Pollution Intensity Research Articles

Unveiling Environmental Crime Trends and Intensity in the EU Countries Through a Sustainability Lens

AbstractEnvironmental crime poses a significant threat to global ecosystems, biodiversity, and human well-being, encompassing activities such as pollution, illegal waste disposal, trade in protected species, and natural resource degradation. Understanding the dynamics of these crimes is essential for devising effective mitigation strategies and promoting sustainability at micro, meso, and macro level. The aim of the study is to examine environmental crimes in the EU, focusing on their current trends, patterns, and Intensity, as well as the impact on sustainability across its three dimensions. Fourteen EU countries environmental crime data from 2016 to 2021were analysed to reveal variations and trends. Geographic information systems (GIS) utilized to identify countries with elevated environmental crime rates, emphasizing the need for interventions in pollution control, waste management, and resource conservation. Results indicate high environmental pollution intensity in Italy, Sweden, and Denmark. Moreover, Italy emerges as the epicentre of illegal waste dumping, with notable cases also present in Belgium and France. Additionally, France, Slovakia, and Italy show alarming levels of illegal wildlife trade. Furthermore, France and Sweden exhibit the highest density of natural resource degradation cases. In addition, the study unveiled a positive correlation ($$\:b>0$$) between environmental pollution, trade in protected species, and natural resource degradation with population growth, while waste disposal exhibited a negative correlation ($$\:b<0$$). Moreover, trade in protected species and resource degradation correlated negatively ($$\:b<0$$) with the poverty ratio. Addressing environmental crimes aligns with the pursuit of green justice, recognizing the interconnectedness of environmental, social, and economic factors. The findings offer valuable insights for policymakers, environmentalists, and communities, guiding interventions towards a sustainable and resilient future.

Correlation relationships of processes in the combustion engine in the RDE test

The article presents considerations on the processes taking place in the combustion engine in the in real driving operating conditions of a vehicle performing the RDE (Real Driving Emissions) test. The tests were carried out using a passenger car with a spark-ignition engine. The processes considered in the article were related to the engine operating states, exhaust emissions and fuel consumption, and the vehicle speed, which determines the engine operating conditions. The RDE test were carried out using PEMS (Portable Emissions Measurement System) equipment, and the following variables were recorded: vehicle speed, control, rotational speed, relative torque and relative engine power, emission pollutant intensity of: carbon monoxide, hydrocarbons, nitrogen oxides and carbon dioxide, the intensity of particle number and the fuel consumption intensity. The recorded signals were digitally processed, and the statistical properties of the variables and the mutual relation between the engine operating states were examined. The properties of the measured variables were investigated in the entire RDE test and in its constituent phases: the first, corresponding to vehicle movement in cities, the second – outside cities, and the third – on highways and expressways. The pollutant specific distance emission and the particle number specific distance as well as the specific distance fuel consumption were determined in relation to the average vehicle speed, and based on these results, the exhaust emissions and fuel consumption characteristics were created. Correlational studies of the considered variables were also performed. Pearson's linear correlation coefficients for the measured variables combinations were determined.

Digitalization and Automation and AI: A Theoretical Framework of rethinking the Pollution Haven Hypothesis

This theoretical paper investigates the impact of digitalization, automation, and artificial intelligence (AI) on environmental regulations, specifically through the lens of the Pollution Haven Hypothesis (PHH). It explores how these advancements influence pollution intensity and environmental compliance costs, challenging the traditional understanding of the PHH. Methodology. The study employs a Cobb-Douglas production function to model the relationship between technological innovations and environmental regulations. By integrating digitalization, automation, and AI into the model, the paper examines how these factors affect the economic incentives for firms to relocate to regions with lenient environmental standards. Findings. The analysis reveals that advancements in digitalization and automation reduce pollution intensity and lower the costs of complying with strict environmental standards. As a result, the economic incentive to relocate to pollution havens diminishes. In an open economy, the combination of stringent environmental policies and technological innovations leads to reduced pollution levels and a shift toward cleaner production processes. Practical Implication. The findings suggest that integrating technological innovations into environmental policy can make adherence to stricter regulations more economically viable, thereby weakening the appeal of pollution havens. This has significant implications for global sustainability efforts, as it highlights the potential for technology to support more effective and equitable environmental regulations. Originality. This study introduces a novel perspective by directly linking technological innovations to shifts in capital allocation and the efficacy of environmental policies. It offers a fresh understanding of the PHH in the context of modern advancements, providing new understanding into the relationship between innovation and environmental regulation.

Electro-Fenton enhanced MBR for fouling alleviation based on MIL-88B-Fe derived carbon membrane with in-situ generated [rad]OH

Porous carbon membrane (PCM) derived from MIL-88B-Fe with the ability of in-situ generation of hydroxyl radical was introduced to electro-enhanced aerobic membrane bioreactor (EMBR) for membrane fouling mitigation and wastewater quality improvement. The resultant PCM obtained with the calcination temperature of 1000 °C owned significant enhancement on hydrophilic and conductive properties, which helped PCM under −1.2 V could completely remove 10 mg/L bovine serum albumin with 2.5 % membrane flux loss rate. During the 76-day operation of EMBR, the extracellular polymeric substances could be suppressed for depositing on the −1.2 V enhanced PCM due to the combined effect of electrostatic barrier and OH oxidation. The pollutant intensity of total cells, polysaccharides and proteins were all reduced on PCM with −1.2 V. After operation, 36.0 % of cake layer pores was blocked in EMBR by total cells, polysaccharides and proteins. However, it was accounted for 69.8 % of the control group. Above results explained why the EMBR owned an always lower transmembrane pressure. Meanwhile, the pollutants removal rates of COD and NH4+-N were as high as 95 % and 98 % with electro-enhanced filtration, respectively, which is attributed to the collaborated effect from electrochemical effect and significantly increased microbial species related to organic pollutants removal, such as Azohydromonas, Thermomonas.

Spatial source, simulating improvement, and short-term health effect of high PM2.5 exposure during mutation event in the key urban agglomeration regions in China

Air quality in China has significantly improved owing to the effective implementation of pollution control measures. However, mutation events caused by short-term spikes in PM2.5 in urban agglomeration regions continue to occur frequently. Identifying the spatial sources and influencing factors, as well as improving the prediction accuracy of high PM2.5 during mutation events, are crucial for public health. In this study, we firstly introduced discrete wavelet transform (DWT) to identify the mutation events with high PM2.5 concentration in the four key urban agglomerations, and evaluated the spatial sources for the polluted scenario using Hybrid Single Particle Lagrangian Integrated Trajectory (HYSPLIT) model. Additionally, DWT was combined with a widely used artificial neural network (ANN) to improve the prediction accuracy of PM2.5 concentration seven days in advance (seven-day forecast). Results indicated that mutation events commonly occurred in the northern regions during winter time, which were under the control of both short-range transportation of dirty airmass as well as negative meteorology conditions. Compared with the ANN model alone, the average band errors decreased by 9% when using DWT-ANN model. The average correlation coefficient (R) and root mean square error (RMSE) obtained using the DWT-ANN improved by 10% and 12% compared to those obtained using the ANN, indicating the efficiency and accuracy of simulating PM2.5, by combining the DWT and ANN. The short-term mortality during mutation events was then calculated, with the total averted all-cause, cardiovascular, and respiratory deaths in the four regions, being 4751, 2554, and 582 persons, respectively. A declining trend in prevented deaths from 2018 to 2020 demonstrated that the pollution intensity during mutation events gradually decreased owing to the implementation of the Three-Year Action Plan to Win the Blue Sky Defense War. The method proposed in this study can be used by policymakers to take preventive measures in response to a sudden increase in PM2.5, thereby ensuring public health.

Foreign Direct Investment and Technology Licensing in a Polluting Industry

We consider a firm’s incentive for foreign direct investment (FDI) and international technology licensing in a polluting industry. We explain the rationale and the welfare implications of complementarity between FDI and licensing, i.e., the firm’s strategy of “FDI and licensing” (FL), which is empirically relevant but ignored in the literature. When the environmental tax cannot be committed, the firm adopts the licensing strategy if the pollution intensity is not high, and the licensing strategy may create lower consumer surplus and welfare compared to both FDI and FL. However, if the pollution intensity is high, the firm undertakes FL, which provide higher consumer surplus and welfare compared to both licensing and FDI. When the government can commit to the environmental tax, the firm always prefers FL. The host-country welfare is higher but the consumer surplus and world welfare may be lower under the committed tax policy compared to the non-committed tax policy. These results hold under Cournot competition and Stackelberg competition. We further show that FL can be the equilibrium strategy of the foreign firm if there is fixed-fee licensing instead of a two-part tariff licensing, which is considered in the main analysis.

Potentially toxic elements of lake and wetland in Northeastern Qinghai-Tibet Plateau: Distribution, potential sources and risk assessment

The accumulation of toxic elements from sediments poses imminent threats to both the environment and humans. The variation of elements in different sedimentary systems within the same watershed is of significant importance for distinguishing the human activities and adopting relevant management strategies. Based on the surface sediment samples from the Lake Keluke and its wetland, the content and grain size of elements were analyzed. The human health risk indicated in the area the potentially toxic elements (PTEs: Cr, Cu, Zn, Cd and Pb) were at no non-carcinogenic risk to adults or children. Except for Cd, the pollution levels of other PTEs were clean, and potential ecological risk with a low level. However, the pollution of Cd implicated a moderate to heavy pollution intensity and a high ecological risk. According to principal component analysis (PCA), and self-organizing maps (SOM), the main sources of PTEs were of the weathering and leaching of bedrocks; transportation and human agriculture activities. The watershed should reduce pollution caused by human activities and implement efficient agricultural practices.

Regression dependence of the number growth dynamics of the biogas plants in Ukraine

The global environmental crisis forces the countries of the world to introduce and use new alternative means of energy production, in particular methods of extraction and processing of biogas to provide energy to the population. Therefore, the determination of the regression dependence, which describes the dynamics of the increase in the number of biogas plants and can be used when forecasting the number of such plants, is an urgent scientific and technical task. The purpose of the research is to determine the regression dependence, which describes the dynamics of the increase in the number of biogas plants and can be used when forecasting the number of such plants, with the aim of increasing the prevalence of the use of renewable energy sources, saving fossil energy sources and simultaneously reducing the intensity of environmental pollution. During the research, the method of regression analysis of the results of one-factor experiments and other paired dependencies was used with the selection of a rational type of function from the sixteen most common options according to the criterion of the maximum value of the correlation coefficient. Regression was carried out on the basis of linearizing transformations, which allow reducing the non-linear dependence to a linear one. The coefficients of the regression equations were determined by the method of least squares using the developed computer program "RegAnalyz", which is protected by a certificate of copyright registration for the work. An adequate regression relationship was obtained, which describes the dynamics of the increase in the number of biogas plants and can be used when forecasting the number of such plants. A graphical dependence was built that describes the dynamics of the increase in the number of biogas plants and allows to visually illustrate this dynamic and show sufficient convergence of theoretical results with actual data. It was established that the increase in the number of biogas plants in Ukraine during 2012-2019 grew according to a hyperbolic dependence.

Assessment of risk intensity in the triffa plain aquifer: Integration of hazard quantification, land use analysis, dynamic vulnerability GCITF, and DRASTIC method

This study aims to assess the level of groundwater pollution risk in the Triffa Plain, stemming from various pollution sources, with a specific focus on agricultural intensification and excessive pesticide use. Data were collected from ABHM (the Moulouya Hydraulic Basin Agency) and ORMVAM (Regional Office of Moulouya Agricultural Development), and a field visit was conducted in July 2023. The study utilized two main methodologies for mapping risk intensity: the COST 620 action and overlaying vulnerability maps with the land use (LU) factor. Vulnerability maps were generated using the original DRASTIC method and the new dynamic vulnerability assessment method, GCITF.The research approach involved comparing the COST 620 risk index (Ri) and the land use risk index (LU) to identify the most suitable method for the study area. Due to challenges in inventorying various point sources of pollution, the study focused on mapping the primary sources of pollution (diffuse, point, and linear). The key findings indicate that the predominant pollution intensity in the region is high, covering 60.66% of the total surface area. These results closely align with those obtained using the European COST 620 approach and the spatial distribution of nitrates. The study demonstrates the reliability of integrating the GCITF method in assessing groundwater contamination risk, highlighting the significant negative impacts of agricultural activities on the Triffa Plain aquifer, primarily due to uncontrolled pesticide and fertilizer use and point sources of pollution.This study suggests that implementing targeted technical solutions for specific pollution sources is crucial for reducing contamination in the Triffa Plain. These pollution risk intensity maps can assist planners and decision-makers in understanding the origin of pollution and identifying necessary actions to minimize contamination risk, contributing to better groundwater management and protection in the region.

Pollution acceleration before braking: Evidence of environmental deterioration from the anticipated steel restriction policy in China

This research employs China’s steel restriction policy as a backdrop to investigate environmental policies’ unintended and counterproductive effects. Using high-resolution satellite-derived data and panel Difference-in-Differences regression, we found that the air pollution concentration in cities implementing the steel restriction policy is 5.688 μg/m3 higher than in control group cities. Additionally, the growth rate of air pollution in these cities is 6.577% faster. This quantitative evidence substantiates the backfire effect of the anticipation of environmental policy, where the delay between a policy’s announcement and its enforcement leads to a short-term surge in pollution levels. For China and other emerging economies, the development of a thorough and deliberate intergovernmental cooperation strategy is critical when formulating environmental policies. It involves synchronizing the efforts of different government levels in applying pollution controls and diminishing the interval of potential intense pollution in the pre-implementation phase.

Research on hydrogen sulfide removal from water using a hydroejector

The war in Ukraine has significantly impacted the country's water resources, leading to deteriorated water quality, threats to drinking water supplies, and long-term environmental issues. Intensive pollution of surface water sources has necessitated increased use of groundwater for drinking purposes. The quality of groundwater in Ukraine varies greatly, often containing concentrations of iron, manganese, hardness salts, and hydrogen sulfide that exceed acceptable limits. Hydrogen sulfide concentrations in different regions range from 1 to over 20 mg/dm³, far exceeding the permissible limit of 0.05 mg/dm³ for drinking water. In the southern regions of Ukraine, such as Kherson, Mykolaiv, and Odesa oblasts, hydrogen sulfide levels exceed the norm by more than 100 times. Existing water purification methods for hydrogen sulfide require the construction of expensive aeration facilities with various loadings, biological reactors, and oxidation filters, which entail significant capital and operational costs. Moreover, these facilities do not always ensure the desired water quality. Therefore, developing new methods and technologies aimed at intensifying hydrogen sulfide removal from water, along with various devices and structures for their implementation, is a pressing issue related to supplying the population with quality water. Among the developed approaches, the use of aeration as an independent method for purification is notable; however, it is used for low hydrogen sulfide concentrations and is most effective at low water pH levels. This article presents the results of experimental studies on the purification of groundwater from hydrogen sulfide by aeration using a hydroejector. Optimal parameters for the hydrogen sulfide removal process, depending on its concentration and water pH, were determined. The effectiveness of water purification using the hydroejector was substantiated and investigated. The key operational parameters of the hydroejector were established.

Studies on the Impact of Microplastics in Freshwater Systems: Biota Could Be Vital Indicators in Delta State, Nigeria

Microplastics have impacted freshwater system globally. Despite the global concern about microplastic pollution, only a little is evidenced in research on the occurrence and intensity of pollution in research. This study determined the effects of microplastics on aquatic water bodies was determined using plants as bio-indicator. The study was conducted bimonthly (June- August) to examine the occurrence of microplastics. Physicochemical parameters and biochemical parameters of plants were analyzed using standard methods. Hydrogen ion concentrations of the water sources were mildly acidic (5.6±0.15 and 5.49±0.19), and turbidity levels were notably high (71.00±4.20 NTU and 92.70 ±4.32 NTU) in lotic and lentic water bodies respectively. Dissolved oxygen and biological oxygen demand were significantly compared within aquatic systems (p<0.05). Water hyacinth- Pontederia crassipes Mart (former Eichhornia crassipes) exhibited higher levels of soluble sugar at 110.34±3.32 mg/L in lotic water body compared to water leaf- Talinum triangulare (Jacq.) Willd, 70.44±4.78 mg/L in lentic water. Total chlorophyll levels and water retention capacity were lower in lotic water at 37.90±2.35 and 2.08±0.21 respectively. Ascorbic acid levels were higher in lotic water (308.00±12.34 mg/100g). Chironomus sp. and Nais sp. were commonly encountered. The vital role of Chironomus sp. and Nais sp. should not be underestimated as bioindicators in freshwater systems. Hence, they should be further investigated in different freshwater ecosystems.

THE INFLUENCE OF WASTE ACCUMULATION SITES FROM MINING AND PROCESSING PLANTS ON THE HYDROSPHERE OF ADJACENT TERRITORIES

The nature and directions of changes in the state of water bodies of the territory, for a long time (50 60 years) adjacent to the storage areas of mining waste (dumps) and enrichment (tailings) of iron ore raw materials, have been studied. It has been established that dumps and tailings are sources of the adjacent territories’ intense hydrosphere chemical pollution with highly mineralized filtrates. The most intense pollution and increase in groundwater levels at all horizons occurs in the first 10-15 years.In the future, in proportion to the service life of man-made structures, the area and level of chemical pollution of surface and underground water bodies increases, hydrogeological processes are increasing: flooding of lands, landslides, sinkholes.

Cleaner production promotion law and pollution: Firm level evidence from China

Using the formulation and implementation of China's Cleaner Production Promotion Law (CPPL) in 2003 as a quasi-natural experiment and a unique combined dataset of Annual Survey of Industrial Production Database and China Industrial Enterprise Pollution Emissions Database over 1998–2013, we investigate the impact of ex-ante prevention policies on firm pollution emissions. Our DID and DDD results show that: 1) The CPPL has significantly reduced firm's per unit of output emissions of SO2 and COD; 2) China's CPPL reduced firm pollution emissions intensity by reducing resource consumption, increasing firms' TFP and the number of green patents (Porter effect), and increasing the total amount of pollutants removal per unit of output; 3) The impact of CPPL on pollution shows modest firm heterogeneity, with larger effects on SOEs and on large-scale enterprises. The conclusions of this paper reveal that China's CPPL, as a formal rule of law regulation and ex-ante prevention policy, not only reduces the pollution intensity of enterprises from the input side, but also stimulate the Porter effect, and reduces the pollution removal level.

Comparative Analysis: Resource Consumption and Environmental Pollution by Subsoil Users in Northern Asia (Russia)

This article examines resource use issues and the anthropogenic impact on the environment of companies operating in the mineral resource sector of northern Asian regions. The research aims to comprehensively analyze resource consumption and environmental intensity indicators for leading companies in mineral extraction. A set of indicators reflecting the necessary parameters for mineral resource consumption and pollution intensity due to their production activities is constructed based on quantitative and cost indicators. A pollution intensity assessment is carried out based on environmental intensity indicators. The sectoral and corporate-level indicators are of the most interest in industrial production. The study identified seven critical northern Asian companies that play a decisive role in the mining industry, which were examples for analyzing material resource consumption and production greening pace. Reducing resource use and environmental impact is a crucial task for sustainable development. This study emphasizes the importance of evaluating resource consumption and environmental impact for companies in the mineral resource sector, providing valuable insights for companies, government bodies, and international organizations working towards the region’s sustainable development and efficient resource management.

Coordinated reduction effect of pollutant discharge fees on enterprises' pollutant and carbon emissions in China

With the aggravation of global climate change and environmental pollution, governments of various countries have taken measures to promote sustainable development. This study evaluates the influence of China's pollutant discharge fees (PFE) on the enterprises' coordinated emissions reduction of pollutant and carbon based on fixed effects model by using a broad sample of 138,371 observations during 2003–2009 derived from two microenterprise datasets and a city dataset. Based on the empirical results, the rising price of PFE will lead to coordinated emissions reduction, specifically, a 1% increase in PFE leads to 0.0835% reduction in SO2 and 0.0294% decrease in CO2. Through heterogeneous analysis, this study finds that PFE heterogeneously influences pollutant and carbon emissions. The collaborative emissions reduction effects of PFE are significant in low pollution intensity regions, high energy consumption intensity regions, and state-owned enterprises. Furthermore, this study concludes that the clean energy substitution effect is an essential mediation mechanism of the impact of PFE on coordinated emissions reduction, while the energy-saving effect is not significant. This study provides several policy implications for achieving the goal of coordinated decreasing the emissions of carbon and pollutant from the perspective of PFE.

Risk assessment of heavy metals and total petroleum hydrocarbons (TPHs) in coastal sediments of commercial and industrial areas of Hormozgan province, Iran.

The significant increase in the pollution of heavy metals and organic pollutants, their stable nature, and their high toxicity are gradually becoming a global crisis. In a recent study, a comprehensive assessment of the spatial distribution of heavy metals and total petroleum hydrocarbons (TPHs), as well as an assessment of their ecological risks in the sediments of 32 stations located in commercial and industrial areas (Mainly focusing on petrochemical and power industries, desalination plants and transit Ports) of Hormozgan province (East and West of Jask, Bandar Abbas, Qeshm, and Bandar Lengeh) was performed during 2021-2022. The sediment samples were digested with HNO3, HCl and HF solvents. The concentration of heavy metals was determined with furnace and flame systems of atomic absorption spectrometer. The concentration of heavy metals showed significant spatial changes between stations. The ecological assessment indices between the regions indicated that the stations located in Shahid Bahonar Port, Suru Beach, and Khor gorsouzuan had a higher intensity of pollution than other places and significant risks of pollution, especially in terms of Cr and Ni. The average contamination degree (CD) (14.89), modified contamination degree (MCD) (2.48), pollution load index (PLI) (2.32), and potential ecological risk index (PERI) (100.30) showed the sediments in the area of Shahid Bahonar Port, Suru beach and Khor gorsouzuan, experience significant to high levels of pollution, especially Cr and Ni. Using contamination factor (CF) and Geoaccumulation index (Igeo), Cr was considered the most dangerous metal in the studied areas. Based on the global classification of marine sediment quality for the concentrations of TPHs, the sediments of the studied stations were classified as non-polluted to low pollution. In all regions, indices of the PELq (General toxicity) and CF (Contamination factor) were much lower than 0.1 and 1 respectively, showing the absence of adverse biological effects caused by TPHs in sediments. It is necessary to consider comprehensive and impressive strategies to control and reduce pollution of heavy metals, especially in the areas of Shahid Bahonar Port, Suru Beach, and Khor gorsouzuan, so that the sources of this pollution are required to be identified and managed.

The Scenario of Groundwater Pollution after Implementation of Zero Liquid Discharge: An Agricultural Economic Perspective

Groundwater pollution is hard to remediate in the Noyyal river region even after the implementation of Zero Liquid Discharge process. Hence, to study the status and extent of groundwater pollution in the Noyyal river region, Tiruppur district of Tamil Nadu was purposively selected and classified into 3 regions based on the distance from the river and 120 farms were selected. Tools of analysis viz., Cost benefit analysis, Resource use efficiency and decomposition analysis were undertaken to study the status of groundwater pollution and its effect on agriculture. The results showed that intensity and severity of pollution is high in the region closer to Noyyal river (less than 1 km). Income from agriculture is also low in that region due to the use of polluted groundwater for irrigation. The study revealed that Zero Liquid Discharge ensures stoppage of industrial effluents into the river and hence, river pollution is stopped. Similarly, a suitable policy is required to revamp groundwater. Hence, the suggested policy includes water storage structures like tanks, lakes, ponds etc are to be used for groundwater recharge purpose alone.

Interpretable diurnal impacts on extreme urban PM2.5 concentrations of soil temperature, soil water content, humidity and temperature inversion

Inhabitants of megacities around the world are suffering from severely unhealthy concentrations of PM2.5 as a result of intense emissions from numerous sectors, often combined with adverse meteorological conditions. Machine learning algorithms can be applied to multiyear datasets of hourly measurements in order to identify the main drivers causing intense pollution. In particular, Generalized Additive Models (GAM) provide interpretable associations of the interplay between emissions and meteorology. GAM simulations were developed for five dry seasons in Kolkata and Dhaka. In the model, soil temperature was associated with 21% of PM2.5 variability. Instead of 2-m humidity, model performance was improved by including air humidity at 1000 hPa and soil water content individually, with each accounting for around 6% of PM2.5 variability. Boundary layer heights have a significant impact on daytime concentrations, but the GAM output showed that temperature inversion intensity better characterized the stability of the nocturnal boundary layer and had a larger contribution to the PM2.5 variability. The GAM model could also identify interactions between parameters and showed that boundary layer height, temperature inversion intensity and air humidity had impacts that varied by time of day. By using GAM factors for winds at 100 m above the surface in combination with the Trajectory Cluster Contribution Function, the model estimated that local winds were associated with around 6% of variability whereas long range transport was associated with around 9% of variability. The analysis shows that there are no silver bullets for improving air quality and that adverse meteorology is making the problem harder to solve. Nevertheless, the results show that sustained efforts at controlling both local and regional sources will yield cleaner air that is greatly needed to improve the health of people living in large metropolitan areas.

Unveiling the Spatial Dimensions of Light Pollution in Pakistan: An Emerging Environmental Challenge

The study aims to investigates about the growing and serious concern of light pollution as an emerging environmental challenge in Pakistan. The study also attempts to analyze the spatial dimensions of this issue, including its implications for biodiversity and public health. The study also attempts to analyze the spatial dimensions of this issue, including its implications for biodiversity and public health. In Pakistan, a notable research gap exists regarding the environmental impact of light pollution. Despite the absence of policies regulating artificial lighting, and a lack of public awareness on this issue, there is a pressing need for comprehensive research to address and mitigate the adverse effects of excessive artificial light in the country. This descriptive study employs spatial mapping techniques to investigate and highlight the pervasive issue of light pollution in Pakistan. Utilizing geographic information, the research analyzes and visually represents the spatial distribution of artificial lighting, providing a comprehensive understanding of the extent and intensity of light pollution across the country. It is found that the most light-polluted regions in Pakistan encompass the northern, eastern, and central sectors of Punjab, the southwestern and central areas of Sindh, the central part of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, and the western region of Baluchistan. The study indicate that artificial sources of nightlight primarily cause light pollution in urban areas. This heightened light pollution coincides with major urban centers such as Rawalpindi, Lahore, Gujranwala, Faisalabad, Multan, Karachi, Hyderabad, Peshawar, and Quetta situated in these areas. Due to strong spatial effects, the light pollution extends from urban regions to their neighboring rural areas and depleting their dark spaces. Similarly, it is observed that, this strong spatial effect also causing light pollution alongside Indian border, substantiate the fact that light pollution from the urban regions of India creating light pollution in Pakistan. Furthermore, the study recommends comprehensive policy measures, including zoning regulations, public awareness campaigns, and technological solutions, to mitigate the adverse effects and spatial spread of light pollution.