A cross-cultural study of sustainable nutrition and its environmental impact in Asia and Europe:A comparison of China and Germany

Global challenges such as climate change,biodiversity loss,and health crises necessitate a shift towards sustainable diets.Incorporating sustainability into food-based dietary guidelines(FBDGs)is essential for this shift,and cultural considerations also play a vital role,as food culture significantly influences dietary habits.Considering that Asia and Europe exhibit distinct food cultures,tailored approaches are necessary.Additionally,countries face diverse nutritional challenges,ranging from malnutrition to diet-related diseases,and regional variation in environmental impact necessitates context-specific strategies.Achieving sustainable nutrition depends on understanding cultural influences and regional dynamics.This paper compares China’s and Germany’s dietary guidelines and dietary patterns and their impact on sustainability.It shows that Chinese and German FBDGs only slightly differ,despite the different eating cultures and habits of each country.Alone the recommended amounts for eggs and fish are considerably higher in China than in Germany.However,in both China and Germany,actual dietary patterns deviate from the dietary guidelines.In China,concomitant with economic growth and urbanization,a dietary shift towards increased consumption of animal products and decreased consumption of vegetables and cereals has been observed in the last decades,which has led to a decline in nutritional deficiencies but an increase in obesity and overweight.Obesity and overweight are also on the rise in Germany.A dietary shift could therefore also be beneficial for public health.While following the respective national guidelines would benefit the environment,alternative diets such as a plant-based diet offer even lower environmental footprint.Revising guidelines to prioritize sustainability in addition to health aspects while considering regional contexts and cultural preferences is recommended to foster sustainable eating habits globally.This approach is pivotal for promoting dietary shift towards sustainability on a global scale.

Effect of urban symbiosis development in China on GHG emissions reduction

This paper analyzes current urban symbiosis development and application in China, and then conducts a statistical analysis of the emissions reduction of CO2 and CH4 in relation to recovery of iron and steel scraps, waste paper, and waste plastics from 2011 to 2014 using the greenhouse gas（GHG） emission inventory calculation method provided by the IPCC. Results indicate that the cumulative recovery of renewable resources during China＇s main urban symbiosis development in 2011-2014 was 803.275 Mt, and the amount of iron and steel scraps, waste paper, and waste plastic recovery was the largest, respectively accounting for 62.2%, 18.0%, and 8.2% of total recovery in 2014. In addition, the cumulative emissions reduction of GHGs in relation to recovery of iron and steel scraps, waste paper, and waste plastics in 2011-2014 was27.962 Mt CO2-eq, 954.695 Mt CO2-eq, and 22.502 Mt CO2-eq, respectively, thereby totaling 1005.159 Mt CO2-eq. Results show a remarkable GHG emissions reduction during 2011-2014.

Optimal scenario balance of reduction in costs and greenhouse gas emissions for municipal solid waste management

To reduce carbon intensity, an improved management method balancing the reduction in costs and greenhouse gas(GHG)emissions is required for Tianjin's waste management system. Firstly, six objective functions, namely, cost minimization, GHG minimization, eco-efficiency minimization, cost maximization, GHG maximization and eco-efficiency maximization, are built and subjected to the same constraints with each objective function corresponding to one scenario. Secondly, GHG emissions and costs are derived from the waste flow of each scenario. Thirdly, the range of GHG emissions and costs of other potential scenarios are obtained and plotted through adjusting waste flow with infinitely possible step sizes according to the correlation among the above six scenarios. And the optimal scenario is determined based on this range. The results suggest the following conclusions. 1) The scenarios located on the border between scenario cost minimization and GHG minimization create an optimum curve, and scenario GHG minimization has the smallest eco-efficiency on the curve; 2) Simple pursuit of eco-efficiency minimization using fractional programming may be unreasonable; 3) Balancing GHG emissions from incineration and landfills benefits Tianjin's waste management system as it reduces GHG emissions and costs.

Comparison of the ＂Global Levy Scheme＂ with the ＂Emissions Trading Scheme＂ to Reduce Greenhouse Gas Shipping Emissions

Climate change is widely recognized as the major environmental problem facing the globe today. One of the most urgent environmental problems facing shipping industry is the reduction of GHG （greenhouse gas） emissions from its operations. Given the growing concern of the international community on ＂the deep reduction of global GHG emissions＂, it cannot be expected that the non-regulation of maritime GHG emissions can further continue. This paper investigates the main challenges and threats of the development of two MBMs （market-based measures） for the reduction of GHG emissions from international shipping, i.e., the ＂global levy scheme on maritime GHG emissions＂ and the ＂maritime emission trading scheme＂. A SWOT （strengths weaknesses opportunities threat） analysis is used, in this survey, to evaluate the environmental effectiveness as well as the easiness of implementation of the two policy options. Moreover, we make apparent their strengths and weaknesses concerning abatement of maritime GHG emissions. Given the fact that the discussion regarding the implementation of some MBMs with maritime GHG-emission reduction potential is still carried out with the exception of EEDI （energy efficiency design index） and SEEMP （ship energy efficiency management plan）, this paper＇s results present special significance, as they could be further analyzed and taken into account during the adoption of any future MBM for the reduction of maritime GHG emissions.

Livestock Demand, Global Land Use Changes, and Induced Greenhouse Gas Emissions

With increasing global population and income, the demand for livestock products continues to grow and is likely to grow in future as well. This raises concerns about the implications of such growth for the environment. A well-known Computable General Equilibrium model (CGE), GTAP- BIO, is used to project the growth of livestock output between 2004 and 2022 and to estimate the land use changes and associated Greenhouse Gas (GHG) emissions. Results indicate that the increased livestock output leads to considerable increase in pasture (about 45 million hectares) and decrease in forest area (about 44 million hectares) between 2004 and 2022. Estimated emissions associated with this change are about 20 billion tons of carbon dioxide equivalent (CO2 e) during 2004-2022 or an annual average of 1.1 billion tons. Results also indicate that a significant portion of the emissions (about 11%) can be reduced if consumer preferences could be altered. In practice, this will require policy interventions that promote substitution of non-ruminant for ruminant meat products.

Tracking the change in Spanish greenhouse gas emissions through an LMDI decomposition model:A global and sectoral approach

The reduction of GHG emissions to reverse the greenhouse effect is one of the main challenges in this century.In this paper we pursue two objectives.First,we analyze the evolution of GHG emissions in Spain in 2008–2018,at both the global and sectoral levels,with the variation in emissions decomposed into a set of determining factors.Second,we propose several actions specifically oriented to more tightly controlling the level of emissions.Our results showed a remarkable reduction(18.44%)in GHG emissions,mainly due to the intensity effect,but also to the production-per-capita effect.We detected somewhat different patterns among the various sectors analyzed.While the intensity effect was the most influential one in the agricultural,transport,and others sectors,the production-per-capita effect was predominant in the case of industry.The carbonization effect was revealed as crucial in the commerce sector.The above findings highlight the importance of the energy efficiency measures taken in recent years in the Spanish economy,also pointing to the need to deepen those strategies and to propose new measures that entail greater efficiency in emissions.Additional efforts in areas like innovation,R&D,diffusion of more eco-friendly technologies,and a greater use of greener energies all prove to be essential reduction actions to fight the greenhouse effect.

The Logistics of Production and Supply of Ag Pellets for Industrial Applications in Canada

In this work we analyze the supply of biomass from field to an in-land or port destination. The biomass is pelletized to increase its bulk density to extend its storage period and for ease of its transport. The pellet may be used for conversion to chemicals and animal bedding or for straight combustion. We analyzed supply chain in Saskatchewan where there are plenty of crop residues but widely dispersed and harvest seasons are short. We envisioned that the farmer collects bales from field and transports the bales to farmstead during the harvest season. The bales are then processed into pellets using small scale pellet equipment. A custom operator with expertise in pelletization may engage in handling and densifying the biomass. The business case for the mobile mill will be similar to the well established custom grain and forage harvesting operations. The pellets are stored in hopper bottom grain bins at the farmstead. From this point, the handling of pellets would be similar to the handling and marketing of grain. The farmer trucks a specified volume of pellets from farmstead to the nearest elevator where the pellets are transferred to larger bins or silos. Pellets are extracted from silos and loaded onto the rail cars. The Canadian freight rail companies (mainly CN) currently transport over 3 million dry tonne (dt) of wood pellets in rail cars. The pellets are hauled to marine ports on the West Coast or East Coast for export. The cost of delivering ag pellets to biorefinery or to the shipping port is $86.09/dt. This cost does not include the equivalent value of removing biomass from the farm (e.g. fertilizer replacement) and return on investment. The GHG emissions to produce and transport ag pellets add up to 185.9 kg of CO2 per dt of biomass. The cost of producing pellets without drying feedstock is $35.05/dt and the corresponding GHG for palletization amounts $146.30/dt.

Formulation of a Net Zero Assessment System for Healthcare Facilities

The international efforts to limit climate change are increasing, that during the COP26 convention, reaching Net Zero Greenhouse Gas emissions became part of the global goals for many countries and entities. One of the sectors that holds the responsibility of addressing the impacts of climate change is the healthcare sector, and accordingly, it is also encouraged to take a leading role in maintaining its sustainability and be a role model for the other sectors. Additionally, the buildings sector, through the World Green Building council, has taken the initiative to launch the Net Zero Carbon Buildings Commitment for the sector. Based on these practices, the work presented aims to introduce and formulate an Approaching Net Zero assessment methodology to be integrated as part of the sustainability criteria and rating system for healthcare facilities in developing countries. The methodology planned is based on four different aspects which are: 1) Approaching Net Zero Energy, 2) Approaching Net Zero Wastewater, 3) Approaching Net Zero Solid Waste, and 4) Approaching Net Zero GHG emissions. The facility should have achieved a Green Building certification through any certification body, and then apply for the aspect on which it requires to be assessed. The assessment methodology follows a systematic approach, where a baseline year of normal operation is determined for existing facilities to act as a base of assessment, and normal design practices for new facilities Based on the assessment and proof of performance enhancement, the facility will either be awarded a basic certificate for achieving continuous savings, or additionally be awarded a best performance certificate compared to other facilities in the same category.

Structural characteristics and drivers of greenhouse gas emissions at county-level and long-time scales:A case study of the Anji County,China

To achieve carbon neutrality,the Chinese government needs to gain a comprehensive understanding of the sources and drivers of greenhouse gas(GHG)emissions,particularly at the county level.Anji County in eastern China is a typical example of an industrial transformation from quarrying to a low-carbon economy.This study analyzed the decoupling types and structural characteristics of GHG emissions and the driving factors of carbon dioxide(CO_(2))emissions in the Anji from 2006 to 2019,and explored the differences between countylevel and provincial-level or city-level results.It was observed that energy-related activities are the main source of GHG emissions in Anji and that economic development is the driving factor behind the increasing CO_(2)emissions.However,industrial transformation and upgradation coupled with the alternative use of clean energy limit the growth of GHG emissions.This study details the GHG emissions of county during the industrial transformation stage and provides corresponding policy recommendations for county governments.

Advanced Strategies to Mobilize Crop Residue to Replace Coal in India

Various published data show the amount of crop residue available annually in India may range from a low of 90 to a high of 180 million tonnes. Different types of crop residue are collected from farmers depending on the geography and crop pattern for instance, in north India rice straw and cotton stalks are collected while in central India soya husk and sugarcane tops are collected. Baling and transporting straw from the field, though appear to be an option for safe disposal, will be feasible only when alternate, effective and economically viable usage methods are identified and facilities and infrastructure for ex-situ management methods are created. One immediate short term use of the residue is to replace 5% - 7% of the 670 million tonnes of coal India currently consumes to generate power. The farmers will benefit from the sale of their excess crop residue. The scheme will reduce pollution due to residue burning practices. Replacing coal will cut the GHG emissions. The challenge is to mobilize the crop residue collection and timely delivery to power plants. The data and calculations in this monogram show that it is economical for the farmer to remove the crop residue from the field quickly by using modern balers, to pelletize the biomass in small-scale distributed pellet plants, to store pellets in the modern steel bins and finally to deliver the pellets to coal plants by using rail transport. The delivered cost is estimated at around Rp 6.78/kg. The Government of India encourages the power plants to pay at least Rp 10/kg for the delivered biomass in the form of pellets. The current monogram analyzes the organization of an efficient supply chain in the State of Haryana India to ensure a sustainable modern enterprise.

Greenhouse gas emissions mitigation and economic viability of sugar crops in China

Climate change mitigation is a major challenge of human society.Currently,to this end,many countries including China are committed to achieving carbon neutrality within a few decades.China is a major sugarcane and sugar beet producing country and has one of the largest carbon footprint for sugarcane and sugar beet production globally.A comprehensive study was conducted on sugarcane and sugar beet crops grown in China for greenhouse gas(GHG)emissions mitigation potential,economic crop production from a sustainable sugar production perspective.Long-term trend analysis showed that yield and GHG emissions of sugarcane and sugar beet crops increased but the ratio of income to cost declined.Structural equation model analysis revealed nitrogen fertilizer and labor as the major drivers of GHG emissions for both sugarcane and sugar beet.For sugarcane and sugar beet,the path coefficient of N fertilizer were‒0.964 and‒0.835 and that of labor were 0.771 and 0.589,respectively.By transitioning the current cropping system to an improved model with optimized labor,N input and machinery use,the GHG emissions and total annual cost of sugarcane and sugar beet production can be reduced by 32%and 24%,respectively,by 2030,compared to a business-as-usual scenario.This is the first integrated and comparative study of environmental and economic sustainability of sugarcane and sugar beet production in China.These findings will enable all stakeholders of Chinese sugarcane and sugar beet industries to transform them into environmentally and economically sustainable sugar production.

A quantitative comparison and analysis on the assessment indicators of greenhouse gases emission

Anthropogenic greenhouse gases （GHG） emission and related global warming issues have been the focus of international communities for some time. The international communities have reached a consensus to reduce anthropogenic GHG emissions and restrain global warming. The quantitative assessment of anthropogenic GHG emissions is the scientific basis to find out the status of global GHG emission, identify the commitments of each country, and arrange the international efforts of GHG emission reduction. Currently the main assessment indicators for GHG emission include national indicator, per capita indicator, per GDP indicator, and international trade indicator etc. The introduction to the above indi- cators is put forward and their merits and demerits are analyzed. Based on the GHG emission data from the World Resource Institute （WRI）, the US Energy Information Administration （EIA）, and the Carbon Dioxide Information Analysis Center （CDIAC）, the results of each indictor are calculated for the world, for the eight G8 industrialized countries （USA, UK, Canada, Japan, Germany, France, Italy and Russia）, and the five major developing countries including China, Brazil, India, South Africa and Mexico. The paper points out that all these indicators have some limitations. The Indicator of Industrialized Accumulative Emission per Capita （IAEC） is put forward as the equitable indicator to evaluate the industrialized historical accumulative emission per capita of every country. IAEC indicator can reflect the economic achievement of GHG emission enjoyed by the current generations in every country and their commitments. The analysis of IAEC indicates that the historical accumulative emission per capita in indus- trialized countries such as UK and USA were typically higher than those of the world average and the developing countries. Emission indicator per capita per GDP, consumptive emission indicator and survival emission indicator are also put forward and discussed in the paper.

Carbon Capture and Storage:History and the Road Ahead

The large-scale deployment of carbon capture and storage(CCS)is becoming increasingly urgent in the global path toward net zero emissions;however,global CCS deployment is significantly lagging behind its expected contribution to greenhouse gas emission reduction.Reviewing and learning from the examples and history of successful CCS practices in advanced countries will help other countries,including China,to promote and deploy CCS projects using scientific methods.This paper shows that the establishment of major science and technology CCS infrastructures in advanced countries has become the main source of CCS technological innovation,cost reduction,risk reduction,commercial promotion,and talent training in the development and demonstration of key CCS technologies.Sound development of CCS requires a transition from pilot-scale science and technology infrastructures to large-scale commercial infrastructures,in addition to incentive policies;otherwise,it will be difficult to overcome the technical barriers between small-scale demonstrations and the implementation of million-tonne-scale CCS and ten-million-tonne-scale CCS hubs.Geological CO_(2) storage is the ultimate goal of CCS projects and the driving force of CO_(2) capture.Further improving the accuracy of technologies for the measurement,monitoring,and verification(MMV)of CO_(2) storage capacity,emission reduction,and safety remains a problem for geological storage.CO_(2) storage in saline aquifers can better couple multiple carbon emission sources and is currently a priority direction for development.Reducing the energy consumption of lowconcentration CO_(2) capture and the depletion of chemical absorbents and improving the operational efficiency and stability of post-combustion CO_(2) capture systems have become the key constraints to largescale CCS deployment.Enhanced oil recovery(EOR)is also important in order for countries to maximize fossil fuel extraction instead of importing oil from less environmentally friendly oil-producing countries.

Long-term costs and benefits analysis of China’s low-carbon policies

China’s long-term,low-emission development goals will hinge on effective low-carbon policies.Therefore,it is valuable to evaluate the costs and benefits of low-carbon policy packages to ensure that low-carbon development concepts and strategies can be well integrated into the policy making process.This work uses the Low-carbon Policy Assessment(LPA)model to assess long-term costs and benefits of climate and energy policies in China under the reference(RS)scenario and the low-carbon(LC)scenario,which includes 25 additional climate and energy policies.In the LC scenario,both energy-related CO2 emissions and total greenhouse gas(GHG)emissions peak around 2030,achieving China’s Nationally Determined Contribution(NDC)target.Of the policies included in the LC scenario,the five with the highest GHG mitigation potential beyond China’s existing policies are:fluorinated gas(F-gas)substitution,a renewable portfolio standard,carbon pricing,carbon capture utilization and storage(CCUS),and a fuel economy standard for heavy duty vehicles(HDVs).In addition to reducing GHG emissions,these policies decrease particulate emissions and associated premature deaths,which would otherwise reduce China’s GDP by nearly 1.5%in 2050.Together,these policies have the potential to promote significant low-carbon prosperity in China.

Nuclear Power Development for Greenhouse Gas Emission Reduction in China

It is a consensus of international community to promote the development of low carbon economy in order to face the challenges of climate change. According to the features of nuclear energy, the greenhouse gas （GHG） emission of nuclear energy chain and other energy chain are compared and analyzed, and the results indicate that the GHG emission of nuclear power chain is the least in all types of power generation. The status of nuclear power development and the potential benefit in GHGs emission reduction by developing nuclear power in China are also analyzed. Active nuclear power development is a smart choice for constructing low-carbon energy structure and for addressing global climate changes in China.

Economic valuation of gas regulation as a service by rice-duck-fish complex ecosystem

Valuating the fimction of ecosystem services is crucial for accounting green GDP, making a conservation policy of ecological environment and the decision of regional development as well as sustainable development strategy. R ice-duck-fish symbiosis has been promoted in several developing countries as a way of increasing incomes for rice farmers, but investigations of its value have mainly focused on direct economic＇ benefits, such as food and raw material production. Few studies have been conducted on the estimation of indirect services provided by rice-duck-fish complex ecosystem. The gas regulation service and its economic values provided by rice-duck-fish complex ecosystem were studied in Wuhan, China. The major components of gas regulation are O2 emission and greenhouse gases （GHGs, CO2） regulation. The results show that O2 emission from different treatments （including rice-duck （RD）, rice-fish （RF）, rice-duck-fish （RDF） and rice （CK）） ranged from 26,370 kg/ha to 33,910 kg/ha per year. with an economic value of 10,050-12,920 yuan/ha per ）,ear （Chinese currency： 1 euro =10.2475 yuan, August 28, 2007）. The net GHGs exchange varied from 1,200 to 3,320 kg/ha per year; and its economic value ranged from 1,040 yuan/ha to 2,900 yuan/ha per year Consequently, the total economic value of gas regulation provided by symbiosis complex ecosystems ranged from 11,090 yuan/ha to 15,820 yuan/ha per year. and the maximum overall economic value of gas regulation was provided by RDF complex ecosystem. The work will be useful for further understanding of the functions of rice-duck-fish complex ecos.vstem services and supplying the theoretical references to agricultural policy.

Carbon Footprint in Meat Production and Supply Chains

All human activities, including food production, are potentially sources of greenhouse gases （GHG） emissions. In order to provide a better understanding of how to mitigate the GHG emissions, an inventory based on different beef supply chains in the United Kingdom and in Brazil was carried out. The carbon footprint of the beef systems was calculated based on the life cycle assessment methodology. Total emissions per kg of bone-free meat were calculated at being 33.85, 33.99 and 45.17 kg of CO2e-100/kg for UK1, UK2 and Brazil farm units, respectively. Based on an average potential for carbon sequestration rate at the proportion of 12：44 for C：CO2 conversion for well managed grasslands, there is a potential sequestration of 1,980 kg of CO2/ha/year. This would potentially reduce the total emissions value for the three distinct supply chains the cases ofUKb UK2 and Brazil, respectively. as being 29.4, 28.4 and 25.4 kg C02-e 100/kg of bone-free meat for

Classification of Country Patterns in the World Based on Their Levels of Economy and Emission Process of Greenhouse Gases

According to the authoritative data involving social economic indicators and greenhouse gas （GHG） emission from the international universal database, the levels and processes of economic development and GHG emission in major economic groups, nations and regions of the world are simultaneously analyzed. Obtaining Gross Domestic Product （GDP） and emission per capita from various countries and regions in the past 40 years as the standard, countries and regions in the world are divided into six groups： countries with low emission per capita and low economic level （IA）, countries with low emission per capita and medium economic level （IIA）, countries with low emission per capita and high economic level （IIIA）, countries with high emission per capita and medium economic level （liB）, countries with high emission per capita and high economic level （IIIB）, countries with high emission per capita and low economic level （IB）. Countries belong to IB are quite rare in the study period, while the first five groups correspond to the poor regions, main developing countries, economically transitional countries with rapid economic development, rich islands and developed North America and Europe respectively. Data analysis shows that there is a close relationship between emission and economic development of different countries and regions. The composition relationship between economic development of different countries and regions is relatively stable over a long period of time. From 1970 to 2005, rising trends existed in the economic development of most countries and regions. However, the emission had a significant increase in a small part of countries and regions. In other words, for those with high emission, the emission level is always high. But for those with low GHG emission, the emission does not increase too much. The main processes of the change of countries pattern from IA to IIA and from II B to IIIB, occurring in the 1970s and from the late 1970s to the 1980s respectively. That result has .a significant enlightening effect in understanding the relationship between emission and eco- nomic development and its historical process of various countries and in choosing the position of our country in the future climate diplomatic negotiations.

The Current Status, Potential Benefits and Future Prospects of the Australian Biogas Sector

Anaerobic digestion technology provides a new approach to treat organic waste while generating greenhouse gas (GHG) savings. Moreover, the methane gas produced during the process can be used to generate electricity. In order to ensure that Australia stays on its trajectory towards a carbon neutral future, the use of anaerobic digestion technology to treat its abundant organic waste streams should be considered. Thirty million tonnes (Mt) of organic waste was produced in 2017. The use of anaerobic digestion to treat 1 tonne of waste could result in 0.143 tonne of CO2-e in GHG savings. In contrast, other more widely employed waste disposal methods such as landfilling, composting and incineration may generate GHG emissions. Additionally, the use of methane for electricity production also generates the least GHG emissions per MWh. This is approximately 3 times lower than crude oil, 4 times lower than black coal and 5 times lower than brown coal. However, the adoption and implementation of anaerobic digestion technology in Australia face several immediate constraints. Firstly, anaerobic digestion technology is deemed unprofitable, incurring high initial capital cost, operating costs and extremely long payback periods. Secondly, there is a lack of government support in terms of a national target for biogas production via anaerobic digestion. This review will provide an in-depth analysis into the current state of the Australian biogas sector. In addition, the review discusses the opportunities to make anaerobic digestion technology more financially viable and to accelerate the growth of the Australian biogas sector.

China's climate policy:does an Arctic dimension exist?

The article discusses whether and to what extent an Arctic dimension in Chinese climate policy exists, and whether there are signs of potential linkages between China＇s engagement in the Arctic and its domestic climate policies. Although the Arctic is not directly addressed in domestic climate policy, the article concludes that an Arctic dimension exists, in the following areas： the growing awareness in China of energy-related greenhouse gas emissions, climate risk, resilience and vulnerability, which has contributed to increased attention to climatic change in the Arctic and its impact on China; polar scientific research, which is largely climate related, plays a significant role in determining China＇s Arctic climate agenda; China＇s climate policymaking and domestic institutional set-up is a contributing factor to climate engagement in the Arctic; China＇s status as an observer nation in the Arctic Council might potentially raise the profile of domestic climate policies and lead to the addition of an Arctic pillar to national climate change strategies.