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Topographic variables such as slope and elevation partially explain spatial variations in aboveground biomass (AGB) within landscapes. Human activities that impact vegetation, such as cattle grazing and shifting cultivation, often follow topographic features and also play a key role in determining AGB patterns, although these effects may be moderated by accessibility. In this study, we evaluated the potential to predict AGB in a rural landscape, using a set of topographical variables in combination with indicators of accessibility. We modeled linear and non‐linear relationships between AGB, topographic variables within the territorial boundaries of six rural communities, and distance to roads. Linear models showed that elevation, slope, topographic wetness index, and tangential curvature could explain up to 21% of AGB. Non‐linear models found threshold values for the relationship between AGB and diffuse insolation, topographic position index at 19 × 19 pixels scale and differentiated between groups of communities, improving AGB predictions to 33%. We also found a continuous and positive effect on AGB with increased distance from roads, but also a piecewise relationship that improves the understanding of intensity of human activities. These findings could enable AGB baselines to be constructed at landscape level using freely available data from topographic maps. Such baselines may be of use in national programs under the international policy Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Forest Degradation.

Green spaces in cities are under pressure from increasing population, urbanization, and development, making governance of these common pool resources a complex and multi-dimensional process. Governance of urban green spaces can be improved by participatory approaches. However, many developing countries do not have the institutional structures and policies that promote the participation of a range of non-state actors, and green spaces are often removed from public access by regulatory slippage or elite capture for parks and gardens. This paper uses discourse analysis to explore the perspectives of the key stakeholders for public participation in the planning and management of green spaces in Lahore. The study employs Q-methodology to reveal four discourses: ‘Efficient Management’, ‘Anti/Pro-Administrative’, ‘Leadership and Capacity building’, and ‘Decentralization or Elite capture’. The most significant and dominant discourse of ‘Efficient Management’ shows stakeholders’ preferences towards developing new institutional arrangements at the local level through engaging citizens. The two discourses ‘Leadership and Capacity building’ and ‘decentralization or elite capture’ are also in favor of changing the power dynamics in the system at certain levels by using different strategies. However, the status quo-oriented administrative discourse serves as a barrier, resisting change at any level. The results of this study suggest a need for policy reforms to develop a conducive environment in which all the stakeholders can be engaged through different collaborative and co-management schemes, in order to achieve economically efficient, ecologically sustainable and socially equitable, urban green spaces in Lahore.

Off-grid renewable energy systems have become a cost-effective way to supply electricity in remote rural areas, contributing to achieving universal energy access as mandated by Sustainable Development Goal 7 (SDG7). However, benefits are often compromised by limitations in the financial and technical capacity and capabilities of rural beneficiaries to operate and maintain the technology, raising concerns about the cost-effectiveness of investment in the systems. This study examines the non-economic social benefits of providing electricity through off-grid renewable systems and whether these benefits justify investment in the efforts and costs borne by rural communities. Using the case study of the community-managed Kalilang micro-hydro power plant (MHPP) operating on Sumba Island, Indonesia, we estimate the value of non-market benefits of off-grid renewable electricity in rural Indonesia. By applying a mixed-methods approach, this research qualitatively identified perceived non-market benefits through 16 key informant interviews and subsequently employed contingent valuation (CV) with 105 households to estimate their willingness-to-pay (WTP) for these benefits. The results suggest that off-grid renewable projects remain socially viable even when direct economic returns are lacking. Inclusion of these social values into project evaluation and appraisals is needed to better reflect the contribution of off-grid renewable energy systems to community well-being.

Sustainability is a key concept in economic and policy debates. Nevertheless, it is usually treated only in a qualitative way and has eluded quantitative analysis. Here, we propose a sustainability index based on the premise that sustainable systems do not lose or gain Fisher Information over time. We test this approach using time series data from the AmeriFlux network that measures ecosystem respiration, water and energy fluxes in order to elucidate two key sustainability features: ecosystem health and stability. A novel definition of ecosystem health is developed based on the concept of criticality, which implies that if a system's fluctuations are scale invariant then the system is in a balance between robustness and adaptability. We define ecosystem stability by taking an information theory approach that measures its entropy and Fisher information. Analysis of the Ameriflux consortium big data set of ecosystem respiration time series is contrasted with land condition data. In general we find a good agreement between the sustainability index and land condition data. However, we acknowledge that the results are a preliminary test of the approach and further verification will require a multi-signal analysis. For example, high values of the sustainability index for some croplands are counter-intuitive and we interpret these results as ecosystems maintained in artificial health due to continuous human-induced inflows of matter and energy in the form of soil nutrients and control of competition, pests and disease.

The sharing of travel experiences through social media platforms reflects contemporary consumer culture, but it is still a phenomenon being researched in tourism literature. In this paper, we theorize that sharing travel experience through social media may operate as a distinct social communication process, and investigate how it contributes to the co-creation of destination value. A qualitative analysis of 97 travel blogs reveals three distinct themes that have the potential for co-creating destination value: motivation, memorable travel experiences, and advice. The results indicate that tourists and destination marketers interpret destination value differently in motivation. The sharing of memorable travel experiences and advice with readers and fellow tourists improves potential tourists’ cognition and emotional connection to the destination, thereby increasing the level of tourist destination engagement. The extension of the consumer socialization framework provides a deeper understanding of the destination value co-creation process, and provides useful insights for destination promotion and management.

This paper investigates the potential of using global reanalysis datasets as input for hydrological modelling in the data-scarce Sudano-Sahel region. To achieve this, we used two global atmospheric reanalyses (Climate Forecasting System Reanalysis and European Center for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts (ECMWF) ERA-Interim) datasets and one global meteorological forcing dataset WATCH Forcing Data methodology applied to ERA-Interim (WFDEI). These datasets were used to drive the Soil and Water Assessment Tool (SWAT) in the Logone catchment in the Lake Chad basin. Model performance indicators after calibration showed that, at daily and monthly time steps, only WFDEI produced Nash Sutcliff Efficiency (NSE) and Coefficient of Determination (R2) values above 0.50. Despite a general underperformance compared to WFDEI, CFSR performed better than the ERA-Interim. Model uncertainty analysis after calibration showed that more than 60% of all daily and monthly observed streamflow values at all hydrometric stations were bracketed within the 95 percent prediction uncertainty (95PPU) range for all datasets. Results from this study also show significant differences in simulated actual evapotranspiration estimates from the datasets. Overall results showed that biased corrected WFDEI outperformed the two reanalysis datasets; meanwhile CFSR performed better than the ERA-Interim. We conclude that, in the absence of gauged hydro-meteorological data, WFDEI and CFSR could be used for hydrological modelling in data-scarce areas such as the Sudano-Sahel region.

This study assesses and characterizes six woody biomass (WB) species commonly harvested in the Republic of Congo: Millettia laurentii (WB1), Millettia eetveldeana (WB2), Hymenocardia ulmoides (WB3), Markhamia tomentosa (WB4), Pentaclethra eetveldeana (WB5), and Hymenocardia acida (WB6). Characterization was performed using proximate analysis with a Thermo Gravimetric Analyser (TGA), ultimate analysis with a CHNS Analyser, higher heating value (HHV) determination, metal content analysis by X-ray fluorescence (XRF), and aboveground biomass (AGB) estimation. The proximate analysis results showed that volatile matter varied between 74.6% and 77.3%, while the ultimate analysis indicated that carbon content ranged from 43% to 46%, with low nitrogen content. XRF analysis revealed low levels of heavy metals in all samples. The HHV results, using three models (Dulong’s equation, Friedl, and proximate analysis), showed higher values with Friedl’s method (17.3–18.2 MJ/kg) and proximate analysis (15.26–19.23 MJ/kg) compared to Dulong’s equation (13.9–14.9 MJ/kg). Savannah biomass (WB6) exhibited high AGB (7.28 t), 14.55 t/ha, and carbon stock (7.28 t). Compared to forest biomass, savannah biomass presents a higher potential for bioenergy production. Minimal statistical analysis of wood biomass showed that parameters such as volatile matter (VM), carbon (C), hydrogen (H), and calculated HHV have low variability, suggesting the biomass is relatively homogeneous. However, moisture and nitrogen showed significant standard deviations, indicating variability in storage conditions or sample nature. Statistical analysis of forest biomass estimation revealed different mean values for diameter, AGB (t and t/ha), and carbon stock, with high standard deviations, indicating a heterogeneous forest with both young and mature trees. These analyses and estimates indicate that these WB species are suitable for biofuel and bioenergy production using gasification, pyrolysis, and combustion processes. Among these thermochemical processes, gasification is the most efficient compared to combustion and pyrolysis.

The Neotropics, Afrotropics and Madagascar have different histories which have influenced their respective patterns of diversity. Based on current knowledge of these histories, we developed the following predictions about the phylogenetic structure and composition of rainforest tree communities: (Hypothesis 1) isolation of Gondwanan biotas generated differences in phylogenetic composition among biogeographical regions; (H2) major Cenozoic extinction events led to lack of phylogenetic structure in Afrotropical and Malagasy communities; (H3) greater angiosperm diversification in the Neotropics led to greater phylogenetic clustering there than elsewhere; (H4) phylogenetic overdispersion is expected near the Andes due to the co-occurrence of magnoliids tracking conserved habitat preferences and recently diversified eudicot lineages. Using abundance data of tropical rainforest tree species from 94 communities in the Neotropics, Afrotropics and Madagascar, we computed net relatedness index (NRI) to assess local phylogenetic structure, i.e. phylogenetic clustering vs. overdispersion relative to regional species pools, and principal coordinates of phylogenetic structure (PCPS) to assess variation in phylogenetic composition across communities. We observed significant differences in phylogenetic composition among biogeographical regions (agreement with H1). Overall phylogenetic structure did not differ among biogeographical regions, but results indicated variation from Andes to Amazon. We found widespread phylogenetic randomness in most Afrotropical and all Malagasy communities (agreement with H2). Most of central Amazonian communities were phylogenetically random, although some communities presented phylogenetic clustering (partial agreement with H3). We observed phylogenetic overdispersion near the Andes (agreement with H4). We were able to identify how differences in lineage composition are related to local phylogenetic co-occurrences across biogeographical regions that have been undergoing different climatic and orographic histories during the past 100 Myr. We observed imprints of the history following Gondwana breakup on phylobetadiversity and local phylogenetic structure of rainforest tree communities in the Neotropics, Afrotropics and Madagascar.

Electric two-wheelers (E2Ws) are promoted as lower-emission options in emerging economies. Their long-term cost competitiveness depends mainly on battery durability and how batteries are managed at the end of their life. This research examines Li-ion and nickel-cobalt-manganese (NCM)-type batteries versus the previously common lead-acid batteries in these markets. The study uses a 12-year total cost of ownership (TCO) framework that includes battery degradation, estimated first-life duration, and alternative lifecycle pathways. It covers three sensitivity analysis cases: conservative, base case, and optimistic. Three scenarios are evaluated: (1) no lifecycle management, (2) refurbishment for first-life extension, and (3) integrated lifecycle management with refurbishment, second-life utilisation, and recycling. Results show that managing the battery lifecycle can reduce TCO. The amount of reduction depends on first-life duration, ownership horizon, refurbishment cost, downstream residual value, and use intensity. The greatest TCO gains are found in battery categories with short first-life duration, allowing substantial residual value recovery during ownership. Batteries with first-life durations of 12 years or more provide smaller benefits. These findings support optimising lifecycle pathways for maximum residual value. Improved TCO performance, along with supportive infrastructure, policies, and market development, is critical for broader E2W adoption.

Bioenergy is a major component of the global transition to renewable energy technologies. The plant and fungal kingdoms offer great potential but remain mostly untapped. Their increased use could contribute to the renewable energy transition and addressing the United Nations Sustainable Development Goal 7 “Ensure access to affordable, reliable, sustainable and modern energy for all.” Current research focuses on species cultivated at scale in temperate regions, overlooking the wealth of potential new sources of small‐scale energy where they are most urgently needed. A shift towards diversified, accessible bioenergy technologies will help to mitigate and adapt to the threats of climate change, decrease energy poverty, improve human health by reducing indoor pollution, increase energy resilience of communities, and decrease greenhouse gas emissions from fossil fuels. Societal Impact Statement Bioenergy is a major component of the global transition to renewable energy technologies. The plant and fungal kingdoms offer great potential but remain mostly untapped. Their increased use could contribute to the renewable energy transition and addressing the United Nations Sustainable Development Goal 7 “Ensure access to affordable, reliable, sustainable and modern energy for all.” Current research focuses on species cultivated at scale in temperate regions, overlooking the wealth of potential new sources of small‐scale energy where they are most urgently needed. A shift towards diversified, accessible bioenergy technologies will help to mitigate and adapt to the threats of climate change, decrease energy poverty, improve human health by reducing indoor pollution, increase energy resilience of communities, and decrease greenhouse gas emissions from fossil fuels. Summary Bioenergy derived from plants and fungi is a major component of the global transition to renewable energy technologies. There is rich untapped diversity in the plant and fungal kingdoms that offers potential to contribute to the shift away from fossil fuels and to address the United Nations Sustainable Development Goal 7 (SDG7) “Ensure access to affordable, reliable, sustainable and modern energy for all.” Energy poverty—the lack of access to modern energy services—is most acute in the Global South where biodiversity is greatest and least investigated. Our systematic review of the literature over the last 5 years (2015–2020) indicates that research efforts have targeted a very small number of plant species cultivated at scale, mostly in temperate regions. The wealth of potential new sources of bioenergy in biodiverse regions, where the implementation of SDG7 is most urgently needed, has been largely overlooked. We recommend next steps for bioenergy stakeholders—research, industry, and government—to seize opportunities for innovation to alleviate energy poverty while protecting biodiversity. Small‐scale energy production using native plant species in bioenergy landscapes overcomes many pitfalls associated with bioenergy crop monocultures, such as biodiversity loss and conflict with food production. Targeted trait‐based screening of plant species and biological screening of fungi are required to characterize the potential of this resource. The benefits of diversified, accessible bioenergy go beyond the immediate urgency of energy poverty as more diverse agricultural landscapes are more resilient, store more carbon, and could also reduce the drivers of the climate and environmental emergencies.