• Energy Research
• Restricted close
• Open Source close
• 12. Responsible consumption close
• 6. Clean water close
• 1. No poverty close

Changes between two time slices (1961–1990 and 2071–2100) in hydroclimatological conditions for South America have been examined using an ensemble of regional climate models. Annual mean precipitation (P), evapotranspiration (E) and potential evapotranspiration (EP) are jointly considered through the balances of land water and energy. Drying or wetting conditions, associated with changes in land water availability and atmospheric demand, are analysed in the Budyko space. The water supply limit (E limited by P) is exceeded at about 2% of the grid points, while the energy limit to evapotranspiration (E = EP) is overall valid. Most of the continent, except for the southeast and some coastal areas, presents a shift toward drier conditions related to a decrease in water availability (the evaporation rate E/P increases) and, mostly over much of Brazil, to an increase in the aridity index (Ф = EP/P). These changes suggest less humid conditions with decreasing surface runoff over Amazonia and the Brazilian Highlands. In contrast, Argentina and the coasts of Ecuador and Peru are characterized by a tendency toward wetter conditions associated with an increase of water availability and a decrease of aridity index, primarily due to P increasing faster than both E and EP. This trend towards wetter soil conditions suggest that the chances of having larger periods of flooding and enhanced river discharges would increase over parts of southeastern South America. Interannual variability increases with Ф (for a given time slice) and with climate change (for a given aridity regimen). There are opposite interannual variability responses to the cliamte change in Argentina and Brazil by which the variability increases over the Brazilian Highlands and decreases in central-eastern Argentina.

Biomasa je obnovljivi izvor energije, koji bilježi rast upotrebe prije svega zbog ekoloških utjecaja. Nije je potrebno dodatno preraditi kako bi se koristila kao izvor za proizvodnju električne energije. Dakle, koristi se u svome prirodnom obliku. U radu će se pojasniti sam pojam biomase i način iskoristivosti iste za proizvodnju električne energije. Između ostalog, korištenje biomase za proizvodnju električne energije donosi niz prednosti u ekonomskom statusu države, regija i gradova, otvaranjem novih radnih mjesta u poljoprivredi, šumarstvu i pogonima za proizvodnju električne energije (kogeneracijskim elektranama). Biomass is a renewable energy source, which records an increase in use due to environmental impacts. No further processing is required to be used as a source for elektricity generation. So it is used in its natural form. The paper will explain the concept of biomass and the way it can be used for electricity production. Among other things, the use of biomass for electricity production brings a number of advantages in the economic status of the state, regions and cities, by creating new jobs in agriculture, forestry and electricity generation plants (cogeneration power plants).

To mitigate the climate change-induced water shortage and realize the sustainable development of agriculture, drip irrigation, a more efficient water-saving irrigation method, has been intensively implemented in most arid agricultural regions in the world. However, compared to traditional border irrigation, how drip irrigation affects the biophysical conditions in the cropland and how crops physiologically respond to changes in biophysical conditions in terms of water, heat and carbon exchange remain largely unknown. In view of the above situation, to reveal the mechanism of drip irrigation in improving spring wheat water productivity, paired field experiments based on drip irrigation and border irrigation were conducted to extensively monitor water and heat fluxes at a typical spring wheat field (Triticum aestivum L.) in Northwest China during 2017–2020. The results showed that drip irrigation improved yield by 10.3 % and crop water productivity (i.e., yield-to-evapotranspiration-ratio) by 15.6 %, but reduced LAI by 16.9 % in contrast with border irrigation. Under drip irrigation, the lateral development of spring wheat roots was promoted by higher soil temperature combined with frequent dry-wet alternation in the shallow soil layer (0–20 cm), which was the basis for efficient absorption of water and fertilizer, as well as efficient formation of photosynthate. Meanwhile, drip irrigation increased net radiation and decreased latent heat flux by inhibiting leaf growth, thereby increased sensible heat, causing a higher soil temperature (+1.10 ℃) and canopy temperature (+1.11 ℃). Further analysis proved that soil temperature was the key factor affecting yield formation. Based on the above conditions, the decrease in leaf distribution coefficient (−0.030) led to the decrease in evapotranspiration (−5.7 %) and the increase in ear distribution coefficient (+0.029). Therefore, drip irrigation emphasized the role of soil moisture in the soil-plant-atmosphere continuum, enhanced crop activity by increasing field temperature, especially soil temperature, and finally improved yield and water productivity via carbon reallocation. The study revealed the mechanism of drip irrigation for improving spring wheat yield, and would contribute to improving Earth system models in representing agricultural cropland ecosystems with drip irrigation and predicting the subsequent biophysical and biogeochemical feedbacks to climate change.

AbstractClimate change alters surface water availability (WA; precipitation minus evapotranspiration, P − ET) and consequently impacts agricultural production and societal water needs, leading to increasing concerns on the sustainability of water use. Although the direct effects of climate change on WA have long been recognized and assessed, indirect climate effects occurring through adjustments in terrestrial vegetation are more subtle and not yet fully quantified. To address this knowledge gap, here we investigate the interplay between climate‐induced changes in leaf area index (LAI) and ET and quantify its ultimate effect on WA during the period 1982–2016 at the global scale, using an ensemble of data‐driven products and land surface models. We show that ~44% of the global vegetated land has experienced a significant increase in growing season‐averaged LAI and climate change explains 33.5% of this greening signal. Such climate‐induced greening has enhanced ET of 0.051 ± 0.067 mm year−2 (mean ± SD), further amplifying the ongoing increase in ET directly driven by variations in climatic factors over 36.8% of the globe, and thus exacerbating the decline in WA prominently in drylands. These findings highlight the indirect impact of positive feedbacks in the land–climate system on the decline of WA, and call for an in‐depth evaluation of these phenomena in the design of local mitigation and adaptation plans.

In European documents, practice and policies of regional and spatial development, functional urban regions (FURs) are recognized as the regions with one or more urban settlements and their in (direct) impact zone(s). The historical connection of the city and its surroundings, as well as the contemporary trends in networking of cities and their hinterland, imply the issues of better modalities for the establishment of such FURs that would be economically more productive, socially inclusive and more environmentally sustainable. The concept of urban governance, along with supporting segments, is proposed as the model for future planning of resistant FURs. It was considered what cities and their functional areas should take in order to prospectively enable an establishing the sustainable spatial and regional development of the Republic of Serbia. The paper tries to answer how much are FURs adjustable, what is their “threshold” of vulnerability, to which they can face the side effects of climate change.

The use of bio-plastic-based packaging as an alternative to conventional plastic packaging is increasing. Among the plethora of different bio-based plastics, the most relevant ones are those that, at the end of their life, can be treated with the organic fraction of municipal solid waste. Even in these cases, their impact on the waste processing and recycling is not always positive. This study aim to assess on a laboratory scale the influence on combined anaerobic digestion and composting industrial processes of a bio-based plastic film, namely cellulose acetate (CA), in pure and modified (additions of additive) forms. CA films were mixed with organic waste and subjected to: (i) anaerobic digestion; (ii) active composting and (iii) two stages of curing composting. Anaerobic digestion and composting were monitored through methane yield and oxygen uptake respectively; additionally, the bio-plastics degree of disintegration was assessed during all the processes. The final disintegration of pure and modified CA was 73.82% and 54.66%, respectively. Anaerobic digestion contributes to the disintegration of the material, while aerobic treatment appears to be nearly ineffective, especially for modified CA. The presence of cellulose acetate during anaerobic digestion of food waste increased the methane yield by about 4.5%. Bioassay confirmed the absence of possible toxic effects on the final compost from the bio-plastic treatment. Although bio-based materials are not the only solution to plastic pollution, the findings confirm the need to upgrade the organic waste treatment plants and the necessity to revise the requirements for the use of compost in agriculture.

Abstract Cutting costs in farms is the main concern for several stakeholders, specifically for farmers. Reducing energy costs allows for, at the very least, two relevant outcomes, one concerning increases in the net farm income and the other relating to the environment and the promotion of more sustainable farming and rural development. In turn, the agricultural sector may itself be a relevant source of renewable and clean energies. Considering these motivations, this research/study has intended to explore the concept of agricultural energy, highlighting the main insights from literature, and to stress the relationships between this concept and relevant farming indicators. The findings obtained may provide interesting support for the several related stakeholders, namely, policymakers, farmers and researchers. To achieve these objectives, literature available on scientific platforms was explored and statistical relationships were established, through econometric approaches (allowing for spatial effects), between structural characteristics from farms in the European Union. The findings reveal that the several instruments within the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) should further address the relationships between financial support and sustainability. For example, it could be interesting to index the direct payments from the 1st CAP Pillar with farm indicators that consider dimensions related with the efficiency and savings in costs. In the current context, it is possible to increase the output and area with energy cost growths of 0.423 and 0.375% points, respectively, and increase the total crops output/ha growth and the utilised agricultural area with energy costs/ha growth of 0.243 and −0.225% points, respectively.