Environment, Development and Sustainability最新文献

The present study proposes a novel hyperbolic cosine distance-dependent dispersion model and is implemented in a mobile-immobile (MIM) model. Dual-porosity media is also termed MIM (mobile-immobile) regions. The pollutants are intended to drift through two adjacent homogeneous zones. An advective–dispersive equation governs mobile regions of the porous media. However, immobile regions are controlled by diffusive flux. The dispersivity as a measure of location determines the dispersion coefficient’s scale dependence. Though linear and exponential dispersivity functions were devised and implemented a few decades ago, in which the exponential distance-dependent dispersion model could provide comparatively satisfactory results, that, too, could not make a stronger correlation with the laboratory results. The linear and exponential dispersion models showed over-predicted data with insignificant skewness and tailing effects. Therefore, the present study further explores the distance-reliant dispersion model by introducing a novel hyperbolic cosine distance-reliant dispersion formulation. The transport model is discretized using a substantially implicit finite-difference-based Crank–Nicolson technique, and Thomas’ approach is applied to solve the output set of simultaneous algebraic problems. The present model is verified with the experimental data, and sensitivity analyses have been performed to look into how model parameters affect the model’s output. The present study reveals that contaminants move faster when using a scale-dependent dispersion model. Sensitivity analyses have revealed that an increase in the mobile regions and distribution of contaminants with the soil matrices reduces the breakthrough profiles. The reduced breakthrough profiles culminate retarded transport of contaminants in the soil media.

Countries are experiencing rapid social development under globalization, and it is a challenge to increase water efficiency and improve the ecological environment. This paper investigates the spatial and temporal changes of water efficiency in production-living-ecological function, which can help to improve the ecological environment and realize sustainable development. In this paper, Data Envelopment Analysis (DEA) is used to select evaluation indicators. The spatial directional distribution was analyzed using Standard Deviation Ellipse (SDE). The trend of spatial directional distribution was explored by choosing BP neural network model. The results show that: (1) There is a “stock-flow” link in the ecological structure of water resources. (2) The overall water efficiency of the production-living-ecological function indicates an oversupply. The main form is the exchange between ecological and production function. (3) Projections show that water used decreases from northeast to southwest and water efficiency increases from northeast to southwest. The production function occupies a large amount of water use. This paper establishes the theoretical framework of ecological structure of water efficiency and excavates the complex relationship and changing characteristics of production-life-ecological function and water efficiency. It provides a new perspective for the sustainable development of global water resources.

Livelihood recovery, a well-researched issue while a natural disaster, has often been overlooked in the case of other man-made disasters, such as displacement and resettlement caused by urban development projects. Although government institutions/organizations initiated various interventions to combat the externalities of such projects and make the affected people more resilient, a holistic approach is lacking. This study attempts to identify livelihood recovery interventions (LRIs) based on different mechanisms of livelihood resilience for the people affected by urban development projects. Following a literature review and field visit, an initial list of seventy-three LRIs under fifteen mechanisms was prepared. Then, a panel of experts from India was invited to participate in a Delphi technique to check the interventions’ applicability and determine additional context-specific interventions to attain livelihood resilience in the Indian context. The results show that maximum interventions related to (i) empowering the people in rural areas, especially for their active participation in the implementation of the development project; (ii) additional facilities to reduce outmigration; (iii) long-term strategies by the government to achieve sustainability are the most relevant, as gained the consensus with aggregate preference 90%, in three rounds of Delphi. These results highlight the directions for policy-makers and planners in designing and managing livelihood recovering activities to achieve livelihood resilience.

This study explores the impact that QR codes may play in individual’s sustainable apparel consumption. Data from 250 on-line surveys provided valuable information regarding consumers’ use of QR codes and more sustainable purchases. Results indicate that QR codes are currently under-utilized in the apparel industry but have the potential to generate more environmentally conscious purchases. Also, that while the cost of the item is the most influential factor in purchasing sustainable garments, other factors such as how, where, and what it is made of are in the middle, along with the company’s story/inspiration for creation have an impact. Participants indicated that they believe the use of QR codes would make them more informed and empowered consumers, and they would be more likely to make purchases that are better for the environment. Participants’ qualitative responses provide useful incentives that could increase their future sustainable purchases. Role of QR Codes in Environmental Consciousness of Apparel Consumption.

In recent years, losses associated with disasters have increased considerably. Cities are hubs of economic growth, fueling their national economies. The resilience of this growth is at risk, however, from unplanned-for shocks and ongoing stresses, facing increasing environmental, social, and economic challenges. Various literature reviews have revealed the importance of urban resilience, but most have failed to address cost-effective methods for implementing resilience in urban conflicts. Finding new innovative approaches, that are the cheapest and the easiest to implement, to overcome the challenges, are limited. Investors are struggling with a range of obstacles when it comes to investing in resilience. To help in closing the implementation gap, a comprehensive framework of sustainable approaches emphasizing the notion of circular economy is developed across a range of spatial scales throughout its phases of emergency and risk management cycle. The main aim is to enable adaptation and the development of cost-effective solutions in response to future challenges and thus encourage investments in resilient cities. A cost benefit analysis, applied to a hypothetical city, is developed for each innovative approach at different spatial levels. The proposed analysis has proven that innovative approaches are cost effective, as their net economic benefit exceeds their upfront cost. Besides that, they tend to reduce a variety of disaster losses and emphasize the notion of circular economy. In overall, the framework analysis has revealed its ability to act as a protective dome to govern, manage, and finance sustainable low-cost approaches in any new urban formation.

This research delves into the inter-relations between urbanization, industrialization, energy consumption, and carbon dioxide emissions (CO₂) in SAARC countries, and emphasizes their impacts on the sustainable development goals (SDGs). As the regional importance grows because of the fast urban and industrial development accompanied by the high energy consumption, such analysis becomes of great significance in the of environment and policy planning for the SAARC region. Technically, the study uses advanced econometric approaches, including the Cross-Sectional Autoregressive Distributed Lag (CS-ARDL) model, and if it is necessary, second-generation unit roots and cointegration tests may be used as well. The process is what helps you have a good look at the long-term relationships and dynamics among the variables in mind. The main results demonstrate that CO₂ emissions from urbanization and industrialization are much higher, so there is a compelling reason to look for ways to make our urban and industrial policies more sustainable. Inversely, power consumption, especially from fossil fuels, becomes a major emissions contributor, implied by the fact of transitioning to renewable energy sources. Among the effects of population growth, natural resource rent, and electrification on emissions mitigation, several policy intervention domains seem promising. To achieve sustainable development goals for SAARC countries, the member nations must collaborate on sustainable practices in urban planning, energy consumption, and industrial activities. The research is focused on renewable energy integration and sustainable urban planning; therefore, the research provides essential knowledge for policymakers to design strategies that are supposed to minimize negative impacts on the environment but also bring economic growth. Such findings and recommendations are the keys that are going to help in shaping the environmental policy and the strategic growth of the SAARC region while ensuring harmony between environmental and economic development.

Structured in three stages, this study aimed to evaluate the performance of Communities Supported Agriculture (CSAs) in the Southeast region of Brazil by analyzing internal indicators and methodological triangulation of Principal Component Analysis (PCA) and Data Envelopment Analysis (DEA). The main results show that the CSAs are not for profit, but for obtaining income and improving consumers farmers and consumers conditions and quality of life. Even with a family commitment to the productivity of the CSAs, female participation is an aspect that demands incentives; female participation still contributes to the reduction in the number of accidents at work that occur in agricultural practices and other activities of the CSAs. Also, the CSAs that reached the efficiency frontier determined by the DEA had a low number of members in their governance structure. This indicates greater fluidity in leadership and decision-making processes as the governance structure undergoes reductions. Co-producers’ support is a vital aspect of the success of CSAs; however, this can be enhanced by forming a network of key partners. Finally, this study revealed that the expansion of the partnership network can occur with investment in the food distribution process and that CSAs commit to reusing all food that is not distributed.

The application of the green planting technology (GPT) is the critical aspect of agricultural production mode transformation. The recognition and adoption of GPT by farmers are the keys to promoting GPT. The objectives are to understand the process law of adoption of GPT by farmers from the aspects of behavioral differences and influencing factors, and provide a reference for promoting GPT according to local conditions and farmers. This study took 202 farmer questionnaires in Juxian County, China as samples, (1) used statistical analysis to analyze the farmer’s cognition and adoption behavior of different GPT, and (2) used multivariate ordered Logistic model to explore the influencing factors of GPT adoption behavior. The main findings are shown as follows: (1) The farmers’ cognition and adoption of GPT are not ideal in Juxian County. The surveyed farmers lack of in-depth understanding on the whole. 70.79% of farmers adopted the number of GPT less than 5 and with the lower adoption score. (2) The shorter the number of years of farming, the clearer the cognition of chemical input pollution, the more awareness of GPT, the larger the scale of cultivated land operation, the higher the level of regional economic development, and the higher the level of GPT adoption by farmers. (3) The scope of technological cognition and the operation scale have a prominent impact on the adoption of GPT by farmers with different livelihood types and various cultivated terrain conditions.

Energy production and recycling from chicken manure (CM) is a sustainable and environmentally friendly approach. The CM is considered a valuable bioresource for methane production. The commercial applications of colimoxin for the poultry bird health; its traces are being ejected in CM and it becomes toxic for the methanogenic archaea during the anaerobic digestion process. The influences of the colimoxin were investigated on the anaerobic co-digestion performance of the CM and wheat straw (WS). The CM is co-digested with WS at carbon to nitrogen ratio of 25 to reduce the nitrogen contents of the CM. To optimize the colimoxin dose for methane generation; eight different colimoxin treatments were applied with varying colimoxin dose. The lower colimoxin dose was found healthy for the microbes and Treatment-4 resulted in 23% methane enhancement, while the higher colimoxin doses inhibited the methane production. The synergistic influences of the colimoxin dose on the volatile fatty acids generation and utilization were deeply monitored. The regression models were developed by using second degree polynomial regression models to optimize the colimoxin dose for the commercial biogas facilities and for the commercial poultry control sheds. The onsite methane generation would result in in-situ electrical energy production for the rural community.

Graphical abstract