Revisiting the EKC framework concerning COP-28 carbon neutrality management: Evidence from Top-5 carbon embittering countries.

In the aftermath of the 28th Conference of the Parties (CoP) climate summit in the UAE, the majority of developing countries encounter challenges in attaining their objectives of carbon neutrality for a sustainable economy. The association of economic factors such as economic growth, governance structures, forest area, renewable energy consumption, technological innovation, and urbanization with environmental elements (carbon footprint) is vital for sustainable economic development and environmental management strategies. Therefore, this research reveals this association in five selected high-emitting countries spanning from 1990 to 2022. This research utilizes the Environmental Kuznets Curve (EKC) framework to investigate the interrelationship between these variables. To do so, this study employs the cross-sectional autoregressive distributed lags (CS-ARDL) statistical technique to determine the short- and long-term impacts of the variables under investigation on carbon footprint. In contrast, the mean group (MG) and common correlated effect mean group (CCEMG) have been applied for robustness. The findings revealed that GDP, urbanization, and forest area have positive associations with carbon footprints, whereas GDP square, renewable energy consumption, technological innovation, and governance effectiveness have inverse relationships with carbon footprints. These findings provide all stakeholders with valuable policy recommendations and management advice for accelerating the transition of renewable energy to low-carbon and green growth.

Optimization of deficit irrigation and nitrogen fertilizer management for peanut production in an arid region.

Deficit irrigation (DI) has been emerging as an important technique for enhancing crop water productivity (WP). However, advantage of DI under varying nitrogen (N) application rates remains unclear. Field experiments were conducted during 2012-2014 to investigate the impacts of six irrigation levels[FI (full irrigation), DI10, DI20, DI30, DI40 and DI50, with irrigation amount of 100, 90, 80, 70, 60 and 50% of ETc, respectively) and four N application rates (N0, N10, N20 and N30, with 0, 10, 20 and 30 kg N ha-1, respectively) on WP, yield, quality, and net economic return of peanut in hot arid region of India. We used Technique for Order Preference by Similarity to an Ideal Solution (TOPSIS) method to obtain the optimal combination of irrigation and N rates. Both irrigation level and nitrogen dose had significant effects on yield and quality parameters examined in the study. Relative to FI, DI40 and DI50 significantly reduced yield (40.2-62.1%), economic benefit (70.8-118.5%), WP (8.2-33.0%), and kernel oil content (7.5-11.9%), but DI20 increased WP by 17.1% with only marginal reduction in economic benefit (2.6%), and yield (3.2%). Compared to N0, the N30 had 1.7, 1.1, and 1.6-folds increased yield, oil content in the kernel, and WP, respectively. Among all treatments, DI0N30 had the greatest yield and net return; DI20N30 had greatest WP and oil content in the kernel. TOPSIS analysis showed that DI20N30 was optimal in balancing of WP, yield, net return, and quality of peanut in northwestern arid India. The results have direct implications for improving irrigation water and N management for irrigated crops in arid regions.

Simple physical treatment as an effective tool to improve the functional properties or rapeseed (Brassica campestris var. toria) and sesame seed (Sesamum indicum) meals.

Dry and 24 h imbibed rapeseeds and sesame seeds were defatted with hexane and the resulting freeze-dried powder was analysed for the functional properties of the meals. Water absorption capacity (WAC) of imbibed rapeseed meal and fat absorption capacity (FAC) of both the imbeded meals were higher than those for dry meals. Protein solubility of rapeseed meals was improved by imbibition and both the imbibed meals exhibited maximum protein solubility at pH 12. Rapeseed meal possessed better foaming properties and viscosity than sesame seed meal. Imbibition considerably enhanced the foaming properties of rapeseed meal while the emulsification properties and viscosity did not change appreciably. Emulsification properties of sesame meal were higher than rapeseed meal.

Simple physical treatment as an effective tool to improve the functional properties of rapeseed (Brassica campestris var. toria) and sesame seed (Sesamum indicum) meals.

Dry and 24-h imbibed rapeseeds and sesame seeds were defatted with hexane, and freeze-dried powder was analysed for the functional properties of the meals. The water absorption capacity of the imbibed rapeseed meal and the fat absorption capacity of both the imbibed meals were higher than dry meals. Protein solubility of the rapeseed meal was improved by imbibition and both the imbibed meals exhibited maximum protein solubility at pH 12. The rapeseed meal possessed better foaming properties and viscosity than the sesame seed meal. Imbibition considerably enhanced the foaming properties of the rapeseed meal, while the emulsification properties and viscosity did not change appreciably. Emulsification properties of the sesame meal were higher than those of the rapeseed meal.