Green investing in China's air cargo industry: Opportunities and challenges for sustainable transportation

© 2023 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd. This is an open access article under the CC BY license.Aviation cargo remains vital in the economic activities to transported goods from one place to another. The developed and developing countries mainly consider the transaction routes for air transportation for safe and quickest mode. Chinese economy is attracting the global World through its exports. The country's air cargo system is mainly reliant on gasoline and petroleum-based fuels, which harms the country's green transportation agenda. The high use of fuel combustions in the aviation sector needed greenfield investment that helps to use green energy as an alternative sustainable fuel. Further, sustainable aviation insurance and financial coverage are needed to mitigate the adverse negative externalities from air cargo operations. Based on the crucial facts, the study used air cargo operations, transportation fuel combustions, private investment in the transportation and insurance coverage in the pollution damage function for the China economy using data from 1975 to 2020. The research employed a non-linear ARDL Bounds testing strategy to break down the sequence of variables into dynamic positive and negative multipliers. Positive shocks in air freight, insurance services, and greenfield investment have been shown to reduce carbon emissions immediately and over the long term. In the short term, carbon damages are exacerbated by the negative shocks resulting from the use of transportation fuel and the availability of insurance. Moreover, both the positive and negative shocks associated with transportation fuel combustions and air transportation freights contribute to a rise in carbon damage. The variance decomposition analysis validated the asymmetric correlations between the aforementioned variables in the intertemporal environment. Based on the findings, negative shocks from total fuel combustions are expected to impose the greatest carbon damages over the next decade, followed by insurance services and air freight operations. The study concludes that air cargo operations need to be sustainable transacting routes fueled by biofuel energy sources, greenfield investment, and sustainable aviation insurance coverage to achieve the ‘green is clean’ transportation agenda.publishedVersio

Ocena strategii ochrony lasów pod kątem przywracania różnorodności biologicznej i zrównoważonego rozwoju: globalna analiza porównawcza

The escalating rate of deforestation presents significant challenges to the global economy, including the loss of habitats for endangered species and a decline in biocapacity reserves. This situation also raises concerns about overcrowding and excessive production, which can undermine conservation efforts. Addressing this issue, Sustainable Development Goal 15 of the United Nations emphasizes managing forest resources, preventing habitat loss, combatting desertification, and expanding biodiversity reserves. Its contributions have played a pivotal role in wildlife conservation, mitigating rural-urban migration and preserving land resources. Given the relevance of this problem, this study examines the consequences of ongoing tropical deforestation on the loss of endangered species habitats while controlling for biocapacity reserves, urbanization, economic growth, and industrialization across a large sample of 159 nations, further categorized into low-, middle-, and high-income countries. The findings from cross-sectional and quantile regression analyses reveal that higher deforestation rates, increased rural-urban migration, and greater industrialization threaten endangered species habitats. Conversely, increased biocapacity reserves and economic growth contribute to wildlife restoration. Granger causality estimations highlight unidirectional relationships between deforestation and biodiversity loss (as well as biocapacity reserves), while deforestation and industrialization exhibit bidirectional causality. The results further indicate that sustained economic growth leads to deforestation, biocapacity reserves, and urbanization, while urbanization contributes to deforestation. This underscores the role of deforestation as the primary driver of habitat loss for endangered species and the depletion of biocapacity, thereby fostering mass production. Urbanization and economic growth are shown to be causally linked to deforestation across countries. The study underscores the urgent need to safeguard forest reserves against large-scale land conversion for infrastructure development, industrialization, and settlement of overpopulated urban areas, as these factors contribute to habitat degradation and biodiversity loss. Conserving, restoring, and promoting sustainable utilization of ecosystems are essential measures to address natural uncertainties and advance Sustainable development goals.Rosnące tempo wylesiania stwarza poważne wyzwania dla gospodarki światowej, w tym groźbę utraty siedlisk zagrożonych gatunków i spadek rezerw pojemności biologicznej przyrody. Sytuacja ta budzi również obawy związane z przeludnieniem i nadmierną produkcją, co może zniweczyć wysiłki na rzecz ochrony przyrody. Odnosząc się do tej kwestii, Cel Zrównoważonego Rozwoju nr 15 Organizacji Narodów Zjednoczonych kładzie nacisk na zarządzanie zasobami leśnymi, zapobieganie utracie siedlisk, zwalczanie pustynnienia i poszerzanie rezerwatów różnorodności biologicznej. Jego realizacja odgrywa kluczową rolę w ochronie dzikiej przyrody, łagodzeniu migracji ze wsi do miast i ochronie zasobów gruntów. Biorąc pod uwagę znaczenie tego problemu, w niniejszym badaniu zbadano wpływ ciągłego wylesiania tropikalnego na utratę siedlisk zagrożonych gatunków, przy jednoczesnym kontrolowaniu rezerw pojemności biologicznego, urbanizacji, wzrostu gospodarczego i industrializacji na dużej próbie 159 krajów, podzielonych dalej na kategorie o niskim, krajach o średnich i wysokich dochodach. Wyniki analiz przekrojowych i regresji kwantylowej pokazują, że wyższe wskaźniki wylesiania, wzmożona migracja ze wsi do miast i większa industrializacja zagrażają siedliskom zagrożonych gatunków. I odwrotnie, zwiększone rezerwy pojemności biologicznej i wzrost gospodarczy przyczyniają się do odbudowy dzikiej fauny i flory. Szacunki przyczynowości Grangera uwydatniają jednokierunkowe związki między wylesianiem a utratą różnorodności biologicznej (a także rezerwami pojemności biologicznej), podczas gdy wylesianie i industrializacja wykazują dwukierunkową przyczynowość. Wyniki wskazują ponadto, że trwały wzrost gospodarczy prowadzi do wylesiania, rezerw pojemności biologicznych i urbanizacji, podczas gdy urbanizacja przyczynia się do wylesiania. Podkreśla to rolę wylesiania jako głównego czynnika powodującego utratę siedlisk zagrożonych gatunków i wyczerpywanie się pojemności biologicznej, co sprzyja masowej produkcji. Wykazano, że urbanizacja i wzrost gospodarczy są powiązane przyczynowo z wylesianiem w różnych krajach. Badanie podkreśla pilną potrzebę zabezpieczenia rezerwatów leśnych przed przekształcaniem gruntów na dużą skalę w celu rozwoju infrastruktury, industrializacji i zasiedlania przeludnionych obszarów miejskich, ponieważ czynniki te przyczyniają się do degradacji siedlisk i utraty różnorodności biologicznej. Ochrona, przywracanie i promowanie zrównoważonego wykorzystania ekosystemów to podstawowe środki pozwalające zaradzić naturalnym niepewnościom i osiągać zrównoważony rozwój

Factors associated with death in hospitalized pneumonia patients with 2009 H1N1 influenza in Shenyang, China

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>During the spring of 2009, a pandemic influenza A (H1N1) virus emerged and spread globally. We describe the clinical characteristics and factors associated with the death of patients who were hospitalized with 2009 H1N1 influenza pneumonia in Shenyang, China, from November to December 2009.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>We carried out a retrospective chart review of 68 patients who were hospitalized with pneumonia and confirmed to have 2009 H1N1 virus infection by a real time RT-PCR assay of respiratory specimens.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Of the 68 patients we studied, 30 (44%) were admitted to an intensive care unit and 10 (14.7%) died. The median age of patients was 41 years (range, 18-66), and only one patient was over 65 years of age. The male to female ratio was 2.78:1 (50:18). Of the 68 patients, 23 (34%) had at least one underlying medical condition, 9 (13%) had a cigarette index ≥400 and 22 (32%) were obese. All patients underwent chest radiography on admission and the findings were consistent with pneumonia in all cases. All patients were treated with oseltamivir and treatment was initiated at a median time of seven days after the onset of illness. The laboratory test results indicated lymphopenia, hypoproteinemia and elevated lactic dehydrogenase and C reactive protein levels. Of the 68 patients, 33 (52%) showed a reduction in CD4 T cell counts. Of the 58 patients who survived, 31 (53%) had lymphopenia and 27 recovered from this condition after five days. Of the 10 patients who died, nine (90%) had lymphopenia and only two patients recovered from this condition after five days. Obesity and recovery from lymphopenia after five days were factors associated with death, as determined by multivariate logistic-regression analysis (obesity, odds ratio = 23.06; lymphocytopenia reversion, odds ration = 28.69).</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>During the evaluation period in Shenyang, China, 2009 H1N1 influenza caused severe illness requiring hospitalization in 68 patients, 10 (14.7%) of which died. Many of these patients were considered healthy adults and few were elderly (65 years or older). Obesity and lymphopenia, which was not restored after five days of treatment, were factors associated with poor outcomes of 2009 H1N1 influenza infection.</p

Characteristics of pandemic influenza A (H1N1) infection in patients presenting to a university hospital in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia

<b>Background and Objectives</b> : A national plan of management for flu-like illnesses was developed by the Saudi Ministry of Health after the first outbreak in Saudi Arabia in June. We describe the clinical presentation of the H1N1 cases attending King Khalid University Hospital (KKUH) between July through September 2009 and identify the high-risk age groups. <b> Methods</b> : All patients presenting with influenza-like illnesses (ILI) in the H1N1 clinics during the specified period were clinically examined and tested using reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). Those who were clinically diagnosed and confirmed positive for novel influenza A (H1N1) were included in the study. <b> Results</b> : Over a 6-week period, 117 cases of laboratory-confirmed cases were reported in KKUH with a mean (SD) age of 19.6 (16.7) years, of whom 72 (62.1&#x0025;) were males. Most reported cases were Saudis (n=99, 85.3&#x0025;); 94 (81&#x0025;) had no travel history outside the country; 100 (86.2&#x0025;) had had no contact with an H1N1-identified patient; 33&#x0025; were aged 5-14 years and 28.4&#x0025; were aged 15-29 years. The most commonly reported symptoms were fever in 99 (85.3&#x0025;), cough in 9 (81&#x0025;), runny nose (33.6&#x0025;) and sore throat (21.3&#x0025;). All 117 cases were confirmed positive using real time RT-PCR testing. Thirty-one cases (26&#x0025;) were admitted and 22 of those (71&#x0025;) recovered after receiving oseltamivir. Two deaths were attributed to the 2009 pandemic. One patient died of chronic pulmonary disease. The other cause of death was unknown. <b>Conclusion</b> : These findings indicate indigenous influenza A (H1N1) transmission, and confirm the urgent need for prevention strategies which specifically target children and young adults, who appear to have a higher risk of infection and hospitalization. Such measures include immunization, improved personal hygiene, and increased ventilation in habitations

Leading Role of Big Data Analytic Capability in Innovation Performance: Role of Organizational Readiness and Digital Orientation

The advancement of technology offers various opportunities for business organizations to achieve sustainable growth. Through emerging technologies, business organizations are able to collect and analyze essential information vital for the acceleration of innovation. Therefore, this study investigated how big data contribute to the innovation activities of manufacturing entrepreneurs in terms of big data analytic capability (BDAC). The aim of this study was to relate BDAC to organizational readiness and innovation performance (IP). Moreover, we examined the mediating role of organizational readiness between BDAC and IP. We also examined the strengthening role of digital orientation. To collect the study data, we approached 494 frontline managers of the manufacturing sector of Saudi Arabia. The collected data were analyzed using statistical techniques such as descriptive, correlation, and hierarchical regression techniques. We found that BDAC plays a vital role in developing organizational readiness and IP. The findings also proved that organizational readiness has a significant effect on IP. The results revealed that organizational readiness mediates between BDAC and IP

Customer Engagement and Customer Relationship Management Capabilities’ Effects on Innovation Performance and Customer Distrust’s Moderating Role

This research aims to investigate how customer relationship management capabilities (CRMCs) improve customer engagement and innovation performance. Customer engagement is also tested as a mediator between CRM capabilities and innovation performance. Furthermore, the distrust moderating role was studied towards the relationship between CRMCs and customer engagement. Data were collected from 491 owner/managers of SMEs working in Saudi Arabia. The findings revealed that CRMCs positively predict customer engagement and innovation performance. Customer engagement directly affects innovation performance and acts as a mediator as well. In addition, the findings proved that distrust moderates on the link between CRMCs and customer engagement. This research adds to the marketing management theory and practices and highlighted the role of CRMCs in achieving innovation performance. It explored, considering the data base collected from SME owners and managers, the mechanism of innovation performance achievement through CRMCs and customer engagement. CRMC improvements allow businesses to have sustainable development and a better integration in the market

Sexual practices of young educated men: implications for further research and health education in Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA)

BACKGROUND: Considering the high prevalence of sexually transmitted infections (STIs) and other associated health problems among young people globally, it is important to identify sexual practices that could potentially compromise health. This study explored the sexual practices of young men in Riyadh city, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA). MATERIALS AND METHODOLOGY: A cross-sectional study among young, male students was conducted using a pre-tested, structured, selfadministered questionnaire. Descriptive analysis and adjusted odds ratio (OR) were calculated. RESULTS: Among 225 study participants, 31% had engaged in premarital sexual activity at least once and 61% viewed pornographic movies/materials. Only 51% knew that condom use could prevent STIs, 20% were not aware that HIV could be transmitted through both homosexual and heterosexual contacts. Premarital sexual activity was associated with the use of illegal drugs (OR: 2.51), viewing of pornographic movies (OR: 6.79) and traveling alone abroad (OR: 3.10). CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATIONS: Our study was the first to report the existence of premarital sexual practices among young educated men in KSA. There is a need to identify in detail the risks and the knowledge gaps, and base sexual health awareness among youth on such knowledge in order to prevent the spread of STIs and HIV.Hafsa Raheel, Muhammad Afzal Mahmood and Abdulaziz Bin Saee