Search Results (261)

Road transport is a major contributor to greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, representing a significant challenge when it comes to achieving climate goals. Although methodologies such as Activity–Structure–Intensity–Fuel (ASIF) are widely used to estimate transport emissions, their application as regulatory instruments remains unexplored. This study addresses this gap by proposing a framework that operationalizes ASIF for managing Scope 3 emissions in toll-road concessions. Using operational and traffic data from a major Brazilian highway concession, baseline emissions are compared with intervention scenarios involving the adoption of initiatives such as free-flow tolling and fleet electrification. The results demonstrate that emission reductions can be associated with specific ASIF components and can be translated into measurable contractual indicators. In the case study, the implementation of free-flow tolling reduced emissions at toll plazas by up to 37%. Fleet electrification, which is now limited by the charging capacity of roads, can be improved and have its effects captured by the framework so that actions resulting from the concessions made to improve availability can enable policies aimed at reducing total user-related emissions. The study is the first, to the best of the authors’ knowledge, to operationalize the ASIF methodology as a governance and contractual instrument for Scope 3 emissions management in highway concessions in Brazil. By bridging emissions estimation and concession governance, it provides a practical framework for incorporating Scope 3 mitigation targets into concession contracts and climate-oriented transport regulation. Full article

Animal activity plays an important role in regulating soil methane (CH₄) and nitrous oxide (N₂O) emissions. As a global invasive gastropod, golden apple snail (GAS, Pomacea canaliculata) has established great populations in wetlands, which has disturbed the soil ecological process. However, the impact of GAS activities on greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions is still unclear. A 25-day mesocosm experiment was conducted to examine CH₄ and N₂O fluxes, soil properties, microbial community, and GHG-related functional genes under low-density (GASL), high-density (GASH) and control (CK, without snail) treatments. Results showed that GASL significantly increased soil porosity and total nitrogen content by 18.6% and 7.6% on the 25th day. GASH significantly increased soil urease and sucrase activities by 18.1% and 30.0%. GASH significantly decreased the CH₄ emission flux by 18.7% and increased the N₂O emission flux by 33.1% on the 25th day. The 25-day cumulative CH₄ and N₂O emissions from female and male snail accounted for 0.002% and 2.3% of the total CH₄ and N₂O emissions in the GASH treatment, respectively. Moreover, GAS altered the soil microbial community composition. GASL significantly decreased the relative abundance of the phylum Chloroflexota by 11.3%, and increased the relative abundance of the family Nitrospiraceae by 24.5%. Compared with CK, GASH reduced the abundance of functional genes of mcrA, AOA-amoA, and nosZ by 16.9%, 19.7%, and 21.1%, respectively, while increasing the abundance of pmoA, AOB-amoA, and nirS by 18.4%, 65.3%, and 54.2%, respectively. These findings indicate that GAS disturbs soil physiochemical and microbial properties, and the conclusions are limited to a short-term mesocosm experiment. Full article

Bioconversion of chicken manure by Hermetia illucens (black soldier fly, BSF) larvae offers a sustainable route for organic waste disposal and protein production, yet how carbon source bioavailability regulates this process remains unclear. We conducted 13-day trials on chicken manure across 27 combinations of three supplement-to-manure mixing ratios (SMMRs, 3:1, 1:1, and 1:3, dry weight basis) and nine carbon blends (sawdust, straw, and corn flour). Measured endpoints included larval yield, substrate temperature dynamics, GHG emissions, global warming potential (GWP), ammonia volatilization, carbon–nitrogen fixation, and frass characteristics. Carbon source identity showed a much stronger association with performance than did the manure-to-supplement mixing ratio. Dry-basis larval yield ranged from 3.5% to 13.2% (mean 7.4%), total GWP ranged from 5105.6 to 8737.2 mg kg⁻¹, and ammonia emissions from 419.6 to 1114.1 mg kg⁻¹. Optimal larval yield was combined with a 3:1 SMMR with corn-flour-rich blends, which boosted productivity and C-N retention. Labile carbon was associated with enhanced lipogenesis, amino acid accumulation, C-N sequestration, and reduced GHG emissions. In contrast, recalcitrant carbon (sawdust) restricted degradation, intensified microbial competition, and induced energy shortage and nutrient losses, impairing conversion efficiency. These findings are consistent with carbon bioavailability rather than C/N, being a key correlate of BSF performance through energy–microbe–substrate interactions. We further propose that substrate formulation targeting labile carbon enrichment can serve as a practical strategy to simultaneously improve larval production and mitigate environmental impacts, though the inferred mechanisms await direct microbiological validation. Full article

Agricultural organic solid wastes (AOSW) are often accompanied by agricultural production, with large quantities, leading to resource waste and environmental impacts. Composting and anaerobic digestion (AD) are mainstream and recommended methods of AOSW disposal in China. This research conducts a review of the greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions of AOSW composting and AD methods, with consideration of advancements, challenges, limitations, and future directions. Composting’s biogenic GHG contributes 30–740 kg CO₂-eq·t⁻¹ DM, with feedstock and systems as main factors. AD’s biogenic GHG comes from 0–10% methane leakage (196.5–982.4 kg CO₂-eq·t⁻¹ DM) and digestate composting (276.6–1002.3 kg CO₂-eq·t⁻¹ DM). Non-biological GHG for both is 11.3–561.8 kg CO₂-eq·t⁻¹ DM. Process regulation cuts GHG by 13.9–55.8%, exogenous addition by 6.0–97.3%. This paper highlights and discusses AOSW biological treatment’s GHG emission and reduction strategy, supporting low-carbon resource recycling. Full article

Steel production accounts for approximately 7% of global GHG emissions. Brazil is the largest steel producer in Latin America, and carbon pricing is rapidly moving from a policy debate to an operational reality, making the financial exposure of Brazilian steelmakers to carbon regulation one of the most pressing industrial sustainability questions in an emerging market context. This study evaluates the financial exposure of the Brazilian steel industry to three carbon pricing scenarios: (i) a domestic cap-and-trade mechanism under Brazil’s Greenhouse Gas Emissions Trading System (SBCE); (ii) Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanisms (CBAMs) applied by key trading partners (EU, a hypothetical USA scenario, and a global scenario); and (iii) supply chain (Scope 3) exposure, relevant under net-zero corporate commitments and the expected expansion of EU-CBAM coverage. Using a scenario-based financial impact approach, with both macro-level (industry) and micro-level (company) analyses, results show that domestic carbon pricing could increase production costs by 7–21%, generating USD 1.6–4.9 billion in additional annual costs (equivalent to 4.3–13.3% of annual industry revenue). International CBAM exposure could reduce Brazilian steel export revenues by USD 570 million to USD 1.7 billion in a global scenario (1.5–4.6% of annual industry revenue). Supply chain emissions represent 68% of the industry’s total carbon pricing exposure, equivalent to USD 1.1–3.3 billion in domestic pricing costs and USD 388 million–1.16 billion in CBAM export revenue reduction. A company-level case study confirms the pattern, with lower Scope 3 intensity yielding a comparatively smaller but still material exposure. These findings offer practical decision support for steel companies and policymakers navigating the transition to a low-carbon economy. Full article

To address the climate impact of maritime transport, the International Maritime Organization (IMO) has implemented regulations targeting ship emissions, particularly greenhouse gases (GHGs), to achieve net-zero emissions by 2050. Meeting these goals requires accurate estimates of air pollutant emissions and a clear understanding of emission trends. This study estimated air pollutant emissions from ships registered in Republic of Korea between 2021 and 2023 using a bottom-up approach. The methodology incorporates ship specification data, regression models, and correction factors based on actual fuel consumption. For ships lacking engine power data, power was estimated using a regression of gross tonnage by ship type. Annual fuel consumption was calculated using engine power, fuel type, engine configuration, and ship age, and emission factors were applied to estimate CO₂, CH₄, N₂O, and other air pollutants. The results showed that CO₂ accounts for over 98% of GHG emissions, while cargo ships, which represent only 10% of the fleet, contribute more than 60% of total GHG emissions. These findings highlight the importance of prioritizing cargo vessels in CO₂ reduction strategies. This study provides baseline data to align policy development with IMO regulations and underscores the need for a continuous national framework for estimating ship emissions. Full article

The maritime sector accounts for approximately 3% of global greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and faces binding decarbonization obligations under the International Maritime Organization’s (IMO) Net-Zero Framework and the FuelEU Maritime Regulation. Conventional marine fuels, including very low sulphur fuel oil (VLSFO) and liquefied natural gas (LNG), are insufficient to meet long-term regulatory intensity targets on a well-to-wake (WtW) lifecycle basis, creating an urgent need for credible fuel alternatives. This study investigates ethanol as a primary fuel for marine dual-fuel propulsion systems, assessed across four distinct production pathways, sugar beet, corn, sugarcane, and wheat straw, to determine its full decarbonization potential relative to VLSFO and LNG benchmarks. A simulation-based multi-dimensional evaluation framework is developed and applied, integrating dynamic operational simulation, energy analysis, environmental lifecycle modelling, and regulatory compliance assessment. The framework is calibrated against a high-resolution dataset from an active container ship, with scenario-specific engine data. While ethanol requires 39.1% more fuel mass than VLSFO due to its lower energy density, all four ethanol pathways deliver substantially superior WtW GHG reductions: from 50.2% (corn) to 76.9% (wheat straw), compared with 20.6% for LNG. All ethanol scenarios satisfy FuelEU compliance limits across the 2026–2045 horizon, with wheat straw ethanol achieving a GFI of 22.52 gCO₂e/MJ, compliant marginally with the 2040 IMO target. These findings demonstrate that bio-based ethanol, particularly from lignocellulosic feedstocks, is a technically viable and regulatorily superior alternative to LNG for maritime decarbonization, warranting accelerated research into production scale-up and bunkering infrastructure development. Full article

The IMO Net-Zero Framework and its carbon regulations impose binding constraints on fuel selection and fleet evolution. A techno-economic optimization model is developed to quantify this interaction along the Shanghai–Los Angeles green shipping corridor. The framework integrates vessel-level Mixed-Integer Non-Linear Programming (MINLP) with a Multinomial Logit formulation to simulate fleet diffusion, minimizing Total Cost of Ownership (TCO) over 2026–2050. The results identify a persistent marginal compliance regime driven by the tiered carbon penalty structure. Rather than achieving full compliance, fleets systematically position their Greenhouse Gas Fuel Intensity (GFI) near the penalty threshold, where limited penalties remain economically preferable to high-cost zero-carbon fuels. This behavior sustains fossil LNG as the dominant transitional option and delays the TCO crossover with ammonia until 2043. Under intensified penalties, the crossover advances to approximately 2030, triggering rapid cost escalation for LNG and eliminating the economic viability of drop-in biofuel strategies. Across all scenarios, absolute zero GHG emissions are not achieved due to residual fossil dependence and upstream Well-to-Wake (WTW) emissions. The transition is therefore bounded by the interaction between penalty avoidance behavior and the pace of Power-to-X fuel deployment. These findings indicate that carbon penalty levels determine the timing of decarbonization, while relative fuel prices govern technology selection, with direct implications for corridor-specific fuel infrastructure and investment decisions. Full article

Logistics, as a vital component of economic growth, relies on fossil fuel burning, which accelerates carbon emissions into the atmosphere and harms the environment. Logistics, encompassing transportation, warehousing, and supply chain operations, is among the fastest-growing sources of carbon emissions globally, contributing significantly to GHG emissions. Climate change causes forced migration, extinctions, natural disasters, and health problems that disrupt the ecosystem’s dynamics. This work aims to critically examine the current palliative measures to limit the negative impact on global climate change while also methodically examining various aspects of the human world affected by the growing rate of carbon emissions globally, as the world turns to low-carbon economics as a powerful and inventive way to mitigate the climate crisis from carbon emissions. Under themes such as climate impacts, ecological disruption, socioeconomic ramifications, health implications, and mitigation techniques, a broad range of integrated publications focused on logistics and climate-related concerns were examined. The final section of the document emphasises the significance of zero emissions and outlines the regulations set by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC). It also makes a strong case for investing in sustainable and cutting-edge technologies in order to quickly achieve favourable global climate conditions. Full article

Landfilling remains the dominant waste disposal method worldwide, particularly in developing countries, posing serious environmental, health, and climate challenges. Inefficient practices, weak regulations, and un-engineered sites contribute to massive greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and resource loss. Transitioning to a circular economy (CE) offers a transformative path for sustainable waste management. By closing material loops, recovering energy, urban mining, controlling emissions and CE strategies can convert traditional landfills into eco-efficient systems. The integration of artificial intelligence (AI) further enhances this transition, enabling real-time monitoring, predictive management, and optimized resource recovery, thereby maximizing environmental and economic benefits. This review presents a three-level CE framework at micro (individual organizations), meso (industrial networks), and macro (national and international) levels designed to extract maximum value from waste streams and mitigate climate impacts. The proposed strategies demonstrate the potential to drastically reduce GHG emissions, promote clean energy via waste-to-energy routes, and contribute to SDGs 7, 11, 12, 13 and 15. By combining technology, innovation, and strategic management, this work highlights how AI-driven CE approaches can transform landfills from environmental liabilities into engines of sustainability and climate action. In implementing CE strategies at various levels, various challenges including technological, socio-economic, ethical, policy-based, and unintended consequences are encountered which impact sustainability initiatives. This review comprehensively discusses challenges associated with CE implementation and identifies technological advancement, social awareness and data-driven AI/ML-based modeling which could ensure success in circularity and ultimately curb climate change impacts in the long term. Full article

Road freight transport is an important driver of global greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. Decarbonizing this sector demands a comprehensive assessment of emerging powertrain technologies, which are currently lacking in the literature. To fill this knowledge gap, we performed a life cycle assessment (LCA) on 10 impact categories to evaluate road freight transport in the Netherlands of four truck alternatives, assuming similar performance: fuel-cell electric (FCEV), hydrogen internal combustion engine (HICEV), battery electric (BEV), and diesel internal combustion engine (DICEV). We compared locally produced green hydrogen, according to EU regulations, with electricity and diesel as alternative fuel chains, while also considering the environmental impact of road infrastructure. We found that FCEV and HICEV trucks achieve the lowest global warming impact when green hydrogen is used. We identified discrepancies between the transport alternatives, highlighting key factors influencing NO_x and particulate matter emissions. Our research also showed that water consumption (WC) for green hydrogen is strongly influenced by upstream processes, with solar-powered electricity emerging as a crucial contributor. Our results highlight the need for more exploration on the environmental impact of green hydrogen and can be used by researchers and practitioners to further understand the complexity of reducing emissions in road freight transport. Full article

International research and policy frameworks underscore the value of mandatory energy regulations in reducing energy demand and greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions in the built environment. However, Global South (GS) countries experience several challenges in effectively implementing building energy efficiency codes (BEECs), as codes are either absent, unevenly adopted or inconsistently enforced. A poor alignment with the specific climatic, socio-economic and construction realities further limits the potential of BEECs to support GS climate resilience. This research aims to identify opportunities to enhance building energy regulatory practices by exploring recent progress in the field. It also systematically evaluates existing mandatory BEECs in the GS to identify models and principles that could guide the development of more effective codes, specifically for GS countries without BEECs. It is hypothesised that the mandatory BEECs currently implemented in GS countries can be analysed using contextually relevant criteria to reveal common regulatory patterns, strengths, and shortcomings, thereby informing a climate-responsive framework suited to GS realities. This research implemented a two-tiered literature review. After determining the broad regulatory context, an exploratory review of the current state of the art in BEEC research was conducted. These publications (primarily 2016–2025) were obtained via a systematic query in Scopus. Following the exploratory review, this study performed a Systematic Quantitative Literature Review (SQLR) to assess mandatory BEECs from 18 GS countries. The findings reveal that BEECs are useful for delivering energy-efficient buildings in the real world. However, ample opportunities exist to improve their comprehensiveness in context and coverage. Improving regulatory implementation systems and structures, along with robust stakeholder engagement, can support better BEEC design and enforcement. To address the need for contextualised BEECs, the SQLR helped develop a taxonomy by comparing the mandatory codes. This research also introduces the Sustainable Level Indicator Model, Matrix, and Map (SLIM³) prototype, proposed as a decision-support tool, and hosted on an interactive online platform, thereby potentially contributing to real-world building energy regulatory practices. The SLIM³ tool organises the mandatory BEECs into a coherent, accessible framework that could assist GS decision-makers in benchmarking existing and new codes, identifying gaps and prioritising contextually appropriate improvements, thus contributing to a more resource-efficient built environment. Full article

Intensive agricultural production contributes significantly to greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, accounting for between 10 and 12% of global anthropogenic emissions, at a time when the agricultural sector is facing increasing pressure to adapt to ever-stricter environmental regulations. This study develops and applies a multi-objective Goal Programming model to identify the optimal mix of crops and management practices that simultaneously minimize the carbon footprint and maximize productivity, at the level of a 300-hectare (ha) model agricultural system in Romania. The life cycle assessment (LCA) methodology, in accordance with ISO 14040/14044 standards and Ecoinvent 3.8 emission factors, was applied to nine crops distributed across three soil types, within four management scenarios, over an annual planning horizon. The unit of measurement used is a ton of CO₂ equivalent per agricultural system. The results show that the optimized configuration achieves near-zero total carbon emissions (0.33 t CO₂eq for the entire farm), reduces synthetic nitrogen inputs to 35.7% of the limit set by the EU Nitrates Directive, and generates water savings of 48%. However, these environmental gains entail a 52.9% production trade-off relative to the maximum target of 3000 tons, highlighting a Pareto-optimal structural conflict between climate and food security objectives. The sensitivity analysis identifies the nitrogen emission factor and crop yield as the most influential parameters. The results confirm the technical feasibility of the European Green Deal targets through systematic mathematical optimization, while also demonstrating that achieving economic parity requires policy support of 110–165 EUR/ha/year. Full article

Maritime transport accounts for around 3% of global anthropogenic greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, a share expected to grow without effective technological and regulatory intervention. Recent policy developments, including the IMO Revised GHG Strategy (2023), the extension of the EU Emissions Trading System to maritime transport, and the FuelEU Maritime Regulation, require ports and shipping stakeholders to evaluate multiple decarbonization technologies under complex and often conflicting constraints. These decisions involve trade-offs across economic, technical, environmental, social, and cyber–physical security dimensions, which are not adequately addressed by conventional decision-support tools. This paper introduces XAI–MCDA-HoDEM, an explainable multi-criteria decision framework integrating Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP), Technique for Order Preference by Similarity to Ideal Solution (TOPSIS), and SHAP-based explainability. The framework explicitly incorporates cyber–physical security as a core evaluation criterion and provides transparent, criterion-level explanations of decision outcomes. Using real-world data, the methodology is demonstrated through an illustrative case study and empirically validated at the Port of Rotterdam. Results show stable and robust rankings, alignment with observed port decarbonization strategies, and improved interpretability of decision drivers. The proposed framework supports transparent, policy-relevant decision-making for the maritime energy transition. Full article

The revised EU Urban Wastewater Treatment Directive (UWWTD, EU 2024/3019) expands the scope of the previous directive (Council Directive 91/271/EEC, 1991) by explicitly including combined sewer systems, stormwater discharges, and overflow events while promoting energy neutrality and reducing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions across urban wastewater systems. Although the Directive establishes energy accountability at the system level, it does not define how energy performance in wastewater collection networks should be structured, assessed, or benchmarked, resulting in a significant implementation gap. This paper presents a novel, regulatory-aligned, data-driven framework to organise, analyse, and interpret energy-relevant information in support of UWWTD requirements, with specific focus on wastewater collection networks. Using Portuguese regulator datasets, supplemented with published sources, existing metrics are reorganised into energy-significant dimensions that differentiate structural, excess-driven, operational, and renewable-related components of energy use. The preliminary findings show that available datasets already support a screening-level diagnosis of specific energy intensity, pumping-related energy shares, inflow-driven excess volumes, and associated GHG emissions. However, important gaps remain regarding subsystem disaggregation, hydraulic normalisation, and measurement granularity. The study restructures existing information into a novel audit-compatible framework, proposes additional metrics and measurement requirements, and identifies measures to facilitate UWWTD implementation. Although developed for the Portuguese context, the framework offers a scalable pathway for integrating wastewater collection networks into energy neutrality governance across European Member States. Full article