| 1. |
- Cowie, A. L., et al.
(författare)
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Applying a science-based systems perspective to dispel misconceptions about climate effects of forest bioenergy
- 2021
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Ingår i: Global Change Biology Bioenergy. - : John Wiley and Sons Inc. - 1757-1693 .- 1757-1707. ; 13:8, s. 1210-1231
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- The scientific literature contains contrasting findings about the climate effects of forest bioenergy, partly due to the wide diversity of bioenergy systems and associated contexts, but also due to differences in assessment methods. The climate effects of bioenergy must be accurately assessed to inform policy-making, but the complexity of bioenergy systems and associated land, industry and energy systems raises challenges for assessment. We examine misconceptions about climate effects of forest bioenergy and discuss important considerations in assessing these effects and devising measures to incentivize sustainable bioenergy as a component of climate policy. The temporal and spatial system boundary and the reference (counterfactual) scenarios are key methodology choices that strongly influence results. Focussing on carbon balances of individual forest stands and comparing emissions at the point of combustion neglect system-level interactions that influence the climate effects of forest bioenergy. We highlight the need for a systems approach, in assessing options and developing policy for forest bioenergy that: (1) considers the whole life cycle of bioenergy systems, including effects of the associated forest management and harvesting on landscape carbon balances; (2) identifies how forest bioenergy can best be deployed to support energy system transformation required to achieve climate goals; and (3) incentivizes those forest bioenergy systems that augment the mitigation value of the forest sector as a whole. Emphasis on short-term emissions reduction targets can lead to decisions that make medium- to long-term climate goals more difficult to achieve. The most important climate change mitigation measure is the transformation of energy, industry and transport systems so that fossil carbon remains underground. Narrow perspectives obscure the significant role that bioenergy can play by displacing fossil fuels now, and supporting energy system transition. Greater transparency and consistency is needed in greenhouse gas reporting and accounting related to bioenergy.
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| 2. |
- Ibrahim, Muhammad Asim, et al.
(författare)
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Characterization of municipal solid waste temporary storage sites : Risks posed to surrounding areas as a consequence of fire incidents
- 2013
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Ingår i: Waste Management. - : Elsevier. - 0956-053X .- 1879-2456. ; 33:11, s. 2296-2306
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- In this study temporary storage sites of municipal solid waste were characterized based on their potential social, health and environmental impacts as a consequence of spontaneous fires, by employing Boolean as well as weighted-linear-combination approaches in connection with various fuzzy set functions of population density around the storage sites. Sweden was used as the case study and data from 105 storage sites were analysed; of these, 38 were identified to be posing high risk for downwind residing population. Furthermore, during the past 10 years, the fire frequency and the average population residing within a radius of 1, 2, and 3 km were found to be comparatively higher for storage sites owned by private ompanies than for those owned by municipalities. The study provided first-cut information of poorly sited temporary storage sites and can help in formalizing the comprehensive risk analysis in the future.
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| 3. |
- Ibrahim, Muhammad Asim, et al.
(författare)
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Organizing preliminary storage sites of organic material, waste fuels and recyclables and their separating distance from populated areas
- 2014
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Ingår i: Journal of Material Cycles and Waste Management. - : Springer Science and Business Media LLC. - 1438-4957 .- 1611-8227. ; 16:2, s. 270-281
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- European Union directives have urged member countries to enhance the recycling and separation of waste fractions, and this has increased the number of temporary storage sites of recyclables and waste fuels. Spontaneous fires at temporary storage sites have become common and pose social/health/environmental risks. Storage sites should be sited sufficiently far from populated regions, so that the concentration of released pollutants from open fires falls below the critical air quality index before the plume reach the downwind population. In this study, the open-burn/ open-detonation model developed by the US Environmental Protection Agency was employed, and 540 simulations were performed for nine scenarios of open burning of household waste to estimate suitable sizes of storage heaps and adequate distances between storage sites and populated regions. Furthermore, sensitivity analysis was performed for 1,080 additional simulations to determine the effects of variations in the burn rate, storage dimension and volume of the waste heap on the model output. The resulting chart can be directly employed by waste operators/ environmental agencies to organize storage sites to minimize externalities due to open fires. Furthermore, using ArcGIS software, first-cut information of the total Swedish population facing the risk of hazards due to spontaneous fires was provided.
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| 4. |
- Aarthi, Aishwarya Devendran, et al.
(författare)
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Implementation of GIS-AHP Framework for the Identification of Potential Landfill Sites in Bengaluru Metropolitan Region, India
- 2023
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Ingår i: The 9th International Conference on Energy and Environment Research. ICEER 2022.. - : Springer. - 9783031435584 - 9783031435591 ; , s. 809-818
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Konferensbidrag (refereegranskat)abstract
- Uncontrolled open dumping and burning of municipal solid waste (MSW) has resulted in soil, water, and air pollution in many urban cities in India. Landfills are the most common cost-effective solution for MSW management in many developing countries like India. However, the identification of suitable landfill sites always remains a challenging task as it involves the selection of several environmental criteria set by the local authorities. The objective of this study is to identify the most potential landfill sites proposed by the Government in Bengaluru Metropolitan Region, Karnataka state, India using Geographic Information System enabled Analytical Hierarchy Process based multi-criteria evaluation technique. Several criteria and constraints as recommended by the local authorities along with the proximity to the solid waste processing plants are used to identify the potential landfill sites in the study region. The study identified three highly suitable sites (Neraluru, Gudhatti, Madivala) for landfills which are not only environmentally sustainable but also economically attractive as they are closer to the solid waste processing plants minimizing the transportation cost involved in the disposal of solid waste from the source to the final disposal sites in the study region.
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| 5. |
- Bravo, Giangiacomo, et al.
(författare)
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Physical vs. Aesthetic Renovations : Learning from Swedish House Owners
- 2019
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Ingår i: Buildings. - : MDPI. - 2075-5309. ; 9:1
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- In this paper, we identify the socio-economic attributes and attitudes that have influencedhouse owners in renovating their homes in the past. Our study is based on responses to an onlinequestionnaire survey of 971 house owners living in Kronoberg County in Sweden. Results showedthat the interest and willingness of the house owners to perform a renovation varied dependingon their demographic background and the age of the house. The latter positively affected pastrenovations, only when combined with the residence time. Furthermore, the age of house ownersstrongly and positively affected the probability of performing aesthetic type of renovations, becauseof a long time of residence in the house. Younger, town living, and highly educated house ownersseem to be more concerned regarding saving energy, which motivated them to perform physicalrenovations on their house. Our results also suggest that income, level of education, and place ofresidence have an effect on renovation decisions only through their effect on the energy concern ofhouse owners, and a varied effect on renovation decisions, when combined with the time of residencein the house.
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| 6. |
- Gustavsson, Leif, et al.
(författare)
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Climate effects of bioenergy from forest residues in comparison to fossil energy
- 2015
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Ingår i: Applied Energy. - : Elsevier BV. - 0306-2619 .- 1872-9118. ; 138, s. 36-50
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Forest residues can be left at the harvest site to gradually decompose, or can be collected for energy purposes. This study analyzes the primary energy and climate impacts of bioenergy systems where forest residues are collected and used for electricity, heat and transportation, compared to fossil-based energy systems where fossil fuels provide the same services while forest residues are left on site to decompose. Time profiles are elaborated of primary energy use and carbon dioxide emissions from various energy applications fulfilled by bioenergy or fossil energy systems. Different biological decay functions are considered based on process-based modeling and inventory data across various climate zones. For all scenarios, the changes in cumulative radiative forcing (CRF) are calculated over a 300-year period, to evaluate the short- and long-term contributions of forest residue to climate change mitigation. A life cycle perspective along the full energy chains is used to evaluate the overall effectiveness of each system. The results show largest primary energy and climate benefits when forest residues are collected and used efficiently for energy services. Using biomass to substitute fossil coal provides greater climate change mitigation benefits than substituting oil or fossil gas. Some bioenergy substitutions result in positive CRF, i.e. increased global warming, during an initial period. This occurs for relatively inefficient bioenergy conversion pathways to substitute less carbon intensive fossil fuels, e.g. biomotor fuel used to replace diesel. More beneficial bioenergy substitutions, such as efficiently replacing coal, result immediately in reduced CRF. Biomass decay rates and transportation distance have less influence on climate benefits.
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| 7. |
- Jha, Abhishek Kumar Rajesh, et al.
(författare)
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Comparison of Methods for Calculating Indirect Upstream Carbon Emissions from Information and Communication Technology Manufacturing
- 2023
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Ingår i: WSEAS Transactions on Environment and Development. - 1790-5079 .- 2224-3496. ; 19, s. 1045-1057
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- The use of Information Communication technology (ICT) is rapidly increasing in an age ofdigitalization. Measurement of carbon dioxide equivalent (CO2e) emissions from ICT is crucial for reducingthem. Most ICT organizations focus on Scope 1 and 2 emissions as they have greater control over them, commonly ignoring Scope 3 emissions. Scope 3 Category 1 (S3C1) emissions occur throughout the rawmaterial acquisition and manufacturing stages of an ICT product's life cycle accounting for a large portion ofthe sector's overall CO2e emissions and energy consumption. By not reporting Scope 3 emissions, companieslose the ability to reduce their overall CO2e corporate emissions. Although Category 1 and 11 under Scope 3account for 85% of ICT's worldwide CO2e emissions, the methodologies for calculating S3C1 emissions in ICTare understudied. This study focuses on these emissions in the framework of Sustainable Development Goals 9,12, and 13. Product life cycle assessment (PLCA) and Spend-based methods have been used to analyze S3C1emissions in the ICT sector with two case examples of laptop computers and smartphones. The ExcelManagement Life Cycle Assessment (EMLCA) tool has been used for the S3C1 emissions estimation. PLCAand Spend-based methods are compared on their ability to calculate CO2e emissions. It is concluded that theSpend-based is faster than PLCA for predicting ICT emissions with modest uncertainty for smartphone andlaptop components. Furthermore, this work explores the advantages and downsides of both methods.
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| 8. |
- Mokhtara, Charafeddine, 1992-, et al.
(författare)
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Urban Heat Island Risk Assessment and Mapping in the Swedish Residential Sector
- 2023
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Ingår i: Proceedings of the International Conference “Sustainable Built Environment and Urban Transition” / Climate change, resilience, and adaptation of urban built environment. - : Linnaeus University Press. - 9789180820424
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Konferensbidrag (refereegranskat)abstract
- Although Scandinavian countries, including Sweden, are relatively less vulnerable to climate change, Swedish residential dwellings specifically those constructed before the 1975s are likely to be impacted by current extreme weather events (EWE) such as urban heat islands (UHI). This EWE can worsen air quality, increase heat-related illnesses (particularly among vulnerable populations), and raise maintenance costs and energy demand for cooling in buildings.This study aimed to map UHI risk in Sweden's residential sector using a scenario-based analysis approach. Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) Remote sensing (RS) imagery data (land surface temperature (LST)) and some statistical data (including the number of houses, building typologies, and characteristics) collected from the SCB (Statistics Sweden) and TABULA database are used. The overall UHI risk maps for Sweden are developed following the risk matrix approach, by weighting and aggregating the created maps for UHI hazard, building exposure, and vulnerability. Here, the geographical information system ArcGIS pro 3.1 was used to carry out the different spatial analysis tasks, including pre-processing of spatial data, developing required maps, and performing raster calculations.The outcomes reveal a range of areas posing risks, with most high-risk zones situated in the southern and southeastern regions. Moreover, there is a discernible impact of the UHI on most of the buildings across Sweden constructed prior to the 1960s. Nevertheless, for structures built between 1961 to 1975, only those in the southern regions display potential susceptibility to the UHI. Furthermore, the western areas exhibit a low UHI risk.Despite the limitation of data used, the findings of this study have practical implications, as they can help homeowners, renovation companies, and policymakers implement appropriate adaptation strategies. The approach used is comprehensive, easily applicable, scalable, and can be replicated anywhere, assisting in the development of climate-resilient buildings not only in Sweden but also in other regions.
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| 9. |
- Andersson, Mathias, et al.
(författare)
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Management Measures to Reduce Continuous Underwater Noise from Shipping
- 2023
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Rapport (refereegranskat)abstract
- Underwater radiated noise (URN) from commercial ships is a significant source of elevated noise levels in the oceans and can have a negative impact on marine wildlife. Noise from commercial shipping places additional stress on the oceans, but is one of the least studied environmental pollutants, and there is an urgent need to reduce the aggregate stress levels. Until recently, reduction of underwater noise has not been prioritised by ship designers, shipowners, or crews. Even within the field of marine management, noise has received limited interest. However, the International Maritime organization (IMO) has adopted global guidelines on URN reduction, which are currently being updated. Within the EU, the Marine Strategy Framework Directive (MSFD 2008/56/EC) Descriptor 11 criteria 11.2, now provides a framework for marine administrators to manage noise by establishing threshold values. Marine management focuses on the total noise load on the marine environment. Management entails several considerations before recommendations can be made. As a first step, interdisciplinary teams need to assess the aggregated noise levels and determine acceptable thresholds based on the local ecosystem, then assess which existing mandates and management tools can be used, and finally assess how effective these mandates have been in improving the environment. These activities must also be managed in a way that is acceptable to various relevant stakeholders, who would need to follow the decisions. The URN from a ship can be affected by the vessel’s design, either during its construction or during upgrades, and balances a trade-off against fuel efficiency. However, the URN can also depend on how the ship is operated. Regulating ship speed is one potential management tool, and its effectiveness needs to be assessed. Other management measures include how shipping lanes are drawn, areas to avoid, financial support, information, etc. This report focuses on possible policy measures that the Swedish authorities could adopt to lower URN by regulating the speed of ships. The report presents an interdisciplinary analysis, using a case study of an area in the southern Kattegat that covered several maritime zones, different national jurisdictions, intensive traffic, and high natural values. An important part of the work was to assess whether existing source models for ship noise could be used for the type of ships that are common in waters around Sweden. In this study, the JOMOPANS-ECHO (J-E) model was used.The J-E model was validated by comparing measurement data from a hydrophone station at Vinga on the Swedish coast that collected data from ships (254 passages) that used the port of Gothenburg. The analysis showed some deviation between the J-E model and measurement data, which could be due to differences in the length and speed of ships in waters around Sweden compared to the ships used in the development of the J-E model. However, this was likely to have negligible impact on the outcome of the case study.Analyses of ship traffic in 2021 showed that 4,511 unique vessels visited the study area at least once. Most ships followed the main routes, but no part of the study area was completely free from ship traffic. About 68% of the ships visited the study area for 1-4 days, while about 32% visited the area more regularly. The most common ship types were General Cargo Ships, Dry Bulk Ships, and Tankers. The ships that on average travelled at highest speeds were RoPax Ships, RoRo Ships, Vehicle Carriers, and Container Ships. The ships were registered in 64 countries. About two percent of the ships were registered in Sweden and about four percent in Denmark.Legal analysis showed that Sweden has the right and the responsibility to take measures to reduce underwater noise from ships to the extent that the noise can be deemed to pollute the marine environment. However, this mainly applies to Sweden’s territorial seas, which cover roughly half the area being studied for this report. In the portion that constitutes Danish territorial sea, Denmark has comparable opportunities for managing URN. In areas that are Swedish or Danish exclusive economic zones (EEZs), the ability to introduce mandatory speed limits is significantly limited. There, the most realistic option would be to request the IMO to establish speed limits, or alternatively to issue a recommendation to navigate at lower speeds, although such guidance could not be enforced on ships that do not voluntarily reduce their speed.It was estimated that lowering the ships' speeds to a hypothetical limit of 11 kn would reduce the average URN levels by 4.4 ± 2 dB, as registered by local receivers in the study area. This speed limit would affect approximately 44% of the ships in the area. A maximum speed of 13 kn would instead reduce the level by 1.9 ± 0.5 dB and would affect 11% of the ships on average. The reduction in noise levels may temporarily be much higher in the immediate vicinity of individual fast ships, and there might be a high degree of variation between different ships.The study and report make it clear that it is a complex task to assess the feasibility and benefit of introducing a specific marine management tool, in this case an enforceable local speed limit. But it is also clear that there are reliable methods to make the preliminary assessments, and that it requires interdisciplinary analyses and competence.
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| 10. |
- Augustsson, Anna, et al.
(författare)
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Failure of generic risk assessment model framework to predict groundwater pollution risk at hundreds of metal contaminated sites : Implications for research needs
- 2020
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Ingår i: Environmental Research. - : Elsevier. - 0013-9351 .- 1096-0953. ; 185, s. 1-9
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Soil pollution constitutes one of the major threats to public health, where spreading to groundwater is one of several critical aspects. In most internationally adopted frameworks for routine risk assessments of contaminated land, generic models and soil guideline values are cornerstones. In order to protect the groundwater at contaminated sites, a common practice worldwide today is to depart from health risk-based limit concentrations for groundwater, and use generic soil-to-groundwater spreading models to back-calculate corresponding equilibrium levels (concentration limits) in soil, which must not be exceeded at the site. This study presents an extensive survey of how actual soil and groundwater concentrations, compiled for all high-priority contaminated sites in Sweden, relate to the national model for risk management of contaminated sites, with focus on As, Cu, Pb and Zn. Results show that soil metal concentrations, as well as total amounts, constitute a poor basis for assessing groundwater contamination status. The evaluated model was essentially incapable of predicting groundwater contamination (i.e. concentrations above limit values) based on soil data, and erred on the "unsafe side" in a significant number of cases, with modelled correlations not being conservative enough. Further, the risk of groundwater contamination was almost entirely independent of industry type. In essence, since neither soil contaminant loads nor industry type is conclusive, there is a need for a supportive framework for assessing metal spreading to groundwater accounting for site-specific, geochemical conditions.
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