Climate risk disclosures and global sustainability initiatives: A conceptual analysis and agenda for future research

Climate change impacts, risks and sustainability disclosures have attracted increasing attention from scholars in various streams of the economics and finance literature towards achieving the UN's Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Within the stream of climate finance, the global initiatives for corporate social responsibility (CSR) and environment, social and governance (ESG) practices have had important roles in leveraging firms to become more actively involved in environment-related disclosure, in which climate risk reporting is central to evaluating whether and to what extent a firm and its operations are friendly to the environment. Along with the growth of the UN Principles for Responsible Investing in 2005, one of the most recent global initiatives that has been formed is the Taskforce on Climate-Related Financial Disclosures (TCFD), which has considered the climate-related financial disclosure recommendations of G20 finance ministers. Given that TCFD recommendations have recently been released for a broad domain of players (such as banks, investors, insurers and governments) in various countries (e.g., New Zealand, the United States and Japan), we surveyed the most recent studies on the TCFD by using a conceptual framework for climate-related disclosures focusing on studies published worldwide. On the basis of a thorough review, we highlight the essential functions of financial markets and also provide the critical implications for different market players ranging from providers to supporters of the TCFD. Our study offers a timely conceptual review of the TCFD which is critical for stimulating sustainable investments, climate finance and enhanced corporate reporting

Data from a pre-publication independent replication initiative examining ten moral judgement effects

We present the data from a crowdsourced project seeking to replicate findings in independent laboratories before (rather than after) they are published. In this Pre-Publication Independent Replication (PPIR) initiative, 25 research groups attempted to replicate 10 moral judgment effects from a single laboratory's research pipeline of unpublished findings. The 10 effects were investigated using online/lab surveys containing psychological manipulations (vignettes) followed by questionnaires. Results revealed a mix of reliable, unreliable, and culturally moderated findings. Unlike any previous replication project, this dataset includes the data from not only the replications but also from the original studies, creating a unique corpus that researchers can use to better understand reproducibility and irreproducibility in science

The pipeline project: Pre-publication independent replications of a single laboratory's research pipeline

This crowdsourced project introduces a collaborative approach to improving the reproducibility of scientific research, in which findings are replicated in qualified independent laboratories before (rather than after) they are published. Our goal is to establish a non-adversarial replication process with highly informative final results. To illustrate the Pre-Publication Independent Replication (PPIR) approach, 25 research groups conducted replications of all ten moral judgment effects which the last author and his collaborators had “in the pipeline” as of August 2014. Six findings replicated according to all replication criteria, one finding replicated but with a significantly smaller effect size than the original, one finding replicated consistently in the original culture but not outside of it, and two findings failed to find support. In total, 40% of the original findings failed at least one major replication criterion. Potential ways to implement and incentivize pre-publication independent replication on a large scale are discussed

Current Developments in Biotechnology and Bioengineering: Advanced Membrane Separation Processes for Sustainable Water and Wastewater Management - Case Studies and Sustainability Analysis

Current Developments in Biotechnology and Bioengineering: Advanced Membrane Separation Processes for Sustainable Water and Wastewater Management - Case Studies and Sustainability Analysis gives an up-to-date review and research developments of MBR systems (including hybrid systems) in wastewater treatment in terms of pollutant removal, nutrient recovery, and energy production as well as the achievement of energy efficiency of the process itself. The current challenges that hinder the application and industrialization of MBR technology as well as knowledge gaps and future research perspectives are also discussed, including possible strategies to solve the various problems involved. This work is an excellent reference for education and understanding of biotechnology, microbiology, environmental science and technology, environmental engineering, chemical engineering, biotechnology and bioengineering research and development. It is also an invaluable resource to postgraduate and doctoral students, educators, professional course students, researchers, and wastewater treatment professionals

Insight into metabolic and cometabolic activities of autotrophic and heterotrophic microorganisms in the biodegradation of emerging trace organic contaminants

Bioresource Technology146721-731BIRT

Current developments in biotechnology and bioengineering: Advanced membrane separation processes for sustainable water and wastewater management - anaerobic membrane bioreactor processes and technologies

Current Developments in Biotechnology and Bioengineering: Advanced Membrane Separation Processes for Sustainable Water and Wastewater Management -Anaerobic Membrane Bioreactor Processes and Technologies gives an up-to-date review on research developments of AnMBR systems (including hybrid systems) in wastewater treatment in terms of pollutants removal, nutrients recovery and energy production, as well as the achievement of energy efficiency of the process itself. The current challenges that hinder the application and industrialization of AnMBR technology, knowledge gaps and future research perspectives are also explained and discussed with potential strategies for solving problems. The book is a potential resource for engineers, scientists, educators, students and general public to understand the current developments and future prospects in field of AnMBR research

Preface

Preface of the book titled "Advanced Membrane Separation Processes for Sustainable Water and Wastewater Management \u2013 Aerobic Membrane Bioreactor Processes and Technologies

Progress in the biological and chemical treatment technologies for emerging contaminant removal from wastewater: A critical review

This review focuses on the removal of emerging contaminants (ECs) by biological, chemical and hybrid technologies in effluents from wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs). Results showed that endocrine disruption chemicals (EDCs) were better removed by membrane bioreactor (MBR), activated sludge and aeration processes among different biological processes. Surfactants, EDCs and personal care products (PCPs) can be well removed by activated sludge process. Pesticides and pharmaceuticals showed good removal efficiencies by biological activated carbon. Microalgae treatment processes can remove almost all types of ECs to some extent. Other biological processes were found less effective in ECs removal from wastewater. Chemical oxidation processes such as ozonation/H2O2, UV photolysis/H2O2 and photo-Fenton processes can successfully remove up to 100% of pesticides, beta blockers and pharmaceuticals, while EDCs can be better removed by ozonation and UV photocatalysis. Fenton process was found less effective in the removal of any types of ECs. A hybrid system based on ozonation followed by biological activated carbon was found highly efficient in the removal of pesticides, beta blockers and pharmaceuticals. A hybrid ozonation-ultrasound system can remove up to 100% of many pharmaceuticals. Future research directions to enhance the removal of ECs have been elaborated. © 2016 Elsevier B.V