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Digital economy is a great route to promote the efficient utilization of natural resources and promote sustainability due to its high-tech, rapid growth, extensive penetration, deep integration and other characteristics. Existing study on the influencing factors of the digital economy is not deep enough and lacks the analysis on the relationship structure of factors influencing the digital economy, which is not conducive for an overall grasp of the digital economy. To correctly understand how to better develop the digital economy, this paper studies its influencing factors and the relationships between them. Based on the time-series data of China from 2002 to 2018, grey correlation analysis was applied to calculate the correlation between these influencing factors and the digital economy, and determine the major influencing factors of digital economy development in China. The Granger causality test and a review of existing research were used to judge the interrelationship of various factors. The interpretative structure model was utilized to determine the relationship structure of the main factors affecting the development of China’s digital economy. The results show that the number of digital talents, state of the technology market, and degree of digitalization are direct influencing factors of the digital economy. The results help to better understand the development of the digital economy and will enable the implementation of policies to improve towards more sustainable cities.

Populations of fishes provide valuable services for billions of people, but face diverse and interacting threats that jeopardize their sustainability. Human population growth and intensifying resource use for food, water, energy and goods are compromising fish populations through a variety of mechanisms, including overfishing, habitat degradation and declines in water quality. The important challenges raised by these issues have been recognized and have led to considerable advances over past decades in managing and mitigating threats to fishes worldwide. In this review, we identify the major threats faced by fish populations alongside recent advances that are helping to address these issues. There are very significant efforts worldwide directed towards ensuring a sustainable future for the world's fishes and fisheries and those who rely on them. Although considerable challenges remain, by drawing attention to successful mitigation of threats to fish and fisheries we hope to provide the encouragement and direction that will allow these challenges to be overcome in the future.

Abstract Nickel is a critical element in the shift to sustainable energy systems, with the demand for nickel projected to exceed 6 million tons annually by 20401–4, largely driven by the electrification of the transport sector. Primary nickel production uses acids and carbon-based reductants, emitting about 20 tons of carbon dioxide per ton of nickel produced5–7. Here we present a method using fossil-free hydrogen-plasma-based reduction to extract nickel from low-grade ore variants known as laterites. We bypass the traditional multistep process and combine calcination, smelting, reduction and refining into a single metallurgical step conducted in one furnace. This approach produces high-grade ferronickel alloys at fast reduction kinetics. Thermodynamic control of the atmosphere of the furnace enables selective nickel reduction, yielding an alloy with minimal impurities (<0.04 wt% silicon, approximately 0.01 wt% phosphorus and <0.09 wt% calcium), eliminating the need for further refining. The proposed method has the potential to be up to about 18% more energy efficient while cutting direct carbon dioxide emissions by up to 84% compared with current practice. Our work thus shows a sustainable approach to help resolve the contradiction between the beneficial use of nickel in sustainable energy technologies and the environmental harm caused by its production.

AbstractThis research investigates the impact of laser‐structuring of lead electrodes on the selectivity and production rate of hydrofuroin, a valuable jet fuel precursor derived from furfural (FF). Laser structuring of electrodes led to a slight enhancement in hydrofuroin selectivity, along with an improved production rate, suggesting promising advancements in electrosynthesis methodologies. The addition of acetic acid as an impurity did not significantly affect the selectivity or the production rate. This finding indicates that the catalytic activity of the electrode surface was not diminished by this impurity. Analysis via high‐performance liquid chromatography revealed the presence of two isomers of hydrofuroin, indicating a complex reaction pathway. Combined experimental and molecular dynamics simulations indicated inner sphere adsorption of FF and H+ ions and outer sphere dimerization reaction to form hydrofuroin. These findings offer insights into surface morphology, adsorption, and reaction pathways, guiding future optimization of catalytic systems for sustainable chemical synthesis.

Molecular phylogenetic tree of CYP56 family (A), and CPR2 and CYP630 family (B). (PDF 402 kb)

Des changements transformateurs révolutionnaires sont nécessaires dans les relations homme-environnement pour s'orienter vers des trajectoires de développement plus durables aux échelles locale, nationale et mondiale. Les crises peuvent déclencher un changement transformateur et un apprentissage à court et à long terme. Cependant, en particulier, une réponse à court terme aux crises peut également être réactive, renforçant les pratiques non durables établies et perpétuant davantage la vulnérabilité et les inégalités plutôt que de soutenir un changement transformateur vers une voie plus durable. Pour comprendre la nature et la réponse à une crise dans le contexte des transformations de la durabilité, cet article développe les aspects suivants d'une crise : Quelles sont les caractéristiques d'une crise ? Quoi et qui façonne le (s) récit(s) d'une crise ? Quoi et qui façonne la nature de la réponse à une crise ? Les réponses aux crises déclenchent-elles des niveaux d'apprentissage plus élevés ? La synthèse conceptuelle est complétée par une analyse comparative exploratoire de la crise de l'eau du Cap et de la pandémie de COVID-19 en Afrique du Sud. À cette fin, l'article analyse l'interaction entre la mobilisation de l'agence individuelle, collective et relationnelle et la navigation et la transformation des relations de pouvoir pour contester et tirer profit de structures non durables déjà affaiblies. Cette approche s'avère prometteuse pour comprendre le rôle des crises dans la catalyse et le soutien de l'apprentissage transformatif pour éventuellement remplacer les structures non durables. Se necesita un cambio transformador pionero en las relaciones humano-ambientales para avanzar hacia trayectorias de desarrollo más sostenibles a escala local, nacional y global. Las crisis pueden desencadenar cambios transformadores y aprendizaje a corto y largo plazo. Sin embargo, en particular, una respuesta a corto plazo a las crisis también puede ser reactiva, fortaleciendo las prácticas insostenibles establecidas y perpetuando aún más la vulnerabilidad y la desigualdad en lugar de apoyar un cambio transformador hacia un camino más sostenible. Para comprender la naturaleza y la respuesta a una crisis en el contexto de las transformaciones de sostenibilidad, este documento desarrolla los siguientes aspectos de una crisis: ¿Cuáles son las características de una crisis? ¿Qué y quién da forma a la (s) narrativa(s) de una crisis? ¿Qué y quién determina la naturaleza de la respuesta a una crisis? ¿Las respuestas a las crisis desencadenan niveles más altos de aprendizaje? La síntesis conceptual se complementa con un análisis comparativo exploratorio de la crisis del agua de Ciudad del Cabo y de la pandemia de COVID-19 en Sudáfrica. Con este fin, el documento analiza la interacción entre la movilización de la agencia individual, colectiva y relacional y la navegación y transformación de las relaciones de poder para desafiar y beneficiarse de estructuras insostenibles ya debilitadas. Este enfoque resulta prometedor para comprender el papel de las crisis en catalizar y apoyar el aprendizaje transformador para eventualmente reemplazar las estructuras insostenibles. Path-breaking transformative change is needed in human-environment relations to move towards more sustainable development trajectories at local, national and global scales. Crises may trigger transformative change and learning in the short and in the long term. However, in particular, a short-term response to crises may also be reactive, strengthening established unsustainable practices and further perpetuating vulnerability and inequality rather than supporting transformative change towards a more sustainable path. To understand the nature and response to a crisis in the context of sustainability transformations, this paper elaborates on the following aspects of a crisis: What are the characteristics of a crisis? What and who shapes the narrative(s) of a crisis? What and who shapes the nature of the response to a crisis? Do responses to crises trigger higher levels of learning? Conceptual synthesis is complemented with an exploratory comparative analysis of the Cape Town water crisis and of the COVID-19 pandemic in South Africa. To this end the paper analyzes the interplay between mobilizing individual, collective and relational agency and navigating and transforming power relations to challenge and profit from already weakened unsustainable structures. This approach proves to be promising to understand the role of crises in catalysing and supporting transformative learning to eventually replace unsustainable structures. هناك حاجة إلى تغيير تحويلي رائد في العلاقات بين الإنسان والبيئة للتحرك نحو مسارات تنمية أكثر استدامة على المستويات المحلية والوطنية والعالمية. قد تؤدي الأزمات إلى التغيير التحويلي والتعلم على المدى القصير والطويل. ومع ذلك، على وجه الخصوص، قد تكون الاستجابة قصيرة الأجل للأزمات تفاعلية أيضًا، مما يعزز الممارسات غير المستدامة الراسخة ويزيد من إدامة الضعف وعدم المساواة بدلاً من دعم التغيير التحويلي نحو مسار أكثر استدامة. لفهم طبيعة الأزمة والاستجابة لها في سياق تحولات الاستدامة، توضح هذه الورقة الجوانب التالية للأزمة: ما هي خصائص الأزمة ؟ ما الذي يصوغ سرد(روايات) الأزمة ومن يصوغها ؟ ما الذي يصوغ طبيعة الاستجابة للأزمة ومن يصوغها ؟ هل تؤدي الاستجابات للأزمات إلى مستويات أعلى من التعلم ؟ يُستكمل التوليف المفاهيمي بتحليل مقارن استكشافي لأزمة المياه في كيب تاون وجائحة كوفيد-19 في جنوب إفريقيا. تحقيقاً لهذه الغاية، تحلل الورقة التفاعل بين تعبئة الوكالة الفردية والجماعية والعلاقاتية والتنقل وتحويل علاقات القوة لتحدي الهياكل غير المستدامة الضعيفة بالفعل والاستفادة منها. يثبت هذا النهج أنه واعد لفهم دور الأزمات في تحفيز ودعم التعلم التحويلي ليحل في نهاية المطاف محل الهياكل غير المستدامة.