Search Results (150)

The outlook for biobased plastics in packaging applications is increasingly promising, driven by a combination of environmental advantages, technological innovation, and shifting market dynamics. Derived from renewable biological resources, these materials offer compelling benefits over conventional fossil-based plastics. They can substantially reduce greenhouse gas emissions, are often recyclable or biodegradable, and, in some cases, require less energy to produce. These characteristics position biobased plastics as a key solution to urgent environmental challenges, particularly those related to climate change and resource scarcity. Biobased plastics also demonstrate remarkable versatility. Their applications range from high-performance barrier layers in multilayer packaging to thermoformed containers, textile fibers, and lightweight plastic bags. Notably, all major fossil-based packaging applications can be substituted with biobased alternatives. This adaptability enhances their commercial viability across diverse sectors, including food and beverage, pharmaceutical, cosmetics, agriculture, textiles, and consumer goods. Several factors are accelerating growth in this sector. These include the increasing urgency of climate action, the innovation potential of biobased materials, and expanding government support through funding and regulatory initiatives. At the same time, consumer demand is shifting toward sustainable products, and companies are aligning their strategies with environmental, social, and governance (ESG) goals—further boosting market momentum. However, significant challenges remain. High production costs, limited economies of scale, and the capital-intensive nature of scaling biobased processes present economic hurdles. The absence of harmonized policies and standards across regions, along with underdeveloped end-of-life infrastructure, impedes effective waste management and recycling. Additionally, consumer confusion around the disposal of biobased plastics—particularly those labeled as biodegradable or compostable—can lead to contamination in recycling streams. Overcoming these barriers will require a coordinated, multifaceted approach. Key actions include investing in infrastructure, advancing technological innovation, supporting research and development, and establishing clear, consistent regulatory frameworks. Public procurement policies, eco-labeling schemes, and incentives for low-carbon products can also play a pivotal role in accelerating adoption. With the right support mechanisms in place, biobased plastics have the potential to become a cornerstone of a sustainable, circular economy. Full article

As the world’s largest developing and carbon-emitting country, China is accelerating its greenhouse gas (GHG) emission reduction process, and it is of vital importance in achieving the goals set out in the Paris Agreement. This paper examines the historical development and current operation of China’s carbon emissions trading market (CETM). The current progress of research on the implementation of carbon emissions trading policy (CETP) is described in four dimensions: environment, economy, innovation, and society. The results show that CETP generates clear environmental and social benefits but exhibits mixed economic and innovation effects. Furthermore, this paper analyses the challenges of China’s carbon market, including the green paradox, the low carbon price, the imperfections in cap setting and allocation of allowances, the small scope of coverage, and the weakness of the legal supervision system. Ultimately, this paper proposes recommendations for fostering China’s CETM with the anticipation of offering a comprehensive outlook for future research. Full article

This study explores the impact of growth opportunities on the capital structure of South African banks, utilising panel data from registered banking institutions covering the period from 2014 to 2023. While a substantial body of literature examines the relationship between growth prospects and corporate leverage, limited attention has been paid to this interaction within the banking sector, particularly in emerging economies. By employing the dynamic panel Generalised Method of Moments (GMM) estimator to address endogeneity concerns, the analysis reveals a statistically significant positive relationship between growth opportunities and both the total debt ratio (TDR) and the long-term debt ratio (LTDR). In contrast, a significant negative association is found between growth opportunities and the short-term debt ratio (STDR). The findings suggest that banks with stronger growth prospects are more inclined to utilise long-term financing, possibly reflecting shareholder preferences for institutions with favourable future outlooks and lower refinancing risks. These results highlight the importance of aligning capital structure decisions with an institution’s growth trajectory, while indicating that this relationship shifts depending on the maturity of the debt considered. This study contributes to the existing literature by contextualising capital structure decisions within the framework of growth opportunities. Structure theory within the context of the banking sector in a developing market offers practical insights for strategic financial planning and regulatory policy. Full article

Considering the United Nations Climate Change Accord and insights from the OECD Global Material Resources Outlook to 2060, this study explores the intricate interrelationships of population growth, economic expansion, energy consumption, and carbon emissions in key OECD and BRICS countries. With the global economy heavily reliant on fossil fuels—the primary drivers of carbon emissions—we examine historic and projected energy use trends in developed and emerging economies. Through a combination of exploratory data analysis and ARIMA-based statistical forecasting, we investigate the relationships among GDP growth, energy use, and emissions, drawing distinctions between OECD and BRICS nations. Our findings reveal that, while developed economies demonstrate declining energy use, emerging markets show an upsurge in usage tied to economic growth. This research presents a compelling case for transitioning to a low-carbon future, drawing on renewable energy sources and proposing a roadmap to achieve both economic resilience and environmental sustainability. Our work serves as a call to action for policy-driven, cleaner energy investments to curb emissions and safeguard the planet. Full article

Market-oriented ecological restoration is vital for advancing ecological civilization and promoting harmonious human–nature relationships. However, the precise implementation pathway remains unclear. Few studies specifically address challenges that arise during ecological restoration implementation. Ensuring the smooth and effective implementation and landing of ecological restoration projects harmonizes ecological and economic objectives at the regional scale and fosters sustainable development in the region. Based on the policies of market-oriented ecological restoration collected from various Chinese provinces, and through multi-level institutional analysis, the policy measures are categorized into three phases: early, middle, and late. For each phase, we summarize the challenges encountered in implementing market-oriented ecological restoration projects. Finally, by the method of constructing theoretical models, we propose sustainable countermeasures based on multiple theoretical models. The results show (1) China’s ecological restoration sector is experiencing rapid growth, and market-oriented policies in China, multiple Chinese provinces, and municipalities have enacted successive market-oriented ecological restoration policies, and the outlook for ecological restoration marketization in China remains highly promising. (2) The implementation process of current market-oriented ecological restoration projects confronts and encounters several challenges. These include the absence of project screening and evaluation mechanisms, limited investment and financing channels, ill-defined approval processes, ambiguous delineation of departmental responsibilities, insufficient industry incentives, and the absence of effective operational and management mechanisms. (3) To address the identified challenges, taking forest ecological restoration as an example, theoretical models should be developed encompassing six critical dimensions: the aspects of the mechanism, mode, approval process, management system, industrial chain, and platform. This aims to provide sustainable pathways for the effective implementation of market-oriented forest ecological restoration projects. Full article

In a dynamic global market, platinum-group metals (PGMs), particularly palladium, are in high demand across various industries due to their unique properties. Palladium plays a crucial role in environmentally friendly technologies, such as catalytic converters, which mitigate harmful automotive emissions. Additionally, it is essential for clean energy production, particularly in hydrogen generation, which makes palladium a critical resource for building a sustainable and secure supply chain. This study evaluates the prospects of the palladium market through strategic analysis, focusing on the Russian mining and metals company PJSC MMC Norilsk Nickel. The research employs strategic and industry analysis methods to examine palladium production, market dynamics, and technological advancements, as well as emerging applications in the context of a green economy. The article analyzes the economics of palladium production, including price volatility driven by stringent environmental regulations and the rising adoption of electric vehicles. The palladium market faces challenges such as a constrained resource base, supply disruptions due to sanctions, price instability, and growing demand from key sectors, particularly the automotive industry. Nevertheless, innovation-driven trends offer promising opportunities for market growth, aligning with sustainable development principles and the transition toward a green, low-carbon economy in both established and emerging markets. As a key scientific contribution, this study proposes a modified methodological approach to industry analysis, enabling the assessment of a mining and metals company’s competitive sustainability in the palladium market over the medium and long term. Furthermore, the research models the life cycle of palladium as a commodity, considering evolving market trends and the rapid development of new industries within the green economy. Full article

The regulation of clinical trials for medicinal products and medical devices has undergone numerous changes in recent years in the European Union, challenging manufacturers and national regulatory agencies as well. With the introduction of combined drug–device products, the regulatory landscape has been drastically changed to adapt to novel technological advancements and innovations. A comparative analysis has not yet been published highlighting the main differences and common elements of these two medicinal products, which took up almost all of the market in the pharmaceutical sector. Due to stricter regulations in the field of medical devices, the process from application up until post-market surveillance became more difficult, but a correlation between the regulation of drug trials can also be found. The main differences lie in the risk management systems, where, regardless of the background knowledge of a drug, it is always strict and mandatory structured progress, while in the case of medical devices, it is more flexible based on the risk category of the product. Generally, the utilization of e-health opportunities, transparency, and data accessibility have been improved in both fields. Via the adaptation of the mentioned regulation in the EU, the safety of patients and the efficacy of trials have been greatly increased. This manuscript aims to compare the specific regulations of these two types of medicinal products with a brief outlook on the non-EU sector as well. Full article

The chairperson’s statement (CS) has evolved into a key component of corporate reporting, offering an authoritative, high-level summary of a company’s activities, initiatives, operations, financial performance, and achievements over the preceding financial year, along with insights into future outlooks. Recognised for its informative value, the CS is consistently ranked by stakeholders as the most read and most influential section of the integrated report. Despite its importance, the CS is also a platform where corporate management often engages in impression management (IM) to portray a biased and overly positive image of the company. This study conducted a systematic literature review to examine the IM tactics employed within the CS. Based on the findings, an integrative conceptual framework was developed. Identified IM tactics include readability, textual characteristics, the influence of culture, legal systems and capital markets, paratext and intertextuality, the tone of language, forward-looking statements, retrospective sense-making, ambiguous language, the use of photographs and graphs, impersonalisation and evaluative language, and self-serving attributions. The results highlight that the study of IM strategies in CSs represents a rich and relevant research domain that warrants deeper exploration. Given its qualitative complexity and underexplored dimensions, this area offers several promising avenues for future investigation. Full article

Recent research in the liquefied natural gas (LNG) industry has concentrated on reducing specific power consumption (SPC) during production, which helps to lower operating costs and decrease the carbon footprint. Although reducing the SPC offers benefits, it can complicate the system and increase investment costs. This review investigates the thermodynamic parameters of various natural gas (NG) liquefaction technologies. It examines the cryogenic NG processes, including integrating NG liquid recovery plants, nitrogen rejection cycles, helium recovery units, and LNG facilities. It explores various approaches to improve hybrid NG liquefaction performance, including the application of optimization algorithms, mixed refrigerant units, absorption refrigeration cycles, diffusion–absorption refrigeration systems, auto-cascade absorption refrigeration processes, thermoelectric generator plants, liquid air cold recovery units, ejector refrigeration cycles, and the integration of renewable energy sources and waste heat. The review evaluates the economic aspects of hybrid LNG systems, focusing on specific capital costs, LNG pricing, and capacity. LNG capital cost estimates from academic sources (173.2–1184 USD/TPA) are lower than those in technical reports (486.7–3839 USD/TPA). LNG prices in research studies (0.2–0.45 USD/kg, 2024) are lower than in technical reports (0.3–0.7 USD/kg), based on 2024 data. Also, this review investigates LNG accidents in detail and provides valuable insights into safety protocols, risk management strategies, and the overall resilience of LNG operations in the face of potential hazards. A detailed evaluation of LNG plants built in recent years is provided, focusing on technological advancements, operational efficiency, and safety measures. Moreover, this study investigates LNG ports in the United States, examining their infrastructures, regulatory compliance, and strategic role in the global LNG supply chain. In addition, it outlines LNG’s current status and future outlook, focusing on key industry trends. Finally, it presents a market share analysis that examines LNG distribution by export, import, re-loading, and receiving markets. Full article

Policy incentives and technological advancements are driving the rapid expansion of renewable energy industries. However, as speculative investment intensifies, concerns about the potential formation of financial bubbles are growing. This paper examines financial saturation in renewable energy markets, emphasizing key bifurcation and overheating thresholds that indicate speculative risks. Using a financial saturation model, the study evaluates market overheating across three major renewable energy sectors—solar PV, wind energy, and battery storage—based on a scenario analysis from Bloomberg’s New Energy Outlook (NEO) 2024. The findings reveal that battery storage is the most susceptible to speculative investment, with bifurcation (~70% market saturation) projected by 2031 (medium term) and by 2038 (long term) under the Net-Zero Scenario (NZS), and by 2042 under the Economic Transition Scenario (ETS). In the long term, financial overheating (~90% market saturation) in battery storage is projected by 2048 under the ETS. Solar PV also faces speculative risks, with bifurcation expected by 2030 (ETS, medium term), 2039 (ETS, long term), and 2041 (NZS, long term). Overheating in the solar sector is projected by 2048 (ETS, long term) and 2050 (NZS, long term). Wind energy exhibits a more gradual saturation pattern, with bifurcation expected by 2031 (ETS, medium term), 2038 (ETS, long term), and 2045 (NZS, long term), while overheating is anticipated by 2049 (ETS, long term). These findings highlight the need for regulatory oversight to mitigate speculative investment risks. To enhance financial stability, policy recommendations include gradual subsidy phase-outs, financial stress testing, and diversified investment strategies. Maintaining a stable investment environment is essential for long-term climate goals and energy security. Full article

GPT (Generative Pre-trained Transformer) is a groundbreaking generative model that has facilitated substantial progress in natural language processing (NLP). As the GPT-n series has continued to evolve, its applications have garnered considerable attention across various industries, particularly in finance. In contrast, traditional financial research has primarily focused on analyzing structured data such as stock prices. However, recent trends highlight the growing importance of natural language techniques that address unstructured factors like investor sentiment and the impact of news. Positive or negative information about specific companies, industries, or the overall economy found in news or social media can influence investor behavior and market volatility, highlighting the critical need for robust sentiment analysis. In this context, we utilize the state-of-the-art language model GPT and the finance-specific sentiment analysis model FinBERT to perform sentiment and time-series analyses on financial news data, comparing the performance of the two models to demonstrate the potential of GPT. Furthermore, by examining the relationship between sentiment shifts in financial markets and news events, we aim to provide actionable insights for investment decision-making, emphasizing both the performance and interpretability of the models. To enhance the performance of GPT-4o, we employed a systematic approach to prompt design and optimization. This process involved iterative refinement, guided by insights derived from a labeled dataset. This approach emphasized the pivotal importance of prompt design in improving model accuracy, resulting in GPT-4o achieving higher performance than FinBERT. During the experiment phase, sentiment scores were generated from New York Times news data and visualized through time-series graphs for both models. Although both models exhibited similar trends, significant differences arose depending on news content characteristics across categories. According to the results, the performance of GPT-4o, optimized through prompt engineering, outperformed that of FinBERT by up to 10% depending on the sector. These findings emphasize the importance of prompt engineering and demonstrate GPT-4o’s potential to improve sentiment analysis. Furthermore, the categorized news data approach suggests potential applications in predicting the outlook of categorized financial products. Full article

Lithium is a metal with a highly promising outlook for future global demand. Its industrial processing relies on two primary methods: production from brines through solar evaporation ponds and production from rock sources via flotation, roasting, and subsequent leaching. Chile is currently the world’s second-largest producer of lithium, surpassed only by Australia. However, Chile’s lithium production process is significantly advantaged by the exceptionally high lithium concentration in the Salar de Atacama—the highest in the world—and the region’s high solar radiation, which enables the most cost-effective solar evaporation process globally. Despite these comparative advantages, Chile’s lithium production has stagnated in recent years. This stagnation can be attributed to the need for more flexible legislation surrounding the lithium industry or an increase in the number of CEOLs (Lithium Exploitation Contracts) to regain its position as the leading global producer of lithium. Furthermore, increased investment in national universities and research centers is essential to foster the development and implementation of new, clean technologies for future projects. By addressing these challenges, Chile has the potential to solidify its role as a key player in the global lithium market while promoting sustainable industrial practices. Full article

Transparent thin-film heaters have sparked great interest in both the scientific and industrial sectors due to their critical role in various technologies, including smart windows, displays, actuators, and sensors. In this review, we summarize the structural design, fabrication methods, properties, and materials used in thin-film heaters. We also discuss methods to improve their efficiency and recent advancements in the field, and provide insights into the market size, growth, and future outlook for thin-film heaters. Full article

Fresh-water food production/agriculture for both plants and animals utilizes some 70% of the planets’ fresh water, produces some 26% of greenhouse gas emissions and has a longish list of other societal-related issues. Given the developing and extant shortages of arable land, fresh water and food, along with climate/ecosystem issues, there is a need to greatly reduce these adverse effects of fresh-water agriculture. There are, especially since the advent of the 4th Agricultural Revolution, a number of major frontier technologies and functionality changes along with prospective alternatives which could, when combined and collectivized in various ways, massively improve the practices, adverse impacts and outlook of food production. These include cellular/factory agriculture; photosynthesis alternatives; a shift to off-grids and roads/back-to-the-future, do-it-yourself living (aka de-urbanization); cultivation of halophytes on wastelands using saline water; insects; frontier energetics; health-related market changes; and vertical farms/hydroponics/aeroponics. Shifting to these and other prospective alternatives would utilize far less arable land and fresh water, produce far less greenhouse gases and reduce food costs and pollution while increasing food production. Full article

Sheep breeding is one of the most important economic activities in Ahar City, Iran. However, due to traditional production techniques, livestock farmers face the problem of low productivity. To address this issue, traditional breeds can be replaced with improved and high-yielding ones; in the first stage, this requires the acceptance of these new sheep breeds by the region’s ranchers. This research aimed to evaluate the attitudes of the livestock breeders of Ahar City towards the improved breeds of sheep and the influential factors. We collected data through in-person interviews using a simple random sampling method, surveying 100 sheep breeders in Ahar. The breeders were categorized into three groups based on their attitudes towards improved breeds: negative, indifferent, and positive. Next, we employed data mining-based methods, including multilayer perceptron neural networks, random forest, and random tree algorithms. These helped identify essential variables affecting ranchers’ attitudes. The results showed that several factors contribute to the ranchers’ philosophy, with the number of sheep sold in the past year and the total sheep ownership being the most significant ones. Comparing statistical evaluation criteria, we found that the random tree algorithm outperformed other methods in predicting and classifying livestock farmers, achieving a prediction accuracy rate of 86% for a sample of 100 farmers. Based on our findings, promoting training courses and raising awareness about the benefits of breeding new sheep breeds, along with providing facilities and credits based on economic conditions, can foster a positive attitude among herders. Increasing the number of sheep owned and improving marketing strategies can further enhance this positive outlook. Full article