Total Land Use Research Articles

Contribution of ultra-processed food and animal-plant protein intake ratio to the environmental impact of Belgian diets

There is growing concern about the various impacts of food consumption, both on human and planetary health. Given the context-specific nature of consumption patterns, evaluating their national-level impacts is crucial for proactive policy development. This research aims to evaluate the environmental impact of current Belgian diets, with particular attention to the contribution of food groups, ultra-processed foods (UPF), and the animal-to-plant protein ratio. The methodology consists of three key stages. Firstly, the Belgian diet was summarised, based on data from the Belgian National Food Consumption Survey 2014/2015. Secondly, the origin of the most frequently consumed foods was traced using trade databases. Finally, a cradle-to-grave life cycle assessment was conducted to determine the impact of Belgian diets on climate change, water use, land use, and fossil resource scarcity. In this third step, an iterative procedure for selecting the food items to be included in the study was performed. The iterative approach resulted in the inclusion of 227 food items in the analysis. The results indicate greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions of 4.4 [4.27–4.54] kg CO2-equivalent per person per day. Red meat (35 %), beverages (16 %), dairy products (12 %) and snacks (10 %) are identified as primary contributors to climate change. Similar results were observed for land use impacts. Water use and fossil resource scarcity exhibited different trends, with beverages being the most impactful food group. Moreover, UPF account for 50 % of the total climate change and land use impacts, with a linear relationship observed between increased UPF consumption and GHG emissions and land use. A similar linear trend is observed between the ratio of animal-to-plant protein intake and both climate change and land use impact categories. A shift from the current protein ratio to a ratio of 40/60, as suggested in the Flemish Green Deal Protein Shift has been shown to result in a reduction in GHG emissions of the diet by 29 %. This study emphasises the need to target the consumption of high-impact foods such as UPF and animal-based products. Future research will investigate the relationship between environmental and health impacts.

Identification of Priority Areas for Carbon Compensation in Chongqing Based on the Difference in Land Use Carbon Budget

This study aimed to explore the spatiotemporal patterns and balance characteristics of land use carbon budget, measure the value of carbon compensation, and delineate carbon compensation type zoning to provide scientific reference for further strengthening the connection between the construction of an ecological compensation system and the "dual carbon" target task. Based on the land cover data of Chongqing from 2000 to 2020, this study analyzed the spatiotemporal dynamics and balance relationship characteristics of the land use carbon budget. By using the revised carbon compensation model to measure the horizontal compensation standards, the normalized revealed comparative advantage （NRCA） index and K-means clustering analysis method were used to divide the carbon compensation area. The research results demonstrated that： ① the total land use carbon sequestration in Chongqing grew slowly from 2000 to 2020, whereas carbon emissions continued to increase significantly, and the net carbon emissions showed a distribution pattern of "high in the center and low in the two wings." ② The average coefficient of variation in Chongqing was 0.602, and the carbon emission economy contributive coefficient and carbon ecological support coefficient were concentrated between 0.64-1.14 and 0.00-32.86, respectively. The difference in the contribution of carbon emissions and economic benefits between districts and counties was relatively small, but there was a mismatch between carbon supply and demand. ③ A significant spatial difference existed in the value of carbon compensation, with a total of 1.098 billion yuan in carbon payment and 634 million yuan in carbon compensation, respectively. Moreover, it was ultimately determined that there were eight key payment areas, seven general payment areas, three key compensation areas, and 20 general compensation areas. In conclusion, the research results can provide a reference for implementing differentiated development strategies in different types of carbon compensation regions, improve the collaborative governance capacity of the regional ecological environment, and promote the achievement of carbon neutrality goals.

Spatial and Temporal Characteristics of Fractional Vegetation Cover and Its Response to Urbanization in Beijing

Exploration of the spatiotemporal changes in fractional vegetation cover （FVC） and its response characteristics to urbanization is of great significance for urban ecological protection and planning in Beijing. This study analyzed the spatiotemporal characteristics of vegetation cover changes in Beijing from 2000 to 2020 using the Theil-Sen Median and Mann-Kendall methods based on a long-term time series vegetation cover dataset. Then, this study used the urbanization index as a key indicator of spatial urbanization and utilized the transect line and global grid analysis methods to investigate the response characteristics of FVC to different urbanization gradients. The results indicated that： ① FVC changes showed spatial and temporal heterogeneity. From 2000 to 2020, Beijing was predominantly covered by high vegetation, accounting for 65.22% of the total area, which was mainly distributed in ecological conservation areas consistent with the Jundu, Xishan, and Yaji Mountain ranges. The FVC presented an overall positive development trend, with a decreasing trend of areas with low FVC. The increase in FVC was significant （by 28.68%）, mainly distributed in ecological conservation areas and within a range of 10-12 km in concentric circles centered around Tiananmen Square. The urbanization index and FVC change rate were relatively high in Haidian District, Chaoyang District, Fengtai District, Shijingshan District, and Changping District. ② The artificial land surface in 2000, 2010, and 2020 was 9.69%, 13.64%, and 21.19%, respectively, with significant spatial agglomeration and strong spatial heterogeneity. During the urbanization process in Beijing, the increase in artificial land surface reached 11.5%, with the conversion from arable land to artificial land surface accounting for 53.83% of the total land use conversion area. ③ There was a significant negative correlation between FVC and the urbanization index, indicating that urbanization had a negative impact on regional FVC. However, as the urbanization process stabilized, this negative correlation tended to gradually weaken. Although the central urban areas were mainly characterized by low FVC, there was a significant increasing trend in the FVC, indicating a positive development in the FVC and an improvement in regional ecological quality, which was closely related to the governance of the mountain-water-forest-field-lake-grass-sand system. The results of the study can provide a basis for the development of vegetation restoration programs and ecological management measures in Beijing.

Changes in gross ecosystem product and its response to land use changes in forest resource dominant regions: A case study of Zixi County, Jiangxi Province, China.

Forests are one of the most important terrestrial ecosystems and play a crucial role in the construction of ecological civilization. Understanding the changes in gross ecosystem product (GEP) and its response to land use change in areas with unique advantages in forest resources is of great significance for promoting sustainable development. We examined the GEP of Zixi County of Jiangxi Province. Based on the theory and method of ecosystem value accounting, and on the basis of the general indicator system for regulating services (water source conservation, soil conservation, oxygen supply, carbon fixation, climate control, flood regulation, water purification, air cleaning, species conservation) and the general indicator system for cultural services (landscape recreation, education), we added negative oxygen ions and health care indicators and introduced forest ecosystem service correction coefficients to construct a GEP indicator system and method with unique advantages in forest resources. We evaluated the spatio-temporal variations of GEP in 2010, 2017 and 2020, and quantified the impact of land use/land cover change on GEP by means of elasticity index and value profit and loss analysis. The results showed that the GEP of Zixi County in 2010, 2017 and 2020 was 16.788 billion, 26.817 billion, and 38.407 billion yuan, respectively. Forests contri-buted the largest amount of GEP, followed by wetland, farmland, grassland, and town. During the study period, the added value of GEP mainly came from forest ecosystems. Land use change had an important impact on GEP. From 2010 to 2020, the total land use change area in the study area was 8501.88 hm2. The amplitude of land use change was grassland (-2811.17 hm2)>town (1428.06 hm2)>forest (1357.67 hm2)>wetland (1031.05 hm2)> farmland (-1005.01 hm2). The absolute changes of various land use types were mainly occurred from 2017 to 2020. The elasticity index of each indicator on forest ecosystems was significantly higher than that of other ecosystems, indicating that GEP had the highest sensitivity to changes in forest area. The results of value profit and loss analysis showed that urban development had reduced GEP to some extent, while the protection of forest and wetland had increased GEP. From 2010 to 2020, the conversion of land use types in Zixi County led to an increase of 1.865 billion yuan in GEP, indicating that land use change in Zixi County had a positive ecological impact on the whole. Our results reflect the green development effect of Zixi County after becoming a national ecological civilization construction demonstration county, which could provide decision-making support for high-quality development, high-level protection and sustainable development and utilization of land resources in the future, and provide reference for other similar areas of GEP accounting.

Identifying Temporal Change in Urban Water Bodies Using OpenStreetMap and Landsat Imagery: A Study of Hangzhou City

As one of the most important ecosystems, the water body is losing water during the rapid development of the city. To understand the impacts on water body change during the rapid urbanization period, this study combines data from the OpenStreetMap platform with Landsat 5/Thematic Mapper images to effectively and accurately identify small urban water bodies. The findings indicate that the trained U-net convolutional neural network (U-Net) water body extraction model and loss function combining Focal Loss and Dice Loss adopted in this study demonstrate high precision in identifying water bodies within the main urban area of Hangzhou, with an accuracy rate of 94.3%. Trends of decrease in water areas with a continuous increase in landscape fragmentation, particularly for the plain river network, were observed from 1985 to 2010, indicating a weaker connection between water bodies resulting from rapid urbanization. Large patches of water bodies, such as natural lakes and big rivers, located at divisions at the edge of the city are susceptible to disappearing during the rapid outward expansion. However, due to the limitations and strict control of development, water bodies, referring to as wetland, slender canals, and plain river networks, in the traditional center division of the city, are preserved well. Combined with the random forest classification method and the U-Net water body extraction model, land use changes from 1985 to 2010 are calculated. Reclamation along the Qiantang River accounts for the largest conversion area between water bodies and cultivated land, constituting more than 90% of the total land use change area, followed by the conversion of water bodies into construction land, particularly in the northeast of Xixi Wetland. Notably, the conversion of various land use types within Xixi Wetland into construction land plays a significant role in the rise of the carbon footprint.

Study on the Correlation between Ecological Service Value and Ecological Risk of Typical Mountain-Oasis-Desert Ecosystems: A Case Study of Aksu City in Northwest China

Aksu City, located in the southern region of Xinjiang, China, holds the position of being the fifth largest city in Xinjiang. It holds significant ecological importance as a vital functional region for the management of desertification in China. To safeguard the ecological security of Xinjiang and preserve the ecological stability of Aksu City, it is crucial to examine the relationship between ecological service value and ecological risk, as well as the geographical and temporal changes in land use characteristics in Aksu City. This study examines the evolutionary characteristics and spatial correlation between ecological service value and ecological risk in Aksu City, using Aksu City as a case study. The analysis is based on five periods of land use data from 2000, 2005, 2010, 2015, and 2020. The study revealed the spatial and temporal patterns of landscape ecological risk and ecosystem service value in Aksu City from 2000 to 2020 using the landscape pattern index, ecological service value estimation, and ecological risk index. In addition, the study explored the interrelationship between ecological service value and ecological risk. The findings indicated that: (1) Bare land constituted the predominant land use category in Aksu City, accounting for over 81% of the total land use transfer over a 20-year period, encompassing a total area of 459.83 km2. (2) The total ecological service value (ESV) in the area experienced a decline of CNY 3.41 × 108 within the study’s time frame, exhibiting a decrease rate of 6.73%. Notably, grass and shrubland emerged as the primary contributor to the ESV, accounting for 33.25% of the total. (3) The ecological risk index (ERI) in Aksu City, within the period of 2000–2020, showed an increase in the interval from 0.2686 to 0.2877. The results indicated a decline in the overall ecological condition. The ecological risk level in Aksu City from 2000 to 2020 was dominated by lower and medium ecological risks. (4) Moran’s I values in Aksu City between 2000 and 2020 ranged from 0.428 to 0.443, which suggested a positive spatial correlation between ESV and ERI in the study area. The primary factor contributing to the heightened ecological risk in the study region was predominantly attributed to human activities such as urban expansion, agricultural production, and overgrazing.

Aligning health, environment, and cost aspects of diets: Identifying sustainable dietary patterns in China

Considering the adverse effects of agricultural-food systems on both human health and the environment, this research aimed to identify sustainable diets, which are nutritious, culturally acceptable, affordable, and have low environmental impacts, based on self-reported diets in China. Dietary data was collected with a 3-day 24-h dietary recall and weight food record combined method among 10,324 subjects aged 18–64 year, who participated in the China Health Nutrition Survey 2011. Diet quality was assessed by the Chinese Healthy Eating Index 2016 (CHEI2016). Environmental impact was measured by greenhouse gas emissions (GHGE), total water use (TWU), and land use (LU), and diet costs were calculated using market prices of community surveys. Reduced rank regression derived dietary patterns with 34 food groups as predictor variables, and used CHEI2016 score, dietary greenhouse gas emissions (GHGE), total water use (TWU), land use (LU), and cost of the diet as response variables. Four dietary patterns were identified. Participants with the highest adherence (decile 10) to the “High animal-based food” pattern showed higher dietary GHGE (+57%), TWU (+51%), and LU (+54%) and dietary costs (+64%), compared to the average population's diets. The diet in decile 10 for the “High fruit, low ruminant meat” pattern displayed a 21% higher CHEI2016 score, and higher dietary environmental impact (GHGE +17%; TWU +22%; LU +19%) and dietary costs (+46%) than the average diets. Diets of participants who followed the “High fish, low beverages” pattern showed higher environmental impact (GHGE +39%; TWU +32%; LU +28%) and dietary costs (+19%), but the CHEI2016 score was similar (+0.1%). Finally, the “High wheat, low pork” pattern demonstrated lower environmental impacts (GHGE -17%, TWU -12%, LU -2%) and lower cost of the diet (−2%) but also lower CHEI2016 score (−1%) compared to average population. This study reveals the complex trade-offs between diet quality, environmental sustainability, and dietary costs of current dietary patterns. None of the four patterns achieved the desirable combination of high CHEI2016 scores, reduced environmental impact, and reduced dietary costs. The findings offer insights into sustainable diet choices within the current food system, suggesting dietary guidelines should consider environmental sustainability and cost-effectiveness.

County-Level Land Use Carbon Budget in the Yangtze River Economic Belt, China: Spatiotemporal Differentiation and Coordination Zoning

The local land use carbon budget (LUCB) balance is an important factor in achieving regional carbon neutrality. As the basic unit of China’s economic development and social governance, the county level is an important part of the realization of the “double carbon” goal. This paper focuses on 1069 county units within the Yangtze River Economic Belt (YREB). It utilizes data on land use, nighttime light, energy consumption, and social and economic factors to construct carbon emission models. The spatiotemporal characteristics of LUCB in these county units are analyzed using standard deviational ellipse (SDE) and spatial autocorrelation methods. Additionally, a zoning study is conducted by examining the economic contribution coefficient (ECC) of carbon emissions, the ecological support coefficient (ESC), and their coupling relationship. The results show that (1) the total land use carbon emissions (LUCE) increased significantly during the research period, and the total carbon sink was relatively stable. (2) The LUCB is spatially high in the east and low in the west, with the center of gravity moving to the southwest as a whole. (3) The LUCB shows positive spatial autocorrelation and has significant spatial agglomeration characteristics, which are mainly high–high and low–low regional agglomeration types. (4) The ECC is high in the east and low in the west, the ESC is high in the west and low in the east, and the coordination and coupling degrees of the two are low. (5) According to the ECC and ESC, the county unit is divided into a low-carbon conservation area, an economic development area, a carbon sink development area, and a comprehensive optimization area. This study is helpful in promoting the sustainable development of carbon neutrality and low carbon in the YREB.

Identification, Prioritization and Mapping of Major Constraints and Potentials in the Medo Watershed the Case of West Arsi District in Central Rift Valley Area of Ethiopia

The concentration to characterize the biophysical and socio-economic features in the integrated watersheds is to identify and prioritize production constraints for designing appropriate research and development interventions. The objective of this study was to assess the current biophysical of characteristics of Medo watershed, West Arsi Zone of Oromia, Ethiopia. To do so relevant data and tools were used; ArcGIS, Microsoft Excel sheet and fundamental formulae were applied for the analysis are some. The results of the study indicated that the major land use types in the watershed are agricultural land covering 50%, vegetation (shrubs, forests and, plantations) covering 24% and settlement covering 16% out of the total land use. Slope gradient of Medo watershed ranges from zero to more than 20 and the slope gradient of 2-5 and 5-10 cover the greatest in area coverage representing 201 ha and 170 ha respectively. We can also observe that about 8% out of the total area is subjected to severe erosion. Sandy clay loam was the dominant soil textural classes in the surface soils and Phaeozems, Retinols and Andosols are the dominant soil types, which cover 57%, 36% and 7% of the sub-watershed area for lower, middle, and upper slope positions, respectively. Mean annual rainfall of the area ranges from 960.09 mm at lower part of the watershed to the 1304.93 mm at upper part of the watershed. Accordingly, Medo sub-watershed is laid in majority of at sub humid agro ecological zone. An assessment of the trees within the landscape of watershed showed some remnant natural forests and a wide variety of shrubby vegetation is encountered at all landscapes. About 40 percent of the watershed, is under high to extremely severe soil loss values (>45 ton per hectare per year). The baseline study also identified that those natural resources degradation such as land, and or/ soil fertility, reduction, and recent changes in the areas’ weather condition in line of climate change prevailing in current years are few of the many factors that are contributing to the land and crop productivity reductions in the area. Therefore, prioritizing the identified problem and preparing intervention of different technologies and development plans to solve the problems by taking into consideration the existing opportunities of the watershed.

Phasing out palm and soy oil biodiesel in the EU: What is the benefit?

AbstractThe Renewable Energy Directive (RED II) by the European Union (EU) provides an updated framework for the use of renewable energy in the EU transport sector until 2030, and bans the use of biofuels with a high risk of causing indirect land‐use change in high carbon stock areas (high ILUC‐risk criteria). The only biofuel feedstock affected by this criterion is palm oil. We employ the computable general equilibrium (CGE) model DART‐BIO for a scenario‐based policy analysis and evaluate a phase‐out of palm oil‐based biodiesel, and an additional phase‐out of soy oil‐based biodiesel in the EU. Our results show that the palm phase‐out has only a relatively small impact on global palm fruit production and total crop land use in tropical and subtropical regions, while the soy phase‐out leads to a comparable stronger decrease in global soy production, and a reduction in total cropland use in soy‐producing regions. Both policies lead to increased oilseed production in the EU. Therefore, farmer in Malaysia and Indonesia face a significantly reduced income. While European farmers profit the most, EU firms and households are confronted with higher expenditures. Finally, this study indicates that unilateral demand‐side regulations for a single good in a single sector is not sufficient for effective environmental protection. Enhanced binding sustainability criteria and certification schemes for the use of all vegetable oils in every sector and industry as well as improved protection schemes for sensible forest areas are necessary.

Combining landscape patterns and ecosystem services to disclose ecosystem changes in tropical cropland-forest shifting zones: Inspiration from Mainland Southeast Asia

With forest degradation and Grain to Green Program in the tropics, cropland and forest zones underwent frequent changes, becoming more vulnerable. However, the ecosystem changes are complex in cropland-forest shifting zones, which need to take different variables to reveal ecosystem situations. We offer the systemic way with landscape patterns and ecosystem services, from the perspective of structure and function, to know ecosystems situations in cropland-forest shifting zones. In cropland-forest shifts of Mainland Southeast Asia (MSEA), we further revealed the change of landscape patterns and ecosystem services from 1985 to 2015. The findings showed the following: conversion area of forest into cropland (F&C, 12.3 × 104 km2) was slightly higher cropland into forests (C&F, 9.2 × 104 km2) in MSEA during 1985–2015. Although cropland-forest shifts were relieved after 2000, the landscape patterns and ESs still suffered complex influence in cropland-forest shifting zones. Specifically, nearly 14% of the total land use change led to holistic landscape patterns with fragmentation, shape complexity, connection decline. Landscape patterns intensities relieved after 2000, but it had more small patches comparing with before 2000. For ESs, the mean water yield and soil retention have fluctuated during 30 years, while the mean habitat quality and carbon fixation have decreased by 0.10 and 30.8 g C/m2 in cropland-forest shifting zones. Furthermore, the C&F cannot necessarily lead to increase in all ESs in MSEA. Our study revealed that land use dynamic and potential land development problems from multiple perspectives containing landscape patterns and ecosystem services to establish reasonable land use management strategies in tropics.

The global nutrition can be greatly improved with diet optimization

Malnutrition and nutritional imbalances resulting from a poor diet are common worldwide. Here, we present a diet structure optimization model aimed at improving the nutritional levels, while keeping the optimized diet affordable and acceptable. We optimized the current diet of 181 countries by incorporating ten major food groups. A simple diet adjustment could increase the nutritional levels by up to 11.9 % and significantly address the existing nutrient imbalances. The optimized diet is environmentally friendly, reducing the total land use and greenhouse gas emissions by 11.8 % and 8.3 %, respectively. Furthermore, compromising on some nutritional improvements could yield greater environmental benefits, which could result in 17.1 %, and 12.7 % reductions in total land use and greenhouse gas emissions, respectively. Moreover, a 28.4 % diet cost increase can lead to a maximum of 9.7 % greater nutritional improvement than the optimal increase of constant cost. We provide a global diet optimization strategy that improves both human nutrition and sustainability.

Adherence to a Planetary Health Diet, Environmental Impacts, and Mortality in Chinese Adults

Although the EAT-Lancet Commission has recently proposed a planetary health diet (PHD) to promote human and environmental health, little is known about how PHD affects environment and mortality risk among an Asian population. To investigate whether a PHD score is associated with environmental impacts and mortality outcomes in a Chinese cohort living in Singapore. This cohort study used data from the Singapore Chinese Health Study. Eligible participants were without known cardiovascular disease and cancer at baseline; they were recruited between 1993 and 1998 and followed up using record linkage data until 2020. Data were analyzed from September 2022 to April 2023. PHD score was calculated based on the reference consumption of 14 dietary components in PHD and individual energy intake assessed using a validated food frequency questionnaire in this cohort. Diet-related environmental impacts were estimated using a food frequency questionnaire. Mortality outcomes (all-cause, cardiovascular disease, cancer, and respiratory disease) were identified via linkage with a nationwide registry. A total of 57 078 participants were included in this study (mean [SD] age, 56.1 (7.9) years; 31 958 women [56.0%]). During a median (IQR) follow-up of 23.4 (18.7-26.2) years, 22 599 deaths occurred. Comparing the highest and lowest quintiles, higher PHD scores were associated with lower greenhouse gas emissions (β = -0.13 kg CO2 equivalent; 95% CI, -0.14 to -0.12 kg CO2 equivalent), but with higher total water footprint (β = 0.12 m3; 95% CI, 0.11-0.13 m3) and land use (β = 0.29 m2; 95% CI, 0.28-0.31 m2). In the adjusted multivariable model, compared with the lowest quintile, participants in the highest quintile of PHD score had lower risk of all-cause mortality (hazard ratio [HR], 0.85; 95% CI, 0.81-0.89), cardiovascular disease mortality (HR, 0.79; 95% CI, 0.73-0.85), cancer mortality (HR, 0.93; 95% CI, 0.86-1.00), and respiratory disease mortality (HR, 0.81; 95% CI, 0.74-0.89). In this study of Singapore Chinese adults, higher adherence to PHD was associated with reduced risk of chronic disease mortality. However, environmental impacts were uncertain, as higher adherence was associated with lower greenhouse gas emissions but higher total water footprint and land use.

Influence of urban land use types on ecosystem services in two rapidly urbanizing cities of southwestern Nigeria.

Many ecological functions in cities are based on urban soils. In order to meet the needs of the expanding human population and the ensuing strain on natural resources, it is essential for soil-based ecosystems to function. Approximately 80% of the total urban land use in Akure and Okitipupa, Nigeria, are used for commercial, residential, and agricultural purposes. Thus, we investigated the potential of these three urban land use types (ULUTs) to offer a variety of ecosystem services in the two different cities. Soil properties that serve as proxy indicators for four ecosystem services were measured in the ULUTs: hydraulic conductivity (Kunsat) and available soil water for rainwater retention; soil organic carbon (SOC) stock for carbon storage; soil microbial respiration (SMR) for the capacity to support biological activity; and soil compaction (PR) and total nitrogen (TN) for promoting plant growth. The location and ULUT resulted in distinct ecosystem service provisioning. In comparison to Akure, Okitipupa soils had lower PR (1.0 vs 1.1MPa) but higher Kunsat (36.9 vs 10.3cmh-1), SOC stock (6.9 vs 5.7Mg C ha-1), and SMR levels (35.2 vs 23.6mg CO2-C g-1 soil). Commercial soils exhibited more compaction than residential and agricultural soils but less SOC stock and Kunsat, and TN in both locations. The properties of the urban soils showed that the soils could support a variety of ecosystem services. Different soil properties at the city level led to variations in the potential for ecosystem services in various locations, and these variations were observable in commercial, residential, and agricultural soils. Understanding urban soils would thus necessitate both cross-city comparative studies as well as within-city examinations of the potential for ecosystem services for various urban land use types.

Multi-objective optimization of renewable fuel supply chains regarding cost, land use, and water use

Renewable fuels contribute to net zero emissions by replacing fossil fuels in the transportation sector. Nevertheless, there are significant environmental concerns associated with renewable energy development, including land and water usage. This research explores the use of land and water related to large-scale renewable fuel production. We develop a multi-objective mathematical model to determine the optimal supply chain design for the EU's future renewable fuel demand in the transportation sector. We propose a flexible, multi-period, and multi-stage supply chain design that can accommodate multiple feedstocks and multiple products and that takes the seasonality of the resources into account. We consider economic and environmental impacts by minimizing total system costs, land use, and water use. Based on the analysis of the results, we gain insights into conflicting objective functions and the associated trade-offs and synergies to assist decision-makers in selecting an appropriate framework and gaining a better understanding of future opportunities and impacts of renewable fuel production. The outcome demonstrates that, despite not being a desirable alternative in terms of water and land usage, the utilization of energy crops as raw material has economic benefits. As shown by the results, the burden of such a supply chain lies with renewable electricity requirements that could be the capacity bottleneck and require investments. We find that we could achieve a nearly optimal value of land use and water use by increasing total cost by only 10%.

Conceptual Framework for Assessing Sustainability of Swamp Buffalo Production Systems

Swamp Buffalo farming plays an important role in farmers' livelihood and in satisfying red meat demand in South Kalimantan, Indonesia. The extensive (wetland) swamp buffalo production system (SPS) and the extensive and semi-intensive dryland system (DPS) are two production systems. The production systems have high complexity and require the integrated sustainability assessment approach to measure the contribution level of sustainability indicators. This study aimed to demonstrate the conceptual framework for analyzing the sustainability of buffalo production systems in South Kalimantan. The buffalo production systems in South Kalimantan were analyzed using the comprehensive assessment framework from September-December 2021. A literature review and discussion with experts, followed by a focus group discussion to perform a Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats (SWOT) analysis was conducted. The complex problem identifies and defines the relevant Economic, Ecological, and Societal (EES) issues, and inclusive identification and analysis of relevant stakeholders were described. Issues identified during the process were translated into relevant indicators in the EES sustainability dimensions then indicators possible for EES issues were proposed. Situation analysis in this study described and identified swamp buffalo in South Kalimantan, which is currently experiencing a population decline. The gross margin and growth and reproduction performances of the buffaloes were selected for economic benefit in both systems. Total land use and soil fertility were the possible indicators in the dimension of environment relevant for DPS, while swamp sedimentation and water pollution were considered important environmental indicators in SPS. Feed availability was measured in both systems. Social dimension indicators in both systems were focused on keeping management, the function of buffalo for livelihood, time allocation to keep buffalo, characteristics of livelihood, and possible land use conflicts.

Quantifying the nonlinear response of vegetation greening to driving factors in Longnan of China based on machine learning algorithm

The main influencing factors and their nonlinear effects on the changes of vegetation in China’s mountainous areas under the interaction of different factors are not yet clear, and comprehending the evolutionary trends and driving mechanisms of vegetation is crucial to reveal the changes in ecosystem structure and function. In this study, trend analysis (M−K, T-S and EEMD) combined with machine learning algorithm, namely Boosted Regression Tree model (BRT), were used to quantify the trends of nonlinear responses and thresholds for bioclimatic variables, topography, soil properties and anthropogenic factors for vegetation changes in Longnan. The results showed that the trend analysis clearly confirm the increasing trend of vegetation at multiple spatio-temporal scales. The BRT indicated that total precipitation (bio12, 15.22%), land use (LUCC, 12.68%), elevation (DEM, 11.20%), and population density (Pd, 9.20%) were the more important factors of dominant vegetation greening. Bioclimatic variables were found to revealed the effects of climate with vegetation more clearly. In addition, the BRT revealed that the selected factors have the different nonlinear response relationships to vegetation greening trend and specific thresholds. Among them, increasing of cropland, grassland and forestland can promote vegetation greening. However, GDP, Pd, DEM, bio12, mean diurnal range and temperature seasonality (bio2, bio4) exceed the threshold can significantly inhibit vegetation growth. The BRT combined with trend analysis revealed the nonlinear response relationships and thresholds of the drivers behind the vegetation change patterns, which have obvious effects in exploring the driving mechanisms of vegetation changes in mountainous areas. This study provided an important reference for better revealing the interaction mechanisms between vegetation changes and drivers in the semi-humid zone in East Asia even globally.

Valuation of health benefits of green-blue areas for the purpose of ecosystem accounting: a pilot in Flanders, Belgium

In recent years, a vast amount of scientific literature has highlighted the benefits of nearby green space for physical and mental health, but the large variation in scope, methods and indicators used in these studies hampers the assessment of these benefits in the context of natural capital accounting. To our knowledge, this paper is one of the first studies to quantify and value these benefits in the context of natural capital accounting. A method was developed and applied to the Flemish Region in Belgium for 2013 and 2016. The physical supply and use accounts for health are based on a set of selected dose-effect relationships that quantify the impact of the availability of greenspace on seven specific indicators for physical and mental health, including mortality, cardio-vascular diseases, diabetes and depression. The indicator for green-blue areas is the percentage of green-blue areas in total land use, calculated for 0.5, 1 and 3 km radius from the residence, based on detailed land-use maps (10 m x 10 m) for Flanders, Belgium. The base-line data for mortality and illness are average data for the Flemish Region. These health impacts are weighted using Daly's (disability-adjusted life years) and aggregated. The total health benefits due to the availability of green-blue areas for the total Flemish population was estimated at almost 85,000 DALYs. This is 27% of the estimated total burden of disease in Flanders in 2016 for the seven selected diseases. The monetary accounts are based on a detailed assessment for mortality and morbidity of three different cost components, i.e. avoided medical costs (e.g. hospitalisation) and avoided absenteeism and welfare loss due to suffering and reduced life expectancy. Productivity gains from avoided absenteeism is valued, based on statistics on absenteeism for specific diseases for and labour market data from Belgium and account for 52% of the total monetary value of green spaces. Cost of illness is valued, based on market data and illness specific studies for Belgium or Europe and account for 36% of total values. Welfare gains from increased life expectancy are valued on the basis of European studies for the VOLY (value of a life year lost), based on the simulated exchange value for the willingness-to-pay for increased life expectancy. This accounts for 12% of the total monetary value of green space. The total monetary benefits amount to 464 Euro per inhabitant per year or 3 billion Euro per year for Flanders. This corresponds to 1.3% of the GDP, which reflects the importance of these benefits. The methodology is incomplete as not all health indicators are covered, mainly due to a lack of dose-effect relationships. The research priority for potential users of the accounts is a better indicator for contact with green space that does differentiate between ecosystems, their quality, accessibility or their use. This requires more systematic health impact studies that take these elements into account, as well as more systematic data on the daily use of green space by citizens. In the meantime, an additional set of condition accounts on these elements can be used, especially to follow changes in quality and use of green-blue areas over time.

Types of greenspace and adolescent mental health and well-being in metropolitan London

ABSTRACT The evidence suggests a link between greenspace and adolescent mental health. One limitation is the typically crude measure of greenspace quantity or greenness. We explored the roles of different types of greenspace in the mental health of 10- to 15-year-old adolescents living in London, using data from Understanding Society, a UK household longitudinal study. We used data on 1,879 adolescents from waves 1-8 (2009-2018). As some adolescents had observations at multiple waves, 4,217 observations were included. Mental health and well-being measures were Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire scores, self-esteem, and happiness. Proportions of green land cover, parks & gardens, natural & semi-natural urban greenspaces, outdoor sports facilities, and total green land use were measured in 500 m around postcodes. We ran linear regressions, stratified by age, adjusted for confounders, and accounting for Understanding Society’s complex sampling design. We did not find consistent results across analyses, but we identified patterns worth exploring further: older adolescents (13-15 years) seemed to ‘benefit’ more from greenspace than younger adolescents (10-12 years); and parks & gardens and outdoor sports facilities seemed to be most ‘beneficial’. Overall, however, no clear conclusions can be drawn, and findings need to be confirmed in future studies.

STUDY ON THE SPATIOTEMPORAL DIFFERENTIATION CHARACTERISTICS OF “MOUNTAINS, RIVERS, FORESTS, FIELDS, LAKES, AND GRASS CITIES” IN THE TAI’AN SECTION OF THE YELLOW RIVER BASIN

The natural environment of the Tai’an section of the Yellow River Basin is complex and diverse, the land use function and structure have distinct regional and cultural characteristics. This article is based on literature review, field research and remote sensing image interpretation to construct an analysis variable database. Based on models such as land use dynamics and transfer matrix, the spatiotemporal differentiation and variation characteristics in this area are analyzed. Discovery: ①As a representative area with significant natural background characteristics of “mountain water field”, forest land, cultivated land, and water bodies constitute the main matrix and corridor of land use. ②Over time, the distribution and composition of the spatial distribution in the Tai’an section of the Yellow River Basin have undergone significant changes. The proportion of arable land, forest land and grassland areas to the total land use area has decreased overall, the proportion of building land, water bodies, and unused land has increased. Over 20s, the spatial distribution structure and composition in the study area have undergone significant changes. ③Between 2000 and 2020, cultivated land and construction land constituted the main body and background of land use conversion in this area. This study can provide reference for promoting the coordinated development in the Tai’an section of the Yellow River Basin.