Measuring future dynamics of genuine saving with changes of population and technology: application of an integrated assessment model

Theoretical and empirical studies have been conducted on the genuine saving (GS) based on neoclassical economic theory to assess sustainable development (SD). However, only market prices and statistical national accounts have been used in empirical studies due to limited data availability. The data availability limits to measure GS only in the past and current, causing a wide gap with theoretical results. In this paper, we propose computing GS using an integrated assessment model (IAM) as connected to the mainframe model of macroeconomy. This enables us to use shadow prices, rather than market prices, obtained through an IAM, which ensures substantial consistency among variables. An example would be endogenous capital–output ratio and the rate of TFP. Also, our indicator of GS is more comprehensive in that they now account for various resources, environmental degradation, and land use. Our simulation results, with a particular focus on GS with population change (GSn) and with technological change as well (GSnt), show a sustainable future for up to the end of the century thanks to declining population in the latter half of the century and technological progress, although GS without accounting for population and technology tend to be negative, driven by, among others, capital depreciation and net primary productivity degraded by land use.     

Ecological effects of imidacloprid on arthropod communities in and around a vegetable crop

To elucidate the ecological impacts of imidacloprid [1-(6-chloro-3-pyridylmethyl)-N-nitroimidazolidin-2-ylideneamine] on vegetable crops and their surrounding areas, arthropods on eggplant patches treated with this insecticide were monitored throughout two cultivation seasons, spring and autumn, and the results compared with those of control crops. Residues of imidacloprid in soil accounted for 4-8% of total applied, and concentrations outside the crop were always below 5 micro g/kg. Communities of the crop vegetation experienced significant density reductions, mostly of aphids, and had fewer species diversity during the first month. Those in the surrounding pasture were similarly affected though with less intensity, while non-target ground arthropods both inside and outside the crop only showed significant impacts in the two weeks after planting.     

Trace metal contamination in commercial fish and crustaceans collected from coastal area of Bangladesh and health risk assessment

Environmental Science and Pollution Research - Trace metals contamination in commercial fish and crustaceans have become a great problem in Bangladesh. This study was conducted to determine seven...     

Predicted distribution of 16 short-chain chlorinated paraffins in air,water, soils and sediments

Environmental Chemistry Letters - Short-chain chlorinated paraffins are industrial contaminants of great concern due to their persistent and toxic characteristics. The predicted distribution of...     

Evaluation by year of the valuable/hazardous material content of lithium-ion secondary battery cells and other components of notebook computer battery packs

Journal of Material Cycles and Waste Management - Our objective was to provide the information necessary to efficiently recover metals from end-of-life lithium-ion secondary batteries by assessing...     

Effect of the carbon coating in Fe-C-TiO(2) photocatalyst on phenol decomposition under UV irradiation via photo-Fenton process

Fe-C-TiO(2) photocatalysts which contained the residue carbon (0.2-3.3 mass%) were prepared from a mixture of TiO(2) and FeC(2)O(4) through the heating at 673-1173 K in Ar. These photocatalysts did not show a high adsorption of phenol, but they were active in photo-Fenton reactions during decomposition of phenol under UV irradiation with addition of H(2)O(2). It was proved that Fe(2+) governed the photoactivity of Fe-C-TiO(2) photocatalysts, it decreased with heat-treatment temperature above 773 K. For comparison, Fe-TiO(2) photocatalyst was prepared by heating TiO(2) and FeC(2)O(4) at 823 K in air for 3h. Phenol decomposition was going much slower on Fe-TiO(2) photocatalyst in comparison with Fe-C-TiO(2), of which mechanism was different, on the former phenol was decomposed by the radical reaction, on the latter through a complex reaction with iron and intermediates of phenol decomposition. Therefore carbon-coating TiO(2) was found to be advantageous for mounting iron and its application for the phenol decomposition via photo-Fenton process.     

Anaerobic Biodegradation of Poly (Lactic Acid) Film in Anaerobic Sludge

The anaerobic biodegradation rates of four different sizes of poly (lactic acid) (PLA) films (thickness 25???m) in anaerobic sludge at 55?°C were examined. The anaerobic biodegradation rates of small pieces of PLA film were slower than for large pieces of PLA film. We also examined whether PLA film could also be used as a reference material in the anaerobic biodegradation test in addition to PLA powder. The anaerobic biodegradation rate of PLA film became slower with lower activity sludge, but the rate of decrease was gradual, and the anaerobic biodegradation rate of PLA film was faster than the PLA powder (125?C250???m). The anaerobic biodegradation rate of the PLA powder (125?C250???m) reflected the plastic anaerobic biodegradation activity of the sludge more accurately than the thin PLA film (thickness 25???m). Consequently, PLA powder (125?C250???m) is more suitable than thin PLA film (thickness?<?25???m) for use as a reference material to assess the plastic anaerobic biodegradation activity of the sludge in an anaerobic biodegradation test at 55?°C.     

The seasonal effects of manure management and feeding strategies on hydrogen sulphide emissions from stored dairy manure

Journal of Material Cycles and Waste Management - The influence of temperature and storage time on hydrogen sulphide (H2S) emissions from two different dairy manures was investigated over four...     

A study on forecasting paths of genuine savings and wealth without and with carbon dioxide constraints: development of shadow price functions

This paper has developed a method for forecasting the future paths of genuine savings (GS) with and without carbon dioxide (CO₂) emissions constraints. GS calculations require shadow prices, which can be endogenously determined for variables and constraints in a model. However, in case of a ‘business as usual’ model (BAU), the shadow prices required for calculating GS without constraints show theoretically zero. This research derives the shadow prices required to measure GS for the BAU case as a function of several variables available in the optimal (economically efficient) case. This function is estimated from endogenously obtained variables from a model with environmental constraints. Subsequently, this function is used to calculate shadow prices with and without CO₂ constraints, which are further employed to compute future paths of GS according to two methods applied in the papers by Arrow et al. We successfully estimated GS (or GSnt; GS with changes in population and technology) under the BAU case, however, suggest that GS (or GSnt) measures depend, to a great extent, on the time span under consideration (truncation year) for wealth accounting and the accounting methods by Arrows’ papers used for its estimation. In some cases, especially according to the methodology used by Arrow’s paper in 2004 using adjusted consumption in wealth accounting, the sign of GS (or GSnt) changes from negative to positive when changes in total factor productivity are taken into consideration. These aspects should be explored before measuring (un)sustainability of a particular path based on the GS (or GSnt) indicator.