Do Green Finance and Environmental Regulation Play a Crucial Role in the Reduction of CO2 Emissions? An Empirical Analysis of 126 Chinese Cities

Green finance and environmental regulation can reduce CO2 emissions and promote the sustainability of economic development. Based on panel data of 126 resource-based prefecture-level cities in China from 2005 to 2017, the current study used a dynamic panel data model to empirically determine the CO2 emission reduction effects of different green finance instruments under different environmental regulatory intensities. The results showed that green finance tools had significant negative effects on the intensity of CO2 emissions, and green finance can adapt to environmental regulations of different intensities, which cooperated to promote carbon emission reduction. Moreover, in comparison, the debt-based green finance instrument had a stronger effect than the equity-based green finance instrument, and they did not show a coupling relationship. An administrative adjustment in green finance and environmental regulation is required to reduce environmental emissions and to improve sustainable development.

Polymer tiles from polyethylene terephthalate (PET) wastes and fly ash: mechanical properties and durability

Background: Plastic waste (PW) is becoming increasingly hazardous to the environment as a result of its massive production, causing significant damage to both the ecosystem and its inhabitants. Managing plastic waste is a global concern due to its non-biodegradable nature. However, it is important to handle PWs properly to curtail the environmental emissions associated with their incineration and dumping into landfills. This research investigates the possibility of producing tiles from polyethylene terephthalate (PET) waste bottles and fly ash. The mechanical properties, as well as the chemical resistance of the manufactured PET polymer tiles, are reported in this study. Methods: PET waste was used in varying proportions (from 30% to 100%) by sand weight. The shredded PET waste was heated at 230 oC before being suitably blended with fly ash. It was then poured into the designated mold, removed after one hour, and cooled for 24 hours before testing. Results: The assessment of the physical and mechanical properties of the materials revealed that the tiles produced with 30% PET content performed better in terms of material density and strength compared to the samples with higher PET content. The highest compressive strength being 6.88 MPa. Based on the results of the tests, the produced PET tiles have a low water absorption efficiency of 80% lower when compare to cement and ceramic tiles (the water absorption values are between 0.98% and 0.09%). Conclusions: The results from this study indicate that PET waste bottles can be used to produce long-lasting, durable, and extremely low water absorption eco-friendly tiles for both residential and commercial applications. This prospect of tile production using polyethylene terephthalate (PET) waste and fly ash would not only minimize the cost of building products but will also act as a waste diversion to mitigate environmental emissions caused by plastic waste disposal.

Environmental spatial heterogeneity of the impacts of COVID-19 on the top-20 metropolitan cities of Asia-Pacific

This study investigated the environmental spatial heterogeneity of novel coronavirus (COVID-19) and spatial and temporal changes among the top-20 metropolitan cities of the Asia-Pacific. Remote sensing-based assessment is performed to analyze before and during the lockdown amid COVID-19 lockdown in the cities. Air pollution and mobility data of each city (Bangkok, Beijing, Busan, Dhaka, Delhi, Ho Chi Minh, Hong Kong, Karachi, Mumbai, Seoul, Shanghai, Singapore, Tokyo, Wuhan, and few others) have been collected and analyzed for 2019 and 2020. Results indicated that almost every city was impacted positively regarding environmental emissions and visible reduction were found in Aerosol Optical Depth (AOD), sulfur dioxide (SO2), carbon monoxide (CO), and nitrogen dioxide (NO2) concentrations before and during lockdown periods of 2020 as compared to those of 2019. The highest NO2 emission reduction (~ 50%) was recorded in Wuhan city during the lockdown of 2020. AOD was highest in Beijing and lowest in Colombo (< 10%). Overall, 90% movement was reduced till mid-April, 2020. A 98% reduction in mobility was recorded in Delhi, Seoul, and Wuhan. This analysis suggests that smart mobility and partial shutdown policies could be developed to reduce environmental pollutions in the region. Wuhan city is one of the benchmarks and can be replicated for the rest of the Asian cities wherever applicable.

520 Late-Breaking: Effect of Technology on Environmental Emissions from Four Representative U.S. Feedlots and the Beef Production System

Our objective was to evaluate effects of technological management strategies on environmental impacts and net returns of feedlot operations in the United States. Feedlot operations were simulated with the Integrated Farm System Model (IFSM 4.6; USDA-ARS, University Park, PA) to quantify baseline environmental impacts of feedlot production and full US beef cattle production systems. Strategies simulated included: ionophore, implant, ractopamine hydrochloride, combined management (ionophore, implant, and ractopamine hydrochloride; I+I+R), lubabegron, reduced mortality rate, and improved fiber digestion. Days on feed were adjusted whenever necessary and according to production practices typical of commercial feedlots. Subsequently, annual number of cattle finished by the operation was adjusted according to days on feed to maintain consistent one-time capacities. Mitigation strategies were individually modeled and simulated in IFSM for each feedlot operation to calculate intensities (expressed per kg gain) for greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, fossil energy use, blue water consumption, and reactive nitrogen loss. Additionally, net returns to management were estimated for each feedlot operation. Feedlots were then integrated with simulations of cow-calf, stocker, and backgrounding operations to estimate environmental intensities (expressed per kg carcass weight) for the full beef cattle production system. Carbon emission intensity was reduced most using the I+I+R strategy (10%), followed by implant (6%) and ionophore (5%) strategies alone. Similarly, energy use intensity was reduced the greatest by I+I+R (9%), ionophore (5%), and implants (4%). Reductions in water use intensity were also greatest using I+I+R (9%). Net returns increased for all strategies compared to baseline net return with the greatest improvements observed for I+I+R ($114/finished animal) and implants ($66/animal). Consistent results were observed for all strategies simulated across all four environmental intensities when quantified for the full cattle production system. Implementing I+I+R (7%), ractopamine hydrochloride (4%), and lubabegron (4%) in feedlots resulted in the greatest reductions in environmental emissions.

Integrated Horticultural Practices for Improving Apple Supply Chain Sustainability: A Case Study in the North China Plain

Apple production provides smallholders with low economic benefits, while high environmental emissions limit the sustainability of the apple supply chain. Furthermore, coordination to achieve greater economic benefits and environmental protection, thereby improving the sustainability of the apple supply chain, remains underdeveloped. Here, we have analyzed the current status of the economic benefits and environmental emissions of the apple production process and explored the level of collaboration within the apple supply chain, based on an analysis of farmer horticultural practices for high production, high economic benefit, and low environmental emissions, in combination with substance flow analysis. Our study showed that compared with traditional practice, high-yielding, high-efficiency practice allowed fruit yield, partial productivity of nitrogen fertilizer, and economic benefit to increase by 33%, 61% and 49%, respectively, while soil nitrogen residue levels decreased by 13%. The improvement and adoption of technology in the apple-planting process significantly improved the sustainability of the apple supply chain: the economic benefit increased by 63%, while the nitrogen footprint decreased by approximately 68%. Additionally, the application of integrated nutrient management technology in the apple planting process significantly improved the sustainability of apple production, thereby synergistically improving the economic and environmental impact of the apple supply chain.

Comparison between Historical and Real-Time Techniques for Estimating Marginal Emissions Attributed to Electricity Generation

Electricity generation is tied to various environmental and social consequences. In prior studies, the environmental emissions associated with electricity generation were calculated using average emission factors (AEFs) whose use is different from the method of marginal emission factors (MEFs) in regard to the geographical redefinition and new policies applied to the US electricity grid in 2013. Moreover, the amount of emissions being released at a generation site depends on the technology of the generating units; it is important to take into account this factor as well. Thus, this paper provides comparisons between different historical and real-time approaches of estimating MEFs (i.e., CO2, SO2, and NOx) for the Midcontinent Independent System Operator (MISO) electricity region. The region under study is the same for all the scenarios, although the comparative time frames are different. The study is focused on the similarities observed in the data trends and system behaviors. We carry out different temporal comparisons whose results show the value of real-time approaches for estimating the MEFs for each location and at any time. These approaches can be extended to other regions to assist with proper investment and policy making, thereby increasing the grid efficiency, mitigating the environmental emissions, and clarifying the byproducts of energy consumption.

Sustaining Oil and Gas Fields by Using Multiphase Gas Compression to Increase Production and Reserves, and Lower Operating Costs and Environmental Emissions Footprint

A multiphase compressor has been developed that provides: compression ratios up to 40:1, the ability to handle multiphase and slugging flow, and a very broad and flexible operating range allowing it to be positioned near the wellhead. Currently the product is targeted at onshore unconventional fields, and field data have been collected on such fields. For deployment to onshore unconventional fields the multiphase compressor has been packaged within a system so that it is easily transportable and fully self-contained, requiring no external power source or utilities. Also, minimal effort is required to tie in at the wellpad (just process connections in and out), no downhole intervention is needed, and typically no site preparations are required, which allow it to be easily relocatable with minimal sunk investment cost. Onshore applications include: Artificial lift from surface to increase production and reserves, and reduce operating costs – applicable to both oil wells with moderate quantities of gas present, and gas wells suffering from liquid loading. Field data show production enhancement of up to 300% versus alternative forms of artificial lift. ‘Frac hit’ recovery to restore parent well production more quickly (by accelerated recovery of preload or ‘frac hit’ fluids from parent wells) – applicable to both oil and gas wells. Field data show accelerated fluid removal versus alternative forms of artificial lift and reservoir studies indicate around an order of magnitude faster recovery of fluids. Lower methane and CO2 emissions and operating costs from field operations – operator intensive flowbacks to open top tanks to kick wells off can instead be achieved with the multiphase compressor, which also avoids the methane emissions to the environment associated with open top tank flowbacks or CO2 emissions from flaring. Lower methane and CO2 emission field development options – by enabling multiphase gathering to centralized facilities, the emissions associated with poor pad separation and the associated fugitive emissions from on-site storage and movement of volatile liquids can be eliminated, and at the same time eliminating operating costs associated with intensive distributed operations such as road tanker export of oil from wellpads. Additionally, abandonment of late life conventional oil and gas reservoirs and wells can be deferred by avoiding slugging well flows for longer – adding both production and reserves, and removing the operating cost associated with kicking off wells. For land conventional well applications the same multiphase compressor and package can be deployed as for unconventional fields – and the system packaging can be easily adjusted to deploy to offshore platforms. The multiphase compressor has also been redesigned for subsea, and uses the same principles of operation to provide unique benefits for subsea applications: particularly for late life gas wells to add more production and reserves than would be possible from existing subsea multiphase boosting. Operators will be able to deliver more production and reserves from their existing assets, reduce operating costs, and lower environmental emissions from their production operations.