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The Chinese electric power industry, including its coal industry and other energy industries that are not efficient, contributes to China’s serious energy shortages and environmental contamination. The governing authority considers energy conservation to be one of the most prominent national targets, and has formulated various plans for decarbonizing the power system. Applying the trans-log cost function, this paper examined the trans-log cost function to analyze the potential inter-factor substitution among energy, capital and labor. We also investigated what role human capital played in energy substitution for the electric power sector during the period from 1981 to 2017. Three key results were derived: (1) energy is price-insensitive, (2) there exists large substitution sustainability between both capital and labor with energy, and (3) human capital input not only enhances the extent of energy substitutability with capital and labor but also is a substitute to energy itself. These findings imply that the liberalization of the electric price mechanism is conducive to lessening energy use and augmenting non-energy intensiveness, and that energy conservation technology could become more sustainable by investing more capital in the electricity sector, thereby achieving a capital–energy substitution and a decrease of CO2 emissions. We further suggest that the priority for the Chinese electric power industry should be to attach more importance to increasing human capital input.

This research aims to present a standardized evaluation system to review and further enhance users’ levels of satisfaction with technologies, facilities, and services of a modern smart city at a time when the smart city paradigm has shifted from the focus of its infrastructural features to citizens. The study also seeks to verify the standardized system, so as to explore the possibility of its future application. For the goals, this research established the Structural Equation Model (SEM) based upon the basic structure of the Customer Satisfaction Index, which is a widely used ex-post assessment model, and upon implications of related studies. To verify the SEM, this study chose two cities, which are located far away from one another and employ different business methods, and conducted a survey of 212 and 197 residents, respectively, with the results being applied to the model for analysis to ascertain if the SEM is reliable and adequate. The analysis results showed that the model secures explanatory power in statistical terms, partially proving that it can be developed into a post-evaluation system for a citizens-centric smart city down the road. However, as meaningful differences were spotted in accordance with characteristics of each urban project, this study tried to come up with the background information of and reasons for such variations, to present implications for urban planning.

Tsunamis pose a significant threat to the construction of Nuclear Power Plants. Therefore, it is necessary to carry out a comprehensive study regarding the potential threat of tsunamis and mitigation measures using detailed data at prospective locations. This assessment is a prerequisite for effective environmental impact planning and analysis. To determine the suitability of a prospective location, careful consideration of natural factors, including earthquakes as triggers for tsunamis, is essential. The main objective of this tsunami research is to assess the level of safety of potential locations against tsunami hazards and develop appropriate mitigation strategies. This research uses the Cornell Multigrid Coupled Tsunami (COMCOT) tsunami modeling technique. This modeling approach utilizes topographic and bathymetric data obtained through extensive field surveys. In addition, this research aims to determine the maximum tsunami height in the inundation area and identify potential tsunami hazards arising from various scenarios related to the active tectonic potential of the Philippine Manila Trench. The Bengkayang Gosong Beach area and West Kalimantan are among the candidate locations that may be affected with the estimated tsunami height being between 0.48 meters and 0.62 meters. The tsunami arrival time was between 9 hours 10 minutes to 9 hours 24 minutes. These findings play an important role in conducting comprehensive risk assessments for nuclear power plant development, ensuring that necessary steps are taken to reduce potential hazards associated with tsunamis.

Climate change is a global problem, which affects the various geographical regions at different levels. It is also associated with a wide range of human health problems, which pose a burden to health systems, especially in regions such as Africa. Indeed, across the African continent public health systems are under severe pressure, partly due to their fragile socioeconomic conditions. This paper reports on a cross-sectional study in six African countries (Ghana, Nigeria, South Africa, Namibia, Ethiopia, and Kenya) aimed at assessing their vulnerabilities to climate change, focusing on its impacts on human health. The study evaluated the levels of information, knowledge, and perceptions of public health professionals. It also examined the health systems’ preparedness to cope with these health hazards, the available resources, and those needed to build resilience to the country’s vulnerable population, as perceived by health professionals. The results revealed that 63.1% of the total respondents reported that climate change had been extensively experienced in the past years, while 32% claimed that the sampled countries had experienced them to some extent. Nigerian respondents recorded the highest levels (67.7%), followed by Kenya with 66.6%. South Africa had the lowest level of impact as perceived by the respondents (50.0%) when compared with the other sampled countries. All respondents from Ghana and Namibia reported that health problems caused by climate change are common in the two countries. As perceived by the health professionals, the inadequate resources reiterate the need for infrastructural resources, medical equipment, emergency response resources, and technical support. The study’s recommendations include the need to improve current policies at all levels (i.e., national, regional, and local) on climate change and public health and to strengthen health professionals’ skills. Improving the basic knowledge of health institutions to better respond to a changing climate is also recommended. The study provides valuable insights which may be helpful to other nations in Sub-Saharan Africa.

Abstract Compared with other traditional energy sources, renewable energy, which results the less pollution and has numerous resources, is a significant factor in addressing the current issues of the serious environmental pollution and the resource depletion. Large-scale renewable energy integrated to the grid could bring change in both morphological structure and operation modes of energy transmission. Therefore, it is necessary to research the evolution mechanism of the future transmission network with a high proportion of the renewable energy. In this paper, an evolution framework of power system with high proportion of renewable energy is proposed. Firstly, a network equivalence and simplification based on power transfer distribution factors (PTDFs) is proposed, which can effectively simplify the decision-making process of evolution of large-scale power system. Then, an annual production simulation (8760 h) which takes into account renewable energy and load fluctuations is used to find out the bottleneck of the power grid. Based on the above methods, evolution strategy of power system with high proportion of renewable energy is studied for finding out optimal expansion strategy. A real power system of Zhejiang province is used as a test system. Test results demonstrate the feasibility of the proposed evolution framework.

In order to increase national rice production, the Ministry of Agriculture has released some high yielding varieties. The research was aimed to obtain superior rice varieties adapted to irrigated lowland agro-ecosystems of Southeast Sulawesi. In the first planting season, research was carried out in Olo-oloho Village, Uepai sub district and the second season at the Wawotobi Experimental Garden. Eight varieties were tested, i.e. Inpari 31, Inpari 34, Inpari 35, Inpari 38, Inpari 39, Inpari 41, Inpari 42, Inpari 43 and Mekongga. The variables observed were growth, yield and pest and disease dynamics. The results shows that there was variation growth and yield of the tested varieties. The growth and yield also varied depend on the season. In the first planting season, Inpari 34 and Inpari 43 showed better growth than others, but Inpari 31 resulted the highest rice yield (4.83 t/ha). In the second planting season, only Inpari 34 showed consistent growth, but the variety that had showed the highest yield was Inpari 43 (8.13 t/ha).

Abstract Canada has numerous climatic and geographical regions and the Canadian housing stock (CHS) is diversified in terms of vintage, geometry, construction materials, envelope, occupancy, energy sources and heating, ventilation and air conditioning system and equipment. Therefore, strategies to achieve net zero energy (NZE) status with the current stock of houses need to be devised considering the unique characteristics of the housing stock, the economic conditions and energy mix available in each region. Identifying and assessing pathways for converting existing houses to NZE buildings at the housing stock level is a complex and multifaceted problem and requires extensive analysis on the impact of energy efficiency and renewable/alternative energy technology retrofits on the energy use and GHG emissions of households. A techno-economic analysis of retrofitting renewable/alternative energy technologies in the CHS to reduce energy consumption and GHG emissions was conducted to develop strategies to achieve or approach NZE status for Canadian houses. The results indicate that substantial energy savings and GHG emission reductions are techno-economically feasible for the CHS through careful selection of retrofit options. While achieving large scale conversion of existing houses to NZEB is not feasible, approaching NZE status is a realistic goal for a large percentage of Canadian houses.

This paper addresses some questions that climate change raises for international law. It focuses in particular on the request for an advisory opinion submitted by the United Nations General Assembly to the International Court of Justice (ICJ) on 29 March 2023. This request is analysed as a further manifestation of the international community’s concern to clarify the international responsibility of states to prevent, mitigate and remedy the damage caused by climate change. The study argues that the ICJ could clarify obligations under existing treaties. There may also be a particular opportunity for the Court to expand its jurisprudence on other sources of international law. In particular, it asks whether the ICJ could confirm the emergence of a specific customary rule on the issue.