A forward looking perspective on the cement and concrete industry: Implications of growth and development in the Global South

The cement and concrete industry serves as the foundation for modern infrastructure. Hence, it has a massive global impact on both energy demand and carbon emissions and so is a key focus of industrial decarbonization efforts. The relationship between cement and concrete production and societal development is made more apparent as a result of the limited degree of international trading of these products. Thus, developed and developing countries are expected to observe opposite trends in future market demand. While demand in Europe, for instance, is expected to contract after being stable for many years, demand in emerging and developing countries will continue to rise to meet the needs of growing, increasingly urban populations. Understanding how cement and concrete decarbonization goals can best be met in different geographies should be further explored, as only a few cross-cutting solutions may be applicable. Further, solutions appropriate for current dominant cement and concrete markets may not be most appropriate in markets with the greatest future demand growth. Hence, we discuss the potential implications of the growing needs of emerging markets undergoing rapid development as the global cement and concrete industry comes to terms with its need to address climate impacts. Among the ten countries expected to drive urban population growth until 2050, six have not been historically significant global cement producers. However, an additional 45.86 Gt of cement and concrete CO2 emissions may be generated by 2050 unless attention is given to these emerging cement and concrete demand centers.</p

Policy mixes to achieve sustainable mobility after the COVID-19 crisis

The COVID-19 pandemic has the potential to have lasting impacts on energy and the environment at the global scale. Shelter-in-place measures implemented to mitigate the spread of COVID-19 have resulted in expectations for 2020 global energy demand to contract by nearly 5% with related global CO2 emissions declining by as much as 7%. Exactly how long and to what extent we will see continue to see energy demand, CO2 and related greenhouse gas (GHG) emission destruction resulting from COVID-19 is uncertain but dependent on global policy responses to the pandemic. Policy responses targeting the transportation sector, particularly ground-based transportation, can stimulate a sustainable mobility transition that mitigates the potential for long-term environmental damage. This paper reviews and examines social and cultural dynamics of transportation and extends state-of-the-art knowledge to consider how events surrounding the Covid-19 crisis may have created a sustainable mobility opportunity though (1) avoiding unnecessary transportation volume, (2) shifting transportation norms and practices and/or (3) improving the carbon-efficiency of transportation systems. Relevant policies for a low-carbon transportation transition are considered and those most appropriate to the current context proposed with consideration of key factors that may help or hinder their implementation success

Policy mixes for more sustainable smart home technologies

Smart home technologies refer to devices that provide some degree of digitally connected, automated, or enhanced services to household occupants. Smart homes have become prominent in recent technology and policy discussions about energy efficiency, climate change, and the sustainability of buildings. Nevertheless, do they truly promote sustainability goals? Based on an extensive original dataset involving expert interviews, supplemented with a review of the literature, this study elaborates on an array of social, technical, political, and environmental risks facing smart home innovation, with clear implications for research, policy, and technology development. Only with a more thoughtful and coordinated mix of policies in place will smart home adoption begin to fulfill some of the sustainability objectives their advocates continually promise

Six bold steps towards net-zero industry

The rapid and deep decarbonization of global industry is key to reaching climate policy targets, yet it remains an incredibly difficult challenge. We propose six bold steps for accelerating progress on achieving net-zero industrial carbon emissions by mid-century with a focus on lessons learned and emerging analysis from both the Global North and Global South, the latter of which we consider as low or middle income countries primarily located in Africa, Asia and Latin America. These steps are (1) quintupling financing, (2) expediting technology transfer, (3) investing in human resources, (4) setting binding targets, (5) steering social acceptance and (6) enacting a new global treaty and shaping climate clubs. Perhaps surprisingly, there are more than thirty effective historical and contemporary initiatives to learn from, showcasing a rich tapestry of previous efforts and templates to build on and to inform net-zero decarbonization efforts.</p

Establishing leadership in bringing carbon capture, utilisation and storage to scale

Carbon capture, utilisation and storage, often referred to simply as CCUS, refers to a suite of technologies to decarbonise many hard-to-abate industries. However, commercial-scale adoption of CCUS technologies faces critical barriers related to application scope, societal acceptance, and financing. Here we propose how fossil energy-exporting countries are uniquely situated to expedite CCUS deployment at scale. Using a sociotechnical systems perspective, we show how one such country, the United Arab Emirates, serves as an important case study for addressing eight different sociotechnical barriers to CCUS adoption. We evaluate the elements that are addressed by factors related to local context and those which represent opportunities for application in other geographies. We argue that scaling-up CCUS is both a duty and opportunity for countries like the UAE as they decarbonise their industries and economies.</p

Benchmarking and tailoring electric vehicle policies to stimulate adoption

Electric vehicle (EV) adoption is heralded as one of the most effective solutions for the decarbonization of road transport systems. However, the heterogeneous rate of EV adoption across geographies, coupled with observed or perceived slowdowns in consumer market acceptance, has raised concerns about this technology transition. Utilizing Rogers' Diffusion of Innovations theory, this paper develops a key component of establishing an EV adoption policy roadmap: policy benchmarking. This paper benchmarks the policy roadmaps of leading countries in EV adoption, as well as those of countries where EV adoption is accelerating or expected to accelerate in the near term. We present this approach in the context of a case study on developing an EV adoption policy roadmap tailored to the United Arab Emirates (UAE). The methodology employed provides a generalizable framework for policymakers in any geography seeking to advance EV adoption. Using a sociotechnical perspective, we evaluate the policy mechanisms for their ability to reduce friction points and propose recommendations applicable across diverse contexts. Our findings highlight the importance of establishing necessary infrastructure, particularly for EV charging, alongside the importance of user awareness and education programs that are both tailored to local contexts and adaptable to global best practices. This approach underscores the potential for policymakers to create robust, enduring strategies that accelerate EV adoption globally.</p

Addressing energy and mobility poverty in the Middle East: lived experience, spatial injustice, and temporary migrants in the United Arab Emirates

Energy and mobility poverty are often experienced together by vulnerable and disadvantaged segments of society. Effectively addressing these issues requires identifying specific groups within unique contexts and devising context-specific interventions. Based on extensive original research, this study uncovers the energy, mobility and broader socio-economic challenges faced by working class citizens housed in Abu Dhabi's labour camps and how these challenges ultimately impact their quality of life and health. Our investigation focuses on the themes of marginalisation and spatial justice to show how labour camp residents often feel excluded from society and isolate themselves from the city and its activities. In exploring the subject of poverty and vulnerability, we show how low-income and living conditions are intertwined with energy and mobility poverty and, hence, the need for holistic solutions. To remediate these circumstances, we provide a set of policy recommendations, including increased monitoring of labour camp developers to ensure compliance with UAE regulations, guaranteeing that labour camps are part of urban planning and implementing safe soft mobility options so mobility can be achieved without requiring a personal vehicle.</p

Appearance and performance factors associated with muscle building supplement use and favourable attitudes towards anabolic steroids in adolescent boys

Introduction: The demand for appearance and performance enhancing substances, including muscle building supplements and anabolic androgenic steroids, is increasing in Australia. However, little is known about the associations between appearance and performance-based factors and appearance and performance enhancing substances (APES), particularly among adolescent boys. This study sought to examine (a) the prevalence of muscle building supplement use in a sample of adolescent boys and (b) how both performance and appearance factors relate to muscle building supplement use and favourable attitudes towards anabolic androgenic steroids in this sample. Method: N = 488 adolescent boys aged 13–16 (Mage = 14.59) from nine Australian schools completed measures of supplement use, favourable attitudes towards using steroids, muscle dissatisfaction, body fat dissatisfaction, mesomorphic ideal internalisation, weight training, and sports participation. Hierarchical logistic regressions were used to examine cross-sectional correlates of muscle building supplement use and favourable attitudes towards using anabolic androgenic steroids. Results: In the past three months, 12.7% of the sample had used muscle building supplements. Both appearance and performance-related factors – mesomorphic ideal internalisation and weight training – were related to muscle building supplement use. Only one appearance-related factor – body dissatisfaction – was related to favourable attitudes towards anabolic androgenic steroids. Discussion: The findings from this study are important as they may help to guide intervention strategies regarding appearance and performance enhancing substance use by Australian adolescent boys, with the ultimate goal of ensuring this population’s safety

The demographics of energy and mobility poverty: assessing equity and justice in Ireland, Mexico, and the United Arab Emirates

Energy and mobility poverty limits people's choices and opportunities and negatively impinges upon structural economic and social welfare patterns. It also hampers the ability of planners to implement more equitable and just decarbonization pathways. Research has revealed that climate policies have imposed a financial burden on low-income and other vulnerable groups by increasing food and energy prices, leading as well to global inequality. Similarly, researchers have warned that in developing countries, emission mitigation policies could increase poverty rates and even frustrate progress towards universal access to clean energy. This research explores whether low-income social groups experience a 'double energy vulnerability', a situation that simultaneously positions people at heightened risk of transport and energy poverty. We investigate this 'double vulnerability' through original data collection via three nationally representative surveys of Mexico (N = 1,205), the United Arab Emirates (N = 1,141), Ireland and Northern Ireland (N = 1,860). We draw from this original data to elaborate on the sociodemographic attributes, expenditure and behaviour emerging from energy and transport use, focusing on themes such as equity, behaviour and vulnerability. We propose energy and transport poverty indexes that allow us to summarize the key contributing factors to energy and transport poverty in the countries studied and uncover a strong correlation between these two salient forms of poverty. Our results suggest that energy and transport poverty are common issues regardless of the very different national, and even sub-national, contexts. We conclude that energy and transport poverty requires target policy interventions suitable for all segments of society, thus enabling contextually-tailored, just energy transitions.</p

The influence of personal characteristics on student nurse health attitudes

Objectives: To measure student nurses' attitudes toward health and identify the influence of demographic characteristics and psychological wellbeing on these attitudes. Design: A cross-sectional survey between April and June 2006. Setting: An Australian University in South-East Queensland. Subjects: 369 students enrolled in the Bachelor of Nursing, Pre-Registration Program. Main outcome measures: Attitudes to health, measured by the Health Attitude Scale-form B and psychological wellbeing, measured by the General Health Questionnaire-28. Results: Student nurses were generally positive in their 'feelings', 'beliefs' and 'intentions' towards health behaviour. There was a significant difference in 'feelings' towards health by year of BN program (F(2,336) = 3.128, p<0.05), with respondents becoming more positive as they progressed through their study. Those not in employment had more positive 'feelings' towards health than those in employment (F(1,366) = 5.642, p<0.05) and the better reported psychological health, the more positive the 'feelings' (F(2,366) = 3.862, p<0.05). Older age groups reported more positive health 'beliefs' (F(3,350) = 4.414, p<0.01) and 'intentions to act' (F(3,350) = 2.986, p<0.05). Males were more positive than females in their health 'beliefs' (F(1,337) = 4.246, p<0.05). Conclusions: Individual characteristics influenced student nurses' attitudes towards health and measurement which incorporates 'feelings', 'beliefs' and 'intentions to act' as components of health attitudes provide a clearer picture of where these influences lie. Further research is advocated to replicate these findings in a broader sample and determine their implications in the design of primary prevention strategies