Frontiers in Environmental Science最新文献

{"title":"Editorial: Co-creating knowledge for community resilience to sustainability challenges","authors":"Maureen G. Reed, Liette Vasseur","doi":"10.3389/fenvs.2024.1456992","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3389/fenvs.2024.1456992","url":null,"abstract":"","PeriodicalId":509564,"journal":{"name":"Frontiers in Environmental Science","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2024-07-18","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141825693","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Institutional pressure and low carbon innovation policy: the role of EMS, environmental interpretations and governance heterogeneity","authors":"Yuning Mu, Taozhen Huang, Nayab Saleem, Abdul Hanan Hassan","doi":"10.3389/fenvs.2024.1385062","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3389/fenvs.2024.1385062","url":null,"abstract":"As the global community deals with the urgent need for sustainable development, the formulation and implementation of effective low carbon innovation policies have emerged as a critical challenge. However, the extant literature is unclear in examining low carbon innovation policy. Underpinned by institutional theory, the current study addresses the role of institutional pressure in the development of low carbon innovation policies. Additionally, the study examines the role of environmental management systems as a mediation and environmental interpretations and governance heterogeneity as moderators. Methodologically, the data were collected from the manufacturing sector of Pakistan. The findings suggest that institutional pressure greatly influences low carbon innovation policies. Furthermore, the findings from environmental management systems strongly suggest that they significantly encourage institutional pressure on low carbon innovation. Additionally, the roles of environmental interpretations and governance heterogeneity have a significant effect on the relationship. We use a non-profitability sampling technique. In October 2023, a total of 432 questionnaires were disseminated to manufacturing firms, yielding 299 valid responses for Time-1 and Time-2, respectively.","PeriodicalId":509564,"journal":{"name":"Frontiers in Environmental Science","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2024-07-16","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141642266","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Synergic effect of thermo-chemical pretreatment of waste-activated sludge on bio-methane enhancement","authors":"A. M. Almegbl, F. Munshi, A. Khursheed","doi":"10.3389/fenvs.2024.1419102","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3389/fenvs.2024.1419102","url":null,"abstract":"Sustainable and environmentally friendly energy production is feasible via anaerobic digestion (AD) of organic wastes, such as waste-activated sludge (WAS). However, due to its limited degradation, a pretreatment strategy is applied to WAS to enhance its bio-degradation and, thus, biogas yield. Alkaline (0.5%–9% g NaOH/gTS, 30 min), microwave (MW) (90°C–175°C), and hybrid (0.5% g NaOH/gTS +125°C) pretreatments were applied to WAS. The characterization of untreated and pretreated WAS revealed that with higher alkaline and MW pretreatment, the soluble chemical oxygen demand (sCOD), carbohydrate, and protein increased; however, the readily biodegradable COD (rbCOD) rate was unlike the sCOD. The sCOD was 7%–18%, 8%–23%, and 37% for alkaline, MW, and hybrid pretreatments, respectively. Stronger alkaline and MW pretreatment induced higher turbidity, capillary suction time, and lower average particle size. AD of alkaline-, MW-, and hybrid-pretreated WAS produced 94% (0.5% NaOH), 125% (MW at 125°C), and 199% (0.5% NaOH and MW at 125°C) increased biogas, respectively, compared to the AD of untreated sludge. The AD data on the alkaline-, MW-, and hybrid-pretreated BMP assays fitted well with the modified Gompertz model with a coefficient of determination above 0.95. The PCA analysis showed that biogas production is closely correlated with pretreatment temperature, VFA production, rbCOD, sCOD, and soluble carbohydrates and protein. Microbial genome sequencing analysis showed an improvement in microbial abundance and diversity. Acetoclastic methanogen (Methanothrix) growth was improved by 37% (MW pretreatment). Abundances of Methanosarcina, using all three metabolic pathways for methanogenesis, were 17, 21, 11, and 48% in the control, alkaline-, MW-, and hybrid-pretreated digestate, respectively, corresponding to 186% improvement in hybrid pretreatment when compared to the control.","PeriodicalId":509564,"journal":{"name":"Frontiers in Environmental Science","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2024-07-16","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141641697","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Environmental liability insurance, green innovation, and mediation effect study","authors":"Yu Chen, Yuantao Xie","doi":"10.3389/fenvs.2024.1363199","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3389/fenvs.2024.1363199","url":null,"abstract":"This paper begins by establishing a three-party game model involving three key players: the insurer, the firm, and the government. This model is used to analyze the utility of each party in various scenarios, one of which encourages green innovation within the firm. According to this model, when the insurer rejects insurance coverage and the government maintains a neutral stance on environmental liability insurance, the firm may opt to engage in green innovation. Green innovation fundamentally serves as a mechanism to mitigate environmental pollution risks stemming from the firm’s operational processes. In cases where the insurer declines underwriting, it becomes rational for the firm to enhance its risk management through green innovation, which can be viewed as a mitigating factor in the context of environmental liability insurance. To comprehensively examine the overall impact of environmental liability insurance on the green innovation endeavors of firms, we use a mediation effect model utilizing firm-level data from heavily polluting industries. This paper delves into the intricate relationship between environmental liability insurance and the capacity of heavily polluting firms to engage in green innovation, along with the mediating influence of financing constraints between these two factors. The findings of this analysis suggest that the acquisition of environmental liability insurance enhances the green innovation capabilities of firms operating in heavily polluting industries by alleviating financing constraints, serving as a mediating factor in this regard.","PeriodicalId":509564,"journal":{"name":"Frontiers in Environmental Science","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2024-07-15","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141645182","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Evolution and prediction of rural ecological environment quality in eastern coastal area of China","authors":"Chao Ying, Yifan Li, Yuxin Chen, Jie Zhong, Shunyi Ai, Peng Tian, Qiyu Huang, Luodan Cao, Abdul M. Mouazen","doi":"10.3389/fenvs.2024.1403342","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3389/fenvs.2024.1403342","url":null,"abstract":"Introduction: Rural ecological environment construction, as a pivotal component of the rural revitalization strategy and ecological civilization construction strategy, plays an indispensable role in promoting sustainable agricultural development and safeguarding ecological security. An accurate assessment and prediction of Rural Ecological Environment Quality (REEQ) serves as the theoretical basis to achieving these goals, and provide scientific guidance for future rural ecological environment construction and planning. The field of regional ecology, proposed in the mid-20th century, represents an emerging interdisciplinary domain that integrates ecology, geography, and economics. It plays a pivotal role in addressing large-scale ecological challenges and fostering social sustainability. As global urbanization continues to advance, urban ecological environments undergo significant transformations under the pressures of intense human activities. Scholars have increasingly focused on the essence, evolutionary patterns, and causal mechanisms shaping urban ecological environment quality. Consequently, ecological environment assessments have evolved from singular pollution evaluations to comprehensive ecological appraisals. However, coastal rural area with complex geographical conditions and fragile ecological environments are often neglected and marginalized. Currently, there are few specialized evaluation systems for REEQ, making it difficult to accurately reveal the evolution pattern of rural ecological environment. This weakens its guidance on practical rural ecological environment governance and restoration.Methods: The Pressure-State-Response (PSR) model can simplify the identification process of driving factors for REEQ, reflect the feedback mechanism between indicators, and is conducive to scientific and accurate evaluation of REEQ. Therefore, we constructed an evaluation index system for REEQ based on the PSR. We measured REEQ in the eastern coastal area of China, analyzed its spatiotemporal characteristics and development trends, and used the obstacle degree model to identify obstacle factors. It is beneficial for rural areas to grasp the evolution laws of REEQ, provide theoretical basis for the formulation of sustainable development policies, and provide scientific policy recommendations.Results: Our findings indicate that: 1) From 2000 to 2020, REEQ in the eastern coastal area of China has continuously improved, with the index value increasing from 0.454 to 0.525, a total growth of 15.64%. The number of high-level REEQ areas increased from 0 to 29, showing a positive development trend. 2) High-density areas of REEQ in the eastern coastal area of China are concentrated in the northern parts of Guangdong and Zhejiang provinces. The center of REEQ has shifted from the southwest to the northeast. 3) The obstacle degrees of various criteria layers in REEQ are relatively stable, with the response subsystem being the highest, followed by the stat","PeriodicalId":509564,"journal":{"name":"Frontiers in Environmental Science","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2024-07-15","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141648909","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Risks and coping strategies in the floodplain economic belt amid drought–flood challenges and climate change","authors":"He Dong, Xianjuan An, Xueting Zeng, Tienan Li, Yun Teng, Xinyu Zhang, Shupan Li","doi":"10.3389/fenvs.2024.1395118","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3389/fenvs.2024.1395118","url":null,"abstract":"In this study, a coupla risk combinations and coping strategies have been developed for confronting conflicts between population–economy development and water resource management (PEWM) due to population–industry transformation (PIT) into a floodplain of the economic belt under climate change. A location-entropy-based PVAR (Panel Vector Autoregression) model coupla-risk analysis (LPCR) can be introduced into PEWM to reflect the adverse effects of population–industry transformation on a special function area (e.g., floodplain) of the economic belt, where the coupla risk map has been addressed. Meanwhile, an adaptive scenario analysis-based stochastic–fuzzy method (ASSF) can be joined to deal with multiple uncertainties and their interactions due to subjective and artificial factors. The proposed LPCR and ASSF can be integrated into a risk-based stochastic–fuzzy scenario method framework (RASF) to apply for a practical PEWM case study of the Yongding River floodplain in the context of the coordinative development of the Beijing–Tianjin–Hebei economic belt, China. The results can be presented as follows: 1) the PIT was accelerated into the floodplain due to the fact that it can require more water resources, where each additional unit can promote the regional gross domestic product (GDP) by 0.019 units, increasing the water demand by 0.046 units. It can strengthen various risks such as water shortage, soil loss, and flood control investment in a floodplain of the economic belt; 2) the farmland returning to wetland (CFW) can decrease the water demand and shortage ratio (would be 0% at highest) for irrigation in the long run, but this would reduce the direct economic income of irrigation in the short run; 3) backward irrigative schemes and low water utilization efficiency require a cleaner production mode, which could reduce water shortages by 77.23 × 10^3 m3 at the highest; and 4) the combined policy (S12) can reduce coupla risks (including the risk of water shortage, soil loss, and flood) compared to other individual policies (S2, S4, S6, and S8). The findings can assist local decision-makers to gain insights into adjusting interegional strategies not only for remitting population–resource stress in core cities but also for improving the resilience against drought and flood in a floodplain area, which is conducive of the special function of the floodplain to support an integrated sustainable development of the economic belt.","PeriodicalId":509564,"journal":{"name":"Frontiers in Environmental Science","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2024-07-15","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141645552","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Will the miniaturization of household size promote household carbon emissions in China? Analysis based on CFPS data","authors":"Hongmei Shao, Meifeng Yu, Mengjie Xia, Dan Yu, Fuyang Gao","doi":"10.3389/fenvs.2024.1382083","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3389/fenvs.2024.1382083","url":null,"abstract":"As the proportion of household carbon emissions to global carbon emissions continues to increase, reducing carbon emissions from household consumption has become an important way to achieve the goals of carbon peaking and carbon neutrality. How the trend of miniaturization of household size will affect household carbon emissions is a matter of concern. This paper uses a sample of 9,090 households from the China Family Panel Studies (CFPS) database in 2018 to empirically study the impact of changes in household size on household carbon emissions, from the perspective of household consumption structure and urban-rural areas. The research results indicate that the miniaturization of household size will increase household carbon emissions, the impact of household size on indirect HCEs is greater than on direct HCEs. The impact of household size on indirect HCEs is heterogeneous in consumption structure and the impact of household size on indirect HCEs from housing, transportation is greater than that of other consumption items. The impact of household size on urban household carbon emissions is greater than that in rural areas. The upgrading of household consumption structure and the miniaturization of household size promote the increase of HCEs jointly. Therefore, this paper proposes that under the trend of household miniaturization, energy-saving and emission reduction policies should focus on reducing indirect households carbon emissions, optimizing household structure and household consumption structure, enhancing environmental awareness among family members, establishing and improving the green consumption system, and building environment-friendly households.","PeriodicalId":509564,"journal":{"name":"Frontiers in Environmental Science","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2024-07-15","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141648290","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Coupling coordination and interactive relationship between population urbanization and land urbanization from the perspective of shrinking cities: a case study of Jiangsu province, China","authors":"Shao-Jun Chen, Qi Dai, Xiao-Yan Liu","doi":"10.3389/fenvs.2024.1423221","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3389/fenvs.2024.1423221","url":null,"abstract":"Introduction: Urban contraction brings about certain impacts on the advancement of urbanization.Methods: This paper explores the coupling coordination (CCD) and geographical distribution of land urbanization (LU) and population urbanization (PU) in Jiangsu Province through a CCD model and a spatial autocorrelation model from the perspective of shrinking cities. The Panel Vector Autoregression (PVAR) model is constructed to deeply investigate the complex interaction between the PU-LU in 13 cities, 2007-2020.Results: The study found that the PU-LU CCD in each of the above-mentioned cities shows a synergistic incremental evolution during the study period in terms of time series. In addition, in terms of spatial characteristics, the CCD of PU and LU shows significant positive global spatial autocorrelation, and the CCD of cities with high population size growth is much larger than that of cities with continuous population size. Last, there is an interactive response relationship between PU and LU. PU influences LU, however, PU itself is influenced by its own system’s internal structure. The impact of PU on LU shows a positive cumulative effect of the “inverted U shape.”Discussion: Furthermore, this paper proposes that policies be created to ensure the coordinated growth of PU-LU based on the differences in resource endowments of cities with 3 types of urban shrinkage. The link between floating population and construction land for cities should be established through enhancing the extent of intensive land use and reforming household registration.","PeriodicalId":509564,"journal":{"name":"Frontiers in Environmental Science","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2024-07-15","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141648554","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"When overextended surface allocation turns to groundwater: a Q methodology of well users in Oregon’s high desert","authors":"Melissa Haeffner, Janet Cowal, Brandy Walker, Clare McClellan","doi":"10.3389/fenvs.2024.1398439","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3389/fenvs.2024.1398439","url":null,"abstract":"As legal battles over surface water allocation in Klamath County, Oregon, USA have gained national attention, earning the name “Water Wars,” authorities have been increasingly turning to groundwater to compensate for water shortfalls. This case study aims to identify the nuanced perspectives of household groundwater well users who are affected by groundwater extraction. Using Q methodology, we uncover groundwater well users’ perceptions and to what extent they think water problems are dealt with fairly. We identify four water perspectives that differ in the degree to which respondents prioritize clean water accessibility, industry accountability, individual responsibility for water management, and trust in governments to manage water competently. This research contributes to the growing body of literature reshaping our understanding of human-water relations by exploring different water axiologies.","PeriodicalId":509564,"journal":{"name":"Frontiers in Environmental Science","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2024-07-15","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141645934","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Factors affecting ecological footprint in Saudi Arabia: a panel data analysis","authors":"Abdulaziz Aldegheishem","doi":"10.3389/fenvs.2024.1384451","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3389/fenvs.2024.1384451","url":null,"abstract":"The global environment has witnessed an increase in environmental risks over the last few decades due to the rising demand for energy to support economic development and urbanization. These environmental risks are exacerbated by the escalating human activity that depletes natural resources. Therefore, analyzing factors affecting Ecological Footprint (EFP), which include many variables such as urbanization, energy consumption, natural resources, economic growth, and technological innovation, is essential to achieve sustainable development. Urbanization is a key driver of economic growth. Achieving economic development requires the utilization of natural resources and energy which increase the EFP. Therefore, the focus on technological innovation is essential to reduce the EFP. Despite the critical environmental and economic implications of factors affecting EFP, studies on this area are lacking, especially across Middle Eastern countries, and present contradictory findings. Therefore, the main aim of this study is to investigate the effect of urbanization, energy consumption, natural resources, economic growth, and technological innovation on the EFP in Saudi Arabia. To this end, the study utilizes an autoregressive distributed lag (ARDL) model, which is considered the most suitable econometric approach when variables are stationary at I (0) or integrated of order I (1), based on data collected from various international sources for the period spanning from 1990 to 2022. In both the long run and the short run, empirical findings show that urbanization, natural resources, and technological innovation decrease the EFP, while energy consumption and economic growth increase the EFP. These results reveal that energy policies need to be addressed, and economic growth is unable to lower the EFP due to a lack of connection between economic policies and environmental goals. On the other hand, the study shows that urban policies and the management of natural resources are effectively linked to environmental goals. These findings have several significant policy implications for reducing the EFP. Suggestions include effectively linking economic policies to environmental goals by electrifying the economy. Additionally, several procedures should be considered, including replacing current carbon-based energy with renewable sources, reevaluating the pricing of the energy system, increasing taxes on carbon-based energy, and reassessing current energy laws and regulations.","PeriodicalId":509564,"journal":{"name":"Frontiers in Environmental Science","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2024-07-15","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141645697","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}