This study proposes a new paradigm in sustainable product design and development by integrating absolute sustainability, moving beyond relative improvements to achieving absolute thresholds. Research often focuses on relative gains or frames absolute sustainability solely in environmental terms, overlooking interaction with social sustainability, economic viability, and functional performance. Previous studies identified a major gap in frameworks to support the shift of manufacturers to absolute approaches. To address these gaps, this study presents the Design4AS Framework (Product Design and Development for Absolute Sustainability Framework), a holistic framework to integrate absolute sustainability into product design and development. It establishes quantifiable thresholds, framing environmental sustainability within the biophysical limits of the planet while balancing social, economic, and functional performance. For setting social targets, a novel approach is introduced to ensure basic human needs compliance at the product level. The framework is validated within an industrial context, highlighting opportunities and challenges. Its application reveals relevance, though complex product categories may face challenges due to data requirements. Findings show that while internal factors like company resources are relevant, external conditions like supply chain dynamics, business models, consumer behaviour or policy are crucial for absolute sustainability. Navigating trade-offs is key, as environmental thresholds vary with sharing principles, and social targets require data availability. This framework supports absolute sustainability in manufacturing.
{"title":"Absolute sustainability in product design and development: A holistic framework integrating environmental, social, economic and functional performance","authors":"Afonso Gonçalves , Gonçalo Cardeal , Inês Ribeiro , Elsa Henriques","doi":"10.1016/j.eiar.2025.108310","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.eiar.2025.108310","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>This study proposes a new paradigm in sustainable product design and development by integrating absolute sustainability, moving beyond relative improvements to achieving absolute thresholds. Research often focuses on relative gains or frames absolute sustainability solely in environmental terms, overlooking interaction with social sustainability, economic viability, and functional performance. Previous studies identified a major gap in frameworks to support the shift of manufacturers to absolute approaches. To address these gaps, this study presents the Design4AS Framework (Product Design and Development for Absolute Sustainability Framework), a holistic framework to integrate absolute sustainability into product design and development. It establishes quantifiable thresholds, framing environmental sustainability within the biophysical limits of the planet while balancing social, economic, and functional performance. For setting social targets, a novel approach is introduced to ensure basic human needs compliance at the product level. The framework is validated within an industrial context, highlighting opportunities and challenges. Its application reveals relevance, though complex product categories may face challenges due to data requirements. Findings show that while internal factors like company resources are relevant, external conditions like supply chain dynamics, business models, consumer behaviour or policy are crucial for absolute sustainability. Navigating trade-offs is key, as environmental thresholds vary with sharing principles, and social targets require data availability. This framework supports absolute sustainability in manufacturing.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":309,"journal":{"name":"Environmental Impact Assessment Review","volume":"118 ","pages":"Article 108310"},"PeriodicalIF":11.2,"publicationDate":"2025-12-19","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145786841","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"社会学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2025-12-19DOI: 10.1016/j.eiar.2025.108312
Kai Li , Wei Wu , Shiqi Tian , Zhe Li , Yufan Wu , Yue Cao , Linjuan Li , Weidong Xiao
Protected areas (PAs) are important for keeping ecosystem services (ESs), yet their effectiveness is increasingly undermined by the expanding human footprint (HF). The interaction between HF and ESs varies across governance gradients surrounding PAs, reflecting differences in human pressure and management intensity. To capture these divergences, we developed an innovative multi-scenario framework that integrates spatial scale, governance gradients, and human-pressure gradients, applied to 447 national PAs in China. Five spatial scenarios were defined to represent a governance continuum, including strictly protected cores (PAs), co-managed edge zones (PAs + 0–5 km and PAs + 0–10 km), and human-dominated edge zones (0–5 km and 0–10 km). Spatiotemporal interactions between HF and four key ESs (habitat quality, carbon storage, soil retention, and water yield) were analyzed from 2000 to 2020 using spatial correlation, coupling coordination, and spatial matching approaches. Results showed that HF intensified over the two decades, with edge zones providing varying buffering for PAs. Water yield in the 0–5 km edge zone showed the strongest spatial correlation with HF, while other ESs correlated most strongly within PAs or their edge zones. Coupling coordination between HF and ESs was generally higher in edge zones than in PAs, and spatial matching revealed more complex dynamics in edge zones. Natural relic PAs exhibited the lowest coordination and unique spatial correlations, while ecosystem and wildlife PAs showed broadly similar coupling and spatial matching patterns. These findings highlight divergent HF and ES interactions along governance and human-pressure gradients and provide insights for evaluating PA effectiveness and improving management across protected and adjacent landscapes .
{"title":"Divergent spatiotemporal interactions between human footprint and ecosystem services: multi-scenario analysis of protected areas and edge zones","authors":"Kai Li , Wei Wu , Shiqi Tian , Zhe Li , Yufan Wu , Yue Cao , Linjuan Li , Weidong Xiao","doi":"10.1016/j.eiar.2025.108312","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.eiar.2025.108312","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Protected areas (PAs) are important for keeping ecosystem services (ESs), yet their effectiveness is increasingly undermined by the expanding human footprint (HF). The interaction between HF and ESs varies across governance gradients surrounding PAs, reflecting differences in human pressure and management intensity. To capture these divergences, we developed an innovative multi-scenario framework that integrates spatial scale, governance gradients, and human-pressure gradients, applied to 447 national PAs in China. Five spatial scenarios were defined to represent a governance continuum, including strictly protected cores (PAs), co-managed edge zones (PAs + 0–5 km and PAs + 0–10 km), and human-dominated edge zones (0–5 km and 0–10 km). Spatiotemporal interactions between HF and four key ESs (habitat quality, carbon storage, soil retention, and water yield) were analyzed from 2000 to 2020 using spatial correlation, coupling coordination, and spatial matching approaches. Results showed that HF intensified over the two decades, with edge zones providing varying buffering for PAs. Water yield in the 0–5 km edge zone showed the strongest spatial correlation with HF, while other ESs correlated most strongly within PAs or their edge zones. Coupling coordination between HF and ESs was generally higher in edge zones than in PAs, and spatial matching revealed more complex dynamics in edge zones. Natural relic PAs exhibited the lowest coordination and unique spatial correlations, while ecosystem and wildlife PAs showed broadly similar coupling and spatial matching patterns. These findings highlight divergent HF and ES interactions along governance and human-pressure gradients and provide insights for evaluating PA effectiveness and improving management across protected and adjacent landscapes<!--> <!-->.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":309,"journal":{"name":"Environmental Impact Assessment Review","volume":"118 ","pages":"Article 108312"},"PeriodicalIF":11.2,"publicationDate":"2025-12-19","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145786718","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"社会学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2025-12-19DOI: 10.1016/j.eiar.2025.108308
Jiazheng Liu , Qin Liu , Junxia Ma , Qiting Zuo
Against the backdrop of increasing global water scarcity, interregional virtual water trade has become a critical factor affecting regional water security. This study develops a dual-level assessment framework for interregional water scarcity risk transfer that integrates both efficiency and equity. By combining an environmentally extended multi-regional input-output model, a super-efficiency data envelopment analysis model, and a modified Theil Index approach, the framework systematically quantifies the transmission and redistribution mechanisms of water scarcity risk at both the regional and pathway levels. An empirical analysis is conducted using data from 30 provinces in China. The results reveal that: a) Interprovincial virtual water trade in China led to an overall increase of 38.82 billion m3 in national water scarcity risk magnitude. b) Although 16 provinces demonstrated strong performance in efficiency of water scarcity risk transfer, some — such as Xinjiang and Jiangsu — still acted as “risk intensifiers”. In contrast, eight provinces with lower efficiency could improve by upgrading industrial structures and optimizing trade patterns. c) The inequity in water scarcity risk burdens changed significantly after virtual water trade, with disparities increasing both between and within regions. Notably, the contribution of intra-regional inequity in the northwest region rose from 63.50 % to 70.00 %. d) Most trade pathways suffered from both low efficiency and low equity, with only about 7 % characterized by both high pathway efficiency and high fairness. The proposed dual-level assessment framework effectively captures the dynamic evolution of water scarcity risk within multi-regional trade networks. The findings provide valuable data support for policy design aimed at managing the risks associated with virtual water trade.
{"title":"A dual-level assessment framework for interregional water scarcity risk transfer integrating efficiency and equity: A case study of China","authors":"Jiazheng Liu , Qin Liu , Junxia Ma , Qiting Zuo","doi":"10.1016/j.eiar.2025.108308","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.eiar.2025.108308","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Against the backdrop of increasing global water scarcity, interregional virtual water trade has become a critical factor affecting regional water security. This study develops a dual-level assessment framework for interregional water scarcity risk transfer that integrates both efficiency and equity. By combining an environmentally extended multi-regional input-output model, a super-efficiency data envelopment analysis model, and a modified Theil Index approach, the framework systematically quantifies the transmission and redistribution mechanisms of water scarcity risk at both the regional and pathway levels. An empirical analysis is conducted using data from 30 provinces in China. The results reveal that: a) Interprovincial virtual water trade in China led to an overall increase of 38.82 billion m<sup>3</sup> in national water scarcity risk magnitude. b) Although 16 provinces demonstrated strong performance in efficiency of water scarcity risk transfer, some — such as Xinjiang and Jiangsu — still acted as “risk intensifiers”. In contrast, eight provinces with lower efficiency could improve by upgrading industrial structures and optimizing trade patterns. c) The inequity in water scarcity risk burdens changed significantly after virtual water trade, with disparities increasing both between and within regions. Notably, the contribution of intra-regional inequity in the northwest region rose from 63.50 % to 70.00 %. d) Most trade pathways suffered from both low efficiency and low equity, with only about 7 % characterized by both high pathway efficiency and high fairness. The proposed dual-level assessment framework effectively captures the dynamic evolution of water scarcity risk within multi-regional trade networks. The findings provide valuable data support for policy design aimed at managing the risks associated with virtual water trade.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":309,"journal":{"name":"Environmental Impact Assessment Review","volume":"118 ","pages":"Article 108308"},"PeriodicalIF":11.2,"publicationDate":"2025-12-19","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145786837","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"社会学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Owing to the use of existing bituminous pavement materials, Full Depth Reclamation (FDR) is generally perceived as a cost effective and environmental friendly rehabilitation option over the Traditional Reconstruction (TR) approach. However, variability in certain context specific factors across rehabilitation sites may influence the relative cost and environmental impacts of these techniques, potentially altering the preferred rehabilitation alternative. This study explores such aspects in detail using data collected from low volume roads in India, together with evidence from prior research. Specifically, the influence of four major factors (design traffic, transportation distances of construction materials/waste, cement content for FDR, and service life of FDR) was investigated. The cost was calculated using standard analysis of rates, and environmental impacts were evaluated through life cycle assessment. An uncertainty analysis was also performed to understand the influence of variability in key parameters on environmental impacts. The results indicate that variations in any of the above mentioned factors hold the ability to influence FDR and TR to varying extents, leading to significant changes in their relative cost and environmental impacts, which in certain cases can even shift the preferred rehabilitation alternative. For instance, with 25 % change in transportation distances, the average changes in cost, Embodied Energy (EE), Global Warming Potential (GWP), Ozone Depletion Potential (ODP), Acidification Potential (AP), Eutrophication Potential (EP), and Photochemical Ozone Creation Potential (POCP) for TR were 11.6 %, 6.8 %, 11.9 %, 18.8 %, 12.1 %, 14.7 %, and 6.1 %, respectively, which were significantly higher than the corresponding variations for FDR (2.2 %, 0.9 %, 1.6 %, 9.2 %, 3.4 %, 4.5 %, and 1.3 %). Within the scope of this study, shifts in the preferred rehabilitation alternative were observed predominantly with respect to EE and GWP. From cost, ODP, AP, EP, and POCP perspectives, FDR generally remained the favourable option. However, in a few scenarios, TR was found to be preferable as well. These findings suggest that highway agencies should undertake region specific analyses to identify the conditions under which FDR is preferable within their jurisdictions, and when TR may be more appropriate.
{"title":"Is full depth reclamation always a sustainable alternative to traditional reconstruction? Context dependent shifts in making sustainable rehabilitation choice","authors":"Abhishek Thakur, Prabin Kumar Ashish, Debabrota Das, Sudhir Misra","doi":"10.1016/j.eiar.2025.108304","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.eiar.2025.108304","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Owing to the use of existing bituminous pavement materials, Full Depth Reclamation (FDR) is generally perceived as a cost effective and environmental friendly rehabilitation option over the Traditional Reconstruction (TR) approach. However, variability in certain context specific factors across rehabilitation sites may influence the relative cost and environmental impacts of these techniques, potentially altering the preferred rehabilitation alternative. This study explores such aspects in detail using data collected from low volume roads in India, together with evidence from prior research. Specifically, the influence of four major factors (design traffic, transportation distances of construction materials/waste, cement content for FDR, and service life of FDR) was investigated. The cost was calculated using standard analysis of rates, and environmental impacts were evaluated through life cycle assessment. An uncertainty analysis was also performed to understand the influence of variability in key parameters on environmental impacts. The results indicate that variations in any of the above mentioned factors hold the ability to influence FDR and TR to varying extents, leading to significant changes in their relative cost and environmental impacts, which in certain cases can even shift the preferred rehabilitation alternative. For instance, with 25 % change in transportation distances, the average changes in cost, Embodied Energy (EE), Global Warming Potential (GWP), Ozone Depletion Potential (ODP), Acidification Potential (AP), Eutrophication Potential (EP), and Photochemical Ozone Creation Potential (POCP) for TR were 11.6 %, 6.8 %, 11.9 %, 18.8 %, 12.1 %, 14.7 %, and 6.1 %, respectively, which were significantly higher than the corresponding variations for FDR (2.2 %, 0.9 %, 1.6 %, 9.2 %, 3.4 %, 4.5 %, and 1.3 %). Within the scope of this study, shifts in the preferred rehabilitation alternative were observed predominantly with respect to EE and GWP. From cost, ODP, AP, EP, and POCP perspectives, FDR generally remained the favourable option. However, in a few scenarios, TR was found to be preferable as well. These findings suggest that highway agencies should undertake region specific analyses to identify the conditions under which FDR is preferable within their jurisdictions, and when TR may be more appropriate.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":309,"journal":{"name":"Environmental Impact Assessment Review","volume":"118 ","pages":"Article 108304"},"PeriodicalIF":11.2,"publicationDate":"2025-12-18","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145786715","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"社会学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2025-12-17DOI: 10.1016/j.eiar.2025.108309
Lei Xi , Zhao Qi , Yiming Feng , Xiaoming Cao , Jiaxiu Zou , Jie Han
Desertification presents a significant regional threat to global ecosystems and human well-being, particularly in fragile arid zones like the Ring-Tarim Basin. Accurate risk assessment and identification of driving mechanisms are critical for promoting sustainable development in these regions. This study develops an explainable machine learning framework integrating ensemble models (XGBoost and CatBoost) with Shapley Additive exPlanations (SHAP) to assess desertification risk dynamics and their drivers from 1990 to 2020. The framework quantifies the spatiotemporal evolution of a Composite Evaluation Index (CEI) for desertification risk and reveals its key influencing factors. Results show that the overall desertification risk in the Ring-Tarim Basin is low, with high- and very-high-risk areas concentrated along oasis margins, lower river reaches, and zones of intense human activity. Temporally, the CEI exhibits a trend of rapid early improvement followed by stabilization (overall slope = −0.0024/yr−5, R2 = 0.6077). The ensemble models achieved high predictive accuracy (R2 > 0.98), effectively capturing the complex nonlinear characteristics of desertification processes. SHAP-based interpretation indicates that land use type is the dominant factor shaping spatial patterns of risk, while cropland expansion, increased livestock density, and vegetation cover changes—reflecting human activity—emerge as persistent and influential drivers. Spatiotemporal analysis of the CEI centroid reveals that the migration of high-risk zones is primarily driven by heterogeneous human impacts in ecologically vulnerable areas, rather than by uniform macro-climatic changes. These findings offer data-driven insights into the mechanisms underlying desertification in the Ring-Tarim Basin and demonstrate the value of interpretable AI in supporting sustainable land management in arid regions globally.
{"title":"An explainable machine learning approach (SHAP) to assessing desertification risk and its drivers in the Ring-Tarim Basin, 1990–2020","authors":"Lei Xi , Zhao Qi , Yiming Feng , Xiaoming Cao , Jiaxiu Zou , Jie Han","doi":"10.1016/j.eiar.2025.108309","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.eiar.2025.108309","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Desertification presents a significant regional threat to global ecosystems and human well-being, particularly in fragile arid zones like the Ring-Tarim Basin. Accurate risk assessment and identification of driving mechanisms are critical for promoting sustainable development in these regions. This study develops an explainable machine learning framework integrating ensemble models (XGBoost and CatBoost) with Shapley Additive exPlanations (SHAP) to assess desertification risk dynamics and their drivers from 1990 to 2020. The framework quantifies the spatiotemporal evolution of a Composite Evaluation Index (CEI) for desertification risk and reveals its key influencing factors. Results show that the overall desertification risk in the Ring-Tarim Basin is low, with high- and very-high-risk areas concentrated along oasis margins, lower river reaches, and zones of intense human activity. Temporally, the CEI exhibits a trend of rapid early improvement followed by stabilization (overall <em>slope</em> = −0.0024/yr<sup>−5</sup>, R<sup>2</sup> = 0.6077). The ensemble models achieved high predictive accuracy (R<sup>2</sup> > 0.98), effectively capturing the complex nonlinear characteristics of desertification processes. SHAP-based interpretation indicates that land use type is the dominant factor shaping spatial patterns of risk, while cropland expansion, increased livestock density, and vegetation cover changes—reflecting human activity—emerge as persistent and influential drivers. Spatiotemporal analysis of the CEI centroid reveals that the migration of high-risk zones is primarily driven by heterogeneous human impacts in ecologically vulnerable areas, rather than by uniform macro-climatic changes. These findings offer data-driven insights into the mechanisms underlying desertification in the Ring-Tarim Basin and demonstrate the value of interpretable AI in supporting sustainable land management in arid regions globally.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":309,"journal":{"name":"Environmental Impact Assessment Review","volume":"118 ","pages":"Article 108309"},"PeriodicalIF":11.2,"publicationDate":"2025-12-17","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145786716","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"社会学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2025-12-13DOI: 10.1016/j.eiar.2025.108306
Mark E. Bell , David S. Mason , Kenneth F. Kellner , Jacob E. Hill , Chad Stewart , Jerrold L. Belant
Overabundant white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) cause considerable ecosystem damage, economic losses, and increased risk to human safety. More than one million deer-vehicle collisions (DVCs) occur annually in the United States, causing about 440 human deaths and over $10 billion in damages. We modeled the effects of agricultural land cover and deer harvest on county-level DVCs in the Lower Peninsula of Michigan, USA, 2012–2023. Predicted DVC rates in response to percentage agriculture followed a U-shaped pattern, with lowest DVC rates at 11 % agricultural land use and higher rates at minimum and maximum percentages of agriculture. Predicted DVC rates increased with an increase in deer harvest at low harvests, then remained constant after harvest exceeded about 6 deer per km2. Results suggest that harvests exceeding 6 deer per km2 in counties with highest DVC rates will likely have the greatest potential for reductions in DVCs. Targeting rural counties and agriculture areas with additional mitigation efforts may further reduce DVC rates.
{"title":"Nonlinear relationships between deer harvests, agriculture, and deer-vehicle collisions","authors":"Mark E. Bell , David S. Mason , Kenneth F. Kellner , Jacob E. Hill , Chad Stewart , Jerrold L. Belant","doi":"10.1016/j.eiar.2025.108306","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.eiar.2025.108306","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Overabundant white-tailed deer (<em>Odocoileus virginianus</em>) cause considerable ecosystem damage, economic losses, and increased risk to human safety. More than one million deer-vehicle collisions (DVCs) occur annually in the United States, causing about 440 human deaths and over $10 billion in damages. We modeled the effects of agricultural land cover and deer harvest on county-level DVCs in the Lower Peninsula of Michigan, USA, 2012–2023. Predicted DVC rates in response to percentage agriculture followed a U-shaped pattern, with lowest DVC rates at 11 % agricultural land use and higher rates at minimum and maximum percentages of agriculture. Predicted DVC rates increased with an increase in deer harvest at low harvests, then remained constant after harvest exceeded about 6 deer per km<sup>2</sup>. Results suggest that harvests exceeding 6 deer per km<sup>2</sup> in counties with highest DVC rates will likely have the greatest potential for reductions in DVCs. Targeting rural counties and agriculture areas with additional mitigation efforts may further reduce DVC rates.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":309,"journal":{"name":"Environmental Impact Assessment Review","volume":"118 ","pages":"Article 108306"},"PeriodicalIF":11.2,"publicationDate":"2025-12-13","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145786717","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"社会学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2025-12-12DOI: 10.1016/j.eiar.2025.108307
Yoselin Oropeza Abregú, Hassan Aftab Sheikh
The pulp and paper industry contributes to nature loss through multiple drivers across its value chain. Life Cycle Assessments (LCAs) have supported efforts to identify and quantify impacts on nature. However, such assessments vary in their scope on the stage of the value chain, units of analysis, and methodological approaches and also lack spatial resolution needed for decision-making. In this paper, we introduce a dual-workflow framework that links drivers of nature loss based on LCA metrics with state of nature indicators derived from geospatial data. We propose this framework as a tool for rapid high-level assessments. Applying this to Indonesia, we find that upstream plantation activities are the dominant source of impacts, driving high global warming potential, particulate emissions, and resource depletion, and affecting over 1700 km2 of peatlands and 560 km2 of Key Biodiversity Areas. Spatial analysis shows significantly greater biodiversity and connectivity losses at the upstream stage than at pulp mill sites (p < 0.05). Together, these workflows provide complementary insights: activity-based metrics identify pressure points, while spatial indicators reveal where ecological integrity is most at risk. The approach enables rapid, high-level assessments that can guide corporate actions and align with emerging disclosure frameworks such as the TNFD, CSRD, and SBTi.
{"title":"A dual-workflow framework for evaluating pulp and paper industry impacts on nature","authors":"Yoselin Oropeza Abregú, Hassan Aftab Sheikh","doi":"10.1016/j.eiar.2025.108307","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.eiar.2025.108307","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The pulp and paper industry contributes to nature loss through multiple drivers across its value chain. Life Cycle Assessments (LCAs) have supported efforts to identify and quantify impacts on nature. However, such assessments vary in their scope on the stage of the value chain, units of analysis, and methodological approaches and also lack spatial resolution needed for decision-making. In this paper, we introduce a dual-workflow framework that links drivers of nature loss based on LCA metrics with state of nature indicators derived from geospatial data. We propose this framework as a tool for rapid high-level assessments. Applying this to Indonesia, we find that upstream plantation activities are the dominant source of impacts, driving high global warming potential, particulate emissions, and resource depletion, and affecting over 1700 km<sup>2</sup> of peatlands and 560 km<sup>2</sup> of Key Biodiversity Areas. Spatial analysis shows significantly greater biodiversity and connectivity losses at the upstream stage than at pulp mill sites (<em>p</em> < 0.05). Together, these workflows provide complementary insights: activity-based metrics identify pressure points, while spatial indicators reveal where ecological integrity is most at risk. The approach enables rapid, high-level assessments that can guide corporate actions and align with emerging disclosure frameworks such as the TNFD, CSRD, and SBTi.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":309,"journal":{"name":"Environmental Impact Assessment Review","volume":"118 ","pages":"Article 108307"},"PeriodicalIF":11.2,"publicationDate":"2025-12-12","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145733444","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"社会学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2025-12-11DOI: 10.1016/j.eiar.2025.108303
Xiangyun Zeng , Qiaoling Luo , Mingxing Liu , Youcheng Chu , Jiayu Rong , Junfang Zhou
Water-based solutions are considered to be an effective measure to address the urban heat problem. While urban water bodies provide cooling benefits during the day, their potential nighttime warming effects (WWE) remain poorly understood. Take Wuhan, known as “City of Hundred Lakes”, as an example, this gap was addressed by introducing the water surface temperature (WST) and water warming intensity (WWI) based on the intrinsic process of WWE to quantify the warming effects. The heterogeneity of WWE at night in summer was revealed using ECOSTRESS with a high spatial resolution of 70 m. Random forest regression, Shapley additive explanations, and accumulated local effects models were employed to examine the influence mechanism of WWE. The findings indicate that: (1) 81.15 % of lakes in Wuhan become “heat sources” at summer night during a typical high-temperature day, with an obvious warming effect, and the warming impact distance is about 375 m on average. (2) Among lakes with warming effects, the average surface temperature was 1.06 °C higher than the Wuhan Metropolitan Development Area average, causing an average warming impact of 1.07 °C. (3) Lake area, distance to city center, and green space aggregation were dominant features influencing WST and WWI, while WWE was closely linked to urbanization. Controls on urban form, such as vegetation features, can effectively mitigate the intensity of warming impacts, while integrated controls on internal and external features, such as building height and building volume, can help reduce WST. This study provided a nighttime perspective judgment for coping with the impact of water bodies on the urban thermal environment.
{"title":"Revealing the nighttime warm effects of urban water bodies: Evidence from Wuhan, China","authors":"Xiangyun Zeng , Qiaoling Luo , Mingxing Liu , Youcheng Chu , Jiayu Rong , Junfang Zhou","doi":"10.1016/j.eiar.2025.108303","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.eiar.2025.108303","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Water-based solutions are considered to be an effective measure to address the urban heat problem. While urban water bodies provide cooling benefits during the day, their potential nighttime warming effects (WWE) remain poorly understood. Take Wuhan, known as “City of Hundred Lakes”, as an example, this gap was addressed by introducing the water surface temperature (WST) and water warming intensity (WWI) based on the intrinsic process of WWE to quantify the warming effects. The heterogeneity of WWE at night in summer was revealed using ECOSTRESS with a high spatial resolution of 70 m. Random forest regression, Shapley additive explanations, and accumulated local effects models were employed to examine the influence mechanism of WWE. The findings indicate that: (1) 81.15 % of lakes in Wuhan become “heat sources” at summer night during a typical high-temperature day, with an obvious warming effect, and the warming impact distance is about 375 m on average. (2) Among lakes with warming effects, the average surface temperature was 1.06 °C higher than the Wuhan Metropolitan Development Area average, causing an average warming impact of 1.07 °C. (3) Lake area, distance to city center, and green space aggregation were dominant features influencing WST and WWI, while WWE was closely linked to urbanization. Controls on urban form, such as vegetation features, can effectively mitigate the intensity of warming impacts, while integrated controls on internal and external features, such as building height and building volume, can help reduce WST. This study provided a nighttime perspective judgment for coping with the impact of water bodies on the urban thermal environment.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":309,"journal":{"name":"Environmental Impact Assessment Review","volume":"118 ","pages":"Article 108303"},"PeriodicalIF":11.2,"publicationDate":"2025-12-11","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145733445","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"社会学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2025-12-11DOI: 10.1016/j.eiar.2025.108305
Keling Liu , Yixiao Yang , Dan Song , Bin Chen
An effective urban waterlogging disaster management (UWDM) network enables cities to respond promptly to and recover from disasters. The social capital embedded within the UWDM network, formed by various stakeholders, is a key resource for establishing urban disaster resilience. This study constructs an evaluation framework based on the relationships among social network analysis (SNA), social capital, and network resilience to provide a quantifiable approach for improving these networks. Using SNA, we examined policy documents related to urban waterlogging disasters in China to explore the evolving roles and interaction mechanisms of stakeholders and the social capital. This framework enables the identification of stakeholder roles, the assessment of dynamic changes in social capital and network resilience, and the selection of optimal strategies to increase the network efficiency. The results show that social capital and network resilience initially decrease and then increase as the urban waterlogging disaster progresses. Increased cooperation among local governments, NGOs, and other stakeholders can increase social capital and network resilience by up to 75.96 % and 58.93 %, respectively. These findings provide valuable insights into stakeholder cooperation patterns and stage-dependent social capital dynamics, which can inform future policy development in urban waterlogging.
{"title":"Assessing and improving the resilience of a stakeholder cooperation network for urban waterlogging disaster management from the perspective of social capital: A case study of China","authors":"Keling Liu , Yixiao Yang , Dan Song , Bin Chen","doi":"10.1016/j.eiar.2025.108305","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.eiar.2025.108305","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>An effective urban waterlogging disaster management (UWDM) network enables cities to respond promptly to and recover from disasters. The social capital embedded within the UWDM network, formed by various stakeholders, is a key resource for establishing urban disaster resilience. This study constructs an evaluation framework based on the relationships among social network analysis (SNA), social capital, and network resilience to provide a quantifiable approach for improving these networks. Using SNA, we examined policy documents related to urban waterlogging disasters in China to explore the evolving roles and interaction mechanisms of stakeholders and the social capital. This framework enables the identification of stakeholder roles, the assessment of dynamic changes in social capital and network resilience, and the selection of optimal strategies to increase the network efficiency. The results show that social capital and network resilience initially decrease and then increase as the urban waterlogging disaster progresses. Increased cooperation among local governments, NGOs, and other stakeholders can increase social capital and network resilience by up to 75.96 % and 58.93 %, respectively. These findings provide valuable insights into stakeholder cooperation patterns and stage-dependent social capital dynamics, which can inform future policy development in urban waterlogging.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":309,"journal":{"name":"Environmental Impact Assessment Review","volume":"118 ","pages":"Article 108305"},"PeriodicalIF":11.2,"publicationDate":"2025-12-11","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145733446","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"社会学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Historic urban areas (HUAs) are visually and culturally sensitive environments where blue-green infrastructure (BGI) plays an increasingly important role in shaping spatial identity and environmental quality. While BGI's ecological functions are well documented, its influence on human visual perception, particularly within HUAs, remains largely unexplored. Addressing this gap, this paper proposes an integrative framework to assess how BGI affects visual experiences in heritage contexts, bridging methodological, perceptual, and user-group dimensions. By combining UAV-based photogrammetry with a three-layered perception model, the research integrates spatial analysis and empirical methods across seeing (eye-tracking), feeling (questionnaire), and understanding (interviews) layers. Street-level BGI exposure was spatially quantified and used to inform perception experiments involving both expert and general public groups. This multi-methodological, multi-layered, cross-group approach extends existing research by providing a comprehensive examination of BGI's visual impact at different cognitive levels, particularly within historic settings. Findings reveal that BGI enhances perceptual diversity, visual preference evaluation, and cognitive engagement across both groups. Although it may slightly divert attention from dominant heritage features, BGI fosters broader visual exploration and higher environmental ratings. Experts interpret BGI through more systemic and functional perspectives, while the public emphasizes emotional, aesthetic, and recreational values. Overall, this study presents a replicable framework integrating digital spatial modeling with layered perception analysis, offering new insights for evaluating and enhancing visual environments in HUAs. It supports more inclusive visual assessments and provides a basis for informed planning and selective design interventions in heritage contexts.
{"title":"Seeing heritage through green and blue: Assessing the visual influence of blue-Green infrastructure (BGI) in historic urban areas (HUAs)","authors":"Yuyang Peng , Wen Li , Steffen Nijhuis , Yingwen Yu , Zaichen Wu","doi":"10.1016/j.eiar.2025.108301","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.eiar.2025.108301","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Historic urban areas (HUAs) are visually and culturally sensitive environments where blue-green infrastructure (BGI) plays an increasingly important role in shaping spatial identity and environmental quality. While BGI's ecological functions are well documented, its influence on human visual perception, particularly within HUAs, remains largely unexplored. Addressing this gap, this paper proposes an integrative framework to assess how BGI affects visual experiences in heritage contexts, bridging methodological, perceptual, and user-group dimensions. By combining UAV-based photogrammetry with a three-layered perception model, the research integrates spatial analysis and empirical methods across seeing (eye-tracking), feeling (questionnaire), and understanding (interviews) layers. Street-level BGI exposure was spatially quantified and used to inform perception experiments involving both expert and general public groups. This multi-methodological, multi-layered, cross-group approach extends existing research by providing a comprehensive examination of BGI's visual impact at different cognitive levels, particularly within historic settings. Findings reveal that BGI enhances perceptual diversity, visual preference evaluation, and cognitive engagement across both groups. Although it may slightly divert attention from dominant heritage features, BGI fosters broader visual exploration and higher environmental ratings. Experts interpret BGI through more systemic and functional perspectives, while the public emphasizes emotional, aesthetic, and recreational values. Overall, this study presents a replicable framework integrating digital spatial modeling with layered perception analysis, offering new insights for evaluating and enhancing visual environments in HUAs. It supports more inclusive visual assessments and provides a basis for informed planning and selective design interventions in heritage contexts.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":309,"journal":{"name":"Environmental Impact Assessment Review","volume":"118 ","pages":"Article 108301"},"PeriodicalIF":11.2,"publicationDate":"2025-12-10","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145733447","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"社会学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
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