Environmental Interest Research Articles

Article: Sustainable AI Regulation

This article addresses a critical gap in the current AI regulatory discourse by focusing on the environmental sustainability of AI and technology more broadly, a topic often overlooked both in environmental law and in technology regulation, such as the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) or the EU AI Act. Recognizing AI’s significant impact on climate change and its substantial water consumption, especially in large generative models like ChatGPT, GPT-4, or Gemini, the article aims to integrate sustainability considerations into technology regulation, in three steps. First, while current EU environmental law does not directly address these issues, there is potential to reinterpret existing legislation, such as the GDPR, to support sustainability goals. Counterintuitively, the article argues that this also implies the need to balance individual rights, such as the right to erasure, with collective environmental interests. Second, based on an analysis of current law, and the proposed EU AI Act, the article suggests a suite of policy measures to align AI and technology regulation with environmental sustainability. They extend beyond mere transparency mechanisms, such as disclosing greenhouse gas footprints, to include a mix of strategies like co-regulation, sustainability by design, restrictions on training data, and consumption caps, potentially integrating AI and technology more broadly into the EU emissions trading regime. Third, this regulatory toolkit could serve as a blueprint for other technologies with high environmental impacts, such as blockchain and metaverse applications. The aim is to establish a comprehensive framework that addresses the dual fundamental societal transformations of digitization and climate change mitigation. AI regulation, environmental sustainability, GDPR, EU AI Act, sustainability goals

An inexpensive and lightweight dynamic cone penetrometer for the characterization of shallow submerged sediments

Abstract Sediment compaction is an indicator of the health of benthic communities. At the same time, many of the extractive or cultivation activities on the coast take place in areas of special environmental interest and remove or compact the sediment by their own activity or simply by access on foot. Measurements of compaction or penetration resistance of marine or river sediments are not common, especially in submerged environments. Although there are devices, such as vane testers, that can be used in non‐submerged sediments, lightweight and inexpensive devices for measuring compaction in submerged sediments are rare. An apparatus for measuring sediment penetration resistance based on the dynamic cone penetrometers used in terrestrial environments is described and tested. The device is lightweight and inexpensive, and although it is intended for use in submerged sediments, it can also be used manually in sediments accessible by foot. In the process of testing the apparatus, the penetration resistance values of surfaced sediments have been compared with those obtained with a vane tester to estimate compaction. This new lightweight penetrometer provides inexpensive penetration resistance values as a measure of compaction in the sediment layer of greatest interest for the management of habitats and communities and makes it possible to establish criteria for action and to measure its effectiveness.

The Role and Importance of Protected Forest Areas in the Preservation of Lake Baikal

The article is devoted to identifying the role and importance of forest systems of specially protected natural territories –– the Baikal-Lena Reserve and the Baikal National Park in the conservation of Lake Baikal. The analysis of the formation of anthropogenic impact on the Baikal natural territory of industrial and recreational processes is carried out. The differences between the legal regime of the reserve and the national park and the identity of their goal-setting are revealed. The analysis of the characteristics of forest systems of protected areas that ensure the conservation of biodiversity of the plant and animal world, a variety of landscape conditions conducive to the development and habitat of animals. The role of forest systems in the preservation of Lake Baikal is shown. It is proved that the recreational use of protected areas has a negative impact on their condition. In order to restore disturbed areas of forest and soil, protect against fires and protect the environment in general, it is necessary to ensure the balance of environmental and economic interests by charging a fee for the use of the forest fund, identifying sources of income from forest recreation through appropriate measures. In order to prevent the negative impact of protected areas on the preservation of the Baikal system, it is necessary to increase the efficiency of management of these territories.

THE ROLE OF THE ENTREPRENEURIAL ECOSYSTEM IN GROWING MOTIVATION AND INTEREST IN ENTREPRENEURSHIP

The high unemployment rate for college graduates is a big problem in Indonesia. Indonesia's many educated unemployed are due to the need for more interest in entrepreneurship. The entrepreneurial ecosystem can play an essential role in reducing the number of educated unemployed by giving birth to new entrepreneurs. The total sample size is 55 students. Samples were taken using a purposive sampling technique. Data analysis methods include validity tests, reliability tests, t-tests, f-tests, and coefficient of determination tests. The test results reveal that entrepreneurial motivation is directly influenced by entrepreneurial education, family environment, and community environment, but the social environment cannot provide internal motivation. Likewise, interest in entrepreneurship, entrepreneurial motivation, entrepreneurship education, and family environment have a direct influence, while the community environment has no influence. Entrepreneurial motivation failed to act as a connecting variable between entrepreneurship education, family environment, and community environment on students' entrepreneurial interest. The results of tests carried out simultaneously with entrepreneurship education, family environment, and community environment can influence students' entrepreneurial motivation and interest.

HUBUNGAN ANTARA LINGKUNGAN KELUARGA DAN MINAT BELAJAR MATEMATIKA SISWA SMP

The family environment is very influential in the development of student learning outcomes. In the development of children, the family plays an important role in assisting the development of children in their education which includes obstacles or learning difficulties. The purpose of this study was (1) to evaluate whether there is a correlation between the family environment and students 'interest in studying mathematics and (2) this study was to measure the extent to which the role or contribution derived from the family environment in shaping students' interests. This research can be classified as quantitative research, which takes an approach using correlational methods. In other words, this study focuses on the analysis of relationships or correlations between certain variables in a research context. The sample used in this study consisted of 37 seventh grade students in one of the State Junior High School located in Karawang. The findings of the study indicate a positive correlation between the condition of the family environment and students ' interest in learning mathematics at the level of grade VII (GIS value. 0,000 0,05). Based on the results of correlation analysis, there is a calculated r value of 0.556, while the R value of the table is 0.32461. Thus, since the value of R count (0.556) is greater than that of R table (0.32461), it can be concluded that there is a positive correlation between the family environment and interest in learning mathematics. The family environment variable gave dedication to learning interest by 30.9% and another 69.1% came from other factors.

An Undergraduate Laboratory Module Integrating Organic Chemistry and Polymer Science.

Polymer science is receiving wider acceptance in the organic chemistry community; thus, it is imperative to include it in the undergraduate organic chemistry curriculum. Despite the ever-increasing popularity of the topic of polymer chemistry in undergraduate curricula, a comprehensive laboratory experiment module describing a polypeptide synthesis by ring-opening polymerization of N-carboxyanhydride (NCA ROP) and a homopolymer synthesis by activators-regenerated by electron-transfer for atom transfer radical polymerization (ARGET ATRP) has yet to be proposed. Herein, we report a semester-long, ten week undergraduate laboratory module focusing on the synthesis and analytical characterization of polyalanine and polystyrene for an advanced organic chemistry class. Students received hands-on-experiences in synthesizing polymers followed by their characterization via proton nuclear magnetic resonance (1H NMR) spectroscopy, electrospray ionization-mass spectrometry (ESI-MS), gel permeation chromatography (GPC), thermogravimetry (TGA), differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), and transmission electron microscopy (TEM), which are not well-presented in the typical organic chemistry curricula. These engaging hands-on lessons in the newly designed laboratory module not only increase students' interests in an interdisciplinary environment of organic chemistry and polymer science but also cultivate their research interests and communication skills and promote critical thinking.

Modeling the temperature-programmed reduction of metal oxide catalysts by considering the particle-size distribution effect

Hydrogen temperature-programmed reduction (H2-TPR) has become a very useful and common technique for the chemical characterization of solids as it is sensitive to the study of reducible species in catalysis and is considered to be a fingerprint for the reducibility of metal oxide catalysts. However, although modeling of H2-TPR patterns has been extensively studied, little attention has been paid to the effect of particle-size distribution (PSD). The complexity of modeling H2-TPR patterns arises from the fact that the chemistry of metal oxide reduction depends on several factors, including particle size, nature of the support material and confinement within the porous structure, amongst others. In order to identify the kinetic reaction model governing the reduction of certain metal oxides and to explore the effect of PSD, pure metal oxides that only exhibited the particle size difference effect were used to model the H2-TPR patterns. Kinetic and thermodynamic data, which are very useful for characterizing heterogeneous catalysts, were obtained from this study. This work presents a simple procedure for modeling H2-TPR patterns of various metal oxides (i.e., CuO, Ag2O, and NiO) used as active phases in several reactions of environmental and energetic interest using several solid-state reaction kinetic models and considering their PSDs. The results obtained show that modeling the H2-TPR profiles provides information regarding the PSD of metal oxide catalysts that undergo a single-step reduction and only present the particle size difference effect.

Focus-Then-Decide: Segmentation-Assisted Reinforcement Learning

Visual Reinforcement Learning (RL) is a promising approach to achieve human-like intelligence. However, it currently faces challenges in learning efficiently within noisy environments. In contrast, humans can quickly identify task-relevant objects in distraction-filled surroundings by applying previously acquired common knowledge. Recently, foundational models in natural language processing and computer vision have achieved remarkable successes, and the common knowledge within these models can significantly benefit downstream task training. Inspired by these achievements, we aim to incorporate common knowledge from foundational models into visual RL. We propose a novel Focus-Then-Decide (FTD) framework, allowing the agent to make decisions based solely on task-relevant objects. To achieve this, we introduce an attention mechanism to select task-relevant objects from the object set returned by a foundational segmentation model, and only use the task-relevant objects for the subsequent training of the decision module. Additionally, we specifically employed two generic self-supervised objectives to facilitate the rapid learning of this attention mechanism. Experimental results on challenging tasks based on DeepMind Control Suite and Franka Emika Robotics demonstrate that our method can quickly and accurately pinpoint objects of interest in noisy environments. Consequently, it achieves a significant performance improvement over current state-of-the-art algorithms. Project Page: https://www.lamda.nju.edu.cn/chenc/FTD.html Code: https://github.com/LAMDA-RL/FTD

Education and interest in environmental issues in Turkey: Evidence from a compulsory schooling law

ABSTRACT Given the significant impact of individual attitudes in coping with environmental problems, understanding the effects of socioeconomic factors such as education on these attitudes is critical. Utilizing the exogenous variation in educational attainment created by the 1997 education reform in Turkey, I investigate the causal effect of education on individuals’ interest in environmental issues. I apply the fuzzy regression discontinuity design using data from Turkey’s Life Satisfaction Survey. The research provides an insight into the effects of the reform on the schooling behaviour of lower socioeconomic strata. The results indicate that the increase in the proportion of middle school graduates has not changed the interest in environmental issues for men and women in lower socioeconomic positions. The increased likelihood of this group’s exposure to environmental problems, coupled with their reduced capacity to protect themselves, may stimulate interest in environmental issues independent of the effect of education. Furthermore, the increase in economic activities harmful to the environment and the increase in public discourse on environmental issues may also stimulate environmental interest. Since education does not seem to affect environmental interest, targeted policies such as incorporating environmental education into the curriculum may be necessary to enhance environmental interest.

A biogenic organic molecule involved in the formation of secondary organic aerosols: Microwave and millimeter-wave spectroscopy of 3-methylcatechol backed by quantum chemistry

3-methylcatechol (3MC) is a molecule of environmental interest due to its presence in the atmosphere during biomass burning events, leading to the formation of secondary organic aerosols. This paper goes one step further than the paper from A.S. Hazrah et al. (2022) [10]. A three-dimensional torsional potential energy surface was determined, confirming the existence of three rotamers for 3MC. One dimensional potential energy curves along the rotation of the methyl group were computed and fitted to estimate the barrier height in each conformer. Experiments were performed at low temperature in the microwave domain (2−20GHz range) and, for the first time, in the millimeter-wave domain (70−110GHz range) at T=323K with a specially designed heated absorption cell. The rotational linelist was fitted to provide updated spectroscopic parameters for the two 3MC conformers of lowest energies. In particular, the A−E splitting is observed in the microwave region for both conformers while in the millimeter-wave region, it is only seen for the conformer of the lowest energy.

Which is the larger issue in Indonesia: waste exports or imports? Interests in politics, economics, or the environment?

The current situation in the worldwide society is paradoxical, as it is characterized by a scarcity in addressing the demand for food. Hence, the garbage predicament in Indonesia remains an environmental concern that necessitates resolution, in conjunction with the challenge of importing waste from industrialized nations to Indonesia. This practice came into existence. Habits of Indonesian individuals who continue to dispose of garbage negligently. This practice of mishandling waste will lead to the emergence of other issues. The issue of waste importation is further compounded by the unreliability of Indonesian waste sorting as a supply source. As one of the developing nations in Southeast Asia that receives waste imports, Indonesia experiences substantial consequences due to this phenomenon. Hence, this paper seeks to examine the issue of trash imports in Indonesia from a political-ecological standpoint, encompassing the social and economic dimensions and the environmental consequences. Furthermore, the article above, which examined the issue of trash imports in Indonesia, has also been conducted. Further investigation is required to explore political ecology, social and economic dimensions, and environmental ramifications. In addition, this article provides an overview of the relevant legislative requirements for the trash importation process in Indonesia. This paper employed the literature review approach to gather research material about waste imports and policies in Indonesia during the past five years. The research information was sourced from multiple studies utilizing the SLR 7P technique. The study findings indicate that trash imports in Indonesia can be understood as a manifestation of ecological politics, wherein the environmental issues are significantly shaped by political factors (namely ego-sectoral features) and economic components within them. The primary objective of the environmental interests outlined in the Basel Convention, which was subsequently translated into laws and regulations in Indonesia, has yet to safeguard environmental and human well-being from the adverse effects of imported trash. In addition, it is essential to comprehensively evaluate Indonesia's trash import policy to clarify its requirements. Furthermore, the issue of enforcing laws effectively in cases of infractions will also be addressed.

The “forever” per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS): A critical accounting of global research on a major threat under changing regulations

The European Commission's current efforts to launch the largest proposal to restrict per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in history reflect the dire global plight of PFAS accumulation in the environment and their health impacts. While there are existing studies on PFAS research, there is a lack of comprehensive analysis that both covers the entire research period and provides deep insights into global research patterns, incentives, and barriers based on various parameters. We have been able to demonstrate the increasing interest in PFAS research, although citation numbers are declining prematurely. Policy regulations based on proving and establishing the toxicity of PFASs have stimulated research in developed countries and vice versa, with increasing emphasis on ecological aspects. China, in particular, is investing increasingly in PFAS research, but without defining or implementing regulations - with devastating effects. The separation of industrial and environmental research interests is clear, with little involvement of developing countries, even though their exposure to PFAS is devastating. It, therefore, requires increased globally networked and multidisciplinary approaches to address PFAS contamination challenges.

Problematika Peserta Didik Dalam Mahārah Al-Qirā’ah Kelas VIII di Madrasah Tsanawiyah

This research is concerned with the problems of students in mahārah al-qirā'ah at MTsN 3 Palu City whose problems include what are the problems of students in class VIII mahārah al-qirā'ah at MTsN 3 Palu City and what are the solutions to the problems of class VIII students at MTsN 3 Palu City in mahārah al-qirā'ah.
 This research uses qualitative research methods and uses a descriptive approach. The results of the research show that first, the author divides problems from a linguistic perspective at MTsN 3 Palu City into four, namely sound system, sentence structure, vocabulary and writing. Meanwhile, problems from a non-linguistic perspective are divided into four, namely environmental factors, interest and motivation, educational factors, and facilities and infrastructure factors. Second, the solution or effort made by the teacher to overcome this problem is to spell out the words word by word to the students which is then followed up so that the pronunciation of the words is correct, such as pronouncing makhārijul hurūf, asking students to memorize the 14 dhamir, and giving them Arabic texts to rewrite. Meanwhile, the solution from a non-linguistic perspective is to provide motivation, vary learning methods, give prizes, and hold extra hours. Keywords: Makhārijul hurūf, Dhamir, Mahārah al-Qirā'ah

Farm adaptation to stricter nutrient management legislation and the implications for future livestock production: a review

AbstractStricter nutrient surplus and lower emission targets are placing adaptation pressure on livestock farms in European countries, while the public debate on how farms should react upon this pressure is controversial. In this paper, we performed an integrative literature review on different farm adaptation options, including (i) structural adaptation, (ii) technological adaptation, (iii) manure redistribution, and (iv) farm system conversion. Our analysis showed that stricter environmental legislation, together with complementary supply- and demand-related drivers, induced various farm responses. These ranged from easy to implement solutions (e.g. moderate livestock destocking to the legal levels combined with the adoption of emission abatement technologies) to novel niche concepts (e.g. animal husbandry without slaughtering). Possible reactions of farmers differed in their complexity and feasibility across different farm types and involved different trade-offs between environmental and socioeconomic interests. Future livestock production is expected to be diverse with different coexisting models that combine features of different adaptation options. The private and public sustainability of these models depends on their ability to simultaneously address multiple emerging challenges (e.g. emission reduction, animal welfare, biosecurity, and circularity). Current technological solutions often focus on a single objective (e.g. emission reduction). Integrated and multifunctional solutions (e.g. low-emission animal welfare barns compatible with biosecurity measures) are not yet sufficiently adopted, which calls for a rethinking and shifting in priorities in legislation and funding schemes.

Green Trade Opportunities and Challenges within the Belt and Road Initiative

The Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) presents new opportunities for global sustainable development, with a particular emphasis on promoting green trade. Green trade not only contributes significantly to economic growth in participating countries but also strives to balance environmental protection with efficient resource utilization. However, the development of green trade faces formidable challenges, including inadequate policy implementation, difficulties in technology transfer, and inherent conflicts between environmental conservation and economic interests. This study critically examines the successes and lessons learned from two key projects: the China-Europe Green Bridge Project and Pakistan's Karot Hydropower Project. The findings highlight that effective collaboration between China and Europe in policy coordination, green technology transfer, and financial support played a pivotal role in the success of the China-Europe Green Bridge Project. In contrast, deficiencies in policy execution, technological-adaptation mismatches, and socio-environmental conflicts contributed to the challenges faced by the Karot Hydropower Project. Building on these insights, the study proposes several strategic recommendations. These include conducting comprehensive, country-specific studies, quantitative analyses, and interdisciplinary research to enhance policy coherence, deepen international cooperation, strengthen financial support for green initiatives, and bolster environmental impact assessments and regulatory frameworks. These measures are aimed at advancing green trade under the BRI and fostering sustainable development on a global scale.

Determinants of obesity in Latin America.

Obesity rates are increasing almost everywhere in the world, although the pace and timing for this increase differ when populations from developed and developing countries are compared. The sharp and more recent increase in obesity rates in many Latin American countries is an example of that and results from regional characteristics that emerge from interactions between multiple factors. Aware of the complexity of enumerating these factors, we highlight eight main determinants (the physical environment, food exposure, economic and political interest, social inequity, limited access to scientific knowledge, culture, contextual behaviour and genetics) and discuss how they impact obesity rates in Latin American countries. We propose that initiatives aimed at understanding obesity and hampering obesity growth in Latin America should involve multidisciplinary, global approaches that consider these determinants to build more effective public policy and strategies, accounting for regional differences and disease complexity at the individual and systemic levels.

Addressing the conflicts between climate-related renewable energy goals and environmental protection interests under the RED Directive

AbstractThe aim of the contribution is to focus on the conflicts arising between climate-related renewable energy goals vis-a-vis environmental protection interests. To this effect, the analysis will firstly investigate the origin of such types of conflicts, which may also be named intra-environmental conflicts, and define their main characteristics; secondly, the regulatory choices made by the RED II and the RED III Directives to manage these conflicts will be presented and compared, with a particular focus on the three key features of the recently approved RED III Directive; thirdly, an alternative approach to address such types of conflicts will be proposed. This is based on the principle of integration, to be interpreted with an ecological sustainability reading of the principle of sustainable development.

Airline insolvencies and environmental concerns: a comparative legal perspective

Abstract Airline insolvencies can be economically stressful for the countries concerned. One of the significant challenges associated with such insolvencies is the grounding of the aircraft over an extended period due to the pendency of the legal proceedings. The ease with which the lessors can regain possession of the aircraft, triggered by the default of the insolvency company, determines the efficacy of the regulatory climate. Leaving aside the financial troubles the insolvent company faces, it may be additionally expected to match its environmental obligations. Therefore, the push for ‘green insolvencies’ is slowly gaining momentum within the international community. The Cape Town Convention stipulates a sui generis process of seeking possession of an aircraft without undue delay. The countries incorporating the Convention into their domestic setups stand to gain a tremendous regulatory edge over those that are yet to align their national laws with this international instrument. While focusing on developing an efficient insolvency framework is not enough in light of the Sustainable Development Goals, it is possible to address environmental concerns by incorporating more climate-sensitive insolvency frameworks at the national level. The countries may continue to turn to their domestic environmental norms in this regard. This research study aims to throw light on how airline insolvencies need to be more considerate towards environmental interests. It seeks to fill the gaps in the current literature regarding this interface and explore this rather tenuous relationship from a comparative legal lens. The first section of the paper provides an overview of the study. The second section considers the applicability of the Cape Town Convention and discusses the relevant insolvency frameworks in the USA, the United Kingdom, Canada, India, and Nigeria. The last section of the study provides the concluding remarks and suggestions.

Role of Development Banking in Economic Growth in Kenya

Purpose: This study delineates the impact of development banking on Kenya's economic growth. The current study adopted a quantitative and exploratory research design.
 Materials and Methods: The study used a quantitative research design. Secondary data was utilized in this study. The data was collected from the financial statements of development banks in Kenya. The target population was 6 development banks in Kenya. The study then progressed to more complex regression analysis, where financial performance ratios and percentages for predictor factors formed the basis of the analysis. The study focused on 6 development financial institutions operating in Kenya.
 Findings: The findings (β=0.1153, p=0.0056), reveal that development banking had a positive and significant effect on economic growth. This infers that an improvement in development banking by one unit would lead to an improvement in economic growth by 0.115 units. The investigation substantiates a tangible and statistically significant correlation between the maturation of the development banking sector and the economic growth spectrum in Kenya.
 Implications to Theory, Practice and Policy: Policymakers in Kenya should work to maintain a stable regulatory system that enhances the role of the banking system in stimulating economic growth. The study emphasizes the need for a stable regulatory environment and well-considered interest rate policies to mitigate adverse economic impacts. Additionally, the study advocates for a pro-poor banking approach to reduce wealth disparities and boost economic growth through improved savings and customer deposits in banks. the banks.

Travel-based learning: unleashing the power of destination curiosity

ABSTRACT International travel has been historically influenced by interest in foreign cultures and environments. Despite its deep roots in curiosity and exploratory behavior, curiosity-driven travel is underrepresented in modern tourism scholarship. Curiosity, vital for exploratory actions, plays a significant role in travelers’ behaviors, influencing travel for learning about diverse societies and cultures. This study (1) underscored destination curiosity as the zeal for travel exploration, (2) devised a Destination Curiosity scale using mixed methods, (3) validated the scale’s predictive capability concerning cultural identity’s impact on visit intentions, and (4) expanded tourism literature, aiding entities in crafting experiences that stimulate curiosity and learning.