Search Results (786)

While groundwater is the second largest freshwater reservoir on Earth, it remains difficult to monitor, relying mainly on sparse and often unavailable well measurements. The GRACE/GRACE–FO missions enabled the estimation of regional terrestrial water storage changes, although their coarse spatial resolution remains a major limitation. In this study, an unsupervised deep learning approach was exploited to downscale groundwater storage anomalies (GWSA) from the GRACE-derived GFZ G3P product from 0.5° to 0.1° spatial resolution, covering from 2003 to 2023. Thirteen ERA5 climatic variables and a digital elevation model were used as predictors. The framework was tested over France and validated in the Paris Basin using piezometric level information from the IGRAC GGMN open database. Results show good agreement between the downscaled and the original G3P product, with average temporal and spatial correlations of r = 0.99. When compared with in situ measurements, the downscaled product outperforms the original G3P data at the basin level (r = 0.67 vs. r = 0.62), while maintaining the accuracy at the local well scale (r = 0.39 vs. r = 0.38, respectively). The results highlight the potential of machine learning for GRACE super–resolution, while the main limitations are discussed. Full article

Anthropogenic greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from chemical manufacturing present substantial operational, compliance, and competitive challenges under international climate accords and emerging regulatory frameworks, including the European Union Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence Directive (CSDDD), the Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (CSRD), and the Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM). This study provides an empirically grounded, multi-site decarbonization framework combining longitudinal quarterly operational datasets collected from 14 industrial coating manufacturing facilities (2024–2025) with an audited baseline manufacturing facility producing 35,640 metric tonnes annually. Lifecycle GHG accounting reveals that upstream raw material procurement and synthesis (Category 4) dominate the value-chain carbon footprint, contributing 89.48% (172,557 tCO₂e) of the total 192,834 tCO₂e baseline organizational footprint. In contrast, direct stationary combustion (Category 1) and purchased electricity (Category 2 location-based) account for only 0.89% (1711 tCO₂e) and 2.46% (4741 tCO₂e), respectively. To resolve implementation trade-offs, a Multi-Criteria Decision Analysis (MCDA) framework integrates annual carbon abatement potential, Technology Readiness Level (TRL), capital intensity, and payback dynamics to establish a prioritized Six-Tier Decarbonization Hierarchy: Tier 1 (Priority 1)—upstream bio-based resin and binder substitution, delivering an estimated baseline reduction of 25,880–60,050 tCO₂e/year (13.4–31.1% of baseline emissions); Tier 2 (Priority 2)—drop-in bio-based and circular solvent replacement, achieving 4820–9640 tCO₂e/year (2.5–5.0% baseline reduction); Tier 3 (Priority 3)—thermal process electrification via high-temperature industrial heat pumps (COP 2.5–3.1), eliminating 1027–1369 tCO₂e/year; Tier 4 (Priority 4)—contractual and on-site renewable electricity procurement via corporate Power Purchase Agreements (PPAs) and solar PV (4490–4741 tCO₂e/year; 2.3–2.5% baseline reduction); Tier 5 (Priority 5)—systemic formulation transitions to waterborne, high-solids, and powder coating architectures (15,000–35,000 tCO₂e/year); and Tier 6 (Priority 6)—stream-conditional Carbon Capture, Utilization, and Storage (CCUS), strictly restricted to concentrated combustion stacks (CO₂ ≥ 8 vol%) and excluded from dilute post-thermal oxidizer off-gases (CO₂ ≤ 1–4 vol%) where capture is economically unviable ($180–$260/tCO₂e). Full article

The Paris Agreement aims to limit global warming to well below 2 °C while pursuing efforts to restrict it to 1.5 °C, as exceeding these thresholds may intensify climate-related risks. Understanding climate responses to an additional half-degree of warming remains critical for adaptation planning. Accordingly, the implications of an additional 0.5 °C warming from 1.5 °C to 2 °C over Türkiye were evaluated using 10 km resolution RegCM4.4 simulations driven by the MPI-ESM-MR and HadGEM2-ES models. Temperature- and precipitation-related indicators were analyzed, including mean temperature (T_mean), tropical nights (TN), discomfort index (DI), total precipitation (TP), the simple daily intensity index (SDII), extreme precipitation days (R90P), dry periods lasting at least five consecutive days (CDD5), and consecutive dry days (CDD). The results indicate that the additional 0.5 °C warming does not affect all climate indicators equally, with the strongest responses observed in temperature-related indicators. Temperature-related indicators, particularly TN and DI, show clear and consistent increases, indicating strong sensitivity to additional warming. By contrast, precipitation-related indicators display more heterogeneous and model-dependent responses, with RCM-HG generally projecting increases in precipitation and intensity, while RCM-MPI suggests decreases in certain regions and seasons. The signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) analysis further indicates greater robustness of annual temperature-related changes, whereas inter-model sign agreement varies among indices and seasons, with complete agreement for T_mean. The findings provide a scientific basis for regionally tailored adaptation planning in Türkiye and highlight the potential for reducing climate risks by limiting warming to lower levels. 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

Surface biomass, including litter, organic matter and ground vegetation, plays a very important role in forest ecosystems for regulating water retention and soil erosion. At the global and European temperate forest scale, no bibliometric analysis has previously been conducted, even though the scientific interest has been growing. This bibliometric analysis studied 1189 global and 178 European temperate forest articles retrieved from Scopus from 2005 to 2025 using RStudio (bibliometrix) and VOSviewer. The global output grew at an annual growth rate of almost 20.83%, coinciding with the Paris Agreement 2015 and the European Green Deal 2019 that may have brought scientific attention to climate change, hydrological process, forest ecosystem services and sustainable forest management, leading to the increases, while European research accounted for only 14.9% of global output and was mainly influenced by Mediterranean fire-related research, which limits its direct applicability to central European forest conditions. China and the USA dominated the global research output. Despite being the country with 30% of its area covered with forests, no Polish institution appeared in the top 10 contributors in both the global and European datasets. Thematic analysis showed that infiltration and surface runoff are poorly integrated with forest management and climate change research. Litter and soil organic carbon appeared as an emerging topic in the European Temperate Forest dataset. Three dominant tree species of the central European temperate forest, Scots Pine (Pinus sylvestris L.), Norway Spruce (Picea abies), and European aspen (Populus tremula L.), were each mentioned just once in 178 European publications, indicating the need for species-specific research about water retention and erosion susceptibility and surface runoff. This bibliometric analysis identified the significant species-specific, institutional, and regional knowledge gaps in European temperate forest research, most importantly, for the central European ecosystem and the dominant Polish forest. The study highlighted the limited incorporation of hydrological processes with forest management and climate adaptation strategies. Future research direction should focus on long-term field research analysing biomass changes, water retention and erosion susceptibility in the European temperate forest ecosystem, while promoting stronger international research collaborations. Full article

Soil contamination represents a pervasive and multifaceted threat to environmental integrity, public health, and sustainable land use. In response to this challenge, this systematic review synthesizes recent advancements in sustainable soil remediation techniques, with an emphasis on bioremediation, nature-based solutions (NBSs), innovative physicochemical methods, and multidimensional assessment frameworks. Utilizing the adapted PRISMA methodology, 3222 peer-reviewed articles published between 2015 and 2025 were initially identified, with 53 studies selected for in-depth evaluation based on methodological rigor, innovation, and relevance to sustainability. The findings reveal a pronounced research trajectory toward biologically mediated remediation strategies, including microbial bioremediation, phytoremediation, and vermiremediation, as well as hybrid systems that incorporate biochar and nano-enabled materials to enhance efficacy. Concurrently, emerging physicochemical techniques, such as stepped steam heating and composite stabilization using fly ash demonstrate potential for high-efficiency contaminant immobilization with reduced environmental trade-offs. The integration of computational tools, particularly machine learning for remediation optimization, and the application of life cycle assessment (LCA) and Multi-Criteria Decision Analysis (MCDA), are redefining how sustainability is quantified and operationalized. In addition to technical innovation, the review underscores critical policy and socio-economic dimensions, including regulatory fragmentation, funding asymmetries, and stakeholder engagement. Comparative analyses of EU and US regulatory frameworks highlight the impact of governance structures on implementation scalability and public acceptance. The review concludes by advocating for a paradigm shift toward holistic, transdisciplinary remediation approaches that are ecologically resilient, economically viable, and socially just aligned with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG 15.3) and the Paris Agreement. This review provides a comprehensive and integrative perspective on the current state and future directions of sustainable soil remediation, offering a strategic foundation for researchers, policymakers, and practitioners engaged in the restoration of contaminated lands. Full article

The international policy framework for “Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Forest Degradation, plus the conservation, sustainable management of forests, and enhancement of forest carbon stocks” (REDD+) is a vital United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) mechanism designed to assist Global South nations in reaching their climate goals under the Paris Agreement. Implementable at the project, subnational, and national levels, REDD+ has placed an increasing emphasis on subnational program implementation in recent years, exemplified by a growing focus on jurisdictional and integrated landscape strategies. These comprehensive approaches balance diverse land uses and address the complex causes of deforestation through economic incentives and multi-level, cross-sector planning at the state, provincial, or district levels. Ultimately, successful implementation depends on collaboration, active stakeholder engagement, resources, mutual trust, and adequate institutional capacity to manage conflicting local interests. However, weak forestland-use governance in many countries of the Global South often results in inefficient collaborative dynamics that hinder stakeholder cooperation. Despite this, the specific collaborative challenges hindering stakeholder collaboration in subnational REDD+ implementation remain insufficiently understood. To address this gap, this study conducts a literature review to systematically synthesize evidence on subnational REDD+ implementation, using the Integrative Framework for Collaborative Governance (IFCG) to identify key knowledge gaps and challenges. Following established methodological guidance, six databases were searched, Scopus (824), Web of Science (1347), PubMed (84), ResearchGate (557), Google Scholar (571), and Research Rabbit (191), yielding 43 articles on subnational REDD+ implementation for inclusion in the synthesis. The findings identify four main challenges: (i) system context-related challenges, (ii) burdensome global requirements, (iii) resource constraints, and (iv) challenges inherent in the institutional design of collaborative arrangements. While the IFCG proves analytically useful, the complexity and evolving nature of subnational REDD+ programs complicate its application, revealing areas for theoretical refinement. By critically examining the IFCG’s utility, this study advances collaborative governance theory and offers empirical insights into the conditions necessary for effective stakeholder collaboration in subnational REDD+ implementation across the Global South. Full article

In 2024, the annual global surface temperature rose more than 1.5 °C above pre-industrial levels for the first time. This single-year figure is not the same as the long-term warming limit set by the Paris Agreement, but it signals a rising heat-related risk. Extreme heat is already the deadliest weather hazard in the United States, yet most outpatient clinics have no structured protocol for vulnerable patients. This narrative review does three things: it explains how heat stress injures compromised cardiovascular and renal systems, catalogs the primary care medications that impair thermoregulation, and offers a Heat Action Plan (HAP) toolkit for family medicine clinics. We searched PubMed, EMBASE, Google Scholar, and Web of Science for work published from 2000 to May 2026, supplemented by WHO, CDC, and national heat-health guidelines. Patients with cardiovascular disease, chronic kidney disease, diabetes, obesity, and serious mental illness face disproportionate risk during heat events. More than 20 drug classes, among them diuretics, beta-blockers, anticholinergics, and renin–angiotensin–aldosterone system inhibitors, weaken heat defense by blunting sweating, reducing cardiac output, or suppressing thirst. We present a three-tier risk classification and a four-stage toolkit that, when built into routine chronic disease care, may help reduce preventable heat-related illness and death. Full article

This study conducts a bibliometric analysis of green finance research from 2000 to 2025 using Scopus data and VOSviewer (version 1.6.21) and Bibliometrix^® (version 5.4.1). It analyzes publication trends, geographic distribution, collaboration patterns, and thematic evolution. A clear inflection appears around 2015, aligned with the Paris Agreement, followed by rapid growth in output. Keyword mapping identifies core themes, including green finance, sustainable finance, green bonds, climate finance, and climate change. Citation and co-citation networks reveal an increasingly coherent knowledge structure, signaling rising intellectual maturity. The findings inform future research agendas and support evidence-based policy design for green finance development across markets and institutions globally. Full article

Newly Industrialized Countries (NICs) represent the most dynamic economic clusters globally and drive the marginal growth of global carbon emissions, rendering their carbon mitigation performance pivotal to delivering the climate targets pledged under the Paris Agreement. Grounded in the Environmental Kuznets Curve (EKC) hypothesis, this study applies the cross-sectional augmented autoregressive distributed lag (CS-ARDL) framework to the panel data from NICs for the 1990–2022 period and incorporates dynamic autoregressive distributed lag simulation methods to investigate the dynamic relationship between energy transition and CO₂ emissions across these economies. The CS-ARDL estimation results suggest that the conventional inverted U-shaped Environmental Kuznets Curve (EKC) hypothesis is invalid under the conditions of cross-sectional dependence and slope heterogeneity for NICs. Per capita GDP growth is found to exert a significant negative impact on CO₂ emissions in these economies. In both the long and short run, rising per capita non-renewable energy consumption substantially increases CO₂ emissions, whereas a higher share of renewable energy in total final energy consumption yields a significant CO₂ mitigation effect. Estimations conducted via the Augmented Mean Group (AMG), Common Correlation Effect Mean Group (CCEMG), and Dynamic Common Correlation Effect Mean Group (DCCEMG) estimators yield consistent findings with the CS-ARDL model. Dynamic ARDL simulation results reveal that positive shocks to per capita non-renewable energy consumption and renewable energy share in total final energy consumption induce heterogeneous dynamic response trajectories of CO₂ emissions across countries. Nevertheless, rising per capita non-renewable energy consumption triggers an overall sustained growth in CO₂ emissions, while a higher proportion of renewable energy achieves long-term mitigation of CO₂ emissions. Full article

The decarbonisation of the automotive sector requires product innovation, circular end-of-life management and energy-system transformation to be treated as interdependent strategic choices. This study proposes a decision-oriented life cycle assessment (LCA) framework for evaluating sustainable product innovation in sport utility vehicles (SUVs), focusing on how powertrain selection and post-consumer management support the low-carbon transition. Six SUV powertrain technologies—petrol, diesel and CNG internal combustion engine vehicles (ICEVs), petrol plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs), battery electric vehicles (BEVs) and fuel cell electric vehicles (FCEVs)—were assessed for 2025–2050 using ReCiPe 2016, IPCC 2021, Cumulative Energy Demand, CML-IA and Ecological Scarcity 2021. Landfilling and recycling scenarios were combined with fuel- and energy-cycle modelling, including well-to-tank (WTT) and tank-to-wheel (TTW) emissions and a Paris Agreement-compatible 2050 pathway. Recycling generally outperformed landfilling, reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 26–35%, cumulative energy demand by 28–59%, carcinogenic air emissions by 27–43% and heavy-metal impacts on soil by 62–80%, although eutrophication revealed category-specific trade-offs. BEV and FCEV configurations were particularly sensitive to material recovery and energy-supply decarbonisation, whereas ICEV impacts remained dominated by fuel use. The findings show that sustainable SUV design requires strategic alignment of product architecture, circular supply chains, recycling technologies and low-carbon energy policy. Full article

This research establishes a framework to evaluate how effectively financial institutions convert environmental, social, and governance (ESG) pressures into readiness for open innovation (EOIR). EOIR is conceptualized as a higher-order capability that encompasses environmental opportunity, social legitimacy, and governance discipline. This study employs a triangulated multi-criteria decision-making framework consisting of CRITIC, Shannon Entropy, and Fuzzy AHP weighting with MARCOS ranking, TOPSIS validation, and pillar-focused scenario analysis to evaluate ESG–open innovation readiness. Results inindicate the importance of governance practices, such as board independence, low controversies, and alignment with the Paris Agreement and environmental innovation. Data privacy outperforms representational social attributes. The MARCOS and TOPSIS rankings demonstrate a high degree of concordance; leaders maintain their stability across weighting philosophies, while mid-tier positions exhibit policy-sensitive mobility. Scenario analysis indicates a stable frontier, high top-10 overlap, and mid-teen rank shifts, highlighting actionable levers. The framework provides a transparent, reproducible multiple-criteria decision-making pipeline for EOIR measurement and clarifies important enablers, including credible governance, environmental technology alignment, and privacy-centric data governance, from a theoretical and practical perspective. Full article

The Levelized Cost of Energy (LCOE) is the standard metric for evaluating renewable energy project economics; however, conventional formulations inadequately represent the dynamic effects of logistics performance, supply chain disruptions, geopolitical risk, and institutional constraints on project costs. This study addresses this gap by proposing the Integrated Levelized Cost of Energy (I-LCOE), a conceptual framework designed for macro-level renewable energy planning and policy analysis. An interpretivist qualitative research design was adopted, combining a systematic literature review with twelve semi-structured interviews involving renewable energy, logistics, regulatory, and academic experts from the MENA and GCC regions. Thematic analysis identified five recurring challenges: limited knowledge management, weak integration of logistics within conventional LCOE models, fragmented sustainability metrics, stakeholder coordination inefficiencies, and reliance on tacit knowledge. The findings indicate that transportation delays, customs bottlenecks, infrastructure limitations, and geopolitical disruptions generate dynamic risk premiums that are insufficiently reflected in existing macro-level cost assessment approaches. In response, the study develops the four-layer I-LCOE framework, supported by an operational proxy variable mapping framework, a comparative assessment against established uncertainty methods, and an integrated digital knowledge management platform. The proposed framework provides a structured approach for incorporating logistics-induced uncertainty into renewable energy cost assessment, supporting more informed strategic planning, investment prioritization, and policy development aligned with Sustainable Development Goal 7 and the Paris Agreement. Full article

Replacing chemical compounds with biologically derived bioproducts in agriculture can make a comprehensive contribution to achieving the goals of both the Paris Agreement and the Green Deal. Scientific literature contains a significant amount of data on the use of probiotics in agriculture, which facilitate the supply of nutrients to plants, stimulate physiological processes, and inhibit the development of pathogens. These products do not have a negative impact on the surrounding environment and can therefore be used in sustainable land management. This article analyzes the microbiological composition of a bio-input made from fermented nettle extract and the species diversity of the cultivable bacteria. It was found that this input is rich in bacteria beneficial to plants and soil (Clostridium, Paenibacillus, Frankia, Rhizobium, Bradyrhizobium, Azospirillum, Azotobacter, and others), some of which can be cultured under artificial conditions. Among the cultivable bacteria grown from the tested input, the majority were representatives of the Pseudomonadota (92%), and a small proportion were Bacillota (6%). Among them were a great many different bacteria beneficial to the soil ecosystem. Thus, there is considerable potential here for the use of these bacteria in the production of biological products. Full article

Decarbonizing the energy sector is central to limiting global average temperature to below 2 °C above pre-industrial levels, in line with the Paris Agreement. Hydropower plays a key role in renewable energy generation, yet environmental impacts vary depending on systems and site conditions. Small hydropower (<10 MW installed capacity) is often assumed to have lower environmental impacts, but evidence remains limited, especially in cold-climate regions. This study assesses the cradle-to-gate life cycle environmental impacts of a 9.9 MW run-of-river hydropower plant in Iceland, using life cycle assessment based on the CML-IA method. The study uses primary design and operator data and provides direct comparison with published Icelandic large hydropower life cycle assessments. The functional unit is 1 kWh of electricity generated over a 60-year lifetime. Results indicate a global warming potential of 4 g CO₂ equivalent per kWh, decreasing to 3 g CO₂ under a 100-year lifetime. Hot spot analysis shows that construction materials, particularly glass fibre reinforced plastic (GRP), concrete, and steel, dominate environmental impacts. Sensitivity analysis shows the influence of lifetime, capacity factor, and dam material. Indicative reservoir emission estimates highlight additional potential impacts even for small intake reservoirs. Overall, the studied system shows higher life cycle impacts per kWh compared to Icelandic large hydropower plants, highlighting the importance of site-specific assessment and careful interpretation of small hydropower (SHP) environmental performance. Full article