.76 to 0.82. The LightGBM was deemed to be the best model at the provincial scale, with some regions presenting a 50% lower root mean square error in the crop WF simulation than in RF. Variables related to spatio-temporal class feature were found to be the most important in both the RF and LightGBM simulations. This study provides a global methodological reference for different countries or regions to establish methods for rapid WF assessments in crop production with cross-disciplinary researchers or macro policymakers as the target users.

EXPLORING THE INTEGRATION OF SUSTAINABLE MATERIALS IN SUPPLY CHAIN MANAGEMENT FOR ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT

This research paper explores the critical nexus between supply chain management and sustainability by examining the integration of sustainable materials within supply chains and its profound impact on the environment, society, and economy. The paper delves into the significance of sustainable materials in the context of current global environmental concerns. It outlines the benefits of their integration in supply chains. Through a comprehensive literature review, the paper identifies the environmental, social, and economic advantages of incorporating sustainable materials, including reduced carbon footprints, resource conservation, waste reduction, enhanced brand reputation, and long-term resilience. However, the paper acknowledges that integrating sustainable materials is not without challenges. It highlights barriers such as higher costs, limited availability, resistance to change, and regulatory complexities that organizations must navigate. The paper presents an array of strategic approaches that organizations can adopt to overcome these challenges and effectively integrate sustainable materials. Strategies discussed include green procurement, life cycle assessment, circular economy principles, collaboration with suppliers, eco-design, certification, pilot programs, and education. Furthermore, the paper addresses the critical role of tools and technologies in assessing the environmental impact of supply chains. It explores carbon footprint calculators, environmental management systems, life cycle assessment methodologies, traceability technologies, and other digital solutions that enable data-driven decision-making, risk mitigation, and process optimization. The importance of these tools in promoting transparency, accountability, and innovation is emphasized. The findings underscore the necessity of integrating sustainable materials for positive environmental impact and highlight the broader implications for responsible resource management. The paper concludes by proposing areas for further research, including circular economy implementation, technological integration, multi-tier supply chain impacts, consumer behavior, and advocating for continued efforts to promote sustainable practices in supply chain management. In a world grappling with environmental challenges, this paper contributes to the discourse surrounding sustainable materials' pivotal role in reshaping supply chains for a more sustainable future.
 Keywords: Sustainable Materials, Supply Chain Management, Environmental Impact, Carbon Footprint, Circular Economy, Green Procurement, Traceability Technologies, Sustainability Tools.

Direct observations of NOxemissions over the San Joaquin Valley using airborne flux measurements during RECAP-CA 2021 field campaign

Abstract. Nitrogen oxides (NOx) are principle components of air pollution and serve as important ozone precursors. As the San Joaquin Valley (SJV) experiences some of the worst air quality in the United States, reducing NOx emissions is a pressing need, yet quantifying current emissions is complicated due to a mixture of mobile and agriculture sources. We performed airborne eddy covariance flux measurements during the Re-Evaluating the Chemistry of Air Pollutants in California (RECAP-CA) field campaign in June 2021. Combining footprint calculations and land cover statistics, we disaggregate the observed fluxes into component fluxes characterized by three different land cover types. On average, we find emissions of 0.95 mg N m−2 h−1 over highways, 0.43 mg N m−2 h−1 over urban areas, and 0.30 mg N m−2 h−1 over croplands. The calculated NOx emissions using flux observations are utilized to evaluate anthropogenic emissions inventories and soil NOx emissions schemes. We show that two anthropogenic inventories for mobile sources, EMFAC (EMission FACtors) and FIVE (Fuel-based Inventory for Vehicle Emissions), yield strong agreement with emissions derived from measured fluxes over urban regions. Three soil NOx schemes, including the MEGAN v3 (Model of Emissions of Gases and Aerosols from Nature), BEIS v3.14 (Biogenic Emission Inventory System), and BDISNP (Berkeley–Dalhousie–Iowa Soil NO Parameterization), show substantial underestimates over the study domain. Compared to the cultivated soil NOx emissions derived from measured fluxes, MEGAN and BEIS are lower by more than 1 order of magnitude, and BDISNP is lower by a factor of 2.2. Despite the low bias, observed soil NOx emissions and BDISNP present a similar spatial pattern and temperature dependence. We conclude that soil NOx is a key feature of the NOx emissions in the SJV and that a biogeochemical-process-based model of these emissions is needed to simulate emissions for modeling air quality in the region.

A Modelling-Based Framework for Carbon Emissions Calculation in Additive Manufacturing: A Stereolithography Case Study

Manufacturing is one of the most heavily contributing sectors to global warming via its high carbon emissions. Initiatives such as the Green Deal and Sustainable Goals by the United Nations are supporting the reduction of carbon emissions in the manufacturing sector, which can be completed by making manufacturing processes more sustainable and with less carbon footprint. This also applies to novel manufacturing processes such as additive manufacturing (AM). In this work, a previously developed framework for carbon footprint calculation was tailor-made and applied to a specific stereolithography (SLA) case. The different steps of the SLA were categorised per process, machine tool and system level, and the respective carbon emissions were calculated, either theoretically or via a life cycle assessment software. The carbon emissions at the process level were significant when compared to the total carbon emissions, and the carbon emissions of the isopropanol (IPA) bath accounted for more than 50% of the total carbon footprint of the SLA. These results demonstrate that the AM process may not be as environmentally friendly as it was assumed to be, especially if post-processing and finishing steps are carbon-intensive, because of the liquids used for the baths.

Gas Induced Superheated Slurry: Industrial Applicability, Energy Savings and Sustainability in High Pressure Die Casting

Objective of the paper is to present the latest applications of GISS technology, a little more than six years since the launch in the die casting industry. Industrial applicability and robustness of the solution have been the main targets of GISSCO development which is focussed on providing a technology appliable to mass production with short lead time and cost effectiveness. Based on the concepts of viscosity control and feeding compensation the GISS technology can lead to reduction of production costs (energy, lubrication, waste disposal, die life extension) as well as increase of the casting quality. Life Cycle Inventory and Carbon Footprint calculation of a case study are presented.

Assessing the Correlation between Citizen Science and Carbon Footprint: Introduction of COMPAIR’s CO2 Calculator

The citizen’s carbon footprint is affected by various factors, but mostly by electricity consumption, daily transportation, travelling habits, as well as municipal solid waste management, a critical factor that is not frequently incorporated in carbon footprint estimations. This paper proposes a new carbon footprint calculator, the Carbon Footprint Simulation Dashboard—COMPAIR’s CO2 calculator. The CO2 calculator employs Citizen Science (CS) information in order to assist citizens in understanding and comparing how future carbon emissions will be modified in accordance with changes in their daily routines. The calculator offers several statistics, e.g., the country’s average carbon footprint and comparisons between EU members with respect to sectors that shape it, along with several recommendations for those domains where carbon footprint is significantly higher than the desired limits. The novelty of this tool is the integration of waste management strategies as a dimension of the total CO2 calculation. In this framework, the study presents the development of the Carbon Footprint Simulation Dashboard while two different waste management scenarios are applied with different citizen behaviours on recycling and composting. The applications highlighted the consumption in buildings that account for almost 50% of the total CO2 emissions, while the crucial role of transportation is also a key parameter. The different waste management scenarios showed a correlation between the CO2 footprint and the overall consumption/disposal habits of citizens. In the case of advanced recycling and composting, waste management accounted for up to 7% of the CO2 emissions, and this highlights the significance of behavioural choices.

The last quarter for sustainable environment in basketball: the carbon footprint of basketball teams in Türkiye and Lithuania

Today, the sports industry is one of the most important sources of concern due to its negative environmental effects. Especially due to the intense competition schedule, teams and fans have to travel constantly. In this context, the aim of this study, which aims to fill the gap in the literature, is to calculate the carbon footprints of the teams in the Turkish and Lithuanian national basketball leagues based on their travels in the 2021–22 season. The research was limited to Turkey and Basketball national basketball league teams. In the study, the travel distances of the teams in both countries during the 2021–22 basketball season were used as a data set. In the study, the values used in the carbon footprint calculation of 2022 by the United Kingdom Government GHG Conversion Factors for Company Reporting and accepted as the IPCC carbon dioxide emission factor were used. While the carbon footprint, which is obtained by multiplying the emission factor directly by the distance covered by the vehicle type, is presented in tons; The average value calculated for each person was calculated in kg. In the sports sector, basketball is one of the most important sources of transportation-related carbon footprint due to its being one of the team sports and its intense competition schedule. According to the results of this research conducted specifically for Turkey and Lithuania, the total carbon footprint calculated for both countries is 53,029 tons. To make an assessment for both countries, in order to reduce travel based on sports; Arranging league calendars to include less travel, dissemination of green and clean energy-using (electric) vehicles, raising the awareness of club managers, developing environmental assessment policies specific to basketball federations, and increasing cooperation through awareness and training activities seem feasible for sustainable environment and basketball goals.

Assessment of Carbon Footprint Negative Effects for Nature in International Traveling

Human travels are considered the biggest source of carbon dioxide emissions, and climate change is considered the most important part of this problem. On the other hand, the tourism sector is one of the sectors that facilitates intense human mobility and travel. The aim of this research is to estimate the carbon footprint of aircraft and road transportation due to international and domestic touristic trips to Marrakech/Morocco between 2010 and 2018. In this research, the preferred means of transportation and the distances traveled by the tourists who visited Marrakech/Morocco between 2010 and 2018 were used as a data set. Carbon footprint calculations were made according to each transportation vehicle preference. The total carbon footprint was calculated at the same time. In general, the average 9-year carbon footprint of touristic trips to Morocco from different parts of the world has been found to be 7148.90 tons in total. The per capita carbon footprint of all visitors from different countries of the world has been determined as 0.416 kg. However, tourism, due to its transport intensity, particularly air transport, is a growing source of greenhouse gas emissions. It should be taken into account in the definition of climate policies following the Paris Agreement.

Towards an eco-welfare state: Enabling factors for transformative eco-social initiatives

In eco-welfare states, welfare provision must operate within planetary boundaries, entailing societal transformations and significant emission reductions. This article contributes to the research on sustainable welfare and eco-social policies by examining transformative and integrative eco-social initiatives that aim to reduce environmental impacts while also ensuring that public actors have the capacities to reach legally binding social outcomes and enhance social inclusion. Theoretically, we combine welfare state transformation research with the concepts of social-ecological systems, provisioning systems and transformative capacity. Our empirical cases in Finland include public actors promoting sustainable public procurement, a network of carbon-neutral municipalities, sustainable lifestyles accelerators at the household level, and carbon footprint calculators as a potential free-to-use technique that supports widespread carbon reductions. We apply a qualitative research design to investigate what kinds of factors are crucial in enhancing the transformative capacity of provisioning systems and how various factors in practice enable the eco-social initiatives to support the transformation towards an eco-welfare state. Our findings identify key enabling factors for transformative capacity: social networks, collaboration and participation; knowledge, learning and monitoring; shared policy frameworks and visions; and financial resources. These factors are interrelated and can be brought to bear in no particular sequence. The results offer valuable insights into how welfare state characteristics with democratically governed public actors may facilitate transformation.

A modified ecological footprint calculation method for drylands and its application to Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, China

Calculating the ecological footprint at the regional scale is a complicated topic for researchers in quantifying ecosystem services, but as well a crucial step for local decisionmakers to formulate pertinent and feasible polices in guiding the region's sustainable development, particularly in such a severe dryland region as Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region (Xinjiang Region), China, with vastly extensive drylands covered by deserts up to more than million square kilometers. Aiming at improving the effectiveness of ecological footprint calculation (EFC) for dryland areas, this study has modified the methodology of EFC for drylands by incorporating both ecological and productive contributions from desert areas into the EFC process, including the net primary production, emissions from energy consumption, and contaminant discharge, as well as water resources use. The modified method of EFC for drylands involved some recalibrated equivalence factors for desert areas in the calculating process to determine the yield factors for each local administrative unit at prefecture level based on its net primary production (NPP). The results from this study revealed the following: (1) From 2009 to 2020, the average ecological deficit in Xinjiang Region was 16.172 global hectares per capita (gha/cap), with average human use of the desert at 0.22 gha/cap, representing approximately 1.41% of the total ecological footprint. The average biocapacity of desert was 0.12 gha/cap, accounting for approximately 6.73% of the total biocapacity. (2) During the same period, the ecological footprint exhibited an initial increasing trend followed by a subsequent decrease. The ecological biocapacity demonstrated a significant decreasing trend (p < 0.05). All prefectural administrative units within Xinjiang Region exhibited an ecological deficit from 2009 to 2020, whereas a desert ecological surplus occurred only in the Kyzylsu, Kashgar, and Hotan prefectures. (3) As the ecological deficit in Xinjiang was on an increasing trend, it is recommended that in these regions, replacing thermal power with wind and/or photovoltaic power might be a way out to alleviate much of the deficit, since it could reduce the ecological footprint by 8.44%, and would decrease the ecological deficit by benefiting from deserts' carbon reduction. Based on this study, we would like to advocate for optimizing the energy structure in regions with significant desert coverage and enhancing desert production through implementing ecological farming practices.

Large Scale Crop Water Footprint Evaluation Based on Remote Sensing Methods: A Case Study of Maize

AbstractAgriculture is the world's largest consumer of water resources, and accurate measurement of crop water footprint (CWF) can provide a scientific basis for evaluating the water use characteristics of agricultural production and guiding water management. The measurement of regional CWF requires large amounts of ground data, and remote sensing provides an effective means to scientifically measure the CWF on a large scale. In this study, we developed an effective means to estimate regional maize CWF based on global evapotranspiration (MOD16 and Global Land Data Assimilation System (GLDAS)‐Noah) products in China. And we also calculated the CWF based on the FAO Penman‐Monteith equation (FAO‐PM) on the site scale in China. We assessed the accuracy of these methods by comparing them against eight eddy‐covariance based flux tower measurements. Links and differences behind the results of the three water footprint calculations were analyzed in terms of the basic principles and characteristics of the calculations. The results showed that the CWF had a similar distribution based on the MOD16 and GLDAS‐Noah, reflecting the influence of regional soil moisture on the CWF. Computational rationale analysis of the three quantitative methods showed that the ETc‐based method from the FAO‐PM model was similar to the MOD16‐ and GLDAS‐Noah‐based CWF in the wetter areas, two remote sensing‐based methods considered the water constraints during soil evaporation and water dissipation during dry and wet canopy conditions, and were closer to reality than the ETc‐based methods in measuring the CWF in arid and semi‐arid regions.

Are single-use flexible cystoscopes environmentally sustainable? A lifecycle analysis

Objective: Single-use flexible cystoscopes provide a safe and cost-effective evolution to current practice. However, the environmental impact of single-use devices needs to be considered in a healthcare system that is being increasingly scrutinised for its carbon footprint. We performed a single-centre simplified lifecycle analysis to compare the carbon footprint of the single-use Ambu® aScope™ 4 Cysto System (Ambu®) with the reusable Olympus CYF-VH flexible video-cystoscope (Olympus). Methods: Manufacturing, transportation and waste costs were calculated for the Ambu® cystoscope. Manufacturing costs incorporating the average lifecycle of the reusable cystoscope was included in the carbon footprint calculation for the Olympus reusable cystoscope as were waste costs and re-processing costs using the Soluscope 3 automatic endoscope re-processor that is used in our centre. Results: Results demonstrate that Ambu® cystoscopes are a carbon-friendly alternative to reusable Olympus cystoscopes, with a 36% lower carbon footprint. The carbon footprint of the Ambu® scope is 1.43 kg CO2 compared with 2.22 kg CO2 for the reusable Olympus cystoscope. These results may vary from centre to centre depending on the cystoscope re-processor used. Conclusion: The Ambu® single-use flexible cystoscopes provide a carbon-friendly alternative to Olympus CYF-VH reusable cystoscopes. Level of evidence: IV

Mobile based-Carbon Footprint Calculator and Analyzer

Abstract: In 21st century, the percentage of anthropogenic activities is increasing. Leading to various adverse effects on environment causing problems like Climate change, global warming and many more. One of the major pollutants for these problems is CO2. Variety of factors are responsible for CO2 emissions. Several carbon footprint calculators have emerged but users are inactive. The use of such technology has to be increased for environment conscious behaviour by providing proper analysis and suggestions to users. Our application ‘C- Impressions’ track daily emissions and provide suggestions for improvement, its interface is very simple and easy to use making it more interestingand interactive for the user. The app not only computes carbon footprints but also offers users tailored suggestions for lowering their carbon footprint. These suggestions can be to cut back on energy use, choose for environmentally friendly modes of transportation, or cut back on food waste. The software will also enable users to monitor their development over time and assess how their carbon footprint compares to others. A crucial worldwide concern that calls for immediate and ongoing action is climate change. Promoting sustainable behaviour among people through technologies like carbon footprint apps is one way to lower greenhouse gas emissions. This study intends to evaluate how well a carbon footprint app encourages consumers to adopt sustainable behaviour.

The water, land and carbon footprint of conventional and organic dairy systems in the Netherlands and Spain. A case study into the consequences of ecological indicator selection and methodological choices

Dairy farming systems are multifunctional processes that provide milk but also beef, veal and manure. These outputs provided by dairy farms are important foods for humans but their production require natural resources like water and land, and release emissions to the water and air contributing to climate change. Many studies quantified the environmental performance of dairy farms by using a life cycle assessment (LCA) or environmental footprint calculation. This study provides a better understanding of how different methodological decisions (e.g., the choice of system boundary, GHG metric, allocation procedure for multifunctionality, and multi-environmental indicators) influence the environmental performance calculation. From a footprinting point of view, the water footprints (WFs) (i.e., green, blue and grey), land footprints (LFs) and carbon footprints (CFs) of milk, beef and veal produced in two conventional (Dutch and Spanish) and an organic Dutch dairy system are estimated. Here the system boundaries are expanded so calve systems are included. Next, the use of different indicators is discussed, e.g., green WFs and the GWP100 or GWP20. The Dutch conventional system has relatively small footprints due to high efficiency. Green, blue and grey WFs per kg of milk are 0.62, 0.09 and 0.14 m3. The Spanish system has green, blue and grey WFs per kg of milk of 0.67, 0.15 and 0.09 m3; the Dutch organic system of 0.84, 0.13 and 0.26 m3. The Spanish system has the largest LF and CF, caused by feed import from countries with relatively low yields and transport greenhouse gas emissions. Dutch systems use more locally produced feed. Due to lower efficiency, the organic system has larger footprints than the Dutch conventional system. Expanding system boundaries to include calves results in an 8 to 15% CF increase. Green water dominates total WFs, an aspect excluded in LCA studies. For grey WFs, earlier studies only included nitrogen. However, if also pesticides would be included, results might be less favourable for systems relying on feed crops instead of grasslands. Also, water quality standards influence grey WFs. The study emphasizes that indicator choice influences final results. Indicators like animal welfare, biodiversity or pesticide use give different outcomes which might be more favourable for organic production.

탄소중립을 위한 녹색생활 서비스의 사용자 기대경험

The purpose of this study is to provide basic data for future service development by examining app services for green life and identifying users' expected experiences. To this end, expected experience items were derived through a survey of challenge app service cases and carbon neutral-related user research documents, and interview verification by group was conducted according to the presence or absence of experience in using the app service. As a result, the two groups showed differences in education, communication, exploration of people's practice through entertainment, empathy and communication, and fun factors, and commonly denied carbon footprint calculations. This study is meaningful in that it investigated user expectation experiences in carbon neutral fields that lack existing user research, and the results can be used as basic data for the development of better green living services in the future.

Carbon Footprint Accounting and Influencing Factors Analysis for Forestry Enterprises in the Key State-Owned Forest Region of the Greater Khingan Range, Northeast China

This paper constructed a carbon footprint calculation model and analyzed the carbon footprint characteristics and impact mechanism of forestry enterprises in the Greater Khinggan Range, northeast China, based on the survey and statistical data during 2017–2021. The process-based life cycle assessment (LCA) was used to calculate the total carbon footprint and carbon footprint intensity; then, a panel data model combined with ridge regression was used to explore the impacts of different factors on the carbon footprint of the forestry enterprises. Results showed that the forestry enterprises’ total carbon footprint and carbon footprint intensity showed a general trend of increasing first and then decreasing from 2017 to 2021. The average annual carbon footprint of the forestry enterprises ranged from 2354 t CO2-eq to 24,354 t CO2-eq, and the average annual carbon footprint intensity ranged from 3.48 kg CO2-eq hm−2 to 31.76 kg CO2-eq hm−2. Fire area, the number of hired labor, and vehicle usage intensity are significant driving factors of the carbon footprint in forestry enterprises. The study results can provide references for policy formulation in relation to carbon footprint control in forest regions.

Modelling the Slovenian Wood Industry’s Response to the Greenhouse Gas Paris Agreement and the EU “Fit for 55” Green Transition Plan

Almost 200 nations, including the European Union, have signed the Paris Agreement that aims to limit the temperature rise to 1.5 °C above pre-industrial levels by reducing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. To meet this target, a significant decrease in GHG emissions by 2030 and net zero by 2050 is necessary. To determine the role of wood products in achieving a 55% reduction in GHG emissions by 2030 compared with 1990 levels, we investigated Slovenia’s potential, which has close to 60% forested areas. Therefore, the country could use wood-based products to achieve the agreed-upon climate goals. Nevertheless, uncertainties remain regarding the extent to which increased tree harvesting, local manufacturing, and the utilization of wood products can aid in substituting fossil-derived materials and reducing GHG emissions. A new model was constructed to increase the understanding of the wood products’ (throughout the forest-based industrial ecosystem, incl. construction) potential contribution to reaching the stated emissions targets. Using this linear programming (LP) mathematical optimisation model and carbon footprint calculations based on life cycle assessment methods, a wood flow distribution, the financial investment needed to process these quantities, and the GHG emissions produced and/or saved were calculated. The findings stipulated that Slovenia has the potential to achieve 55 % less GHG emissions by 2030 by expanding logging to at least 3 million m3 and converting the timber to a larger amount of long service-life wooden items made (and utilised) within the country. Such products accumulate carbon for a long time and decrease the need for materials that cause higher GHG emissions. Concomitantly, a better appreciation of the substitution effects in official carbon accounting would be needed. Moreover, to materialize the potential decrease in emissions would require Slovenia’s construction sector to replace fossil- and mineral-based materials with lignocellulosic products, and to increase the capacity to utilize lower-quality wood in high added value applications, which would require significant investment. This paper offers a comprehensive analysis of diverse optimisation outcomes obtained from the investigation into climate action through the use of wood products in Slovenia.

Tool Development for Carbon Footprint Evaluation of Packaging Alternatives

With the increasing concern of pollution, any business willing to reduce its carbon footprint embraces sustainability and positively impacts the progress towards achieving climate neutrality. Well-prepared and presented information to the business customer before purchasing can be a strong driver for better decision-making towards less impactful product alternatives. This study presents the development of a tool that informs customers of an online marketplace for packaging products about the carbon footprint of customer-preferred packaging concerning possible alternatives and, in this way, promotes the reduction of packaging carbon footprint. For tool development, the LCA-based approach includes the raw material extraction stage, packaging production, and transportation to the customer. The impact assessment in the tool is performed according to Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) 2021 methodology for assessing greenhouse gas emissions based on information obtained from the database Ecoinvent 3.8. The final output of carbon footprint calculation is provided with a colour indicator marking the carbon footprint performance of customer-defined alternatives clearly and simply to educate the customer, foster informed purchasing decisions, and improve environmental outcomes.

A global meta‐analysis of cover crop response on soil carbon storage within a corn production system

AbstractBy influencing soil organic carbon (SOC), cover crops play a key role in shaping soil health and hence the system's long‐term sustainability. However, the magnitude by which cover crops impacts SOC depends on multiple factors, including soil type, climate, crop rotation, tillage type, cover crop growth, and years under management. To elucidate how these multiple factors influence the relative impact of cover crops on SOC, we conducted a meta‐analysis on the impacts of cover crops within rotations that included corn (Zea mays L.) on SOC accumulation. Information on climatic conditions, soil characteristics, management, and cover crop performance was extracted, resulting in 198 paired comparisons from 61 peer‐reviewed studies. Over the course of each study, cover crops on average increased SOC by 7.3% (95% CI, 4.9%–9.6%). Furthermore, the impact of cover crop–induced increases in percent change SOC was evaluated across soil textures, cover crop types, crop rotations, biomass amounts, cover crop durations, tillage practices, and climatic zones. Our results suggest that current cover crop–based corn production systems are sequestering 5.5 million Mg of SOC per year in the United States and have the potential to sequester 175 million Mg SOC per year globally. These findings can be used to improve carbon footprint calculations and develop science‐based policy recommendations. Taken altogether, cover cropping is a promising strategy to sequester atmospheric C and hence make corn production systems more resilient to changing climates.