Multiple Threats to Child Health from Fossil Fuel Combustion: Impacts of Air Pollution and Climate Change

Separation processes for the treatment of industrial flue gases - Effective methods for global industrial air pollution control

The treatment of flue gases has become a crucial area of interest with the increasing air emissions into the atmosphere from industries involved in combustion of fossil fuels in their operations. In essence, there is a critical need for effective methods of treatment more than ever. Treatment and separation are now a demand for the overall industrial operations to control the rate of flue gas emissions. The major culprit in this wise is power generating industry. The major associated air pollutants are carbon dioxide, sulfur oxides, trace metals, volatile organic compounds, particulate matters, and nitrogen oxides. However, the choice of technologies to be utilized requires more than just knowledge of the separation process, but also a good understanding of the properties of the pollutants. This review explored and evaluated the various separation processes and technologies for the treatment of industrial flue gases for the control of the associated air pollutants. It also analyzed the performance with references to cost and efficiency, the advantages and disadvantages, principles for selection, research direction, and/or potential opportunities in existing separation processes and technologies.

Examining racial and ethnic heat exposure disparities in New York City (NYC) across different spatial and political scales through geographic effect measure modification

Structural racism in the United States has resulted in neighborhoods with higher proportions of non-Hispanic Black (Black) or Hispanic/Latine residents having more features that intensify, and less that cool, the local-heat environment. This study identifies areas of New York City (NYC) where racial/ethnic heat exposure disparities are concentrated. We analyzed data from the 2013-2017 American Community Survey, U.S Landsat-8 Analysis Ready Data on summer surface temperatures, and NYC Land Cover Dataset at the census tract-level (n = 2098). Four cross-sectional regression modeling strategies were used to estimate the overall City-wide association, and associations across smaller intra-city areas, between tract-level percent of Black and percent Hispanic/Latine residents and summer day surface temperature, adjusting for altitude, shoreline, and nature-cover: overall NYC linear, borough-specific linear, Community District-specific linear, and geographically weighted regression models. All three linear regressions identified associations between neighborhood racial and ethnic composition and summer day surface temperatures. The geographically weighted regression models, which address the issue of spatial autocorrelation, identified specific locations (such as northwest Bronx, central Brooklyn, and uptown Manhattan) within which racial and ethnic disparities for heat exposures are concentrated. Through examining the overall effects and geographic effect measure modification across spatial scales, the results of this study identify specific geographic areas for intervention to mitigate heat exposure disparities experienced by Black and Hispanic/Latine NYC residents.

N/P-doped NiFeV oxide nanosheets with oxygen vacancies as an efficient electrocatalyst for the oxygen evolution reaction

Plasma treatment as an effective strategy can simultaneously achieve surface modification and heteroatom doping. Here, an N/P-doped NiFeV oxide nanosheet catalyst (N/P-NiFeVO) constructed by Ar/PH3 plasma treatment is used to drive the oxygen evolution reaction (OER). The introduction of V species leads to the formation of an ultrathin ordered nanostructure and exposure of more active sites. Compared to the 2D NiFeV LDH, the prepared N/P-NiFeVO by plasma treatment possesses multiple-valence Fe, V and Ni species, which regulate the intrinsic electronic structure and enable a superior catalytic activity for the OER in alkaline media. Specifically, the N/P-NiFeVO only require an overpotential of 273 mV to drive the current density of 100 mA cm-2. What's more, the electrode can maintain a stable current density in a long-term oxygen evolution reaction (∼120 h) under alkaline conditions. This work provides new insight for the rational design of mixed metal oxides for OER electrocatalysts.

Investigating the impact of air pollution and temperature changes on emergency admissions (cardiovascular + respiratory) disease in the city of Bojnord, northeastern Iran

Cardiovascular (CVD) + Respiratory diseases are recognized as the main cause of death worldwide. Fluctuations in temperature and air pollution have been reported as one of the most important causes of cardiovascular & respiratory diseases. Therefore, in the current study, we assessed the relationship between ambient air temperature and pollution on the number of total emergency hospital admission due to cardiovascular and respiratory conditions in the City of Bojnord, northeastern Iran. The meteorological data, including daily temperature, relative humidity and concentrations of five air pollutants CO, NO2, NOX SO2, and PM10 were obtained from online electronic sensors at the Bojnurd meteorological station from 21th March 2018 to 20th March 2020. Statistical analysis, penalized distributed lag non-linear method was applied using R Software. Also, sensitivity analysis test was calculated by using appropriate application. The results of the study revealed that the effect of higher and lower temperatures was observed immediately from the first day and the second week, respectively. Also result showed with increase and decrease temperature, significantly increased the risk of hospitalization by 36% (RR, 1.36; 95% CI (1), 0.95 to 1.95) and 17% (RR, 1.17; 95% CI (1), 0.88 to 1.55) until the lag 25th day, respectively. Based on the results, increasing temperature significantly increased the hospitalization rate of cardiopulmonary patients, but the effect of cold was not significant on the population as well as age and gender subgroups. Study have also proved that there is no significance correlation between air pollutant and Cardiovascular & respiratory diseases.

Climate change and its impact on infectious diseases in Asia

ABSTRACT

Climate change, particularly increasing temperature, changes in rainfall, extreme weather events and changes in vector ecology, impacts the transmission of many climate-sensitive infectious diseases. Asia is the world's most populous, rapidly evolving and diverse continent, and it is already experiencing the effects of climate change. Climate change intersects with population, sociodemographic and geographical factors, amplifying the public health impact of infectious diseases and potentially widening existing disparities. In this narrative review, we outline the evidence of the impact of climate change on infectious diseases of importance in Asia, including vector-borne diseases, food- and water-borne diseases, antimicrobial resistance and other infectious diseases. We also highlight the imperative need for strategic intersectoral collaboration at the national and global levels and for the health sector to implement adaptation and mitigation measures, including responsibility for its own greenhouse gas emissions.

Fe3 C/Fe Decorated N-doped Carbon Derived from Tetrabutylammonium tetrachloroferrate Complex as Bifunctional Electrocatalysts for ORR, OER and Zn-Air Batteries in Alkaline Medium

The emergence of non-precious metal-based robust and economic bifunctional oxygen electrocatalysts for both oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) and oxygen evolution reaction (OER) is crucial for the rational design of commercial rechargeable Zn-air batteries (RZAB) with safe energy conversion and storage systems. Herein, a facile strategy to fabricate a cost-efficient, bifunctional oxygen electrocatalyst Fe3 C/Fe decorated N doped carbon (FeC-700, the catalyst prepared at carbinization temperature of 700 °C) with a unique structure has been developed by carbonization of a single source precursor, tetrabutylammonium tetrachloroferrate(III) complex. The ORR and OER activity revealed excellent performance (ΔE=0.77 V) of the FeC-700 electrocatalyst, comparable to commercial Pt/C and RuO2, respectively. The designed temperature-tuneable structure provided sufficiently accessible active sites for the continuous passage of electrons by shortening the mass transfer pathway, leading to extremely durable electrocatalysts with high ECSA and amazing charge transfer performance. Remarkably, the assembled Zn-air batteries with the FeC-700 catalyst as the bifunctional air electrode delivers gratifying charging-discharging ability with an impressive power density of 134 mW cm-2 with a long lifespan, demonstrating prodigious possibilities for practical application.

The Built Environment and Pediatric Health

Buildings, parks, and roads are all elements of the "built environment," which can be described as the human-made structures that comprise the neighborhoods and communities where people live, work, learn, and recreate (https://www.epa.gov/smm/basic-information-about-built-environment). The design of communities where children and adolescents live, learn, and play has a profound impact on their health. Moreover, the policies and practices that determine community design and the built environment are a root cause of disparities in the social determinants of health that contribute to health inequity. An understanding of the links between the built environment and pediatric health will help to inform pediatricians' and other pediatric health care professionals' care for patients and advocacy on their behalf. This policy statement outlines community design solutions that can improve pediatric physical and mental health, and improve health equity. It describes opportunities for pediatricians and the health care sector to incorporate this knowledge in patient care, as well as to play a role in advancing a health-promoting built environment for all children and families. The accompanying technical report reviews the range of pediatric physical and mental health conditions influenced by the built environment, as well as historical and persistent effects of the built environment on health disparities.

The Use of Fungi of the Trichoderma Genus in Anaerobic Digestion: A Review

Plant waste biomass is the most abundant renewable energy resource on Earth. The main problem with utilising this biomass in anaerobic digestion is the long and costly stage of degrading its complex structure into simple compounds. One of the promising solutions to this problem is the application of fungi of the Trichoderma genus, which show a high capacity to produce hydrolytic enzymes capable of degrading lignocellulosic biomass before anaerobic digestion. This article discusses the structure of plant waste biomass and the problems resulting from its structure in the digestion process. It presents the methods of pre-treatment of lignocellulose with a particular focus on biological solutions. Based on the latest research findings, key parameters related to the application of Trichoderma sp. as a pre-treatment method are discussed. In addition, the possibility of using the digestate from agricultural biogas plants as a carrier for the multiplication of the Trichoderma sp. fungi, which are widely used in many industries, is discussed.

Climate change: Overview of risks to pregnant persons and their offspring

Climate change is one of the greatest challenges confronting humanity. Pregnant persons, their unborn children, and offspring are particularly vulnerable, as evidenced by adverse perinatal outcomes and increased rates of childhood illnesses. Environmental inequities compound the problem of maternal health inequities, and have given rise to the environmental justice movement.  The International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics and other major medical societies have worked to heighten awareness and address the deleterious health effects of climate change and toxic environmental exposures. As part of routine prenatal, neonatal, and pediatric care, neonatal-perinatal care providers should incorporate discussions with their patients and families on potential harms and also identify actions to mitigate climate change effects on their health. This article provides clinicians with an overview of how climate change affects their patients, practical guidance in caring for them, and a frame setting of the articles to follow. Clinicians have a critical role to play, and the time to act is now.

Residential mobility in pregnancy and potential exposure misclassification of air pollution, temperature, and greenness

Introduction

Epidemiological studies commonly use residential addresses at birth to estimate exposures throughout pregnancy, ignoring residential mobility. Lack of consideration for residential mobility during pregnancy might lead to exposure misclassification that should be addressed in environmental epidemiology.

Methods

We investigated potential exposure misclassification from estimating exposure during pregnancy by residence at delivery utilizing a prospective cohort of pregnant women in New York, United States (n = 1899; 2016-2019). We calculated exposure during pregnancy corresponding to each address for fine particles (PM2.5), temperature, and greenness (Enhanced Vegetation Index [EVI]).

Results

Twenty-two percent of participants moved at least once during pregnancy; 82.3% of movers changed residences during the second or third trimesters. Participants with better health, lower parity, and higher socioeconomic status were more likely to move. Exposures based on address at delivery rather than residential history overestimated exposure for PM2.5 (exposure error: range -5.7 to 4.6 µg/m3, average -0.6 µg/m3) and EVI (range -0.305 to 0.307, average -0.013), but not temperature. Overestimations were significantly larger for mothers with higher socioeconomic status. Our findings indicate that the error for prenatal exposure can occur when residential mobility is not considered and is disproportional by maternal characteristics.

Conclusions

Epidemiological studies should consider residential mobility in exposure assessments based on geolocation when possible, and results based on mother's residence at birth should be interpreted with understanding of potential differential exposure misclassification.

Recent advances in dynamic dual mode systems for daytime radiative cooling and solar heating

Thermal management, including heating and cooling, plays an important role in human productive activities and daily life. Nevertheless, in the actual environment, almost all the ambient scenarios come with the challenge that the objects are located in a quite dynamic and variable environment, which includes fluctuations in aspects such as space, time, sunlight, season, and temperature. It is imperative to develop low-energy or even zero-energy thermal-management technologies with renewable and clean energy. In this review, we summarised the latest technological advances and the prospects in this burgeoning field. First, we present the fundamental principles of the daytime passive radiative cooling (PDRC) thermal management device. Next, In the domain of dual-mode systems, they are classified into various types based on the diverse mechanisms of transitioning between cooling and heating states, including electrical responsive, mechanical responsive, temperature responsive, and solution responsive. Furthermore, we conducted an in-depth analysis of the principles and design methodologies associated with these categories, followed by a comparative assessment of their performance in radiative cooling and solar heating applications. Finally, this review presents the challenges and opportunities of dynamic dual mode thermal management, while also identifying future directions.

Before the first breath: why ambient air pollution and climate change should matter to neonatal-perinatal providers

Common outdoor air pollutants present threats to fetal and neonatal health, placing neonatal-perinatal clinical specialists in an important role for harm reduction through patient counseling and advocacy. Climate change is intertwined with air pollution and influences air quality. There is increasing evidence demonstrating the unique vulnerability in the development of adverse health consequences from exposures during the preconception, prenatal, and early postnatal periods, as well as promising indications that policies aimed at addressing these toxicants have improved birth outcomes. Advocacy by neonatal-perinatal providers articulating the potential impact of pollutants on newborns and mothers is essential to promoting improvements in air quality and reducing exposures. The goal of this review is to update neonatal-perinatal clinical specialists on the key ambient air pollutants of concern, their sources and health effects, and to outline strategies for protecting patients and communities from documented adverse health consequences.

Assessing the chemical composition, potential toxicity and cancer risk of airborne fine particulate matter (PM2.5) near a petrochemical industrial area

In the vicinity of a petrochemical industrial region in São Paulo, Brazil, PM_2.5-bound organic carbon (OC), elemental carbon (EC), polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), nitro-PAHs, oxy-PAHs, hopanes, and inorganic species were evaluated. Oxidative potential (OP), burden (OB), and Alivibrio fischeri bioluminescence inhibition (AFBIA) assays were conducted to determine the potential health effects of exposure to these compounds. The PM_2.5 mean concentration was 32.0±18.2µgm^-3, and benzo (a)pyrene was found to exceed recommended levels by at least four times. Secondary sources and vehicular emissions were indicated by nitro-PAHs, oxy-PAHs, and inorganic species. The OP and OB results revealed that secondary compounds favored antioxidant depletion. The AFBIA results showed that 64% of the samples were toxic. These findings emphasize the need to reduce the exposure risk and take measures to protect human health.

Research on the shielding effect of the electrode frames in the electrostatic precipitator

The electrostatic precipitator (ESP) plays an important role in the dust removal from the flue gas. Currently, the shielding effect of electrode frames seriously affects the electric field distribution and dust removal efficiency of ESPs. In order to explore the shielding effect and propose an improved measurement, an experimental setup with RS barbed electrodes and a 480 C type dust collector electrode plate was built to evaluate the corona discharge characteristics. The current density distribution on the surface of the collecting plate was tested on an ESP experimental setup. The effect of electrode frames on the current density distribution was also systematically investigated. The test results show that the current density distribution on the position that directly opposites the needle of RS corona discharge is much higher, on the contrary, the current density on the position that directly opposites the frames is almost zero. It indicates that the frames have a shielding effect on the corona discharge. Therefore, the dust collection efficiency is low in actual ESPs due to the dust escape route caused by the shielding effect. To solve the problem, a new ESP with a split-level frame arrangement was proposed.Implications: The conventional electrostatic precipitators are often affected by the electrostatic shielding effect, which leads to uneven charging. The particulate removal efficiency decreases and escape channels are very easy to form. In this study, effective measures were proposed to solve the electrostatic shielding of dust collector frames by studying their electrostatic shielding mechanism. The study provides theoretical support for the improvement of electrostatic precipitators, while improving the dust removal efficiency.

Crosscutting of the pollutants and building ventilation systems: a literature review

Considering the time spent in enclosed environments, it is essential to study the relationship between pollutants and building ventilation systems to find whether the types and levels of pollutants and greenhouse gasses, which are expected to be exhaled through ventilation systems into the atmosphere, have been adequately evaluated. We propose the hypothesis that the exhaled air from residential buildings contains pollutants that may become another source of contamination affecting urban air quality and potentially contributing to climate drivers. Thus, the main goal of this article is to present a cross-review of the identification of pollutants expected to be exhaled through ventilation systems in residential buildings. This approach has created the concept of "exhalation of buildings" a new concept enclosed within the research project in which this article is included. We analyze the studies related to the most significant pollutants found in buildings and the studies about the relation of buildings' ventilation systems with such pollutants. Our results show that, on the one hand, the increase in the use of mechanical ventilation systems in residential buildings has been demonstrated to enhance the ventilation rate and generally improve the indoor air quality conditions. But no knowledge could be extracted about the corresponding environmental cost of this improvement, as no systematic data were found about the total mass of contaminants exhaled by those ventilation systems. At the same time, no projects were found that showed a quantitative study on exhalation from buildings, contrary to the existence of studies on pollutants in indoor air.

DFT Studies on a Metal Oxide@Graphene-Decorated D-π1-π2-A Novel Multi-Junction Light-Harvesting System for Efficient Dye-Sensitized Solar Cell Applications

Graphene nanocomposites have emerged as potential photoanode materials for increased performance of the dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs) via charge transfer. Various metal-oxide-decorated graphene nanocomposites have widespread applications in energy devices, such as solar cells, fuel cells, batteries, sensors, electrocatalysis, and photocatalysis. However, the possible role of these composites in DSSC applications has largely remained unexplored. Herein, we studied a Sb₂O₃-decorated graphene-D-π₁-π₂-A sensitized TiO₂ nanocomposite (dye-(TiO₂)₉/Sb₂O₃@GO) as a model multi-junction light-harvesting system and examined the impact of various π-bridges on the optical and photovoltaic properties of the push-pull dye system employed in this light-harvesting system. We have shown that by changing the spacer unit, the light sensitivity of nanocomposites can be varied from visible to near-infrared wavelengths. Furthermore, with the integration of metal-oxide-decorated graphene nanocomposites on D-π₁-π₂-A systems and D-π-A systems, composite photoelectrodes displayed better optical and photovoltaic characteristics with an enhanced absorption spectrum in the wavelength range of 800-1000 nm. The performance of the D-π₁-π₂-A system has been evaluated in terms of various photovoltaic parameters such as the highest occupied molecular orbital-lowest unoccupied molecular orbital energy gaps, excited-state oxidation potential (E _dye ^*), free energy of electron injection (G _inject), total reorganization energy (λ_total), and open-circuit voltage (V _oc). This work throws light on the current trends and the future opportunities in graphene-metal oxide nanocomposite-based DSSCs for better harvesting of the solar spectrum and better performance of solar devices.

A Novel Method Based on Hydrodynamic Cavitation for Improving Nitric Oxide Removal Performance of NaClO2

In the removal of nitric oxide (NO) by sodium chlorite (NaClO2), the NaClO2 concentration is usually increased, and an alkaline absorbent is added to improve the NO removal efficiency. However, this increases the cost of denitrification. This study is the first to use hydrodynamic cavitation (HC) combined with NaClO2 for wet denitrification. Under optimal experimental conditions, when 3.0 L of NaClO2 with a concentration of 1.00 mmol/L was used to treat NO (concentration: 1000 ppmv and flow rate: 1.0 L/min), 100% of nitrogen oxides (NOx) could be removed in 8.22 min. Furthermore, the NO removal efficiency remained at 100% over the next 6.92 min. Furthermore, the formation of ClO2 by NaClO2 is affected by pH. The initial NOx removal efficiency was 84.8-54.8% for initial pH = 4.00-7.00. The initial NOx removal efficiency increases as the initial pH decreases. When the initial pH was 3.50, the initial NOx removal efficiency reached 100% under the synergistic effect of HC. Therefore, this method enhances the oxidation capacity of NaClO2 through HC, realizes high-efficiency denitrification with low NaClO2 concentration (1.00 mmol/L), and has better practicability for the treatment of NOx from ships.

Co-hydrothermal carbonization of oil shale and rice husk: Combustion, pyrolysis characteristics, and synergistic effect

Countries all over the world are looking for fuel to replace fossil energy due to environmental concerns and a scarcity of fossil fuels. Oil shale (OS) and rice husk (RH) are both viable fuels, although they both have issues like high ash content and poor calorific value. OS and RH were used as feedstock for high-quality fuel in this study, which uses a hydrothermal technique to provide a novel way to utilize OS and rice. At different hydrothermal temperatures (150, 200 and 250 °C), including combustion and pyrolysis processes, the thermogravimetric analyzer (TGA) was used to analyse thermal transformation characteristics of co-hydrothermal carbonization (co-HTC) of OS and RH, as well as the synergistic effects. Results showed that the co-HTC pretreatment had a significant effect on the thermal transformation behaviour of OS and RH. On the one hand, the co-HTC has higher volatile content than its calculated value. On the other hand, a synergistic effect was found in combustion processes, and this effect was the most obvious when the hydrothermal temperature was around 200 °C, and the characteristic peak of functional groups vibration was strong. Therefore, the co-HTC was considered suitable for combustion. The combination of co-HTC modification with subsequent thermochemical processes has positive implications for the energy production and utilization of organic waste.

The mental health of women and climate change: Direct neuropsychiatric impacts and associated psychological concerns

Climate change brings exposures to heat, air pollution, poorer quality food, and infectious disease that have significant direct effects on women and their mental health. These environmental impacts are multifaceted in their consequences and raise risks of depression, suicide, violent victimization, post-traumatic stress disorder, and various other neuropsychiatric symptoms. Women also suffer increased climate psychological risks from higher rates of stillbirth, preterm birth, and developmental problems in their children. Here we review what is known about the overlap of women's individual mental health and climate change, and highlight areas where more research is needed.

Silk fibroin fibers-based shape memory membrane with Janus wettability for multitiered wearable protection

Realizing breathable shape memory fiber-based material with antibacterial and waterproof performances is important for multitiered wearable protection to address the increasing concerns of air pollution. Herein, using an alternating electrospinning-electrospraying technology, we develop a fiber-based membrane with Janus wettability based on a silk fibroin nanofibers-substrate (SFNFs), a polyurethane nanospheres-top layer (PUNSs), and a middle layer of PU nanofibers-mat with in-situ grown silver nanoparticles (PUNFs-AgNPs), which serves separately for skin contact, a self-cleaning physical barrier to resist external aerosol/bacteria (PM2.5 filtration efficiency ~ 98.1%), and a bio-barrier that can sterilize harmful particles and inhibit bacteria proliferation (> 95%). This breathable Janus film (SFNFs/PUNFs-AgNPs/PUNSs, SPAP) with an antibacterial filter shows shape memory stretchability enabled by the thermoplastic PU component, which is mechanically adaptive to human body for wearable protection. This work presents a breathable wearable material for air-filtration and anti-bacteria, promising for applications such as wound dressings, medical masks, protection suits, and multifunctional filters.

GRAPHICAL ABSTRACT

An alternating electrospinning-electrospraying technology was proposed to achieve a silk fibroin-based antibacterial membrane with Janus wettability, as well as good skin affinity and breathability, which serves well as physical and bio-barriers for water resistance, PM2.5 filtration (~98.1%) and bacteria inhibition (efficiency of 95%). This shape memory Janus membrane can adapt mechanically to human body curvatures for functional wearable protections.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION

The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1557/s43578-022-00805-w.

Analyzing the spatio-temporal directions of air pollutants for the initial wave of Covid-19 epidemic over Bangladesh: Application of satellite imageries and Google Earth Engine

One of the most critical issues for city viability and global health is air quality. The shutdown interval for the COVID-19 outbreaks has turned into an ecological experiment, allowing researchers to explore the influence of human/industrial operations on air quality. In this study, we have observed and examined the spatial pattern of air pollutants, specifically CO, NO₂, SO₂, O3 as well as AOD Over Bangladesh. For that reason, the timeline was chosen from March 2019 to October 2020 (before and during the first surge of COVID-19). The full analysis has been performed in Google Earth Engine (GEE). The findings showed that, CO, SO₂, and AOD levels dropped significantly, but SO₂ dropped slowly and O₃ levels were similar, with marginally greater quantities in some areas during the lockdown than in 2019. During the shutdown, the association involving airborne pollutants and weather parameters (temperature and rainfall) revealed that rainfall and temperature were directly associated with air pollutants. COVID-19 mortality had a high positive connection with NO₂ (R² = 0.145; r = 0.38) and AOD (R² = 0.17; r = 0.412). It is also found that various air impurities concentration has a strong relationship with Covid death. It would help the policymakers and officials to gain a better understanding of the sources of atmospheric emissions to develop a substantial proof of short- and long-term mitigation ways to enhance air quality and reduce the associated disease and disability burden.

Impacts of climate change and environmental degradation on children in Malaysia

The impacts of climate change and degradation are increasingly felt in Malaysia. While everyone is vulnerable to these impacts, the health and wellbeing of children are disproportionately affected. We carried out a study composed of two major components. The first component is an environmental epidemiology study comprised of three sub-studies: (i) a global climate model (GCM) simulating specific health-sector climate indices; (ii) a time-series study to estimate the risk of childhood respiratory disease attributable to ambient air pollution; and (iii) a case-crossover study to identify the association between haze and under-five mortality in Malaysia. The GCM found that Malaysia has been experiencing increasing rainfall intensity over the years, leading to increased incidences of other weather-related events. The time-series study revealed that air quality has worsened, while air pollution and haze have been linked to an increased risk of hospitalization for respiratory diseases among children. Although no clear association between haze and under-five mortality was found in the case-crossover study, the lag patterns suggested that health effects could be more acute if haze occurred over a longer duration and at a higher intensity. The second component consists of three community surveys on marginalized children conducted (i) among the island community of Pulau Gaya, Sabah; (ii) among the indigenous Temiar tribe in Pos Kuala Mu, Perak; and (iii) among an urban poor community (B40) in PPR Sg. Bonus, Kuala Lumpur. The community surveys are cross-sectional studies employing a socio-ecological approach using a standardized questionnaire. The community surveys revealed how children adapt to climate change and environmental degradation. An integrated model was established that consolidates our overall research processes and demonstrates the crucial interconnections between environmental challenges exacerbated by climate change. It is recommended that Malaysian schools adopt a climate-smart approach to education to instill awareness of the impending climate change and its cascading impact on children's health from early school age.

Associations between Mental Health, Lifestyle Factors and Worries about Climate Change in Norwegian Adolescents

Climate change is a serious global health threat that has an impact on young people's lives and may influence their mental health. Since the global climate strike movement, many adolescents have expressed worries about climate change. Thus, the aim of this study is to examine the prevalence of worries about climate change, and factors associated with worries about climate change, in a representative sample of Norwegian adolescents. Data were retrieved from Ungdata, an annual nationwide online youth survey. Adolescents (n = 128,484) from lower and upper secondary school participated in the study. Data were analysed descriptively and with logistic regression. Most of the adolescents were not worried or a little worried about climate change. Girls, pupils who had at least one parent with higher education and pupils from urban areas were more inclined to worry about the climate. Adolescents who worried about the climate had more symptoms of depression than those who were less worried. While worry about climate change may constitute an additional burden for adolescents experiencing depressive symptoms, such worry can also be seen to reflect climate-friendly values.

The association of co-exposure to polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon and phthalates with blood cell-based inflammatory biomarkers in children: A panel study

The association of co-exposure to polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and phthalates (PAEs) with blood cell-based inflammatory biomarkers is largely unknown. We conducted a panel study of 144 children aged 4-12 years, with up to 3 repeated visits across 3 seasons. For each visit, we collected the first-morning urine for 4 consecutive days and fasting blood on the day of physical examination. We developed a gas chromatography/tandem mass spectrometry method to detect the metabolites of 10 PAHs (OH-PAHs) and 10 PAEs (mPAEs) in urine samples. We employed linear mixed-effects models to evaluate the individual associations of each OH-PAH and mPAE with blood cell-based inflammatory biomarkers over different lag times. Bayesian kernel machine regression (BKMR) and quantile g-computation were used to evaluate the overall associations of OH-PAHs and mPAEs mixtures with blood cell-based inflammatory biomarkers. After multiple adjustments, we found positive associations of summed hydroxylphenanthrene (∑OHPHE), summed OH-PAHs, and mono-n-butyl phthalate with inflammatory biomarkers such as neutrophil count, neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio, platelet-to-lymphocyte ratio, and the systemic immune-inflammation index (SII) at lag 0 (the day of physical examination). Each 1% increase in ∑OHPHE was related to a 0.18% (95% confidence interval: 0.10%, 0.25%) increase in SII, which was the strongest among the above associations. The results of BKMR and quantile g-computation suggested that co-exposure to PAHs and PAEs mixture was associated with an elevated white blood cell count, neutrophil count, neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio, platelet-to-lymphocyte ratio, and SII, to which ∑OHPHE and 1-hydroxypyrene (1-OHPYR) might be the major contributors. In addition, gender and age modified the associations of ∑OHPHE and 1-OHPYR with inflammatory biomarkers, where girls and younger children were more susceptible. In conclusion, co-exposure to PAHs and PAEs was associated with elevated inflammation in children, in which ∑OHPHE and 1-OHPYR might play important roles.

Nexus between fossil fuel consumption and infant mortality rate: a non-linear analysis

For nations already facing pollution issues, fossil fuel energy consumption is deteriorating living standards. Though prevailing infrastructure makes fossil fuel energy use feasible for production, it still pollutes our environment. This study in the domain of environment and development assesses the impact of fossil fuel energy consumption on the infant mortality rate in 15 Asian economies during 1996 and 2019. The living standards are assessed using infant mortality rate, while non-linear fossil fuel energy consumption is used with gross capital formation, employment, and preprimary education as independent variables. The feasible generalized least square method evaluates the effects. The study concludes that fossil fuel energy consumption follows a U-shaped relationship explaining infant mortality. The results point out that over-consumption of fossil fuel energy is deteriorating the living standards considering low air quality levels in Asian economies.

A cultural approach to dementia - insights from US Latino and other minoritized groups

Alzheimer disease and related dementias present considerable challenges to health-care and medical systems worldwide. In the USA, older Black and Latino individuals are more likely than older white individuals to have Alzheimer disease and related dementias. In this Perspective, we leverage our experience and expertise with older US Latino groups to review and discuss the need to integrate cultural factors into dementia research and care. We examine the importance of considering the effects of cultural factors on clinical presentation and diagnosis, dementia risk, clinical research and recruitment, and caregiving practices, with a focus on minoritized groups in the USA. We highlight critical gaps in the literature to stimulate future research aimed at improving the prevention and early detection of Alzheimer disease and related dementias and developing novel treatments and interventions across ethnoracially diverse populations. In addition, we briefly discuss some of our own initiatives to promote research and clinical care among Latino populations living in the USA.

Resource management: ways to sustain the environmental gains of COVID-19 lockdown

Natural resources are under constant exploitation due to industrialization and urbanization. Ecological disturbance caused by over exploitation of resources is one of the possible reasons for the outbreak of COVID-19 pandemic. Due to the highly infectious nature of this disease, countries across the world have taken self-imposed isolation measures such as lockdown, quarantine, curfew, etc., to limit human-to-human spread. Though this pandemic has shaken the world and left millions suffering, it has also caused surprising positive effects to environment. Due to reduced human pressure on ecosystems during the lockdown, betterment of air, water quality and biodiversity along with reduced consumption of natural resources have been reported. It is necessary to maintain this improvement in order to avoid the environmental benefits slipping away once the world limbs back to normalcy. The benefits acquired in terms of resource conservation prompt us to avoid unnecessary human interference and adopt sustainable life styles. Wide usage of information and communication technologies (viz. work from home, teleconferencing, e-learning and e-commerce) during the pandemic revealed their potential in meeting the needs of human livelihood and played a significant role in improvement in air quality and reduced resource consumption. Implementing them should be a policy measure during an environmental crisis. Active government involvement is necessary for coordinating institutional and policy aspects of resource conservation. Smooth transitioning to more sustainable post-COVID world thus requires coordinated action at individual, local, national and international levels. Restoring environmental resources is essential to prevent future pandemics.

An overview on the enhanced gas condensate recovery with novel and green methods

A consideration of the negative environmental aspects of fossil fuels has made natural gas the best choice to meet the human demand for energy. The condensate gas reservoir is one source of gases that tolerates skin problems (liquid blockage). Conventional methods for inhibiting or removing liquid blockages are momentary treatments, non-eco-friendly, and expensive. Therefore, new methods have been introduced, such as wettability alteration toward liquid repellency, renewable energies, thermochemical reactions and waves for heating reservoirs, and CO₂ injection. This paper reviews the methods for altering the wettability of porous media by fluorochemicals, fluorinated nanoparticles (NPs), and free fluorocarbon materials from natural substances. NPs, particularly silicon-based types, as a green, clean, and emerging technology that are more compatible with the environment, were investigated for their ability to alter the wettability and upgrade conventional materials, such as polymers and surfactants. The feasibility of using renewable energies, thermochemical reactions, and waves for heating the gas condensate reservoir to overcome the skin problem and return the reservoir to the reasonable and economical gas production is reviewed. Finally, CO₂ injection is introduced as a multi-purpose green method to enhance gas condensate recovery and allow CO₂ sequestration.

Environmental contaminants and child development: Developmentally-informed opportunities and recommendations for integrating and informing child environmental health science

Child environmental health (CEH) science has identified numerous effects of early life exposures to common, ubiquitous environmental toxicants. CEH scientists have documented the costs not only to individual children but also to population-level health effects of such exposures. Importantly, such risks are unequally distributed in the population, with historically marginalized communities and the children living in these communities receiving the most damaging exposures. Developmental science offers a lens and set of methodologies to identify nuanced biological and behavioral processes that drive child development across physical, cognitive, and socioemotional domains. Developmental scientists are also experts in considering the multiple, hierarchically-layered contexts that shape development alongside toxicant exposure. Such contexts and the individuals acting within them make up an overarching "child serving ecosystem" spanning systems and sectors that serve children directly and indirectly. Articulating how biobehavioral mechanisms and social-ecological contexts unfold from a developmental perspective are needed in order to inform CEH translation and intervention efforts across this child-serving ecosystem. Developmentalists can also benefit from integrating CEH science findings in their work by considering the role of the physical environment, and environmental toxicants specifically, on child health and development. Building on themes that were laid out by Trentacosta and Mulligan in 2020, this commentary presents recommendations for connecting developmental and CEH science and for translating such work so that it can be used to promote child development in an equitable manner across this child-serving ecosystem. These opportunities include (1) Using Developmentally-Informed Conceptual Models; (2) Applying Creative, Sophisticated, and Rigorous Methods; (3) Integrating Developmentally-Sensitive Intervention Considerations; and (4) Establishing Interdisciplinary Collaborations and Cross-Sector Partnerships.

The Course and the Effects of Agricultural Biomass Pyrolysis in the Production of High-Calorific Biochar

The thermal pyrolysis of agriculture biomass has been studied in a fixed-bed reactor, where the pyrolysis was conducted at a steady temperature of 800 °C. This work analyses the pyrolysis products of six agricultural wastes: pistachio husks, walnut husks, sunflower hulls, buckwheat husks, corncobs and coconut shells. The conducted research compared examples of large waste biomass streams from different parts of the world as a potential source of renewable energy. Additionally, the kinetics of the reaction with the activation energy were analyzed and calculated for all raw materials in pyrolysis process. Biochars are characterised by higher combustion heat in comparison to the raw material samples. The average value of the heat of combustion increased due to pyrolysis process from 10 MJ/kg, with minimal value of 2.7 MJ/kg (corncob) and maximum of 13.0 MJ/kg for coconut, which is also characterised by the maximal absolute combustion heating value (32.3 MJ/kg). The increase in calorific values varied from 15% to 172% (with 54% reference for wood chips), which indicates that charring is an effective method for increasing the energy concentration. The obtained biochar were compared with wood chips, which are widely used solid fuel of organic origin. The studied biomass-derived fuels are characterised by lower ash contribution than wood. An analogous observation was made for the obtained biochars, whose ash contribution was lower than for the chips in terms of both unit-mass and unit-combustion-heat. The main advantage of this method is the production of solid fuel from biomass, which increases the calorific value and bulk density of biochar in comparison to raw material.

Poor Air Quality in Urban Settings: A Comparison of Perceptual Indicators, Causes and Management in Two Cities

Poor air quality (PAQ) is a global concern, especially in urban areas, and is often seen as an important element of social sustainability given its negative impact on health and quality of life. However, little research has been undertaken in cities of the developing world to explore how residents perceive poor air quality, its main causes, what control measures should be used to address PAQ and where the main responsibility rests for implementing control measures. The research described in this paper sought to address these points, using a questionnaire-based survey (n = 262) in Nigeria’s federal capital city of Abuja (n = 137) and the state-capital city of Enugu (n = 125). The survey took place during the COVID-19 pandemic (October 2020 to March 2021), and was stratified to ensure representation across a number of demographic groups such as gender, age, education and income. The results were analysed using the Kruskal–Wallis non-parametric test and Hochberg’s post hoc test available in SPSS version 28. The study found that the ranking of perceptual indicators and the main causes of PAQ had much agreement between respondents from both cities and between demographic groups. Smoke, odour and dust particles were perceived to be the most important indicators of PAQ, while the main sources of PAQ were waste and bush burning, vehicle use and power generators. The two most preferred control measures were proper waste management and the avoidance of bush burning. However, there was a significant difference between the two cities in terms of the main organisations responsible for addressing PAQ, with respondents from Abuja citing the federal government, while those from Enugu cited the state government. Interestingly, younger people in Enugu noted that the government should take more responsibility in controlling PAQ than did the older demographic in that city, but this difference was not seen in Abuja. Overall, this study reveals that residents in these two Nigerian cities clearly recognise their exposure to PAQ and it suggests that these perceptual indicators, and views on sources and interventions should be central to designing policies to control this important issue.

Air Pollution, Health Shocks and Labor Mobility

The health shocks caused by air pollution seriously interfere with people’s economic life. Based on the air pollution index and health shock index calculated by the principal component entropy weight method, this article analyzes the impact of air pollution on labor mobility, and adopts the mediation effect model to test the mediation effect of health shocks, using the threshold model to analyze the time and the health shocks threshold effect of air pollution on labor mobility. Its conclusions are as follows: (1) Air pollution has a negative impact on the net inflow of labor mobility, and the net inflow of labor mobility decreases between 24.9% and 44.7% on average for each unit increase in the health shocks of air pollution. (2) The impact of air pollution on labor mobility is all caused by health shocks; the health shocks are also an important factor influencing the decrease in the labor mobility supply across provinces, and the different health levels of the migrating individuals due to air pollution. (3) The health shocks of air pollution have a single-time threshold effect on labor mobility, and the health shocks of air pollution in China have intensified after 2010, confirming that China’s Lewis turning point was 2010. (4) The attraction effect of stable and higher regional real income will partially offset the repulsion effect of health shocks of air pollution on labor mobility, when the health-shocks index of air pollution exceeds the threshold value of 1.9873. Finally, the policy implications of the health shocks of air pollution on labor mobility are also formulated.

Children and Parents' Awareness Regarding Potential Hazards Derived from the Use of Chemical Products in Greece

Over the last decades, human activities prompted the high production and widespread use of household chemical products, leading to daily exposure of humans to several chemicals. The objective of this study was to investigate the frequency of chemicals' use by children and parents in Greece and estimate the level of risk awareness and understanding among them. A total of 575 parents and children were asked to answer an anonymous, closed-ended, validated, and self-administered questionnaire. One-third of the children and almost half of the parents participating in the study believed that commonly used chemical products do not pose any risk to human health or to the environment, despite the product labelling. The majority of both children (61.8%) and parents (70.6%) were informed about product safety via the product labelling. Around 20% in both groups could not differentiate between systemic toxicity and acute lethal effects depicted by pictograms on the label and milder hazards, such as skin irritation. Moreover, the information on hazard and precautionary statements appearing on the label was very poorly perceived. Therefore, as both children and parents seem not to clearly identify the hazards and risks arising from the use of everyday chemical products, targeted awareness policies should be implemented to support the safe use of household products.

Association between climate and infectious diseases among children in Varanasi city, India: A prospective cohort study

The effects of climate on infectious diseases could influence the health impacts, particularly in children in countries with the unfair socioeconomic conditions. In a prospective cohort of 461 children under 16-years-of-age in Varanasi city, India, the association of maximum-temperature (Tmax), relative humidity (RH), absolute humidity (AH), rainfall (RF), wind-speed (WS), and solar radiation (SLR) with prevalent infectious diseases (Diarrhea, Common cold and flu, Pneumonia, Skin-disease and Malaria, and Dengue) was examined using binomial-regression, adjusting for confounders and effect modifiers (socioeconomic-status; SES and child anthropometry), from January 2017 to January 2020. Attributable-fraction (AFx) was calculated due to each climate variable for each infectious disease. The result showed that each unit (1 °C) rise in Tmax was associated with an increase in diarrhea and skin-disease cases by 3.97% (95% CI: 2.92, 5.02) and 3.94% (95% CI: 1.67, 6.22), respectively, whereas, a unit decline in Tmax was associated with an increase in cold and flu cases by 3.87% (95% CI: 2.97, 4.76). Rise in humidity (RH) was associated with increase in cases of cold and flu by 0.73% (95% CI: 0.38, 1.08) and malaria (AH) by 7.19% (95% CI: 1.51, 12.87) while each unit (1 g/m³) decrease in humidity (AH) observed increase in pneumonia cases by 3.02% (95% CI: 0.75, 5.3). WS was positively associated with diarrhea (14.16%; 95% CI: 6.52, 21.80) and negatively with dengue (17.40%; 12.32, 22.48) cases for each unit change (kmph). RF showed marginal association while SLR showed no association at all. The combined AFx due to climatic factors ranged from 9 to 18%. SES and anthropometric parameters modified the climate-morbidity association in children with a high proportion of children found suffering from stunting, wasting, and underweight conditions. Findings from this study draw the attention of government and policymakers to prioritize effective measures for child health as the present association may increase disease burden in the future under climate-change scenarios in already malnourished paediatric population through multiple pathways.

Assessment and mitigation of toddlers' personal exposure to black carbon before and during the COVID-19 pandemic: A case study in Singapore

Black carbon (BC), an important indicator of traffic-related air pollution (TRAP) in urban environments, is receiving increased attention because of its adverse health effects. Personal exposure (PE) of adults to BC has been widely studied, but little is known about the exposure of young children (toddlers) to BC in cities. We carried out a pilot study to investigate the integrated daily PE of toddlers to BC in a city-state with a high population density (Singapore). We studied the impact of urban traffic on the PE of toddlers to BC by comparing and contrasting on-road traffic flow (i.e., volume and composition) in Singapore in 2019 (before the COVID-19 pandemic) and in 2020 (during the COVID-19 pandemic). Our observations indicate that the daily BC exposure levels and inhaled doses increased by about 25% in 2020 (2.9 ± 0.3 μg m^-3 and 35.5 μg day^-1) compared to that in 2019 (2.3 ± 0.4 μg m^-3 and 28.5 μg day^-1 for exposure concentration and inhaled dose, respectively). The increased BC levels were associated with the increased traffic volume on both weekdays and weekends in 2020 compared to the same time period in 2019. Specifically, we observed an increase in the number of trucks as well as cars/taxis and motorcycles (private transport) and a decline in the number of buses (public transport) in 2020. The implementation of lockdown measures in 2020 resulted in significant changes in the time, place and duration of PE of toddlers to BC. The recorded daily time-activity patterns indicated that toddlers spent almost all the time in indoor environments during the measurement period in 2020. When we compared different ventilation options (natural ventilation (NV), air conditioning (AC), and portable air cleaner (PAC)) for mitigation of PE to BC in the home environment, we found a significant decrease (>30%) in daily BC exposure levels while using the PAC compared to the NV scenario. Our case study shows that the PE of toddlers to BC is of health concern in indoor environments in 2020 because of the migration of the increased TRAP into naturally ventilated residential homes and more time spent indoors than outdoors. Since toddlers' immune system is weak, technological intervention is necessary to protect their health against inhalation exposure to air pollutants.

Google Earth Engine based spatio-temporal analysis of air pollutants before and during the first wave COVID-19 outbreak over Turkey via remote sensing

Air pollution is one of the vital problems for the sustainability of cities and public health. The lockdown caused by the COVID-19 outbreak has become a natural laboratory, enabling to investigate the impact of human/industrial activities on the air pollution. In this study, we investigated the spatio-temporal density of TROPOMI-based nitrogen dioxide (NO₂) and sulfur dioxide (SO₂) products, and MODIS-derived Aerosol Optical Depth (AOD) from January 2019 to September 2020 (also covering the first wave of the COVID-19) over Turkey using Google Earth Engine (GEE). The results showed a significant decrease in NO₂ and AOD, while SO₂ unchanged and had slightly higher concentrations in some regions during the lockdown compared to 2019. The relationship between air pollutants and meteorological parameters during the lockdown showed that air temperature and pressure were highly correlated with air pollutants, unlike precipitation and wind speed. Moreover, Purchasing Managers' Index (PMI) data, indicator of economic/industrial activities, also provided poor correlation with air pollutants. TROPOMI-based NO₂ and SO₂ were compared with station-based pollutants for three sites (suburban, urban, and urban-traffic classes) in Istanbul, revealing 0.83, 0.70 and 0.65 correlation coefficients for NO₂, respectively, while SO₂ showed no significant correlation. Besides, AOD data were validated using two AERONET sites providing 0.86 and 0.82 correlation coefficients. Overall, the satellite-based data provided significant outcomes for the spatio-temporal evaluation of air quality, especially during the first wave of the COVID-19 lockdown.

Perceptions and knowledge of air pollution and its health effects among caregivers of childhood cancer survivors: a qualitative study

BACKGROUND

Emerging research suggests that survivors of childhood and adolescent cancers are at risk for morbidity and mortality associated with air pollutants. However, caregiver perceptions of the effects of air pollution are unknown. Thus, to address this gap we described caregivers' perceptions of air pollution's impact on general population health and specifically on childhood cancer survivors, and caregivers' air pollution information-seeking and exposure reduction behaviors.

METHODS

Participants were Utah residents, ≥18 years, and caregiver of a childhood cancer survivor who had completed treatment. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with caregivers to describe their perspectives on air quality, how air pollution impacts health (general population and survivor health), and their information seeking and exposure reduction behaviors. Interviews were recorded, transcribed, and analyzed through two rounds of structured coding.

RESULTS

Caregivers (N = 13) were non-Hispanic white and primarily females (92.3%) between 30 and 49 years old (46.2%). Most families lived within the Wasatch Front (69.2%), the main metropolitan of Utah. Two categories emerged pertaining to caregiver's perceptions of air pollution: 1) Limited awareness about the health effects of air pollution, and 2) Unsuccessful information seeking and minimal exposure reduction behaviors. All caregivers held negative perceptions of air pollution in Utah, but most were unaware of how pollution affects health. While some families limited air pollution exposure by avoiding outdoor activity or physically leaving the region, few practiced survivor-specific exposure reduction. Nearly half of caregivers worried about potential effects of air pollution on survivor health and wanted more information.

CONCLUSIONS

Despite negative perceptions of air pollution, caregivers were divided on whether air pollution could impact survivor health. Few caregivers engaged in exposure reduction for their cancer survivor. As air pollution levels increase in the U.S., continued research on this topic is essential to managing cancer survivor respiratory and cardiovascular health.

Global distribution and coincidence of pollution, climate impacts, and health risk in the Anthropocene

Previous research demonstrates that low-income countries face higher risks than high-income countries from toxic pollution and climate change. However, the relationship between these two risks is little explored or tested, and efforts to address the risks are often independent and uncoordinated. We argue that the global risks from toxic pollution and climate change are highly correlated and should be jointly analyzed in order to inform and better target efforts to reduce or mitigate both risks. We provide such analysis for 176 countries and found a strong (r_s = -0.798;95%CI -0.852, -0.727) and significant (p<0.0001) relationship between the distribution of climate risk and toxic pollution. We also found that inequities in pollution production, economic status, and institutional readiness are interconnected and exacerbate risk for countries already in the highest risk categories for both toxic and non-toxic (greenhouse gas) pollution. The findings have policy implications, including the use of the proposed Target assessment to decide where best to address toxic and non-toxic pollution simultaneously, based on the need to minimize human suffering and maximize return on effort.

Sulfone-containing Conjugated Polyimide 2D Nanosheets for Efficient Water Oxidation

Water oxidation is a bottleneck in artificial photosynthesis that impedes its practicality for solar energy conversion and utilization. It is highly desired to significantly improve the efficacy of the existing catalysts or to rationally design new catalysts with improved performance. We report a novel conjugated and sulfone containing polyimide as a metal-free photocatalyst synthesized via a two-step method: (i) synthesis of precursor poly(amic acid) (PAA) (ii) solvothermal synthesis of polyimide through thermal imidization. The synthesis of the polyimide photocatalyst was demonstrated by the amide linkage in the FTIR spectrum. The obtained photocatalyst was semicrystalline in nature and possessed sheet-like morphology as illustrated by the diffraction pattern and the electron micrographic images, respectively. The thermogravimetric analysis of the polyimide nanosheets validated a thermally stable structure. The DFT calculations were performed which showed a suitable HOMO band position, favorable for water oxidation. The photoelectrocatalytic (PEC) performance of the polyimide nanosheets evaluated by studying water oxidation reaction without any sacrificial agent under 1-SUN showed enhanced PEC performance and good stability towards water oxidation at 0 V versus SCE.

Net Zero Energy Buildings: Variations, Clarifications, and Requirements in Response to the Paris Agreement

Buildings contribute to greenhouse gas emissions that cause environmental impacts on climate change. Net Zero Energy (NZ) buildings would reduce greenhouse gases. The current definition of NZ lacks consensus and has created uncertainties, which cause delays in the adoption of NZ. This paper proposes a Process for Clarification to Accelerate the Net Zero (PC-A-NZ) through three integrated steps: variations, strategies, and requirements. We expand on the results in published NZ literature to clarify the differences in definition and strategy. The objective of this review is to (1) distinguish current variable parameters that are slowing the acceptance of NZ, and (2) focus the discussion internationally on moving faster toward applying NZ to a larger common agreement. The publications of global NZ target assessment and energy efficient strategies will be reviewed to address the main requirements in expediting NZ’s successful progress. Our NZ review analysis highlights (1) how the existing NZ definitions and criteria differ, (2) how calculation strategies vary, and (3) how standards and requirements are often localized. The proposed PC-A-NZ will help policymakers and stakeholders to re-evaluate the existing definitions, standards, and requirements to optimize the use of renewable technologies, improved energy efficiency and electrification to speed up achieving the NZ targets. Definition: There are multiple NZ definitions that vary in source and supply requirement, timescale, emission source, and grid connection.

Association between household air pollution and child mortality in Myanmar using a multilevel mixed-effects Poisson regression with robust variance

Household air pollution (HAP) from solid fuel use (SFU) for cooking is a major public health threat for women and children in low and middle-income countries. This study investigated the associations between HAP and neonatal, infant, and under-five child mortality in Myanmar. The study consisted of 3249 sample of under-five children in the households from the first Myanmar Demographic and Health Survey 2016. Fuel types and levels of exposure to SFU (no, moderate and high) were proxies for HAP. We estimated covariate-adjusted relative risks (aRR) of neonatal, infant, and under-five child mortality with 95% confidence intervals, accounting for the survey design. The prevalence of SFU was 79.0%. The neonatal, infant, and under-five child mortality rates were 26, 45, and 49 per 1000 live births, respectively. The risks of infant (aRR 2.02; 95% CI 1.01-4.05; p-value = 0.048) and under-five mortality (aRR 2.16; 95% CI 1.07-4.36; p-value = 0.031), but not neonatal mortality, were higher among children from households with SFU compared to children from households using clean fuel. Likewise, children highly exposed to HAP had higher risks of mortality than unexposed children. HAP increases the risks of infant and under-five child mortality in Myanmar, which could be reduced by increasing access to clean cookstoves and fuels.

Personal exposure to equivalent black carbon in children in Milan, Italy: Time-activity patterns and predictors by season

Air pollution is a global threat to public health, especially when considering susceptible populations, such as children. A better understanding of determinants of exposure could help epidemiologists in refining exposure assessment methods, and policy makers in identifying effective mitigation interventions. Through a participatory approach, 73 and 89 schoolchildren were involved in a two-season personal exposure monitoring campaign of equivalent black carbon (EBC) in Milan, Italy. GPS devices, time-activity diaries and a questionnaire were used to collect personal information. Exposure to EBC was 1.3 ± 1.5 μg/m³ and 3.9 ± 3.3 μg/m³ (mean ± sd) during the warm and the cold season, respectively. The highest peaks of exposure were detected during the home-to-school commute. Children received most of their daily dose at school and home (82%), but the highest dose/time intensity was related to transportation and outdoor environments. Linear mixed-effect models showed that meteorological variables were the most influencing predictors of personal exposure and inhaled dose, especially in the cold season. The total time spent in a car, duration of the home-to-school commute, and smoking habits of parents were important predictors as well. Our findings suggest that seasonality, time-activity and mobility patterns play an important role in explaining exposure patterns. Furthermore, by highlighting the contribution of traffic rush hours, transport-related microenvironments and traffic-related predictors, our study suggests that acting on a local scale could be an effective way of lowering personal exposure to EBC and inhaled dose of children in the city of Milan.

Environmental aspect of energy transition and urbanization in the OPEC member states

More than any other nations, the crude oil-exporting countries and especially the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) are likely to experience a more difficult energy-transitioning regime because of the economies' high dependence on crude oil revenue. By using the Pooled Mean Group (PMG) Autoregressive Distributed Lag Models (ARDL) approach, this study examines the impact of the energy transition albeit from conventional to clean energy on carbon emissions in 11 members of the OPEC. While engaging the aforementioned objective, the study further examined the validity of the Environmental Kuznets Curve (EKC) hypothesis amidst urbanization drive among the countries. The result from the long-run estimates shows that fossil fuel utilization exerts a positively significant on environmental degradation in the selected countries, while the observed negative impact of renewable energy utilization and urbanization on carbon dioxide emission (CO₂) was insignificant in both the short and long run. The implication is that the current energy transition policy of the OPEC states is not sufficient at driving the states' environmental sustainability agenda. In addition, the EKC was not valid in the panel of the OPEC countries for the period of study, rather a U-shaped relation is established between income level and environmental degradation. Thus, this further posits that there is a setback in the push for environmental quality especially when there is an improvement in economic well-being through income growth in the OPEC states. Moreover, findings from the panel causality test show that there is no causality running from both fossil fuel and renewable energy consumption to the income level among the countries. On the contrary, a uni-directional causality was obtained from income level to renewable energy consumption, while urbanization strongly Granger causes fossil fuel use and CO₂ emissions among the countries. As such, it is concluded that energy conservation policies can be implemented to reduce extreme dependence on fossil fuel use with little or no detrimental consequences, thus positioning the countries for economic prosperity in a sustainable environment.

Global Crises: Gendered Vulnerabilities of Structural Inequality, Environmental Performance, and Modern Slavery

Climate change and modern slavery are two of the most significant human rights crises of our time. Women and children are disproportionately vulnerable to such crises, which are intensified under inequitable social conditions and driven by structural barriers to female equality. No research has yet looked at the complex relationship between climate crisis, structural gender inequality, human insecurity, and vulnerability to modern slavery. Our research examined the relationship between environmental stressors associated with climate change, selected structural inequalities, and the estimated prevalence of modern slavery cases across 180 countries. Regression analysis revealed significant results. These findings suggest that indicators of poor environmental health may exacerbate structural social inequalities and increase women’s risk of falling victim to modern slavery. Results showed that women’s share of seats in parliament, education for women, tree cover loss, agricultural management, and air quality assumed more substantial roles in this prediction. Awareness of the unique relationship between environmental indicators of climate change, gender inequality, and modern slavery provides a meaningful contribution to our understanding of factors driving human exploitation. Additionally, we propose a gender analysis of environmental stressors to address both the climate crisis and structural inequalities that increases female vulnerability to insecurity.

The mortality impacts of current and planned coal-fired power plants in India

We examine the health implications of electricity generation from the 2018 stock of coal-fired power plants in India, as well as the health impacts of the expansion in coal-fired generation capacity expected to occur by 2030. We estimate emissions of SO₂, NO_X, and particulate matter 2.5 μm (PM_2.5) for each plant and use a chemical transport model to estimate the impact of power plant emissions on ambient PM_2.5 Concentration-response functions from the 2019 Global Burden of Disease (GBD) are used to project the impacts of changes in PM_2.5 on mortality. Current plus planned plants will contribute, on average, 13% of ambient PM_2.5 in India. This reflects large absolute contributions to PM_2.5 in central India and parts of the Indo-Gangetic plain (up to 20 μg/m³). In the south of India, coal-fired power plants account for 20-25% of ambient PM_2.5 We estimate 112,000 deaths are attributable annually to current plus planned coal-fired power plants. Not building planned plants would avoid at least 844,000 premature deaths over the life of these plants. Imposing a tax on electricity that reflects these local health benefits would incentivize the adoption of renewable energy.