Papers by Keyword: Climate Change

Abstract: In recent years, the whole world has been ailed by the change in climate with global warming and its negative effects on Earth’s climate system. Increased emissions and amplified energy consumption have resulted in a remarkable rise across the various climatic regions of Egypt, intensifying the thermal stresses on building facades. So to address this matter through a quantitative study, how climate change influences energy consumption rates will be analysed by referring back to the ECEEE records and Egypt's weather data files. The weather data files follow the seven climate regions and the different cities, starting with Alexandria, then Cairo, Minya, Asyut, Hurghada, Kharga, and finally Aswan. Based on the ECEEE records, each climate region has a particular thermal resistance (R-value) regulated by its zone location and weather conditions, thereby regulating consumption and reducing energy consumption. The simulations will also compare the most recent weather data files for 2021 with the original from 2006 in order to determine whether they are still applicable to today's energy depletion rates. The DesignBuilder program will be used to examine and compare R-values for an air-conditioned office space (6x4) m with a southwest orientation between 2006 and 2021. The results show an increase in Delta and Cairo Regions (2) by 50% , South Upper Egypt Regions (4) by 57% , and East Coast Regions (5) by 43% that were treated with XPS Extruded Polystyrene - CO2 Blowing as an insulation material addition, with its thickness adjusted according to the different regions. Keywords Climate Change, Energy Consumption, R-Value, Energy Code, Climatic Regions, Office Space, Orientation, Software Simulation, Envelope

Abstract: This paper delves into a comparative review of the actions of the Australian fashion industry in response to climate change. The focus of this review centres around major benchmark events in the Australian landscape of policies and regulations enactment, which shape the consumption of fashion in the country. This paper compares the interconnectedness or disconnected discourse of the fashion and textile industry’s trends, in response to climate change, within the Australian context. Climate change is set to catastrophically impact global food supplies and endanger human health by inducing heat-related mortality, cardiovascular diseases and mental health issues. In the next decade, it is expected to force millions of people into extreme poverty. The severity of climate change awareness has transpired the sustainability concept into a prime prerequisite for global business models. Fashion and textile businesses are quickly adapting to lower their environmental impact. However, this industry is still considered to be the second-most polluting sector globally. It contributes to greenhouse gas emissions via raw material extraction, production, and distribution processes. In addition, synthetic textiles impact the marine biosphere by releasing microplastic fragments. At the end of the product life cycle, most textiles are discarded in irreversible landfills. Australia is the second biggest consumer of textile, clothing and footwear products. Therefore, it is critical to compare the impact of the Australian fashion and textile industry and its response to the climate crisis.

Abstract: This paper aims discuss the concept of clean mobility, the energy requirements of clean mobility, challenges caused by unclean mobility as well as looking forward to the attainment of clean mobility system. The urban transport situation is as precarious as in the rural transport. Due to population growth and urban sprawl, there is rural-urban drift which has brough about an increase in the number of urban centres across the globe and coupled with the high dependence on fossil fuel, this has led to the continuous growth of air pollution and Green House Gas (GHG) emission level. Such pollution level has serious health effects and sometimes led to several death and contributes to climate change. Vehicular emissions are one of the major pollutant’s sources today with road transport as the key source of the PM2.5 pollution in large cities across the globe. This is due to several reasons including high vehicle density, old emission control technologies, fuels’ high Sulphur content, and limited public transportation options.Clean mobility will help to cut down on health cost and premature death due to air pollution, mitigate climate change actions and economic impacts of mobility. This paper will discuss issues such as stakeholder analysis on existing mobility systems and how to make it clean, policy framework and guidelines and public private partnership in the mobility sector. Therefore, the government in partnership with the private sector and multilateral agencies would have to invest in sustainable modern electric trains, Electric Mobility systems, build ports near deep rivers and create more local and international airports, and ensure people can afford to use them as well as explore the use of alternative fuel with less pollutants and reduced impact on the climate such as natural gas and hydrogen (green, blue, grey) as the case may be.

Abstract: The production of the most abundant chemical element in the atmosphere, hydrogen, particularly green hydrogen (i.e. hydrogen in its cleanest and most sustainable form), is quickly becoming a priority for nations worldwide. This interest is mainly attributed to, among other factors, its potential to serve as a cornerstone of the global energy transition to low-carbon economies. Green hydrogen possesses the potential to decarbonize the so-called “hard-to-abate,” sectors i.e., energy-intensive sectors, such as heavy industries, iron and steel production, and transportation - including aviation and shipping, among other economic sectors.The growing focus on the adoption of green hydrogen as a viable decarbonization pathway must be viewed against the backdrop of global commitments and international imperatives to address the adverse effects of climate change. Such commitments emanate from instruments such as the Paris Agreement of 2015 and obligations towards meeting the United Nation's Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Further, the “Just Energy Transition" journey towards decarbonization must also be contextualized within different jurisdictions, in line with their situations and context-specific goals, geographic locations, and policy frameworks.Much like other nations worldwide, the South African regulatory framework for hydrogen is still emerging, as it is presently dominated by soft law instruments such as roadmaps, strategies and guiding documents, as opposed to binding and enforceable hard law instruments. For example, the South African Hydrogen Society Roadmap of 2022, the Integrated Resource Plan, the Integrated Energy Plan, and the Renewable Energy Policy, among other significant policy documents, highlight the fundamental role that green hydrogen would play in South Africa’s energy transition. Whilst other legal and policy documents may apply to the hydrogen value chain, such as the various safety requirements in the Occupational Health and Safety Act, 1996, there is a lacuna of hydrogen-specific hard law regulation, including, importantly, regulations regarding certification (which will need to be aligned internationally).In light of the above, this paper discusses the potential of green hydrogen in the context of South Africa and explores the current position in the country. It further canvasses emerging developments within the hydrogen space. This analysis aims to identify gaps or lacunas in the law, risks, and challenges for South Africa’s hydrogen economy. The article proceeds to provide recommendations for a policy and regulatory regime for hydrogen in Southern Africa. It draws on examples from countries and regions such as the European Union (EU), which are further along in terms of regulating hydrogen, but contextualizing this discussion within the African, and specifically Southern African context. This budding industry provides an opportunity to learn from past energy mistakes and create an appropriate regulatory and policy framework that works and benefits Africa.

Abstract: Nanotechnology especially Zero Valent metals is a modern technology for the degradation of extensive ranges of biological wastewater contaminants. Due to their effectiveness, economically and safely properties, this study successfully prepared and characterized nanoZero Valent Iron (nZVI) to be encapsulated into natural alginate biopolymer. The effect of operating parameters was studied at different environmental conditions; pH, dose (g/L), contact time (min), stirring rate (rpm), and BOD concentrations. Adsorption isotherm, kinetic studies, and statistical analysis (Response Surface Methodology (RSM) and Artificial neural networks (ANNs)) were examined to describe the removal behavior. The obtained results indicated that the maximum removal efficiency was 81.2 % for initial BOD concentration 300 mg/L, at pH 7, using wet dose 3g/L, 25min, and stirring rate 200 rpm. Also, adsorption and kinetic data indicated that the adsorption mechanism runs toward the Sips model to approximate the Freundlich model at low concentration and to solve the Freundlich limitation at high concentration with a maximum adsorption capacity of 181mg/g. Kinetic results describe the solid transformation from one phase to another at a constant temperature by approving Avrami model. Finally, RSM results agree with ANNs results that the “Concentration effect” is the most significant variable that controls the removal efficiency.

Abstract: The utilization of Sewage Sludge Ash Pellets (SSAP) as an efficient sorbent material for dye removal is highlighted in this work. On MB removal, the effects of several factors such as contact time, agitation speed, solution pH, adsorbent dosage, and beginning concentration were investigated. When the MB concentration was 25 mg/L, the SSAP concentration was 30 g/L, and the speed was 250 rpm, the maximum removal efficiency was 98 %. The equilibrium time was found to be 60 minutes, and the maximum dye removal occurred at pH 10 for SSAP adsorbents. The Langmuir and Freundlich isotherm models were used to analyze the adsorption data. Adsorption isotherm studies revealed that the Langmuir model fits this case better. In most cases, the R² correlation coefficient value exceeds 0.95. According to the findings of this study, SSAP can be used as an effective adsorbent for the removal of MB from aqueous solutions.

Abstract: Wastewater treatment by nanotechnology, specifically magnetic nanosorbent as nanoZero Valent Iron (nZVI), is a new technology for degradation of wide ranges of organic pollutants by the effect of free electrons as Advanced Oxidation Processes (AOPs) and adsorption processes. Due to their effectiveness, economic, and safety properties, this study prepared and characterized nZVI to be entrapped into natural alginate biopolymer (Ag/nZVI). The removal of wastewater chemical pollutants was tested by studying the variations of COD levels. The effect of operating conditions was studied at different pH, Ag/nZVI doses (g/L), contact time (min), stirring rate (rpm), and initial COD concentrations. Also, Adsorption isotherm, kinetic studies were conducted to estimate equilibrated reaction mechanisms. Linear regression analysis was tested to find the Response Surface Methodology (RSM) relations between variables and removal percentages. Nonlinear Feed-Forward backpropagation system was built for Artificial intelligence neural networks (ANNs) importance detections. Finally, this study approved effective COD removal percentages reached 76%. The maximum removal efficiency for initial COD concentration 400 mg/L was observed at pH 6, using wet dose 3g/L, 30min, and 150 rpm.

Abstract: Mortar surface coating is widely used as a finishing material to extend the service life and improve chloride ingression resistance of marine concrete structures. This study proposes a model for estimating the service life of surface-coated marine concrete considering climate change. First, the increase of chloride diffusivity due to climate change is considered using Arrhenius’ law. A two-layered chloride ingress model is used to analyze chloride profile. The probability-based approach is used to find the service life of concrete structures. Second, parameter analysis is performed considering the effects of various factors on service life. The influences of thickness and chloride diffusivity of the coating and substrate concrete on service life are highlighted. The reduction of service life due to climate change is clarified based on the regression of results of parameter analysis. For marine concrete with 50 years’ service life, 6% service life reduction occurs because of climate change.

Abstract: The manifestations of climatic changes on the territory of the south of the European part of Russia are considered. The estimates for the changes in the seasonal and annual average, maximum and minimum air temperatures, in the seasonal and annual sum of precipitation, daily maximum precipitation as well as the dynamics of the number of their extreme values ​​in different climatic zones of southern Russia and in different seasons are obtained. Possible effects of climate change on the functioning of the construction industry in different climatic zones of the region are considered.

Abstract: Ecological problems, exogenous processes and phenomena in conditions of climate warming in the Elbrus region (the North Caucasus, Kabardino-Balkar Republic) are reviewed in this article. Increase of average-annual values of temperature and amount of precipitation within the period of 1961-2017 and sub-period of intensive warming of 1976-2017, acceleration of dynamics of glaciers recession in Elbrus, activation of exogenous processes in the Elbrus region are established on the basis of the meteorological data analysis (temperature and precipitation) and monitoring of glaciers degradation.