Corporate climate policy will survive oil downturn

2015 ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Fossil Fuel ◽  
Cost Savings ◽  
Clean Energy ◽  
The United States ◽  
Intergovernmental Panel ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Related Cost ◽  
Ghg Reduction ◽  
Reduce Emissions ◽  
Carbon Dioxide Equivalent

Significance According to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), averting a 2 degree increase in global temperature would require US businesses to reduce emissions by 1.2 Gigatonnes of carbon dioxide-equivalent (CO2-e) from 2010 levels, or 3% every year. Private sector techniques developed in the United States can spread elsewhere, including India, the world's third largest emitter of greenhouse gases (GHG). Impacts Some GHG reduction projects justified by transportation-related cost savings may become less viable as oil prices continue to fall. This impact is expected to be minor, resulting in slight reprioritisation of projects. Clean energy economics continue to trend towards grid parity with conventional fossil fuel.

Global R&D policy will shift toward industrial needs

2015 ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Emerging Economies ◽  
Fossil Fuel ◽  
The United States ◽  
Value Chains ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Brics Countries ◽  
The 2008 Financial Crisis ◽  
Industrial Needs ◽  
D Investment ◽  
The Eu

Subject Outlook for R&D policies across OECD countries. Significance China has just announced new rules that greatly expand its visa programme for allowing foreign scientists to settle in the country, the People's Daily reported on January 25. Rising research and development (R&D) expenditure in BRICS countries is reducing the lead of OECD economies and deepening the interdependence between regions occupying key niches in global value chains. The 2008 financial crisis has reframed the importance of R&D policies as a means of responding to low productivity growth in OECD economies and for tackling major policy issues with limited funds. The oil price fall will affect green innovation adversely, but could spur further R&D investment in emerging economies dependent on fossil fuel exports. Impacts Advances in vehicle telematics, wearable technology and mobile payment will fuel developments in big data. The United States will invest more in R&D than the EU, as it has stronger foundations in the digital economy. The BRICS economies will see growing importance, as China's gross R&D overtook the EU in 2012.

US-Caribbean clean energy will see Venezuela pushback

2015 ◽  
Keyword(s):  
United States ◽  
Renewable Energy ◽  
Renewable Energy Sources ◽  
Legal Protection ◽  
Clean Energy ◽  
The United States ◽  
Content Type ◽  
The Us ◽  
Regional Influence ◽  
The Caribbean

Subject Renewable energy in the Caribbean. Significance At the Summit of the Americas on April 10-11, US President Barack Obama said that the United States would help Caribbean countries develop renewable energy sources. The Caribbean had an average cost of 0.33 dollars per kilowatt-hour (kWh) in 2012, nearly three times the US cost of electricity -- a considerable economic burden, not just in the region, but in nearly all island economies. Impacts The World Bank may attract attention as a focus point for investment less politically contentious than the United States or Venezuela. Renewable energy concepts may be first tested in Puerto Rico, which offers US legal protection to investors. Low oil prices may aid the shift to renewables in the region, by damaging Venezuela's regional influence.

scholarly journals Frameworks for reducing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from municipal solid waste in Oman

2020 ◽  
Vol 31 (4) ◽  
pp. 945-960 ◽  
Author(s):  
Tariq Umar
Keyword(s):  
Carbon Dioxide ◽  
Municipal Solid Waste ◽  
Greenhouse Gas ◽  
Solid Waste ◽  
Ghg Emissions ◽  
Intergovernmental Panel ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Per Capita ◽  
Carbon Dioxide Equivalent ◽  
Practical Implications

PurposeThe Gulf Cooperation Council member countries not only generate the highest quantity of municipal solid waste (MSW) per capita when compared globally, but also in most of these countries, such waste is just dumped at different landfill stations. In Oman, the total quantity of MSW stood at 2.0 million tons per year. The emission from this waste is estimated at 2,181,034 tons/year (carbon dioxide equivalent). This article attempts to develop frameworks that considered landfilling, composting and recycling of MSW.Design/methodology/approachTo know the composition of the municipal solid waste in Oman, a quantitative research method was employed. The greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from MSWM in this study focus on three major gases, CO2, CH4 and N2O. The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) 2006 model is used to calculate GHG emissions from landfills and composting (IPCC, 2006). Four frameworks – baseline F0, framework F1, framework F2 and framework F3 – are outlined in this paper. The F0 represents the current situation of the MSW in which most of the waste goes to landfills and dumpsites. In F1, improved MSW collection service and landfilling are incorporated and open burning is restricted. The F2 considered landfilling and composting, while F3 is based on landfilling, composting and recycling.FindingsThe framework F2, which proposes the composting process for the organic waste which normally goes to landfills, results in the reduction of emissions by 40% as compared to landfill practice. Similarly, the samples of MSW collected in Oman show a good amount of recycling waste. The framework F3, which considers the landfill, composting and recycling, reduced the total GHG emissions from 2,181,034 tons/year to 1,427,998 tons/year (carbon dioxide equivalent), representing a total reduction of 35% in emissions.Research limitations/implicationsDifferent values such as CH4 correction factor, the fraction of degradable organic carbon and the fraction of DOC used to determine the GHG emissions from MSW considering landfilling, composting and recycling based on the IPPC model and existing literature review. The actual determination of these values based on the Oman conditions may result in more accurate emissions from MSW in Oman.Practical implicationsDifferent frameworks suggested in this research have different practical implications; however, the final framework F3, which produces fewer emissions, required a material recovery facility to recycle the MSW in Oman. For framework F3, it is important that the residents in Oman have enough knowledge and willingness to do the waste segregation at the household level. Apparently, such knowledge and willingness need to be determined through a separate study.Originality/valueThe frameworks F2 and F3 are considered to be more suitable solutions compared to the current practices for Oman and other gulf countries to reduce its per capita emissions from MSW and protect its local environment. There is a potential for further work that needs to explore the possible solutions to implement the suggested frameworks.

Trump's Paris moves reflect policy disruption risks

2017 ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Global Climate ◽  
Job Creation ◽  
Clean Energy ◽  
The United States ◽  
Energy Technology ◽  
Content Type ◽  
The Us ◽  
Clean Energy Technology ◽  
Other World ◽  
Disruption Risks

Significance The Trump administration's repudiation of the pact's 'no backsliding' framework for global climate governance has been met with near-universal condemnation from other world leaders. The United States is the planet's second-largest emitter of greenhouse gases and the previous administration promised to transfer funding and clean energy technology as part of Washington's contribution to climate-vulnerable countries. Impacts A tightening US labour market will provide statistical cover for the Trump administration's job creation claims for now. Alignment of the loose Paris vision with more pressing national energy and anti-pollution goals will keep developing countries on-side. EU countries, particularly Germany, are likelier candidates for taking over the US role as provider of funding and technology than China.

US satellites policy may speed up space militarisation

2015 ◽  
Keyword(s):  
United States ◽  
Air Force ◽  
United States Air Force ◽  
Cost Savings ◽  
The United States ◽  
Medium Term ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Us Military ◽  
The Us ◽  
Speed Up

Subject The implications of SpaceX's entry into government launches. Significance The United States Air Force (USAF) has certified SpaceX's Falcon 9 launch vehicle for military satellites. SpaceX is not granted any launches by this, but it breaks the monopoly of United Launch Alliance (ULA) on about one-third of launches. This could have significant industrial and strategic implications in the medium term. Impacts Cost savings on launches will likely stay within the space programmes, which are a priority for the US military. Technology on reusable rockets would first spread to Europe and the Ariane rocket family. This could lead to a US-Europe duopoly in the rocket industry, similar to Boeing-Airbus in the airplane industry.

scholarly journals Load planning processes to enhance cargo compartment utilization

2017 ◽  
Vol 1 (2) ◽  
pp. 137-150 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nathan J. Carlson ◽  
Adam. D. Reiman ◽  
Robert E. Overstreet ◽  
Matthew A. Douglas
Keyword(s):  
Research Effort ◽  
Cost Savings ◽  
The United States ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Load Planning ◽  
Movement Data ◽  
Planning Software ◽  
Efficiency And Effectiveness ◽  
Planning Processes ◽  
Military Airlift

Purpose The United States Air Force often provides effective airlift for cargo distribution, but is at times inefficient. This paper aims to address the under-utilization of military airlift cargo compartments that plagues the airlift system. Design/methodology/approach The authors examine seven techniques designed to increase cargo compartment utilization and increase airlift utilization rates. The techniques were applied through load planning software to 30 real-world movements consisting of 159 sorties. They then ran each post-technique movement through a modeled flight environment to obtain cycle movement data. The metrics gained from both the load planning software and the modeled environment were regressed to provide statistical understanding regarding how well each technique influenced cost savings. Findings The results showed a 24 per cent elimination of aircraft required and a savings of $14.5m. Extrapolation of the authors’ findings to four years of airlift mission data revealed an estimated annual savings of $1.6bn. Originality/value This research effort provides multiple options to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of military airlift.

scholarly journals Unpacking the package

2015 ◽  
Vol 12 (4) ◽  
pp. 346-376 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mark Evans ◽  
Basil Phillip Tucker
Keyword(s):  
Organisational Change ◽  
Clean Energy ◽  
Management Control ◽  
Theory And Practice ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Informal Control ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Energy Company ◽  
Management Controls ◽  
Control Package

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to explore the ways in which both formal and informal control, operating as a package, are implicated in responding to organisational change arising from the introduction of the Australian Federal Government’s Clean Energy Act (2011). Design/methodology/approach – This investigation is based on a review of archival data, and semi-structured interviews conducted with 15 staff at different hierarchical levels within an Australian renewable energy company. Findings – Although formal management control systems and informal control both played important roles in the organisation’s reorientation to organisational change, it was the latter form of control that predominated over the former. The influence of the prevailing organisational culture, however, was pivotal in orchestrating both formal and informal control efforts within this organisation. Originality/value – This study contributes to management control theory and practice in two ways: first, it provides much needed empirical evidence about the ways in which management controls act as a package; second, it offers insights into the relative importance of the components of a management control package in the context of a particular organisational change. In addition, it responds to Laughlin’s (1991) call for empirical “flesh” to be added to the skeletal framework he advocates to make this conceptualisation of organisational change, “more meaningful”.

scholarly journals Multicenter Clinical and Molecular Epidemiological Analysis of Bacteremia Due to Carbapenem-Resistant Enterobacteriaceae (CRE) in the CRE Epicenter of the United States

2017 ◽  
Vol 61 (4) ◽  
Author(s):  
Michael J. Satlin ◽  
Liang Chen ◽  
Gopi Patel ◽  
Angela Gomez-Simmonds ◽  
Gregory Weston ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
New York ◽  
Empirical Therapy ◽  
Carbapenem Resistance ◽  
The United States ◽  
Resistance Mechanisms ◽  
Rapid Diagnostics ◽  
Multicenter Studies ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Medical Centers ◽  
Carbapenem Resistant

ABSTRACT Although the New York/New Jersey (NY/NJ) area is an epicenter for carbapenem-resistant Enterobacteriaceae (CRE), there are few multicenter studies of CRE from this region. We characterized patients with CRE bacteremia in 2013 at eight NY/NJ medical centers and determined the prevalence of carbapenem resistance among Enterobacteriaceae bloodstream isolates and CRE resistance mechanisms, genetic backgrounds, capsular types (cps), and antimicrobial susceptibilities. Of 121 patients with CRE bacteremia, 50% had cancer or had undergone transplantation. The prevalences of carbapenem resistance among Klebsiella pneumoniae, Enterobacter spp., and Escherichia coli bacteremias were 9.7%, 2.2%, and 0.1%, respectively. Ninety percent of CRE were K. pneumoniae and 92% produced K. pneumoniae carbapenemase (KPC-3, 48%; KPC-2, 44%). Two CRE produced NDM-1 and OXA-48 carbapenemases. Sequence type 258 (ST258) predominated among KPC-producing K. pneumoniae (KPC-Kp). The wzi154 allele, corresponding to cps-2, was present in 93% of KPC-3-Kp, whereas KPC-2-Kp had greater cps diversity. Ninety-nine percent of CRE were ceftazidime-avibactam (CAZ-AVI)-susceptible, although 42% of KPC-3-Kp had an CAZ-AVI MIC of ≥4/4 μg/ml. There was a median of 47 h from bacteremia onset until active antimicrobial therapy, 38% of patients had septic shock, and 49% died within 30 days. KPC-3-Kp bacteremia (adjusted odds ratio [aOR], 2.58; P = 0.045), cancer (aOR, 3.61, P = 0.01), and bacteremia onset in the intensive care unit (aOR, 3.79; P = 0.03) were independently associated with mortality. Active empirical therapy and combination therapy were not associated with survival. Despite a decade of experience with CRE, patients with CRE bacteremia have protracted delays in appropriate therapies and high mortality rates, highlighting the need for rapid diagnostics and evaluation of new therapeutics.

scholarly journals Cost effectiveness analysis of implementing tuberculosis screening among applicants for non-immigrant U.S. work visas

Pneumonia ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 12 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Bisma Ali Sayed ◽  
Drew L. Posey ◽  
Brian Maskery ◽  
La’Marcus T. Wingate ◽  
Martin S. Cetron
Keyword(s):  
United States ◽  
Home Country ◽  
Screening Program ◽  
Cost Savings ◽  
The United States ◽  
Active Tuberculosis ◽  
Multiple Perspectives ◽  
Tuberculosis Screening ◽  
Hospitalization Costs ◽  
The U.S

Abstract Background While persons who receive immigrant and refugee visas are screened for active tuberculosis before admission into the United States, nonimmigrant visa applicants (NIVs) are not routinely screened and may enter the United States with infectious tuberculosis. Objectives We evaluated the costs and benefits of expanding pre-departure tuberculosis screening requirements to a subset of NIVs who arrive from a moderate (Mexico) or high (India) incidence tuberculosis country with temporary work visas. Methods We developed a decision tree model to evaluate the program costs and estimate the numbers of active tuberculosis cases that may be diagnosed in the United States in two scenarios: 1) “Screening”: screening and treatment for tuberculosis among NIVs in their home country with recommended U.S. follow-up for NIVs at elevated risk of active tuberculosis; and, 2) “No Screening” in their home country so that cases would be diagnosed passively and treatment occurs after entry into the United States. Costs were assessed from multiple perspectives, including multinational and U.S.-only perspectives. Results Under “Screening” versus “No Screening”, an estimated 179 active tuberculosis cases and 119 hospitalizations would be averted in the United States annually via predeparture treatment. From the U.S.-only perspective, this program would result in annual net cost savings of about $3.75 million. However, rom the multinational perspective, the screening program would cost $151,388 per U.S. case averted for Indian NIVs and $221,088 per U.S. case averted for Mexican NIVs. Conclusion From the U.S.-only perspective, the screening program would result in substantial cost savings in the form of reduced treatment and hospitalization costs. NIVs would incur increased pre-departure screening and treatment costs.

scholarly journals Spo0A Suppresses sin Locus Expression in Clostridioides difficile

mSphere ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 5 (6) ◽  
Author(s):  
Babita Adhikari Dhungel ◽  
Revathi Govind
Keyword(s):  
Diarrheal Disease ◽  
Toxin Production ◽  
The United States ◽  
Upstream Region ◽  
Pcr Analysis ◽  
Bacterial Cells ◽  
Master Regulator ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Clostridioides Difficile

ABSTRACT Clostridioides difficile is the leading cause of nosocomial infection and is the causative agent of antibiotic-associated diarrhea. The severity of the disease is directly associated with toxin production, and spores are responsible for the transmission and persistence of the organism. Previously, we characterized sin locus regulators SinR and SinR′ (we renamed it SinI), where SinR is the regulator of toxin production and sporulation. The SinI regulator acts as its antagonist. In Bacillus subtilis, Spo0A, the master regulator of sporulation, controls SinR by regulating the expression of its antagonist, sinI. However, the role of Spo0A in the expression of sinR and sinI in C. difficile had not yet been reported. In this study, we tested spo0A mutants in three different C. difficile strains, R20291, UK1, and JIR8094, to understand the role of Spo0A in sin locus expression. Western blot analysis revealed that spo0A mutants had increased SinR levels. Quantitative reverse transcription-PCR (qRT-PCR) analysis of its expression further supported these data. By carrying out genetic and biochemical assays, we show that Spo0A can bind to the upstream region of this locus to regulates its expression. This study provides vital information that Spo0A regulates the sin locus, which controls critical pathogenic traits such as sporulation, toxin production, and motility in C. difficile. IMPORTANCE Clostridioides difficile is the leading cause of antibiotic-associated diarrheal disease in the United States. During infection, C. difficile spores germinate, and the vegetative bacterial cells produce toxins that damage host tissue. In C. difficile, the sin locus is known to regulate both sporulation and toxin production. In this study, we show that Spo0A, the master regulator of sporulation, controls sin locus expression. Results from our study suggest that Spo0A directly regulates the expression of this locus by binding to its upstream DNA region. This observation adds new detail to the gene regulatory network that connects sporulation and toxin production in this pathogen.

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