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The chemical and petrochemical sector is by far the largest industrial energy user, accounting for 30% of the industry's total final energy use. However, due to its complexity its energy efficiency potential is not well understood. This article analyses the energy efficiency potential on a country level if Best Practice Technologies (BPT) were implemented in chemical processes. Two approaches are applied and an improved dataset referring to Europe has been developed for BPT energy use. This methodology has been applied to 66 products in fifteen countries that represent 70% of chemical and petrochemical sector's energy use worldwide. The results suggest a global energy efficiency potential of 16% for this sector, excluding savings in electricity use and by higher levels of process integration, combined heat and power (CHP) and post-consumer plastic waste treatment. The results are more accurate than previous estimates. The results suggest significant differences between countries, but a cross-check based on two different methods shows that important methodological and data issues remain to be resolved. Further refinement is needed for target setting, monitoring and informing energy and climate negotiation processes. For the short and medium term, a combination of benchmarking and country level analysis is recommended.

The chemical and petrochemical sector is by far the largest industrial energy user, accounting for 30% of the industry's total final energy use. However, due to its complexity its energy efficiency potential is not well understood. This article analyses the energy efficiency potential on a country level if Best Practice Technologies (BPT) were implemented in chemical processes. Two approaches are applied and an improved dataset referring to Europe has been developed for BPT energy use. This methodology has been applied to 66 products in fifteen countries that represent 70% of chemical and petrochemical sector's energy use worldwide. The results suggest a global energy efficiency potential of 16% for this sector, excluding savings in electricity use and by higher levels of process integration, combined heat and power (CHP) and post-consumer plastic waste treatment. The results are more accurate than previous estimates. The results suggest significant differences between countries, but a cross-check based on two different methods shows that important methodological and data issues remain to be resolved. Further refinement is needed for target setting, monitoring and informing energy and climate negotiation processes. For the short and medium term, a combination of benchmarking and country level analysis is recommended.

Green energy technologies (GETs) are environmentally friendly in nature, making a promising contribution to attaining net-zero carbon goals. Although the Pakistani government has begun using GETs to minimize the adverse effects of carbon emissions, consumers' adoption rate is quite low. There are few studies examining consumers' desire to adopt GETs in the country. This study attempts to fill this research gap and also contributes by adding three novel factors to the theory of planned behavior (i.e., green energy technology awareness, openness to experience, and green energy technology discomfort) to comprehensively analyze the impact of various factors influencing consumers' desire to adopt GETs. For this purpose, the study establishes a systematic research framework. Data were collected from (n = 330) households in the five major cities (Peshawar, Abbottabad, Mardan, Mingora, and Swabi) of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Province via an inclusive questionnaire survey. The formulated hypotheses are evaluated and scrutinized using structural equation modeling. The results reveal that environmental concern (β = 0.245), green energy technology awareness (β = 0.362), openness to experience (β = 0.256), and green energy technology benefits (β = 0.225) positively affect consumers' desire to adopt GETs. On the other hand, green energy technology costs (β = 0.325) and green energy technology discomfort (β = 0.395) have a negative effect on consumers' adoption of GETs. The research findings emphasize the importance of increasing recognition of GETs, reforming policy frameworks, and providing budget-friendly and user-friendly technologies. Research limitations and future research perspectives are also addressed.

Green energy technologies (GETs) are environmentally friendly in nature, making a promising contribution to attaining net-zero carbon goals. Although the Pakistani government has begun using GETs to minimize the adverse effects of carbon emissions, consumers' adoption rate is quite low. There are few studies examining consumers' desire to adopt GETs in the country. This study attempts to fill this research gap and also contributes by adding three novel factors to the theory of planned behavior (i.e., green energy technology awareness, openness to experience, and green energy technology discomfort) to comprehensively analyze the impact of various factors influencing consumers' desire to adopt GETs. For this purpose, the study establishes a systematic research framework. Data were collected from (n = 330) households in the five major cities (Peshawar, Abbottabad, Mardan, Mingora, and Swabi) of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Province via an inclusive questionnaire survey. The formulated hypotheses are evaluated and scrutinized using structural equation modeling. The results reveal that environmental concern (β = 0.245), green energy technology awareness (β = 0.362), openness to experience (β = 0.256), and green energy technology benefits (β = 0.225) positively affect consumers' desire to adopt GETs. On the other hand, green energy technology costs (β = 0.325) and green energy technology discomfort (β = 0.395) have a negative effect on consumers' adoption of GETs. The research findings emphasize the importance of increasing recognition of GETs, reforming policy frameworks, and providing budget-friendly and user-friendly technologies. Research limitations and future research perspectives are also addressed.

Climate change and rising global temperatures pose significant challenges for natural resource management. While developed economies have made progress in addressing these issues, emerging economies are still striving to achieve carbon neutrality, sustainable resource use, and environmental sustainability. This research aims to identify the factors driving carbon emissions in emerging economies over the past three decades. The study establishes a long-run relationship among the factors under investigation by employing various panel diagnostic methods. Non-parametric approaches are used to account for the non-symmetric distribution of panel data. The findings reveal that natural resource components have asymmetric impacts on carbon emissions, with oil rents reducing emissions and mineral rents increasing them. Economic growth and agricultural value added are identified as significant contributors to carbon emissions in the region. On the other hand, renewable energy consumption plays a crucial role in achieving carbon neutrality targets. Gross capital formation exhibits a mixed influence on carbon emissions, being positive and significant in lower quantiles and significantly negative in upper quantiles. These estimates are robust and align with existing literature. The study recommends sustainable resource abstraction and utilization, renewable energy production and consumption improvements, and enhanced capital formation. By providing empirical evidence and policy recommendations, this research contributes to understanding the relationship between these factors and their impact on carbon emissions, facilitating effective strategies for sustainable development and environmental preservation. Xinyang Normal University

Climate change and rising global temperatures pose significant challenges for natural resource management. While developed economies have made progress in addressing these issues, emerging economies are still striving to achieve carbon neutrality, sustainable resource use, and environmental sustainability. This research aims to identify the factors driving carbon emissions in emerging economies over the past three decades. The study establishes a long-run relationship among the factors under investigation by employing various panel diagnostic methods. Non-parametric approaches are used to account for the non-symmetric distribution of panel data. The findings reveal that natural resource components have asymmetric impacts on carbon emissions, with oil rents reducing emissions and mineral rents increasing them. Economic growth and agricultural value added are identified as significant contributors to carbon emissions in the region. On the other hand, renewable energy consumption plays a crucial role in achieving carbon neutrality targets. Gross capital formation exhibits a mixed influence on carbon emissions, being positive and significant in lower quantiles and significantly negative in upper quantiles. These estimates are robust and align with existing literature. The study recommends sustainable resource abstraction and utilization, renewable energy production and consumption improvements, and enhanced capital formation. By providing empirical evidence and policy recommendations, this research contributes to understanding the relationship between these factors and their impact on carbon emissions, facilitating effective strategies for sustainable development and environmental preservation. Xinyang Normal University

Humic-like substances (HULIS) account for a major redox-active fraction of biomass burning organic aerosols (BBOA). During atmospheric transport, fresh acidic BB-HULIS in droplets and humid aerosols are subject to neutralization and pH-modified aging process. In this study, solutions containing HULIS isolated from wood smoldering emissions were first adjusted with NaOH and NH3 to pH values in the range of 3.6-9.0 and then aged under oxic dark conditions. Evolution of HULIS oxidative potential (OP) and total peroxide content (equivalent H2O2 concentration, H2O2eq) were measured together with the changes in solution absorbance and chemical composition. Notable immediate responses such as peroxide generation, HULIS autoxidation, and an increase in OP and light absorption were observed under alkaline conditions. Initial H2O2eq, OP, and absorption increased exponentially with pH, regardless of the alkaline species added. Dark aging further oxidized the HULIS and led to pH-dependent toxic and chemical changes, exhibiting an alkaline-facilitated initial increase followed by a decrease of OP and H2O2eq. Although highly correlated with HULIS OP, the contributions of H2O2eq to OP are minor but increased both with solution pH and dark aging time. Alkalinity-assisted autoxidation of phenolic compounds and quinoids with concomitant formation of H2O2 and other alkalinity-favored peroxide oxidation reactions are proposed here for explaining the observed HULIS OP and chemical changes in the dark. Our findings suggest that alkaline neutralization of fresh BB-HULIS represents a previously overlooked peroxide source and pathway for modifying aerosol redox-activity and composition. Additionally, these findings imply that the lung fluid neutral environment can modify the OP and peroxide content of inhaled BB-HULIS. The results also suggest that common separation protocols of HULIS using base extraction methods should be treated with caution when evaluating and comparing their composition, absorption, and relative toxicity.