Green Energy Resources Research Articles

Assessing the Damage to Environmental Pollution: Discerning the Impact of Environmental Technology, Energy Efficiency, Green Energy and Natural Resources

The existing literature covers the topic of environmental pollution, but there is a scarcity of research that specifically examines the factors contributing to financial losses caused by carbon emissions. In this perspective, this ongoing analysis provides an understanding of the impact of environmental technology, energy efficiency, renewable energy consumption, natural resources, and economic growth on carbon dioxide damage in Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) countries from 2000 to 2021 using the “Method of Moments Quantile Regression (MMQR)”, and “Dumitrescu–Hurlin (D-H)” causality test. The findings from the MMQR revealed that environmental control technology, renewable energy consumption, and energy efficiency contribute to reducing carbon dioxide damage at different quantiles. It was also found that economic growth and natural resources contribute to the increase in carbon dioxide damage in various quantities. Additionally, a one-way causality result was obtained from environmental technology, energy efficiency, renewable energy consumption, natural resources, and economic growth towards carbon dioxide damage. These results indicate that policymakers in OECD nations should provide suggestions on the efficient utilization of renewable energy sources and environmentally friendly technologies to minimize carbon dioxide damage.

Green Energy and Land Resources: COP27 Perspective of BRICS Economic Growth and Land Production

ABSTRACTIn contemporary times, managing land resources and green energy from the COP27 perspective is a burning issue, attracting the attention of policymakers and scholars to attaining sustainable economic growth. In emerging economies, the adoption of both green energy and land resources is rapidly increasing to encourage economic productivity. In this regard, the current research explores the impact of oil resource fluctuations on the economic growth of the BRICS economies. In addition, this research contemplates the role of technological innovation, energy efficiency, and gross capital formation during 1990–2021. Using several econometric approaches, the results indicate the variables' stationarity and the cointegration between variables. Since most of the study variables follow a nonnormal distribution, this work employs a novel moments quantile regression. The estimation outcomes revealed that oil resource fluctuations, energy efficiency, technological innovation, and gross capital formation are substantial economic performance and growth drivers. The robustness of the empirical model is also tested via parametric (robust least squares) and nonparametric (quantile regression) approaches. Bidirectional causality estimates are reported between these variables except for the oil resource fluctuations that unidirectionally cause economic performance. Based on these estimates, this research recommends the sustainable management of oil resources and further investment in energy efficiency and technological innovation to attain sustainable economic performance.

PV Based Microgrid for Remote Area Electrification in Nigeria: A Systematic Review of Concepts and Extant Strategies

Centralized power generation, transmission and distribution system operations in Nigeria can no longer deliver affordable and reliable electricity to remote households, both on and off the national grid. Therefore, a balanced approach, through renewable energy generation is the best option that would potentially lead accelerated journey to full electrification in the country. Renewable energy has become a panacea to energy problems worldwide because it is clean, environmentally friendly and ultimately cheaper. Due to the massive capacity of Nigeria to generate electricity from its numerous green energy resources, it has become crystal clear that access to sustainable and reliable energy in Nigeria is required for proper economic and social development. This work is based on an extensive review of recent experiences of more than 120 papers covering mostly the off-grid PV sector in the past 15years. The review included: scientific journals, conference papers, (PhD) theses, books and scientific reports from governments/NGOs and publications from energy institutions. A comprehensive review of relevant concepts and current microgrids optimization strategies applied to sizing, siting, load estimation and energy management has been conducted. Future research directions and potential of PV based microgrids for rural electrification have equally been specified.

Evaluation and benchmarking of research-based microgrid systems using FWZIC-VIKOR approach for sustainable energy management

Microgrid (MG) is one of the technologies considered in the direction of providing green and sustainable energy resources for local communities. Ensuring the best performance of these MG technologies requires extensive research to provide the most efficient system. Research-based microgrids (RB-MGs) play a vital role in the development of green energy platforms, as microgrid applications vary according to different scenarios and locations. Selecting the best research-based microgrid ensures providing local communities and stakeholders with well-tested and examined MG systems. Assessing research-based microgrid systems (RB-MG) for sustainable green applications poses a challenging multi-attribute decision-making (MADM) problem. These complexities encompass the consideration of several evaluation criteria, the relative importance of these criteria, variations in data, and the inherent trade-offs and conflicts between these factors. Crisp and definite values to evaluate the research-based microgrids could not be found despite a comprehensive investigation. In this regard, appraisals and opinions of experts and professionals in providing sustainable energy with vast knowledge and experience in assessment, selection, installation, and operation were addressed as data. A novel decision-making model was developed to evaluate and select the most proper RB-MG system by processing these data. This study proposes an integrated MADM modelling approach using Fuzzy Weighted with Zero Inconsistency (FWZIC) method in conjunction with the Vlse-kriterijumska Optimizcija I Kaompromisno Resenje (VIKOR) method. The underlying process starts with constructing a decision matrix (evaluation criteria intersectioned with RB-MGs). Then, evaluation criteria are weighted using FWZIC, and the RB-MGs are ranked for each category using VIKOR. The results derived from FWZIC weights provide valuable insights. Key criteria such as 'installed power (KW)' and 'storage capacity (C3)' show notable values of 0.159 and 0.151, respectively, underscoring their importance in identifying optimal RB-MGs. These weights and alternatives were used to rank the highest RB-MG, which is LIER-CIRCE of the average PV power group, and Ormazabal from the 'Highest PV Power' group. Ormazabal obtained the lowest Qi (0.426). For the average PV power group, alternative number 7 (Atenea Centre) ranked as the best alternative with the lowest Qi among other RB-MGs in the same group (0.158107). Comparative assessments with various MCDM methods reveal strong correlations with TOPSIS and MABAC, but negative correlations with MAIRA. Additionally, there is a statistical difference in grouping by PV installed power (KW) or MPC.

Role of land use, green energy, and water resources for food accessibility: Evidence from emerging economies in the lens of COP28

AbstractIn the era of COP28, where most of the developed and developing economies concentrate more on the development of environmentally friendly energy resources to tackle the issue of climate change. Nevertheless, the literature lacks appropriate evidence regarding the influences of green energy and other resources on food security. This study analyses the influences of land use, green energy, and water resources on food accessibility in emerging economies, while also considering the important roles of natural resources, research and development (R&D) expenditure, and economic growth during 1980–2020. Due to non‐linear data dispersion, the novel moments quantile regression is employed. Results assert that land use has a positive significant influence on food accessibility in the presence of water resources and a weaker negative impact in the presence of natural resources. Natural and water resources are detrimental to food accessibility in the Emerging Seven (E7) countries. Furthermore, R&D expenditure and green energy positively (negatively), while economic growth negatively (positively) impacted food accessibility in the presence of natural resources (water resources). The results are robust and validate causal inferences that help develop appropriate policies for emerging economies concerning food accessibility or security. In this rapidly evolving era, most empirical studies consider environmental quality. Conversely, this study contributes to the literature by examining the factors influencing food accessibility, as this issue is of considerable importance because of the rapidly growing global population.

Janus ScYCBr2 MXene as a Promising Thermoelectric Material.

Finding green energy resources that contribute to the battle against global warming and the pollution of our planet is an urgent challenge. Thermoelectric electricity production is a clean and efficient method of producing energy; consequently, scientists are currently researching and creating thermoelectric materials to increase the efficiency of thermoelectric electricity production and expand the potential of the thermoelectric effect for clean energy production. This work focuses on a comprehensive study of the thermoelectric properties of two-dimensional ScYCBr2. We report here a computational analysis of this Janus-like MXene, which is predicted to exhibit outstanding thermoelectric properties. The study uses density-functional theory to provide evidence of the important role played by symmetry breaking to promote low-thermal transport by favoring certain phonon scattering channels. Compared to its symmetric parent compounds, the asymmetric Janus-type ScYCBr2 displays additional phonon scattering channels reducing the thermal conductivity. An exhaustive investigation of the dynamical stability for both zero-temperature and high-temperature conditions was also performed to support the stability of ScYCBr2. Our analysis shows that thanks to its asymmetric structure, the ScYCBr2 MXene has thermoelectric properties that largely surpass those of its parent symmetric counterpart Sc2CBr2, being a material with a remarkable thermoelectric high figure of merit. Another advantage of ScYCBr2 is its high carrier mobility. This work not only demonstrates that this material is a promising thermoelectric material but also shows that ScYCBr2 can operate efficiently at high temperatures up to 1200 K.

Overview of the Energy Scenario in India and the World's Renewable Energy Sources

The goal of renewable energy is to provide the power that originates from natural resources such as sunlight, wind, and other sources. Since the use of green energy enhances the environment and reduces global energy consumption, the attention of researchers in this field has been focused on methods of developing green energy resources. Because of using natural resources, the need for microgrid energy systems will be increasing. This paper aims to give an overview of the energy scenario in India and the world renewable energy sources existing in the market today and consider the advantage of using renewable energy resources (RES). This study, afford a brief overview of various RES, their status in India and the World, the socio-economic impact of RES, challenges associated with it, and the future of RES in India in India and the World.

Experimental investigation on strengthening of Zea mays root fibres for biodegradable composite materials using potassium permanganate treatment

Humans are the only species who generate waste materials that cannot be broken down by natural processes. The ideal solution to this waste problem would be to employ only compostable materials. Biodegradable materials play a key role in creating a safer and greener world. Biodegradability is the gift that keeps on giving, in the sense of creating an Earth worth living. The future is thus best served by green energy, sustainability, and renewable resources. To realize such goals, waste should be considered as a valuable resource. In this context, Zea mays (Zm) root fibres, which are normally considered as agricultural waste, can be used as reinforcing substances in polymer matrices to produce structural composite materials. Before being used in composites, such fibres must be analysed for their physical properties. Chemical treatments can be employed to improve the structural quality of fibres, and the changes due to such modification can be analysed. Therefore, the current work examines the effect of permanganate treatment on the surface properties of Zm fibres. The raw and potassium permanganate-treated samples were assayed for various properties. Physical analysis of the fibre samples yielded details concerning the physical aspects of the fibres. The thermal conductivity and moisture absorption behaviour of the samples were analysed. Chemical analysis was employed to characterize the composition of both treated and untreated samples. p-XRD was employed to examine the crystalline nature of the Zm fibres. Numerous functional groups present in each sample were analysed by FTIR. Thermogravimetric analysis was used to determine the thermal stability of Zm fibres. Elemental analysis (CHNS and EDS) was used to determine the elemental concentrations of both raw and treated samples. The surface alterations of Zm fibres brought on by treatment were described using SEM analysis. The characteristics of Zm roots and the changes in quality due to treatment were reviewed, and there were noticeable effects due to the treatment. Both samples would have applications in various fields, and each could be used as a potential reinforcing material in the production of efficient bio-composites.

The role of fintech, mineral resource abundance, green energy and financial inclusion on ecological footprint in E7 countries: New insight from panel nonlinear ARDL cointegration approach

This main objective of the study is to examine the impact of green energy, financial inclusion, fintech, and mineral resource abundance on the ecological footprints (EFP) of the top seven emerging economies. The research mainly explores the role of mineral resource abundance and fintech advancements in promoting environmental sustainability, while also analyzing the benefits of green energy in reducing ecological footprints in E7 countries. This research employed the panel Nonlinear ARDL approach to gain a deeper understanding of positive and negative variations of the data of E7 countries from 2000 to 2020.The study employed the robust and second-generation panel unit root test to enhance the understanding of the estimated model. There are many benefits to using these most robust second-generation techniques; such as they possess an ability to recognize patterns and correlations in panel data. In addition, these second-generation tests provide enhanced estimators in comparison to first-generation methods. To ensure utmost precision and to ensure reliability and validity of the data analysis, the authors have employed process underwent comprehensive testing with both CIPS and CADF. Furthermore, the HASIO test is used to evaluate uniformity in data. The findings of the study reveal that green energy has a significant and complex relationship with the ecological footprint, indicating that investments in green technologies can have immediate beneficial effects on environmental quality, albeit with varying impacts over time. Financial technology emerges as a pivotal factor with both positive and negative shocks displaying a substantial influence on the ecological footprint, suggesting that technological advancements in the financial sector can lead to sustainable economic practices that are crucial for environmental health. The results of the study imply that strategic investments in green energy and innovative financial technologies are essential for achieving the SDGS, particularly SDG 7 (Affordable and Clean Energy) and SDG 13 (Climate Action). The results of the study further imply that these investments not only reduce the ecological footprint but also promote sustainable economic growth in emerging economies, demonstrating the interconnectedness of economic advancement and environmental stewardship.

Managing the kinetic energy of descending greywater in tall buildings and converting them into a valuable source

Harnessing energy from descending greywater (GW) in tall buildings (TBs) is an innovative concept that combines water management with renewable energy generation and applying simulation methods. This study proposes a novel approach to enhancing sustainable energy recovery in TBs by capitalizing on the kinetic energy inherent in descending GW. Greywater, derived from non-toilet fixtures such as showers, bathroom sinks, and washing machines, offers a readily accessible source of potential energy due to its gravity-driven flow through the plumbing system. This gravitational potential energy could feasibly be converted into useable electricity through the incorporation of specialized energy-recovery mechanisms, such as turbines, hydroelectric generators, and piezoelectric devices. The study addresses the technical, economic and environmental aspects of implementing this idea in TBs. It describes the challenges of system integration, maintenance requirements and adherence to regulatory standards, as well as the potential benefits in terms of water conservation and reduced reliance on conventional energy sources, through a comprehensive analysis encompassing modeling, experimental validation and feasibility assessments. The research offers insights into the potential viability of harnessing downward-flowing GW as an alternative and sustainable green energy resource.

Financial Development, ICT Use, Renewable Energy Consumption and Foreign Direct Investment Impacts on Environmental Degradation in OIC Countries

This article examines the influence of financial development, ICT use, FDI and renewable energy on environmental degradation in 38 OIC countries using panel data from 2003 to 2021. For data estimation, the authors employed the CD test, slope homogeneity test, CIPS and CADF test, FGLS model, PCSE model and Dumitrescu Hurlin panel causality test. It is found that the variables have cross-sectional dependence, slope heterogeneity, heteroskedasticity, and autocorrelation in a model. The Westerlund test of cointegration also ensures the cointegration among variables in a model while panel unit root tests found the mixed integration order of variables. The FGLS model shows that FD and renewable energy consumption negatively and significantly influence CO2 emissions in OIC countries. The outcomes also show that the use of ICT and FDI inflows in OIC countries are positively related to CO2 emissions. The PCSEs model is used as a robustness estimation technique which also confirms the estimates of the FGLS model. The authors suggested that financial development should be promoted to finance green energy projects, design regulatory policies to prevent polluted technology from the FDI inflows and to prevent the harmful effects of ICT on the environment, the use of green energy resources in ICT use should be promoted.

Nexus of green energy, financial inclusion, militarization, and environmental sustainability: A global perspective.

This article investigates the dynamic impact of green energy consumption (GE), financial inclusion (FI), and military spending (MS) on environmental sustainability (ES) by utilizing a sample of 121 countries from 2003 to 2022. The dataset is divided into high-income, upper-middle income and low and lower-middle-income countries. We employed a two-step system GMM approach, which was further robust through panel Quantile and Driscoll-Kraay (D-K) regressions. The findings divulged that green energy resources benefit ES at global and all income levels because of having a significant negative impact of 5.9% on ecological footprints. At the same time, FI and MS significantly enhance ecological footprints by 7% and 6.9%, respectively, proving these factors detrimental to ES. Moreover, conflicts (CON), terrorism (TM), institutional quality (IQ), and socioeconomic conditions (SEC) also have a significantly positive association with global ecological footprints and most of the income level groups. Dissimilarly, financial inclusion and armed conflicts have a non-significant influence on ecological footprints in low-income and high-income countries, respectively. Furthermore, institutional quality enhances ES in upper-middle and low and lower-middle-income countries by negatively affecting ecological footprints. At the same time, terrorism significantly reduces ecological footprints in high-income countries. This research also provides the imperative policy inferences to accomplish various SDGs.

PV Panel Model Parameter Estimation by Using Particle Swarm Optimization and Artificial Neural Network.

Photovoltaic (PV) panels are one of the popular green energy resources and PV panel parameter estimations are one of the popular research topics in PV panel technology. The PV panel parameters could be used for PV panel health monitoring and fault diagnosis. Recently, a PV panel parameters estimation method based in neural network and numerical current predictor methods has been developed. However, in order to further improve the estimation accuracies, a new approach of PV panel parameter estimation is proposed in this paper. The output current and voltage dynamic responses of a PV panel are measured, and the time series of the I-V vectors will be used as input to an artificial neural network (ANN)-based PV model parameter range classifier (MPRC). The MPRC is trained using an I-V dataset with large variations in PV model parameters. The results of MPRC are used to preset the initial particles' population for a particle swarm optimization (PSO) algorithm. The PSO algorithm is used to estimate the PV panel parameters and the results could be used for PV panel health monitoring and the derivation of maximum power point tracking (MMPT). Simulations results based on an experimental I-V dataset and an I-V dataset generated by simulation show that the proposed algorithms can achieve up to 3.5% accuracy and the speed of convergence was significantly improved as compared to a purely PSO approach.

Green Energy Resources and Environmental Sustainability by Ancient Hindu Tradition (With Vedic Perspective)

Green Energy Resources and Environmental Sustainability by Ancient Hindu Tradition (With Vedic Perspective)

Energy, Society and Sociodemographic Constraints Nexus: Development and Future Prospects

To overcome the challenges faced by the energy sector, policymakers need to prioritize the development of strategic policies that promote the adoption of waste-to-energy technologies, Tidal energy, solar power systems, and wind farms. These policies should emphasize the integration of renewable energy sources into the existing energy infrastructure, ensuring a more sustainable and resilient energy supply for urban areas. The study underscores the importance of collaboration between various stakeholders, including government bodies, private sector entities, and local communities. By fostering partnerships and creating incentives, it becomes possible to mobilize resources and expertise towards the implementation of renewable energy projects. This collaboration would not only address the energy crisis but also contribute to job creation and overall socioeconomic development. Proper utilization of renewable energy resources can resolve the dilemma of energy crises in the country. According to our results, solar stood first in the overall ranking followed by Tidal, waste-to-energy, and wind energies. Solar performed better in indigenous manufacturing and development, resource potential, and technological development. Pakistan has abundant green energy resources which could be utilized by the formation of a proper policy roadmap and mitigation of policy pathways to overcome the hazardous dependence on fossil fuels for energy requirements. The implementation of policies adopted should be assured to achieve energy sustainability

Empowering sustainable energy communities: Optimizing multi-carrier energy systems with green energy, uncertainty management, and demand response

Energy management has emerged as a pressing concern in the planning and operation of smart cities, driven by the escalating demand for energy. Concurrently, demand response programs (DRPs) have gained significant attention in recent years, owing to their profound impact on the power system. This paper introduces an approach aimed at minimizing operational costs and environmental emissions within a smart city reliant on grid-connected power. A novel green energy scheduling for a multi-carrier energy community is presented to achieve a sustainable development. The proposed method places a premium on maximizing the utilization of renewable energy sources. Recognizing the inherent uncertainty associated with green energy resources, this approach seeks to enhance system reliability by addressing this challenge. This paper's primary objective is to tackle the intricate problem of power management in a smart city while factoring in the uncertainty stemming from green energy resources and the integration of DRPs. To address these complexities, the paper leverages the CPLEX solver embedded in the GAMS software application, while uncertainties in the system are modelled through the application of the Monte-Carlo algorithm. The results show that considering the uncertainty of green energy resources, the total cost of the system can be reduced by $504 by performing the DRPs.

Modeling the Nexus between European Carbon Emission Trading and Financial Market Returns: Practical Implications for Carbon Risk Reduction and Hedging

The carbon–financial nexus helps firms evaluate susceptibility to carbon risk more effectively. This is the first research article to model the short- and long-run co-integrating association between European financial markets, the CBOE oil price volatility index (OVZ) and the European carbon emission trading system (EU-ETS) by using the daily returns from 1 October 2013 to 1 October 2023. We utilize co-integration test followed by the ARDL framework with an error correction mechanism (ECM). Moreover, we utilize the DCC-GARCH-t copula framework to estimate the hedge ratio and to select an optimal portfolio weight for carbon risk hedging. Overall, the findings suggested that EU-ETS (OVZ) has a consistent positive (negative) short-term influence on all the equity returns of Belgium, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Netherlands, Spain and the stock indices of the whole Eurozone. However, in the long term, EU-ETS has a positive (negative) effect on the stock returns of France and the Eurozone (Belgium and Spain). Belgian and Spanish companies could implement long-term carbon reduction policies. Belgian and Spanish firms should focus on the utilization of green energy resources and the internalization of carbon emission-free mechanical processes as this may offer a safeguard against the additional pressure arising from escalating carbon prices. Finally, an optimal portfolio weight selection strategy based upon the DCC-GARCH-t copula approach aims for higher hedging effectiveness (HE) than the hedge ratio strategy when adopting short-term positions in Italian and Danish equity markets to reduce the risk of long-term EU-ETS volatility.

Droplet-Based Direct-Current Electricity Generation Induced by Dynamic Electric Double Layers.

Harvesting energy from water droplets has received tremendous attention due to the pursuit of sustainable and green energy resources. The droplet-based electricity generator (DEG) provides an admirable strategy to harvest energy from droplets into electricity. However, most of the DEGs merely generate electricity of alternating current (AC) output rather than direct current (DC) without the utilization of rectifiers, impeding its practical applications in energy storage and power supply. Here, a direct current droplet-based electricity generator (DC-DEG) is developed by the simple configuration of the electrodes. The DC output originates from the dynamical electric double layer (EDL) formed at two electrodes and droplet interfaces where the charging/discharging process of EDL capacitance occurs. Several experiments are exhibited to demonstrate the rationality of the proposed principle. The influence of some factors on the output is investigated for further insight into the DC-DEG device. This work provides a novel strategy to harvest energy from water droplets directly into DC electricity and may expand the application of DEGs in powering electronic devices without the help of rectifiers.

Tunable opto-electronic and thermoelectric response of alkali based half-Heusler semiconductors AMgN (A = Rb, Cs) for sustainable energy: A computational approach

The quick depletion of energy sources and the resulting environmental consequences can be wisely addressed by investigating effective and environmentally friendly materials that have the capacity to convert wasted energy into electricity. This work reports on the thermoelectric features investigations of half Heusler materials, AMgN (A = Rb, Cs). The semi-empirical Boltzmann theory is used alongside the full potential linearized augmented plane wave plus local orbital method (FP-LAPW + lo) to conduct the research. The modified Becke-Johnson (mBJ) exchange potential by Trans-Blaha, the parameterized generalized gradient approximation (GGA) by Perdew-Bruke-Ernzerhof (PBE), and the local density approximation (LDA) proposed by Perdew and Wang (PW) are used to integrate the exchange–correlation energy/potential portion. The electronic band structure results show that RbMgN exhibits a direct energy band gap of 1.35 eV and CsMgN has an indirect energy band gap of 0.66 eV. The optical outcomes reveal that both compounds have absorption in the ultraviolet range, making them suitable for optoelectronic applications. The thermal conductivity,See-beck coefficient, electrical conductivity, power factor, and figure of merit (ZT) are calculated at 300 K, 700 K, and 1200 K temperatures in order to understand their thermoelectric nature. According to our computations, 300 K was the ideal value for the Seebeck coefficient for both materials. The Seebeck coefficient values for RbMgN were found to be better than those for CsMgN. The materials under consideration have the ZT parameter (ZT ∼ 1) calculations for both AMgN (A = Rb, Cs) revealing that all these materials could be useful for the thermoelectric applications and used as alternative green energy resources.

Does Environment Really Matter for Economic Sustainability: Exploring the Role of Green Energy in Pakistan's Economy

The key objective of the study is to investigate empirically the long-run Environment and Growth Sustainability nexus in Pakistan economy. To empirically achieve the objectives of the study, the Auto-Regressive Distributed Lag (ARDL) Bound testing method was employed from 1990 to 2022. Green energy is used to signify environmental performance indicators and GDP growth rate along with other conventional growth factors; physical capital and human capital are used as potential economic sustainability indicators. To rationalize the findings of ARDL, restricted and unrestricted models are also estimated. The findings of the study disclose that the series under consideration are co-integrated which directs the existence of the long-run relationship. It is found that green energy enhances economic sustainability in the long run however it adversely impacts economic sustainability in the short run in the case of Pakistan's economy. The empirical outcomes of the study validate the widespread concern of the literature on the existence of the “growth hypothesis” which supports, that there is a systematic positive causation running from green energy to economic sustainability. The study findings suggest that regulations in the energy sector can encourage the applications of green energy resources, particularly in the real sector of the economy, leading to reduced emissions. It is important to adopt international standards for firms and industries and an international collaboration framework is required to ensure economic sustainability to prevent environmental degradation.