Search Results (129)

Parameter optimization of injection and production is an important method used to enhance recovery rate and reduce water cut, mainly aiming to determine the injection and production strategies during the development process to maximize the economic benefits throughout the reservoir development process. However, current optimization approaches for injection and production face challenges such as complex and inefficient optimization models and high-dimensional discrete variables, making it difficult to improve the global optimization ability of the algorithm (avoiding local optimal solutions during the optimization process) and the controllability of the time for completing the optimization of injection and production parameters under real and limited numerical simulations. This paper proposes a high-dimensional multi-discrete injection and production parameter non-gradient optimization method (MNOM), which combines the upper confidence bound (UCB) algorithm and effectively explores better injection and production systems and small-layer water-allocation schemes, achieving the maximization of net present value (NPV) over the entire development period. Specifically, this method models the injection and production parameter optimization problem as a Monte Carlo tree search process (Monte Carlo tree search, MCTS), and implements the optimization of injection and production cycles and small-layer water allocation through a genetic algorithm (CLGA) proxy optimized by a convolutional long short-term memory network (ConvLSTM). This method effectively overcomes the spatial and temporal limitations of the search process, maps production dynamics to the random strategies of injection and production parameters, and estimates the expected return of each policy. The CLGA proxy rapidly identifies suitable well-control schedules and water-allocation schemes in real time based on the production status at different development stages, thereby improving overall production performance. The proposed method has two innovative points. Firstly, MCTS can explore the large-scale discrete space of injection and production parameter optimization variables through tree decomposition, combined with the UCB incentive mechanism, to improve the global optimization ability. Secondly, the model training process is completely based on existing physical laws, with good temporal evolution, and the trained strategy can quickly adapt to the production status of the target layer without the need for a complete re-training from the beginning, enabling offline application and having good real-time controllability. In order to verify the effectiveness of the method proposed in the article, tests were conducted on a 3D reservoir actual model. Compared with gradient-based approaches, classical evolutionary algorithms, and proximal policy optimization (PPO), MNOM not only achieves stronger global search performance and requires 55–78% fewer iterations, but also improves the effective sweep volume by 1.1% to 5.5% compared to other optimization methods; furthermore, when compared with the PPO method, it is found that in offline optimization, if the production regime changes, the training strategy has better real-time controllability. The MNOM method can still maintain the original optimization effect compared to the PPO method when the production regime changes, demonstrating better engineering adaptability. The research results show that the proposed multi-strategy fusion high-dimensional multi-discrete injection and production parameter non-gradient optimization method can effectively improve recovery rate, expand effective sweep volume, and balance global optimization ability, optimization efficiency, and real-time controllability under the constraint of limited numerical simulations, and it has good engineering adaptability and application prospects. Full article

The Yangtze River Economic Belt supports over 400 million people and contributes nearly half of China’s GDP, yet decades of industrialization, urbanization, and agricultural intensification have resulted in severe contamination and pressing environmental challenges. This systematic review synthesizes three decades of peer-reviewed and governmental data to examine the spatiotemporal distribution, sources, and ecological and human health risks of major pollutants, including heavy metals, microplastics, persistent organic pollutants, and excess nutrients. While point-source emission of heavy metals such as cadmium, lead, and mercury have decreased by 35–42% since 2013 following policy interventions like the 10-Point Water Plan and the Yangtze River Protection Law, legacy contaminants in sediments and diffuse agricultural inputs continue to pose significant risks. Cadmium levels in rice still exceed food safety standards, arsenic in groundwater surpasses health guidelines, and microplastic flux into the East China Sea has reached 8.3 × 10¹² particles per year. Nutrient surpluses also drive extensive algal blooms, causing substantial economic losses. This review evaluates remediation strategies such as dredging, phytoremediation, wetland restoration, and AI-enhanced monitoring, which show removal efficiencies of 60–90% at reduced costs. However, critical gaps remain in understanding chronic mixture toxicity, the long-term fate of emerging contaminants, and pollutant–climate interactions. We propose an integrated basin-wide roadmap combining zero-liquid-discharge mandates, green infrastructure, and adaptive, performance-based governance to secure the Yangtze’s ecological and economic sustainability. This framework offers a transferable model for large-scale watershed management worldwide. Full article

The prehistoric and historic Greek populations have a long and glorious history and could teach us significant lessons relevant to water resources and their management. Most Greek civilizations lived in harmony with the environment, with a profound understanding of environmental sustainability. The Minoan era, considered as Pax Minoica (or Minoan peace), was a time when palaces and other living places did not have defensive walls; in that time, human rights and power without a military aristocracy developed. During that time, hydro-structures with a high degree of security, which remained in operation for millennia, were developed, most of them established in predominantly arid areas for reasons of security, protection, and public health. The study presents important elements of the development and progress of these technological achievements provided by ancient civilizations throughout the prehistoric to modern period, in the context of revealing and highlighting potential lessons to understand and address current critical issues in the management of water resources. Furthermore, the methodology used and the technological structural advancement of water works, their infrastructure durability, and early water law principles are considered. Many modern systems are designed for operational lifespans of 50–100 years, whereas several ancient Greek hydraulic structures remained functional for centuries by relying on renewable natural resources—reflecting a fundamentally different design philosophy centered on longevity and robustness. Thus, terms such as “sustainability” and “water security/safety”, first taught by ancient civilizations, need to be reconsidered and adopted again nowadays to inspire policies, strategies, and actions against the increasing challenges. Full article

Reservoir basins globally face an intensifying sustainability paradox: balancing economic growth, social welfare, and environmental protection often triggers systemic trade-offs. However, comprehensive assessments revealing these internal imbalances remain scarce, hindering targeted governance. To address this gap, this paper developed a multidimensional framework of Ecological development benefits, integrating Entropy-Weighted AHP and Fuzzy Mathematics. Applying this to 2015–2022 data from the Sanmenxia Reservoir in the Yellow River Basin of China revealed three development paradoxes: Protection-prioritized regions face diminishing returns; growth-driven regions accumulate ecological deficits; and environmentally stagnant regions decline in resilience. Critically, no optimal pathway exists—all subregions exhibited significant imbalances despite aggregate ecological improvements, and policy shocks (e.g., COVID-19, new environmental laws) amplified disparities, exposing institutional fragmentation. Based on the research findings, policy recommendations are proposed for green financing mechanisms, adaptive governance, and region-centered protection, which directly advance SDGs 6 (water security), 8 (inclusive growth), and 13 (climate action), offering a transferable analytical framework for basins like the Mekong and Nile, which are confronting similar paradoxes. Full article

Food policies that respond to shocks and support nutritious diets for vulnerable populations can enhance resilience, support social equity, and reduce environmental damage. Using a simulation model, we evaluated the effectiveness of two food redistribution policies—Nourish New York, a program providing funds to food rescue organizations to purchase food directly from farmers, and the Food Donation and Food Scraps Recycling Law (an organics “waste ban”)—in response to a shock such as the COVID-19 pandemic. We assessed policy based on recovered food and life cycle carbon and water footprints over 10 years. Both policies improved produce donations during post-shock. The waste ban increased waste at feeding organizations; diverting unavoidable food waste to composting and anaerobic digestion mitigated its carbon footprint. Enhanced coordination and partnerships within the food redistribution network were crucial for ensuring that produce reached those in need, ultimately reducing long-term environmental impacts. Implementing multiple strategies that enhance recovery from farms and retail, while strengthening the organizational capacity of the food redistribution network, can simultaneously advance food security and environmental goals. Full article

Groundwater sustains more than 60% of irrigation in Pakistan’s Indus Basin, yet accelerating depletion, rising salinity and fragmented governance threaten agricultural productivity and rural livelihoods. Although new monitoring technologies and provincial water laws have emerged, a persistent gap remains between scientific evidence, policy frameworks and farmer practices. This study applies the Science–Policy–Practice Interface (SPPI) to examine these disconnects, drawing on qualitative data from multi-stakeholder focus groups and interviews with farmers, scientists and policymakers in Punjab, Sindh and federal agencies. The analysis identifies five governance challenges: weak knowledge integration, fragmented institutions, political resistance to regulation, limited adaptive capacity and under-recognition of farmer-led innovations. While depletion is well documented, it rarely informs enforceable rules and informal practices often outweigh formal regulation. At the same time, farmers contribute adaptive strategies, such as recharge initiatives and water-sharing arrangements, that remain invisible to policy. The findings highlight both the potential and the limits of SPPI. It provides a valuable lens for aligning science, policy and practice but cannot overcome entrenched political economy barriers such as subsidies and elite capture. The study contributes theoretically by extending SPPI to irrigation-dependent aquifers and practically by identifying opportunities for hybrid knowledge systems to support adaptive and equitable groundwater governance in Pakistan and other LMICs. Full article

Mining is associated with specific heavy metals (HMs), including cadmium (Cd), lead (Pb), copper (Cu), iron (Fe), and other toxic metals. These metals contaminate water and accumulate in both children and adults at varying concentrations, resulting in severe health implications. This paper examines the impact of barite mining on water quality, human well-being, and the environment. It evaluates the health implications of natural and anthropogenic activities on the selective liberation of heavy metals at mining sites. The potential environmental impact on mining communities in the extreme dry (April), early or mid-rainy (July), and optimum rainy (October) seasons of the year is also elucidated. Ponds within six barite mining sites were analysed using an Atomic Absorption Spectrometer (AAS) to identify these metals in water samples. The implications of HM concentrations on the well-being of the young and adults were examined and assessed using relevant mathematical expressions, and the outcome was compared with national and international environmental standards. Results show that the ponds within the barite mining sites are contaminated with copper (Cu), barium (Ba), cadmium (Cd), lead (Pb), and iron (Fe). The HM concentration exceeds the reference dose (RfD) or tolerable daily intake (TDI) stated by global and national standards for water quality and healthy living. Statistical assessments indicated that the non-carcinogenic risks of Pb and Cd are higher in children than in adults. In addition to mining, farming activities may increase HM contamination within the areas. It is anticipated that existing policy frameworks and water laws will be reviewed to support efforts for the early detection of HMs in water through medical examinations, water quality assessments, and non-carcinogenic risk (NCR) assessments. Full article

In recent years, public discourse on pesticide impacts has increasingly recognized institutional and structural racism as key drivers of health disparities in Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC) communities. While pesticides are vital for crop protection from causing yield losses, extensive research highlights their adverse effects on environmental quality and human health. These impacts disproportionately burden BIPOC populations, making pesticides a major environmental justice (EJ) concern like many other environmental pollutants. Despite progress in understanding these effects and advancing EJ, significant technical, social, and policy gaps remain. The objective of this review is to systematically examine critical gaps in technical, social, and policy dimensions, as well as the environmental and human health impacts of pesticide exposure on BIPOC communities in the United States, through the lens of environmental justice. This review synthesizes 128 sources peer-reviewed articles, books, reports on pesticides, EJ, and BIPOC communities in the U.S. Key findings reveal uneven distribution of pesticide-related health and environmental burdens along racial, ethnic, and socioeconomic lines. Non-Hispanic Blacks and Mexican Americans exhibit higher pesticide biomarkers and greater exposure risks than non-Hispanic Whites. Structural racism and classism, rooted in historical systems, perpetuate these inequities, compounded by regulatory failures and power imbalances. In addition, the EPA has flagged 31 pesticide manufacturing facilities for “Significant Violations” of key environmental laws, including the Clean Air Act, Clean Water Act, and Resource Conservation and Recovery Act. These systemic issues underscore urgent needs for transparency, accountability, and equitable policy reform. An EJ framework exposes critical knowledge gaps and calls for structural changes to ensure equal protection and responsive policies for the most affected communities. Full article

Overweight, including its severe form obesity, among children and adolescents has risen rapidly in Latin America. Schools play a critical role in addressing this growing public health challenge, as they offer a structured setting to implement preventive interventions targeting nutrition literacy, physical activity, and the food environment. The aim of this article is to describe the effectiveness of school-based interventions for preventing overweight in Latin America and whether existing policies, programs and other initiatives in the region align with the best available evidence. Among the 27 interventions included, most were conducted in Chile (41%), used a pre–post design (41%), adopted a preventive approach (85%), and reported positive effects (52%). Effective interventions included activities on nutrition literacy, physical activity, nutritious foods and diets, provision of free and safe drinking water (e.g., water that is free from microbial contamination and suitable for drinking), and healthy food environment. Experimental studies showed that the duration of effective interventions ranged from two months to two years and were primarily directed at primary school students including parents and teachers. Argentina, Chile, Colombia, Mexico, Peru, and Uruguay had multi-component policies and programs under a regulatory framework (e.g., laws or regulations passed by a government) based on the best available evidence to prevent overweight in school-aged children and adolescents. Only a limited number of countries have implemented these interventions. Ensuring program sustainability is critical to inform evidence-based childhood overweight prevention policies in the region. Policymakers should use the best scientific evidence to guide childhood overweight prevention strategies. Full article

Glacial-lake outburst floods (GLOFs) threaten more than three million residents of south-east Kazakhstan, yet quantitative data on lake growth and storage are scarce. We inventoried 154 lakes on the northern flank of the Ile-Alatau and selected four moraine-dammed basins with the greatest historical flood activity for detailed study. Annual lake outlines (2016–2023) were extracted from 3 m PlanetScope imagery with a Normalised Difference Water Index workflow, while late-ablation echo-sounder surveys (2023–2024) yielded sub-metre bathymetric grids. A regionally calibrated area–volume power law translated each shoreline to water storage, and field volumes served as an independent accuracy check. The lakes display divergent trajectories. Rapid thermokarst development led to a 37% increase in the surface area of Lake 13bis, expanding from 0.039 km² to 0.054 km² over a 5-year period. In contrast, engineering-induced drawdown resulted in a 44% reduction in the area of Lake 6, from 0.019 km² to 0.011 km². Lakes 5 and 2, which are supplied by actively retreating glaciers, exhibited surface area increases of 4.8% and 15%, expanding from 0.077 km² to 0.088 km² and from 0.061 km² to 0.070 km², respectively. The empirical model reproduces field volumes to within ±25% for four lakes, confirming its utility for rapid hazard screening, but overestimates storage in low-relief basins and underestimates artificially drained lakes. This is the first study in Ile-Alatau to fuse daily 3 m multispectral imagery with ground-truth bathymetry, delivering an 8-year, volume-resolved record of lake evolution. The results identify Lake 5 and Lake 2 as priority targets for early-warning systems and demonstrate that sustained intervention can effectively suppress GLOF risk. Incorporating these storage trajectories into regional disaster plans will sharpen evacuation mapping, optimise resource allocation, and inform transboundary water-hazard policy under accelerating climate change. Full article

The Marine Pollution Control Act (MPCA) in Taiwan aims to align with international conventions such as the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), the International Convention for the Prevention of Pollution from Ships (MARPOL), the International Convention on Civil Liability for Oil Pollution Damage (CLC), the International Oil Pollution Compensation Funds (FUNDs), and the International Convention for the Control and Management of Ships’ Ballast Water and Sediments (BWM). However, Taiwan’s particular international status prevents formal participation in these treaties. This study evaluates Taiwan’s legal and institutional frameworks on ship emission control, pollution liability and compensation, and interagency coordination, identifying key gaps compared with global standards. By analyzing Japan’s and South Korea’s best practices in port management, cross-border pollution prevention, and vessel monitoring, this study proposes legal and policy reforms that are tailored to Taiwan. Recommendations include strengthening liability mechanisms, enhancing interagency collaboration, monitoring vessels, and fostering regional cooperation. Our findings suggest that these reforms will improve Taiwan’s marine environmental governance and contribute to regional and global ocean sustainability. Full article

Accurate and spatially detailed soil information is essential for supporting sustainable land use planning, particularly in data-scarce regions such as Cyprus, where soil degradation risks are intensified by land fragmentation, water scarcity, and climate change pressure. This study aimed to generate national-scale predictive maps of key soil health descriptors by integrating satellite-based indicators with a recently released geo-referenced soil dataset. A machine learning model was applied to estimate a suite of soil properties, including organic carbon, pH, texture fractions, macronutrients, and electrical conductivity. The resulting maps reflect spatial patterns consistent with previous studies focused on Cyprus and provide high resolution insights into degradation processes, such as organic carbon loss, and salinization risk. These outputs provide added value for identifying priority zones for soil conservation and evidence-based land management planning. While predictive uncertainty is greater in areas lacking ground reference data, particularly in the northeastern part of the island, the modeling framework demonstrates strong potential for a national-scale soil health assessment. The outcomes are directly relevant to ongoing soil policy developments, including the forthcoming Soil Monitoring Law, and provide spatial prediction models and indicator maps that support the assessment and mitigation of soil degradation. Full article

Peatland research has expanded rapidly in the last two decades encompassing a diverse, multi-disciplinary evidence base, as countries seek to manage this resource sustainably along with meeting climate and biodiversity targets. There is growing global interest in the role of peatlands in carbon and water cycles, leading to more interdisciplinary research that applies ecosystem services and other integrative frameworks to generate knowledge and provide guidance for action. These trends have been replicated in Ireland with increasing research in peatland science, applied work on these degraded ecosystems, and a growing interest from civil society, landowners, and communities in the stewardship of this resource. This paper presents evidence-based insights from over two decades of Irish peatland research, with practical lessons for peatland policy and management in other national contexts. Analyses of the evidence from the literature, specialist expertise, and stakeholder knowledge were carried out under ten themes: biodiversity, soil, climate change, water, archaeology and palaeoenvironment, technology and mapping, society and culture, management, growing media and policy and law. The research identified four foundational pillars (accountability, longevity, equity and holistic knowledge) as critical to achieving sustainable peatland management in Ireland, with broader application to other regions. Peatland restoration is widely recognised across research disciplines as a key tool to meet regulatory targets related to climate, biodiversity, and water quality, while also delivering societal benefits. The findings of this research provide accessible, reliable and up-to-date evidence for sustainable peatland management. This study addresses a critical global knowledge gap by developing a novel, interdisciplinary evidence synthesis framework—applied here to Ireland but replicable worldwide—that systematically integrates 20 years of multi-disciplinary peatland research, expert insights, and stakeholder perspectives across ten thematic pillars. Full article

The conservation of biodiversity and the balance between ecological and societal needs are critical but often contested global issues. Wildlife-vehicle collision (WVC) on vital infrastructure, especially linear infrastructure, remains a persistent challenge from policy to practice and poses a serious life-threatening implication to humans and other non-human lives. Addressing this issue effectively requires solutions that provide win-win outcomes from both ecological and societal perspectives. This study critically analyzes a decade of roadkill incidents along Nepal’s longest East-West national highway, which passes through a biologically diverse national park in the western Terai Arc Landscape Area (TAL). Findings are drawn from field-based primary data collection of the period 2012–2022, secondary literature review, key informant interviews, and spatial analysis. The study reveals significant variations in roadkill incidence across areas and years. Despite Bardia National Park being larger and having a higher wildlife density, Banke National Park recorded higher roadkill rates. This is attributed to insufficient mitigation measures and law enforcement, more straight highway segments, and the absence of buffer zones between the core park and adjacent forest areas—only a road separates them. Wild boars (Sus scrofa) and spotted deer (Axis axis), the primary prey of Bengal tigers (Panthera tigris tigris), were the most frequently road-killed species. This may contribute to human-tiger conflicts, as observed in the study areas. Seasonal trends showed that reptiles were at higher risk during the wet season and mammals during winter. Hotspots were often located near checkpoints and water bodies, highlighting the need for targeted mitigation efforts such as wildlife crossings and provisioning wildlife requirements such as water, grassland, and shelter away from the regular traffic roads. Roadkill frequency was also influenced by forest cover and time of day, with more incidents occurring at dawn and dusk when most of the herbivores become more active in search of food, shelter, water, and their herds. The findings underscore the importance of road characteristics, animal behavior, and landscape features in roadkill occurrences. Effective mitigation strategies include wildlife crossings, speed limits, warning signs, and public education campaigns. Further research is needed to understand the factors in driving variations between parks and to assess the effectiveness of mitigation measures. Full article

Among its various targets on restoring natural habitats and ecosystems in the EU, the recently adopted Nature Restoration Law (NRL) introduces ambitious targets for restoring surface water bodies (SWBs) as well. Simultaneously, the Italian CAP Strategic Plan for the implementation of the Common Agricultural Policy 2023–2027 has been designed to enhance sustainable agricultural practices, including water resource management. This paper provides a comparative analysis of the synergies, gaps, and challenges between these two regulatory frameworks, focusing on sustainable water use in Italian agriculture. A two-level comparative matrix methodology is employed to evaluate the alignment between the NRL’s objectives for freshwater ecosystems and the measures taken by the Italian CAP Strategic Plan on water resources. The results highlight key areas of convergence, existing shortcomings, and necessary steps for aligning Italian agricultural policies with the EU’s water restoration goals. The findings offer insights for policymakers, researchers, and stakeholders engaged in water governance, biodiversity conservation, and agricultural sustainability. Full article