ABSTRACT The European Union (EU) promotes rural participatory development through Local Action Groups (LAGs), which create Local Development Strategies (LDSs) supported by EU funds. These strategies exemplify neo-endogenous development, blending top-down support with bottom-up initiatives. This study evaluates how the LDSs prepared in Poland during the 2014–2020 EU funding period reflected issues important for the supranational Europe 2020 Strategy targets. Using a content analysis of 293 strategies, we find alignment with the pan-European objectives on employment, education, and poverty reduction, but a limited focus on greenhouse gas reduction and renewable energy. Although the need for ‘innovation’ was frequently mentioned in LDSs, it was rarely related to real R&D actions. Statistical and spatial analyses suggest that local goals were shaped by access to funds, which is consistent with the assumptions of neo-endogenous development and top-down Europeanisation. However, achieving consistency between EU-wide eco-friendly targets and local income security needs is challenging.

Nitrogen and DOM inputs alter greenhouse gas dynamics in field scale constructed wetlands treating wastewater plant effluent: insights from core species activity.

Mitigation efficiency and pathways of floating-bed rice cultivation for the CH4 and N2O emissions from intensive aquaculture ponds.

Vietnam's intensive industrialization has been a driving force behind its economic growth, creating opportunities for potential expansion of the manufacturing industry. However, the proliferation of manufacturing plants and extensive burning of fuels to support production have posed significant environmental challenges. Recognizing the severe deterioration of ecosystems, Vietnamese enterprises have increasingly committed to mitigating the environmental impacts of manufacturing by integrating sustainability goals into their business strategies. This study empirically examines the relationship between carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions and business performance of Vietnamese manufacturing firms from 2016 to 2022. The findings reveal robust evidence of an inverted U-shaped relationship between CO2 emissions growth and firm performance. Furthermore, the growth rate of CO2 emissions was negatively affected by the COVID-19 pandemic and the financial leverage of Vietnamese manufacturing firms. These results are consistent for both domestic and foreign direct investment (FDI) firms. Notably, larger FDI firms emit fewer pollutants per unit of production than micro-, {small$\text{-,}$} and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs), although this difference is not statistically significant for domestic firms. This study provides valuable insights for businesses, offering guidance on optimizing resource utilization, enhancing operational efficiency, and reducing environmental impacts to achieve sustainable industrial development.

Evaluation of engineering performance, carbon dioxide emission and cost analysis of pervious concrete composed of biochar and lightweight expanded clay aggregate

• Sediment δ¹⁵N positively correlated with elevated fluvial GHG and N2 saturation • Sediment δ¹⁵N enrichment occurred at N-rich streams with high N cycling rates • Sediment δ¹⁵N may indicate long-term hotspots of biogeochemical cycling in rivers Nitrogen-rich agricultural headwater streams are known hotspots for fluvial greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and denitrification, yet the underlying processes driving these elevated rates are not fully understood. In this study, we examined these mechanisms by combining measurements of gross nitrogen turnover processes, open-channel GHG and N 2 saturation (%) and fluxes, and δ 15 N isotopic analysis of stream sediment and water at nine headwater stream sites with varying levels of agricultural land use. To assess seasonal patterns, data were collected across two transitional periods: spring–summer and winter–spring. Catchment land use emerged as an important environmental driver of variability, as open channel GHG emissions and denitrification rates were up to 11 times higher in fertilized grasslands and croplands compared to those in forested areas. In-vitro nitrogen turnover rates followed a similar trend and were mainly positively related to both GHG and N 2 oversaturation. This finding suggests that the excess nitrogen inputs in agricultural streams promote enhanced nitrogen turnover and gaseous carbon and nitrogen losses. We also observed a proportional increase in CO 2 , CH 4 , and N 2 saturation in the water column with sediment δ 15 N enrichment, a known indicator of long-term nitrogen turnover processes. Because the highest GHG emissions and denitrification N 2 losses occurred within streams in fertilized areas, our findings highlight the potential of using sediment δ 15 N as an indicator of long-term anthropogenic hotspots of fluvial GHG emissions and denitrification rates.

Caves are unique among ecosystem types because of their physical structures and biological functions. Embedded in rocks, the geological setting defines the boundaries of caves and dictates how energy and matter move through them. General features of caves, compared to surface ecosystems, include absence of light, relatively stable temperature and humidity, and oligotrophic conditions. Despite these conditions, caves are highly diverse ecosystems whose environmental properties are shaped by geological, hydrological, and climatic factors. Cave microbiomes metabolize atmospheric trace gases, such as methane, nitrous oxide, and carbon dioxide, contributing to greenhouse gas (GHG) cycling dynamics. In some cases, these microbes also form biominerals, such as calcium carbonate, highlighting critical gaps in our understanding of subterranean biogeochemical processes. Some of these gaps include the limited genomic data and geographic bias in the literature. Herein, we review the current state of knowledge surrounding the potential of cave microorganisms, including those capable of biomineralizing calcium carbonate, as agents for sustainable GHG sequestration and climate change mitigation, with emerging strategies for developing novel sustainable biotechnological solutions. By revealing the hidden microbial activity beneath the Earth's surface, this review proposes integrating subterranean ecosystems into global climate models, reframing caves as metabolically and functionally active contributors to the planet's climate system rather than isolated geological features.

Mitigating greenhouse gas emissions in water-limited agroecosystems by novel integration of perennial grasses.

Seasonal temperature rise influences nitrous oxide and methane accumulation in freshwater habitats via distinctive microbial processes.

Uncovering nonlinear threshold effects of urban morphology on carbon emissions: Toward optimal low-carbon urban spatial planning

Regulation of maritime autonomous surface ships on carbon emissions and marine pollution: Context, challenges, responses

The aim of this study was to quantify and compare the environmental impact and cost associated with transitioning from disposable under pads (blueys) and bed protectors (pinkies) to reusable linen products in the intensive care unit (ICU). A process-based life cycle assessment (LCA) was employed to evaluate carbon emissions and cost across the manufacturing, transportation, laundering, landfill, and disposal stages of disposable versus reusable linen. The analysis compared data from the pre (April 2022 - March 2023) and post-implementation (April 2023 - March 2024) phases of adopting reusable linen in a single centre metropolitan ICU in Melbourne, Australia. The introduction of reusable linens to replace single use products resulted in a 50% reduction in total carbon emissions, decreasing from 7,206kg CO2 equivalent (CO2e) to 3,605kg CO2e. The intervention avoided approximately 3.6 tonnes of CO2e emissions and 2.2 tonnes of landfill waste, despite a 3% ($1,005) increase in overall costs driven mainly by reusable pinkies. Reusable blueys required more frequent use to achieve CO2e emissions parity with single use variants due to their higher initial carbon footprint, while pinkies reached parity earlier in their lifecycle. These data underscore the environmental advantages of adopting reusable medical products in healthcare settings, and highlights both environmental impact and financial considerations. The findings support wider implementation of reusable products in healthcare to advance sustainability goals while maintaining patient care standards. Exploration is required of long-term trends when reusables are introduced, and studies in other socioeconomic settings, on the overall financial and environmental outcomes.

A multi-objective optimization of ultrasonic empowered polishing process for aluminium nitride substrate considering efficiency, quality, and carbon emission

Development of geopolymer with red mud, fly ash, calcium carbide slag, and phosphogypsum as a step toward low-carbon building materials.

Reinforcement learning-based hyper-heuristic algorithm for multi-warehouse and multi-machine agricultural machinery operation scheduling problem considering soil conditions and carbon emissions

Carbon emissions and discontinued operations

Life cycle assessment of diploid and triploid oyster farming: A case study in Zhanjiang, China.

Towards farm-level net-zero greenhouse gas emissions: Contributions of climate mitigation actions - A study of four European crop and dairy farms.

Towards sustainable municipal solid waste treatment: Life cycle environmental-economic analysis under waste sorting.

Synergistic efficiency of COD removal and CO2 emissions in biochar-modified bioretention systems.