A Consumption-Based Approach to Carbon Emission Accounting – Sectoral Differences and Environmental Benefits

In recent years there has been growing concern about the emission trade balances of countries. This is due to the fact that countries with an open economy are active players in international trade. Trade is not only a major factor in forging a country’s economic structure, but contributes to the movement of embodied emissions beyond country borders. This issue is especially relevant from the carbon accounting policy and domestic production perspective, as it is known that the production-based principle is employed in the Kyoto agreement. The research described herein was designed to reveal the interdependence of countries on international trade and the corresponding embodied emissions both on national and on sectoral level and to illustrate the significance of the consumption-based emission accounting. It is presented here to what extent a consumption-based accounting would change the present system based on production-based accounting and allocation. The relationship of CO2 emission embodied in exports and embodied in imports is analysed here. International trade can blur the responsibility for the ecological effects of production and consumption and it can lengthen the link between consumption and its consequences. Input-output models are used in the methodology as they provide an appropriate framework for climate change accounting. The analysis comprises an international comparative study of four European countries (Germany, the United Kingdom, the Netherlands, and Hungary) with extended trading activities and carbon emissions. Moving from a production-based approach in climate policy to a consumption-based principle and allocation approach would help to increase the efficiency of emission reductions and would force countries to rethink their trading activities in order to decrease the environmental load of production activities. The results of this study show that it is important to distinguish between the two emission accounting approaches, both on the global and the local level

Dampak Sosial Budaya Masyarakat Perkotaan Akibat Pandemi Covid-19 Di Kelurahan Kleak Kecamatan Malalayang Kota Manado

Tujuan penelitian ini adalah untuk mengetahui Dampak Sosial Budaya Masyarakat Perkotaan Akibat Pandemi Covid-19 di Kelurahan Kleak Kecamatan Malalayang Kota Manado. Kondisi kesejahteraan sekarang ini mulai dipertanyakan, apakah terpenuhi atau tidak, jika melihat situasi dan kebijakan yang telah ditetapkan pemerintah, kondisi kesejahteraan sosial tidak berjalan seperti biasanya. Terlihat dari sisi sosial yang di batasi, lalu tergangunya kesehatan mental individu diatas kecemasan dan stres akan terjangkitnya virus tersebut, terpenuhi atau tidaknya kebutuhan sehari-hari yang ada, ataupun bantuan sosial yang telah diberikan pemerintah sesuai sasaran atau tidak. Pandemi covid-19 telah membawa perubahan besar bagi seluruh lapisan masyarakat di berbagai aspek, termasuk di dalamnya, aspek sosial budaya. Pandemi covid-19 memaksa pembatasan aktivitas sosial antar individu satu dengan yang lainnya, sehingga memunculkan kebiasaan yang berbeda dari kehidupan sebelumnya. Dengan kata lain, pandemi ini telah memunculkan budaya masyarakat baru untuk merespon kebijakan pembatasan aktivitas sosial yang ada. Penelitian ini menggunakan metode penelitian kualitatif. Hasil penelitian disimpulkan bahwa Dampak sosial budaya di perkotaan akibat pandemic covid 19 khususnya di Kelurahan Kleak sangat merasakan dampaknya terutama akan kebijakan melalui pembatasan pergerakan masyarakat hal tersebut dapat terlihat dari perubahan budaya masyarakat yang mengalami perubahan dan pergeseran, hubungan antar sesama masyarakat, kontak fisik yang sudah jarang terjadi bahkan untuk berbicara harus menjaga jarak sehingga mengganggu hubungan social.   Kata Kunci : Dampak, Sosial Budaya, Perkotaan, Pandemi Covid-1

Proton stability in grand unified theories, in strings, and in branes

A broad overview of the current status of proton stability in unified models of particle interactions is given which includes non - supersymmetric unification, SUSY and SUGRA unified models, unification based on extra dimensions, and string-M-theory models. The extra dimensional unification includes 5D and 6D and universal extra dimensional (UED) models, and models based on warped geometry. Proton stability in a wide array of string theory and M theory models is reviewed. These include Calabi-Yau models, grand unified models with Kac-Moody levels $k>1$, a new class of heterotic string models, models based on intersecting D branes, and string landscape models. The destabilizing effect of quantum gravity on the proton is discussed. The possibility of testing grand unified models, models based on extra dimensions and string-M-theory models via their distinctive modes is investigated. The proposed next generation proton decay experiments, HyperK, UNO, MEMPHYS, ICARUS, LANNDD (DUSEL), and LENA would shed significant light on the nature of unification complementary to the physics at the LHC. Mathematical tools for the computation of proton lifetime are given in the appendices. Prospects for the future are discussed.Comment: Published in Physics Reports. 258 pages, 11 figure

Solution-based Knowledge Discovery in Metaheuristics for Bi-Objective Vehicle Routing Problems

Cette thèse intitulée « Extraction de connaissance pour les métaheuristiques à partir des solutions appliquée aux problèmes de tournées de véhicules bi-objectif » s'intéresse à l'intégration de mécanismes d'apprentissage au sein d'algorithmes multi-objectifs existants. En effet, l'utilisation d'apprentissage machine pour résoudre des problèmes d'optimisation combinatoire a permis d'améliorer de manière significative (à la fois en termes de performance et de temps d'exécution) des métaheuristiques existantes. Nous nous sommes concentrés sur un problème de tournées de véhicules bi-objectif avec fenêtres de temps qui est un problème de logistique où l'on cherche à optimiser la création de tournées pour livrer chaque client à une période précise, symbolisée par une fenêtre de temps. La résolution de ce type de problèmes est un enjeux pour de nombreuses entreprises. Les deux objectifs minimisés sont le coût total de transport et le temps total d'attente des livreurs, provoqué par l'arrivée du livreur avant le début de la période de livraison. Pour résoudre ce problème, nous proposons d'exploiter les séquences de clients livrés consécutivement au sein d'une tournée. Ces séquences sont extraites lors de l'exécution de l'algorithme à partir de solutions générées. Les séquences les plus prometteuses sont ensuite intégrées dans d'autres solutions pour les améliorer. Si l'apprentissage de séquences pour résoudre ce type de problèmes s'est révélé efficace en mono-objectif, cela reste un challenge de les exploiter dans un cadre multi-objectif, puisque certaines séquences intéressantes pour un objectif peuvent se révéler inutiles pour l'autre objectif. Plus précisément, dans cette thèse, nous nous interrogeons sur les manières d'exploiter au mieux les séquences disponibles dans les solutions. En particulier cela nous a conduits à nous poser les questions suivantes : comment gérer ces séquences dans un cadre multi-objectif ? De quelles solutions devons-nous extraire les séquences et dans quelles solutions les injecter ? A quel moment de l'exécution, les étapes d'injection et d'extraction doivent-elles être effectuées ? Les réponses à ces questions nous ont menés à l'élaboration d'un modèle d'apprentissage exploitant les séquences des solutions dans un cadre multi-objectif, où des groupes de connaissance sont créés pour stocker les séquences relatives à une partie de l'espace de recherche. Ce modèle a ensuite été intégré dans deux algorithmes populaires : MOEA/D et MOLS, montrant l'efficacité du modèle proposé.This thesis entitled "Solution-based Knowledge Discovery in Metaheuristics for Bi-Objective Vehicle Routing Problems" focuses on the integration of learning mechanisms within existing multi-objective algorithms. Indeed, the use of machine learning to solve combinatorial optimization problems has led to significant improvements (both in terms of performance and execution time) in existing metaheuristics. We have focused on a bi-objective vehicle touring problem with time windows, which is a logistics problem where the aim is to optimize the creation of routes to deliver to each customer at a precise period, symbolized by a time window. Solving this type of problem is a challenge for many companies. The two objectives to be minimized are the total cost of transport and the total waiting time for the delivery driver, caused by the driver arriving before the start of the delivery period. To solve this problem, we propose to exploit the sequences of customers delivered consecutively within a tour. These sequences are extracted from generated solutions during algorithm execution. The most promising sequences are then integrated into other solutions to improve them. While learning sequences to solve this type of problem has proved effective in single-objective settings, it remains a challenge to exploit them in a multi-objective context. Indeed, some sequences that are interesting for one objective may prove useless for the other. More specifically, in this thesis, we are looking at ways of making the most of the sequences available in solutions. In particular, this led us to ask the following questions: how can we manage these sequences in a multi-objective framework? From which solutions should we extract sequences, and into which solutions should we inject them? At what point in the runtime should the injection and extraction steps be carried out? The answers to these questions led us to develop a learning model exploiting solution sequences in a multi-objective context, where knowledge groups are created to store sequences relating to a part of the search space. This model was then integrated into two popular algorithms: MOEA/D and MOLS, demonstrating the effectiveness of the proposed model

Eficiencia de la Planta de Tratamiento de Aguas Residuales de la Ciudad de Jaén

Esta investigación tiene por objetivo, Evaluar la eficiencia de la planta de tratamiento de aguas residuales (PTAR) de la ciudad de Jaén conforme a lo estipulado en la Norma Técnica Peruana (NTP) OS – 090, la metodología empleada es de dos formas; El trabajo en campo, comprendido por la inspección ocular a los componentes de la planta, estado actual de las lagunas, superficie y forma geométrica, topografía y estudio de suelos; registrados en libreta de campo y fotografías. El trabajo en gabinete comprendido por cálculo de caudales, análisis de laboratorio realizados en la Universidad Nacional de Jaén y OIKOSLAB.SAC; siendo los resultados en un primer momento en el afluente una DBO5 de 1 840 mg/L y DQO de 2 200 mg/L, en el efluente una DBO5 de 1 200 mg/L y DQO de 1 680 mg/L arrojando una eficiencia para una DBO5 de 34.78%, y la DQO de 23.64%; en un segundo análisis los resultados según OIKOSLAB.SAC en el afluente son DBO5 de 216 mg/L y DQO de 568 mg/L, en el efluente una DBO5 de 190 mg/L y DQO de 417 mg/L con una eficiencia para una DBO5 de 11.75% y DQO. De 26.56%, concluyendo que la PTAR es deficiente

Industrial output restriction and the Kyoto protocol: An input-output approach with application to Canada

The objective of this paper is to assess the economic impacts of reducing greenhouse gas emissions by decreasing industrial output in Canada to a level that will meet the target set out in the Kyoto Protocol. The study uses an ecological-economic Input-Output model combining economic components valued in monetary terms with ecologic components - GHG emissions - expressed in physical terms. Economic and greenhouse gas emissions data for Canada are computed in the same sectoral disaggregation. Three policy scenarios are considered: the first one uses the direct emission coefficients to allocate the reduction in industrial output, while the other two use the direct plus indirect emission coefficients. In the first two scenarios, the reduction in industrial sector output is allocated uniformly across sectors while it is allocated to the 12 largest emitting industries in the last one. The estimated impacts indicate that the results vary with the different allocation methods. The third policy scenario, allocation to the 12 largest emitting sectors, is the most cost effective of the three as the impacts of the Kyoto Protocol reduces Gross Domestic Product by 3.1% compared to 24% and 8.1% in the first two scenarios. Computed economic costs should be considered as upper-bounds because the model assumes immediate adjustment to the Kyoto Protocol and because flexibility mechanisms are not incorporated. The resulting upper-bound impact of the third scenario may seem to contradict those who claim that the Kyoto Protocol would place an unbearable burden on the Canadian economy. (C) 2008 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved

The behaviour of wine aroma compounds related to structure and barrier properties of virgin, recycle and active PET membranes

Virgin PET, 100% recycled PET and PET containing an oxygen scavenger have been compared for their thermal properties and gas and aroma compound permeability. Thermal properties were slightly different between virgin and recycled PET, which exhibited the same degree of crystallinity but also strong heterogeneity in dispersion and size of crystals. However, glass transition was higher in the presence of oxygen scavenger because of its nature. Similar oxygen and carbon dioxide permeability were measured for virgin, recycled and PET with 1% of oxygen scavenger, whereas with 3% of oxygen scavenger gas barrier properties increased. Water barrier properties of PET were not influenced either by recycling or by the presence of oxygen scavenger and a plasticization effect was evidenced for all films. Concerning volatile organic compounds such as ethanol and aroma compounds, virgin PET was the best barrier. Permeability was strongly affected by the affinity of the compound for the material. Sorption of pure or diluted solution of ethanol induced changes in thermal properties with a slight decrease in Tg and a marked decrease of crystallinity. In contrast, the oxygen permeability after contact with the diluted solution of ethanol was increased, suggesting a reduction of free volume by sorption. Finally, the impact of film barrier properties on three aroma compounds of wine was evaluated and confirmed the inertness of PET concerning aroma compounds and the positive effect of active packaging