Search Results (47,092)

Background: Climate change, marked by extreme events such as droughts and floods, profoundly affects mental health, leading to climate anxiety, characterized by fear and worry about its effects, which can also adversely impact sustainability. Objective: To explore the socioeconomic and psychological factors influencing the levels of climate anxiety measured by the Climate Change Anxiety Scale (CCAS). Methodology: Systematic literature review following PRISMA guidelines, analyzing studies from various regions, focusing on empirical data using CCAS and other complementary instruments. Results: Young individuals and those with greater exposure to climate change report higher levels of anxiety, often associated with symptoms of depression and stress. Although anxiety can drive pro-environmental and sustainable behaviors, it can also lead to ecoparalysis in some individuals. Conclusions: The CCAS is an effective tool to measure climate anxiety and has the potential to identify vulnerable groups facing the climate crisis. This study highlights the importance of specific interventions to address the psychological impacts of climate change, and promote public policies focusing on sustainability issues. Full article

Under global climate change, the Tibetan Plateau, as a sensitive and ecologically vulnerable region, exhibits vegetation dynamics that significantly influence regional ecological security and hydrological cycles. This study aims to project the dynamic changes in vegetation on the Tibetan Plateau under climate change and assess the associated uncertainties in projections. Coupled Model Intercomparison Project Phase 6 (CMIP6) models were used to provide climate change outputs in the future under different greenhouse gas emission scenarios. The vegetation dynamics were described by the Global Inventory Modeling and Mapping Studies (GIMMS) Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) data. By integrating a Random Forest model with the output climate data of CMIP6 models and training the model based on the historical observation data, NDVI changes under future emission scenarios were simulated and evaluated. The key findings of this study are as follows: (1) The multimodel ensemble (MME) performed best in simulating environmental variables, while certain individual models showed significant deviations in simulating specific variables; the Random Forest model demonstrated reliable capability in NDVI simulation and prediction. (2) The future NDVI was projected to increase persistently in the central and eastern plateau but decrease along the northern and southeastern margins, with variability in the trend projections between different models. (3) The MME model indicated an overall NDVI increase in the future, with higher values under SSP245 before the 2060s and stronger increases under SSP585 thereafter; humid basins exhibited more pronounced increases, while arid/semiarid basins showed limited changes. (4) The uncertainty in the NDVI projections showed a sustained increasing trend under both scenarios, with a stronger rise under the SSP585 scenario; spatially, the uncertainty remained low across most of the Tibetan Plateau but was relatively higher in the central–eastern region and major humid basins. These results provide a scientific basis for understanding alpine ecosystem responses to future climate change and for regional ecological risk management. Full article

Climate change-induced monsoon variability increasingly threatens the economic viability of renewable energy systems in Southeast Asia. While solar–wind hybrid systems are considered a promising solution, their economic resilience under dynamic monsoon conditions remains poorly understood—a critical research gap for climate-adaptive energy planning in monsoon-affected regions. This study aims to develop an integrated climate–technology–economics framework to assess the economic resilience of solar–wind hybrid systems under projected monsoon variability. The framework combines ERA5 reanalysis data, CMIP6 climate projections, techno-economic optimization via HOMER Pro, and a quantitative resilience assessment covering resistance (ΔLCOE%), robustness (CV~NPV~), and adaptive potential. The methodology is applied to representative ASEAN regions—Vietnam, Thailand, the Philippines, and Indonesia—to evaluate how monsoon-induced changes in solar and wind resources affect system performance. Results indicate that intensified monsoon variability reduces photovoltaic output during the rainy season by up to 15%, increases the levelized cost of energy (LCOE) by an average of 12.5%, and extends project payback periods by 2–4 years. Inland areas exhibit significantly higher vulnerability than coastal regions. However, optimized system configurations—particularly adjustments to the solar–wind capacity ratio and integration of battery energy storage—improve economic resilience by more than 20%. These findings provide quantitative evidence and actionable guidance for climate-resilient renewable energy planning in monsoon-affected ASEAN countries. Full article

Against the backdrop of global climate change, frequent public health crises, and escalating geopolitical conflicts, the stable operation of emergency logistics supply chains faces severe challenges. Building a resilient system that combines disturbance resistance and adaptability has become an urgent necessity. This paper, grounded in the evolution of resilience theory, clearly defines the meaning of emergency logistics supply chain resilience. It systematically identifies and constructs an indicator system comprising 17 influencing factors across four dimensions: Resistance, Responsiveness, Adaptability, and Development Capacity. Employing a hybrid fuzzy DEMATEL-ISM-MICMAC approach, the study quantifies causal relationships and hierarchical structures among factors while analyzing their driving forces and dependency attributes. Findings reveal that infrastructure development, emergency plan integrity, talent cultivation, financial safeguards, and regulatory support constitute core critical factors influencing emergency logistics supply chain resilience. Among these, regulatory support and financial safeguards form the fundamental pillars underpinning the system’s operation. The multidimensional influence factor framework and hybrid analytical method developed in this study not only enrich the theoretical research system on emergency logistics supply chain resilience but also provide scientific decision-making references and practical guidance for policymakers and industry practitioners to formulate targeted resilience enhancement strategies. Full article

Decarbonisation of urban areas is essential to reaching climate neutrality, as cities house half the global population and account for over 70% of carbon emissions. However, applying innovative approaches, such as establishing positive energy districts (PEDs), remains challenging due to stakeholder engagement and funding constraints, largely driven by knowledge gaps and a lack of best practices. This study examines barriers, facilitators and lessons learnt from six case studies in Europe, Canada and Singapore through a mixed-methods approach, including stakeholder interviews, grey literature analysis and a semi-structured review. Findings highlight district heating networks, heat pumps and photovoltaics as key technologies, with regional variations. While Mediterranean regions prioritise solar energy, northern climates employ a diverse range of solutions, including geothermal and seasonal storage. Political commitment and funding enable progress, whereas regulatory gaps and stakeholder misalignment hinder it. The study underscores the need for sharing best practices to enable PED implementation. Full article

Cancer remains a pressing global health concern with profound social and economic implications, accounting for nearly 17% of all deaths worldwide. Throughout history, medicinal plants have been employed in traditional healing practices to treat various illnesses, including cancer, and they continue to play a vital role in modern healthcare. Chile, a South American country with a diverse range of climates and landscapes, harbors exceptional biodiversity that offers many natural products with potential cytotoxic properties. This study presents a comprehensive review of the literature, collecting existing evidence that twelve Chilean species, Leptocarpha rivularis, Peumus boldus, Aristotelia chilensis, Drimys winteri, Solidago chilensis, Buddleja globosa, Senecio graveolens, Geoffroea decorticans, Ugni molinae, Austrocedrus chilensis, Gracilaria chilensis, and Kageneckia oblonga, exhibit potential cytotoxic properties against cancer. Extracts and isolated molecules from these species have been shown to induce cell death, reduce cellular viability, attenuate clonogenic growth, induce senescent phenotype, and even exert anti-angiogenic effects. These species display high toxicity and specificity, operating through mechanisms such as cell cycle arrest, induction of apoptosis, chromatin fragmentation, and mitochondrial alteration. The findings summarized here support the importance of further research. Many of the bioactive compounds identified remain poorly characterized, and their molecular mechanisms of action are not yet fully understood. By consolidating current evidence, this work establishes a foundation for future research aimed at developing therapeutic applications that harness Chilean natural products to prevent cancer progression. Full article

Understanding the impact of monsoonal oscillations during past climatic changes in the Arabian Sea is crucial for improving climate model predictions under ongoing global warming. This study investigates whether millennial-scale climate shifts in Greenland, specifically Dansgaard–Oeschger events 12–11, affected the Indian Ocean monsoon system and the associated productivity and oxygen minimum zone (OMZ) dynamics in the northwestern Arabian Sea. In the Arabian Sea, DO stadials correspond to reduced water-surface productivity, well-ventilated intermediate water masses, and a weakened or absent OMZ. Contrarily, DO interstadials are distinguished by enhanced water-surface productivity, a reorganization of intermediate water masses, and a reinvigoration of the OMZ. Eleven sediment samples from ODP Site 721A were analyzed using a multiproxy approach combining total organic carbon, C/N ratios, bulk-sediment isotopes (δ¹⁵N, δ¹³C), and the relative abundances of Globigerina bulloides and Globigerinoides ruber, complemented by isotopic data (δ¹³C, δ¹⁸O) from G. ruber shells. Further Mg/Ca–δ¹⁸O and δ¹⁸O_sw measurements were included to refine the reconstruction of surface-water hydrography linked to productivity changes. Results reveal significant oscillations in water-surface productivity and OMZ intensity, modulated by shifts in monsoon strength and water-column ventilation. Enriched δ¹⁵N values, elevated TOC, and increased G. bulloides relative abundances reflect intensified denitrification and organic matter preservation under a stronger southwest monsoon, whereas depleted δ¹⁵N, reduced TOC, and higher G. ruber abundance indicate enhanced ventilation and a weaker OMZ under northeast monsoon dominance. These findings provide new evidence that refines the paleoceanographic history of the Arabian Sea. Additionally, they demonstrate that high-latitude climatic forcing during DO events modulated Arabian Sea monsoon dynamics and oxygenation through strong interhemispheric teleconnections. Full article

Electric mobility plays a key role in promoting climate-friendly transportation. Beyond technical development, the transition to electric mobility critically depends on early understanding, acceptance, and system literacy among future users and engineers. This manuscript positions hands-on engineering education as a complementary contribution to electric vehicle research. It demonstrates how core EV concepts can be introduced to children aged 12–15 through a structured, construction-based learning format. Many school students have had little opportunity to explore energy and electricity through hands-on learning. The eMobility for Kids (eM4K) workshop integrates the assembly and operation of light electric vehicles with curriculum-aligned physics instruction. The instructional focus includes vehicle kinematics as well as fundamental concepts of electricity and energy. Over a two-day course, students build a four-wheeled electric vehicle in small teams and apply their understanding through guided driving and reflection activities. Results from multiple workshop implementations between 2023 and 2025 are presented. In addition, a short exploratory snapshot survey was conducted in parallel among participating school students. The results provide indicative insights into attitudes toward future individual electric mobility, including interest in driving a small electric vehicle at the age of 15. To the authors’ knowledge, this study represents one of the first documented and systematically described educational approaches. It explores the use of real electric vehicle systems in hands-on learning for school students. Full article

The field of biology offers great inspiration for sustainable design solutions through the exploration and implementation of biobased materials in architecture. Research on this topic is increasingly viewed as a key pathway to addressing climate change, partly because biobased materials have lower embedded energy, can be integrated into circular economy strategies, can be produced locally, and in some cases, biobased materials have been shown to have similar or improved mechanical and hygrothermal properties compared to standard construction materials. However, significant challenges need to be addressed to facilitate a smooth and consistent transition toward a biobased construction industry. Some of these barriers relate to growth processes, cultural perceptions, standardization, and mass production of materials. Another barrier is transitioning from micro-scale structures developed in laboratory settings to metre-scale structures used in architectural applications. Upscaling biobased materials requires adjustments in growth techniques, workspaces, material manipulation tools, and post-processing to ensure the materials meet the requirements for use in the built environment. This document examines bacterial cellulose in this context, illustrating the process followed to upscale the production of the material and adapt it from a controlled lab environment to a larger architectural scale. The study presents and assesses the steps taken to adapt lab growing conditions, harvesting and drying techniques, and coating choices, among other critical procedures. The barriers and opportunities encountered through this process contribute to the ongoing discussion on shifting from traditional to biobased materials in the built environment. Moreover, this research underscores the transformative role that biobased materials like bacterial cellulose can play in advancing sustainable architectural practices and highlights the importance of interdisciplinary efforts to bridge laboratory research and large-scale built design. Full article

Urban sky gardens—elevated green spaces on buildings, encompassing rooftop gardens and podium gardens—are critical to the improvement of urban ecosystem services and functions. Understanding the spatial patterns and the influencing factors of sky gardens is essential for the precise allocation of elevated spaces in urban development. Taking the four central urban districts of Lanzhou in China as the study region, a GIS database of 508 sky gardens was established by identifying high-definition image maps and on-site investigations. The spatial patterns and influencing factors, such as building height, ground-level green area, and population density, were analyzed. The development of sky gardens was also compared in Lanzhou and Guangzhou, China. The distribution of sky gardens in Lanzhou exhibited spatial heterogeneity. Most sky gardens were distributed along the Yellow River. Chengguan District had more sky gardens than Xigu District. In terms of structural characteristics, 82% of sky gardens were rooftop gardens, 73% were located in residential buildings, and 63% were attached to mid- and low-rise buildings. Most sky gardens were one floor, characterized by no public accessibility, a location in high-density plots, and low vegetation coverage. Sky garden area was negatively correlated with building height, ground-level green area, and green plot ratio in sky gardens. There were positive associations between sky garden area and higher plot ratio, building density, and population density based on Multiscale Geographically Weighted Regression. Due to the proper climate conditions and economy, Guangzhou had more sky gardens than Lanzhou. Our study suggests that the utilization of rooftops and podiums is relatively low, and the development of sky gardens exhibits spatial clustering. A suite of optimizing strategies should be implemented to enhance the accessibility and usability of sky gardens. Full article

Clarifying the complex interaction between climate risks and the new energy industry chain is of key significance to advancing the energy transition and strengthening industrial chain robustness. This research pairwise-matches the climate physical risk and the climate transition risk with the entire range of the new energy industry chain segments, comprehensively examining the pairwise interactive relationships. By applying the MF-ADCCA series of methods, it was revealed that there are prevalent asymmetric cross-correlated multifractal characteristics between climate risks and the new energy industry. The long-term memory under the upward trend of the market is distinctly stronger than that under the downward trend. Given that this correlation can indirectly reflect market efficiency differences, this paper constructs the Hurst Volatility Sensitivity Index (HVI) and the Hurst Asymmetry Index (HAI) and further proposes the Unified Market Efficiency Index (UMEI). Its innovative advantage resides in the balanced integration of volatility efficiency and structural symmetry, in turn enabling a comprehensive assessment of the new energy market efficiency under climate risk perturbations. Static analysis reveals that the overall market efficiency of the new energy industry under the climate transition risk is generally higher than that under the climate physical risk, and the market efficiency of mature upstream and midstream new energy segments is significantly superior to that of the downstream. Dynamic evolution characteristics indicate that market efficiency has typical time-varying traits, the evolution of which is often driven by significant policies or extreme events. The climate transition risk tends to trigger aperiodic structural adjustments, while the climate physical risk mostly induces periodic efficiency fluctuations. This study furnishes solid evidence for the new energy market in coping with climate risks. Full article

The design of thermal strategies applied in buildings based on the use of renewable energies can play an important role in the development of a built environment that is better adapted to the climate. This paper is focused on the application of a renewable solar energy system coupled with a Heating, Ventilation and Air-Conditioned (HVAC) system to promote occupants’ thermal comfort (TC) and indoor air quality (IAQ) in buildings during heating season. In the building thermal design, a building thermal dynamic model is used to calculate the temperatures of the opaque and transparent building surfaces, the temperature of the water supply ducts, the TC level and the IAQ level, among other variables. The TC conditions of the occupants were evaluated using the Predicted Mean Vote index, commonly used in the literature in similar studies. IAQ was assessed by the usual carbon dioxide concentration in environments where most of the pollution is of human origin. The numerical study was carried out in a virtual residential building consisting of two floors and seven compartments. The building is occupied at night and at midday. Two cases were studied, considering, respectively, the non-use and use of the solar HVAC system. The solar HVAC system consists of solar water collectors, installed above the roof area, and thermo-convector heat exchangers, installed inside each occupied space. The results show that the application of this solar HVAC system in a Mediterranean-type climate is able to guarantee, during occupancy, acceptable TC levels in three compartments and near acceptable TC levels in one compartment. Regarding IAQ, acceptable level can be achieved throughout the day. Full article

Few studies examine how slow-onset climate change interacts with local structural conditions to shape internal migration and long-term community sustainability. Using 2021 county-to-county migration data for the contiguous United States, this study analyzes spatial variation in in-migration, out-migration, and net migration rates in relation to temperature anomalies and place-based socioeconomic characteristics. Spatial regression results reveal no uniform relationship between recent temperature anomalies and migration outcomes. Instead, migration patterns are more strongly associated with urban status, housing market conditions, population composition, and long-run average climate. In some counties, higher temperature anomalies are associated with reduced out-migration, suggesting constrained mobility where economic and housing conditions limit relocation options. By contrast, extreme anomalies and greater environmental vulnerability are linked to lower in-migration, indicating diminished destination attractiveness. Overall, the findings suggest that internal migration responses to climate stress are mediated by local structural conditions rather than driven by temperature change alone, underscoring the importance of equitable adaption policies and place-based resilience strategies for sustainable regional development. Full article

Storm damage poses an increasing risk to radiata pine (Pinus radiata D. Don) plantations in New Zealand as extreme wind events intensify under climate change. This study quantified wind damage following ex-tropical Cyclone Gabrielle in a seven-year-old genetics trial comprising 12 genotypes grown under four stand configurations defined by contrasting stocking (833 and 1282 stems/ha) and cultivation (with and without cultivation) treatments. The genotypes comprised a Pinus attenuata × P. radiata var. cedrosensis hybrid, ten anonymised radiata pine clones and an industry-standard radiata pine seedlot. Field assessments and unmanned aerial vehicle UAV laser scanning were used to classify damage into stem breakage and overturning and to derive structural metrics, including tree diameter, height, slenderness, volume, crown width and crown volume. Overall, 16.7% of trees were damaged, with stem breakage (10.2%) occurring more frequently than overturning (6.5%). Averaged across the four treatments, total damage significantly ranged from 10.4% in the high stocking cultivated treatment to 23.5% in the low stocking no cultivation treatment. Variation between the 12 genotypes was highly significant, with breakage, overturning and total damage ranging from 3.3%–25.4%, 1.4%–15.0% and 6.6%–29.5%, respectively, between the 12 genotypes. Two radiata pine clones with high growth rates and low to moderate wind damage had the highest post-storm total stem volume per hectare, which greatly exceeded that of the hybrid or the widely planted radiata pine seedlot. These findings highlight the potential of clones that combine high growth rates and resistance to wind damage to maintain high productivity under a changing climate with a greater frequency of extreme weather events. Full article

The integration of Foamed Concrete (FC) into 3D Concrete Printing (3DCP) processes facilitates the design of energy-efficient building envelopes. However, strategies for optimizing material porosity and printing topology to balance winter and summer performance remain underexplored. This study presents a 2D numerical thermal analysis of an innovative 3D-printed building envelope block characterized by sinusoidal internal partitions. Through a parametric variation in porosity (ranging from 10% to 50%) and internal geometry (amplitude and period of the partitions), 45 distinct configurations were simulated. Performance was evaluated by calculating the steady-state thermal transmittance (U) and the periodic thermal transmittance (Y_ie) under dynamic climatic conditions. The results demonstrate that porosity is the governing parameter; increasing porosity from 10% to 50% reduces U by 31% and, contrary to traditional assumptions for massive structures, also improves Y_ie by 12.3%. These outcomes are physically driven by the drastic reduction in thermal conductivity, which overcompensates for the loss of thermal mass, leading to a net reduction in overall thermal diffusivity. While internal topology plays a secondary role, its optimization allows for fine-tuning dynamic damping without compromising insulation. The study confirms that 3D printing with foamed concrete enables the overcoming of the traditional trade-off between insulation and thermal inertia. High-porosity configurations (50%) with optimized internal topology emerge as the most effective solution, simultaneously guaranteeing beneficial steady-state and dynamic thermal performance for sustainable buildings. Full article