BACKGROUND: The Greenhouse gas Observations of Biospheric and Local Emissions from the Upper sky (GOBLEU) is a new joint project by Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) and ANA HOLDING INC. (ANAHD), which operates ANA flights. GOBLEU aims to visualizes our climate mitigation effort progress in support of subnational climate mitigation by collecting greenhouse gas (GHG) data as well as relevant data for emissions (nitrous dioxide, NO2) and removals (Solar-Induced Fluorescence, SIF) from regular passenger flights. We developed a luggage-sized instrument based on the space remote-sensing techniques that JAXA has developed for Japan\'s Greenhouse gas Observing SATellite (GOSAT). The instrument can be conveniently installed on a coach-class passenger seat without modifying the seat or the aircraft.
RESULTS: The first GOBLEU observation was made on the flight from the Tokyo Haneda Airport to the Fukuoka Airport, with only the NO2 module activated. The collected high-spatial-resolution NO2 data were compared to that from the TROPOspheric Monitoring Instrument (TROPOMI) satellite and surface NO2 data from ground-based air quality monitoring stations. While GOBLEU and TROPOMI data shared the major concentration patterns largely driven by cities and large point sources, regardless of different observation times, we found fine-scale concentration pattern differences, which might be an indication of potential room for GOBLEU to bring in new emission information and thus is worth further examination. We also characterized the levels of NO2 spatial correlation that change over time. The quickly degrading correlation level of GOBLEU and TROPOMI suggests a potentially significant impact of the time difference between CO2 and NO2 as an emission marker and, thus, the significance of co-located observations planned by future space missions.
CONCLUSIONS: GOBLEU proposes aircraft-based, cost-effective, frequent monitoring of greenhouse emissions by GOBLEU instruments carried on regular passenger aircraft. Theoretically, the GOBLEU instrument can be installed and operated in most commercially used passenger aircraft without modifications. JAXA and ANAHD wish to promote the observation technique by expanding the observation coverage and partnership to other countries by enhancing international cooperation under the Paris Agreement.

Greenwashing is more virulent than ever. A profusion of environmental, social, and governance and net zero commitments are becoming fraught with questionable and misleading claims. At the same time, we are no closer to solving the pressing environmental and social issues of our time. In this review, we seek to examine this shift and summarize changes in greenwash research into three key phases: (a) 1.0 Static Communication; (b) 2.0 Dynamic Management; and (c) 3.0 Narratives about the Future. We analyze current key areas of developing literature and point to numerous open questions for future research. Next, we go beyond much of the published work to examine emerging tactics and lay out a forward-looking agenda for future research. We also propose a model of Corporate Miscommunication, integrating various streams in greenwash research. In doing so, we seek to lay a pathway for greenwashing researchers to finally find that elusive \"end\" to greenwashing.

Rising on-farm electricity demand, coupled with surges in electricity prices, has increased costs associated with milk production. Additionally, the use of grid electricity with a high carbon footprint depreciates the environmental performance of dairy farming. We assessed the potential of photovoltaic (PV) systems installed on dairy parlours under different policy incentives to reduce electricity costs and the carbon footprint of dairy farms in Ireland. The HOMER Pro software was employed to model electricity consumption, generation and economic performance of four 15-year PV project scenarios for 11 Irish farms. Scenarios considering the targeted agricultural modernisation scheme II (TAMS) and the microgeneration support scheme are assessed. The results show that PV systems are a feasible option to power dairy farms when current energy prices and inflation rates are applied. Small systems eligible for TAMS grants presented an average discounted payback period of 5 years, making them a better option for farmers than larger projects, which had an average payback period of 8.5 years. The deployment of PV systems reduced the GHG intensity of electricity consumed at the farms by up to 29 %.

For mitigating the unintended environmental impacts associated with intensive farming across the world, it is crucial to understand the complex impacts of potential reductions in fertiliser use on multiple ecosystem services, including crop production, GHG emissions and changes in soil organic carbon (SOC) stocks. Using site specific spatial data and information, a novel integrated modelling approach using established agroecosystem models (SPACSYS and RothC) was implemented to evaluate the impacts of various fertiliser reductions (10 %, 30 % and 50 %) under current / baseline and projected (RCP2.6, RCP4.5 and RCP8.5) climate scenarios in a study catchment in southwest England. 48 unique combinations of soil types, climate conditions and fertiliser inputs were evaluated for five major arable crops (winter wheat, maize, winter barley, spring barley, winter oilseed rape) plus ryegrass. Modelled annual estimates of crop yields and biomass, emissions of gases with warming potentials (nitrous oxide, methane, carbon) and SOC stocks in the topsoil (0-30 cm) were tabulated for all combinations considered. These simulated data series could be further analysed to evaluate inter-annual variations and their implications for climate resilience and combined with additional data to quantify nutrient use efficiency and undertake cost- benefit analysis, and to contribute to inter-regional comparisons of fertiliser management at broad scale.

Conversion of CO2 into organic chemicals offers a promising route for advancing the circularity of carbon capture, utilisation, and storage in line with the international 2050 Net Zero agenda. The widely known commercialised chemical fixation of CO2 into organic chemicals is the century-old Kolbe-Schmitt reaction, which carboxylates phenol (via sodium phenoxide) into salicylic acid. The carboxylation reaction is normally carried out between the gas-solid phases in a batch reactor. The mass and heat transfer limitations of such systems require rather long reaction times and a high pressure of CO2 and are often characterised by the low formation of undesirable side products. To address these drawbacks, a novel suspension-based carboxylation method has been designed and carried out in this present study, where sodium phenoxide is dispersed in toluene to react with CO2. Importantly, the addition of phenol played a critical role in promoting the stoichiometric conversion of phenoxide to salicylic acid. Under the optimal conditions of a phenol/phenoxide molar ratio of 2:1 in toluene, a reaction temperature of 225 °C, a CO2 pressure of 30 bar, a reaction time of 2 h, and stirring at 1000 rpm, an impressive salicylic acid molar yield of 92.68% has been achieved. The reaction mechanism behind this has been discussed. This development provides us with the potential to achieve a carboxylation reaction of phenoxide with CO2 more effectively in a continuous reactor. It can also facilitate the large-scale fixing of CO2 into hydroxy aromatic carboxylic acids, which can be used as green organic chemical feedstocks for making various products, including long-lived polymeric materials.

This article introduces an openly accessible dataset aimed at supporting energy system modelling of decarbonisation pathways in the Philippines. The dataset was compiled through an extensive literature review, incorporating information from various sources such as the Philippines Department of Energy, academic publications, and international organisations. To ensure compatibility with OSeMOSYS modelling requirements, the data underwent processing and standardisation. It includes power plant data covering existing capacity from classified by grid, off-grid, and planned additions, as well as historical generation data. Additionally, the dataset provides historical and projected electricity demand from 2015 to 2050 segmented by sectors. It also offers technical potential estimates for fossil fuels and renewable energy sources, along with key techno-economic parameters for emerging technologies like floating solar PV, in-stream tidal, and offshore wind. The dataset is freely available on Zenodo, empowering researchers, policymakers, and private-sector actors to conduct independent energy modelling and analyses aligned with the U4RIA framework principles. Its open access encourages collaboration and facilitates informed decision-making to advance a sustainable energy future not only for the Philippines but also for broader global contexts.

Climate change poses a threat to healthcare systems; at the same time, healthcare systems contribute to a worsening climate. Climate-induced disasters are predicted to increase both the demand for healthcare services while also posing a threat to the integrity of healthcare systems\' infrastructures and supply chains. Many healthcare organizations have taken initiatives to prepare for such disasters through implementing carbon emission-reduction practices and infrastructure reinforcement, through globally recognized frameworks and strategies known as Scopes 1, 2, and 3, and decarbonization. We explored the efforts of these early adopters to understand how they are thinking about and addressing climate change\'s impacts on healthcare. Through a process of reviewing the peer-reviewed literature, publicly available published documents, annual sustainability reports, conference presentations, and participation in a national decarbonization collaborative, we (1) provide a diverse set of examples showcasing the variety of ways healthcare systems are responding; (2) identify a set of emergent key themes to implementing decarbonization practices, such as the role of an organizational culture of iterative improvement and building systems of cross-organizational collaboration; and (3) synthesize the identifiable set of driving factors for long-term sustainability of these decarbonization efforts.
Climate change poses a threat to healthcare systems, while, at the same time, healthcare systems contribute to climate change. Disasters caused by climate change are expected to increase demand for healthcare services and affect healthcare infrastructure and supply chains. Some healthcare organizations have taken steps to prepare for these challenges by implementing carbon-reduction practices and infrastructure reinforcement. To do this, they are using globally recognized frameworks for reducing carbon emissions. Researchers studied these early adopters and their efforts to address climate change in healthcare. They reviewed a variety of published documents, annual sustainability reports, and conference presentations and identified key themes for implementing these carbon-reduction practices. They also identified driving factors for the long-term sustainability of these efforts. This research can help healthcare organizations better prepare for and address the challenges posed by climate change.

Owing to the growing concerns about the dwindling fossil fuel reserves, increasing energy demand, and climate emergency, it is imperative to develop and deploy sustainable energy technologies to ensure future energy supply and to transition to the net-zero world. In this context, there is great potential in the biorefinery concept for supplying drop in biofuels in the form of biodiesel. Biodiesel as a fuel can certainly bridge the gap where electrification or the use of hydrogen is not feasible, for instance, in heavy vehicles and in the farm and marine transportation sectors. However, the biodiesel industry also generates a large amount of crude glycerol as the by-product. Due to the presence of several impurities, crude glycerol may not be a suitable feedstock for all high-value products derived from glycerol, but it fits well with glycerol esterification for producing glycerol acetins, which have numerous applications. This review critically looks at the processes using nanostructured solid/liquid acid catalysts for glycerol esterification, including the economic viability of the scale-up. The homogeneous catalysts reviewed herein include mineral acids and Brønsted acidic ionic liquids, such as SO3H-functionalized and heteropoly acid based ionic liquids. The heterogeneous catalysts reviewed herein include solid acid catalysts such as metal oxides, ion-exchange resins, zeolites, and supported heteropoly acid-based catalysts. Furthermore, the techno-economic analysis studies have shown the process to be highly profitable, confirming the viability of glycerol esterification as a potential tool for economic value addition to the biorefinery industry.

BACKGROUND: The National Health Service contributes 4%-5% of England and Wales\' greenhouse gases and a quarter of all public sector waste. Between 20% and 33% of healthcare waste originates from a hospital\'s operating room, and up to 90% of waste is sent for costly and unneeded hazardous waste processing. The goal of this study was to quantify the amount and type of waste produced during a selection of common trauma and elective orthopaedic operations, and to calculate the carbon footprint of processing the waste.
METHODS: Waste generated for both elective and trauma procedures was separated primarily into clean and contaminated, paper or plastic, and then weighed. The annual carbon footprint for each operation at each site was subsequently calculated.
RESULTS: Elective procedures can generate up to 16.5kg of plastic waste per procedure. Practices such as double-draping the patient contribute to increasing the quantity of waste. Over the procedures analysed, the mean total plastic waste at the hospital sites varied from 6 to 12kg. One hospital site undertook a pilot of switching disposable gowns for reusable ones with a subsequent reduction of 66% in the carbon footprint and a cost saving of £13,483.89.
CONCLUSIONS: This study sheds new light on the environmental impact of waste produced during trauma and elective orthopaedic procedures. Mitigating the environmental impact of the operating room requires a collective drive for a culture change to sustainability and social responsibility. Each clinician can have an impact upon the carbon footprint of their operating theatre.

Rothamsted Research (RRes) is the world\'s oldest agricultural research centre, notable for the development of the first synthetic fertilizer (superphosphate) and long-term farming experiments (LTEs) spanning over 170 years. In 2015, RRes recruited several life cycle assessment (LCA) experts and began adopting the method to utilize high resolution agronomical data covering livestock (primarily ruminants), grassland/forage productivity and quality, and arable systems established on its North Wyke Farm Platform (NWFP) and the LTEs. The NWFP is a UK \'National Bioscience Research Infrastructure\' (NBRI) developed for informing and testing systems science utilising high-resolution data to determine whether it is possible to produce nutritious food sustainably. Thanks largely to the multidisciplinary knowledge at RRes, and its collaborators, its LCA Team has been at the forefront of methodological advances during a 6-year Institute Strategic Programme (ISP) \'Soil-to-Nutrition\' (S2N). While S2N investigated the co-benefits and trade-offs of new mechanistic understanding of efficient nutrient use across scales from pot to landscape, this commentary specifically synthesizes progress in incorporating human nutrition in the context of environmental footprinting, known as \'nutritional LCA\' (nLCA). We conclude our commentary with a brief discussion on future pathways of exploration and methodological developments covering various activities along entire agri-food supply-chains.