Testing the asymmetric causal nexus of housing-oil prices and pandemic uncertainty in four major economies

Environmental Science and Pollution Research - The spread of COVID-19 worldwide has shown how quick global economy can become affected when ones’ health and future are at risk. This paper...     

The impacts of a global pandemic on the efficacy and stability of contemporary wildlife conservation: South Africa as a case study

Conservationists speculated on potential benefits to wildlife of lockdown restrictions because of the COVID-19 pandemic but voiced concern that restrictions impeded nature conservation. We assessed the effects of lockdown restrictions on biodiversity conservation in South Africa, a biodiverse country with economic inequality and reliance on wildlife resources. We solicited expert opinion using the IUCN’s Threats Classification Scheme to structure a questionnaire and illustrated responses with individual case studies from government parastatal and non-governmental conservation organisations. The most highly reported threats were biological resource use, residential/commercial developments, invasive species, and human intrusions. The trends reported by 90 survey respondents were supported by case studies using environmental compliance data from parastatal conservation organisations. Lack of tourism revenue and funding were cited as hindrances to conservation. Mechanisms to prevent environmental degradation in the face of global emergencies must be implemented and ‘ring-fenced’ to ensure conservation is not a casualty during future global crises.Supplementary InformationThe online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s13280-022-01814-z.     

SARS-CoV-2 phase I transmission and mutability linked to the interplay of climatic variables: a global observation on the pandemic spread

The study aims to determine the impact of global meteorological parameters on SARS-COV-2, including population density and initiation of lockdown in twelve different countries. The daily trend of these parameters and COVID-19 variables from February 15th to April 25th, 2020, were considered. Asian countries show an increasing trend between infection rate and population density. A direct relationship between the time-lapse of the first infected case and the period of suspension of movement controls the transmissivity of COVID-19 in Asian countries. The increase in temperature has led to an increase in COVID-19 spread, while the decrease in humidity is consistent with the trend in daily deaths during the peak of the pandemic in European countries. Countries with 65°F temperature and 5 mm rainfall have a negative impact on COVID-19 spread. Lower oxygen availability in the atmosphere, fine droplets of submicron size together with infectious aerosols, and low wind speed have contributed to the increase in total cases and mortality in Germany and France. The onset of the D614G mutation and subsequent changes to D614 before March, later G614 in mid-March, and S943P, A831V, D839/Y/N/E in April were observed in Asian and European countries. The results of the correlation and factor analysis show that the COVID-19 cases and the climatic factors are significantly correlated with each other. The optimum meteorological conditions for the prevalence of G614 were identified. It was observed that the complex interaction of global meteorological factors and changes in the mutational form of CoV-2 phase I influenced the daily mortality rate along with other comorbid factors. The results of this study could help the public and policymakers to create awareness of the COVID-19 pandemic.

     

Stochastic analysis of concentration field in a wake region

Introduction  

Identifying geographic locations in urban areas from which air pollutants enter the atmosphere is one of the most important information needed to develop effective mitigation strategies for pollution control.     

Performance of a Gaussian model for centerline concentrations in the wake of buildings

This paper examines the performance and inherent limitations of a Gaussian plume model for predicting ground-level plume centerline concentrations in the wake of buildings. The Gaussian plume equation has been modified to incorporate building wake enhanced dispersion parameters. Model-predicted concentrations were compared to three sets of field observations. Predicted and observed concentrations were partitioned into groups by source-receptor distance, atmospheric stability class, and source-release height. The group analyses provided a way to identify sources of model error. The variability of errors was found to have values between 50 and 100 % of the mean observed concentration for groups where the mean error was small.     

The impact of COVID-19 pandemic on air pollution: a global research framework,challenges, and future perspectives

Environmental Science and Pollution Research - As a result of extreme modifications in human activity during the COVID-19 pandemic, the status of air quality has recently been improved. This...     

Fast response measurements of the dispersion of nanoparticles in a vehicle wake and a street canyon

The distributions of nanoparticles (below 300 nm in diameter) change rapidly after emission from the tail pipe of a moving vehicle due to the influence of transformation processes. Information on this time scale is important for modelling of nanoparticle dispersion but is unknown because the sampling frequencies of available instruments are unable to capture these rapid processes. In this study, a fast response differential mobility spectrometer (Cambustion Instruments DMS500), originally designed to measure particle number distributions (PNDs) and concentrations in engine exhaust emissions, was deployed to measure particles in the 5–1000 nm size range at a sampling frequency of 10 Hz. This article presents results of two separate studies; one, measurements along the roadside in a Cambridge (UK) street canyon and, two, measurements at a fixed position (20 cm above road level), centrally, in the wake of a single moving diesel-engined car. The aims of the first measurements were to test the suitability and recommend optimum operating conditions of the DMS500 for ambient measurements. The aim of the second study was to investigate the time scale over which competing influences of dilution and transformation processes (nucleation, condensation and coagulation) affect the PNDs in the wake of a moving car. Results suggested that the effect of transformation processes was nearly complete within about 1 s after emission due to rapid dilution in the vehicle wake. Furthermore, roadside measurements in a street canyon showed that the time for traffic emissions to reach the roadside in calm wind conditions was about 45 ± 6 s. These observations suggest the hypothesis that the effects of transformation processes are generally complete by the time particles are observed at roadside and the total particle numbers can then be assumed as conserved. A corollary of this hypothesis is that complex transformation processes can be ignored when modelling the behaviour of nanoparticles in street canyons once the very near-exhaust processes are complete.     

The emergence of land systems as the nexus for sustainability transformations: This article belongs to Ambio's 50th Anniversary Collection. Theme: Agriculture land use

This perspective recognizes the seminal Ambio articles of Sombroek et al. (1993), Turner et al. (1994) and Brussaard et al. (1997), identifying their individual and collective role in laying the ground work for a global change research agenda on land and its human use through increased understanding of terrestrial ecosystem dynamics and global change, and furthering nascent interdisciplinary efforts within the global change science community to better understand the ‘human driving forces’ of change. From these efforts, land system science, as a systemic science focused on complex socio-ecological interactions around land use and associated trade-offs and synergies, emerges as an ‘interdiscipline’ challenged to better understand land systems as the ‘meeting ground’ for multiple claims on land for biodiversity, carbon, livelihoods, food production among others, and support pathways to sustainability for people and nature.     

On the scientific basis for global warming scenarios

The scientific basis for current projections of significant warming due to enhanced minor greenhouse gases in the atmosphere is reviewed. Care is taken to distinguish the issue of changes in radiative forcing at the earth's surface from the issue of the climatic response to this forcing. With respect to the former, it is noted that the predicted forcing is, in fact, small (2 W m(-2) at the surface for a doubling of CO(2), or less than 1% of the absorbed solar flux). With respect to the latter, it is noted that predictions of significant warming are dependent on the presence of large positive feedbacks serving to amplify the response. The largest of these feedbacks in current models involves water vapor at upper levels in the troposphere. This feedback appears to be largely a model artifact, and evidence is presented that models may even have the wrong sign for this feedback. The possibility is examined that the response of climate to major volcanic eruptions may provide a test of the climate system's amplification. The basis for this possibility is the fact that the response delay of the ocean-atmosphere system is proportional to the system gain.     

Assessment of food-energy-environmental pollution nexus in Iran: the nonlinear approach

Environmental Science and Pollution Research - Iran’s agricultural production has expanded significantly in recent years. Environmental pollution caused by the use of energy and chemical...     

A review on impacts of COVID-19 on global agricultural system and Scope for Bangladesh after pandemic

Environmental Science and Pollution Research - COVID-19 pandemic has had a devastating effect on the global food production system. Large-scale food producing countries restricted exports for food...     

On the nexus between globalization,tourism, economic growth,and biocapacity: evidence from top tourism destinations

Environmental Science and Pollution Research - Several studies have investigated the relationship between tourism, consumption of energy, globalization, and ecological footprint. However, the role...     

A study of energy investment and environmental sustainability nexus in China: a bootstrap replications analysis

Environmental Science and Pollution Research - Environmental sustainability is increasing emphasis on global environmental concerns at the forefront of public policy debate. This paper investigates...     

An environmental measurement for a dynamic and endogenous global environmental Kuznets curve in the global context

Environmental Science and Pollution Research - Planetary boundaries (PB) is a novel conceptual framework that assesses the state of processes fundamental to the stability of the Earth system....     

Modelling the globalization-CO2 emission nexus in Australia: evidence from quantile-on-quantile approach

Environmental Science and Pollution Research - Sustainable development policies for achieving net-zero emissions require understanding the factors that influence carbon emissions. Capitalizing on...     

Analysis of environmental degradation mechanism in the nexus among energy consumption and poverty in Pakistan

Environmental Science and Pollution Research - The study aims to analyze the mediating role of environmental degradation (ED) in the association between energy consumption (EC) and poverty (POV) in...     

Health impact assessment of air pollutants during the COVID-19 pandemic in a Brazilian metropolis

Environmental Science and Pollution Research - Studies around the world have revealed reduced levels of atmospheric particulate matter in periods of greatest human mobility restriction to contain...     

Projected declines in global DHA availability for human consumption as a result of global warming

Ambio - Docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) is an essential, omega-3, long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acid that is a key component of cell membranes and plays a vital role in vertebrate brain function. The...