Environmental Impact Assessment Review最新文献

{"title":"Navigating carbon reduction in dense, multi-functional compact cities: Moderators and threshold effects of green space and aging population","authors":"Yujie Ren ,&nbsp;Xinyu Li ,&nbsp;Jingran Si ,&nbsp;Tianhui Fan ,&nbsp;Xiaolan Tang","doi":"10.1016/j.eiar.2025.108099","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.eiar.2025.108099","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Compact-city planning is widely promoted as a pathway to curb urban carbon emissions by compressing land use, shortening travel distances and concentrating infrastructure. Yet its ultimate effectiveness hinges on how ecological and demographic structures interact with built form. Leveraging data for Chinese cities, this study integrates spatial-moderation models with XGBoost-based non-linear simulations to test whether—and how—urban green-space structure and population aging condition the compactness–emissions nexus. Results show that both moderators exert significant and directionally nuanced effects. Expansive green-space coverage and higher patch aggregation amplify the carbon-saving benefits of compactness, whereas excessive landscape connectivity can dampen them, plausibly by increasing fragmentation and mobility demand. Aging likewise matters: a larger share of older residents—especially older men—steadily enhances carbon efficiency, reflecting lower mobility and lifestyle-related energy savings in high-density settings. All moderating effects display pronounced spatial heterogeneity shaped by variations in built-environment intensity, ecological-infrastructure integration and demographic accessibility. Nonlinear analyses reveal clear thresholds for policy guidance: optimal mitigation occurs when green-space coverage reaches 60–65 %, patch connectivity density stabilizes at 15–20 patches km⁻², and the aggregation index exceeds 0.12. Demographically, an elderly-population share of 13–20 %—with male shares above 6–8 %—further strengthens emission reductions. Taken together, the findings underscore that effective decarbonization in dense, multi-functional cities requires synchronized planning of green infrastructure and demographic adaptation. By quantifying critical ecological and demographic thresholds, this study provides actionable evidence for precision carbon governance amid rapid urbanization and population aging.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":309,"journal":{"name":"Environmental Impact Assessment Review","volume":"116 ","pages":"Article 108099"},"PeriodicalIF":9.8,"publicationDate":"2025-07-25","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144703135","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"社会学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Bridging prediction and causality in environmental justice: Evaluating superfund impacts with explainable AI and econometrics","authors":"Duy Nguyen ,&nbsp;Nguyen Tri Khiem","doi":"10.1016/j.eiar.2025.108094","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.eiar.2025.108094","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>This study presents an integrated framework combining causal inference and explainable machine learning to evaluate both the determinants and effects of environmental remediation under the U.S. Superfund program. Using a nationwide panel of census tracts from 1970 to 2019, we apply a doubly robust Difference-in-Differences (DiD) model with inverse probability weighting to estimate the causal impact of Superfund designation on neighborhood socioeconomic outcomes. Concurrently, we develop a predictive model using XGBoost and SHAP to uncover the structural features that drive site designation. Our findings reveal that Superfund sites are disproportionately placed in tracts with lower income, older housing stock, higher industrial activity, and greater minority presence—patterns consistent with environmental injustice. Post-treatment analysis shows moderate but significant gains in income, housing turnover, and labor participation. By comparing predictive salience with causal responsiveness, we identify aligned, divergent, and mixed features—highlighting where policy is both well-targeted and effective, and where structural inequalities persist. This dual-inference approach offers novel insight into the design, evaluation, and equity of environmental interventions.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":309,"journal":{"name":"Environmental Impact Assessment Review","volume":"116 ","pages":"Article 108094"},"PeriodicalIF":9.8,"publicationDate":"2025-07-25","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144702275","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"社会学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Global evolution of research on life cycle assessment: A data-driven visualization of collaboration, frontier identification, and future trend","authors":"Jialing Li ,&nbsp;Jiaqi Wang ,&nbsp;Yuyue Hao ,&nbsp;Hao Tan ,&nbsp;Binbin Shao ,&nbsp;Chen Zhang","doi":"10.1016/j.eiar.2025.108093","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.eiar.2025.108093","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>This study presents a systematic bibliometric analysis of 10,430 publications with “Life Cycle Assessment” or “LCA” in their titles, retrieved from the Web of Science database covering 2000–2024. Results reveal that LCA research has expanded at a near-exponential pace, with annual outputs growing from 35 papers in 2000 to 1882 in 2024—corresponding to a compound annual growth rate of 18 %. By 2024, China had become the leading contributor (10.61 % of publications), while the Netherlands recorded the highest citation impact (Citations Per Publication, CPP = 63.65). Keyword co-occurrence analysis identified four dominant thematic domains: environmental impact metrics, uncertainty assessment, renewable energy systems, and circular economy. Temporal trend analysis of 8904 terms highlighted surging interest in “sustainability assessment,” “residential buildings,” and “food waste,” alongside declining attention to “allocation” and first-generation biofuels (e.g., bioethanol, biodiesel). These shifts mirror persistent methodological challenges, particularly in data quality, standardization, and uncertainty handling. Together, the findings illustrate LCA's transformation into a dynamic platform at the intersection of environmental modeling and decision support, offering strategic potential to advance integrated sustainability research, innovation, and governance.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":309,"journal":{"name":"Environmental Impact Assessment Review","volume":"116 ","pages":"Article 108093"},"PeriodicalIF":9.8,"publicationDate":"2025-07-25","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144703133","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"社会学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Intensified coupling of regional water and energy efficiencies by wastewater treatment-coal power infrastructure symbiosis","authors":"Yi Wang ,&nbsp;Junnian Song ,&nbsp;Tingyu Hu ,&nbsp;Xipan Wang ,&nbsp;Wei Yang","doi":"10.1016/j.eiar.2025.108096","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.eiar.2025.108096","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Inadequate coupling between interdependent and interacting water and energy systems impairs both resource efficiency and attainment of sustainable development goals. Wastewater treatment-coal power infrastructure symbiosis has proved to offer potentials for water and energy savings, and greenhouse gases (GHG) mitigations, which is crucial for integrated water-energy co-management. However, how such infrastructure symbiosis facilitates to enhance regional water and energy efficiencies and thus consolidate water-energy synergy remains unclear. Based on an integrated water-energy network, the total factor water and energy efficiencies and their historical trajectories during 2006–2023 in 30 Chinese provincial regions are examined employing super-efficient Slack-Based Measure (SBM) model, with the coupling of efficiencies evaluated. The water-energy-environmental-efficiencies co-benefits of the infrastructure symbiosis and efficiencies coupling enhancement are explored through comparing a baseline scenario and a new symbiosis scenario (incorporating enhanced coal-sludge co-combustion and water reuse). Results show a progressive improvement in regional water and energy efficiencies, with their annual average coupling degree escalating from 0.19 to 0.35, although significant regional imbalance persists. In conjunction with a reduction of 5.80 million tons of coal, 1.39 billion m³ of freshwater use, and 16.77 million tons of CO₂-equivalent, the infrastructure symbiosis can facilitate a maximum enhancement in energy efficiency as 0.30, and in water efficiency as 0.01 across regions. Outstanding enhancements in the coupling are observed in Beijing (+0.006), Shanghai (+0.002), and Zhejiang (+0.0004). This study clarifies the spatiotemporal variations in the coupling between water and energy systems as represented by the efficiencies, and provides critical evidence for designing differentiated water-energy co-management policies based on the infrastructure symbiosis.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":309,"journal":{"name":"Environmental Impact Assessment Review","volume":"116 ","pages":"Article 108096"},"PeriodicalIF":9.8,"publicationDate":"2025-07-25","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144703134","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"社会学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"How does technological innovation impact the convergence effect of energy and environmental efficiency? Empirical evidence from the mining industry","authors":"Runqing Zhu ,&nbsp;Boqiang Lin","doi":"10.1016/j.eiar.2025.108095","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.eiar.2025.108095","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Improving energy efficiency is often considered one of the most economical strategies for mitigating climate change. This paper evaluates the energy and environmental efficiency of China's mining industry from 2004 to 2019 with the non-parametric method. To examine the trends in convergence of energy and environmental efficiency and identify potential convergence clusters, Log-t regression tests are conducted. In addition, technological innovation is also widely considered to be one of the important measures to reduce regional and international comprehensive strength. Therefore, this paper further explores the influence of technological innovation on the convergence effect of energy and environmental efficiency in the mining industry. The main results are as follows: (1) At the regional level, the samples did not show convergence toward a steady-state equilibrium but displayed divergent trends. The mining industry across different provinces was ultimately grouped into three distinct convergence clubs, with each club demonstrating β convergence characteristics internally. (2) Technological innovation contributes to the convergence effect of energy and environmental efficiency in the mining industry, and environmental regulations also foster this convergence. The paper concludes by offering specific policy recommendations based on the empirical findings, including: (1) Promote the construction of a green financial system in the central and western regions. (2) Build collaborative innovation mechanisms to promote the transformation of TI into productivity. (3) Implement differentiated environmental regulation policies and performance appraisals.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":309,"journal":{"name":"Environmental Impact Assessment Review","volume":"116 ","pages":"Article 108095"},"PeriodicalIF":9.8,"publicationDate":"2025-07-23","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144685698","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"社会学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Dynamic assessment of life cycle carbon emissions and economic benefits of surfactant foam warm recycled asphalt pavement","authors":"Yang Sun ,&nbsp;Zhuohui Tao ,&nbsp;Rui Hou ,&nbsp;Lin Wen","doi":"10.1016/j.eiar.2025.108092","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.eiar.2025.108092","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The application of surfactant foam warm recycled asphalt pavement (SFWRAP) is a promising trend in sustainable road construction, but its environmental impacts and economic benefits remain unclear. This paper developed a comprehensive framework integrating Dynamic Life Cycle Assessment and Life Cycle Cost Analysis, and established an uncertainty evaluation model. This framework was used to analyze the environmental impacts and economic benefits of SFWRAP. The results demonstrated that in both static and dynamic models, SFWRAP emitted 922.34 t-CO₂-eq and 912.39 t-CO₂-eq less than hot recycled asphalt pavement. Furthermore, the carbon emissions of the dynamic model were lower than those of the static model, underscoring the significance of considering the time effect. Additionally, the economic benefits of SFWRAP were significantly greater than those of conventional hot mix asphalt pavement and hot recycled asphalt pavement, with total costs reduced by 24.01 % and 4.88 %, respectively. The maximum deviation between the simulated mean and the actual calculated value was only 0.8225 %, further confirming the high reliability of the carbon emissions calculation.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":309,"journal":{"name":"Environmental Impact Assessment Review","volume":"116 ","pages":"Article 108092"},"PeriodicalIF":9.8,"publicationDate":"2025-07-22","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144679298","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"社会学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"How ESG governance affects total factor productivity: Evidence from Chinese listed companies","authors":"Yubing Yu ,&nbsp;Li Wang ,&nbsp;Ye Wu ,&nbsp;Justin Zuopeng Zhang ,&nbsp;Haohui Li ,&nbsp;Yinghui Zhang","doi":"10.1016/j.eiar.2025.108074","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.eiar.2025.108074","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>This study investigates the complex relationships among environmental, social, and governance (ESG) practices and total factor productivity (TFP) in enterprises, which remains a topic of ongoing debate. Using a comprehensive dataset of 3970 Shanghai and Shenzhen A-share listed enterprises from 2010 to 2023, we find that ESG governance significantly enhances enterprise TFP. This conclusion is robust even after endogeneity concerns are addressed and robustness checks are performed. The mediating mechanism analysis reveals that ESG governance improves TFP through two primary pathways: promoting green innovation and reducing business risk. Furthermore, the moderating effect analysis demonstrates that media attention and government subsidies amplify the positive impact of ESG governance on TFP. The heterogeneity analysis indicates that the benefits of ESG governance are more pronounced for large enterprises, firms in China's central and western regions, nonheavily polluting industries, resource-dependent city enterprises, firms with high financing constraints, low-profit enterprises, and those adopting ESG practices following the 2015 policy tightening phase. This study contributes not only to the understanding of the mechanisms and boundary conditions through which ESG governance influences enterprise TFP but also to the literature concerning the economic consequences of ESG practices while offering practical insights for optimizing enterprise governance and informing policy formulation.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":309,"journal":{"name":"Environmental Impact Assessment Review","volume":"116 ","pages":"Article 108074"},"PeriodicalIF":9.8,"publicationDate":"2025-07-18","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144663658","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"社会学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Exacerbating or mitigating landscape fragmentation: Exploring the role of topographic heterogeneity in shaping landscape patterns in China","authors":"Lin Fang ,&nbsp;Lei Yang ,&nbsp;Qiong Liu ,&nbsp;Minghao Ou","doi":"10.1016/j.eiar.2025.108091","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.eiar.2025.108091","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Topography provides the physical basis for landscape pattern formation. It also constrains how landscapes evolve. Understanding whether natural terrain exacerbates or mitigates landscape fragmentation is essential for revealing the mechanisms behind landscape change. This study used a mean change-point method to identify the optimal scale for topographic analysis. It then introduced evaluation models for the Relief Degree of Land Surface (RDLS) and the Landscape Fragmentation Index (LFI). A generalized additive model (GAM) was applied to examine the nonlinear association between RDLS and LFI. The results revealed that, first, in low-relief areas, terrain exerts a weak constraint effect, leading to rising fragmentation as RDLS increases. Second, moderate relief functions as a spatial barrier, isolating human activity and preserving landscape integrity. Third, in highly rugged terrain, even with limited human interference, natural topography alone can divide the landscape into disconnected patches, producing a natural fragmentation effect. Fourth, terrain also plays a guiding role: when steep relief compresses usable space, human activities concentrate in flatter or transformable areas, enhancing spatial continuity and reducing fragmentation. These findings uncover the specific mechanisms through which topography shapes landscape patterns, clarifying its multiple functions in either exacerbating or mitigating fragmentation. They provide valuable insights for differentiated land-use planning and sustainable ecological governance in complex terrain regions.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":309,"journal":{"name":"Environmental Impact Assessment Review","volume":"116 ","pages":"Article 108091"},"PeriodicalIF":9.8,"publicationDate":"2025-07-18","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144655659","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"社会学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Quantifying the trade-offs: Energy potential and environmental impacts of municipal landfill mining in China","authors":"Fan Fei ,&nbsp;Xinyi Zhang ,&nbsp;Qiaoqiao Gao ,&nbsp;Zongguo Wen ,&nbsp;Hongzhi Ma ,&nbsp;Jiayue Zhang","doi":"10.1016/j.eiar.2025.108090","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.eiar.2025.108090","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Landfilling is a common method for municipal solid waste (MSW) management, and a significant amount of aged landfill waste (ALW) has accumulated over the last few decades. It is important to promote landfill mining to release land resources and utilize ALW. In many countries, screened combustible ALW is sent to MSW incineration plants for electricity generation. Yet it is controversial whether this method causes environmental pollution. Based on actual project data and long time-series city-level data in China, this study uses material flow analysis (MFA), life-cycle assessment (LCA), and geographic information systems (GIS) to systematically assess this workflow's energy and environmental aspects. The results show that ALW in Chinese cities exceeded 2000 million tons in 2022 and has the potential to generate about 400 million MWh of electricity, equivalent to 4.5 % of China's electricity production amount, close to the total nuclear power generation in 2022. However, trade-offs were observed among environmental impact indicators. Particulate matter formation, photochemical ozone formation, and terrestrial acidification potentials were reduced, while extra impacts on global warming potential, freshwater eutrophication, and human toxicity potentials were caused. Meanwhile, boosting energy conversion rate to 40 % could raise energy potential by 74 % and cuts carbon emissions by 14 %. The following is suggested: (1) improve energy conversion efficiency of combustible materials in ALW; (2) promote ALW utilization according to cities' MSW management ability, and explore new methods for future promotion.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":309,"journal":{"name":"Environmental Impact Assessment Review","volume":"116 ","pages":"Article 108090"},"PeriodicalIF":9.8,"publicationDate":"2025-07-17","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144655746","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"社会学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Subsidy or reward-penalty? The effects of government policies on environmental responsibility decisions in the prefabricated construction supply chain","authors":"Qingrui Tan ,&nbsp;Meng Ye ,&nbsp;Kunhui Ye","doi":"10.1016/j.eiar.2025.108089","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.eiar.2025.108089","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Prefabricated construction has shifted environmental responsibilities (ERs) from on-site construction to off-site factories, necessitating both upstream and downstream enterprises in the supply chain assume these responsibilities. Environmental policies are key tools for incentivizing ER behavior in enterprises, but the choice between subsidies and penalties remains an important issue. This study evaluates the impact of subsidy and reward-penalty mechanisms on ER implementation within prefabricated construction supply chains (PCSC). A three-level supply chain model is developed based on the Stackelberg game, involving the government, contractor, and supplier. The paper analyzes optimal decision-making under both mechanisms and compares their environmental outcomes. The result indicates that, under both mechanisms, the contractor and supplier assume the same ERs. The subsidy mechanism encourages both enterprises to generate additional profits through ER adoption, but yield less environmental benefits than the reward-penalty mechanism. Reward-penalty mechanisms demonstrate superior environmental performance yet impose systemic profit loss, as compliance costs exceed governmental incentives. An adaptive policy framework is introduced, prioritizing reward-penalty mechanism for environmentally critical regions and subsidy mechanism for economically vulnerable areas. This dual approach offers actionable guidance for balancing ecological and economic objectives in modular construction governance.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":309,"journal":{"name":"Environmental Impact Assessment Review","volume":"116 ","pages":"Article 108089"},"PeriodicalIF":9.8,"publicationDate":"2025-07-16","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144655745","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"社会学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}