Uncontrolled Emissions Research Articles

Spatial Mapping of Air Pollution Hotspots around Commercial Meat-Cooking Restaurants Using Bicycle-Based Mobile Monitoring

Mobile measurement techniques are increasingly utilized to monitor urban emissions, regional air quality, and air pollutant exposure assessments. This study employed a bicycle measurement method to obtain the detailed distribution of air pollutant concentrations in roadside, commercial, residential, and recreational areas. The study area is located in Chuncheon, South Korea, with approximately 280,000 residents. Black carbon (BC), PM2.5, and NO2 were monitored using portable devices equipped on an electric bicycle. Results showed that in the evening (6–8 p.m.), the concentrations were higher in both commercial and residential areas compared to the background location, while concentrations were notably elevated only in roadside areas in the morning (8–10 a.m.). Spatial mapping of measured concentrations revealed that the highest concentrations corresponded to areas with densely operated charbroiling meat-cooking restaurants. Additionally, it was confirmed that BC and PM2.5 emitted from the commercial areas influenced nearby recreational areas (e.g., streamside roads). In conclusion, this study demonstrated that air pollutant hotspots resulting from human activities, such as dining at commercial restaurants, significantly worsen the local air quality on a small scale. Efforts to reduce the uncontrolled emissions of air pollutants from charbroiling meat-cooking restaurants are necessary.

Eco-Friendly Urban Design: Investigating Innovative Approaches and Sustainable Construction Practices Across Afghanistan’s Diverse Climate Zones

Climate change serves as a pervasive catalyst globally, significantly influencing urban growth and construction dynamics. The interplay of population growth, heightened consumption, increased waste production, and rising CO2 emissions presents a substantial threat to biodiversity and plant life. Creating vibrant, environmentally conscious cities requires integrating architectural, design, and landscape components into the urban development process. This study employs a descriptive approach to examine the intricate dynamics among urbanism, urbanization, and climate-responsive design across Afghanistan's diverse climatic zones. The findings reveal a significant shift from traditional to contemporary global standards, marking a significant evolution within the construction sector. However, there remains a notable lack of climate awareness, resulting in a gap between evolving construction features and climate-responsive methodologies. The Afghanistan National Environmental Protection Agency’s strategies are often too generalized, failing to address specific climatic requirements effectively. Unplanned urban growth has led to limited access to proper housing, increased poverty, and greater vulnerability to climate impacts. Key issues include uncontrolled carbon emissions from heating, transportation, waste management, and industrial activities, severely affecting precipitation patterns and living quality. The research emphasizes the necessity for tailored climate-responsive design and sustainable construction practices, advocating for integrating green technologies and enhancing regulatory frameworks to promote energy efficiency and reduce the environmental footprint of urban developments in Afghanistan.

Quantifying annual microplastic emissions of an urban catchment: Surface runoff vs wastewater sources

Urban clusters are recognized as hotspots of microplastic pollution, and the associated urban rivers convey microplastics into the global oceans. Despite this knowledge, the relative contributions of various sources to the annual microplastic emissions from urban catchments remain scarcely quantified. Here, we quantified microplastic emissions from a riverine urban catchment in Japan. The total microplastics (size range: 10–5000 μm) released from the catchment amounted to 269.1 tons/annum, of which 78.1% is contributed by surface runoff and other uncontrolled emissions (UCE), and 21.1% emerges from the regulated wastewater (controlled emissions; CE), implying that approximately one-fifth is intercepted and removed by the wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs). This further indicated higher microplastic pollution by unmanaged surface runoff compared to untreated wastewater. In the dry season, WWTPs contributed significantly to the reduction of total microplastic emissions (95%) compared to wet periods (8%). On an annual scale, the treated effluent occupies only 0.1% of the total microplastics released to the river network (212.4 tons/annum), while the remaining portion is dominated by UCE, i.e., primarily surface runoff emissions (98.9%), and trivially by the background microplastic inputs that are potentially derived through atmospheric depositions in dry days (1.0%). It was shown that moderate and heavy rainfall events which occur during 18% of the year (within the context of Japan), leading to 95% of the annual microplastic emissions, are crucial for pollution control of urban rivers. Furthermore, our study demonstrated that surface area-normalized microplastic emissions from an urban catchment (∼0.8 tons/km2/annum) is globally relevant, especially for planning microplastic interventions for developed cities.

Regional innovations influence on the ecological footprint of the Russian Federation territories: case of the Siberia and Volga regions

Relevance. Ensuring the development of the country regions on the principles of environmental and economic balance, taking into account the national development goals of Russia until 2030.This article models the relationship between economic development and environmental progress. The relationship between investment in innovation and uncontrolled emissions in certain regions of Russia in the period from 2010 to 2022 is explored. Aim. To study the intensity of innovation influence on the ecological footprint, as well as the efficiency of functioning of environmental-innovative activities, in regions of different types using the example of the Siberian Federal District and the Volga Federal District. Methods. Panel regression with fixed effects, correlation analysis, DEA method, cluster analysis, analysis of variance. Results and conclusions. Using the example of 24 Russian regions, it is shown that the intensity increase of the research and development of regional companies does not always lead to an increase in the environmental footprint and an increase in emissions intensity. The obtained results indicate that the economic and environmental dimensions of sustainable development contradict each other and suggest that regional governments should consider the negative environmental externalities of economic development when designing policies to promote regional growth. It is noted that the growth of investments in the research and development of more developed regions reduce the emissions intensity level. Large industrial centers of Siberia and the Volga regions are investing in innovation to increase the intensity of emissions. The hypothesis about the high degree of the economic space heterogeneity in terms of the influence of the research and development intensity of regional companies on the degree of environmental pollution in the regions of the Russian Federation is confirmed. The necessity is emphasized to take into account the regional specifics of the industrial structure of the economy. A highly significant heterogeneity was revealed in the efficiency of environmental-innovative activities functioning in the regions of the Siberian Federal District and Volga Federal District. Moreover, the effectiveness of environmental-innovative activities of the regions is insignificantly correlated with the identified imbalance of this activity.

Climate-Responsive Urban Design: Innovations and Strategies for Sustainable Buildings and Construction in Afghanistan

The global challenge of climate change resonates profoundly across diverse sectors, notably urban development and construction standing prominently in its ripple effects. The complex integration of architecture, planning, and landscape elements in urban development aims to sculpt functional and sustainable cities. Within the context of Afghanistan, the responsibility for applying climate-responsive regulations and policies falls upon the National Environmental Protection Agency (NEPA). This study employs a descriptive research method to scrutinize the implementation and alignment of NEPA's regulations, policies, and strategies in the current urban landscape. The findings show a significant shift from past building practices to contemporary global norms, indicating a noteworthy exploration and adaptation within the construction industry. There is also a significant deficiency in local awareness, leading to shortcomings in climate innovations and strategies, revealing a notable gap between construction practices and the adoption of climate-responsive measures. Furthermore, a remarkable shortfall exists in aligning urban elements with sustainable building principles, prompting concerns regarding the sustainability and construction standards established by NEPA. A critical focal point emerges in the form of uncontrolled carbon emissions in urban areas, primarily originating from heating and cooling systems, transportation, waste management, and industrial factories, leading to significantly impactful high emissions that affect local temperature and precipitation, resulting in changes to living conditions.

Analysis of the uncontrolled emissions of mine gases at the surface of the closed mine

Analysis of the uncontrolled emissions of mine gases at the surface of the closed mine

Analysis of the Uncontrolled Emissions of Mine Gases at the Surface of the Closed Mine

Analysis of the Uncontrolled Emissions of Mine Gases at the Surface of the Closed Mine

Rice Straw Mulch Installation in a Vineyard Improves Weed Control and Modifies Soil Characteristics

After harvesting rice paddy fields, rice straw is a significant problem due to uncontrolled CO2 emissions when the straw is burned. One solution to this problem is to use this rice by-product for mulching planting lines of fruit trees or vineyards with the purpose of controlling weeds and improving soil characteristics. A 3-year experiment was conducted at the Polytechnic University of Valencia (Spain) demonstration vineyard, where rice-straw mulch was installed at three rates in 2021, 24.0, 43.1, and 63.1 t ha−1, and in 2022, 25.0, 37.5, and 50.0 t ha−1. Weeds were mainly controlled with the highest treatment rate (50.0–63.1 t ha−1), as the time of the year for mulch installation is decisive for achieving different weed control rates. On average, mulch decreased soil bulk density (5.4%), and increased the soil organic carbon (24.3%) and water-soluble organic carbon (24.3%) compared to bare soil. Soil temperature changes were observed due to the mulch treatment, with soil temperature lower in bare soil than in mulched soil during the cold season, and higher during the warm season. This effect was highly dependent on the mulch application rate. Soil moisture content was also higher under the mulch treatment, showing a mulch-rate response during the four seasons of the year. The changes in the physical and biological soil properties induced a higher soil respiration rate when mulched soil was compared to bare soil. This study concludes that the use of rice straw as a mulch had positive effects on weed control and soil properties, although three factors concerning mulch management were paramount: rate, the timing of installation, and replacement rate.

Performance Analysis of a Pressurized Assembly with a Reinforced O-ring

In industrial facilities, leaks from manufacturing equipment represent uncontrolled fugitive emissions. The most critical components in this equipment are the seals. Several types of seals are used and the most popular are flat seals and O-rings. These seals are subject to high clamping loads and pressures. The failure of the seals could seriously affect the safety of people, and also the environment by the leakage of toxic products. In this work, the analysis of the mechanical and leakage behavior of the O-ring seal reinforced by a metal core and a conventional one when placed either between two plates or in a rectangular groove is presented. Four finite element models, developed using Ansys software, are used to study the behavior of the assemblies in the four cases when clamping load and fluid pressure are applied. This study shows that the introduction of a metal core inside an elastomer O-ring improves the sealing in pressurized installations. The comparison between the assembly without and with a groove shows that the installation of the two studied seals in a groove can protect them against the high stresses which can cause their deterioration and thus increase the probability of failure.

Successful Integration of UAV Aeromagnetic Mapping with Terrestrial Methane Emissions Surveys in Orphaned Well Remediation

Orphaned oil and gas wells represent an important environmental and economic development concern in areas where historical energy exploration and production activity pre-dated regulations on well abandonment documentation practices. From an economic development perspective, these wells pose a subsurface risk to infrastructure development, while the environmental impact of orphaned wells is largely associated with uncontrolled emissions of both fluids and gasses, most notably atmospheric methane. Often neglected in regulatory oversight, methane emissions from orphaned wells contribute to global greenhouse gas concentrations and without proper mitigation, these emissions contribute to and further exacerbate global climate change processes. An inherent challenge of remediation efforts targeting orphaned wells is the consistent observation that only a fraction of located and identified wells produce the majority of methane emissions, yet no methodology exists to effectively separate out heavy emitters without visiting and assessing each and every well. We demonstrate that emitting wells have certain defined characteristics largely pertaining to the presence and integrity of metal casing to the surface, which can be distinguished as an organized high intensity magnetic anomaly in low-altitude UAV-based aeromagnetic surveys. In this paper, we present a database of identified and ground-truthed wellsites correlated to their magnetic signatures and provide a roadmap to initial prioritization of wellsites for subsequent remediation activities that can be implemented in complex environments where other survey options are not feasible. In a regulatory environment where resources dedicated to wellsite remediation are limited, we propose implementing this methodology as a key element of a targeted approach to wellsite prioritization for subsequent remediation activity.

To the Issue of Solid Municipal Waste in the Irkutsk Region

The article presents data on solid municipal waste (SMW) in the Irkutsk region as the main source of pollution of urban and suburban ecosystems. SMW is currently the most massive and dangerous type of waste, which can lead to irreversible consequences. In Russia, very active attention is being paid to the issues of waste collection and recycling in recent years. The objectives, which the authors set themselves, are a detailed analysis of the situation of SMW in the Irkutsk region. Special attention is focused on the location of already existing facilities as well as planned until 2027 ones. Unfortunately, the population of the Irkutsk region is not yet ready for mass separation of garbage according to its origin and recyclability, but a number of measures are proposed to change the situation. Statistical, comparative-geographical, cartographical and the method of comparative analysis and synthesis were used. The paper presents an analysis of the work of regional operators in accordance with the federal project Integrated system of SMW management carried out for the first time. The amount of waste taken to landfills in the Irkutsk region should be reduced by half by 2030 while sorted waste should gain 100 per cent of all garbage thrown away. The study results in the following conclusions: the region is not ready for processing and recycling of certain categories of waste such as glass or galvanic elements. There are simply no recycling facilities for a number of wastes, which leads to uncontrolled emissions and disturbance of the environment (soil, water, and atmospheric air) but the Government of Russia and the Irkutsk Region authorities are actively reforming the system of SMW management.

Brownfields, Environmental Stability and Renewable Energy: Pathways to Overcome the Imperfection of Cumulative Effect Assessment

Brownfields or objects of accumulated environmental damage are a complex object characterized by both the absorption and release of uncontrolled energy (for example, biogas or hydrothermal energy). The brownfield redevelopment process provides unique opportunities to ensure efficient energy transfer and maintain environmental stability. However, the implementation of these solutions depends on the quality of the assessment of the cumulative impact of unspent deposits, namely, the assessment of the damage caused to the environment, which, in turn, gives an understanding of how to ensure the elimination of damage to energy efficiency and environmental safety from uncontrolled carbon dioxide emissions. In this article, we consider the problems of assessing the cumulative effect of waste management activities, as a result of which abandoned deposits or objects of accumulated environmental damage appear. A cycle of measures to achieve socio-economic efficiency through the re-development of brownfields and their integration within energy-efficient systems and environmentally balanced systems is proposed, and a new concept of identifying the negative occurrence of brownfields under the influence of climate change is substantiated. Particularly, we assess the possibilities of integrating brownfields or objects of accumulated environmental damage into energy-efficient and environmentally balanced systems for goals of sustainable development.

The impact of non-optimum temperatures, heatwaves and cold spells on out-of-hospital cardiac arrest onset in a changing climate in China: a multi-center, time-stratified, case-crossover study

Out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA) is a time-critical and fatal medical emergency that has been linked to non-optimal temperatures. However, the future burden of OHCA due to non-optimal temperatures, heatwaves, and cold spells under climate change has not been well evaluated. We conducted a time-stratified case-crossover study in 15 Northern Chinese cities throughout 2020 to estimate the exposure-response relationships of non-optimal temperatures, heatwaves, and cold spells with hourly OHCA onset in hot and cold seasons. We obtained future daily average temperatures by using 20 general circulation models under two greenhouse gas emission scenarios: one with certain emission control and the other with relaxed control. Lastly, we projected the change of OHCA burden under these two climate scenarios. We analyzed a total of 29,671 OHCA patients and found that high temperatures and heatwaves as well as low temperatures and cold spells were all significantly associated with an increased risk of OHCA onset. Under the scenario of uncontrolled emissions, the attributable fraction (AF) of OHCA due to high temperatures and heatwaves would increase by 4.94% and 6.99% from the 2010s to 2090s, respectively. The AF due to low temperatures would decrease by 1.27% by the 2090s and the effects of cold spells were projected to be marginal after the 2050s. Under a medium emission control scenario, the upward trend of heat-related OHCA burden would become flat, and the decline in cold-related OHCA burden would also slow down. Our study provides evidence of significant morbidity risk and burden of OHCA associated with global warming across Northern China. Our findings indicate that the increase in OHCA burden attributable to heat could not be offset by the decrements attributable to cold, emphasizing the importance of mitigation policies for limiting global warming and reducing the associated risks of OHCA onset. National Science & Technology Fundamental Resources Investigation Project (2018FY100600, 2018FY100602), National Key R&D Program of China (2020YFC1512700, 2020YFC1512705, 2020YFC1512703), Key R&D Program of Shandong Province (2021ZLGX02, 2021SFGC0503), Natural Science Foundation of Shandong Province (ZR2021MH231), Taishan Pandeng Scholar Program of Shandong Province (tspd20181220), the Interdisciplinary Young Researcher Groups Program of Shandong University (2020QNQT004), ECCM Program of Clinical Research Center of Shandong University (2021SDUCRCA001, 2021SDUCRCA002), foundation from Clinical Research Center of Shandong University (2020SDUCRCB003), National Natural Science Foundation of China (82272240).

Air Quality Impact Estimation Due to Uncontrolled Emissions from Capuava Petrochemical Complex in the Metropolitan Area of São Paulo (MASP), Brazil

In the second quarter of 2021, the companies at the Capuava Petrochemical Complex (CPC, Santo André, Brazil) carried out a 50-day scheduled shutdown for the maintenance and installation of new industrial equipment. This process resulted in severe uncontrolled emissions of particulate matter (PM) and volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in a densely populated residential area (~3400 inhabitants/km2). VOCs can be emitted directly into the atmosphere in urban areas by vehicle exhausts, fuel evaporation, solvent use, emissions of natural gas, and industrial processes. PM is emitted by vehicle exhausts, mainly those powered by diesel, industrial processes, and re-suspended soil dust, in addition to that produced in the atmosphere by photochemical reactions. Our statistical analyses compared the previous (2017–2020) and subsequent (2021–2022) periods from this episode (April–May 2021) from the official air quality monitoring network of the PM10, benzene, and toluene hourly data to improve the proportion of this period of uncontrolled emissions. Near-field simulations were also performed to evaluate the dispersion of pollutants of industrial origin, applying the Gaussian plume model AERMOD (steady-state plume model), estimating the concentrations of VOC and particulate matter (PM10) in which the population was exposed in the region surrounding the CPC. The results comparing the four previous years showed an increase in the mean concentrations by a factor of 2 for PM10, benzene, and toluene, reaching maximum values during the episode of 174 µg m−3 (PM10), 79.1 µg m−3 (benzene), and 58.7 µg m−3 (toluene). Meanwhile, these higher concentrations continued to be observed after the episode, but their variation cannot be fully explained yet. However, it is worth highlighting that this corresponds to the post-pandemic period and the 2022 data also correspond to the period from January to June, that is, they do not represent the annual variation. A linear correlation indicated that CPC could have been responsible for more than 60% of benzene measured at the Capuava Air Quality Station (AQS). However, the PM10 behavior was not fully explained by the model. AERMOD showed that the VOC plume had the potential to reach a large part of Mauá and Santo André municipalities, with the potential to affect the health of more than 1 million inhabitants.

Retrospective analysis of adult mortality from malignant neoplasms of the digestive system in the districts of the Chelyabinsk region affected by radiation accidents in 1940–1960

Introduction. Due to the long-term radioactive contamination of the part of the territory of the Chelyabinsk region, much attention is paid to the analysis of the health status of the population. One of the adverse effects of radiation is the occurrence of neoplasms. As a result of a number of emergency situations, digestive organs received one of the largest doses of the radiation. Materials and methods. The study of the adult mortality in four districts: Argayashsky, Kaslinsky, Krasnoarmeysky, Kunashaksky was performed over a 50-year period from 1947 to 1996. The following age groups were studied: 20-29, 30-39, 40-49, 50-59, 60-69, 70 and older. Results. An increase in the mortality of adult male and female population from malignant neoplasms of the esophagus, stomach, intestines and “other and unspecified digestive, and peritoneal organs” was found. The greatest differences with the control in all localities, except for malignant neoplasms of the intestine, were observed from the beginning of the 1950s to the end of the 1960s. The peak of mortality from bowel cancer occurs in the 1970s-1980s. Districts differ in the level and trend in mortality: the maximum and earliest gain in mortality was observed in villages located along the river Techa of Argayash and Krasnoarmeysky districts. A later and less pronounced increase in indicators in the Kasli and Kunashak districts is associated with uncontrolled atmospheric emissions in the initial period of the plant’s operation, then the consequences of the 1957 accident and the spread of radioactive dust in 1967. In the Kunashak district, the increase in mortality is of a short-term nature. The main increase in indicators falls on the population over 50 years. Limitations. The study period is limited to 1996 due to the fact that it was not possible to collect more recent data. Conclusion. The adult mortality rate from malignant neoplasms of the digestive organs in four rural areas: Argayashsky, Krasnoarmeysky, Kaslinsky, Kunashaksky significantly exceeds the control indicators. The territories differ significantly in levels and trends in mortality, the highest values were found in the Krasnoarmeysky and Argayashsky districts.

Environment impact assessment of agricultural diesel engines utilizing biodiesel derived from phoenix sylvestris oil

Uncontrolled emissions, massive price increases, and other factors encourage searching for a suitable diesel engine fuel alternative. In its processed form, vegetable oil biodiesel is an appealing green alternative fuel for compression ignition engines. Vegetable oil esters have qualities comparable to those of standard diesel fuel. As a result, biodiesel may be utilized to run a diesel engine without any further alterations. This article analyses the potential of Phoenix sylvestris oil, which may be found in forest belts across the globe, as a viable feedstock for biodiesel extraction. Phoenix sylvestris oil is found to be abundant in different forest belts worldwide. The free fatty acid must first be transformed into esters using catalytic acid esterification before proceeding to alkaline catalytic esterification. The molar ratio (6:1), catalyst concentration (1 wt%), reaction temperature (60 °C), and reaction time (2 h) have all been optimized for biodiesel extraction. Biodiesel produced had characteristics that were similar to standard biodiesel specifications. The biodiesel yield from Phoenix sylvestris oil was 92.3% under optimum conditions. The experimental results revealed that the Phoenix sylvestris oil biodiesel performed better than neat Phoenix sylvestris oil and its blends. Phoenix sylvestris oil blend produced better brake thermal efficiency with lower smoke, hydrocarbon, and CO emissions. The biodiesel produced from non-edible Phoenix sylvestris oil has the potential to be employed as a viable alternative to diesel fuel.

Fabrication of raspberry-like starch-based polymer microspheres for W/O and O/W emulsions separation and purification

Oil/water separation and purification is an important pursuit because of uncontrolled emissions of industrial effluent, which has a catastrophic impact on our aquatic environment and body health. Here, an amino-functionalized composite particles material was developed via Pickering polymerization and grafting of poly(ethylene imine) (PEI). The wettability of the resultant composite particles can be easily regulated via changing the dosage of PEI. At lower dosage of PEI, the composite particles exhibited underoil superhydrophobicity (UOWCA: 158.8°) which applied to separate W/O emulsions with high flux (∼ 170 L/m2 h). At higher dosage of PEI, it converted to underwater superoleophobicity (UWOCA: 158.1°) and could efficiently realize the separation of O/W emulsions with high flux (∼ 160 L/m2 h bar). And at specific dosage range of PEI, the resultant composite particles can separate W/O and O/W emulsions simultaneously under the joint action of rough structures, unique surface wettability and positive charge. In addition, the resultant amino-functionalized composite particles were positive charged which could effectively absorb many anionic water-soluble pollutants with high removal rate of almost 90 % during oil/water separation process. This research may provide a new idea for intelligent oil/water separation and purification in the future.

MANAGING GREEN IT: A REVOLUTION FOR CRAFTING THE IDEA OF SMART CITY IN A DIFFERENT WAY

Green Information Technology (IT) denotes the policies and practices that firms should follow to manage IT operations to comply with green norms. Typically for a firm that mainly uses IT for its business, for mankind products or providing services, Green IT practices involve using IT in such a manner as to reduce carbon emissions or to use IT to monitor and manage carbon or other polluting emissions. There are mainly two aspects of Green IT practices: (i) Use IT efficiently to comply with green norms. (ii) Use IT to ensure other firm activities conform to green norms. Firms involved in making IT products or those who provide IT Services have to consider additional aspects of Green IT. The design of IT products follows Green Practices that includes designing both hardware and software. The IT artefacts produced in this manner are thus compliant with green norms, and the firms can assure their customers about the usage of environmentally sound processes. Usage of computers and networking technology requires energy both for making the device and running them. In recent years, as the usage of computer technology has grown in business, government and society, the consumption of energy has also increased. The government has recognized the threat of unrestrained and uncontrolled carbon emissions and has formed various guidelines to control emissions and pollution. Many firms have taken steps to understand their energy consumption patterns with regard to their IT usage and have implemented measures to ‘Go Green’. There are economic advantages of going green, in addition to those of acting responsibly. In this paper, the authors have explained how in the realm of IT, going green means using technology in an environment-friendly manner and using IT to control carbon emissions. The aim is to conduct a detailed study on managing Green IT and how smart cities can be crafted in a different way with the help of IT. An overall comprehensive insight is provided to deliver assistance for the development of advanced smart cities in the future.

ECONOMICS OF NEW ENERGY SOURCES AND ADVANCED ENERGY TECHNOLOGIES

Since the Industrial Revolution, the energy mix of most countries across the world has become dominated by fossil fuels. This has major implications for the global climate, as well as for human health. Three-quarters of global greenhouse gas emissions result from the burning of fossil fuels for energy. And fossil fuels are responsible for large amounts of local air pollution – a health problem that leads to at least 5 million premature deaths each year. For many developing countries, the cost of the environmental damage caused by air pollution is high even though per capita energy consumption is low—mainly because pollution controls are largely lacking.4 Costs from air pollution are also high for industrialized countries with strong pollution controls, not only because of much higher energy consumption but also because the cost of uncontrolled emissions grows much faster than energy consumption, given that economists measure these costs on the basis of willingness to pay to avoid these damages.

COMMUNICATING ATTITUDINAL CHANGE THROUGH BREASTFEEDING PRACTICE MEDIA CAMPAIGN: REVIEW OF RESPONSES FROM NURSING MOTHERS IN AROCHUKWU, SOUTH-EAST NIGERIA

This study investigates the contemporary environmental risks of air pollution and heat waves, their causes, and their impacts in Pakistan. The research aims to find out the reasons behind the response challenges despite introducing policy programs such as National Climate Change Policy Framework and initiatives like The Billion Tree Tsunami. This study has used a qualitative research approach by adding a case study analysis and an environmental expert’s opinion. The key findings have revealed that compared to the past, the nature of causes behind rising air pollution and intense heat waves has changed. Heavy traffic flow, stop-and-go traffic phenomenon, uncontrolled emissions, and rapid shifts in rainfall are the principal factors that harm Pakistan’s environment. From the expert’s point of view, the study also reveals that the response mechanism is facing hurdles due to institutional dissonance and lack of capacity building. Further, the findings suggest that a multi-layered approach involving policymakers, experts, academicians, and individuals through a community-driven approach can offer practical solutions. As the study has included the example of an individual-level digital response to current environmental threats, this research would provide a platform to make similar budget-friendly and technology-oriented approaches in the future.