scholarly journals Lowering the Carbon Emissions Peak and Accelerating the Transition Towards Net Zero Carbon

2021 ◽  
pp. 2150013
Author(s):  
PAN Jiahua
Keyword(s):  
Climate Change ◽  
Carbon Emissions ◽  
Quality Development ◽  
Ecological Civilization ◽  
High Quality ◽  
New Era ◽  
Carbon Neutrality ◽  
Climate Resilience ◽  
Net Zero ◽  
Zero Carbon

China’s declaration to the international community to peak CO2 emissions before 2030 and achieve carbon neutrality before 2060 is of great significance in advancing the objectives of the Paris Agreement, and has a positive and far-reaching impact on China’s high-quality development. This paper expounds on responsibilities and ambitions in tackling climate change, analyzes the high-quality development opportunities brought about by CO2 emissions peak and carbon neutrality, and discusses the net zero carbon emissions transformation in the new era of ecological civilization. This paper is of the view that development towards net zero carbon emissions provides a new impetus for building a Beautiful China, and promoting ecological civilization and green development. The essence of carbon neutrality should be correctly understood so that the world will work together to improve climate resilience. China should also deepen the understanding of the principles and methodologies of climate change economics.

A qualitative assessment of the impact of smart homes and environmentally beneficial technologies on the UK 2050 net-zero carbon emission target

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Ghasson Shabha ◽  
Francesca Barber ◽  
Paul Laycock
Keyword(s):  
Climate Change ◽  
Carbon Emissions ◽  
Smart Home ◽  
Smart Homes ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Net Zero ◽  
Zero Carbon ◽  
The Uk ◽  
Home Technology ◽  
Smart Home Technology

PurposeThere are 29 million homes in the UK, accounting for 14% of the UK's energy consumption. This is given that UK has one of the highest water and energy demands in Europe which needs to be addressed according to the Committee on Climate Change (CCC). Smart homes technology holds a current perception that it is principally used by “tech-savvy” users with larger budgets. However, smart home technology can be used to control water, heat and energy in the entire house. This paper investigates how smart home technology could be effectively utilised to aid the UK government in meeting climate change targets and to mitigate the environmental impact of a home in use towards reducing carbon emissions.Design/methodology/approachBoth primary and secondary data were sought to gain insight into the research problem. An epistemological approach to this research is to use interpretivism to analyse data gathered via a semi-structured survey. Two groups of participants were approached: (1) professionals who are deemed knowledgeable about smart home development and implementation and (2) users of smart home technology. A variety of open-ended questions were formulated, allowing participants to elaborate by exploring issues and providing detailed qualitative responses based on their experience in this area which were interpreted quantitatively for clearer analysis.FindingsWith fossil fuel reserves depleting, there is an urgency for renewable, low carbon energy sources to reduce the 5 tonnes annual carbon emissions from a UK household. This requires a multi-faceted and a multimethod approach, relying on the involvement of both the general public and the government in order to be effective. By advancing energy grids to make them more efficient and reliable, concomitant necessitates a drastic change in the way of life and philosophy of homeowners when contemplating a reduction of carbon emissions. If both parties are able to do so, the UK is more likely to reach its 2050 net-zero carbon goal. The presence of a smart meter within the household is equally pivotal. It has a positive effect of reducing the amount of carbon emissions and hence more need to be installed.Research limitations/implicationsFurther research is needed using a larger study sample to achieve more accurate and acceptable generalisations about any future course of action. Further investigation on the specifics of smart technology within the UK household is also needed to reduce the energy consumption in order to meet net-zero carbon 2050 targets due to failures of legislation.Practical implicationsFor smart homes manufacturers and suppliers, more emphasis should be placed to enhance compatibility and interoperability of appliances and devices using different platform and creating more user's friendly manuals supported by step-by-step visual to support homeowners in the light of the wealth of knowledge base generated over the past few years. For homeowners, more emphasis should be placed on creating online knowledge management platform easily accessible which provide virtual support and technical advice to home owners to deal with any operational and technical issues or IT glitches. Developing technical design online platform for built environment professionals on incorporating smart sensors and environmentally beneficial technology during early design and construction stages towards achieving low to zero carbon homes.Originality/valueThis paper bridges a significant gap in the body of knowledge in term of its scope, theoretical validity and practical applicability, highlighting the impact of using smart home technology on the environment. It provides an insight into how the UK government could utilise smart home technology in order to reduce its carbon emission by identifying the potential link between using smart home technology and environmental sustainability in tackling and mitigating climate change. The findings can be applied to other building types and has the potential to employ aspects of smart home technology in order to manage energy and water usage including but not limited to healthcare, commercial and industrial buildings.

Conclusion

2020 ◽  
pp. 309-312
Author(s):  
Janis Sarra
Keyword(s):  
Climate Change ◽  
Carbon Emissions ◽  
Institutional Investors ◽  
Community Members ◽  
Climate Governance ◽  
Net Zero ◽  
Sustainable Economy ◽  
Zero Carbon ◽  
Combat Climate Change ◽  
Asset Managers

Chapter 10 concludes with some final observations on charting a path forward from ideas to action in the transition to net zero carbon emissions. It draws attention once again to the need for a just and equitable transition to a sustainable economy. It briefly reflects on the coronavirus pandemic lockdown that has commenced. The Appendix offers a governance checklist for directors, officers, pension fiduciaries, and asset managers as they begin to embed effective climate governance in their management and oversight. The Appendix can also be used by employees, investors, community members, and regulators to ask questions that help hold companies and institutional investors accountable for their actions to combat climate change and move towards a sustainable planet.

Leadership for a climate resilient, net-zero health system: Transforming supply chains to the circular economy

2021 ◽  
pp. 084047042110036
Author(s):  
Neil H. Ritchie
Keyword(s):  
Supply Chains ◽  
Circular Economy ◽  
Multiple Stakeholders ◽  
Natural Systems ◽  
Climate Resilience ◽  
Global Pandemic ◽  
Net Zero ◽  
Climate Action ◽  
Zero Carbon ◽  
Single Use

The global pandemic has taught us that we can focus the attention of the healthcare system on a clear intention when there is a looming threat. Climate action is required from multiple stakeholders particularly private sector suppliers in order to achieve the net-zero carbon emission by 2050 goal established by the Canadian government. Also building climate resilience among healthcare institutions and their supply chains is urgently needed, as they are already affected by a changing climate. By adopting a circular economy framework, the industry can move away from the current damaging take, make waste economic model and adopt a more sustainable model characterized by designing out waste and pollution, keeping products and materials in use, and regenerating natural systems. Health leaders can adopt sharing platforms, product as a service, reduce single use products, encourage extended producer responsibility, and value-based procurement in order to further these aims.

scholarly journals Governing Net Zero Carbon Removals to Avoid Entrenching Inequities

2021 ◽  
Vol 3 ◽  
Author(s):  
Peter Healey ◽  
Robert Scholes ◽  
Penehuro Lefale ◽  
Pius Yanda
Keyword(s):  
Climate Change ◽  
Carbon Dioxide ◽  
Food Security ◽  
Natural Resources ◽  
Burden Sharing ◽  
Net Zero ◽  
Global North ◽  
Zero Carbon ◽  
Interdisciplinary Effort ◽  
Global Agreement

Climate change embeds inequities and risks reinforcing these in policies for climate change remediation. In particular, with policies designed to achieve “net zero” carbon dioxide, offsets may be considered inequitable if seen to avoid or delay gross emission reductions; offsets to emissions through technologically mature methods of carbon dioxide removals (CDR) require natural resources at scales threatening food security; knowledge of the potential of immature CDR is largely a global north monopoly; and CDR in particular environments is ill-understood and its implications for development unexamined. The use of CDR to contribute to robust progress toward Paris climate goals requires global agreement on simultaneously reducing emissions and enhancing removals, equity in burden sharing, and an interdisciplinary effort led by individual jurisdictions and focused on the co-development of technologies and governance to create CDR portfolios matched to local needs.

Aqueous phase conversion of CO2 into acetic acid over thermally transformed MIL-88B

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Waqar Ahmad ◽  
Paramita Koley ◽  
Swarit Dwivedi ◽  
Abhijit Shrotri ◽  
Akshat Tanksale
Keyword(s):  
Acetic Acid ◽  
Aqueous Phase ◽  
Carbon Emissions ◽  
Active Sites ◽  
Catalyst Recycling ◽  
Efficient Catalyst ◽  
Co Catalyst ◽  
Net Zero ◽  
Significant Difference ◽  
Zero Carbon

Abstract Sustainable production of acetic acid (AA) is a high priority due to its high global manufacturing capacity and numerous applications. Currently it is predominantly synthesized via carbonylation of methanol, in which both the reactants are fossil-derived. CO2 transformation into AA is highly desirable to achieve net zero carbon emissions, but significant challenges remain to achieve this efficiently. Herein, we report a heterogeneous catalyst, thermally transformed MIL-88B with Fe0 and Fe3O4 dual active sites, for highly selective AA formation via methanol hydrocarboxylation. This efficient catalyst showed high AA yield (590.1 mmol/gcat.L) with 81.7% selectivity at 150°C in aqueous phase using LiI as a co-catalyst. The reaction is believed to proceed via formic acid intermediate. No significant difference in AA yield and selectivity was noticed during catalyst recycling study up to five cycles. This work scalable and industrially relevant for CO2 utilisation to reduce carbon emissions, especially if green methanol and green hydrogen are used.

scholarly journals Achieving Carbon Neutrality for A Future Large Greenhouse Gas Emitter in Quebec, Canada: A Case Study

Atmosphere ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 11 (8) ◽  
pp. 810
Author(s):  
Patrick Faubert ◽  
Sylvie Bouchard ◽  
Rémi Morin Chassé ◽  
Hélène Côté ◽  
Pierre-Luc Dessureault ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Natural Gas ◽  
Literature Review ◽  
Greenhouse Gas ◽  
Paris Agreement ◽  
Liquefied Natural Gas ◽  
Potential Solution ◽  
Carbon Neutrality ◽  
Net Zero ◽  
Zero Carbon

To reach the Paris Agreement targets of holding the global temperature increase below 2 °C above the preindustrial levels, every human activity will need to be carbon neutral by 2050. Feasible means for industries to achieve carbon neutrality must be developed and assessed economically. Herein we present a case study on available solutions to achieve net-zero carbon from the get-go for a planned liquefied natural gas (LNG) plant in Quebec, which would classify as a large Canadian greenhouse gas (GHG) emitter. From a literature review, available options were prioritized with the promoter. Each prioritized potential solution is discussed in light of its feasibility and the associated economic opportunities and challenges. Although net-zero carbon is feasible from the get-go, results show that the promoter should identify opportunities to reduce as much as possible emissions at source, cooperate with other industries for CO2 capture and utilization, replace natural gas from fossil sources by renewable sources and offset the remaining emissions by planting trees and/or buying offsets on the compliance and voluntary markets. As some of these solutions are still to be developed, to ensure timely net-zero pledge for the lifespan of the LNG plant, a portfolio and progressive approach to combine offsets and other options is preferable.

scholarly journals Standards System for High-Quality Development of Ecological Civilization: Problems and Implementation Path

2021 ◽  
Vol 23 (3) ◽  
pp. 40
Author(s):  
Wenbo Cai ◽  
Weihua Xu ◽  
Ning Yang ◽  
Xiaoyong Guo ◽  
Zhiyun Ouyang
Keyword(s):  
Quality Development ◽  
Ecological Civilization ◽  
High Quality

scholarly journals High Quality Development of Comprehensive University Medical Education In China: Problems And Path In The New Era

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Shaochun Lv ◽  
Hanjun Song ◽  
Lulu Cheng
Keyword(s):  
Medical Education ◽  
Medical Personnel ◽  
Quality Development ◽  
Comprehensive University ◽  
High Quality ◽  
Education Development ◽  
Comprehensive Universities ◽  
New Era ◽  
High Level ◽  
Education In China

Abstract Background: In the new era, the situation of medical education in China has undergone significant and profound changes. Medical universities not only carry the historical mission of providing multidisciplinary talent support for the modernization of education, but also are endowed with the tasks and requirements of holding high quality medical education and promoting the construction of Health China. Objective To state the theory of medical education in the new era, this paper analyzes the problems existing in medical education of China's comprehensive universities, and gives the countermeasures and ideas of medical education development. Method: By using literature research, illustrating with examples, conclusion and reasoning methods to analyze and illustrate.Result: This paper interprets the connotation of high-quality development of medical education in the new era, thinks about the current situation features of domestic medical education such as the multilateral exploration of management mode of comprehensive university medical education, lists the main problems in medical education, and discusses the ideas and countermeasures to solve these problems in the future.Conclusion: The reform and development of medical education need to further improve the top-level design, and obtain the understanding and support from stakeholders. The comprehensive university should consider putting medical personnel training in the vision of Health China construction. Under the guidance of the national macro policy of holding high-level undergraduate education, it is imperative to persist in problem-oriented principle and make efforts to reform, using information technology to promote the sharing of educational resources among schools and form a synergy in medical education.

International carbon transition debates to intensify

2019 ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Climate Change ◽  
Carbon Emissions ◽  
Coal Production ◽  
International Labour Organisation ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Carbon Neutrality ◽  
Developed Economies ◽  
The Uk ◽  
The Eu

Subject Carbon transitions. Significance The EU in May failed to reach an agreement on how to achieve a long-term strategy on reducing carbon emissions. One of the issues underlying the persistent differences among member states was the question of how to achieve a ‘just transition’. This is becoming an increasingly significant element of national and international debates on tackling climate change. Impacts The International Labour Organisation believes a transition limiting heat rises to 2 degrees by 2030 would create 24 million jobs globally. Global coal production may stabilise as reductions in developed economies are offset by increases in Asia. The UK Treasury estimates that achieving carbon neutrality by 2050 will cost 1 trillion pounds (1.26 trillion dollars).

scholarly journals Navigating China’s Economic Development in the New Era: From High-Speed to High-Quality Growth

2018 ◽  
Vol 04 (02) ◽  
pp. 177-192
Author(s):  
Quan Heng
Keyword(s):  
Economic System ◽  
High Speed ◽  
Economic Transformation ◽  
Quality Development ◽  
High Quality ◽  
New Era ◽  
Regional Coordination ◽  
Urban Rural ◽  
Timely Fashion ◽  
The Moment

China’s economy has entered a “new normal,” transforming from high-speed growth to high-quality development. In the new era, China does not only need to shift its path of development in a timely fashion, but it should also take bigger steps to modernize its economic system. Facing various new demands and challenges, China must make every effort to foster an economic system that features innovation-driven industries, urban-rural and regional coordination, a market economy with socialist characteristics, as well as lasting momentum for opening-up on all fronts. It is expected that despite the economic difficulties at the moment, China will accelerate its economic transformation to achieve high-quality development and make new contributions to the world economy.

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