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Magnesium oxychloride (MOA) adhesive plywood represents a novel inorganic matrix panel technology that eliminates organic volatile compounds from the adhesive system and avoids high-temperature hot pressing, potentially offering significant carbon footprint advantages. This study presents a comparative life cycle carbon footprint assessment of conventional urea–formaldehyde (UF) plywood and MOA plywood manufactured in China, using 1 m³ of a finished panel as the functional unit under a cradle-to-grave system boundary, comprising the production stage (Modules A1–A3)—explicitly including forestry operations (silviculture, felling, extraction/forwarding, loading and log haulage) and veneer manufacture within Module A1, now reported as a disaggregated inventory and delimited in a system boundary diagram—and the end-of-life stage (Modules C2–C4), evaluated across three end-of-life (EOL) scenarios: incineration, landfill, and mechanical recycling. Foreground data (process energy, adhesive formulation, transport distances) are metered/primary data collected over a full production year at a single large-scale plywood plant in Suqian, Jiangsu; background data are from ecoinvent v3.9.1 (cut-off), characterised with IPCC AR6 GWP100. Results indicate that MOA plywood generates approximately 253 kg CO₂-e/m³ at the production stage (A1–A3), compared with 301 kg CO₂-e/m³ for UF plywood, a reduction of 15.8% (47.5 kg CO₂-e/m³). Contribution analysis attributes virtually the entire gap to process energy (steam 65.7%, electricity 34.3%), while adhesive raw materials and inbound transport cancel to within rounding, demonstrating that the advantage is a process energy rather than a green chemistry phenomenon. A parameter-specific one-at-a-time analysis and a 200,000-run Monte Carlo simulation with triangular distributions show no reversal of the UF–MOA ranking in any of the 200,000 realisations within the adopted uncertainty ranges, with an approximately 56 kg CO₂-e/m³ median advantage (5th–95th percentile of about 31–85). Under EOL incineration, MOA plywood retains a substantial advantage even after the newly quantified burden of flue gas HCl neutralisation (13.3 kg CO₂-e/m³) and inorganic residue management (0.9 kg CO₂-e/m³) arising from the chloride content of the Sorel cement binder are charged to the MOA system. Under landfill, both products behave similarly, as wood carbon dynamics dominate. A break-even analysis shows that the service life of MOA plywood would have to fall below 25.3 years (against a 30-year reference) for its cradle-to-gate advantage to be erased. These findings clarify the lifecycle trade-offs of inorganic adhesive plywood and provide actionable data for environmental product declarations and procurement frameworks. Full article

The growing focus on environmental sustainability in construction has driven advancements in the design and production of masonry materials, including bricks and concrete blocks. A major development is the incorporation of agricultural and industrial waste, such as fly ash, rice straw ash, bagasse ash, and other by-products, to reduce dependence on non-renewable resources and lower the carbon footprint of traditional manufacturing processes. This systematic review examines the potential of waste materials in masonry unit production by analysing Scopus-indexed studies published between 2015 and 2025. After screening, 30 studies were selected, covering fired bricks, unfired bricks, and concrete blocks, with emphasis on physical, mechanical, thermal, and durability properties. The findings show that industrial wastes typically improve mechanical strength through pozzolanic reactions, while agricultural wastes contribute to lower density and improved thermal insulation. However, performance depends on waste type, replacement level, and production conditions. Optimal incorporation levels are generally below 20%. Despite promising results, challenges remain, including the absence of standardised testing methods, limited durability evaluations, and insufficient evidence for large-scale industrial adoption. This review highlights current research trends and future opportunities for integrating waste materials into sustainable construction products. Full article

The construction sector faces a critical need to minimize its carbon footprint, which is currently stimulating the development of geopolymer concrete using recycled coarse aggregates as an eco-friendly material compared with Portland cement. Accurate prediction of the compressive strength of this eco-efficient concrete is complex, however, as a result of the complex, non-linear interactions between many of the mix-design and curing parameters. Although modern scientific literature and engineering practices have increasingly adopted machine learning (ML) for concrete strength prediction, a significant scientific gap remains. Most existing studies rely on “black-box” models that lack sufficient interpretability and frequently overlook the severe risk of data leakage during validation, limiting their practical engineering application. To address this gap, this study proposes a robust, data-leakage-aware framework driven by a rigorous nested GroupKFold cross-validation strategy. By grouping concrete samples by their unique Mix_ID, this approach ensures genuine generalization to entirely unseen mixtures. Within this reliable validation scheme, the CatBoost algorithm is utilized for compressive-strength prediction, with the Dung Beetle Optimizer (DBO) serving as an effective tool for hyperparameter tuning. The evaluation results across multiple random seeds show that the DBO–CatBoost model significantly outperforms the default CatBoost, rigorously tuned baseline models (Support Vector Regression and Random Forest), and a comparative metaheuristic benchmark (PSO–CatBoost). It achieves the most stable distribution of errors and excellent predictive accuracy (Test ${\mathrm{R}}^2=0.9995\pm 0.0002$, RMSE = $0.3828\pm 0.0909$). In addition, the model predictions were demystified using the methods of SHapley Additive exPlanations (SHAP) and partial dependence plots (PDPs). The interpretability analysis revealed strong statistical associations, showing that Curing Time and Coarse Aggregate are the most prominent predictive features and the strongest pairwise interaction between each other; the NaOH molar concentration is the most important second-level influence on optimization of strength. Overall, the framework provides a robust data-driven screening tool that can assist in preliminary mix-design evaluation. By reducing the reliance on extensive empirical “trial and error” approaches, this predictive model supports more efficient material usage and facilitates preliminary optimization of low-carbon concrete formulations. Theoretically, this study advances the fundamental science of geopolymer materials by explicitly quantifying the complex, non-linear interactions between alkaline activators, curing conditions, and recycled aggregates. This provides a robust data-driven theoretical foundation for designing and optimizing next-generation eco-friendly concrete products and structures. Full article

This work reviews the strategic valorization of industrial by-products as sustainable sources of biopolymers and bioactive compounds, promoting a circular economy through the efficient use of renewable resources and reducing waste generation. These strategies contribute to lowering the carbon footprint of conventional packaging and plasticulture while supporting more resilient and diverse agriculture systems. Special emphasis is placed on processing roots and tubers as renewable raw materials for the production of biodegradable films for agronomic applications as eco-friendly alternatives to petroleum-based plastics and contributing to soil and ecosystem protection. Additionally, the incorporation of by-products from yerba mate (Ilex paraguariensis) demonstrate significant potential as both matrix-forming and filler materials in biodegradable composites while also providing antioxidant activity and pH-sensing capacity. This sustainable framework is further expanded through the utilization of non-traditional species like rosehip (Rosa rubiginosa), Aloe vera (Aloe barbadensis), and topinambur (Helianthus tuberosus), which provide versatile functional matrices and bioactive compounds. Finally, the development of active and intelligent food packaging is addressed. Extracting natural pH-sensitive pigments from red cabbage and topinambur flowers enables the formulation of eco-friendly inks for real-time freshness monitoring. Ultimately, integrating these waste streams drives technological disruption, scaling sustainable, tailored solutions for global industry needs. Full article

The transition to a hydrogen-based economy requires efficient and sustainable technologies to convert waste into clean energy carriers. This study investigates the production of hydrogen-rich gas through the integrated pyrolysis steam reforming (PSR) and integrated pyrolysis (PYR) and catalytic steam reforming (PCSR) of real municipal solid waste (MSW). PCSR experiments were conducted in a two-stage series reactor system: an initial pyrolysis stage at 500 °C followed by a catalytic steam reforming stage at 900 °C over a commercial Ni/Al₂O₃ catalyst (9.8 wt.% Ni). Three real MSW samples from the Serra Gaúcha region (Brazil) were evaluated: organic-rich (A), polymeric-rich (B), and a mixed real collection fraction (C). Gas yields from PYR to PCSR increased from 0.44 to 1.18 Nm³·kgMSW⁻¹, from 0.66 to 1.54 Nm³·kgMSW⁻¹, and from 0.35 to 1.50 Nm³·kgMSW⁻¹ for (A), (B), and (C) samples, respectively. Hydrogen concentrations of PCSR were between 32% and 39% volume for all samples, with a marked reduction in CH₄ and CO levels due to the promotion of water–gas shift and methane reforming reactions over the nickel active sites. The PCSR process using a Ni/Al₂O₃ catalyst proves to be a highly effective route for maximizing hydrogen production from real MSW, offering a robust technological solution for energy valorization and carbon footprint reduction. Full article

Livestock farming is blamed for its significant carbon footprint (CF), contributing to environmental pollution and climate change. Among other approaches, this has highlighted the need to find alternative feeding systems for cattle production that are potentially able to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. In this context, the objective of the present study was to compare the CF of producing cattle fed a Conventional diet versus cattle fed a diet that included vegetable by-products (VBP diet) sourced from the local agri-food industry. In this study, twenty-four entire male young bulls were reared in Navarra, Spain. Twelve calves were finished on the VBP diet that also included fodder and grain, and the remaining animals were finished with a local Conventional diet based on concentrate and straw. Results showed a larger CF of meat from animals fed the Conventional diet in comparison with the VBP-fed ones, that is, 117.84 kg versus 42.01 kg of CO₂ equivalent per kilogram of meat, respectively. This research demonstrates that using by-products from the local agri-food industry for feeding cattle has an important beneficial effect on the environment. It is not only a circular economy solution that recovers and recycles by-products instead of treating them as waste, but can also notably reduce the GHG associated with livestock production. This study marks the beginning of ongoing research into the effect of introducing regional vegetable by-products in the diet of livestock and their corresponding impacts on productivity and the environment, particularly in terms of GHG emissions per kilogram of feed consumed. Full article

Artificial intelligence (AI) is commonly assessed through the electricity used by models and data centres, leaving the carbon transferred through the wider production system insufficiently resolved. We disaggregate China’s AI industry from the broader information and communication technology sector and construct comparable 31-sector environmentally extended input–output accounts for 2015, 2017, 2020 and 2023. Embodied-emission accounting is integrated with linkage analysis, structural path analysis and structural decomposition analysis to quantify the footprint, locate critical supply-chain pathways and explain temporal change. AI-related embodied CO₂ emissions increased from 140.03 Mt in 2015 to 324.37 Mt in 2023. Indirect emissions reached 187.01 Mt in 2023 and remained higher than direct emissions, while backward linkages consistently exceeded forward linkages. Approximately half of the footprint was concentrated within the first three production tiers, with other ICT, electricity and heat, transport, metals and non-metallic minerals forming the largest short paths. In the current-price SDA, domestic final demand was associated with a 138.82 Mt increase between 2020 and 2023, outweighing the 20.24 Mt reduction from production-structure change. The results recast AI decarbonisation as a systems-governance problem: operational efficiency must be coupled with demand management, low-carbon electricity, hardware circularity and targeted upstream procurement. Full article

Environmental sustainability of natural and synthetic fibers used in textiles and composites depends on their impacts throughout production, use, and end-of-life (EoL) stages. Natural fibers are renewable and biodegradable but may require substantial water and agricultural inputs, whereas synthetic fibers contribute to fossil resource depletion, microplastic pollution, and persistent waste generation. Natural fibers are often regarded as more sustainable alternatives to synthetic fiber; however, evidence from a life cycle assessment (LCA) reveals a more nuanced reality. As demand for fiber-based materials increases across textile and composite applications, a deeper understanding of the environmental implications of both natural and synthetic options becomes essential. This review compares these fiber categories from a life cycle perspective, examining carbon footprint, energy demands, resource consumption, and EoL pathways. Natural fibers such as cotton, flax, jute, hemp, sisal, banana, coir, and emerging plant-based alternatives offer advantages including biodegradability and carbon sequestration during cultivation. Nevertheless, agricultural practices and subsequent industrial processing require substantial land, water, and chemical inputs. Synthetic fibers, predominantly derived from fossil resources, provide a long service life and consistent performance but are associated with high greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, dependence on non-renewable feedstocks, microplastic pollution, and broader environmental impacts. By presenting a comprehensive life cycle-based comparison, this review identifies the conditions under which each fiber type may offer environmental benefits, supporting informed material selection for sustainable development. Full article

The pursuit of sustainable development, particularly the mitigation of climate change (SDG 13), necessitates a thorough understanding of the environmental consequences of international trade. The form and pattern of international trade have changed with the rise of preferential trade agreements. The following important question arises: how do preferential trade agreements affect the transfer of trade-embodied carbon emissions? This study establishes a comprehensive bilateral trade database and uses a staggered difference-in-differences model to empirically examine how preferential trade agreements affect embodied carbon emissions. Furthermore, this study explores the underlying mechanisms and investigates heterogeneous effects in diverse contexts. The key findings of this study are as follows. (1) The signing of preferential trade agreements between bilateral trading partners helps reduce the level of carbon embodied in exports. (2) This reduction is achieved by improving production efficiency and facilitating technological spillovers, thereby reducing the carbon footprint associated with export activities. (3) The level of development of bilateral trading countries and the strength of environmental regulations play a role in the heterogeneous impact of preferential trade agreements on embodied carbon emissions. These findings provide critical empirical evidence for designing PTAs that not only facilitate trade but also actively contribute to global climate action and the achievement of broader sustainability objectives. Full article

Unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) are experiencing rapid growth across diverse sectors, creating an increasing demand for lightweight, high-performance and environmentally sustainable materials. Conventional drone materials offer excellent mechanical properties but pose environmental concerns due to their high carbon footprint, energy-intensive production and limited biodegradability. Kenaf fibre, a renewable natural fibre, presents a promising alternative owing to its low density, high specific strength, cost-effectiveness and eco-friendly characteristics. This review and research proposal explores the current and potential applications of kenaf-based materials in drone manufacturing, including kenaf fibre-reinforced biocomposites, pressed paper, composite pellets and 3D printing filaments for structural, functional and electrical housing components. Kenaf-based materials have demonstrated mechanical strengths approaching 300 MPa, dielectric constants of approximately 2.5 and electrical breakdown strengths exceeding 150 kV/mm, highlighting their potential for lightweight UAV structures and electronic insulation applications. The proposed research focuses on optimising kenaf fibre treatment, fibre–matrix compatibility, hybrid reinforcement strategies and additive manufacturing parameters to develop lightweight, durable and multifunctional kenaf-based UAV components. The framework aims to establish a systematic pathway for the development and validation of kenaf-based materials for next-generation sustainable UAVs. Full article

Agricultural management influences progress towards carbon neutrality through its effects on water consumption, energy use, and greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. However, few studies have translated policies across sectors into management scenarios and evaluated their combined consequences for the agricultural carbon neutrality. We quantified the water, energy use, and carbon nexus for wheat, rice, and corn production across the North China Plain using 2018 as a baseline scenario. We then evaluated conditional management scenarios informed by China’s 14th Five-Year Plan. The three crop production generated net emissions of 1.8 × 10¹⁰ kg C yr⁻¹ in 2018, while cropland net ecosystem productivity offset 16.9% of GHG emissions related to crop production. Energy use was positively correlated with GHG emissions (r = 0.74, p < 0.01). The integrated scenario combining a 30% reduction in nitrogen fertilizer, more efficient nitrogen fertilizer production, sprinkler irrigation, and a 50% crop straw return rate reduced the water footprint, energy use, and GHG emissions by 4.9%, 27.6%, and 39.2%, respectively. By contrast, drip irrigation alone reduced the water footprint but increased energy use by 6.8% and GHG emissions by 12.9%. The results show that water saving measures do not necessarily improve the carbon neutrality when their energy requirements are overlooked. These findings also provide more enlightenment for local policy-makers. Full article

Globally, beef customers are seeking verified information regarding the carbon footprint (CF) of the products they buy. As a major supplier of premium grass-finished and natural grain beef supplying markets world-wide, JBS Southern Australia developed a certified Farm Assured (FA) program, launched in 2013, to provide quality beef from independently audited suppliers. This study conducted a life cycle assessment (LCA) with ‘cradle to farm gate’ and ‘cradle to processor gate’ boundaries, using two reference flows—(i) one kilogram (kg) of liveweight (LW) at the farm gate, and (ii) one kg of boxed beef at the processor gate—to assess the greenhouse gas (GHG) CF for beef produced in southern Australia. This study is the first to integrate individual animal carcass characteristics with brand level CF analysis at scale. This was achieved by developing a uniquely comprehensive dataset, with primary data supplied by 200 farms and individual animal data provided for 514,922 heads of cattle. The mean farm gate CF was 11.7 (standard deviation 0.4) kg carbon dioxide equivalent (CO₂-e) kg⁻¹ LW, and the mean boxed beef CF was 24.1 kg CO₂-e kg⁻¹ boxed beef. The study’s novel approach to data collection allowed for the CF to be stratified by region, carcass characteristics, farm of origin and product brand. Analysis revealed that the lowest farm-average and individual animal CFs were 29% and 48% lower than the supply chain average, respectively. These findings indicate that the CFs of beef produced from grass and natural grain-finished production systems in southern Australia were comparable or lower than the CFs of beef entering similar markets. Full article

Carbon footprint information can be a powerful environmental label for encouraging sustainable consumption. However, static environmental labels can be difficult for consumers to interpret during online purchasing decisions. This study examines whether generative artificial intelligence (GenAI)-based carbon footprint feedback (AI-CFB), which transforms static carbon footprint information into decision-relevant feedback, can support consumers’ evaluations and purchase intentions regarding renewable energy-powered products (REPPs). In this context, data from 841 participants in Türkiye were analyzed using PLS-SEM within a two-layer extended TPB model. Results from the first layer confirm AI-CFB as an antecedent of TPB dimensions, which, in turn, are associated with purchase intention toward renewable energy-powered products, with environmental concern and technological self-efficacy serving as motivating factors. The second layer reveals that AI-CFB functions as a decision-support mechanism, while consumer trust strengthens the relationship between AI-CFB and REPP purchase intention. This study contributes a validated AI-TPB model that explains how GenAI-based carbon footprint information is associated with consumer evaluations and moderates the relationships with purchase intention, extending the sustainable consumption literature by integrating GenAI-based systems in e-commerce. The findings offer practical recommendations for policymakers, e-commerce platforms, and carbon footprint experts to encourage low-carbon consumption and reduce CO₂ emissions in Türkiye, while providing a foundation for future research at the intersection of sustainable consumption and AI-assisted decision-making. Full article

Global food systems must balance productivity with environmental sustainability amid climate change, geopolitical shocks, and unevenly distributed natural resources. This study introduces the Food Supply Sustainability Index (FSSI), a transparent, composite measure of the sustainability of a nation’s food production including international trade, and future climate-driven trade dynamics, with a distance-to-target method. Using FAO and IFPRI data, the FSSI categorises countries into five sustainability classes across three pillars: carbon footprint, soil degradation, and water stress. The results show high-income countries produce food less sustainably, while low-income countries do so more sustainably yet are more vulnerable to climate change and trade disruptions. The FSSI therefore recognises that trade redistributes rather than removes environmental risk, creating a more evenly distributed yet persistent global vulnerability to shocks. Under future climate scenarios, the index identifies that sustainability worsens in poorer regions, especially Sub-Saharan Africa, exposing countries to food insecurity. By combining multiple environmental dimensions into a single metric, the FSSI enables countries to benchmark sustainability performance and identify priority areas for intervention. The FSSI supports policies such as aligning imports with sustainability criteria, diversifying suppliers toward lower-impact origins, and supporting sustainable intensification in low-income settings. The FSSI provides a replicable, policy-relevant tool to assess, compare, and communicate global food system sustainability. Full article

The sustainability of Coffea arabica L. production in Oaxaca, Mexico, is increasingly threatened by climate change, biodiversity loss, and pest pressure, along with other factors that undermine the responsiveness of small-scale producers in the state, such as trade restrictions and coffee-related regulatory frameworks. These challenges are particularly acute in mountainous regions like Oaxaca, where coffee cultivation plays a central role in rural livelihoods, cultural identity, and territorial development. Studies demonstrate that localized models are vital for rural improvement, reducing the carbon footprint, and maintaining economic viability. Despite extensive research on agronomic, environmental, and market factors, sustainability strategies for coffee production often remain fragmented and insufficiently integrated. This systematic review used the Scopus Review database, searching by title, abstract, and keywords such as “sustainable coffee production” from 2015 to 2026. A total of 1085 documents were retrieved and processed using VOSviewer software to generate a bibliographic map in which frequently used words are grouped by color to show their relationships. Using Oaxaca as a regional case study, the article synthesizes the key factors influencing coffee productivity and quality, examines the main socio-environmental challenges, and proposes a conceptual framework that integrates agroecosystem management with socioeconomic processes under external climate and market pressures. The proposed framework highlights the central role of agroforestry systems and ecosystem services in improving climate resilience, conserving biodiversity, and supporting quality-oriented value chains. These processes generate feedback loops that influence farmers’ livelihoods, food security, and territorial sustainability. While grounded in the context of Oaxaca, the socio-ecological review and conceptual framework presented here are applicable to other Arabica-producing regions facing similar challenges, providing a structured basis for future research, policy design, and integrated sustainability strategies. Full article