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The Paris Agreement put adaptation prominently on the global climate action agenda. Despite a surge in research and praxis-based knowledge on adaptation, a critical policy roadblock is synthesizing and assessing this burgeoning evidence. We develop an approach to assess the multidimensional feasibility of adaptation options in a robust and transparent manner, providing direction for global climate policy and identifying knowledge gaps to further future climate research. The approach, which was tested in the IPCC Special Report on 1.5 °C (SR1.5) to assess 23 adaptation options, is underpinned by a systematic review of recent literature, expert elicitation, and iterative peer review. It responds to the challenge of limited agreement on adaptation indicators, lack of fine-scale adaptation data, and challenges of assessing synergies and trade-offs with mitigation. The findings offer methodological insights into how future assessments such as the IPCC Assessment Report (AR) six and regional, national, and sectoral assessment exercises could assess adaptation feasibility and synthesize the growing body of knowledge on climate change adaptation.

PurposeThe objective of this study is to assess quantitatively how feasible blockchain is for various industries, such as logistics and supply chain, health, energy, finance, automotive, pharmaceutical and agriculture and food using a comprehensive list of indicators.Design/methodology/approachA decision aid was applied to the problem of identifying the feasibility of blockchain in Turkish industries. To this end, first, a set of indicators was identified. Then, the fuzzy AHP and fuzzy TOPSIS were utilized to assess the feasibility comparatively using the data gathered from a group of experts. Finally, a scenario analysis was conducted to ensure the consistency of our evaluation.FindingsThe findings of this study suggest that comparatively, logistics and supply chain, finance and health industries are the most feasible industries for blockchain. This study further suggests that blockchain is the least feasible for the automotive industry compared to the rest of the identified industries.Research limitations/implicationsIt is cumbersome to find out the respondents who have sufficient knowledge of both blockchain and the identified industries. Even if we took the utmost care in identifying the right respondents, we limited our search to the biggest industrial hubs of Turkey.Practical implicationsThe findings of this research may help various decision-makers employed in governments, conglomerates, software and consulting firms and national research institutions make more informed decisions and allocate their resources more effectively.Originality/valueTo this date, the current studies have solely investigated possible research opportunities in blockchain and demonstrated several blockchain applications in stand-alone cases. To the best of our knowledge, however, no single study exists that evaluates the feasibility of blockchain comparatively and holistically among a group of industries using various indicators.

Considering the feasibility and effectiveness of adaptation options is essential for guiding responses to climate change that reduce risk. Here, we assessed the feasibility of adaptation options for the African context. Using the Global Adaptation Mapping Initiative, a stocktake of adaptation-related responses to climate change from the peer-reviewed literature in 2013–2020, we found 827 records of adaptation actions in Africa. We categorised and evaluated 24 adaptation options and for each option, six dimensions of feasibility were considered: economic, environmental, social, institutional, technological, and evidence of effectiveness. Over half (51%) of all adaptation actions were reported in the food sector where sustainable water management (SWM) was the most reported option. The fewest actions were reported for cities (5%). The majority of actions (53%) were recorded in just six countries: Ghana, Ethiopia, Kenya, Tanzania, Nigeria and South Africa. Encouragingly, effectiveness was assessed as medium or high for 95% of adaptation options. However, no options had high feasibility on any other dimension. Technological and institutional factors present major barriers to implementation. Crop management, SWM, sustainable agricultural practices, agroforestry, livelihood diversification, ecosystem governance and planning, health governance and planning, infrastructure and built environment, all had moderate feasibility across three or more dimensions. Human migration has low feasibility but high potential for risk reduction. Major knowledge gaps exist for environmental feasibility, for assessing adaptation limits at increasing levels of climate hazard, for economic trade-offs and synergies, and for Central and Northern Africa. Our results highlight sectors where enablers for adaptation can be increased. Future assessments can apply the method established here to extend findings to other national and local levels.

The environmental impacts and high long-term costs of poor waste disposal have pushed the industry to realize the potential of turning this problem into an economic and sustainable initiative. Anaerobic digestion and the production of biogas can provide an efficient means of meeting several objectives concerning energy, environmental, and waste management policy. Biogas contains methane (60%) and carbon dioxide (40%) as its principal constituent. Excluding methane, other gasses contained in biogas are considered as contaminants. Removal of these impurities, especially carbon dioxide, will increase the biogas quality for further use. Integrating biological processes into the bio-refinery that effectively consume carbon dioxide will become increasingly important. Such process integration could significantly improve the sustainability of the overall bio-refinery process. The biogas upgrading by utilization of carbon dioxide rather than removal of it is a suitable strategy in this direction. The present work is a critical review that summarizes state-of-the-art technologies for biogas upgrading with particular attention to the emerging biological methanation processes. It also discusses the future perspectives for overcoming the challenges associated with upgradation. While biogas offers a good substitution for fossil fuels, it still not a perfect solution for global greenhouse gas emissions and further research still needs to be conducted.

Energy generation from renewable sources is a global trend due to the carbon emissions generated by fossil fuels, which cause serious harm to the ecosystem. As per the long-term goals of the ASEAN countries, the Malaysian government established a target of 31% renewable energy generation by 2025 to facilitate ongoing carbon emission reductions. To reach the goal, a large-scale solar auction is one of the most impactful initiatives among the four potential strategies taken by the government. To assist the Malaysian government’s large-scale solar policy as detailed in the national renewable energy roadmap, this article investigated the techno-economic and feasibility aspects of a 10 MW floating solar PV system at UMP Lake. The PVsyst 7.3 software was used to develop and compute energy production and loss estimation. The plant is anticipated to produce 17,960 MWh of energy annually at a levelized cost of energy of USD 0.052/kWh. The facility requires USD 8.94 million in capital costs that would be recovered within a payback period of 9.5 years from the date of operation. The plant is expected to reduce carbon emissions by 11,135.2 tons annually. The proposed facility would ensure optimal usage of UMP Lake and contribute to the Malaysian government’s efforts toward sustainable growth.

Numerous restoration projects are underway in Puget Sound, Washington, USA with the goal of re-establishing intertidal wetlands that were historically lost due to dike construction for flood protection and agricultural development. One such effort is the restoration effort within the Stillaguamish Delta, benefitting from the cumulative effects from the Leque Island and zis a ba restoration projects. The preferred restoration design calls for the removal of perimeter dikes at the two sites and the creation of tidal channels to facilitate the drainage of tidal flows. A 3-D high-resolution unstructured-grid coastal ocean model based on FVCOM was developed to evaluate the hydrodynamic response of the estuary to restoration alternatives. A series of hydrodynamic modeling simulations were then performed to quantify the hydrodynamic response of the nearshore restoration project, such as periodic inundation, suitable currents, and desired habitat/salinity levels. Sediment impacts were also examined, including the potential for excessive erosion or sedimentation requiring maintenance. Simulation results indicate that the preferred alternative scenario provides the desired estuarine response, which is consistent with the planned design. A decrease in velocities and bed shear in the main river channels was noted for the restored condition associated with the increased inundation of tidal flat area and reduced tidal flows through the main channels. High bed shear near the restored tidal channel entrances indicates that the inlets may evolve in size until equilibrium is established.

Background Adolescents experiencing psychiatric emergencies often require intensive intervention to avoid hospital admission and support their transition into education, employment, or training (EET). Intensive Community Care Services (ICCS) offer a potential alternative to inpatient care. This pilot study aimed to assess the feasibility of conducting a randomised controlled trial (RCT) to evaluate the effectiveness of ICCS compared to treatment as usual (TAU) in reducing time to start or return to EET. Methods A multi-centre, parallel-group, single-blinded randomised controlled trial (RCT) with an internal pilot phase was conducted across seven NHS Trusts in the UK. Adolescents aged 12–17 experiencing psychiatric emergencies were randomised to ICCS or treatment as usual (TAU). The primary outcome was time to start or return to EET within six months. Secondary outcomes included clinical symptoms, functioning, service satisfaction, service use, and health-related quality of life. Descriptive statistics and hazard ratios were calculated to explore group differences. Feasibility was assessed against pre-specified progression criteria. Results Thirty-six adolescents were randomised during the internal pilot phase. The recruitment rate did not meet the progression criteria, and continuation to a full evaluation trial was deemed unfeasible. During follow-up, 83.3% ( n  = 30) returned to EET, with a median time to EET of nine days (IQR: 1–49). Median time to EET was shorter in the ICCS group (6 days) compared to TAU (12 days), with a hazard ratio of 1.34 (95% CI: 0.63–2.86). ICCS was associated with improved service satisfaction, clinical symptoms, and functioning. The average cost per participant was higher in the TAU group (£15,155, SD 31,560) compared to ICCS (£7,063, SD 10,605), with minimal differences in quality-adjusted life years (QALYs). Fourteen safety events were reported across both groups. Conclusions A full evaluation trial was not feasible due to recruitment challenges, primarily arising from limited-service capacity to deliver two treatment pathways concurrently. Despite this, ICCS showed promising trends in clinical and functional outcomes and may offer a viable alternative to inpatient care. Further research is needed to explore the implementation and effectiveness of ICCS in routine practice. Trial registration ISRCTN, ISRCTN42999542. Registered 29/04/2020, https://doi.org/10.1186/ISRCTN42999542 .

Installation of hybrid systems with storage is a way to maximize the amount of energy generated through exploring the complementarity of different sources. Understanding hybrid power plant (HPP) operation is crucial for optimizing new systems and reconfiguring existing plants, to their enhance efficiency. Alongside technical aspects, economic feasibility is also a fundamental feature. This study simulated an off-grid HPP to consider the energy consumption of Casa Nova in Bahia, Brazil. The methodology consisted of the selection of energy sources, choosing a reference location, acquisition of generation and operational data, modeling and simulating the system in different scenarios, and a financial analysis. HOMER Pro software Version 3.16.2 was used to optimize the plant configuration, and the outputs were evaluated using the perspectives of levelized cost of energy (LCOE), simple payback, and power load fulfillment. As a result, scenario 3 was the most competitive, emphasizing that the use of different energy sources increased the system generation capacity. However, the addition of battery energy system storage (BESS) resulted in a high LCOE when compared to individual sources, which demonstrated that the cost of battery integration is not yet nationally competitive. Moreover, the results highlighted the importance of research investments, energy governance, and regulation in promoting hybrid system adoption.

Plastic waste has a high energy content and can be utilized as an energy source. This study aims to assess the economic feasibility of polypropylene plastic waste (PP) pyrolysis. A literature review was carried out to determine the optimal pyrolysis conditions for oil production. The preferred pyrolysis temperature ranges from 450 °C to 550 °C, where the oil yields vary from 82 wt.% to 92.3 wt.%. Two scenarios were studied. In the first scenario, pyrolysis gas is used for the pyrolysis heating needs, whereas in the second scenario, natural gas is used. An overview of the economic performance of a pyrolysis plant with a capacity of 200,000 t/year is presented. Based on the results, the plant is economically viable, as it presents high profits and a short payback time for both scenarios considered. Although the annual revenues are smaller in scenario 1, the significant reduction in operating costs makes this scenario preferable. The annual profits amount to 37.3 M€, while the return on investment is 81% and the payback time is 1.16 years. In scenario 2, although the plant is still feasible and shows high profitability, the annual profits are lower by about 1.5 M€, while the payback time is 1.2 years.

Carbon neutrality is a goal the world is striving to achieve in the context of global warming. Carbon capture and storage (CCS) has received extensive attention as an effective method to reduce carbon dioxide (CO2) in the atmosphere. What follows is the migration pathway and leakage monitoring after CO2 injection. Interferometric synthetic aperture radar (InSAR) technology, with its advantages of extensive coverage in surface deformation monitoring and all-weather traceability of the injection processes, has become one of the promising technologies frequently adopted in worldwide CCS projects. However, there is no mature evaluation system to determine whether InSAR technology is suitable for each CO2 sequestration area. In this study, a new evaluation model is proposed based on the eight factors that are selected from the principle of the InSAR technique and the unique characteristics of the CO2 sequestration area. According to the proposed model, the feasibility of InSAR monitoring is evaluated for the existing typical sequestration areas in the world. Finally, the challenges and prospects of InSAR in the CCS project are discussed.