• Energy Research
• 2021-2025close
• 12. Responsible consumption close
• Energy Research close
• European Marine Science close

Seaports are at the forefront of global trade networks, serving as hubs for maritime logistics and the transportation of goods and people. To meet the requirements of such networks, seaport authorities are investing in advanced technologies to enhance the efficiency and reliability of port infrastructures. This can be achieved through the digitalization and automation of core systems, aimed at optimizing the management and handling of both goods and people. Furthermore, a significant effort is being made towards a green energy transition at seaports, which can be supported through marine renewable sources. This promotes energy-mix diversification and autonomy, whilst reducing the noteworthy environmental footprint of seaport activities. By analyzing these pertinent topics under the scope of a review of container-terminal case studies, and these ports’ respective contexts, this paper seeks to identify pioneering smart seaports in the fields of automation, real-time management, connectivity and accessibility control. To foster the sustainable development of seaports, from an energy perspective, the potential integration with marine renewable-energy systems is considered, as well as their capabilities for meeting, even if only partially, the energy demands of seaports. By combining these fields, we attempt to construct a holistic proposal for a “model port” representing the expected evolution towards the seaports of the future.

n this study, green technology was applied for extraction of compounds from wastewater-grown microalga biomass with the final goal of obtaining microbiologically safe products within a sustainable biorefinery process with zero waste. Tetradesmus obliquus biomass resulting from brewery wastewater treatment, with (To-CO2) and without CO2 supplementation (To), was submitted to subcritical water extraction (SWE) at temperatures 120-220 degrees C for 10 min. The impact of the different SWE conditions in the obtained liquid extracts and solid residues were investigated for metal content and chemical and microbiological profiles. Gas chromatography-mass spectrometry analysis indicated that of T. obliquus extracts and residues are valuable sources of aliphatic saturated, unsaturated, and alkylated (mostly methylated) hydrocarbons, phenols, esters, and ketones. Polyphenolic content and antioxidant activity were enhanced approximately 4 times by increasing the temperature from 120 to 220 degrees C. Also, the content of polyphenols doubled when T. obliquus was supplemented with CO2 for all the tested temperatures (To: 0.249-1.016 mg GAE mL(-1); To-CO2: 0.437 - 1.767 mg GAE mL(-1)). The microbiological analysis determined that liquid extracts and residues represent safe sources of bioactive components that can be used in different industries. In addition, the lower content of heavy metals in residues suggests the possibility of using the solid waste as animal feed or soil conditioner in agricultural applications. Lisboa-01-0247-FEDER-035234; LISBOA01-0145-FEDER-022059; 2576/2019-02; Red CYTED P319RT0025 info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersion

Climate change and biodiversity loss trigger policies targeting and impacting local communities worldwide. However, research and policy implementation often fail to sufficiently consider community responses and to involve them. We present the results of a collective self-assessment exercise for eight case studies of communications with regard to climate change or biodiversity loss between project teams and local communities. We develop eight indicators of good stakeholder communication, reflecting the scope of Verran’s (2002) concept of postcolonial moments as a communicative utopia. We demonstrate that applying our indicators can enhance communication and enable community responses. However, we discover a divergence between timing, complexity and (introspective) effort. Three cases qualify for postcolonial moments, but scrutinising power relations and genuine knowledge co-production remain rare. While we verify the potency of various instruments for deconstructing science, their sophistication cannot substitute trust building and epistemic/transdisciplinary awareness. Lastly, we consider that reforming inadequate funding policies helps improving the work in and with local communities.

Coral reefs in the tropical Pacific region are exposed to a range of anthropogenic local pressures. Climate change is exacerbating local impacts, causing unprecedented declines in coral reef habitats and bringing negative socio-economic consequences to Pacific communities who depend heavily on coral reefs for food, income and livelihoods. Continued increases in greenhouse gas emissions will drive future climate change, which will accelerate coral reef degradation. Traditional systems of resource governance in Pacific island nations provide a foundation to address local pressures and build reef resilience to climate change. Management and adaptation options should build on the regional diversity of governance systems and traditional knowledge to support community-based initiatives and cross-sectoral cooperation to address local pressures and minimize climate change impacts. Such an inclusive approach will offer enhanced opportunities to develop and implement transformative adaptation solutions, particularly in remote and regional areas where centralized management does not extend.

The environmental sciences work with datasets every day. Recently, data sharing has become a more familiar activity for academic researchers. Records of marine litter are scarce and generally difficult to find worldwide, especially in databases. This work reviews and analyzes data repositories to identify the existence of datasets related to marine litter in Brazil. Only one global repository specializing in marine litter was found, and it is in the early stages of operation. Only two datasets about marine litter in Brazil were found in the generalist repository Figshare that do not follow all the FAIR principles (Findable, Accessible, Interoperable, and Reusable) for data sharing. A few initiatives are being developed aiming to collect and share marine litter data, but only one of them (Our Blue Hands) is already in place and uses a standardized, replicable method, and aims to share the data by design. Our work identified interoperability as the main point to be tackled within our context. In the UN Decade of Ocean Science for Sustainable Development (2021–2030), it is essential that repositories are created, improved, and encouraged to address the specific needs of marine litter data-sharing and researchers' behavioral shift to start sharing the data already collected. Data sharing not only allows for the integrated vision of the academic community but can also contribute to public policies, helping decision-makers and encouraging a more sustainable science regarding financial and natural resource use.

The need for plastic solutions has increased as a result of the expansion in the usage of plastic-based items, adding pressure to the waste management system. The use of plastics derived from petroleum, which significantly harm the environment, is being reduced with great interest. Substituting biodegradable plastic made from natural resources such as unprocessed agricultural waste, aquatic life, and even microbes for traditional plastics made through the petrochemical process is one way to address the problems. The worldwide bioplastics and biopolymer targets are the focus of all these initiatives. The focus of this study is on the sea grape, or Caulerpa lentillifera. The Caulerpa lentillifera plant, which is widely distributed along Sabah's east coast and in the Malacca Strait and is significant economically in Malaysia, was also mentioned. It possesses antibacterial qualities and is found in abundance there. The goal of the innovation project is to create biodegradable plastic from Caulerpa lentillifera and test the anti-microbial capabilities of the plastic. It is anticipated that this novel product will benefit society and have a high likelihood of being commercialized. Due to its remarkable biodegradability, the use of biodegradable plastic has recently become more popular. It is very simple to stretch and can lessen the environmental impact because it does not release carbon dioxide. Additionally, it does not produce a lot of hazardous emissions and has the potential to biodegrade into a natural component that blends into the soil. Additionally, biodegradable packaging has found use in several industries such as consumer goods and medical technology. The Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) established by the United Nations, particularly SDG 14 which focuses on the conservation and sustainable use of marine resources, are also in line with this unique idea.

AbstractBivalve mollusc meat—that from mussels, clams, and oysters—offers a highly sustainable and nutritious alternative to meat from other shellfish, fish, or livestock. However, bivalves are an unpopular mass market food relative to these other meat items, limiting our ability to reap potential environmental and health benefits. Hence, this study aimed to assess current barriers to and drivers for bivalve consumption and investigated whether offering bivalves in a highly transformed (i.e., more processed) product format might help to drive consumption. The United Kingdom was used as a case study, and the study was performed via an online survey. Nutrition and quality of ingredients were key drivers, and price and convenience key barriers to bivalve consumption, with views on taste/smell/texture mixed. The more regularly individuals consumed meat, the more willing they were to try bivalves, and those who thought bivalves were healthier or more environmentally friendly than livestock were more likely to substitute bivalves for meat. Importantly, individuals were more willing to substitute highly transformed than minimally transformed (i.e., unprocessed) meats for bivalves. They were also willing to pay more for highly transformed bivalves than any other highly transformed meat product. We suggest that greater publicity regarding the health and environmental benefits of bivalve meat, and industry engagement to develop and pilot a greater range of appealing, affordable, and convenient bivalve products, are key actions that can help drive growth in the bivalve sector for planetary benefit.

The growing threat of climatic crisis and fossil fuel extinction has caused a boom in sustainability trends. Consumer demand for so-called eco-friendly products has been steadily increasing, built upon the foundation of environmental protection and safeguarding for future generations. A natural product that has been used for centuries is cork, resulting from the outer bark of Quercus suber L. Currently, its major application is the production of cork stoppers for the wine industry, a process that, although considered sustainable, generates by-products in the form of cork powder, cork granulates, or waste such as black condensate, among others. These residues possess constituents of interest for the cosmetic and pharmaceutical industries, as they exhibit relevant bioactivities, such as anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial, and antioxidant. This interesting potential brings forth the need to develop methods for their extraction, isolation, identification, and quantification. The aim of this work is to describe the potential of cork by-products for the cosmetic and pharmaceutical industry and to assemble the available extraction, isolation, and analytical methods applied to cork by-products, as well the biological assays. To our knowledge, this compilation has never been done, and it opens new avenues for the development of new applications for cork by-products.