Articles tagged with Environmental Economics
Scientists have proposed a new two-step methodology to eliminate polychlorinated biphenyls (PCB) from the environment. The approach involves chemical functionalization, replacing chlorine atoms with hydroxyl groups, followed by thermal destruction at lower temperatures than traditional incineration methods.
A new framework will help conservation agencies forecast climate change impacts and identify target areas for protection. The project aims to create adaptable portfolios of target sites for biodiversity conservation over time.
A study by Jason Hickel reveals that the global North appropriates vast resources and labor from the global South through price differentials in international trade, resulting in a net drain of $10.8 trillion in 2015. This unsustainable practice perpetuates global inequality and ecological breakdown.
A study of 264 studies in 53 countries found that natural forests better support biodiversity and ecosystem services like carbon storage and water conservation. In contrast, plantations excel in wood production, highlighting a trade-off between environmental and economic goals in forest restoration.
Climate change is expected to cause a significant decline in beech forest growth in Europe, particularly in southern regions. Tree ring analyses reveal that tree growth has declined in virtually all regions over the past six decades, with the strongest contrast between northern and southern Europe.
Wind turbine blades made from glass fibre-reinforced polymer can serve up to 25 years before ending up in landfills. Lithuanian researchers have proposed a method to break down these composites, extracting usable materials like phenol and fibre for reuse.
A team of researchers has found that plastic waste-derived porous materials can adsorb CO2 from flue gas, reducing plastic pollution and emissions. The study suggests that these materials could be used in industrial-scale applications, making them a promising alternative to conventional CO2 capture technologies.
A study by University of Illinois researchers found that private investments in California's solar energy industry increase climate vulnerabilities. Large-scale infrastructure needed to attract private investment makes the system more vulnerable to climate extremes, including heat waves and droughts.
Researchers at Washington State University found a causal link between natural gas flaring and increased hospital visits for respiratory health in North Dakota. The study estimated that a 1% increase in flared natural gas increases the hospitalization rate by 0.73%, highlighting the significant impact of flaring on human health.
A new study by Bangor University suggests that a biodiversity offsetting scheme at Ambatovy mine in Madagascar has successfully achieved 'No Net Loss' of the unique forest habitat destroyed by the mine. The study, which used state-of-the-art approaches to evaluate the impact of the mine's strategy, found that the offsets have saved nea...
A recent data-driven study by Emory University researchers highlights the struggles of US farmers to make a living, even with government subsidies. The study creates a free online data hub to track farmer livelihoods and suggests that federal subsidies need to be reimagined to support innovation and adaptation in agriculture.
A survey study found that material hardships such as food insecurity and rent problems increased significantly during the pandemic. The study identified top priorities for spending stimulus checks among U.S. adults, highlighting the need for targeted support to address these challenges.
The study analyzed changes in employment and average wages in the US healthcare workforce during the first and second years of COVID-19. It found that the pandemic led to a significant increase in telemedicine jobs, while other roles like nursing assistants and medical technicians experienced declining employment.
Researchers from Xi'an Jiaotong-Liverpool University provide valuable insights on managing C&D waste and reducing carbon emissions in building refurbishment projects. By upcycling generated waste, carbon emissions can be significantly reduced, with a potential reduction of around 40% compared to traditional practices.
In the 1990s, Massachusetts activists drafted model legislation for community choice aggregation, which has been adopted by 1,800 communities in six states. The program allows cities and towns to purchase renewable energy, reducing reliance on utility companies.
A study published in the Journal of Environmental Economics and Management finds that residents in low-income and rural areas are disproportionately affected by increases in fuel carbon taxes. The researchers discover significant differences across regions and income groups, with higher price pass-through rates in rural areas.
A study by University of Wisconsin-Madison researchers finds that corn ethanol's environmental impacts are worse than expected, with carbon emissions potentially negating any climate advantages. The analysis suggests a shift towards next-generation biofuels made from perennial plants could be necessary.
A new study published in PNAS reveals that the environmental impacts of corn ethanol far outweigh its benefits, with carbon emissions potentially negating any climate advantages. The research highlights the need to shift towards next-generation biofuels and improve efficiency, electrification, and policy-making.
A new study suggests that implementing primary pandemic prevention actions, such as better surveillance and wildlife management, can reduce the economic costs of emerging infectious diseases by up to 10%. These actions have a substantial co-benefit of preventing carbon dioxide emissions and conserving water supplies.
A new study suggests that preventing pandemics could save around 1.6 million lives and reduce mortality costs by $10 trillion annually by investing just 5% of the estimated annual economic losses associated with human deaths from COVID into environmental protection and early-stage disease surveillance.
Researchers found pedal bikes increased bus rides by 1%, while electric bikes took that to 2.1%. The system supported ridership, particularly for socioeconomically disadvantaged and young people.
A study found a significant correlation between hotel stays and exotic pest detections in New Zealand, suggesting that both international and domestic tourism can facilitate the spread of invasive species. The researchers emphasize the need for continued biosecurity measures to manage these risks.
Researchers found that machine learning models can help predict village food insecurity outcomes in Sub-Saharan African countries. The models incorporate publicly available data on weather, geography, and food prices to capture a wide variety of factors that can influence food insecurity. Key takeaways include the need for interpretabl...
A new study found a significant decrease in the development of forest and agricultural land from 2000 to 2015 due to rising gas prices. The research used data from the US Department of Agriculture's National Resources Inventory to analyze county-level land development patterns across the contiguous US states.
Researchers analyzed 54,045 georeferenced pieces of building timber to track changes in building activity across Europe from 1250 to 1699. They found clear evidence for the Late Medieval Crisis, the Thirty Years' War, and economic boom periods, with building activity tracking historical price of grain and lead pollution.
Southern Ontario's wetlands filter out phosphorus and sediments from water, providing $4.2 billion worth of sediment filtration services each year. This is the first economic valuation study to separate the values of major wetland types, with marshes being the most valuable for sediment filtration.
A Rice University study analyzing COVID-19 death data found that Black and Hispanic communities experienced a disproportionately high fraction of losses from COVID-19 mortality. The study also examined the relationship between air pollution and COVID-19 deaths, but found no statistically significant correlations at a countywide level.
Researchers at Penn State have been awarded a $3.4 million contract from the REMADE Institute to develop a flexible, two-stage chemical recycling process for mixed plastic waste. The process aims to decompose multiple types of plastic and convert them into valuable chemicals that can be used to create new products.
A Penn State study integrates multiple models to capture climate-related interactions between water, power, and economic systems. Higher water temperatures can lead to a causal chain of events, including generator outages, higher costs, and productivity reductions.
A new analysis by Carnegie Mellon University researcher Akshaya Jha finds that risk aversion drives the purchasing of coal primarily from long-term contracts, resulting in premium prices. The study estimates that if power plants purchased all their coal from the spot market, annual aggregate cost savings would be $2.9 billion on average.
The University of Delaware is leading a research team to create new, environmentally friendly plastics using biomass. The goal is to minimize fossil fuel use and enhance recycling efficiency. The project aims to develop polymers with properties comparable to PET, a common plastic used in consumer products.
A new study by Sean Kennedy found that corporate sustainability efforts to adapt to climate change actually increase the vulnerability of small cocoa farmers in Indonesia. The researchers' strategy transfers climate-related risks from chocolate manufacturers to the farmers.
Researchers from Korea Maritime & Ocean University found that using LPG as a marine fuel can reduce annual fuel consumption by 7.5-10.4%, fuel cost by 8.8-25.9%, and carbon dioxide emissions by 10-14%. The study also highlights the potential for promoting LPG as an eco-friendly alternative to traditional fuels.
A new modelling framework internalizes air pollution's economic impacts on human mortality, considering climate constraints and aerosol feedback. The study finds that optimized air pollution interventions generate considerable health benefits, avoiding 1.62 million premature deaths by mid-century.
A new study by Carnegie Mellon University estimates that current regulatory analyses of air pollution significantly understate mortality costs among racial minorities. The study found that using race- and ethnicity-specific data increases premature mortality estimates related to PM2.5 from pollution exposure, with a $100 billion annual...
Study reveals that employees' performance is influenced by human attitudes, interactions, emotions, and environmental conditions. Smart tools like wearable sensors and smartphones were used to monitor workers' behavior, leading to a better understanding of individual, collaborative, and environmental factors affecting productivity.
A new study models India's climate change impact from varying emissions strategies during the COVID-19 recovery. The research finds that greener scenarios may drive a positive feedback loop, while extreme temperature and precipitation events are expected to increase in magnitude and frequency regardless of the emissions commitments.
A new study demonstrates that restoring Indonesian peatlands can reduce the impacts of peatland fires on the environment, climate, and human health. The analysis suggests that effective restoration will outweigh the cost of restoration, providing economic savings of up to $8.4 billion.
A team of researchers explored the possibility of producing hydrogen from offshore wind in China and delivering it to Japan at a cost competitive with the country's future projections. The study found that Chinese-produced hydrogen could supply Japan's net-zero transition needs by 2030, even under a high-cost scenario.
A new study led by the University of Pittsburgh reveals that 360 million metric tonnes of new plastic were produced in 2018, with only 9% being recycled. The research found that the greenhouse gas emissions associated with plastic production are staggering, accounting for 350 million metric tonnes of CO2 equivalent.
A new international study by IIASA reveals that rapid emissions cuts in the next few decades can avoid temperature overshoot, plateauing global temperatures around the time of net-zero emissions. This approach also yields long-term economic benefits, with projected GDP increases of up to 2% in scenarios that avoid overshoot.
Researchers from South Korea have demonstrated that applying an electric field during air stripping can significantly improve ammonia removal efficiency from wastewater. The study found that electric fields with alternating current of 50 MHz and power of 15 V/cm increase efficiency from 51% to 94%, even under sub-optimal conditions.
A new study reveals that the Pantanal, a vast wetland in central South America, can reconcile healthy jaguar populations with economic activities. Ecotourism lodges have been found to be suitable habitats for jaguars, allowing for a landscape of tolerance where the species is no longer persecuted.
The study tracked nations' progress in meeting basic needs and respecting environmental limits, finding that no country meets both criteria without overconsuming resources. Wealthy countries like the US and UK drive ecological breakdown while poor countries like Bangladesh struggle to meet basic human needs.
A study by Technical University of Munich found that major tech companies significantly underreported CO2 emissions from their value chain, with 50% of emissions omitted in 2019. The researchers developed a method to identify reporting gaps and estimated the omitted emissions at 751 megatons carbon dioxide equivalents.
A study by the University of Bonn shows that building Africa's 'Green Wall' is economically worthwhile due to its long-term provisioning services, such as food and water production. However, the project faces challenges in regions plagued by conflicts, which limit its potential.
Expanding the EU's Emissions Trading System to cover road transport and heating fuels could be a cost-effective way to reduce emissions, but may affect consumers. Thoughtful policy design is crucial to relieve burdens and ensure equitable distribution of costs.
Research by Binghamton University economists found that COVID-19 lockdowns led to a significant improvement in air quality for minority neighborhoods in rural New York, narrowing the existing gap with majority white neighborhoods. The study suggests stronger regulation can improve air quality in polluted areas.
A global meta-analysis supports the U.N.'s goal of restoring habitats, finding mangrove restoration performs better than unvegetated mud, sand flats or abandoned aquaculture ponds. Restored mangroves yield significant ecological benefits and economic value, making them an ecologically and economically sound choice.
A new study reveals that by 2040, between 64 and 100 million households in India, Brazil, Mexico, and Indonesia will face cooling challenges, leading to potential discomfort. The study highlights the importance of considering household characteristics beyond income and climate in predicting air-conditioning adoption.
A new Digital Solutions Hub will provide a gateway to interconnected toolkits and resources, integrating existing data sources on pollution, flooding, biodiversity, geology, carbon capture, and environmental health. The hub aims to improve decision-making by providing cross-sectional data for informed decisions in various sectors.
The green transition is already underway, with countries facing unique risks and opportunities based on their degree of competitiveness in fossil fuel markets. Diversifying economies towards low-carbon exports can mitigate negative impacts, while supporting innovation and job creation are key to maintaining long-term competitiveness.
A new study reveals that increasing human wellbeing and improving environmental resilience are not always compatible, especially when understood too simplistically. The research team argues that a more nuanced approach can help find win-win scenarios, prioritizing both people's livelihoods and the planet's health.
Ancestral puebloans in Chaco Canyon thrived for over a millennium through indigenous agriculture and water irrigation, but their activities led to environmental degradation. The researchers found significant changes in the local woodlands beginning around 600 B.C., contributing to severe erosion and cropland deterioration.
A study has identified 20 consistent indicators to support sustainability on U.S. ranches, focusing on ecological, social, and economic aspects. The indicators aim to help ranchers track progress toward sustainability goals and communicate improvements to their operations.
A new model suggests that integrating massive offshore wind generation, power storage, electric vehicles, green hydrogen production, and expanded transmission can reduce costs of renewable power integration into the grid. This strategy could make achieving China's carbon neutrality by 2050 feasible without significantly increasing costs.
Researchers have developed new qPCR assays to quantify the transmission of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) using water and wastewater samples. These methods provide a more exact way to determine AMR by measuring DNA in wastewater samples.
A new study reveals that road development in sub-Saharan Africa has negative impacts on biodiversity, both inside and outside protected areas. The researchers found that roads act as barriers to movement, facilitate access to previously inaccessible land, and contribute to urbanization, logging, and cropland expansion.
Researchers from Harvard and Tsinghua University found that solar energy could provide 43.2% of China's electricity demands in 2060 at less than two-and-a-half U.S. cents per kilowatt-hour. The study highlights a crucial energy transition point for China and other countries, where combined solar power and storage systems become a cheap...
A study by IIASA researchers and Chinese colleagues highlights the need for sustainable food production in China to avoid environmental destruction. The global impact of China's increasing food demand is expected to be substantial, with significant challenges facing trading partners, particularly those involved in livestock products.