Kinetic Energy Recovery from a Landing Aircraft: Energy Analysis, Environmental and Economic Prospects

The Intergovernmental panel on Climate Change has sounded its alarm through its special report on the impact of global warming of 1.5oC and called for a strengthened global response to the threat of climate change. Despite that the COVID-19 pandemic has left a devastating effect on the aviation industry, this is forecasted to bounce back and recover within a few years. It is therefore important now to revisit opportunities for a better balance between social, environmental and economic impact of the sector. The European Union has been leading the way in limiting the environmental impacts of aviation. Despite that most of the R&D effort has been focused on the airborne phase, the European Union is legislating so that all aircraft movements on the ground are set to be emission-free by 2050. The paper focuses on engineless aircraft taxiing with the aim to reduce emissions on the ground. We demonstrate that upon landing, an aircraft has enough kinetic energy, which if recovered could power a 5-minute engineless taxiing process. When scaled to a large fleet such as low-cost carriers, this emissions problem can be turned on its head and becomes an opportunity for fuel savings and a reduction in emissions on the ground. The paper also demonstrates that the cost to retrofit such technology can be recovered in a short timeframe and therefore there is an economic incentive to the airline. © 2022 ICAS. All Rights Reserved.

Intelligent Image Processing for Monitoring Solar Photovoltaic Panels

Despite the COVID-19 pandemic, the global photovoltaic (PV) market grew significantly again in 2021, further enhancing the vital role of solar power in the battle against global climate change. One of the main reasons for the rapid growth of this market is that PV panels are almost maintenance-free after deployment, thereby low Levelized cost of solar power. However, this does not mean that PV panels will not fail in service. In fact, they may suffer from performance degradation, structural failure, or even complete loss of power generation capacity during operation. If these problems cannot be detected and solved in time, they may also bring significant economic losses to the operators. However, a large-scale solar power plant will contain hundreds of thousands of PV panels. How to quickly identify those defective ones from so many PV panels is a quite challenging issue. The research of this paper is to address this issue with the aid of intelligent image processing technology. In this study, an intelligent PV panel condition monitoring technique is developed using machine learning algorithms. It can rapidly process, analyze and classify the thermal images of PV panels collected from solar power plants. Therefore, it not only can quickly identify those defective PV panels but also can accurately diagnose the defect types of the PV panels. It is deemed that the successful development of such a technology will be of great significance to further strengthen the scientific management of solar power assets. © 2023, The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Switzerland AG.

Association Between Air Pollution, Climate Change, and COVID-19 Pandemic: A Review of the Recent Scientific Evidence

Background: Recent studies indicated the possible relationship between climate change, environmental pollution, and Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. This study reviewed the effects of air pollution, climate parameters, and lockdown on the number of cases and deaths related to COVID-19. Methods: The present review was performed to determine the effects of weather and air pollution on the number of cases and deaths related to COVID-19 during the lockdown. Articles were collected by searching the existing online databases, such as PubMed, Science Direct, and Google Scholar, with no limitations on publication dates. Afterwards, this review focused on outdoor air pollution, including PM2.5, PM10, NO2, SO2, and O-3, and weather conditions affecting severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2)/COVID-19. Results: Most reviewed investigations in the present study showed that exposure to air pollutants, particularly PM2.5 and NO2, is positively related to COVID-19 patients and mortality. Moreover, these studies showed that air pollution could be essential in transmitting COVID-19. Local meteorology plays a vital role in coronavirus spread and mortality. Temperature and humidity variables are negatively correlated with virus transmission. The evidence demonstrated that air pollution could lead to COVID-19 transmission. These results support decision-makers in curbing potential new outbreaks. Conclusions: Overall, in environmental perspective-based COVID-19 studies, efforts should be accelerated regarding effective policies for reducing human emissions, bringing about air pollution and weather change. Therefore, using clean and renewable energy sources will increase public health and environmental quality by improving global air quality.

The role of sustainability assessment tools in realizing bioenergy and bioproduct systems

The pressing global challenges, including global warming and climate change, the Russia-Ukraine war, and the Covid-19 pandemic, all are indicative of the necessity of a transition from fossil-based systems toward bioenergy and bioproduct to ensure our plans for sustainable development. Such a transition, however, should be thoroughly engineered, considering the sustainability of the different elements of these systems. Advanced sustainability tools are instrumental in realizing this important objective. The present work critically reviews these tools, including techno-economic, life cycle assessment, emergy, energy, and exergy analyses, within the context of the bioenergy and bioproduct systems. The principles behind these methods are briefly explained, and then their pros and cons in designing, analyzing, and optimizing bioenergy and bioproduct systems are highlighted. Overall, it can be concluded that despite the promises held by these tools, they cannot be regarded as perfect solutions to address all the issues involved in realizing bioenergy and bioproduct systems, and integration of these tools can provide more reliable and accurate results than single approaches. © 2022 BRTeam. All rights reserved.

Climate Changes, Natural Resources Depletion, COVID-19 Pandemic, and Russian-Ukrainian War: What Is the Impact on Habits Change and Mental Health?

Climate Change, Natural Resources Depletion, COVID-19, and Wars are some of the great challenges of our time. The consequences will affect psychological well-being and could have a harmful impact on mental health. This study aimed to assess the level of preoccupation and fears surrounding issues of the 21st-century and the implication for psychological well-being of the general population from Central/Southern Italy among different age groups. A questionnaire that included sociodemographic characteristics, topics formulated ad-hoc about preoccupation, fears, habits, and willingness to change habits in the future related to the 21st-century challenges, and the Depression Anxiety Stress Scales 21 (DASS-21) was administered online. A sample of 1831 participants (61% F; mean age 47.71 ± 17.30) was obtained. Results showed that young adults and older adults, respectively, reported greater and less psychological well-being. Young adults reported higher scores for preoccupation, changing habits, and willingness to change habits in the future, while older adults reported the lowest scores except for changing habits, also controlling for gender. Results for this variable, as well as correlations between the many variables described, rely on the specificity of age, and 21st-century challenges. Moreover, the main fears related to the 21st-century concerns were different based on both age and gender. In conclusion, the various stresses of the 21st-century discussed in this study have a relationship with personal well-being, and it is important to consider potential global mental health issues resulting from these stressors.

The Current State of Food Security in Kazakhstan, in the Context of Eurasian Economic Union. Environmentally Overview in the Case of Climate Change's Scenarios

In the context of changing climatic factors, for the purpose of food security, it is necessary to use certain quantitative components of the global food system. This research article presents a comprehensive analysis of the current state of food security in the Republic of Kazakhstan in connection with the Eurasian Economic Union, including the agricultural system of the countries of Eurasia and food trade, an analysis of the main indicators of agriculture and their spatial and temporal characteristics from 1991 to 2021. The profound impact of COVID-2019 on food systems has been described. We scientifically substantiate the importance of maintaining a balance of interests of the common market for agricultural products and protecting the sovereignty of the states that are members of the EAEU, in the context of assuring measures to ensure food security and climate changes. Taking into consideration the main economic indicators of the agro-industrial complex, we will conduct a comprehensive analysis of the volume of agricultural production determine the level of per capita consumption of basic food products. Despite the achievements of Kazakhstan in the agricultural sector in spatial and temporal changes, we identify specific problems that negatively affect the growth of its production potential. As a result, we will reveal the causes of price instability, the lack of access to socially significant goods in Kazakhstan, and also offer some ways to solve these in the conditions of climate changes. © 2022 by ASERS® Publishing.

Above the Fog and the Fury: EU Strategic Policy Planning and the EU’s Future in Times of Global Uncertainty

Foreign policy is often dominated by the short term and dealing with urgencies at the expense of strategic planning. EU foreign policy is not immune to this risk. This begs the question of the EU’s ability to articulate strategic thinking and longer-term policy action in times of great uncertainty as caused by the Covid-19. Put simply, strategic planning and strategic foresight are disciplines that aim at identifying possible futures, mapping options and charting possible responses and strategic goals and as such support informed and sound policy-making. On that account, the EU has developed over time strategic policy frameworks for its foreign policy, such as the European Security Strategy in 2003 and the Global Strategy in 2016, that have served the Union rather well in navigating the global environment. The Covid-19 has come at a defining moment. Fraught with geopolitical stakes and global challenges, the EU’s ability to act strategically is being stress-tested on an unprecedented scale. Strengthening European strategic autonomy has emerged from policy planning work as the compass that can guide EU action through this period of geopolitical and global reshuffling. At the same time strengthening the Union’s strategic policy planning function and means has become a necessity to secure the effectiveness of external action. © 2021 Kluwer Law International BV, The Netherlands

Mapping and Visualizing Global Knowledge on Intermittent Water Supply Systems

Intermittent water supply systems (IWSSs) are prevalent in most developing countries and some developed ones. Their usage is driven by necessity rather than as a principal objective, mostly due to technical and economic deficiencies. Major health risks and socio‐economic inequities are associated with such systems. Their impacts are aggravated by climate changes and the COVID‐ 19 crisis. These are likely to have profound implications on progress toward advancing sustainable development goals (SDGs). Motivated by providing a comprehensive overview of global knowledge on IWSSs, the present work proposed to track and analyze research works on IWSSs utilizing bibliometric techniques and visual mapping tools. This includes investigating the trends and growth trajectories of research works on IWSSs and analyzing the various approaches proposed to expand our understanding with respect to the management, modeling, optimization, and impacts of IWSSs. The national and international contributions and collaboration figures are further analyzed at country, institution, author, and source levels. This analysis indicates that research works conducted on IWSSs have certain expectations in terms of productivity (total global productivity;197 documents). The United States was the best country in terms of productivity (58 documents;29.4%), while the Water Switzerland journal was the most productive journal (19 documents;9.6%). The impacts of IWSSs on health and well‐being have attracted considerable attention. The outcomes showed deep and justified worries in relation to the transition from intermittent to continuous supply, equity, and mitigating the health risks associated with IWSSs in the foreseen future. The utilization of artificial intelligence techniques and expert systems will drive and shape future IWSS‐related research activities. Therefore, investments in this regard are crucial. © 2022 by the author. Licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland.

Synergies Between COVID-19 and Climate Change Impacts and Responses

The COVID-19 pandemic and anthropogenic climate change are global crises. We show how strongly these crises are connected, including the underlying societal inequities and problems of poverty, substandard housing, and infrastructure including clean water supplies. The origins of all these crises are related to modern consumptive industrialisation, including burning of fossil fuels, increasing human population density, and replacement of natural with human dominated ecosystems. Because business as usual is unsustainable on all three fronts, transformative responses are needed. We review the literature on risk management interventions, implications for COVID-19, for climate change risk and for equity associated with biodiversity, water and WaSH, health systems, food systems, urbanization and governance. This paper details the considerable evidence base of observed synergies between actions to reduce pandemic and climate change risks while enhancing social justice and biodiversity conservation. It also highlights constraints imposed by governance that can impede deployment of synergistic solutions. In contrast to the response to the COVID-19 pandemic, governance systems have procrastinated on addressing climate change and biodiversity loss as these are interconnected chronic crises. It is now time to address all three to avoid a multiplication of future crises across health, food, water, nature, and climate systems.

Noncommunicable diseases, climate change and iniquities: What COVID-19 has taught us about syndemic.

BACKGROUND: COVID-19 is generating clinical challenges, lifestyle changes, economic consequences. The pandemic imposes to familiarize with concepts as prevention, vulnerability and resilience. METHODS: We analysed and reviewed the most relevant papers in the MEDLINE database on syndemic, noncommunicable diseases, pandemic, climate changes, pollution, resilience, vulnerability, health costs, COVID-19. RESULTS: We discuss that comprehensive strategies must face multifactorial consequences since the pandemic becomes syndemic due to interactions with noncommunicable diseases, climate changes and iniquities. The lockdown experience, on the other hand, demonstrates that it is rapidly possible to reverse epidemiologic trends and to reduce pollution. The worst outcome is evident in eight highly industrialized nations, where 12% of the world population experienced about one-third of all COVID-19-deaths worldwide. Thus, a great economic power has not been fully protective, and a change of policy is obviously needed to avoid irreversible consequences. CONCLUSIONS: We are accumulating unhealthy populations living in unhealthy environments and generating unhealthy offspring. The winning policy should tackle structural inequities through a syndemic approach, to protect vulnerable populations from present and future harms.