Involvement of 'Outsiders' in the Arctic Region

Since ancient times people have had access to the Arctic Circle, however, the last few decades have seen recent technological advancements that have allowed the area to be explored more comprehensively. This has created a significantly more complex picture than before as it has been called the new “Great Game.” With the rising interests of eight nations and other non-Arctic countries in the region, overlapping territorial claims have the potential to create new challenges. It is anticipated that increased interest will lead to an increase in the number of vessels transiting the region, despite harsh climate conditions. Meanwhile, the Arctic is experiencing environmental change that is inescapably leading to a new geopolitical reality. Authors, such as Jason Dittmer, have claimed that “The Arctic is evolving from a regional frozen backwater into a global hot issue.” This article discusses the colliding interests and current state of affairs of the three Arctic Council Asian observer countries, China, Japan, and South Korea, as well as those of two observer organizations, the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) and the European Union (EU). Sustainability is one of the major priorities of these countries, which has been reflected in their Arctic policies. The reason for examining China, Japan, and South Korea is that they are growing superpowers and industrialized countries with varying interests in regards to the Arctic region.

State of gender equality and climate change in Nepal

The State of Gender Equality and Climate Change is a series of reports covering countries across the Asia-Pacific (Vietnam and Cambodia), and Nepal. The report raises awareness about the need for gender-responsive climate action, analyzes gendered impacts of climate change, and suggests ways to enhance and mainstream gender equality into climate-relevant sectoral policies and actions. The objectives of the report are two-fold: 1. To strengthen country-driven processes by presenting more evidence of the links between gender equality and climate change and analysing gendered impacts in the forestry, agriculture, energy, and water sectors; and 2. To provide country-specific recommendations on enhancing gender responsive policy implementation and actions to further augment the integration of gender equality in climate relevant policy areas. The Nepal country report was prepared by the International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development (ICIMOD), United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), and UN Women.

Conservation compatible energy retrofit technologies: Part I: Introduction to the integrated approach for the identification of conservation compatible retrofit materials and solutions in historic buildings

According to the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), existing European buildings consume about 40% of the total energy consumption in Europe. For this reason, in the last decades, several energy policies have been directed to deep renovation of the existing stock (as last 2018/844). Considering that more than one quarter of all European buildings were constructed before the 1950s, we can assume that many of them are of cultural, architectural, social and heritage values, hence in need of special attention for conservation purposes.

Continental-scale contributions to the global CFC-11 emission increase between 2012 and 2017

The early detection of a global emission increase of CFC-11 after 2012 (Montzka et al., 2018) alerted society to a possible violation of the Montreal Protocol on Substances that Deplete the Ozone Layer (MP). This early alert resulted in parties participating in the MP taking urgent actions (United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), 2019). As a result, atmospheric measurements made in 2019 suggest a sharp decline in global CFC-11 emissions (Montzka et al., 2021). Despite the success in the early detection and mitigation of some of this problem, regions fully responsible for the recent global emission changes of CFC-11 have not yet been identified. Roughly two thirds (60 ± 40 %) of the emission increase between 2008–2012 and 2014–2017 and two thirds (60 ± 30 %) of emission decline between 2014–2017 and 2019 was explained by regional emission changes in eastern mainland China (Park et al., 2021; Rigby et al., 2019). Here, we used atmospheric CFC-11 measurements made from two global aircraft surveys, the HIAPER Pole-to-Pole Observations (HIPPO) in November 2009–September 2011 and the Atmospheric Tomography Mission (ATom) in August 2016–May 2018, in combination with the global CFC-11 measurements made by the U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration during these two periods, to derive global and regional emission changes of CFC-11. Our results suggest Asia accounted for the largest fractions of global CFC-11 emissions in both periods, 43 (37–52) % during November 2009–September 2011 and 57 (49–62) % during August 2016–May 2018. Asia was also primarily responsible for the emission increase between these two periods, accounting for 86 (59–115) % of the global CFC-11 emission rise between the two periods. Besides eastern mainland China, we find that temperate western Asia and tropical Asia also contributed significantly to global CFC-11 emissions during both periods and likely to the global CFC-11 emission increase between these periods. Besides Asia, the atmospheric observations also provide strong constraints on CFC-11 emissions from North America and Europe, suggesting that each of them accounted for 10–15 % of global CFC-11 emissions during the HIPPO period and smaller fractions in the ATom period. For South America, Africa, and Australia, the derived regional emissions had larger dependence on the prior assumptions of emissions and emission changes, due to a lower sensitivity of the observations considered here to emissions from these regions. However, significant increases in CFC-11 emissions from the southern hemispheric lands were not likely due to the observed increase of north-to-south interhemispheric gradients in atmospheric CFC-11 mole fractions from 2012 to 2017.

Top-down and bottom-up estimates of anthropogenic methyl bromide emissions from eastern China

Methyl bromide (CH3Br) is a potent ozone-depleting substance (ODS) that has both natural and anthropogenic sources. CH3Br has been used mainly for preplant soil fumigation, post-harvest grain and timber fumigation, and structural fumigation. Most non-quarantine/pre-shipment (non-QPS) uses have been phased-out in 2005 for non-Article 5 (developed) countries and in 2015 for Article 5 (developing) countries under the Montreal Protocol on Substances that Deplete the Ozone Layer; some uses have continued under critical use exemptions (CUEs). Under the Protocol, individual nations are required to report annual data on CH3Br production and consumption for quarantine/pre-shipment (QPS) uses, non-QPS uses and CUEs to the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP). In this study, we analyzed high precision, in situ measurements of atmospheric concentrations of CH3Br obtained at the Gosan station on Jeju island, Korea, from 2008 to 2019. The background concentrations of CH3Br in the atmosphere at Gosan declined from 8.5 ± 0.8 ppt in 2008 to 7.4 ± 0.6 ppt in 2019 at a rate of −0.13 ± 0.02 ppt yr−1. At Gosan, we also observed periods of persistent concentrations (pollution events) elevated above the decreasing background in continental air masses from China. Statistical back trajectory analyses showed that these pollution events predominantly trace back to CH3Br emissions from eastern China. Using an inter-species correlation (ISC) method with the reference trace species CFC-11 (CCl3F), we estimate anthropogenic CH3Br emissions from eastern China at 4.1 ± 1.3 Gg yr−1 in 2008–2019, approximately 2.9 ± 1.3 Gg yr−1 higher than the bottom-up emission estimates reported to UNEP. Possible non-fumigation CH3Br sources – rapeseed production and biomass burning – were assessed and it was found that the discrepancy is more likely due to unreported or incorrectly reported QPS and non-QPS fumigation uses. These largely-unreported anthropogenic emissions of CH3Br are confined to eastern China and account for 30–40 % of anthropogenic global CH3Br emissions. They are likely due to delays in the introduction of CH3Br alternatives, such as sulfuryl fluoride (SO2F2), heat, irradiation and a possible lack of industry awareness of the need for regulation of CH3Br production and use.

Cradle-to-Grave Life-Cycle Assessment of Cellulosic Fiberboard

According to the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), the construction and operation of buildings accounted for nearly 38% of total global energy-related CO₂ emissions in 2019. The construction sector has been striving to use more low-carbon footprint building products to mitigate climate change and enhance environmentally preferable purchasing. Over the last several decades, there has been substantial growth in engineered wood products for the construction industry. To assess these products used in construction for their environmental profile, lifecycle assessments (LCAs) are performed. This study performed an LCA to estimate environmental impacts (cradle-to-gate and gate-to-grave) of cellulosic fiberboard (CFB) per m³ functional unit basis. The lifecycle inventory data developed were representative of CFB production in North America. Overall, the cradle-to-grave LCA results per m3 of CFB were estimated at 305 kg CO₂ e global warming (GW), 19.3 kg O₃ e photochemical smog formation, 1.03 kg SO₂ e acidification, 0.33 kg N e eutrophication, and 415 MJ fossil-fuel depletion. Except for smog formation, most environmental impacts of CFB were from cradle-to-gate. For example, 71% and 29% of total GW impacts were from cradle-to-gate and gate-to-grave lifecycle stages, respectively. The sensitivity analysis showed that reducing transport distance, on-site electricity use, natural gas for drying, and starch additives in the manufacturing phase had the most influence. Around 353 kg CO₂ e/m³ of CFB is stored as long-term carbon during CFB’s life which is higher than the total cradle-to-grave greenhouse gases (CO₂ e) emissions. Thus, the net negative GW impact of CFB (-47 kg CO₂ e/m³ of CFB) asserted its environmental advantages as an engineered wood panel construction material. Overall, the findings of the presented study would prove useful for improving the decision-making in the construction sector.

Long Term Spatio-temporal Variations of Seasonal and Decadal Aridity in India

A comprehensive analysis of climate data (1958-2018) is carried out at the national scale in India to assess spatiotemporal variation in aridity. The aridity is analyzed using UNEP (United Nations Environment Programme) Aridity Index (AI), which is the ratio between Precipitation (P) and Potential Evapotranspiration (PET). Freely available Terra-Climate database, P and PET variables, offered an unprecedented opportunity for monitoring variations in AI and aridity index anomalies (AIA) at interseasonal and inter-decadal basis. The study also assesses longer term patterns of P and AI anomalies with vegetation anomalies. The results indicate that significant clustered areas with maximum dryness are located at west-central part of India, the state of Maharashtra. Overall, there is a gradual increase in the extent of arid zone during 60-year period and spatially maximum extent of percentage change in aridity area is observed. The change patterns of AI in India are largely driven by the changing patterns of precipitation. The maximum impact of decline in precipitation on AIA was observed during Kharif season frequently, for every 4-5 years during 1972-1992. The pattern repeated in the last few recent years (2013- 2018), the decline in precipitation resulted increased aridity. The study also reveals that the availability and usage of irrigation sources have increased from 2014 to 2018. Thus, despite of less precipitation positive vegetation has been resulted in this period. The findings are important to understand the impacts of climate change on land use pattern, and land and water resource management.

Environmental Standards in the BRICS: An Analysis of Vehicular Pollution

Since its inception, the BRICS has received attention as a geopolitical challenger to the already established institutions of the Global North. BRICS members have also been vocal on issues concerning global environment. Brazil, India, China and South Africa have raised important issues at international conferences on Climate Change. The article looks at the specific issue of vehicular pollution in the BRICS countries. Vehicular pollution standards already in existence through the United Nations Environment Programme and the most cited and practised standards of the European Union remain the yardstick to be followed around the world. The article looks at the standards set up by the individual BRICS countries. Subsequently efforts of the BRICS as a group are explored through their joint statements. The article argues that despite important players in global vehicle market, the BRICS as a grouping has not been able to formulate any viable alternative standards for vehicular emissions.

Level of Ecological and Economic Diversification: A Methodology for Assessing the Sustainability of Agricultural Enterprises

As a global initiative within the framework of the United Nations Environment Programme framework, the Economics of Ecosystems and Biodiversity emphasises the importance of applying a systematic approach to the assessment of Natural Resources and the need to introduce new forms of economic growth to the sustainable development of enterprises. Existing management practices of agricultural enterprises, such as monoculture, create a constant monotonous load on the soil and lead to a decrease in humus content, contribute to erosion, but remain highly profitable. Changing the forms of economic growth in favour of introducing sustainable practices such as organic production, sustainable intensification, and eco-production requires appropriate sources of financing, a high level of environmental awareness, and comprehensive methods for assessing environmental and economic factors. The purpose of the study is to substantiate a methodological approach to a comprehensive assessment of the ecological and economic diversification of an enterprise based on the principles of sustainable development, which allows taking into account the level of diversity of cultivated crops in relation to the structure of marketable products. To achieve this goal, statistical information on the activities of agricultural enterprises in the Kharkivska Oblast was used, as well as monographic, graphical and statistical methods of research. Data analysis and processing were performed using specialised software: Microsoft Excel and Statistica 10. The study presents the developed and tested coefficient of ecological and economic diversification, which allows assessing the level of agrobiodiversity of sown areas and marketable products of agricultural enterprises based on the management results for 2019. The coefficient is based on information theory in the context of applying the Shannon-Weaver index. As a result of the search for the relationship between the coefficient of ecological and economic diversification and profit per 1 hectare, the statement about the gradual loss of profitability during the growth of the number of types of crops is confirmed. However, there are enterprises that maintain profitability during the expansion of the acreage structure. The practical significance of the findings obtained is allows assessing the possibility of adapting the structure of acreage to market conditions, taking into account environmental and economic factors