Modeling oil price uncertainty effects on economic growth in Mexico: a sector-level analysis

This paper analyzes the impact of international oil price uncertainty on the different economic sectors (primary, secondary, and tertiary) in Mexico in the period 1993:1–2020:4 through a bivariate structural vector autoregressive (VAR) model with a generalized autoregressive conditional heteroskedasticity (GARCH) in mean to capture the impact of oil volatility on economic growth at the sectoral level of economic activity. The results show that the uncertainty of the international price of oil has a differentiated effect on the different sectors of economic activity in Mexico since it does not influence the primary sector; it negatively impacts the secondary sector, and there is mixed evidence in the tertiary sector. Additionally, evidence is provided that both positive and negative shocks to the international oil price have asymmetric effects at the sectoral level in Mexico. The results highlight the need to implement public policies, at the country level, that help mitigate the effect of uncertainty in the oil market and promote economic stability at the sector level.

     

Effect of agricultural activities on surface water quality from páramo ecosystems

Environmental Science and Pollution Research - Páramos are high mountain ecosystems strategic for water provision in South America. Currently, páramos are under threat due to agricultural...     

On the Observations and Environmental Modeling in Xingó Hydropower Plant - Northeast Brazil: Present and Future Hydroclimatic Features

Environmental Modeling & Assessment - The São Francisco River Basin plays a critical role in the hydroelectrical operational planning of Brazil. Understanding the hydroclimatic dynamic...     

Amylose Modified Starches as Superabsorbent Systems for Release of Potassium Fertilizers

Journal of Polymers and the Environment - High-amylose maize starch (AS) was modified by graft copolymerization with sodium acid maleate and disodium maleate, using the KMnO4-NaHSO3 redox system,...     

Effect of the mixing ratio on the composting of OFMSW digestate: assessment of compost quality

This study presents the results obtained in compostability tests of organic fraction of municipal solid waste (OFMSW) digestate. The final aim was to obtain mature compost without phytotoxic effects. For the evaluation of the composting process, a novel parameter describing the performance of the composting process, the relative heat generation standardized with the initial volatile solid content (RHGVS₀), was defined and evaluated at laboratory-scale. From these laboratory-scale test, the optimum operational conditions were obtained, a mixing ratio (v/v) of 1:1:0 (bulking agent:digestate:co-substrate) and with 15% of mature compost as inoculum. Subsequently, these optimum operational conditions were applied in the active phase of the composting pilot-scale reactor. The active composting stage took 7 days, subsequently a curing phase of 60 days was carried out at ambient conditions. After 30 days of curing, the mature compost showed a specific oxygen uptake rate (SOUR) of 0.14 mg O₂/g VS·h, a germination index (GI) of 99.63% and a low volatile fatty acids (VFA) concentration (41.3 AcH mg/kg_dm), being indicative of the good compost stability and maturity of the compost. The very good quality of the final compost obtained indicated that the RHGVS₀ accurately describes the performance of the composting process.

     

The false alarm/surprise trade-off in weather warnings systems: an expected utility theory perspective

Environment Systems and Decisions - Early warning systems for weather events are becoming widespread as technological capacities develop. For warnings to be effective, they must allow enough lead...     

Speaking of fire: reflexive governance in landscapes of social change and shifting local identities

ABSTRACT

The concept of reflexive governance has to a large extent emerged from an increasing recognition of the need to consider different meanings of nature in the environmental policy-making process. Yet, so far, little attention has been paid to creating conditions for reflexive governance among different actors in intercultural settings, particularly in the context of environmental conflict and strong cultural change among indigenous peoples. This paper reviews three participatory research projects carried out in the Gran Sabana in Canaima National Park, Venezuela, which facilitated dialogue among indigenous people regarding their conflicting views of fire, in part by developing community-wide critical reflections on processes of cultural change and identity formations. These experiences suggest that once marginalized environmental knowledge is publicly acknowledged within the context of endogenous cultural processes, indigenous people feel more confident to engage in dialogue with other actors, thus allowing the emergence of reflexive environmental governance.     

Spanish LLW and MLW disposal: durability of cemented materials in (Na, K)Cl simulated radioactive liquid waste

The microstructural stability or durability of a specific backfilling pozzolanic-cement mortar, which is employed in Spain, in concrete containers for the storage of low level liquid wastes (LLW) and medium level liquid wastes (MLW), has been studied by means of the Koch-Steinegger test at the temperatures of 20 and 40 degrees C during a period of 365 days. Mortar samples were immersed in salt solutions of 3.46 M NaCl and 3.46 M KCl to simulate the salinity of some radioactive liquid waste matrices. The resistance of the mortar to the saline solution attack is evaluated by the development of the relative flexural strength. The changes of the microstructure were followed by mercury intrusion porosimetry (MIP), scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and X-ray diffraction (XRD). Pore solution was extracted and analyzed at different periods of time to know the possible diffusion of sodium, chloride and potassium inside the microstructure.     

Environmental effects of agri-environmental schemes in Western Europe

Agri-environmental schemes (AES) have been introduced as part of European Union's (EU) Common Agricultural Policy and are now an important part of this. A methodological approach to analyse the policy effects of AES is outlined, in which we distinguish between performance effects (on agricultural practices) and outcome effects (environmental impact). The performance effects are further approached including measurement of improvement and protection effects based on 12 indicators on changes/maintenance of land use and agricultural management.Data from personal interviews of participating and non-participating farmers in AES measures in nine EU Member States and Switzerland were used to analyse policy effects, including single indicator effects on agricultural practices as well as combined effects at the agreement level. Significant effects were found for mineral N-fertiliser use, stocking density reduction, maintenance of a minimum livestock density and pesticides. For AES agreements regulating grassland management, fertiliser use and pesticides, clear indications of combined improvement and protection effects were found. In addition clear improvement effects of agreements regulating fertiliser and pesticides use on mainly arable lands were revealed. It is concluded that the approach presented including the 12 selected indicators has proven to be operational.     

In vitro toxic effects of heavy metals on fungal growth and phosphate-solubilising abilities of isolates obtained from Phragmites australis rhizosphere

In this research, we evaluated the toxic effect of metal ions on mycelial growth and phosphate-solubilising activity of soil-borne micromycetes isolated from the Phragmites australis rhizosphere using Pikovskaya-agar plates supplemented with four metal concentrations. The diameter growth rate (DGR) decreased as the metal concentration rise for all tested fungi. Trichoderma atroviride had the fastest growth rate (1.48?cm²?day^?1) and was the least susceptible to Al³⁺, Cd²⁺, Cr³⁺, Cu²⁺ and Pb²⁺ with a median effective concentration (MEC₅₀) of 12.19, 0.48, 4.51, 11.44 and 50.05?mM, respectively. Aspergillus japonicus was the most tolerant to Co²⁺, Ni²⁺ and Zn²⁺, with MEC₅₀ values of 3.36, 1.095 and 2.34?mM, respectively. Penicillium italicum was the most tolerant to Cr6⁺ (MEC₅₀?=?0.677?mM). The ability to solubilise phosphate remained, despite the decrease in the DGR, and P. italicum and Penicillium dipodomyicola had the highest Phosphate Solubilisation Indexes (PSIs) at 1.97 and 2.12, respectively. In particular, P. italicum recorded the highest PSI of all the studied isolates at 0.62?mM Cr³⁺ (PSI?=?4.74). A. japonicus and T. atroviride were the most tolerant isolates to all tested metals, which suggests that these isolates are promising candidates for further study with regard to mycoremediation and biofertilisation of metal-polluted soils.