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The paper represents the analysis, which has helped to establish the usage of gas hydrate technologies in the methane conversion. This gas could be obtained in different ways. Possibilities and sources for the gas obtaining have been demonstrated. Use of other environmentally friendly sources to support operation in such systems in terms of joint energy complex has been considered. The necessary kinetic connections to provide operational sustainability of all the constituents have been given. The approach helps evaluate quantitatively the priority of its physicochemical transformations to obtain gas hydrates artificially. It is possible to transport methane at considerable distances when it is solidified. Actually, in this case there is no necessity to build costly compressor stations and pipelines for its transportation to consumers. The approach is extremely important for mining regions as it helps prolong the operating period and working out of the abandoned and off-balance coal reserves. In this case, it is proposed to apply special gasification technologies tending to maximum methane recovery. The proposed solutions give the possibility to define the trends of our further research. They will be highlighted in the following authors’ studies.

Railways play an essential role in China’s development, driving economic and social progress while negatively impacting the environment. Assessing different railway projects’ sustainability can maximize the positive effects and minimize the side effects. This article aims to propose a methodological framework containing a series of indicators to evaluate the sustainability of four railway projects in China. A hybrid MCDM (multi-criteria decision-making) method was adopted to analyze the interrelationships among the dimensions and indicators and then present the projects’ differences. The weights of each indicator in the research were studied according to experts’ advice, and the same indicators were of different importance when placed in different research environments, such as developing and developed countries. This helps to establish a developing-country-centered evaluation indicator system. After comparison, it can be seen that Railway A is the best in terms of sustainability, mainly because it is in an economically developed region of China that is rich in construction resources, and is less constrained by natural conditions than other projects. The results show that although environmental sustainability has been improved over the past few years, its low level of influence still urges people to invest more attention and take more actions with significant effects in this respect. Furthermore, railways show significant differences in economic sustainability, while the differences in social sustainability have reduced considerably. This study provides further insight into the investigated measures and proposes recommendations for improving railway transport in China.

The article pertains to the utilization of the application potential of MCDM/MCDA (Multi-Criteria Decision Making/Multi-Criteria Decision Analysis) methods in decision-making problems in the field of transport in light of sustainable development. The article consists of a theoretical and an empirical part. As part of the literature studies, a review was carried out on the latest applications of MCDM/MCDA methods for decision-making problems in the field of transport. In the empirical part, a multi-criteria analysis of the placement selection for a strip of expressway located in north-eastern Poland was carried out. For this purpose, a hybrid approach was used, consisting of three selected MCDM/MCDA methods: DEMATEL, REMBRANDT, and VIKOR. The ranking was compared with the results achieved in the EIA report of the investment and the results were obtained by using a different set of MCDM/MCDA methods that were proposed in the first part of the research, i.e., AHP, Fuzzy AHP, TOPSIS, and PROMETHEE. The performed multi-criteria analyses allowed for an eventual multi-dimensional evaluation of the most popular MCDM/MCDA methods currently applied in the field of transport.

Pollutant emissions have been a topic of interest in the last decades. Not only environmentalists but also governments are taking rapid action to reduce emissions. As one of the main contributors, the transport sector is being subjected to strict scrutiny to ensure it complies with the short and long-term regulations. The measures imposed by governments clearly involve all the stakeholders in the logistics sector, from road authorities and logistic operators to truck manufacturers. The improvement of traffic conditions is one of the perspectives in which the reduction of emissions is being addressed. Optimization of traffic flow, avoidance of unnecessary stops, control of the cruise speed, and coordination of trips in an energy-efficient way are necessary steps to remain compliant with the upcoming regulations. In this study, we have estimated the CO2 and NOx emissions in heavy-duty vehicles while traversing signalized intersections, and we examined the differences between various behavioral scenarios. We found a consistent trend indicating that avoiding a stop can potentially reduce CO2 and NOx emissions by up to 0.32kg and 1.8g, respectively. Furthermore, an upper bound for the yearly CO2 savings is provided for the case of The Netherlands. A reduction of 3.2% of the total CO2 emitted by heavy-duty vehicles is estimated. These results put traffic control in the main scene as a yet unexplored dimension to control pollutant emissions, enabling authorities to more accurately estimate cost–benefit plans for traffic control system investments.

The aim of this paper is to scrutinize smart biking in the context of gendered innovations and sustainable transport. Based on media representations, interviews, reports and surveys, the paper situates the establishment of the Chinese biking company Mobike in the landscapes of recent innovation strategies. What are the gendered implications of shared biking and Mobike design and technology? Does Mobike provide a challenge to the car-centric developments of urban mobility in China? What are the broader lessons to be learned in terms of sustainable urban transport? The Mobike company rolled out its first waves of bikes in the streets in Shanghai and Beijing in 2016, since when smart biking has spread like wildfire, particularly in China, but also in other countries around the globe. This paper contributes to situating and analyzing innovative practices related to gender and sustainability. Mobike was invented by a woman, Hu Weiwei, who set out to address the pressing needs of urban residents in respect of more convenient, sustainable and efficient modes of transport. It is argued that Mobike should be seen as an experimental case of disruptive gendered innovations that feeds into the challenges of sustainable urban transport and social equality.

In this paper we argue for the need to apply a cognitive approach to understand deep dynamics and determinants of technological evolutions. After examining main contributions from innovation studies to the conceptualization of innovation and change in complex socio-technical environments, we highlight the contribution coming from the application of the cognitive approach to evolutionary studies on technologies and we introduce the concept of technological memory as an interpretative tool to understand those changes. We discuss our hypothesis with reference to several observations carried out in different local contexts – Mexico, India and Italy – in relation to technological change in the water sector. In those cases deliberate attempts to substitute traditional technologies with modern ones led to interesting trajectories of change ranging from the collapse of old technologies to the development of multifaceted hybridization patterns. Tema. Journal of Land Use, Mobility and Environment, 2014: INPUT 2014 - Smart City: planning for energy, transportation and sustainability of the urban system

AbstractIn order to realise sustainable urban transport, it is necessary to combine different kinds of decision-making, including vision-led, plan-led and consensus-led approaches. In this paper, a cross-assessment model that supports both vision-led and consensus-led approaches is proposed as an analytical tool for developing sustainable urban transport and land use strategies for a low-carbon society. It is applied to an impact analysis of public transport and land use strategies in 2030 for all of Japan's 269 urban areas, with outcomes – including the financial balance of public transport operation, user benefits, and CO2 emissions reduction – compared by strategy and urban area.The analytical results show that three value factors related to efficiency, equity and the environment do not necessarily conflict with each other. In particular, it is clarified that CO2 emissions reduction targets can contribute to the improvement of financial balance and user benefits at the national level. In addition, the results of comparative analysis among the LUTI (land use and transport integration) scenarios demonstrate that a combination of urban transport strategies with land use control in the form of ‘corridors and multi-centres’ provides greater emissions reduction and increased user benefits.

The private motor vehicles are significantly important means of transportation in modern lifestyle, however, these also contribute to a large proportion of the total air pollution and primary energy consumption. In order to develop green transportation system, it becomes imperative to use integrated technologies to achieve reduced emissions and utilize renewable energy. Electric vehicles (EVs) have been considered as one of these technologies to transform the traditional vehicle mix. However, the uptake of EV has been debated on factors like cost, performance (autonomous mileage), charging point infrastructure construction, energy saving, policy and end users’ adaptation. Present study investigates the technology feasibility (which usually refer to EVs’ cost, EV charging, supplier’s customer services quality, EV travel performance) and users’ adaptation of EV in Beijing, which is a key driver for the EV uptake into the Beijing transportation system. The relevant data have been collected and analyzed in the form of questionnaire survey around all of these factors. While considering the user perception and satisfaction, safety of charging and energy bills have also been investigated. According to the data analysis, it has been found the policy of ‘No traffic restrictions for EVs’ (the traffic restrictions means for certain date, from Monday to Friday the motor vehicles with the last register number of 1 and 6, 2 and 7, 3 and 8, 4 and 9, 5 and 0, are restricted to travel, respectively), the availability of the charging infrastructure and technical support are the most significant factors affecting the users’ opinions on using EVs.