Greenhouse Gas Research Articles

Evaluating the Potential of Information and Communication Technologies to Increase Aquaculture Sustainability

ABSTRACTFocusing on environmental and ecological concerns, the European Union (EU27) ranks as the world's fifth‐largest aquaculture producer. Acknowledging the necessity of enhancing productivity and competitiveness, the EU recognizes the importance of investing in the sustainability and growth of the aquaculture industry. Thus, the primary objective of this study is to investigate the impact of information and communication technology (ICT) elements on the development of the aquaculture sector within the European Union (EU13) and the European Union (EU14) from 1990 to 2023. To address potential endogeneity issues, this research employs Cross‐Sectional Autoregressive Distributed Lag (CS‐ARDL) and Augmented Mean Group (AMG) estimators. The findings reveal significant insights. It is evident that, in comparison to emerging EU13 countries, developed EU14 countries place greater importance on ICT, human capital, and governance in facilitating the growth of the aquaculture industry. On the other hand, compared to EU14 developed countries, carbon dioxide emissions seem to be a major contributor to the deterioration of the aquaculture sector in EU13 developing countries. It is advised that policymakers in the EU13 countries give priority to projects that support ICT development, improve human capital, and put in place efficient governance procedures in light of these results. The EU14 countries' officials are encouraged to concentrate on promoting economic development in the aquatic industry and easing the anticipated expansion of aquaculture in the interim.

Assessing the Environmental Impacts of the Valorization of Creole-Antillean Avocado via an Extractive-Based Biorefinery in the Montes de María Region

In recent years, the environmental evaluation of biorefineries has become critical for ensuring sustainable practices in bio-based production systems. This study focuses on the application of the Waste Reduction (WAR) Algorithm to assess the environmental impacts of an Extractive-based Creole-Antillean Avocado Biorefinery located in Northern Colombia, aimed at producing bio-oil, chlorophyll, and biopesticide from avocado pulp, peel, and seed, respectively. The environmental impacts were evaluated using the WAR algorithm, which quantifies the potential environmental impacts (PEI) of different process streams. The following four scenarios were developed: (1) considering only waste, (2) including waste and products, (3) including waste and energy sources, and (4) incorporating waste, products, and energy consumption. This study analyzed global impacts focusing on atmospheric and toxicological categories, with a detailed assessment of the most critical scenario. The results indicated that Scenario 4 had the highest PEI, particularly in the atmospheric and toxicological categories, driven by emissions of volatile organic compounds (VOCs), greenhouse gases (GHGs), and the presence of heavy metals. However, the avocado biorefinery process demonstrated a net reduction in overall environmental impacts, with negative PEI generation rates across all scenarios, suggesting that the biorefinery transforms high-impact substances into products with lower global impact potential. Energy consumption emerged as a significant contributor to environmental impacts, particularly in acidification potential (AP) and Atmospheric Toxicity Potential (ATP). Using natural gas as an energy source had a relatively lower environmental impact compared to coal and liquid fuels, emphasizing the need to optimize energy use in biorefinery design to improve environmental performance.

Pollution Reduction and Carbon Reduction Technology Based on Pressure Swing Physical Adsorption Method in Power Enterprises

With the increasing global attention to environmental issues and climate change, power companies, as an important energy production sector, are facing severe challenges in reducing pollution and carbon emissions. In view of this, this study is based on the metal organic framework MIL-101(Cr), physically encapsulating metalloporphyrins and synthesizing a FeTPP@MIL-101(Cr) complex. Then, the surface characteristics and adsorption performance of the composite are evaluated, and the pressure swing physical adsorption method is introduced to achieve the goal of carbon reduction and pollution reduction. The ICP-OES loading results showed that the corresponding encapsulation amounts in MIL@-A and MIL@-B composites were 5.24% and 3.20%, respectively. Moreover, when the temperature increased from 273 K to 298 K, the adsorption capacity of all test gases on the three samples showed a decreasing trend. Under ideal atmospheric pressure conditions, the adsorption capacity of MIL@-A encapsulation for CO2 did not decrease and increased, while the adsorption capacity for N2 was relatively small, but still had a certain adsorption capacity. The above results indicate that combining the pressure swing physical adsorption method with FeTPP@MIL-101(Cr) complexes can effectively adsorb pollutants generated by power enterprises, achieve predetermined goals, and help promote clean production in power enterprises.

Analysis of ship electrical load management to reduce exhaust gas emissions in landing platform dock (LPD) vessel class

This paper investigates the impact of electrical load management on reducing exhaust gas emissions in Landing Platform Dock (LPD) class vessels. The study focuses on the implementation of Integrated Fully Electric Propulsion (IFEP) systems and Variable Speed Drives (VSD) to enhance energy efficiency and minimize environmental impact. The conventional Diesel Engine Propulsion system in LPD vessels often results in high fuel consumption and significant emissions, particularly under non-optimal operating conditions. By transitioning to an IFEP system and optimizing electrical load management using VSD, the study demonstrates a substantial reduction in carbon dioxide (CO₂), nitrogen oxides (NOₓ), and sulfur oxides (SOₓ) emissions. The results indicate a potential emission reduction of up to 40%, alongside a 20% improvement in overall energy efficiency. Additionally, the operational benefits of these technologies include increased flexibility, reduced maintenance costs, and extended equipment lifespan. The findings underscore the importance of adopting advanced propulsion and load management technologies in naval vessels to meet stricter environmental regulations and support sustainable maritime operations. This study provides a framework for future research and practical applications in expanding these technologies across different ship types and operational scenarios.

Energy choices to health outcomes: A multidimensional analysis of risk in BRICS via PMG-ARDL approach.

This article employs a Panel Mean Group Autoregressive Distributed Lag (PMG-ARDL) approach to investigate the interaction between carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions, Gross Domestic Product (GDP), fossil fuel, renewable energy consumption, trade, and their collective impact on life expectancy within the BRICS nations. The research reveals compelling findings. Notably, CO2 emissions and trade openness exhibit negative and statistically significant impact on life expectancy. In contrast, GDP per capita and renewable energy consumption are positive and significant determinants of longer life expectancy. The nuanced outcomes underscore the complex interplay of economic, environmental, and social factors within the BRICS nations. The effects found by PMG-ARDL and FMOLS are very comparable, except for the trade openness' coefficients, which is the inverse. These findings hold significant implications for policy interpretation and sustainable development strategies. As nations struggle to balance economic growth and environmental improvement with public health, tailored interventions targeting CO2 reduction, trade openness, renewable energy, and GDP growth can collectively contribute to longer life expectancy. In a broader context, this research contributes to the global discourse on sustainability, economic improvement, and health issue.

A geospatial approach for dynamic on-road emission through open-access floating car data

Abstract This paper presents a geospatial approach for quantifying street-level on-road emissions of carbon dioxide (CO2), nitrogen oxides (NOx), and carbon monoxide (CO). By leveraging an existing open-access database of real-time congestion information derived from floating car data, we tested three methods to map high-resolution dynamic traffic emissions. To demonstrate the robustness and accuracy of the methods, we showcased results for summer workdays and winter weekends in the Helsinki Metropolitan Area (HMA). The three methods employed include (1) a physics-based relation known as the macroscopic fundamental diagram, (2) a data-driven input-adaptive generalized linear model (GLM), and (3) their ensemble (ENS). These methods estimated traffic density with satisfactory accuracy (R 2 = 0.60–0.88, sMAPE = 31%–68%). Utilizing speed-dependent emission factors retrieved from a European database, the results compared favorably against the downscaled national emission inventory, particularly for CO2 (R 2 = 0.70–0.77). Among the three methods, GLM exhibited the best overall performance in the HMA, while ENS provided a robust upscaling solution. The modeled emissions exhibited dynamic diurnal and spatial behavior, influenced by different functional road classes, fleet compositions and congestion patterns. Congestion-induced emissions were calculated to account for up to 10% of the total vehicular emissions. Furthermore, to anticipate the forthcoming transportation transformation, we calculated emission changes under scenarios with various penetration rates of connected and autonomous vehicles (CAVs) using this geospatial approach. The introduction of CAVs could result in emission reductions of 3%–14% owing to congestion improvements.

CHANGES IN THE GLOBAL ENERGY SECTOR CAUSED BY RUSSIA'S WAR AGAINST UKRAINE

Problems. The Russian invasion of Ukraine, Russia's refusal to accept the planned volumes of natural gas to the countries of the European Union caused a global energy and financial crisis, and changed the movement towards the development of renewable energy. the transition to sustainable and clean energy sources has become problematic for many countries. Objective. General review and analytical analysis of trends in the development of energy consumption and the introduction of renewable sources in electric power systems in 2017-2023 using the results of research International Energy Agency (IEA), listed in World Energy Outlook (WEO) [1-6]. Methodology of implementation Trends in the development of the world system of renewable power plants to ensure climate neutrality, zero emissions, and a clean ecological environment have been analyzed for the study of the topic article. The study of changes and ways to limit the negative consequences of hostilities in Europe and the Middle East was carried out according to the long-term plans of the IEA. Results. An overview of changes in the structure of energy resources in the world energy balance is presented. It is shown that the energy crisis has led to a sharp increase in the production of fossil fuels, primarily coal and oil. The construction of new capacities for the production of 250 billion tons of liquefied gas has begun. in order to stabilize fuel prices and reduce the price of electricity. Statistical and forecast information on the structure of the world energy balance and annual electricity production by types of generation is provided. The environmental negative consequences registered for the last three years are considered: increased CO2 emissions; air pollution with fine dust; pollution of soils and water horizons; changes in climatic indicators. The problems that have arisen for the implementation of new projects for the construction of renewable sources, the development of electric power infrastructure, security and reliability of power supply are analyzed. An analysis of the proposed measures under several scenarios to increase the production and use of solar, wind and nuclear energy, reduce dependence on traditional energy sources and the prospect of zero carbon dioxide emissions by 2030 is carried out. Conclusions. Actions aimed at reducing energy consumption, projected reduction in fuel prices, planned restarts of nuclear power and further implementation of renewable power plants – these are the proposed measures that make it possible to solve the problems that have arisen around the world. Confidence in meeting the tasks is confirmed by 83 countries and the European Union to meet their commitments to achieve zero carbon dioxide emissions on time and in full. Learning from the experience and directions of development of the world energy sector will create an opportunity for the rapid restoration of the energy structure in Ukraine in the post-war period.

Biofuel Pellets as a Sustainable Energy Solution: Exploring the Role of Biomass and Regional Waste Management in Turkey's TR63 Region

In recent years, the increasing demand for sustainable and renewable energy sources has led to significant interest in biofuels. Bifuel pellets, which combine biomass materials with fossil fuels, have emerged as an innovative and environmentally friendly energy solution. Typically made from agricultural residues, wood waste, or energy crops, blended with fossil fuels such as coal or oil derivatives, bifuel pellets offer improved energy efficiency and combustion properties. By bridging the gap between traditional fossil fuels and renewable energy alternatives, bifuel pellets provide a transitional solution that enhances both calorific value and combustion efficiency. The dual composition of these pellets allows for better adaptation to existing energy infrastructures while supporting reductions in greenhouse gas emissions. In Turkey, regional development and waste management strategies have been shaped by the adoption of the Nomenclature of Territorial Units for Statistics (NUTS) system since 2002. The TR63 NUTS Level 2 Region, which includes the provinces of Hatay, Kahramanmaraş, and Osmaniye, plays a critical role in agriculture and livestock production. Due to these activities, the region contributes significantly to waste generation. This research highlights the potential of bifuel pellets as a viable energy option for the TR63 Region, where agricultural and livestock residues could serve as essential feedstock for sustainable energy production. The integration of bifuel pellets into regional energy policies could help address environmental goals while reducing dependence on conventional fossil fuels.

Evaluating the sustainability of biohydrogen, biogas, and biohythane generation from agricultural, industrial, and municipal waste sources

AbstractBiofuel production from waste materials offers an effective solution for generating renewable energy in biohydrogen, biogas, and biohythane while reducing waste and recycling valuable nutrients. This review examines recent advances in biohydrogen and biogas production from renewable resources, focusing on the environmental impacts of different production techniques. It emphasizes life cycle analysis (LCA) as an important tool for assessing these impacts and discusses key production pathways and processes. The variability in LCA methodologies – including differences in software, impact categories, system boundaries, functional units, and analytical approaches – poses challenges for direct comparisons of studies. Despite these challenges, fermentation‐based production methods show substantial environmental advantages, such as reduced CO2 emissions, diminished ozone depletion potential, improved human health outcomes, lower ecotoxicity, and reduced fossil fuel use. Combining biohydrogen production with anaerobic digestion for biohythane generation demonstrates even greater energy efficiency and greenhouse gas reduction. Adopting waste‐to‐energy strategies grounded in life cycle principles could advance renewable energy system implementation and sustainability significantly.

Development of Marine-Degradable Poly(Ester Amide)s with Strong, Up-Scalable, and Up-Cyclable Performance.

Biodegradable polyesters provide an attractive alternative to non-degradable plastics but often encounter a tradeoff between biodegradability and mechanical properties because esters are rotational and lack hydrogen bonds. Conversely, natural polyamides, i.e., silk exhibit excellent mechanical strength because amides are non-rotational and form hydrogen bonds. Unlike esters, the nitrogen in amides can enhance microbial biodegradation. However, protein engineering exhibits limited productivity, and artificial polyamides, i.e., nylon remain non-degradable due to their hydrophobic nature. Herein, a method is proposed for developing poly(ester amide)s (PEA)s, a polyester and polyamide hybrid, to address prevailing production challenges. These materials are synthesized from upcycled monomers in a 10 L reactor and converted into films and yarns. They achieve a tensile strength of 109 MPa and tenacity of 5.0 g de-1, while withstanding ironing temperatures. They achieve a remarkable 92% marine biodegradability in 12 months, which is rarely attained by current bioplastics, and exhibit low environmental impact in terms of greenhouse gas emissions. While biodegradable polyesters have remained within the performance range of commodity plastics, PEAs fall into the high-performance category, potentially reaching markets that existing biodegradable plastics have not, such as fishing lines and clothing.

Agricultural Wastewater Reuse as a Circular Economy Model: Future Scenarios Considering Reg. (EU) 2020/741

The water industry is facing challenges because of population increases and the resulting development of agricultural operations. Alternative resources that balance the environment, the economy, and society while lessening the strain on limited water supplies will need to be adopted by farmers. One possibility addressing this dilemma is wastewater reuse. The adoption of Reg. (EU) 2020/741 necessitates a paradigm change by moving away from the “fit-for-all” strategy and toward the “fit-for-purpose” approach, which is now regarded as the foundation of the reuse supply chain. However, despite progress, appropriate rules that clearly and concisely outline the procedures to be followed are still needed. Thus, to establish an interdisciplinary and cooperative research agenda, this study tackles the potential and forces behind change by concentrating on tactics for long-term fixes. The need to look at consumer and farmer acceptability as well as the overall environmental advantages of carbon footprint reduction and wastewater fertigation are interesting research avenues. Nutrient-rich streams in agriculture may increase carbon absorption and reduce greenhouse gas emissions from the soil while simultaneously serving as a fertilizer substitute. The literature suggests that additional research is necessary to fully explore the significant economic potential.

Understanding Chinese Farmers’ Behavioral Intentions to Use Alternative Fuel Machinery: Insights from the Technology Acceptance Model and Theory of Planned Behavior

Mitigating greenhouse gas emissions and reducing fossil fuel dependence have heightened interest in alternative fuels, particularly in agriculture, a key energy-intensive sector. This study investigates the use of the Technology Acceptance Model and the Theory of Planned Behavior to analyze Chinese farmers’ behavioral intentions to adopt alternative fuel machinery. In 2023, a total of 281 full-time farmers were sampled from Jiangsu, Sichuan, and Hebei provinces, followed by path analysis conducted using PLS-SEM. The results underline that perceived usefulness β = 0.369, p < 0.001, and social norms β = 0.185, p < 0.001 are strong drivers for the adoption of alternative fuel machinery, while perceived barriers to operate and infrastructure gaps act as inhibitors. Also, perceived benefits β = 0.235, p = 0.002, and perceived behavior control β = 0.157, p = 0.027 positively predict behavior intentions. This thus suggests that improvement in the technological infrastructure and increasing farmers’ awareness of the practical and economic benefits of alternative fuel machinery could result in a serious increase in adoption rates. This study does have weaknesses, as its focus on 50 mid-sized farms in the Midwest and utilization of self-reported data may limit the generalizability of its findings. This study, however, has major implications for policy and manufacturers to underscore the fact that targeted interventions through subsidies, training programs, and infrastructural development would be necessary to permit a transition toward sustainable energy in agriculture.

How Biochar Addition Affects Denitrification and the Microbial Electron Transport System (ETSA): A Meta-Analysis Based on a Global Scale

Biochar has a significant effect on denitrification, especially in agriculture. The effects of biochar and soil properties on denitrification and ETSA have been invested in individual studies but have not yet been summarized on a global scale. We conducted a meta-analysis of the data from 37 studies to examine the effects of biochar properties, soil physicochemical properties, and ecosystem types on denitrification. Biochar can decrease soil NO3− and N2O emissions by 14.16% and 76.69%, respectively, while denitrification function genes nirK, nirS, and nosZ increased by 10.98%, 34.62%, and 13.19%, respectively. Biochar enhanced ETSA by 8.65%. The results indicate that the effects of biochar on nitrogen cycling and greenhouse gas emissions vary significantly with specific properties, such as feedstock source and pyrolysis temperature, as well as soil characteristics like pH, organic matter, and cation exchange capacity (CEC). In summary, soil-specific biochar applications are necessary to realize optimized agricultural and environmental advantages of biochar, but several limitations have been recognized in this study, including variability across different types of biochar and a lack of longer-term experimental data. Future research should focus on long-term studies that can give a comprehensive understanding of how biochar interacts with microbial communities to create an accurate understanding.

A Comparative Analysis of the Policy Frameworks and Formation Mechanisms of the Biofuel Industry in China and the United States

At present, the world is facing the great challenge of climate change, and there is an urgent need to transform the energy system to cope with the environmental crisis. As a kind of clean energy with great potential, biofuel is regarded as an effective way to get rid of fossil fuel dependence and reduce carbon emissions. Both China and the US, the world's two largest carbon emitters, see biofuels as a key strategy to reduce the environmental burden and ensure energy self-sufficiency. However, the two governments' incentives for the biofuel industry are very different. This paper aims to explore the policy structures and incentives in the biofuel sector in China and the United States, and analyze the root causes of these differences in detail. This study aims to reveal the similarities and differences between the policies of the two countries through comparative analysis, provide useful references and enlightenment for policy makers, and help build a more scientific and reasonable biofuel development blueprint.

Toward Low-Carbon Agriculture: Factor Decomposition and Decoupling Analysis of Agricultural Carbon Emissions in Northeast China

Chemical fertilizer inputs in China peaked in 2015; however, agricultural carbon emissions continue to rise, and the effect of chemical fertilizer inputs on agricultural carbon emissions remains unclear in this context. This paper aims to offer a useful policy reference for low-carbon agriculture based on agrochemical inputs. Taking northeast China as an example, we incorporated chemical fertilizers as a factor in the generalized Divisia index model (GDIM) and conducted a decoupling analysis using a decoupling effort index (DEI) on data from 2000 to 2020. The factor decomposition results indicate that the chemical fertilizer input scale served as a driving factor with a declining trend, and carbon productivity from chemical fertilizer shifted from an inhibiting effect to a driving effect on agricultural carbon emissions. The results of integrating the GDIM with a DEI indicate that reducing chemical fertilizer inputs and exerting the inhibiting effect of carbon productivity from chemical fertilizer both contribute to effective decoupling.

Artificial Intelligence and Environmental Impact: Moving Beyond Humanizing Vocabulary and Anthropocentrism.

Artificial intelligence (AI) and its applications in digital health, bioengineering, and society have significant material impacts on the environment owing to AI's vast energy demands and energy consumption, carbon footprints, and water usage to cool data centers and generate electricity to power the data centers. Yet, the environmental footprints of AI remain underappreciated and inadequately acknowledged. This is significant, particularly in this era of climate emergency and ongoing threats to planetary energy and water supplies. The vocabulary attached to AI often aims to mimic positive human capacities such as "warmness" and "care." However, these attempts to humanize AI and digital technology come with an anthropocentric gaze and blind spots that bracket out the environmental impacts and footprints of AI and privilege humans and technology over nonhuman animals and planetary ecological limits. In medicine, the environmental impacts of large language models range from water consumption and carbon emission to rare mineral usage. This commentary and innovation analysis question and queer the popular imagination of AI and digital technology as things that only exist in the immaterial world of cyberspace. In the course of research on AI in planetary health, we must be cognizant of its materiality, ecological impacts, and massive energy and water demands. We argue that moving away from anthropocentric narratives and vocabulary in AI design and praxis would bode well to live within planetary ecological limits so that AI and emerging digital technologies best serve robust and responsible science and all life on the planet Earth.

Enhancing quarterly carbon emission forecasting in China: A small sample decomposition model-based Caputo fractional derivative grey Riccati model and LSSVR

ABSTRACT Aiming to address the small sample size, nonlinearity, and volatility in quarterly carbon emissions data, a small sample decomposition-integration model including Caputo fractional derivative grey Riccati model (CFDGRM), least squares support vector machine regression (LSSVR), grey wolf optimizer (GWO), and ensemble empirical mode decomposition (EEMD) named EEMD – CFDGRM – LSSVR is proposed. Firstly, EEMD decomposes the original sequence into fluctuation and trend components. Secondly, LSSVR is used to predict the fluctuation component, while the trend component is predicted by CFDGRM, which incorporates Caputo fractional derivatives into the grey Riccati model and is further optimized by GWO. Finally, the predictions from each component are integrated into the model’s final output. Experimental results show that EEMD – CFDGRM – LSSVR outperforms all other models in terms of fitting and predictive performance. In its prediction of the industry sector, this model obtains the lowest prediction errors. Compared to GRM and LSSVR, the MAPE of EEMD – CFDGRM – LSSVR decreased by 55.50%, 51.58%, MAE decreased by 47.57%, 45.90%, and RMSE decreased by 67.38% and 54.02%, respectively. This model combines the strengths of LSSVR for volatile sequences and CFDGRM for small-sample trend prediction, making it well-suited for forecasting quarterly carbon emissions in small, nonlinear datasets.

Thermodynamic and Economic Analysis of Supercritical Water Gasification Low Carbon Emission Ammonia-Electricity Cogeneration System with Dual Chemical Looping Processes

Thermodynamic and Economic Analysis of Supercritical Water Gasification Low Carbon Emission Ammonia-Electricity Cogeneration System with Dual Chemical Looping Processes

Research on Carbon Emission Reduction and Promotion Strategies for Home Appliance Enterprises Considering Carbon Cap and Trade Mechanism

Research on Carbon Emission Reduction and Promotion Strategies for Home Appliance Enterprises Considering Carbon Cap and Trade Mechanism

Optimizing Carbon Capture Supply Chains with AI-Driven Supplier Quality Management and Predictive Analytics

As the need for sustainable practices grows, carbon capture and storage (CCS) systems have become critical in mitigating environmental impact by reducing carbon emissions. This study explores the role of artificial intelligence (AI) in enhancing the CCS supply chain, with a specific focus on supplier quality management and predictive analytics. By integrating AI technologies, companies can optimize their supply chains, minimize operational costs, and improve supplier quality performance. Supply chain managers can better forecast disruptions, identify potential risks, and enhance decision-making using predictive analytics. This paper synthesizes recent research on AI applications in CCS, assessing its impact on supplier quality management and operational efficiency. Key findings indicate that AI-driven supplier management systems significantly enhance carbon capture efficiency, reducing overall emissions and facilitating more streamlined CCS operations.