Major Provinces Research Articles

Monitoring fluorine levels in tea leaves from major producing areas in China and the relative health risk

The trace element fluoride can exert a preventive function on dental caries at moderate intake levels, but can also lead to skeletal fluorosis and cognitive impairment when consumed in excessive amounts. Tea is a fluoride hyperaccumulator, yet the risks of fluoride intake via tea consumption are yet to be investigated. In this study, we measured fluoride levels in common tea products from major cultivation provinces in China. Fluoride contents ranged from 6 to 808 mg/kg. Of the samples, 15.6% (34/218) demonstrated fluoride contents which exceeded the maximum residue limit of 200 mg/kg. The samples with high fluoride contents mainly represented oolong tea and dark tea. Fluoride contents in tea were significantly varied between producing regions, which is mainly due to different degree of soil acidification and fluoride occurrence in groundwater. Daily fluoride intake via tea consumption among the general population ranged from 0.02-2.20 mg/day, which is lower than the tolerable upper fluoride intake level (UL) of 3.50 mg/day based on Chinese Dietary Reference Intakes, but rather close to the UL of 2.50 mg/day set by the European Food Safety Authority. A risk assessment indicated that the consumption of tea was not associated with any significant health risks (hazard quotient ≤ 0.54). However, we found a potential risk for the simultaneous consumption of tea, drinking water, wheat and seafood based on a simulation assessment. Fluoride intake among the high-risk population should be continuously monitored.

Self-Reported Anxiety and Depression among Parents of Primary School Children during the COVID-19 Pandemic in Thailand, 2022.

One significant concern during the COVID-19 pandemic is parents' mental health, which may consequently affect children's health and well-being. The objective of this study is to investigate generalized anxiety and depression in parents of primary-school-aged children and identify risk factors for mental health problems. A cross-sectional survey comprising 701 parents of primary school children in five of Thailand's major provinces was carried out from January to March 2022. Generalized anxiety and depression levels were assessed using the GAD-7 and PHQ-9. Logistic regression was performed to determine the effects of independent variables on anxiety and depression. Results showed that the prevalence of generalized anxiety and depression was 42.7% and 28.5%, respectively, among Thai parents. Three strong associative factors included: (1) having a youngest child with mental health problems; (2) not assisting their children every day; and (3) drinking alcohol. These findings show that the parents must deal with several difficulties when trying to maintain work and parenting duties while being confined at home during emergency situations. The government should provide sufficient assistance to parents who lack skills in handling children with emotional and behavioral problems. Meanwhile, health promotion to reduce alcohol consumption should continue to be an area of focus.

The Efficiency of Rural Public Finance Inputs in Promoting Rural Revitalization: Empirical Analysis Based on Henan Province, China

<p>The No.1 document of the Central Government of China has been on the theme of "agriculture, rural areas and farmers" for nearly ten years, placing the solution of "agriculture, rural areas and farmers" at the forefront of the Chinese government's work. Located in the Central Plains, Henan Province in China is one of the major agricultural provinces in China and plays an extremely important role in the field of agricultural production in China. This paper uses an empirical approach and the DEA-Malquist model to study the efficiency of rural public financial inputs to rural revitalisation in Henan Province. The results show that due to different levels of regional economic development, the efficiency of rural public finance investment in Henan Province in promoting rural revitalisation varies, and there is a phenomenon of unreasonable allocation of funds. At the same time, the region's agricultural base also has a greater impact on the efficiency of financial investment. Therefore, Henan Province should adjust measures according to the different regional economic levels and agricultural bases to improve the efficiency of the use of fiscal funds.</p>

Phthalate esters and their metabolites in paired soil-crop systems from farmland in major provinces of eastern China: Pollution characteristics and implications for human exposure

The extensive application of phthalate esters (PAEs) as plasticizers has raised considerable concern regarding their environmental load, but the associated occurrence of PAE metabolites has often been ignored. The soil–plant system is a vital source of human exposure to PAEs via crop intake. Here, paired soil–plant samples were collected from eastern China to investigate the occurrence characteristics of seven PAE congeners and two primary monoester phthalate metabolites (mPAEs) in farmland. The detection frequencies of PAEs and mPAEs in the investigated soil–plant systems were 100 %. The total concentrations of PAEs in the collected soil and plant samples ranged from 0.07 to 1.83 mg/kg (dw) and from 3.9 to 24 mg/kg (dw), respectively. Moreover, di-(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate, diisobutyl phthalate and di-n-butyl phthalate were the predominant PAE congeners in the farmlands of eastern China, collectively accounting for >90 % of the total concentration of PAEs. In addition, the total concentrations of the two mPAEs were markedly higher in plant samples (49 ng/g dw to 549 ng/g dw) than in soil samples (3 ng/g dw to 22 ng/g dw), indicating that PAEs are readily metabolized in plants. The hazard index (HI) values of all PAEs in all crops were <1, demonstrating that the risks of PAEs in the crops were acceptable. However, the daily intake of mPAEs from the consumption of cabbage was higher than or comparable to that of some PAEs (such as di-n-octyl phthalate). This highlights the importance of taking metabolites into consideration in further environmental investigations and risk assessments of PAEs.

Food security and overuse of agrochemicals: evidence from China's major grain-producing areas policy.

China's major grain-producing areas (MGPA) policy is the core policy to ensure national food security. While achieving long-term stable growth of grain production, assessing the impact of MGPA policy on agrochemical application has important practical significance in sustainable agricultural development and environmental protection. Based on panel data of 31 provinces in China from 1997 to 2020 and taking the MGPA policy introduced in 2004 as a quasi-natural experiment, we construct a difference-in-difference (DID) model to evaluate the overall impact and dynamic effect of MGPA policy. It is found that the MGPA policy do not exacerbate chemical overuse as a whole, but significantly reduce the fertilizer use by 11% and the pesticide use by 6%. Using the event study to decompose the policy effect year by year, we find that the MGPA policy significantly increased the fertilizer and pesticide use in a short period of time. Its influence on the application amount of two chemicals began to turn negative until the fourth and sixth years of the policy implementation and became more and more obvious. We conclude the intermediate paths of MGPA policy to change planting structure, deepen agricultural division of labor, and reduce the use of agrochemicals, which were verified by the intermediary effect model. From the perspective of provincial differences, MGPA policy reduced chemical use more in provinces with large output contribution and northern provinces. In addition, the MGPA policy has reduced the amount of fertilizer application in major rice-growing provinces, but not the amount of pesticide application. Our research can provide implications for other developing countries and emerging economies where agricultural production is highly dependent on chemicals and has green agricultural transition plans.

Stability Monitoring of Goaf Based on Remote Sensing Image

Large scale mining of coal resources is a major factor causing goaf collapse in China. According to the statistics of 21 major coal mining provinces, the area of coal mining surface subsidence is up to 4.5 billion m2, posing a great threat to the regional ecological environment and people's lives and property. The rapid development of remote sensing technology has changed the traditional field survey method and has become one of the important means of environmental monitoring. Information can be obtained not only by photography, but also by scanning. The amount of information obtained by remote sensing far exceeds that obtained by conventional traditional methods. Based on remote sensing images, this paper studies the stability monitoring of coal mine goaf, establishes a ground pressure monitoring network suitable for the actual situation of the mining area, and carries out long-term effective ground pressure monitoring. Through remote sensing images, we can fully grasp and avoid the hazards of the goaf. Remote sensing technology has the characteristics of wide use, large detection range, and rich information acquisition. It can comprehensively obtain the basic information of the mining area environment, and then monitor the mining area environment.

Validity and Consistency of the Arabic Version of the Eating Disorder Examination Questionnaire (EDE-Q) among Saudi Adults

The prevalence of eating disorders (EDs) is growing, and early screening is important to prevent related health complications. The Eating Disorder Examination Questionnaire (EDE-Q) has been widely used as a diagnostic tool to identify cases of EDs; however, a validated Arabic version of the tool is needed to help in the screening process of EDs. The aim of this study was to validate the Arabic version of EDE-Q. A cross-sectional study included a sample of 549 adults, who were recruited mainly from the four major provinces in Saudi Arabia. A forward-backward translation method was conducted, and then the tool was validated using the confirmatory factor analysis (CFA). The dataset was split for further convergent analysis using exploratory factor analysis (EFA) and CFA. The results of CFA from the main dataset did not support the four-factor original EDE-Q. The results of EFA from the first data-split suggested a three-factor EDE-Q-14 Arabic version. This was supported by the results of CFA of the second data-split. A total of five items were allocated in each shape and weight concern, and restraint component, with correlations ranging from 0.969 and 0.462 and from 0.847 to 0.437, respectively. A total of four items were allocated in eating concern, with correlations ranging from 0.748 to 0.556. The internal consistency of the global and the three subscales were high, with Cronbach's α ranging from 0.762 to 0.900. Findings of the current study suggest that the Arabic version of the EDE-Q-14 is a valid and reliable tool to screen for EDs among adults in Saudi Arabia.

Analysis of Asymmetric Price Transmission of Regional Potato Markets in Ecuador

This study analyzed spatial price transmission of potato markets in Ecuador. Price transmission is an essential indicator to understand a market system. To evaluate asymmetric price transmission between two spatial markets, the Nonlinear Autoregressive Distributed Lag (NARDL) model was applied in the study. The four major provinces such as Quito, Latacunga, Riobamba and San Gabriel of potato production are selected and spatial market data are collected from the System of Agriculture Pubic Information in Ecuador. The study found that there exist asymmetric price transmissions between Riobamba and Latacunga, and Riobamba and San Gabriel for long and short run. Quito and Latacunga, and Riobamba and Quito showed asymmetric price transmission for long run, but not for short run. The positive and negative effects of the long-run relationship between Riobamba and Quito and between Riobamba and San Gabriel are bigger than between other spatial markets. It is the first study to provide empirical information about regional potato markets.

Differentiated service delivery for HIV treatment models in Thailand: a cross-sectional assessment of real-world implementation and uptake.

First, to describe the antiretroviral therapy (ART) delivery models available in Thailand to understand differentiated service delivery (DSD) for further service system optimization and expansion of best practices; second, to determine the client characteristics associated with model uptake. Cross-sectional assessment using secondary data to describe ART models implemented as routine services at 4 public hospitals in 3 major provinces with a high HIV burden in Thailand. From April to October 2020, ART clients were screened consecutively according to the inclusion criteria: Thai, aged ≥18 years, and on ART for ≥6 months. HIV treatment models were categorized based on the service type, location, provider, and frequency. Logistic regression was used to identify the associated factors. Seven individual ART delivery models were identified: 4 were facility-based and 3 were out-of-facility. No group models were identified. Of 3,366 records of ART clients reviewed, 3,213 (95.5%) met the study criteria and received ART through the following models: conventional (32.6%), nurse-led clinical consultation (10.0%), fast-track refill (29.0%), after-hours clinic (10.6%), pharmacist-led pickup center (3.6%), key population-led community-based organization (2.7%), and mailing (11.5%). Age, population, duration on ART, and VL were associated with the uptake of certain alternative service models when compared to the conventional model. Among the variety of ART delivery approaches available in Thailand, facility-based models remain the most prevalent. Future work should investigate the role of client preference and choice in choosing service models and service utilization patterns over time, and assess the acceptability and effectiveness of these models.

Pioneer Studies on Metagenomic Evaluation of Diversity of Microbial Community in Banded Iron Formation (BIF) from Iron Ore Mining Belt of Goa, India

Goa is situated in the northwestern part of the Western Dharwar Craton (WDC) which is Asia’s major metallogenic province. The iron ore of Goa is associated with greenstone and occurs as bands, reefs, and lenses of Banded Hematite Quartzite (BHQ) and Banded Magnetite Quartzite (BMQ) none of these are explored for geo-microbiological dimensions, such as detection of microbioform Gold. The presence of metalliferous WDC in Goa affords sampling of auriferous materials from mining area having hitherto BHQ at latitude 15°29′54″ N and longitude 74° 03′44″ E) and BMQ at latitude 15°24′12″ N and longitude 74° 09′31″ E were collected, surface sterilized and drilled with a sterile driller to get the endolithic material under sterile conditions and sent for metagenomic analysis using Oxford nanopore sequencing. Both the samples showed the presence of microorganisms with Archea, such as Haloferax, Nitrososphaera, and Eubacteria, i.e., Bacillus, Ralstonia, Cupriavidus, Burkholderia, and Acetobacter. The traditional model of Banded Iron Deposition assumes precipitation by the oxidation of hydrothermal Fe (II), either via abiotic oxidation or biotic oxidation through chemo lithotrophic Eubacteria, such as cyanobacteria which produce oxygen. This paper reports the diversity and the presumptive role of these microorganisms in the biogeochemical cycling of metals, such as Fe, Mn, and gold (Au).

The Impact of Digital Financial Inclusion on the Level of Agricultural Output

The development of digital inclusive finance has alleviated the problem that traditional finance cannot fully cover rural areas, provided convenient services for Chinese farmers, and solved the problem of “difficult and expensive loans” in agricultural development. This paper used the panel data of Beijing University’s Digital Inclusive Finance Index and 31 provinces and cities in China from 2011 to 2020, and adopted the double-fixed-effect and panel threshold model to study the impact of the development of digital inclusive finance on the level of agricultural output and its internal mechanism. The study found that digital inclusive finance can significantly improve the level of agricultural output, and there is a double threshold for the impact of digital inclusive finance on the level of agricultural output. The heterogeneity analysis showed that the coverage and depth of digital inclusive finance can significantly improve the level of agricultural output, and the depth of use plays a greater role. Digital inclusive finance has significantly improved the level of agricultural output in the midwest regions and major agricultural provinces, but its impact on the eastern regions and non-agricultural provinces is not significant. Finally, the mechanism analysis found that digital inclusive finance can improve the level of agricultural output by promoting the level of agricultural mechanization and improving farmers’ willingness to participate in insurance. Therefore, we should continue to promote the development of digital inclusive finance according to local conditions.

Comprehensive Benefit of Crop Straw Return Volume under Sustainable Development Management Concept in Heilongjiang, China

Straw burning can cause serious environmental pollution, whereas returning straw to the fields, as a green production method, can improve the rural environment and strengthen the sustainable development of agriculture. According to statistics, China produced 797 million tons of straw in 2020, but the current straw return technology still needs to be improved; the ability of farmers to choose the correct amount of straw to be returned to the field and their awareness of environmental protection still need to be strengthened. Straw is still openly burned in some areas, causing environmental pollution and the waste of resources, which are contrary to the concept of sustainable development in China. In this study, we estimated the amount of straw resources in Heilongjiang Province, a major grain-producing province in China, by quantifying the production of major crops between 2011 and 2020. We then identified and analyzed the current problems in terms of policy support and other aspects. We used an integrated AHP-fuzzy evaluation method to evaluate the comprehensive benefits of different straw return amounts, and we determined the amount of straw that should be returned to the soil to produce the best comprehensive benefits. We provide suggestions for the current main problems regarding the amount of crop straw to return to the soil in Heilongjiang Province, arguing that choosing a reasonable straw return amount will help farmers increase profit, reduce environmental pollution, and contribute to the sustainable development of the environment.

Can citrus production in China become carbon-neutral? A historical retrospect and prospect

Reducing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and increasing carbon sequestration (CS) in agricultural systems are critical to realize carbon neutrality, and slowdown global climate change. However, a comprehensive analysis of GHG emissions, CS and the ways to achieve carbon neutrality of citrus production systems in China has not been reported. In this study, a NUFER-Citrus-LCA (citrus nutrient flows in food chains, environment, and resource use model combined with life cycle assessment) combined model was used to quantify the spatial and temporal characteristics of GHG emissions and CS from citrus production in China from 2004 to 2018 to determine the potential and the means to achieve carbon neutrality. The results showed that the GHG emissions varied remarkably among major citrus-producing provinces, with a decreasing trend in the last decade except for Guangdong province. However, the estimated emission for 2014–2018 (12,261 kg CO2-eq ha−1 yr−1) was 2–3 times greater than that of other countries, with Guangdong province recording the highest GHG emissions (24,403 kg CO2-eq ha−1 yr−1). Nitrogen fertilizer accounted for 71.5% of the total GHG emissions. The total carbon sequestration (TCS) during 2014–2018 was 24.1–74.5% of the total greenhouse gas (TGHG) emissions, depending on the province, indicating a net positive carbon emission in China’s citrus production system. The scenario analysis showed considerable potential for transforming the Chinese citrus production system from a carbon source to a carbon sink. This will, however, require a crop management system that combines optimized nitrogen fertilizer management, 50% replacement of chemical fertilizer with organic fertilizer and use of cover crops, resulting in a total net carbon sequestration of 15.2 Mt CO2-eq yr−1 nationally. Implementation of this crop management model is imperative for transitioning the Chinese citrus production toward carbon neutrality.

Transcriptome-based variations effectively untangling the intraspecific relationships and selection signals in Xinyang Maojian tea population.

As one of the world's top three popular non-alcoholic beverages, tea is economically and culturally valuable. Xinyang Maojian, this elegant green tea, is one of the top ten famous tea in China and has gained prominence for thousands of years. However, the cultivation history of Xinyang Maojian tea population and selection signals of differentiation from the other major variety Camellia sinensis var. assamica (CSA) remain unclear. We newly generated 94 Camellia sinensis (C. sinensis) transcriptomes including 59 samples in the Xinyang area and 35 samples collected from 13 other major tea planting provinces in China. Comparing the very low resolution of phylogeny inferred from 1785 low-copy nuclear genes with 94C. sinensis samples, we successfully resolved the phylogeny of C. sinensis samples by 99,115 high-quality SNPs from the coding region. The sources of tea planted in the Xinyang area were extensive and complex. Specifically, Shihe District and Gushi County were the two earliest tea planting areas in Xinyang, reflecting a long history of tea planting. Furthermore, we identified numerous selection sweeps during the differentiation of CSA and CSS and these positive selection genes are involved in many aspects such as regulation of secondary metabolites synthesis, amino acid metabolism, photosynthesis, etc. Numerous specific selective sweeps of modern cultivars were annotated with functions in various different aspects, indicating the CSS and CSA populations possibly underwent independent specific domestication processes. Our study indicated that transcriptome-based SNP-calling is an efficient and cost-effective method in untangling intraspecific phylogenetic relationships. This study provides a significant understanding of the cultivation history of the famous Chinese tea Xinyang Maojian and unravels the genetic basis of physiological and ecological differences between the two major tea subspecies.

CO2 emission reduction pathways of iron and steel industry in Shandong based on CO2 emission equity and efficiency

In the context of the “dual carbon” goal, the governance of CO2 emissions should comprehensively consider efficiency and equity. Shandong is a major province of the iron and steel industry, and the transformation of its high-CO2 emission development model is urgent. Based on the CO2 emission data of the iron and steel industry in 14 prefecture-level cities in Shandong from 2011 to 2020, this paper adopted the Super-SBM model and constructed a CO2 emission equity indicator to measure the CO2 emission efficiency and equity respectively. According to the “equity-efficiency” combination, the 14 cities were divided into four types of regions, and different corresponding CO2 emission reduction pathways were designed. The results demonstrated that: (1) The CO2 emission equity exhibited an upward trend, mainly due to the expansion of the iron and steel industry and the increase of employees. The CO2 emission efficiency fluctuated slightly and was ineffective due to the ineffective scale effect. (2) From the perspective of CO2 emission trading, the iron and steel industry in most cities was expected to purchase CO2 emission allowances, while that in Linyi and Rizhao was expected to sell them. (3) The CO2 emissions as a whole had the characteristics of “high equity and low efficiency”.

The distribution and human health risk assessment of eight neonicotinoid residues in agricultural soils from four provinces, south China

The widespread use of neonicotinoid (neonic) insecticides in China's agricultural sector has led to high residual concentrations in the agroecosystem. Since soil is the primary source of direct pesticide exposure, soil contamination is a significant concern, particularly in regions with extensive agricultural production. This study aims to determine the spatial distribution of neonics in farmlands from four southern provinces that are home to China's crucial commercial grain bases. By combining eight neonics into imidacloprid-equivalent total neonics (IMIRPF) using the relative potency factor method, the ecological risks to humans were also assessed. The results showed that imidacloprid had the highest detection rate (96%–100%), followed by thiamethoxam and clothianidin, which ranged from 44% to 64%. Maximum and average IMIRPF values in soil samples from Zhejiang Province were 277.02 and 46.05 μg kg−1 (dry weight), respectively. Guangdong (maximum = 191.62 μg kg−1, mean = 39.70 μg kg−1) and Jiangxi (maximum = 199.13 μg kg−1, mean = 28.95 μg kg−1) had comparable IMIRPF while Jiangsu had the lowest level of total neonics, with a maximum of 86.07 μg kg−1 and a mean of 19.49 μg kg−1. A significant positive correlation between IMIRPF and total organic carbon in soils was also found. The average daily doses of neonics from soil-borne exposure through food intake, soil ingestion, inhalation, and dermal contact calculated for adults and children in each province were all lower than the reference dose (RfD, 57 μg kg−1 d−1) of imidacloprid. However, the potential health risk to human health cannot be disregarded, given their increasing use and pervasiveness in the environment. Our results help to raise concerns about the safety of the agroecological environment under neonic exposure in the major agricultural provinces of southern China.

Assessing the consistency of crop leaf area index derived from seasonal Sentinel-2 and Landsat 8 imagery over Manitoba, Canada

To take full advantage of cloud-free optical remote sensing data for crop leaf area index (LAI) retrieval throughout the growing season, integration of multi-sensor satellite data is increasingly resorted. However, the consistencies of LAI products derived from different satellites using different retrieval approaches should be assessed. This study aimed at understanding the spatiotemporal consistency of crop LAI derived from S2/MSI (Multi Spectral Instrument, Sentinel-2) and L8/OLI (Operational Land Imager, Landsat 8) data using two retrieving approaches, a field-data-driven (FDD) approach driven by field measured LAI and a hybrid approach based on simulations of the PROSAIL radiative transfer model. Results from the two approaches were assessed using field measured LAI for six types of crops in 2016 over Manitoba, one of the major agricultural provinces in the Canadian Prairies. LAI estimates from S2/MSI data obtained unbiased root-mean-square-error (ubRMSE) of 0.39 and 0.51 cm2 cm−2 for the FDD and hybrid approaches respectively. For the L8/OLI, ubRMSE of LAI estimates were 0.82 and 0.92 cm2cm−2 for the FDD and hybrid approaches, respectively. To evaluate the temporal consistency of crop LAI derived from the two satellites, daily crop LAI was reconstructed using the Parametric Double-Hyperbolic Tangent model (PDHT) with the aid of Bayesian statistical approach. Time series crop LAI of the hybrid approach had lower variability of estimated parameters in the PDHT and reconstructed daily LAI compared with that of the FDD approach. Based on the Spatial Efficiency Metric (SPAEF) that is a spatial performance metric for assessing spatial pattern similarity, the hybrid approach obtained relatively strong spatial consistency of LAI derived from the two satellites compared with the FDD approach. The study revealed that hybrid approach can achieve good spatiotemporal consistencies in seasonal LAI estimates from the two satellites combined when large numbers of field measurements are not available.

Research on the Structural Optimization of the Clean Energy Industry in the Context of Dual Carbon Strategy—A Case Study of Sichuan Province, China

As a major province for hydroelectric power in China, Sichuan Province has witnessed a great amount of seasonal characteristics in its hydroelectric power, endowing the clean energy industry in Sichuan with the characteristics of unstable supply in different seasons, strong power transmission capacity, and low production capacity of other non-fossil energy sources (except hydroelectric power). In this study, the mathematical model method was used to construct a structural optimization model of the clean energy industry in Sichuan Province, and to enable a quantitative analysis of the rationalization of the clean energy industrial structure in Sichuan Province. The results are proved from the cost-effectiveness of low carbon emission that hydroelectric power &gt; wind power &gt; photovoltaic power &gt; natural gas &gt; coal &gt; oil. This study shall find the theoretical structure of the clean energy industry in Sichuan Province in 2030 with a prediction of Sichuan Province’s total future energy output and a constraint of its industrial structure model of clean energy. This paper suggests that Sichuan Province should give priority to the development of non-fossil energy sources, increase the development and utilization of power transmission channels in wet seasons, and develop clean energy and high energy consumption industries and the construction of pumped storage power stations, so as to reduce and avoid the waste of energy resources. It is also suggested that Sichuan Province should focus on developing clean energy with the capability of peak shaving, such as hydrogen energy and natural gas, while developing smart grid and long-distance transmission technology to strengthen energy conservation and emissions-reduced power generation. On this basis, Sichuan will focus on the development and utilization of natural gas as an alternative to high-carbon energy, with a view to optimizing its industrial structure of clean energy and helping China achieve the dual-carbon goals.

Measurement and Multiple Decomposition of Total Factor Productivity Growth in China’s Coal Industry

Optimizing the industry development system and implementing a high-quality development strategy in China’s coal industry require us to grasp the overall status and regional differences of industrial development. Measuring and decomposing the total factor productivity growth of the coal industry is a necessary prerequisite. In this study, we estimated the total factor productivity (TFP) growth of coal industry in 24 major coal-producing provinces in China by constructing a stochastic frontier analysis (SFA) model based on a translog production function and decomposed it into technological progress change (TC), technical efficiency change (TE), scale efficiency change (SE), and factor allocation efficiency (AE). After analyzing the temporal evolution characteristics of TFP growth and its decomposition terms, we also characterized the spatial characteristics by region and province. The results showed that TFP growth in China’s coal industry is on the rise, with TC growth being the main driving factor of this; additionally, the weak growth of SE and AE also plays a limited role in this increase, while the decrease in TE hinders this trend. There are also significant regional differences in the TFP growth of China’s coal industry, with a ranking of central &gt; west &gt; east &gt; northeast. Drivers of TFP growth vary between regions or in different provinces within the same region.

Risk of Crop Yield Reduction in China under 1.5 °C and 2 °C Global Warming from CMIP6 Models.

Warmer temperatures significantly influence crop yields, which are a critical determinant of food supply and human well-being. In this study, a probabilistic approach based on bivariate copula models was used to investigate the dependence (described by joint distribution) between crop yield and growing season temperature (TGS) in the major producing provinces of China for three staple crops (i.e., rice, wheat, and maize). Based on the outputs of 12 models from the Coupled Model Intercomparison Project Phase 6 (CMIP6) under Shared Socioeconomic Pathway 5-8.5, the probability of yield reduction under 1.5 °C and 2 °C global warming was estimated, which has great implications for agricultural risk management. Results showed that yield response to TGS varied with crop and region, with the most vulnerable being rice in Sichuan, wheat in Sichuan and Gansu, and maize in Shandong, Liaoning, Jilin, Nei Mongol, Shanxi, and Hebei. Among the selected five copulas, Archimedean/elliptical copulas were more suitable to describe the joint distribution between TGS and yield in most rice-/maize-producing provinces. The probability of yield reduction was greater in vulnerable provinces than in non-vulnerable provinces, with maize facing a higher risk of warming-driven yield loss than rice and wheat. Compared to the 1.5 °C global warming, an additional 0.5 °C warming would increase the yield loss risk in vulnerable provinces by 2-17%, 1-16%, and 3-17% for rice, wheat, and maize, respectively. The copula-based model proved to be an effective tool to provide probabilistic estimates of yield reduction due to warming and can be applied to other crops and regions. The results of this study demonstrated the importance of keeping global warming within 1.5 °C to mitigate the yield loss risk and optimize agricultural decision-making in vulnerable regions.