Exploring the role of nuclear energy in the energy transition: A comparative perspective of the effects of coal, oil, natural gas, renewable energy, and nuclear power on economic growth and carbon emissions

Spatio-temporal variations of land use carbon emissions and its low carbon strategies for coastal areas in China with nighttime lighting data

Coastal areas are one of the most concentrated and fastest urbanizing areas for human activities. Land use carbon emissions (LUCE) related to human activities are recognized as an essential contributor of climate change. Nevertheless, carbon emissions linked to changes in land use in coastal areas remain unclear. While nighttime light images can effectively indicate the human activity intensity in different geographic spaces and monitor the spatio-temporal dynamics of human social activities. Here, we investigated the spatio-temporal changes in LUCE using nighttime light images during 1991-2020 in Shandong Province. The influential drivers of LUCE were detected by employing GeoDetector. The results demonstrated that (1) Carbon emissions from construction land at the city scale can be modeled with nighttime lighting data. (2) Cities with highest carbon emissions were Weifang (27.9 MtCO2e) and Qingdao (31.63 MtCO2e) in the study area. Average annual growth rate for LUCE was the highest during 2000-2010 (315.42%), and reached an inflection point in 2013 during the study period. (3) The mean center of LUCE has been in Weifang for most of the last 30 years. (4) GDP had the largest q statistic of 0.781, and was the main factor affecting LUCE. (5) Low-carbon development in coastal areas needs to increase carbon sinks in addition to reducing carbon sources. The results provide a theoretical basis for improving the ecological environment in Shandong Province and a scientific reference for the development of low-carbon in coastal areas.

Quest for environmental management and sustainability: Evaluating the drivers of territorial and consumption-based carbon emissions in G-20 economies

The rising levels of carbon emissions are a significant concern for global environmental management and sustainability. The situation is further exacerbated by increasing economic activities and unsustainable practices, particularly in G-20's economies. This study explores how environmental efficiency, natural resource rents, banking development, energy transition, industrial value addition and economic growth shape territorial and consumption-based carbon emissions across G20 economies from 1996 to 2020. In addition, the novelty of the study lies in its comprehensive approach, integrating Epsilon-Based Measure (EBM) in Data Envelopment Analysis (DEA) to measure environmental efficiency and utilizing Principal Component Analysis (PCA) to develop indices for natural resource rents and banking development. Driscoll-Kraay standard error model is applied to explore the drivers and to draw inferences about the dynamic relationships of territorial and consumption-based carbon emissions. The findings reveal a consistent positive relationship between natural resource rents and economic growth with territorial and consumption-based carbon emissions. In contrast, environmental efficiency, energy transition, and industrial value addition are strong negative drivers of carbon emissions, aligning with global sustainability efforts. Furthermore, banking development plays a critical role by negatively influencing carbon emissions, suggesting that a robust financial system can facilitate investments in sustainable energy. The study employs various long-run testing methods, including AMG, CCEMG, FGLS, FMOLS, and PCSE, ensuring the robustness of the findings. These findings offer valuable insights for policymakers balancing economic growth with environmental stewardship. The study's implications include recommendations for enhancing energy efficiency, promoting financial systems that support green investments, and fostering policies that encourage sustainable development in both national and global contexts.

Impact of Ligand in Nickel-Based Metal-Organic Frameworks on Selectively Adsorbing 85Krypton from N2-enriched Radioactive Off-Gas

Removing radioactive 85Kr effectively during spent fuel reprocessing is still a significant challenge due to the low absorption capacity and poor 85Kr/N2 selectivity of the currently available adsorbents. Herein, three types of nickel-based metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) were synthesized, including Ni-FA, Ni(ina)2, and JUC-86, to investigate the impact of ligands on selective 85Kr adsorption via experimental and quantum calculations, aiming to explore the critical structural properties that enhance Kr adsorption capabilities. Analysis of the experimental characterization reveals that the interaction between Kr and MOFs was influenced by the properties of ligands, independent of the specific surface area. Quantum computing results indicate that aromatic structured ligands can form multiple Kr···π interactions with Kr, thereby enhancing the affinity between the framework and Kr, and ligands containing N-heterocycles can further augment electron polarization between Kr and the framework, providing a unique affinity for Kr through van der Waals forces. JUC-86 features both aromatic and nitrogen-heterocyclic structures, exhibiting the highest ligand polarity, which enables it to achieve a Kr uptake of 2.71 mmol/g, surpassing those of Ni(ina)2 (1.62 mmol/g), Ni-FA (0.76 mmol/g), and all previously reported adsorbents. More importantly, the JUC-86 demonstrated the best Henry constant of 8.72 mmol/g/bar for Kr, and the selectivity of Kr/N2 was calculated to be 9.03, showing an excellent Kr affinity that indicates potential for capturing trace 85Kr from N2-rich off-gas streams. These findings revealed the key structural characteristics for 85Kr adsorption of three Ni-MOFs and indicated that higher ligand polarity and extra functional groups are key factors in improving 85Kr affinity, aside from pore size.

Extraction and Complexation of Fission Products with Unsymmetrical Phenanthroline Diamide Ligands from Simulated High-Level Liquid Waste

The extraction performance and complexation properties between some typical fission products (FPs) with phenanthroline-based ligands N2,N,2N9-triethyl-N9-tolyl-1,10-phenanthroline-2,9-dicarboxamide (DE-ET-DAPhen) and N2-ethyl-N,9N9-dioctyl-N2-tolyl-1,10-phenanthroline-2,9-dicarboxamide (DO-ET-DAPhen) were described in this work. The low distributions of Ln(III) observed in the solvent extraction study showed the potential of the ligands for the separation of actinides and lanthanides in high-level liquid waste (HLLW). Further extraction studies on other FPs showed that the ligands could efficiently extract Pd(II) and Cd(II) using n-octanol as a diluent. Various methods including slope analysis, 1H NMR titration, UV-vis spectroscopic titration, and single-crystal X-ray diffraction were adopted to explore the complexation behavior of the ligands with target metal ions. The complexation study results indicated that the ligands formed 1:1 complexes with Ln(III) in single-phase solutions, while 1:1 and 2:1 complexes with Cd(II) and Pd(II) were detected. Meanwhile, the stability constants (log β) of the complexes measured through UV-vis spectroscopic titration were reported. According to the diffraction data of the single crystals, the complex structures of [Ln(DE-ET-DAPhen)(NO3)3] (Ln = La, Tb, and Lu) and [Cd2(DE-ET-DAPhen)2(NO3)4] were proposed. The systematic study of the extraction and interaction between some typical FPs with the ligands provides a comprehensive understanding of the ligands' properties, which contribute to the development of the application process of the ligands in the reprocessing of HLLW.

Energy transition in sustainable transport: concepts, policies, and methodologies

The growth in population, economic expansion, and urban dynamism has collectively driven a surge in the use of public and private transport, resulting in increased energy consumption in this sector. Consequently, the transport sector requires an energy transition to meet mobility demands, foster economic growth, and achieve emission reduction. The main objective of this article is to systematically review the literature on energy transition in transportation, categorizing research, identifying barriers, and providing analysis to guide future steps, with a special focus on developing countries. The methodology used in this study follows a sequence for a systematic review based on an evidence-informed approach and specific guidelines for systematic reviews, exploring the concepts, methodologies, and policies within the context of the energy transition, considering transport modes and geographical scope. The findings indicate that electricity is the predominant energy source in this transition, although its prevalence varies by transport mode. Biofuels present an alternative, primarily contributing to emission reduction associated with fossil fuel use. Natural gas emerges as a cost-effective option for heavy transport, while hydrogen represents another alternative, with the challenge of developing recharging infrastructure. Determinants of this transition include recharging infrastructure, tax and nontax incentives, public policies, the generation of electric power from renewable sources, and the management of battery life cycles from mineral extraction to disposal.

Green innovation imperative for natural resource-driven sustainable economic recovery: Linking rights Structure, corporate social responsibility, and renewable energy contracts

This study examines the complex relationships necessary for a sustainable economic recovery, focusing on the interplay between contracts for renewable energy, natural resource use, corporate social responsibility (CSR), and rights frameworks. Motivated by the increasing scrutiny of environmental practices, this research aims to highlight the need for sustainable business models during the transition to a more environmentally sensitive economy. The study area encompasses diverse sectors where CSR goals can be aligned with renewable energy project frameworks through natural resource utilization. Methodologies include a novel composite CSR evaluation indicator designed to complement industry rankings and a thorough analysis of CSR within the mining industry. Results demonstrate how aligning CSR with renewable energy initiatives can reshape profit models for stakeholders and emphasize the changing green product market as a catalyst for economic resurgence. Recommendations in the area of policies focus on the reasoned utilization of natural resources and the application of innovations following the principles of CSR. This research provides critical guidance to relevant authorities and institutions charged with ethical responsibility, ensuring the proper utilization and implementation of renewable energy sources to create a more ecological future based on green technology and sustainable resource management.

The impact of renewable energy, eco-innovation, and GDP growth on CO2 emissions: Pathways to the UK's net zero target

In May 2019, the Climate Change Committee (CCC) recommended that the UK adopt a net-zero target, aiming to reduce its greenhouse gas emissions (GHG) by 100% from the 1990s baseline by 2050. The government accepted the recommendation, and the UK became the first major economy to establish a net-zero emissions law. To progress towards its climate objectives, the government took several initiatives, such as increasing its reliance on renewable energy sources and investing in climate mitigation technologies, which are commonly referred to as process eco-innovation. This study examines the impact of eco-innovation, process eco-innovation, renewable energy consumption, and economic growth on CO2 emissions in the UK using data from 1988 to 2020. We used the ARDL bound test with an error correction model (ECM) to examine the long-run and short-run cointegration between the variables of concern. We found that eco-innovation, process eco-innovation, and renewable energy consumption have significant roles in mitigating CO2 emissions, while economic growth contributes to environmental degradation in the UK. We also found that the effect of eco-innovation on CO2 emissions abatement is stronger than that of process eco-innovation in the short and long-run. Our robustness tests have confirmed the accuracy of those findings. In addition, the results from the Toda-Yamamoto causality revealed a one-way causality from process eco-innovation to CO2, renewable energy to CO2, and eco-innovation to CO2 emissions. Further, a bidirectional causality was found between GDP and CO2 emissions. The evidence presented in this paper provides great insight for shaping the energy policy in the UK and for establishing the climate budget in line with the country's net-zero target.

The Impact of Renewable Energy Development on Regional Carbon Emission Reduction: Based on the Spatio-Temporal Analysis of 30 Provinces in China

The development of renewable energy has become an important means for the world to cope with climate change, ensure energy security, and protect the ecological environment. Using the panel data of 30 provinces in China from 2013 to 2021, this study used the mediating effect model and the spatial Durbin model (SDM) to explore the mechanism and spatial effects of renewable energy development on China's regional carbon emission reduction. The results show that: (1) Renewable energy development can help to reduce carbon emission intensity. (2) The results of mechanism analysis show that renewable energy development reduces carbon intensity by improving energy structure, promoting industrial structure optimization, and industrial structure upgrading. (3) The development of renewable energy can not only reduce the local carbon intensity but also have a positive spillover effect on the carbon intensity of neighboring regions. (4) Further analysis shows that the long-term effect of renewable energy development on carbon emissions is greater than the short-term effect. At the same time, the heterogeneity analysis shows that compared with the Yellow River basin, the development of renewable energy has a significant carbon emission reduction effect in the Yangtze River Economic Belt region. Energy-rich areas fall into the "resource curse", which makes the carbon emission reduction effect of renewable energy development not significant. This paper has certain reference significance for promoting reasonable decomposition between regions and formulating renewable energy development policies.

The effect of economic growth, investment, and unemployment on renewable energy transition: evidence from OECD countries

In today's world, where the dramatic effects of climate change continue to increase, it is critical to turn from fossil fuels to renewable energy sources to achieve the CO2 emission reduction targets that countries have committed at the Paris Climate Agreement and COP 27 conference. This study analyzes the effects of macroeconomic factors, including economic growth, investments, and unemployment, on the transition to renewable energy in OECD countries. From 1996 to 2020, long-run relationships between variables were examined using advanced econometric methodologies for empirical analysis. For this purpose, panel data analysis, second-generation panel unit root tests, cross-sectional dependence tests, and panel cointegration tests were applied. Economically, in the long run, according to panel CCEMG and AMG estimator, while economic growth enhances the renewable energy transitions, investment does not statistically promote an impact on the renewable energy transitions. Renewable energy transition increases with unemployment. Moreover, the role of the considered variables in the renewable energy transition varies among country-specific. Within the framework of the results obtained, it has been proven that before determining policies for renewable energy transformation, it is necessary to do the necessary groundwork in the economy to increase economic growth and investments and reduce unemployment.

Catch-up growth with alpha and beta decoupling and their relationships between CO2 emissions by GDP, population, energy production, and consumption

This study explores the relationship between CO2 emissions by GDP, population, energy production, and consumption in the United States, China, Romania, and Thailand economies from 1990 to 2019. It evaluates the phenomenon of catch-up growth, which transpires when an lagging economy goes through an expansionary phase after a period of below-average performance. We used the stochastic model to illustrate in terms of alpha and beta decoupling techniques. The outcomes validated by positive and negative decoupling attitudes play a crucial role in predicting a rise in CO2 emissions owing to oil, gas, and coal use in comparison to Romania. Thailand and Romania have a more viable road to sustainability than the United States and China. The United States and China appear to have an antagonistic relationship, as suggested by decoupling attitudes. Thailand and Romania are considered to be highly environmentally sustainable countries on account of their minimal carbon emissions, efficient energy usage, and forward-thinking environmental policies. Accordingly, policy recommendations are offered based on CO2 emissions and effective mitigation policies, since this allows for determining which countries with high emissions need technological advances, best practices, and intersectoral policies.

Unraveling the nuclear isotope tapestry: Applications, challenges, and future horizons in a dynamic landscape

Nuclear isotopes, distinct atoms characterized by varying neutron counts, have profoundly influenced a myriad of sectors, spanning from medical diagnostics and therapeutic interventions to energy production and defense strategies. Their multifaceted applications have been celebrated for catalyzing revolutionary breakthroughs, yet these advancements simultaneously introduce intricate challenges that warrant thorough investigation. These challenges encompass safety protocols, potential environmental detriments, and the complex geopolitical landscape surrounding nuclear proliferation and disarmament. This comprehensive review embarks on a deep exploration of nuclear isotopes, elucidating their nuanced classifications, wide-ranging applications, intricate governing policies, and the multifaceted impacts of their unintended emissions or leaks. Furthermore, the study meticulously examines the cutting-edge remediation techniques currently employed to counteract nuclear contamination while projecting future innovations in this domain. By weaving together historical context, current applications, and forward-looking perspectives, this review offers a panoramic view of the nuclear isotope landscape. In conclusion, the significance of nuclear isotopes cannot be understated. As we stand at the crossroads of technological advancement and ethical responsibility, this review underscores the paramount importance of harnessing nuclear isotopes' potential in a manner that prioritizes safety, sustainability, and the greater good of humanity.

How are electricity generation effective on carbon neutrality in the global south? Evidence from sectoral CO2 emissions by daily data

In light of the efforts to ensure carbon neutrality by combating climate-related problems, the study investigates the effectiveness of electricity generation (EG) from the main renewable sources (hydro-HEG, solar-SEG, and wind-WEG). In this context, the study examines the countries of the Global South (i.e., Brazil, China, and India), considers EG at a disaggregated level and sectoral CO2 emissions, applies nonlinear methods, and uses daily data between January 2, 2019 and December 31, 2022. The results demonstrate that (i) disaggregated EG sources have a stronger (weaker) time and frequency dependency on sectoral CO2 emissions in China (Brazil and India); (ii) HEG has a stimulating impact on sectoral CO2 emissions in all countries; (iii) SEG has an increasing impact on sectoral CO2 emissions in Brazil and China, while it provides a decrease in sectoral CO2 emissions in India; (iv) WEG upsurges sectoral CO2 emissions in China, while it achieves a CO2 reduction in Brazil and India; (v) disaggregated level EG has a causal impact on sectoral CO2 emissions across all quantiles except some lower, middle, and higher quantiles. The study adds scientific value to existing knowledge by analyzing for the first time which EG sources are effective in reducing daily CO2 emissions in the Global South. Based on the outcomes, the study demonstrates that WEG is the best EG source for Brazil, that SEG and WEG are optimal EG sources for India, and that China cannot benefit from the EG sources considered. In this way, the study provides fresh insights for the countries of the Global South and underlines the crucial role of renewable EG in ensuring carbon neutrality.

A Phosphorylated Dendrimer-Supported Biomass-Derived Magnetic Nanoparticle Adsorbent for Efficient Uranium Removal

A novel biomass-based magnetic nanoparticle (Fe3O4-P-CMC/PAMAM) was synthesized by crosslinking carboxymethyl chitosan (CMC) and poly(amidoamine) (PAMAM), followed by phosphorylation with the incorporation of magnetic ferric oxide nanoparticles. The characterization results verified the successful functionalization and structural integrity of the adsorbents with a surface area of ca. 43 m2/g. Batch adsorption experiments revealed that the adsorbent exhibited a maximum adsorption capacity of 1513.47 mg·g-1 for U(VI) at pH 5.5 and 298.15 K, with Fe3O4-P-CMC/G1.5-2 showing the highest affinity among the series. The adsorption kinetics adhered to a pseudo-second-order model (R2 = 0.99, qe,exp = 463.81 mg·g-1, k2 = 2.15×10-2 g·mg-1·min-1), indicating a chemically driven process. Thermodynamic analysis suggested that the adsorption was endothermic and spontaneous (ΔH° = 14.71 kJ·mol-1, ΔG° = -50.63 kJ·mol-1, 298. 15 K), with increasing adsorption capacity at higher temperatures. The adsorbent demonstrated significant selectivity for U(VI) in the presence of competing cations, with Fe3O4-P-CMC/G1.5-2 showing a high selectivity coefficient. The performed desorption and reusability tests indicated that the adsorbent could be effectively regenerated using 1M HCl, maintaining its adsorption capacity after five cycles. XPS analysis highlighted the role of phosphonate and amino groups in the complexation with uranyl ions, and validated the existence of bimodal U4f peaks at 380.1 eV and 390.1 eV belonging to U 4f7/2 and U 4f5/2. The results of this study underscore the promise of the developed adsorbent as an effective and selective material for the treatment of uranium-contaminated wastewater.

What influences the performance of carbon emissions in China?-Research on the inter-provincial carbon emissions' conditional configuration impacts

The severe global warming issue currently threatens humans' existence and development. Countries and international organizations have effectively implemented policies to reduce carbon emissions and investigate low-carbon growth strategies. Reducing carbon emissions is a hot topic that academics and government policy-making departments are concerned about.Through necessary condition analysis (NCA) and fuzzy set qualitative comparative analysis(fsQCA), this paper investigates local governments' configuration linkage effect and path choice to improve carbon emission performance from six dimensions: energy consumption, industrial structure, technological innovation, government support, economic development, and demographic factors. The research findings include the following: (1) Individual condition does not represent necessary conditions for the government's carbon performance. Among the two sets of second-order equivalence configurations(S and Q) (five high-level carbon performance configurations), those dominated by economic development or low energy consumption can produce high-level carbon performance. Therefore, the six antecedent conditions dimensions work together to explain how the government can create high levels of carbon performance. (2)According to the regional comparison, China's eastern, central, and western regions exhibit similarities and differences in the driving forces behind high carbon emission performance. All three regions can demonstrate carbon emission performance when all the factors are combined. However, when constrained by the conditions of each region's resource endowment, the eastern region emphasizes the advantage of economic and technological innovation, the central region favors government support and demographic factors, and the western region prefers upgrading industrial structure based on a specific level of economic development.

The effect of renewable energy on carbon emissions through globalization

The sustainability of the environment debate cannot be addressed without considering the type of energy to use. The pace at which the world is industrializing, globalizing, and developing economically has prompted many researchers to investigate the kind of energy required to preserve the environment. In this regard, this study employs the mediation model to assess renewable energy's direct and indirect effects on carbon emissions through globalization. The data for the study is from 1990 to 2020. The study's findings showed that while renewable energy has no appreciable impact on trade openness, it directly and negatively affects carbon emissions. However, foreign direct investment has a direct and significant positive effect on carbon emissions, while trade openness has no significant effect. The indirect result revealed that renewable energy through foreign direct investment has a negative effect on carbon emissions; however, renewable energy through trade openness has a positive effect on carbon emissions. Policymakers are encouraged to restrict the trade sector to reduce the trading of high-emission technologies.

A review of interconnected challenges in the water-energy-food nexus: Urban pollution perspective towards sustainable development

The swift growth of cities worldwide poses significant challenges in ensuring a sufficient water, energy, and food supply. The Nexus has innovated valuable systems to address these challenges. However, a crucial issue is the potential for pollution resulting from these systems, which directly and indirectly impacts public health and the overall quality of urban living. This study comprehensively reviews the interconnected challenges of the water-energy-food (WEF) nexus and various forms of pollution in cities. The primary focus of this review article is to showcase the findings of WEF nexus studies regarding various pollutions across different geographical regions and spatial scales. It aims to examine the problems resulting from these pollutions, specifically their effects on human health and urban life. It also delves into the sources of pollution as identified in these studies. Furthermore, the article will highlight the proposed solutions from the research aimed at effectively mitigating pollution in each sector studied. This article is a systematic review which analyses research sources from the Scopus database. It extensively reviewed 2463 peer-reviewed published articles and focused explicitly on articles related to the WEF nexus that discussed pollution. Our study emphasizes, firstly, raising awareness about the crucial link between the WEF nexus, pollution, urban environments, and human health among policymakers and key stakeholders, including urban planners, industry partners and municipalities. This is to promote the development of policies that encourage sustainable practices and key stakeholders. Secondly, it evaluates WEF nexus and pollution research methods and findings, aiding in identifying research gaps technological innovation and potential, as well as enhancing decision-making. Lastly, it outlines future research challenges, providing a roadmap for researchers and policymakers to advance understanding in this domain and identify opportunities for resource efficiency and collaboration between different sectors.

Evaluating the role of financial globalization and oil consumption on ecological quality: A new perspective from quantile-on-quantile granger causality

Global warming has progressed into a pressing global concern, primarily driven by human activities. To address this issue, it is vital to identify the key drivers of ecological quality and develop effective policies in response. Consequently, this study seeks to empirically examine the causal effect of financial globalization, economic growth, economic policy uncertainty, and oil consumption on the load capacity factor (LF) in Brazil. The analysis utilizes quarterly data spanning from 1990 to 2021. In this pursuit, the study introduces an array of quantile-based methodologies, encompassing quantile ADF, PP, and KPSS tests, as well as the innovative Quantile-on-Quantile Granger Causality (QQGC) approach. The QQGC represents a notable advancement beyond traditional quantile Granger causality (QGC) methods, as it accounts for the conditional distribution of dependent and independent variables. This study bridges a critical gap in the existing literature by introducing the QQGC to capture the causal influence of the regressors on LF. The findings derived from the QQGC analysis indicate that financial globalization, economic growth, economic policy uncertainty, and oil consumption significantly predict LF across all quantiles. These results offer valuable insights that can inform the formulation of effective policies and strategies aimed at addressing ecological quality and mitigating the impacts of global warming.

A dual-core system dynamics approach for carbon emission spillover effects analysis and cross-regional policy simulation

As carbon emission continue to rise and climate issues grow increasingly severe, countries worldwide have taken measures to reduce carbon emission. However, carbon dioxide is continuously flowing in the atmosphere and is easily influenced by neighboring cities' policies. Therefore, how to solve the problem of carbon emission spillover effect has become the key to improve policy efficiency. Cross-regional carbon governance provides a perspective on solving the carbon emission problem by regulating and guiding the cooperative behavior of cross-regional governance actors. Taking Chengdu-Chongqing area as an example, this study used the SDM to analyze the influencing factors and spatial spillover effects of emission. Then we used the system dynamics method to construct a dual-core carbon emission system, and simulated the spillover effect and emission reduction potential of Chengdu and Chongqing emission reduction policies under different policy schemes. The results reveal that the mobility of population and enterprises have a significant impact on carbon emission prediction. Carbon reduction policies exhibit the phenomena of "carbon transfer" and "free-riding." When Chengdu lowers its economic growth rate, it leads to the transfer of high energy-consuming enterprises to Chongqing, increasing carbon emission in Chongqing. The implementation of comprehensive carbon reduction policies in Chongqing has a positive effect on Chengdu. Emission reduction policies exhibit issues related to their temporal efficacy, as the effects of industrial structural policies in Chengdu yield opposite outcomes in the short and long term. Each city's unique circumstances necessitate tailored carbon reduction policies. In order to reduce carbon emissions, Chengdu and Chongqing require opposite population policies.

Adaptive laboratory evolution empowers lipids and biomass overproduction in Chlorella vulgaris for environmental applications

Microalgal strain improvement with commercial features is needed to generate green biological feedstock to produce lipids for bioenergy. Hence, improving algal strain with enhanced lipid content without hindering cellular physiological parameters is pivotal for commercial applications of microalgae. In this report, we demonstrated the adaptive laboratory evolution (ALE) by hypersaline conditions to improve the algal strains for increasing the lipid overproduction capacity of Chlorella vulgaris for environmental applications. The evolved strains (namely E2 and E2.5) without notable impairment in general physiological parameters were scrutinized after 35 cycles. Conventional gravimetric lipid analysis showed that total lipid accumulation was hiked by 2.2-fold in the ALE strains compared to the parental strains. Confocal observation of algal cells stained with Nile-red showed that the abundance of lipid droplets was higher in the evolved strains without any apparent morphological aberrations. Furthermore, evolved strains displayed notable antioxidant potential than the control cells. Interestingly, carbohydrates and protein content were significantly decreased in the evolved cells, indicating that carbon flux was redirected into lipogenesis in the evolved cells. Altogether, our findings demonstrated a potential and feasible strategy for microalgal strain improvement for simultaneous lipids and biomass hyperaccumulation.

The future of green transportation: evaluating the impact of innovation in hybrid electric vehicles relating technologies on carbon dioxide emissions in Asia's top knowledge-based economies

The significant contribution of the transportation sector to carbon dioxide emissions (CO2e) has become a developing concern for legislators and environmental experts. Innovation in hybrid electric vehicle-related technologies (IHVRTs) has been identified as a possible strategy for reducing CO2e in the transportation industry. Even though IHVRTs have the potential to reduce CO2e, there are insufficient studies on their impact in the top three Asian knowledge-based economies (Japan, South Korea, and Japan). This study attempts to address this gap in the literature by investigating the association between innovation in IHVRTs and CO2e in the top three Asian knowledge-based economies, with independent variables gross domestic product per capita (GDPPC), economic complexity (ECC), renewable energy consumption (RNEC), and financial development (FD). The model's coefficients are estimated using the augmented mean group, which considers cross-country dependencies and country-specific effects. The empirical findings indicate that IHVRTs have a substantial negative effect on CO2e. In addition, FD has a favorable relationship with CO2e, whereas ECC has a negative relationship with CO2e. The results also demonstrated that RNEC reduces CO2e, whereas the GDPPC reduces CO2e. The policy implications of the results imply an urgent need for additional investment in IHVRTs and a transition towards more environmentally conscious and less ecologically damaging economic activity.

Russia-Ukraine war impacts on climate initiatives and sustainable development objectives in top European gas importers

Russia holds the position of being the third largest global producer of oil and plays a significant role in the supply of oil and gas to Europe. The ongoing war conflict has the potential to impede the bilateral and multilateral relations between Russia and Europe. The ramifications of this event will have notable reverberations for environmental endeavors in Europe. The aforementioned premise forms the basis of our investigation, wherein we scrutinize the correlation among oil price, coal price, gas price, economic growth, and coal consumption, while taking into account the ramifications of the Russian-Ukrainian conflict. We adopted fully "modified ordinary least square (FMOLS), dynamic ordinary least square (DOLS), and canonical cointegration regression (CCR)" econometric techniques to gauge the nexus between factors of interest in the top 4 European Russian gas importer economies (Poland, Netherland, Hungry, and Germany). The empirical outcomes reveal substantial negative impact of economic growth and coal price elasticity on the coal consumption. On the contrary, oil and gas price elasticities depict significant positive influence on the coal consumption. Hence, this study concludes that a rise in oil and gas prices leads to an increase in coal consumption, which in turn negatively impacts environmental quality. Furthermore, the occurrence of war has the potential to impede the utilization of coal resources in Netherlands and Hungary. On the other hand, the impact of war is noteworthy and constructive in Poland and Germany. Thus, war results ecological imbalance in Poland and Germany in particular. Governments, decision-makers, stakeholders, and environmentalists must develop a long-term plan that calls for a paradigm shift away from gas, oil, and coal usage and toward more environmentally benign renewable energy sources.

Assessment of coal supply chain under carbon trade policy by extended exergy accounting method

Within an uncertain environment and following carbon trade policies, this study uses the Extended Exergy Accounting (EEA) method for coal supply chains (SCs) in eight of the world's most significant coal consuming countries. The purpose is to improve the sustainability of coal SCs in terms of Joules rather than money while considering economic, environmental, and social aspects. This model is a multi-product economic production quantity (EPQ) with a single-vendor multi-buyer with shortage as a backorder. Within the SC, there are some real constraints, such as inventory turnover ratio, waste disposal to the environment, carbon dioxide emissions, and available budgets for customers. For optimization purposes, three recent metaheuristic algorithms, including Ant Lion Optimizer, Lion Optimization Algorithm, and Whale Optimization Algorithm, are suggested to determine a near-optimum solution to an "exergy fuzzy nonlinear integer-programming (EFNIP)." Moreover, an exact method (GAMS) is employed to validate the results of the suggested algorithms. Additionally, sensitivity analyses with different percentages of exergy parameters, such as capital, labor, and environmental remediation, are done to gain a deeper understanding of sustainability improvement in coal SCs. The results showed that sustainable coal SC in the USA has the lowest fuzzy total exergy, while Poland and China have the highest.