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Topic Review
Runaway Climate Change
Runaway climate change or runaway global warming is hypothesized to follow a tipping point in the climate system, after accumulated climate change initiates a reinforcing positive feedback. This rapid acceleration in climate change may lead to potentially irreversible damage to the climate system, making timely mitigation efforts unfeasible. This is thought to cause the climate to rapidly change until it reaches a new stable condition. These phrases may be used with reference to concerns about rapid global warming. Some astronomers use the expression runaway greenhouse effect to describe a situation where the climate deviates catastrophically and permanently from the original state—as happened on Venus. Although these terms are rarely used in the peer-reviewed climatological literature, that literature does use the similar phrase "runaway greenhouse effect", which refers specifically to climate changes that cause a planetary body's water to boil off.
  • 2.2K
  • 01 Nov 2022
Topic Review
ESG Measurement
Investors are currently obliged to take environment, social, and governance (ESG) issues into consideration as part of their fiduciary duty. As such, it becomes increasingly important to identify sustainable investments that also hold financial value. A sector where this is especially underdeveloped is real estate.
  • 2.2K
  • 01 Apr 2021
Topic Review
Urban Heat Island
Economic and social development of urban and rural areas continues in parallel with the increase of the human population, especially in developing countries, which leads to sustained expansion of impervious surface areas, particularly paved surfaces. The conversion of pervious surfaces to impervious surfaces significantly modifies local energy balance in urban areas and contributes to urban heat island (UHI) formation, mainly in densely developed cities. Climate change, urban population growth, and urban land expansion will probably increase temperatures in urban areas and make the UHI effect more prominent. Therefore, using appropriate measures to ameliorate urban microclimate becomes increasingly important.
  • 2.2K
  • 16 Jul 2021
Topic Review
Driving Forces of Land Change
Indonesia has experienced one of the world’s greatest dynamic land changes due to forestry and agricultural practices. Understanding the drivers behind these land changes remains challenging, partly because landscape research is spread across many domains and disciplines. Our review shows that oil palm expansion is the most prominent among multiple direct causes of land change. We determined that property rights are the most prominent issue among the multiple underlying causes of land change. Distinct combinations of mainly economic, institutional, political, and social underlying drivers determine land change, rather than single key drivers. Our review also shows that central and district governments as decision-making actors are prominent among multiple land change actors. Our systematic review indicates knowledge gaps that can be filled by clarifying the identification and role of actors in land change.
  • 2.2K
  • 24 May 2021
Topic Review
Management of Municipal Solid Waste Management
Municipal solid waste (MSW) management has become a major concern for developing countries. The physical and chemical aspects of MSW management and infrastructure need to be analyzed critically to solve the existing socio-economic problem. Depending on the socio-economic framework of a country, several MSW management procedures have been established, including landfilling, thermal treatment, and chemical treatment. Most of the MSW produced in underdeveloped and developing countries such as Bangladesh, India, and Pakistan is dumped into open landfills, severely affecting the environment. Waste-to-Energy (WTE) projects based on thermal treatments, e.g., incineration, pyrolysis, and gasification, can be feasible alternatives to conventional technologies. 
  • 2.1K
  • 26 Sep 2022
Topic Review
Climate Variability
Climate variability is the term to describe variations in the mean state and other characteristics of climate (such as chances or possibility of extreme weather, etc.) "on all spatial and temporal scales beyond that of individual weather events." Some of the variability does not appear to be caused systematically and occurs at random times. Such variability is called random variability or noise. On the other hand, periodic variability occurs relatively regularly and in distinct modes of variability or climate patterns. Over the years, the definitions of climate variability and the related term climate change have shifted. While the term climate change now implies change that is both long-term and of human causation, in the 1960s the word climate change was used for what we now describe as climate variability, that is, climatic inconsistencies and anomalies.
  • 2.1K
  • 11 Nov 2022
Topic Review
Aromatic Water Pollutants
In recent years, the intensification of human activities including rapid urbanization, industrialization, population, and economic growth, led to an increase in waste production and energy demand. Most importantly such activities pose concerns for health, energy security and climate changes. Hazardous volatile organic compounds, VOC, and aromatic organic compounds, AOC, are being generated from the activities of many vital industries like mining and petrochemicals. They are instrumental in the economic growth of many countries and their products are regarded as privileges to modern communities. Nevertheless, they are toxic and carcinogenic thus, these wastes have been classified as “hazardous”. The simultaneous treatment of organic pollutants and energy recovery is an attractive solution to reduce pollution in water, air, and soil as well as provide alternative clean energy sources. Hydrogen could be generated from organic pollutants in water through photocatalysis. Photocatalysis refers to the oxidation and reduction, redox, reactions on semiconductor surfaces, mediated by the valence band holes and conduction band electrons, which are generated by the absorption of ultraviolet or visible light radiation. Compared to traditional oxidation processes, photocatalytic redox reaction operates at ambient conditions without a high temperature or high pressure, and many recalcitrant organic contaminants can be degraded without the addition of chemical oxidants, hence it is fully green process. Among the various photocatalysts, TiO2, as the most widely employed “golden” photocatalyst, has been largely used in photocatalysis, due to its chemical stability, nontoxicity, and low cost. In the last two decades, TiO2 photocatalysis has expanded very quickly, having undergone various development‐related energy issues and environmental issues, such as direct solar H2O splitting into H2 and the decomposition of pollutants in air and H2O at low concentrations. Although great progress has been made in TiO2 photocatalysis, much remains unknown, which raises an interesting challenge not only for engineers but also for basic scientists. a typical photocatalytic reaction in TiO2 photocatalysis contains many fundamental processes, including charge carrier formation, separation, relaxation, trapping, transfer, recombination, and transportation.
  • 2.1K
  • 24 May 2021
Topic Review
Vehicles Exhaust Particulate Matter Emissions
In the automotive field the term “particulate matter (PM)” is used for the collected matter on a flow-through filter under specific conditions, and the term “particle” for aerosol particles measured while airborne (suspended matter). Particles are divided into “volatile” and “non-volatile” (or solid) at tailpipe conditions (high temperature, high concentration). Species that at tailpipe conditions appear volatile, may partition toward the particulate phase at atmospheric conditions (low temperature), and the term semi-volatile better characterizes them. The term “semi-volatiles” (instead of “volatiles”) will be used loosely in this text to indicate species not counted after dilution and thermal pre-treatment at 300–400 °C. The term ultrafine particles (i.e., particles < 100 nm) is not so common in the automotive community. Even though the majority of particles has sizes <100 nm, the tail extends to larger sizes. A recent review argued that a better definition for ultrafine particles (focusing on the automotive field) would be particles <500 nm.
  • 2.1K
  • 09 Feb 2022
Topic Review
Environmental Scenario Analysis
Scenario analysis is a useful tool to facilitate discussions about the main trends of future change and to promote the understanding of global environmental changes implications on relevant aspects of sustainability.
  • 2.1K
  • 16 Sep 2020
Topic Review
Biochar for Wastewater Treatment
Biochar as a stable carbon-rich material shows incredible potential to handle water/wastewater contaminants. Its application is gaining increasing interest due to the availability of feedstock, the simplicity of the preparation methods, and their enhanced physico-chemical properties. The efficacy of biochar to remove organic and inorganic pollutants depends on its surface area, pore size distribution, surface functional groups, and the size of the molecules to be removed, while the physical architecture and surface properties of biochar depend on the nature of feedstock and the preparation method/conditions. For instance, pyrolysis at high temperatures generally produces hydrophobic biochars with higher surface area and micropore volume, allowing it to be more suitable for organic contaminants sorption, whereas biochars produced at low temperatures own smaller pore size, lower surface area, and higher oxygen-containing functional groups and are more suitable to remove inorganic contaminants. In the field of water/wastewater treatment, biochar can have extensive application prospects. Biochar have been widely used as an additive/support media during anaerobic digestion and as filter media for the removal of suspended matter, heavy metals and pathogens. Biochar was also tested for its efficiency as a support-based catalyst for the degradation of dyes and recalcitrant contaminants. The current review discusses on the different methods for biochar production and provides an overview of current applications of biochar in wastewater treatment.
  • 2.0K
  • 28 Oct 2020
Topic Review
Ken Cuccinelli
Kenneth Thomas Cuccinelli II (/ˈkuːtʃɪˈnɛli/ KOO-chi-NEL-ee; born July 30, 1968) is an American politician and lawyer currently serving as Principal Deputy Director of the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) agency and Acting Deputy Secretary of Homeland Security. He previously served as the 46th attorney general of Virginia from 2010 until 2014, and acting Director of USCIS agency. Before this, he was in the Virginia Senate, representing the 37th district in Fairfax County from 2002 until he took office as attorney general in 2010. On May 18, 2013, Cuccinelli won the Republican Party's gubernatorial nomination at the state party convention. Cuccinelli was the Republican nominee for Governor of Virginia in the 2013 Virginia gubernatorial election, losing to the Democratic nominee, Terry McAuliffe, by 56,435 votes or 2.5% of the total votes cast. A self-described opponent of homosexuality, Cuccinelli in his position as Virginia Attorney General defended anti-sodomy laws and prohibitions on same-sex marriage. Cuccinelli rejects the scientific consensus on climate change, and in his position as Attorney General investigated climate scientists whom he accused of fraud. He filed lawsuits against the Obama administration’s Environmental Protection Agency. Characterized as an immigration hard-liner, Cuccinelli sought to prohibit undocumented immigrants from attending universities, repeal birthright citizenship, and force employees to speak English in the workplace. As CIS Director, he implemented and defended policies that would reject applications for visas or permanent residency for immigrants considered likely to utilize publicly funded benefits programs.
  • 2.0K
  • 12 Oct 2022
Topic Review
Tools for Shoreline Change Analysis and Detection
A shoreline is the point of the physical border between land and water. While this definition looks simple, it is indeed challenging in its practical application. The position of the shoreline changes through time due to cross-shore and alongshore sediment movement in the littoral zone, and through changes in water levels. Shoreline change analysis and detection studies have progressed from using simple observation (description) from historical maps and topographical maps to employing high-resolution multi-temporal satellite images with remote sensing and Geographic Information System (GIS) approaches for a better understanding of the subject.
  • 2.0K
  • 05 May 2022
Topic Review
Sludge Treatment Reed Beds
Sludge Treatment Reed Beds (STRB) represent a state-of-the-art nature-based solution to sludge treatment and management. It is an effective, economical (i.e., of low investment, operation and maintenance cost, and low energy consumption), environmentally friendly, and technically efficient technology. In STRBs, the sludge is applied to a growing stand of reeds under controlled conditions. The method relies on the exploitation of the transpiring and aerating capabilities of the reeds, which absorb moisture and nutrients from the sludge for their growth. Additionally, the sludge is dewatered by drainage through the underlying gravel layers, and evaporation from the sludge surface. In the long run, the sludge is oxidized and its organic matter content decreases. The final solids content of the dewatered sludge can build up to and exceed 40%, depending on the sludge loading rate and the climate. STRB operational life is usually at least 30 years and is divided into two or three operational phases of 8-12 years. At the end of each operational phase, the accumulated residual sludge is removed and recycled typically in agriculture and the STRB is emptied.
  • 2.0K
  • 01 Apr 2021
Topic Review
Organic Fouling
Organic fouling in the forward osmosis process is complex and influenced by different parameters in the forward osmosis such as type of feed and draw solution, operating conditions and type of membrane. In this article, we reviewed organic fouling in the forward osmosis focussing on wastewater treatment applications. Model organic foulants used in the forward osmosis literature were highlighted, followed by the characteristics of organic foulants when real wastewater are used as feed solutions. The present study evaluated various physical and chemical cleaning protocols for organic fouled membrane and the efficiency of cleaning methods for the removal of organic fouling in the forward osmosis process. The study made recommendations on future cleaning technologies such as Ultraviolet and Ultrasound. Generally, a combination of physical and chemical cleaning is the best for restoring the water flux in the FO process.
  • 2.0K
  • 27 Oct 2020
Topic Review
Bioremediation
Bioremediation can reduce pesticide contamination of agricultural soils by biodegradation processes via the metabolic activities of microorganisms. It is an efficient, cost-effective, and environment-friendly treatment.
  • 2.0K
  • 14 Jul 2021
Topic Review
Impact of Tritium on Living Organisms
Tritium is a byproduct of many radiochemical reactions in the nuclear industry, and its effects on aquatic organisms, particularly low-dose effects, deserve special attention. The low-dose effects of tritium on aquatic microbiota have been intensively studied using luminous marine bacteria as model microorganisms. Low-dose physiological activation has been demonstrated and explained by the signaling role of reactive oxygen species through the “bystander effect” in bacterial suspensions. The activation of microbial functions in natural reservoirs by low tritium concentrations can cause unpredictable changes in food chains and imbalances in the natural equilibrium. The incorporation of tritium from the free form into organically bound compounds mainly occurs in the dark and at a temperature of 25 °C. When tritium is ingested by marine animals, up to 56% of tritium is accumulated in the muscle tissue and up to 36% in the liver. About 50% of tritium in the liver is bound in non-exchangeable forms. Human ingestion of water and food products contaminated with background levels of tritium does not significantly contribute to the total dose load on the human body. 
  • 2.0K
  • 22 Apr 2022
Topic Review
The Heartland Institute
The Heartland Institute is an American conservative and libertarian public policy think tank founded in 1984 and based in Arlington Heights, Illinois. The Institute conducts work on issues including education reform, government spending, taxation, healthcare, tobacco policy, global warming, hydraulic fracturing, information technology, and free-market environmentalism. In the 1990s, the Heartland Institute worked with the tobacco company Philip Morris to attempt to discredit the health risks of secondhand smoke and to lobby against smoking bans.:233–34 Since the 2000s, the Heartland Institute has been a leading promoter of climate change denial. It rejects the scientific consensus on climate change, and says that policies to fight it would be damaging to the economy.
  • 2.0K
  • 30 Oct 2022
Topic Review
Algae as Potential Bio-Pesticides
The term algae encompasses a wide range of photosynthetic organisms that are found primarily in freshwater and marine environments, although certain representatives can thrive in terrestrial niches, either on their own or by developing symbiotic relationships with other organisms.
  • 2.0K
  • 10 Feb 2022
Topic Review
Public Opinion on Global Warming
Public opinion on global warming is the aggregate of attitudes or beliefs held by the adult population concerning the science, economics, and politics of global warming. It is affected by media coverage of climate change.
  • 2.0K
  • 11 Nov 2022
Topic Review
Effects of Global Warming on Human Health
The effects of global warming include its effects on human health. The observed and projected increased frequency and severity of climate related impacts will further exacerbate the effects on human health. This article describes some of those effects on individuals and populations.
  • 2.0K
  • 27 Oct 2022
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