Search Results (1,779)

With growing global concern over climate risk, high-carbon enterprises are assuming an increasingly critical role in strengthening climate resilience and fostering low-carbon development. However, how climate risk disclosure shapes their carbon performance—specifically through what mechanisms and pathways—remains a pivotal yet underexplored question. To address this gap, this study constructs a panel dataset comprising Chinese listed high-carbon companies over the period 2006–2022 and employs a two-way fixed-effects econometric model to assess how climate risk disclosure affects carbon performance while investigating the underlying mediating channel. The empirical results provide robust evidence that enhanced climate risk disclosure improves the carbon performance of high-carbon enterprises. Mechanism analysis indicates that this beneficial outcome is mainly achieved through promoting green technological innovation and easing corporate financial constraints. Heterogeneity analysis further shows that the effect is stronger among smaller companies, firms operating in less concentrated industries, and those headquartered in China’s eastern region. The policy implications derived from these findings include establishing and strengthening a mandatory climate risk disclosure framework, introducing targeted incentives for green innovation and transition finance and tailoring climate risk management strategies according to firm-specific characteristics. Overall, this study underscores climate risk disclosure as a crucial factor in supporting the shift toward low-carbon operations among high-carbon enterprises. Full article

Climate change necessitates a global transition toward green and low-carbon development, underscoring the critical importance of energy efficiency. Buildings account for a substantial portion of urban energy consumption and carbon emissions, with central air-conditioning systems representing the largest energy-consuming component. This study focuses on optimizing equipment selection—including chillers, pumps, and cooling towers—for the refrigeration plant of a commercial complex in Xiamen. Following theoretical optimization, the operational performance of the implemented system was empirically analyzed using long-term monitoring data from 2024 to 2025. The results demonstrate an energy efficiency ratio (EER) of 5.44 in 2024 and 5.28 in 2025, surpassing the Grade I efficiency threshold (5.2) stipulated by the Chinese standard T/CRAAS 1039-2023. Monthly EER values consistently remained above 5.06 throughout the cooling season. Detailed performance analysis of individual equipment further confirmed that actual operational performance of chillers, pumps, and cooling towers closely matched or even exceeded rated performance metrics, with chiller efficiency deviations controlled within 5%. This study integrates optimized equipment selection at the design stage with empirical performance analysis based on actual operation, providing a validated approach for improving the energy efficiency of refrigeration plants in commercial buildings and offering valuable references for the revision of relevant energy efficiency standards. Full article

The sustainable transition of power systems is currently hindered by fragmented carbon pricing systems and insufficient cross-market synergies. Considering this, we herein construct a system dynamics model of carbon tax regulation under conditions integrating electricity markets, carbon emission trading (CET) markets, and tradable green certificate (TGC) markets using Vensim PLE 7.3.5 software. We also propose a price-matching mechanism and implementation pathway for carbon taxation and CET to advance low-carbon sustainable development. The simulation results show that the introduction of a carbon tax at an initial rate of 50 CNY per ton significantly improves renewable energy investment returns. Moreover, effective coordination between the carbon tax and CET reduces carbon emissions from the power system, delivering benefits in terms of both environmental and socio-economic sustainability. We further identify a dynamic coordination scheme consisting of a carbon tax with an initial rate of 50 CNY per ton, which is appropriate when the CET prices stabilize at approximately 60 CNY per ton. An initial rate of 30 CNY per ton is more suitable when the CET prices rise above 100 CNY per ton. These findings verify the optimal matching rules for carbon tax intensity under different carbon allowance price levels, and they also provide quantitative policy tools and empirical support for the scenario-based regulation of carbon pricing systems to achieve sustainable energy transition goals. Full article

To promote the green and low-carbon transition and achieve sustainable development in the transportation sector, virtual calibration technology was employed for the efficient and precise control of emissions from heavy-duty diesel engines and aftertreatment systems. A data-driven, semi-empirical and semi-physical simulation modeling method was proposed. By constructing core modules based on physical mechanisms and refining empirical parameters using experimental data, the method improves computational efficiency while maintaining the prediction accuracy of key parameters. Additionally, a collaborative architecture combining physical actuators and virtual sensor signals was introduced, laying the foundation for the validity of virtual calibration. By innovatively introducing a closed-loop system with real actuators and virtual sensors, the dynamic response characteristics of the control system are faithfully reproduced, providing a reliable environment for validating the results of virtual calibration. Under steady-state conditions, the results demonstrated an average relative error of 1.7% for brake-specific fuel consumption (BSFC) and 6.1% for NOx emissions. An open-loop system for the virtual calibration testing platform was constructed for steady-state calibration. Using the main injection timing and common rail pressure as independent variables, a D-optimal design was utilized to generate 43 sets of experimental points, from which a polynomial regression model was established (R² ≥ 98%). Under the constraints of NOx and pre-turbine temperature, fuel consumption in the low-load range is reduced by 0.5–3 g/kW·h, aftertreatment NOx emissions are reduced by 0.5–3 g/kW·h, and exhaust temperature is increased by 10 °C. This study establishes a complete development workflow consisting of “operating condition design-virtual optimization-bench validation,” significantly enhancing calibration efficiency and engineering applicability. This method shortens the calibration cycle and reduces the number of physical bench tests, providing the industry with a comprehensive calibration methodology tailored to engine operating conditions that is both reproducible and scalable. Full article

As the core pillar of international trade, the global shipping industry has seen its carbon and pollutant emissions become a key challenge in global environmental governance. Statistics indicate that ship carbon emissions account for 3% of the world’s total anthropogenic CO₂ emissions, while contributing 20% of global NO_x and 12% of SO₂ emissions, posing a serious threat to coastal ecosystems and public health. In response to the International Maritime Organization (IMO) “Net Zero Framework” and national green shipping policies, the transformation of ship power systems toward low-carbon and zero-carbon operation has become an inevitable trend. This paper systematically reviews the research progress and application status of green energy materials for ships, focusing on the working principles, technical characteristics, and engineering application cases of solar photovoltaic (PV) materials, wind energy utilization technologies, fuel cell materials, and alternative clean energy fuels (e.g., liquefied natural gas (LNG), methanol, and hydrogen energy). It also discusses the integration mode and optimization strategy of multi-energy hybrid power systems. The research findings show that solar photovoltaic technology has achieved large-scale application in coastal ships; hydrogen fuel cells are suitable for long-range ocean navigation scenarios due to their high energy density; LNG and methanol have become the current mainstream alternative fuels, relying on mature infrastructure; and hybrid energy systems can significantly improve power supply reliability and emission reduction efficiency through multi-energy complementarity. Finally, aiming at the existing bottlenecks (e.g., cost, energy storage, and safety) of various technologies, future development directions are proposed. This study provides a reference for the technological breakthrough and engineering practice of green energy power systems for ships and contributes to the realization of the “carbon neutrality” goal in the global shipping industry. Full article

The soil of Siraitia grosvenorii (LHG) farmland often suffers from acidification, compaction, and declining organic matter content. As biochar helps improve soil quality and enhance soil carbon sequestration capacity, an increasing number of studies are utilizing biochar for soil quality improvement. To address the soil degradation problem in LHG farmland and achieve the goals of soil organic carbon (SOC) sequestration and nutrient increase, we conducted a 100-day indoor constant-temperature incubation experiment by adding different proportions of LHG vine biochar. We analyzed the changes in SOC mineralization, different carbon fractions, and soil nutrient content in LHG farmland. The main results showed that, compared with the control group, the cumulative mineralization (CumulMine) of SOC increased by 3% to 51%, and organic carbon content increased by 52.43% to 193.87%. As the LHG vine biochar application rate increased, the metabolic entropy (qCO₂) rose, whereas the microbial entropy (qMBC) showed an opposite trend. Similarly, compared with the control group, the addition of 1.0%, 2.0%, and 4.0% LC increased water-soluble organic carbon by 45.87 mg·kg⁻¹, 67.00 mg·kg⁻¹, and 81.73 mg·kg⁻¹, respectively, and soil nutrients also increased, but microbial biomass carbon (MBC) and readily oxidizable organic carbon (ROC) contents decreased. The main conclusions indicate that adding LHG vine biochar increases SOC content, which is associated with reduced microbial activity. Biochar-derived DOC may serve as a substrate for microbial respiration, thereby contributing to increased CO₂ release and accelerated nutrient release. The application of LHG vine biochar enhanced the carbon sequestration capacity of LHG farmland soil while improving soil nutrient content, with the 4% application rate treatment performing the best. Full article

[Objective] This study aims to reveal the spatiotemporal evolution and transition patterns of green utilization efficiency of cultivated land (GUECL) across Chinese provinces and to identify multidimensional configurational pathways for improving efficiency. [Method] Carbon emissions and total carbon sinks were incorporated into the evaluation index system of GUECL. The super-efficiency SBM model was used to measure GUECL. A three-dimensional analytical framework of “driving forces–external foundations–internal conditions” was then constructed. Exploratory Spatio-Temporal Data Analysis and the fsQCA method were combined to examine the spatiotemporal evolution characteristics and multiple configurational pathways. [Results] (1) From 2013 to 2023, GUECL showed a fluctuating upward trend, with the mean value increasing from 0.550 to 0.835. Spatially, it presented a pattern of high efficiency in Northeast China and low efficiency in Southwest China. (2) The local spatial structure of GUECL was generally stable, although its spatiotemporal transition paths fluctuated to some extent. The cooperative effects in northeastern and western provinces were stronger than the competitive effects. The spatiotemporal evolution showed strong path dependence and lock-in effects, and the spatial association pattern was mainly positive, indicating a high degree of spatial integration. (3) Efficiency improvement was driven by the coupling of multiple factors. Four specific configurations were identified and further summarized into three typical pathways: a socially driven and economic-foundation-led pathway assisted by resource conditions; an economic- and technological-foundation-led pathway dominated by resource conditions and assisted by policy support; and a multi-factor synergistic pathway. [Conclusion] GUECL is driven by the combined and synergistic effects of driving forces, external foundations, and internal conditions. Therefore, differentiated regional strategies should be adopted to promote the precise matching and coordinated governance of multiple factors, thereby supporting the green and high-quality development of agriculture. Full article

As the energy and power sector transitions toward clean and low-carbon development, the installed capacity of renewable energy sources such as wind and photovoltaic power has been rapidly increasing. Wind–solar hydrogen production via water electrolysis can enhance renewable energy utilization and enable the supply of green hydrogen. Meanwhile, the $H_2/C{O}_2$ molar ratio in the syngas produced by conventional biomass gasification generally cannot directly meet the 2:1 stoichiometric requirement for methanol synthesis. To address this issue, this paper proposes an off-grid coordinated system integrating wind–solar hydrogen production and biomass gasification for methanol synthesis. The system incorporates multi-operating-condition constraints of electrolyzers, coordinated regulation between electrochemical energy storage and hydrogen storage, and coordinated matching between biomass gasification and the water–gas shift reaction. Based on the system energy and material balance, a mixed-integer linear programming (MILP) model is formulated with the objective of minimizing the annualized total cost and is solved using the Gurobi solver in the MATLAB environment. To highlight the roles of HES and the WGS reaction, four comparative scenarios are designed for validation. The results show that the system with an annual methanol production capacity of 100,000 tons achieves an annualized total cost of 318 million CNY, with a wind–solar utilization rate of 98.86%. The system is configured with 12 electrolyzers of 5 MW each. The biomass consumption per ton of methanol is 3.06, and the $C{O}_2$ emissions per ton of methanol are 2.37. Finally, a sensitivity analysis of the levelized methanol cost (LCOM) was conducted, providing guidance for cost reduction in green methanol production. Full article

With the ongoing low-carbon transition of energy systems and the increasing penetration of distributed energy resources, the coordinated operation of heterogeneous prosumers has become essential for improving the economic and environmental performance of integrated energy systems. However, existing studies have not sufficiently addressed the joint coordination of electricity sharing, carbon emission trading, green certificate trading, and demand-side flexibility. To address this gap, this paper proposes a hybrid game-based optimal operation model for a multi-energy prosumer alliance coordinated by an Electricity Balance Service Provider (EBSP). The model is developed under coupled carbon emission trading (CET) and green certificate trading (GCT) markets. A piecewise linear dynamic pricing mechanism and a mutual recognition rule are introduced to describe the interaction between CET and GCT. Meanwhile, a price-based demand response model considering reducible and shiftable loads is incorporated to exploit load-side flexibility. On this basis, a Stackelberg-cooperative hybrid game is formulated to coordinate electricity pricing, integrated dispatch, electricity sharing, and benefit allocation between the EBSP and the prosumer alliance. The proposed model is solved using particle swarm optimization and the alternating direction method of multipliers. Case studies show that, compared with the corresponding benchmark scenarios, the proposed method reduces the alliance operating cost by 7.19%, the carbon trading cost by 41.35%, and total carbon emissions by 3.66%. It also decreases the peak-to-valley load difference ratio by 3.78 percentage points. These results demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed method in improving economic performance, promoting low-carbon operation, and enhancing the peak-shaving and valley-filling capability of the prosumer alliance. Full article

This manuscript addresses the challenge of designing low-carbon and climate-neutral landscapes. While gardens and green spaces are commonly perceived as environmentally beneficial, they may generate significant greenhouse gas emissions throughout their life cycle. Despite the widespread application of carbon footprint assessment in building design, its integration into landscape architecture remains limited. The aim of this study is to systematize the concept of the garden carbon footprint and to develop a coherent framework for its evaluation. The research adopts a conceptual synthesis approach based on an interdisciplinary literature review, supported by a simplified Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) methodology. A component-based model is proposed, integrating embodied carbon, operational emissions, and carbon sequestration. The results demonstrate that the carbon performance of designed landscapes varies significantly depending on design strategies and management approaches. Importantly, the findings confirm that climate neutrality may be possible under specific conditions, particularly at larger spatial scales. The proposed framework contributes to the integration of carbon footprint assessment into landscape design processes and supports the development of low-emission, climate-resilient solutions. Full article

Reducing agricultural carbon emissions is an important component of China’s efforts to achieve its carbon peaking and carbon neutrality goals. As an important policy oriented financial instrument, green credit can facilitate lower agricultural carbon intensity by directing resources more efficiently across regions and encouraging low carbon transformation in agriculture. Using panel data for 30 Chinese provinces from 2005 to 2022, this study measures agricultural carbon emission intensity (ACEI) from six sources. It then examines the spatial spillover effects, transmission channels, and nonlinear characteristics associated with green credit by using a spatial Durbin framework, mediation analysis, and panel threshold model. The results indicate that: (1) green credit development is significantly associated with lower ACEI; (2) green credit exhibits significant spatial spillover effect, being associated with lower ACEI both within a province and in neighboring provinces; (3) green credit exhibits marked regional heterogeneity in its impact on ACEI: it shows both direct and spillover effects in the eastern region, only spillover effects in the central region, and only direct effects without effective diffusion in the western region; (4) green credit is associated with lower ACEI through industrial structure upgrading and lowering agricultural energy consumption intensity; (5) green credit has a single threshold effect on ACEI based on its own development level. After crossing the threshold, the emission intensity reduction effect weakens but remains significant. These results offer empirical evidence for refining green credit arrangements and advancing coordinated agricultural emission reduction across regions. Full article

Oil enterprises face the challenge of reconciling escalating energy conservation targets with persistent production requirements, necessitating sophisticated electricity management solutions. The conventional ton-per-kWh allocation approach, often manually adjusted based on historical production and planning data, lacks a scientific basis and fails to accurately identify efficiency differences or assess energy-saving potential, making it difficult to convince participating units. To address this, we propose a dynamic spatiotemporal allocation scheme and develop a multi-objective optimization model that integrates electricity efficiency, operational stability, and production priority. The model incorporates nonlinear efficiency terms, stability components, and priority-weighted items, with constraints including total balance, monthly adjustment limits, and key area protection. Central to the efficiency term is the accurate prediction of liquid production from electricity consumption. We decompose electricity use into three components—core production electricity, auxiliary production electricity, and product transportation electricity—and derive their proportional coefficients through regression of historical data, enabling high-precision liquid production prediction via machine learning using the Light Gradient Boosting Machine (LGBM). The resulting constrained optimization problem is solved using the Sequential Least Squares Programming (SLSQP) algorithm. Validation using both simulated data and Daqing Oilfield field data demonstrates that the scheme effectively achieves electricity reduction targets while significantly mitigating associated liquid production loss, reducing it by 18.0% in simulated experiments and 32.5% in field validation compared to the conventional ton-per-kWh method. This offers a scientific and adaptive electricity management framework that supports refined energy control and facilitates the petroleum industry’s green and low-carbon transformation. Full article

Against the global backdrop of carbon neutrality and the green transition of the construction sector, modern timber-framed buildings have emerged as a core enabler of sustainable construction. However, a systematic synthesis of research on indoor hygrothermal environments and thermal comfort in such buildings remains lacking, and the underlying coupling mechanisms—as well as pathways for performance optimization—are still insufficiently understood. To address these gaps, this study aims to systematically characterize and evaluate the performance features of indoor thermal and moisture environments in modern timber buildings, and to identify the key influencing factors and their underlying mechanisms. In accordance with the PRISMA 2020 guidelines for systematic reviews, this study identified and analyzed 203 high-quality peer-reviewed publications retrieved from three major academic databases, covering the period 2010–2025. Specifically, the literature search was conducted across the Web of Science, Scopus, and the China National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI), and visualization analysis was performed using VOSviewer 1.6.20 software. The results indicate that timber-framed buildings exhibit distinctive indoor hygrothermal characteristics: rapid temperature response, strong humidity buffering capacity, and superior thermal insulation performance compared with concrete structures, enabling indoor relative humidity to remain stably within the thermally comfortable range. Nevertheless, challenges persist, including summer overheating and elevated risks of mold growth under hot-humid conditions. Furthermore, the PMV model demonstrates significant predictive deviation for thermal comfort in timber-framed buildings; its application thus requires calibration incorporating both the hygrothermal properties of timber materials and occupants’ psychological adaptation. This study synthesizes the current state of research, identifies key influencing factors, and proposes climate-responsive optimization strategies to advance the development of robust thermal comfort models and support the low-energy, high-comfort design of timber-framed buildings. Full article

The intersection of financial innovation and environmental sustainability offers important opportunities for low- and middle-income (LMI) countries. This study examines the association between FinTech investment, geopolitical-economic uncertainty, urbanization, economic development, and carbon dioxide (CO₂) emissions in LMI countries. CO₂ emissions per capita are used as an environmental outcome indicator rather than as a direct measure of green finance. Using a panel dataset covering 2010–2021, the study applies fixed-effects panel regressions as the main empirical approach and reports one-step difference the Generalized Method of Moments (GMM) estimates as exploratory dynamic evidence. The fixed-effects results indicate that GDP per capita is positively and significantly associated with CO₂ emissions, while FinTech investment and urbanization do not show consistent significant associations. Geopolitical risk is positively associated with CO₂ emissions in some static specifications, but this association becomes insignificant once gross domestic product (GDP) per capita is included. The exploratory GMM results, estimated with collapsed instruments and restricted lag depth, do not provide statistically significant evidence that FinTech investment is associated with lower CO₂ emissions. Overall, the findings suggest that FinTech investment may be relevant for environmental outcomes in LMI countries, but its role is neither automatic nor uniform and remains sensitive to model specification. Policy implications emphasize the need to strengthen digital financial infrastructure, regulatory transparency, institutional stability, urban planning, and climate-oriented investment channels to support FinTech-driven environmental performance. Full article

As climate conditions become increasingly extreme, greater emphasis should be placed on environmental considerations in outward investment to achieve sustainable green development for Chinese enterprises. Therefore, based on panel data of Chinese listed enterprises from 2008 to 2023, this study examines the impact of Outward Foreign Direct Investment (OFDI) and climate policy uncertainty (CPU) on corporate green total factor productivity (GTFP). The findings indicate that OFDI significantly enhances GTFP, but CPU weakens this positive effect. Mechanism analysis reveals that OFDI improves corporate GTFP through promoting green management innovation, deepening digital transformation, and increasing green investment, while CPU exerts negative effects by undermining these mechanisms. Heterogeneity analysis shows that the effect of OFDI is more pronounced for enterprises in eastern regions, non-heavy-pollution enterprises, and low-carbon-intensity enterprises. Furthermore, spillover effect analysis demonstrates that OFDI’s impact on corporate GTFP exhibits significant spatial boundary characteristics and time-varying evolutionary patterns. Finally, external incentives (government environmental subsidies) and internal drivers (climate risk) can hedge against the negative effects of the interaction between CPU and OFDI. Full article