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The aim of this paper is to contribute to the establishment of a robust framework for the assessment of Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in businesses, using the construction industry as an example and with the primary focus on combating climate change (SDG 13). We provide a critical analysis of a selection of relatively widely used SDG impact assessment tools, combined with a case study from the construction industry to explore how a meaningful SDG assessment can be framed with linkages between SDG 13 and other related SDGs. Our analysis points towards the importance of framing SDG assessments in a way that discourages "Greenwashing". Any SDG assessment that relates to climate targets in line with the Paris Agreement should identify the processes and activities that can be expected to be particularly challenging in terms of their abatement. In our road construction work case, we identify four such hard-to-abate activities: 1) introducing biomass for renewable transportation fuels for use in construction equipment and heavy transport; 2) electrification of transport and industrial processes; 3) substitution as part of transitioning from fossil fuel use; and 4) applying carbon capture and storage technologies in the production of basic materials, such as cement and steel. The approach applied will avoid that businesses only focus on SDGs in situations where they are already performing well or can apply low-cost measures or that they only relate to the part of the supply chain that pertains to their own business (Scope 1 emissions). For an SDG assessment to provide basis for informed decisions regarding real change towards more sustainable and equitable corporate practices it should: (i) identify and include concrete measures to align with the terms of the Paris Agreement; (ii) include relevant value chains; and (iii) consider both the short-term and long-term effects of strategic choices.

In the transition from linear production systems, unsustainable from the point of view of resources, to a model that finds strength in environmental, social and economic sustainability, the circular economy paradigm is the foundation that facilitates the planetary agro-ecological transition. The European Union has taken a number of steps (including the Circular Economy Package of Directives) shaping circularity as a wide-ranging driver measure involving many sectors. The paper intends to provide a regulatory framework on the current general situation regarding circularity in European Union, in order to extrapolate and give evidence to the aspects that intersect the agri-food sector. This is not only because they are poorly addressed in the literature, but also because there is a lack of regulatory instruments on the circular economy specifically addressing this area of interest. For this purpose, the analysis focuses on waste and residue/scrap management issues, recognized by law as by-products and end-of-waste status, as they are covered by circular economy legislation and as they can be applied to the agri-food sector. The latter allow the implementation of circularity strategies in the agri-food sector and, given the numerousness of production chains and the peculiarities of each of them, various regeneration and/or reuse processes of specific resources may be depicted. The intent is to provide useful knowledge on how to implement sustainable waste management, also proposing a concrete case on a by-product of olive oil processing, through which it is possible to highlight how the correct application of regulations favors the adoption of circular economic and management models in the firms involved, as well as informing the relevant economic operators on the possible profiles of legal liability that may arise from insufficient knowledge. Furthermore, this paper delves into the European Green Deal’s Strategy as it enriches the circular economy paradigm with new facets. NextGenerationEU and the National Recovery and Resilience Plan financially support this strategy in the aftermath of the socioeconomic crisis from COVID-19 in the EU Member States. This is in order to achieve the objective of achieving the agro-ecological transition.

The COVID-19 pandemic has tremendously affected the whole of human society worldwide. Travel patterns have greatly changed due to the increased risk perception and the governmental interventions regarding COVID-19. This study aimed to identify contributing factors to the changes in public and private transportation mode choice behavior in China after COVID-19 based on an online questionnaire survey. In the survey, travel behaviors in three periods were studied: before the outbreak (before 27 December 2019), the peak (from 20 January to 17 March 2020), and after the peak (from 18 March to the date of the survey). A series of random-parameter bivariate Probit models was developed to quantify the relationship between individual characteristics and the changes in travel mode choice. The key findings indicated that individual sociodemographic characteristics (e.g., gender, age, ownership, occupation, residence) have significant effects on the changes in mode choice behavior. Other key findings included (1) a higher propensity to use a taxi after the peak compared to urban public transportation (i.e., bus and subway); (2) a significant impact of age on the switch from public transit to private car and two-wheelers; (3) more obvious changes in private car and public transportation modes in more developed cities. The findings from this study are expected to be useful for establishing partial and resilient policies and ensuring sustainable mobility and travel equality in the post-pandemic era.

The social confinement resulting from the COVID-19 crisis temporarily reduced greenhouse gas emissions. Although experts contend that the decrease in pollution rates was not drastic, some surveys detect growth in social concern about the climate. In this new climate-conscious environment, municipalities and local governments are promoting a new way of living and caring for cities, even before they can regain national and international freedom of movement. This work analyzes the connections between new climate awareness arising from the COVID-19 crisis, proposals of sustainable citizenship around the world, and its communication on Twitter to educate the new eco-conscious audience. The methodology mixes quantitative and qualitative analysis, using the Twitonomy Premium tool and the Twitter research tool with data extracted at the end of December 2020. Among the top ten most influential and active accounts, the results show educational institutions, local institutions, companies, neighborhoods, associations, and influencers. The impossibility of living in the city has not prevented citizen education and commitment to make real change for when that city and its citizens return to normality. However, this new normality must be different: more ecological, more responsible, more sustainable, and practiced from early childhood.

Background: At the beginning of 2020, the Covid-19 pandemic attacked the world and affected the continuity of the world economy. This condition also causes oil prices to decline further. OPEC plans a strategy to realize its role as a regulator of the world oil trade. Not only the global economy but the stock market is also affected by the decline in oil prices. Production of shale oil in the United States lowered OPEC oil prices, coupled with economic conditions during the Covid-19 pandemic which worsened the international economy. Aim: The authors examined changes in oil prices due to United States’ shale oil. Method: The qualitative method and literature review were employed in this study. The information was compiled from a variety of documents and other sources. Findings: The United States reduced its reliance on OPEC imports, which resulted in lower OPEC oil prices due to an oversupply and decreasing demand. Along with the Covid-19 epidemic, not only is the global economic collapse growing worse, but the decrease in oil prices in early 2020 is getting worse as well. Finally, the world economy suffered a downturn, which impacted the international capital market.

COVID-19 pandemic has brought tremendous environmental burden due to huge amount of medical wastes (about 54,000 t/d as of November 22, 2020), including face mask, gloves, clothes, goggles, and sanitizer/disinfectant containers. A proper waste management is urgently required to mitigate the spread of the disease, minimize the environmental impacts, and take their potential advantages for further utilization. This work provides a prospective review on the possible thermochemical treatments for those COVID-19 related medical wastes (CMW), as well as their possible conversion to fuels. The characteristics of each waste are initially analyzed and described, especially their potential as energy source. It is clear that most of CMWs are dominated by plastic polymers. Thermochemical processes, including incineration, torrefaction, pyrolysis, and gasification, are reviewed in terms of applicability for CMW. In addition, the mechanical treatment of CMW into sanitized refuse-derived fuel (SRDF) is also discussed as the preliminary stage before thermochemical conversion. In terms of material flexibility, incineration is practically applicable for all types of CMW, although it has the highest potential to emit the largest amount of CO2 and other harmful gasses. Furthermore, gasification and pyrolysis are considered promising in terms of energy conversion efficiency and environmental impacts. On the other hand, carbonization faces several technical problems following thermal degradation due to insufficient operating temperature.

Description of the four files: contacts.xlsx List of detected contacts for the three case studies pymol_files_case_study_1.zip Contains files in PDB format of the analyzed structures, and files in PML format used to display visualizations in the PyMOL tool for the case study 1: comparison between contacts of myoglobin against hemoglobin pymol_files_case_study_2.zip Contains files in PDB format of the analyzed structures, and files in PML format used to display visualizations in the PyMOL tool for the case study 2: comparison between contacts of RBDs of SARS-CoV-1 vs. SARS-CoV-2 both complexed with the cell receptor ACE2 pymol_files_case_study_3.zip Contains files in PDB format of the analyzed structures, and files in PML format used to display visualizations in the PyMOL tool for the case study 3: comparison between contacts of glucose-tolerant vs. non-tolerant β-glucosidases

The survey covers the autumn period with a gradually worsening epidemiological situation with a growing number of districts being transferred into darker colors based on the COVID automate. Since October 10 2021, there was not a single one green districts with minimal restrictions. Vaccination with the third dosed was expected to start for selected groups. Fears of the disease, agreement and compliance with the introduced quarantine measures, changes of behavior at times of the epidemic and the approval of government strategies are surveyed. Several questions are dedicated to vaccination plans and factors influencing the decision to (not)vaccinate. Surveyed are also topics of vaccination in the social surroundings of the respondent, compulsory vaccination and support for conspiracy theories about the pandemic. The survey also included questions on climate change and being informed about the Recovery plan for Europe. This is the eleventh survey from the “How are you, Slovakia?” survey series. The survey used a quota sample from the MNFORCE online panel. The sample was designed as representative for the following socio-demographic variables: gender, age, county (kraj), size of settlement and education of respondent. Only population with access to the internet is covered by the survey. This means that mostly older persons without internet access are missing from the sample. Adult inhabitants of Slovakia (18+) with access to the internet Online interviews - CAWI How Are You, Slovakia?