Analyzing Dynamic Impacts of Deagriculturalization on CO2 Emissions in Selected Asian Economies: A Tale of Two Shocks

The study investigates the symmetric and asymmetric impact of agriculturalization on environmental quality in sample of selected Asian economies for time period 1991 to 2019. For empirical analysis, the study adopted ARDL-PMG and NARDL-PMG approaches. The long-run findings of ARDL-PMG reveal that agriculturalization tends to significantly improve the quality of environment. The empirical outcomes of NARDL-PMG infer that positive shock in agriculturalization results in enhancing environmental quality, however, the negative shock in agriculturalization (i.e., de-agriculturalization) leads to deterioration of environmental quality in the long-run. The findings demonstrate that agriculturalization improves environmental quality and de-agriculturalization mitigates environmental quality. Based on these findings, the study recommends that the relevant authorities should formulate such reforms in the agriculture sector that controls and reduces carbon emissions in Asian economies.

Dynamic Characteristics of Reinforced Concrete Beams Made of Carbonate Concrete

The ability of solid structures to absorb a certain part of the energy of dynamic impacts has not been properly reflected in impact theories. Meanwhile the effect of material properties on the various structures in the impact is so much that ignoring it when the solution of a large number dynamic problems makes it impossible to explain without distorting quantitatively and qualitatively, many of the actually observed phenomena, for example, equalization of dynamic stresses in places of their concentration and fluctuation of other parameters. In the article, two independent parameters for conventional reinforced concrete beams and those made of limestone concrete are compared, namely dynamic coefficient and the values of elastic rebound in impact. The effect of the reinforcement is not discussed in the paper.

Unfolding the Impacts of a Prolonged COVID-19 Pandemic on the Sustainability of Culinary Tourism: Some Insights from Micro and Small Street Food Vendors

Our study reveals the impacts of various COVID-19-related restrictions on the culinary tourism industry by exploring how street food vendors deal with this unprecedented encounter. The data were collected through semi-structured interviews of 20 street food vendors and later analyzed using qualitative data analysis, focusing on the thematic analysis of coded interview transcripts, as a basis for generalization of our findings. This study unfolds the knock-on effects of the lock-down, social distancing, and movement restrictions imposed on the street food vendors and sheds light on how the culinary tourism industry can become more resilient and sustainable in facing a future or recurring pandemic. Understanding the dynamic impacts of the pandemic will offer insights for the culinary tourism industry and the government in the development of relevant policies to alleviate those impacts and protect the culinary tourism industry in the ‘new normal’ post-pandemic era.

MODELLING AND MONITORING OF STRUCTURAL SAFETY OF UNIQUE UNDERGROUND STRUCTURES OF THE SEWAGE SYSTEM OF LARGE CITIES IN DIFFICULT GROUND CONDITIONS

Anthropogenic and dynamic impacts on facilities of underground urban infrastructure increase at intensive development of megacities. The unique long-operating underground structures of sewage system require special protection against anthropogenic influence as their wear degree in difficult soil conditions reaches 70 % and more. Therefore, providing structural (mechanical) safety of underground structures of excessive level of danger and responsibility defines sustainable operation and future development of geotechnical infrastructure of the megacity in general. Long-term studying dynamics of changes of technical state of underground sewage structures of the megacity, long operating (for more than 70 years) in soft soils, allowed establishing regularities of influence of intensive anthropogenic and dynamic impacts on this process. For the first time, based on developed continuous models of defective structures potentially dangerous sections have been identified, they are subjected to manifestation of critical failures; ways of their correction are presented. Numerical simulation has defined borders of defectless joint operation of the system “target area - geomassif - underground structure". Scientific substantiation of boundaries of areas with potentially dangerous sections of underground sewage facilities with account of external anthropogenic and dynamic impacts constitutes the basis for elaborating regulations on safe development of geotechnical infrastructure of the historical area of St. Petersburg. The proposed methods of monitoring and protection of geotechnical infrastructure have been successfully used for many years by St. Petersburg Vodokanal in areas of influence of anthropogenic factors and objects under construction on underground structures, they ensure an optimal combination of sustainable operation and development of geotechnical infrastructures of megacities.

An initial study of the dynamic influences and interactions upon levels of sustainability at the global spatial scale

This paper conducts an initial determination and evaluation of the fundamental dynamic influences and interactions upon indicated levels and nature of sustainability occurring, at the global spatial scale over the specified period of 2006–2016. This is achieved by the first full application of the Sustainability Dynamics Framework (SDF) to the results of the Sustainable Society Index (SSI). The results indicate that obtained S-values are potentially influenced primarily by a triumvirate of influencing factors – Population Growth, GDP and Greenhouse Gases. A cumulative analysis of indicator categories indicated that Environmental Wellbeing was the dominant influencing category upon obtained S-values for the period 2008–2014, and Anthropospheric Wellbeing was the dominant influence in 2006 and 2016. The analysis concludes that the triumvirate has potentially caused fundamental breaches and dynamic impacts and feedbacks upon the global environment-human relationship and system. Unless the triumvirate is managed and mitigated urgently, then there is a potential realistic risk of unsustainability occurring.