Search Results (9,213)

Ukraine entered the definitive period of the EU Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM) in January 2026 as the largest exporter of CBAM-covered goods to the EU by physical volume, while its industrial base remains under direct wartime pressure. This study provides the first structural analysis of the open microaggregated dataset of the State Statistics Service of Ukraine (SSSU) on air pollutant and greenhouse gas emissions, covering 1990–2025 across 1284 territorial units, 128 substances, and 605 economic activities (NACE/KVED-2010). A documented harmonization procedure is proposed that resolves the 2020/2021 dimensional break and the ambiguity between oblast (region)- and hromada (municipality)-level records, yielding consistent 36-year series with independent national total validation for 2015–2025. Four phases are identified: transformational decline (1990–1999, −56.5%), stabilization (1999–2013, +4.6%), post-2014 structural decline (2013–2021, −47.9%), and the full-scale war shock (2021–2025, −55.0%). Stationary source emissions fell by 89.3% overall, but the wartime reduction reflects destruction and occupation of capacity, not decarbonization, as reflected in the collapse of metallurgy (−73.8%) and coke production (−89.6%) and the loss of the Mariupol district from statistical coverage after 2022. Mobile sources now supply 65% of the national total. Coal mine methane dominates stationary CH₄ (301 kt in 2021; ≈9.0 Mt CO₂ eq), directly relevant to Regulation (EU) 2024/1787. The regional Herfindahl–Hirschman index fell from 1847 (2021) to 1524 (2025), indicating war-driven regional deconcentration and a westward shift in the emission center of gravity. The findings are validated against independent satellite-based and conflict attribution estimates, and implications for monitoring, reporting and verification (MRV) infrastructure, CBAM default value exposure, and the phased design of Ukraine’s emissions trading system are derived. Full article

Livestock production occupies a paradoxical position with respect to climate change: farm animals are highly vulnerable to heat stress, feed and water scarcity, and climate-sensitive disease, while the sector contributes an estimated 14.5% of anthropogenic greenhouse gas emissions, most of which is biogenic methane from enteric fermentation. This review evaluates the evidence for precision livestock farming (PLF)—continuous, automated, real-time monitoring of individual animals’ health, welfare, production and environmental impact—across dairy and beef cattle, small ruminants, pigs, and poultry. For mitigation, precision feeding and additive-dosing strategies have been associated with enteric methane reductions of approximately 10–25%; for adaptation, wearable and non-invasive sensors have been reported to detect heat-stress-related behavioural changes before productivity losses become apparent, and smart climate-control systems have been associated with housing energy-use reductions of roughly 5–10%. Much of this evidence derives from single-farm, small-sample or short-duration studies and should be read as indicative rather than generalisable. Adoption remains constrained by high investment costs, limited interoperability, insufficient technical support, and uneven applicability to extensive and smallholder systems. We conclude that PLF is a valuable enabling technology that, combined with genetic, nutritional, and management strategies, can strengthen the resilience and environmental sustainability of livestock systems under a changing climate. Full article

The building and construction sector is a major contributor to global energy consumption and greenhouse gas emissions, underscoring the need for material-level strategies to minimise environmental impacts throughout the building life cycle. This study presents a life cycle assessment (LCA) of a prototypical two-storey brick veneer residence in Sydney, Australia, using eToolLCD software V4.7 to V5.40. Two environmental impact categories were evaluated, namely embodied energy (EE) and global warming potential (GWP). Over the 55-year reference service life, the case study residence generated a total EE of 1,191,015 MJ NCV and a total GWP of 82,678 kg CO₂ eq, equivalent to 98.18 MJ NCV/m² gross floor area (GFA)/year and 6.816 kg CO₂ eq/m² GFA/year, respectively. The products stage dominated both environmental impact indicators, accounting for 99.35% of total EE and 67.85% of total GWP. Among the building elements, the wall structure was identified as one of the primary contributors, accounting for 29.54% of total EE and 31.12% of total GWP. To identify sustainable alternatives, two international case studies employing AAC block walls were examined, namely, the Wilson Residence in Florida, United States, and the IPCW Residence in Surabaya, Indonesia. A controlled wall area-based comparative environmental analysis of three wall construction systems (brick veneer, AAC blocks, and hollow concrete blocks) demonstrated that the AAC block wall system exhibited the lowest EE (9.752 MJ NCV/m² GFA/year) and GWP (1.2615 kg CO₂ eq/m² GFA/year), representing approximately a 44.1% reduction in EE and 23.9% in GWP compared to the brick veneer wall system. This wall-system finding was corroborated by a supplementary comparative analysis using environmental product declaration (EPD) data for generic AAC blocks and clay brick. Under the specific assumptions, system boundaries, and impact categories examined, AAC block walls demonstrated lower EE and GWP than brick veneer walls in this Sydney case study residence, indicating their potential as a lower-impact wall material for Australian residential construction. Compared to brick veneer walls, AAC block walls may reduce both EE and GWP while maintaining high thermal performance, durability, and construction efficiency, thereby contributing to more sustainable housing and support Australia’s transition towards net-zero emissions. Full article

Circular economy is today a key driver of every transformation process aimed at reducing and optimizing the use of energy and materials. The production of solid biofuel from waste is a typical route to lower the potential impact of greenhouse-gas emissions. In this context, olive pomace is a relevant feedstock, as 4 million tonnes are generated worldwide each year alongside olive oil production. However, only a small fraction of olive pomace is currently valorized. Fresh olive pomace must first be quickly dried to a low, controlled moisture. This step is performed poorly and at a high energy cost. This paper presents an automation-based approach to enhance biomass production from olive pomace, thereby advancing circular-economy practices in olive oil production. The work is focused on four aspects. In the first part, a review of the state of automation in agricultural engineering with a focus on biomass and olive pomace is proposed. Then, the design and construction of an innovative drying system that integrates an infrared solution directly into the transporting screw conveyor is described, integrating real-time online microwave moisture sensing and PLC control. After that, a cloud-based service is presented for remote monitoring, data analysis, and optimization. The innovative and automated drying system was validated during a preliminary field campaign at an olive mill. After about sixteen hours of continuous, cloud-monitored operation, the resulting olive pomace moisture fell below the 5% threshold across a wide range of inlet-moisture conditions, with a stable electrical power demand of approximately 1.85 kW. Finally, an environmental analysis is provided to evaluate the environmental aspects related to the proposed system. The preliminary analysis confirms a significant avoided-carbon potential if the resulting olive pomace is reused as biomass for energy production. The impact associated with 1 kWh_-eq produced from olive pomace is in the range of 0.006–0.033 kg CO_2-eq. Full article

Environmental footprint assessment is increasingly used to characterize the secondary impacts of contaminated site remediation. However, many established green and sustainable remediation tools rely on U.S.-based emission inventories and background data, raising questions about how their estimates change when applied under other regional conditions. This study proposes a three-way evaluation framework that examines Sitewise™ and SEFA outputs alongside a Sitewise-informed China-localized recalculation using domestic emission factors. The framework was applied to an excavation-and-transport brownfield remediation project in northern China using five indicators: greenhouse gas emissions (GHG), energy use, NO_x, SO_x, and particulate matter. In this case, Sitewise™ and SEFA produced numerically similar GHG estimates and moderately different energy estimates, with pairwise differences of 7% and 27%, respectively. Under the assumptions of this case, their GHG estimates were 26% and 20% lower, respectively, than the localized recalculation. A screening counterfactual using a common U.S. reference grid factor indicated that grid factor substitution accounted for 19.2% of the Sitewise-to-localized numerical difference and 24.5% of the SEFA-to-localized numerical difference. Air pollutant results showed stronger pathway dependence: NO_x estimates differed by up to approximately eightfold, and the localized result fell between the two tool estimates under the stated assumptions. Within the tested epistemic ranges, the localized GHG result remained above both fixed tool outputs, the NO_x result remained between them, and the SO_x result remained below both in every draw; the baseline PM relationship was retained in 92.7% of draws, while localized energy equaled the Sitewise™ result by construction. Across the native tool runs and a transparent localized transport linkage screen, a 25% reduction in haul distance was associated with a 12.5–22% reduction in total GHG estimates. The comparison harmonized the remediation program and comparison unit, but not the complete background life cycle boundary; the results therefore represent defined-boundary pathway estimates rather than fully boundary-harmonized LCA results. Because the localized pathway retains the Sitewise-derived fuel–energy balance and activity category shares, it is interpreted as a case-specific factor localization recalculation rather than an independently documented project inventory or external comparison standard. The observed directional differences characterize the present case and tested assumptions and do not support a general judgment about the relative performance of the tools. The framework may be adaptable to other jurisdictions, but its transferability should be evaluated using additional sites, remediation technologies, and independently documented activity inventories. Full article

Background/Objectives: Reductive soil disinfestation (RSD) is increasingly viewed as a viable alternative to chemical fumigation, yet the role of organic amendment quality in regulating greenhouse gas (GHG) fluxes, soil organic carbon (SOC) dynamics, and net climate forcing remains poorly understood. Methodology: In a 30-day anaerobic incubation experiment, we set up three treatments—a flooded control (CK), soil amended with wheat straw (WS, C/N = 55.5), and soil amended with kiwifruit branches (KB, C/N = 110.8)—each replicated three times under identical conditions. Results: Both WS and KB additions strongly stimulated CO₂ and CH₄ production, while suppressing N₂O emissions by over 85% relative to CK. The WS treatment exhibited a substantially higher global warming potential (GWP, 823.52 t ha⁻¹) than KB (636.23 t ha⁻¹), with CH₄ accounting for more than 99% of total GWP. Although WS surpassed KB in short-term carbon sequestration efficiency (25.79% vs. 20.11%) and showed greater hydrolytic enzyme activities (βG, CBH, and XYL), the two organic amendments diverged clearly in carbon fraction distribution: C_mic was 17.9% higher under WS, whereas C_min was 16.2% higher under KB. When factoring in the CO₂ equivalent benefit derived from carbon sequestration, the net GWP (NGWP) indicated that both RSD treatments remained net GHG sources. Notably, KB yielded a markedly lower NGWP (611.60 t CO₂-eq ha⁻¹) than WS (798.19 t CO₂-eq ha⁻¹), highlighting a fundamental trade-off: WS favored rapid SOC accumulation at the expense of elevated methane emissions, whereas KB achieved a smaller climatic footprint despite more moderate carbon retention. Conclusions: These findings underscore that selecting organic amendments for field RSD requires balancing the competing goals of carbon sequestration and GHG mitigation. Full article

Tea plantations are high-input agricultural systems and have been recognized as hotspots of soil nitrous oxide (N₂O) emissions; however, the key controlling factors of these emissions and their quantitative prediction remain insufficiently understood. We compiled 115 field-observation records from 26 published studies into a multi-factor database covering climate, soil properties, and fertilization management, and compared five machine learning models—multiple linear regression (MLR), ridge regression, support vector regression (SVR), random forest (RF), and gradient-boosting regression trees (GBRTs)—using 5-fold cross-validation, combined with Spearman correlation and feature-importance analyses. Annual N₂O emissions varied widely (0.40–73.20 kg·hm⁻²·a⁻¹; mean 9.85 kg·hm⁻²·a⁻¹), and the mean direct emission factor (EFd, 2.04%) far exceeded the IPCC default value. Emissions were significantly positively correlated with total nitrogen (TN) input but negatively correlated with mean annual temperature (MAT) and mean annual precipitation (MAP). GBRT performed best, effectively capturing nonlinear multifactor interactions; TN input and soil pH were the dominant predictors, followed by rainfall. However, feature importance rankings were method-dependent: the RF/SHAP analysis ranked MAT first rather than fifth, reflecting the different algorithmic mechanisms of the two approaches. The GBRT-based model provides a useful tool for estimating tea-plantation N₂O emissions (LOOCV R² = 0.668) and quantitative support for sustainable nitrogen management and targeted greenhouse gas mitigation strategies in tea production systems. Full article

Low-activity copper tailings (CTs) were mechanochemically activated and used to develop a copper tailings–slag–metakaolin grouting material (CSM). Mechanical grinding and Na₂SO₄ addition were first optimized, after which single-factor experiments and response surface methodology were used to evaluate the effects of the water-to-solid ratio, alkali activator dosage, and MCCT content on slurry properties and compressive strength. Grinding for 40 min with 3 wt% Na₂SO₄ relative to the dry CT mass produced the highest activity index of 84.5%. The optimized CSM mixture had a water-to-solid ratio of 0.69, an alkali activator dosage of 6.7 wt%, and an MCCT content of 35.5 wt% of the dry solid precursor. Validation experiments yielded a fluidity of 235 mm, a bleeding rate of 2.8%, a setting time of 165 min, and a 28 d compressive strength of 8.62 MPa, with prediction errors below 5%. Microstructural characterization indicated that mechanochemical activation refined the CT particles, increased their structural disorder, and contributed to the formation of Ca–Si–Al–O-rich binding phases and AFt-like crystals in the hardened matrix. Within the defined preliminary material-level system boundary, the embodied energy, greenhouse gas emissions, and material cost of CSM were estimated to be 67.86%, 82.87%, and 27.28% lower, respectively, than those of the 1 kg ordinary Portland cement (OPC) binder benchmark. These results indicate the potential of CSM as a filling and consolidation grout with reduced material-level environmental burdens and cost within the adopted assessment boundary. Full article

Driven by the escalating worldwide consumption of animal-sourced commodities, the livestock industry faces intensified constraints regarding its ecological consequences, encompassing large-scale deforestation, elevated greenhouse gas emissions, progressive soil deterioration, and the suboptimal management of hydrological resources. In response to these challenges, the concept of sustainable livestock husbandry integrates production practices with environmental management strategies designed to conserve biodiversity, optimize resource use, and reduce emissions. The objective of this review is to emphasize the significance of sustainable cervid farming as an integral element of contemporary food supply chains, comprehensively addressing its environmental, production, and nutritional dimensions. A comprehensive assessment of current scholarly articles from Scopus, Web of Science, and Google Scholar was performed to explore topics concerning eco-conscious livestock practices, non-conventional farming models, organic rearing, animal well-being, and the evolution of deer breeding. Particular attention was paid to the role of permanent grasslands in venison production, soil protection, carbon sequestration, and biodiversity preservation. The nutritional value of red deer and fallow deer meat and its significance in sustainable food systems are also outlined. As indicated by the analysis of available research findings, extensive cervid farming based on the use of permanent grasslands and local feed resources can reduce environmental pressures through support of landscape conservation, preservation of ecosystem functions, and efficient utilization of biomass that is inedible for humans. Venison is shown to be a valuable source of high-quality protein, minerals, and essential fatty acids, which meets growing consumer demands for high-quality food. The literature review has confirmed that properly managed cervid farming can be an important element of sustainable food production systems combining production goals with environmental protection and animal welfare. It also emphasizes the need for further research into the environmental, economic, and social aspects of this branch of animal production. Full article

Widespread polyethylene (PE) mulch film application has caused severe farmland plastic pollution and greenhouse gas emissions. To identify low-carbon end-of-life pathways for waste agricultural mulch film, this study established a full life-cycle carbon footprint model comparing three treatment scenarios—incineration, mechanical regranulation, and pyrolysis, each coupled with residue landfilling—under two accounting conditions: with and without carbon-compensation credits from by-product substitution. Using 1 t of waste film as the functional unit and an 8 km² farmland plot (110.4 t of applied film) as the reference scenario, cradle-to-grave emissions were quantified. Without compensation, regranulation delivers the lowest emissions (519.17 t CO₂ eq), 12.02 t CO₂ eq below pyrolysis. With compensation credits, pyrolysis achieves the lowest net emission (247.82 t CO₂ eq, 248.10 t CO₂ eq less than regranulation), but this advantage arises from avoided emissions of product substitution rather than lower direct emissions. The per-tonne carbon footprint ranks pyrolysis (2.24 t CO₂ eq) < regranulation (4.49 t CO₂ eq) < incineration (5.15 t CO₂ eq). A proposed 5400 t/year pyrolysis facility yields an annual net carbon reduction of 1082.16 t CO₂ eq. These results inform differentiated disposal strategies for major mulch-film-covering provinces. Full article

The environmental sustainability of passenger-car electrification depends not only on powertrain technology but also on vehicle size, material intensity, energy-system decarbonisation, and end-of-life management. This study applies prospective life cycle assessment to compare battery electric vehicles (BEVs) with gasoline-powered internal combustion engine vehicles (ICEVs) across A/B, C, and SUV segments for 2025 and 2050, including a Paris Agreement-aligned 2050 pathway. ReCiPe 2016, IPCC 2021, Cumulative Energy Demand, CML-IA, and Ecological Scarcity 2021 were applied to evaluate climate, energy, resource, ecosystem, and policy-weighted environmental pressures, while well-to-tank and tank-to-wheel modelling quantified operational emissions. Environmental burdens generally increased with vehicle segment, and BEVs showed higher production-stage impacts because of traction batteries and electric-powertrain components. Recycling reduced most indicators but increased eutrophication in some variants, demonstrating the risk of burden shifting. In the integrated manufacturing-to-wheel assessment, BEVs achieved approximately 49% lower greenhouse gas emissions than gasoline ICEVs in the A/B segments and 54–55% lower emissions in the C and SUV segments under 2025 conditions. The results show that electrification alone is insufficient to ensure sustainable mobility. Its environmental benefits are maximised when combined with vehicle right-sizing, appropriately sized batteries, low-carbon electricity, energy-efficient manufacturing, and high-quality closed-loop recycling. Full article

Background: Following industrial energy consumption, freight transportation represents the second-largest source of greenhouse gas emissions nowadays. However, although several metrics for the supply chain’s profitability already exist, indicators for its environmental performance are currently lacking. Methods: Hence, a preliminary review of metrics for green logistics was carried out in order to select a comprehensive indicator for more detailed studies. The effectiveness of the proposed metrics was tested on a real industrial case concerning the Messebo cement factory in Ethiopia to explore potential advances in developing countries, where the availability of renewable energy sources is extremely high but infrastructures for their exploitation are absent. Then, the constrained route optimization problem was solved to investigate the implementation of potential improvements. Results: The outcome of this study shows that delivery route optimization improves transportation environmental performance, on average, by 15%, while the replacement of conventional freight trucks with electric vehicles can abate up to 90% of the overall carbon footprint. In both cases, all constraints were satisfied within the required time window. Conclusions: In conclusion, this work proves the effectiveness of green logistics indicators and represents a first step towards supply chain optimization for carbon-intensive sectors in developing countries. Full article

The sequestration and release of carbon in soil is a crucial aspect of agricultural production studies, involving numerous small-plot trials and modelling processes. Small-scale heterogeneity in soil properties can influence measured carbon dioxide (CO₂) fluxes. This study aimed (i) to compare CO₂ emission from two neighbouring sandy soil plots managed with identical agricultural practices; (ii) to identify the key factors influencing soil CO₂ emissions; and (iii) to examine the effect of soil water content (SWC) and soil temperature (Ts) on the results. Two plots located approximately 30 m apart and differing in terms of their humus depths and contents were selected for investigation. Continuous SWC and Ts measurements were taken. Portable devices were used to determine CO₂ emissions, penetration resistance (PR) and vegetation cover. The humus layer in plot A was 55 cm thicker than in plot B, while the soil organic carbon (SOC) content was 18% and 163% higher in the 0–30 cm and 30–90 cm soil layers, respectively. Vegetation cover was nearly twice as high in plot A, and the mean soil CO₂ emissions were 36% higher than those measured in plot B. SWC showed an opposite trend, with plot B exhibiting values that were 9.7% and 17.7% higher than those of plot A in both the top and deepest soil layers, respectively. These findings emphasize the importance of including small-scale spatial heterogeneity when parameterizing or interpreting biogeochemical models, particularly when model inputs are based on limited soil measurements from specific locations. Full article

Rice cultivation is an important source of GHG emissions, particularly CH₄ and N₂O, which are strongly influenced by water and N management. However, the relationship between GHG emissions and stem aerenchyma development among rice varieties remains poorly understood. This study evaluated CH₄ and N₂O emissions and stem aerenchyma development in two rice varieties, PTT1 and KDML105, cultivated under flooded and non-flooded conditions with two N regimes (0 and 120 kg ha⁻¹). GHG fluxes were measured at three growth stages: before maximum tillering, panicle initiation, and flowering, while stem aerenchyma was assessed at the early heading stage. The results showed that water conditions and N fertilizer significantly affected cumulative CH₄ emissions, whereas there was no significant effect of rice variety. Applying both water and N also increased GWP and GHGI in rice cultivation, with little difference between the rice varieties. Notably, stem aerenchyma development was not significantly associated with GHG transport under different conditions. These findings demonstrate that water and N management affected rice physiological responses, but stem aerenchyma development alone may not be associated with GHG transport under specific environmental conditions. These results provide valuable guidance for optimizing water and N management in rice production systems to maintain crop productivity while reducing environmental impacts. Full article