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National net zero emission targets could, if fully implemented, reduce best estimates of projected global average temperature increase to 2.0–2.4 °C by 2100, bringing the Paris Agreement temperature goal within reach. A total of 131 countries are discussing, have announced or have adopted net zero targets, covering 72% of global emissions. These targets could substantially lower projected warming as compared to currently implemented policies (2.9–3.2 °C) or pledges submitted to the Paris Agreement (2.4–2.9 °C). Current pledges for emissions cuts are insufficient to meet the Paris Agreement temperature goal. The wave of net zero targets being discussed and adopted could make the Paris goal possible if further countries follow suit.

Abstract While it is generally accepted that our fossil fuel-dominated energy systems must undergo a sustainable transition, researchers have often neglected the potential impacts of this on water and land systems. However, if unintended environmental impacts from this process are to be avoided, understanding its implications for land use and water demand is of crucial importance. Moreover, developed countries may induce environmental stress beyond their own borders, for instance through extensive imports of bioenergy. In this paper, Germany serves as an example of a developed country with ambitious energy transformation targets. Results show that in particular, the politically-driven aspiration for more organic farming in Germany results in a higher import quota of biomass, especially biofuels. These imports translate into land demand, which will exceed the area available in Germany for bioenergy by a factor of 3–6.5 by 2050. As this will likely bring about land stress in the respective exporting countries, this effect of the German energy transformation ought to be limited as much as possible. In contrast, domestic water demand for the German energy system is expected to decrease by over 80% through 2050 due to declining numbers of fossil-fuelled power plants. However, possible future irrigation needs for bioenergy may reduce or even counterbalance this decreasing effect. In addition, energy policy targets specific to the transport sector show a high sensitivity to biomass imports. In particular, the sector-specific target for greenhouse gas reductions will seemingly promote biomass imports, leading to the above-described challenges in the pursuit of sustainability.

Boron removal from water environment is a critical issue for scientific spotlight because its removal from wastewater is difficult and costly with conventional treatment method. Herein, an innovative, cost effective and attractive method which depends on duckweed-based wastewater treatment systems coupled with microbial fuel cell reactor (DWWT-MFC) was investigated for B-polluted domestic wastewater treatment and simultaneous electricity generation for the first time in an eco-technological study. Lemna gibba L. was selected as a model duckweed species, and different reactors were also designed to identify which mechanisms are dominant for B removal in a DWWT-MFC reactor matrix. DWWT-MFC reactor achieved 71% B removal in experiment period, and the plant effect on B removal mechanisms in the reactor matrix was recorded as 37.7 ± 4.92% (F = 2.543, p < 0.05). However, supplementary aeration and microbial effects on B removal were determined as negligible. Average maximum voltage output was found as 1.47 V, and maximum power density was 34.8 mW/m2 at a current density of 43.9 mA/m2 with supplementary aeration. Moreover, DWWT-MFC reactor achieved 84%, 81% and 76% of COD, NH4+ and PO43- removal efficiencies, respectively. Moreover, L. gibba grew well in the anode chamber of DWWT-MFC with an average biomass yield of 218 ± 43 g/m2 and a total chlorophyll (a+b) concentration of 30.2 mg g-1, which indicates that anolyte environment was not toxic for L. gibba growth. Consequently, it can be suggested that environmental experts may use DWWT-MFC as an efficient removal method to treat B from domestic wastewater and to produce bioelectricity.

AbstractThe Homeless Heritage project took place across two English cities (Bristol and York) between 2010 and 2014. The project sought to use a range of participatory heritage practices to engage contemporary homeless people in documenting their perspectives on each city. Drawing on data gathered over three and a half years this paper reflects on how collaborative cultural heritage practices can be useful in recording diverse stakeholder perspectives which can become catalysts for social change. It is further argued that two interactive exhibitions that resulted from the Homeless Heritage project contributed to the democratisation of knowledge, aiding negotiation of the complicated politics of contemporary homelessness in valuable ways.

A country's reputation plays a crucial role in shaping public perceptions, attracting investment and promoting economic development. At the same time, good governance is essential for promoting environmental sustainability and addressing pressing environmental issues such as climate change, pollution and natural resource depletion. This study examines the impact of a country's reputation on environmental sustainability in Developing-8 countries using panel data obtained from the Worldwide Governance Indicators and World Development Indicators for the duration from 1996 to 2020. This panel study adopted the Method of Moment Quantile Regression with fixed effects and mean-based regressions. The results demonstrated that the impact of the country's reputation index on carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions is negative, yet significant. Also, all the country's reputation indicators negatively affect CO2 emissions, but the case of political stability is only significant in the mid-quantiles, while government effectiveness is albeit insignificant across quantiles. Furthermore, economic growth is observed to stimulate CO2 emissions, while renewable energy consumption decreases CO2 emissions. These results have an inherent heterogeneity, culminating in an asymmetric pattern of the distribution of CO2 emissions. The novelty of this study is, firstly, the construction of a country's composite reputation index for Developing-8 countries; and secondly, assessing the impact of this index in mitigating environmental externalities measured by CO2 emissions. Based on these findings, it is recommended, among other things, the need for the D-8 countries to improve their reputation policy to be able to attain the desired environmental sustainability.

This paper presents an overview of 67 ongoing certification initiatives to safeguard the sustainability of bioenergy. Most recent initiatives are focused on the sustainability of liquid biofuels. Content-wise, most of these initiatives have mainly included environmental principles. Despite serious concerns in various parts of the world on the socio-economic impacts of bioenergy production, these are generally not included in existing bioenergy initiatives. At the same time, the overview shows a strong proliferation of standards. The overview shows that certification has the potential to influence direct, local impacts related to environmental and social effects of direct bioenergy production. Key recommendations to come to an efficient certification system include the need for further harmonization, availability of reliable data and linking indicators on a micro, meso and macro levels. Considering the multiple spatial scales, certification should be combined with additional measurements and tools on a regional, national and international level. The role of bioenergy production on indirect land use change (ILUC) is still very uncertain and current initiatives have rarely captured impacts from ILUC in their standards. Addressing unwanted LUC requires first of all sustainable land use production and good governance, regardless of the end-use of the product. It is therefore recommended to extend measures to mitigate impacts from LUC to other lands and feedstock. PDF (776 K)

Environmental impact assessment comprises a set of analyses, and there are several subjects. However, the "airport impact research" subject has grown into a more integral and broader view. Green airports make this phenomenon more complex when analyzing different operational criteria. This study focused on easing the readers' understanding of the impact analysis phenomenon more comprehensively. Moreover, the motivation behind this paper is to express the roots of the research subject on the green airport concept. Three domains are defined to classify the impact analysis, affecting each other while focusing on operational or capital investments in the airports. Spending a budget or an organizational function might negatively affect carbon dioxide emissions or further toxic disseminating natural resources. This study has examined 93 published scientific papers to show the distribution of the classified subjects on the three domains as Energy, Natural resources, and economic sustainability. Despite the common superiority of environmental topics, it has been seen that economic efficiency and the importance of the design subjects are the main predecessors in this review. Subjects have diverted into the environmental issues in the later years. Also, popular keywords have been presented to the audience's attention, which counts the frequency in time.

Abstract Behavior change towards sustainable lifestyles such as adoption of renewable energy technologies is a significant element in the fight against anthropogenic climate change. Increasingly, private households can be observed to take up different renewable energy technologies; however, the introduction of these technologies is not accompanied by a broader adoption of pro-environmental behaviors, as recent studies have shown. At the same time, group settings and social capital seem to promote the uptake of wide-ranging sustainability measures. Six case studies were conducted among different sustainable community projects in Germany to shed light on why and how broad sustainability transformation in such settings comes about. Findings suggest that successful implementation of wide-ranging sustainable measures and changes in behaviors in community settings result from motivations that originate from an interplay of social needs, social capital, social norms, and environmental concern. Strong environmental attitudes, not among all, but a critical mass of members and key individuals are necessary. The desire for community and other motives, along with social influence and social norms push individuals with low environmental concern to participate in sustainable endeavors.