Switching to efficient technologies in traditional biomass intensive countries: The resultant change in emissions

This paper aims to quantify the benefits of switching from a system dependent on traditional biomass to systems running on more efficient fuels and technologies. It is estimated that even when open fires burning fuelwood are replaced by improved cooking stoves (ICSs) and liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) stoves, and biomass is processed in dedicated biomass power plants, a net reduction in CO2 emissions is still obtained. The ICS/LPG stove/biomass combustion power plant configuration could provide an average net reduction of 84 kg-C-e/tDM. Meanwhile, a net reduction of 105 kg-C-e/tDM could be obtained when implementing a ICS/LPG stove/biomass gasification power plant scheme. Main factors influencing the net reduction of CO2 emissions are technology efficiency and the fraction of non-renewable fuel wood use. The switch from traditional biomass to modern biomass in traditional biomass intensive countries must not only be done to reduce CO2 emissions but also to avoid indoor pollution and energy poverty. Health improvements should be more important than energy savings. Results also indicate that the use of modern biomass systems not only could provide a reduction of local environmental pollution, but also could boost the local economy by the creation of biomass infrastructures

The voices and actions of child activists against the climate crisis

Aim. The work has as main objective to present some of the actions of children considered activists to face the climate crisis through social media. Technologies and social media allow them a new form of existence and action through their posts, whether is in video, photo or text format, promoting interactions and discussions that captivate hundreds or thousands of followers. Methods. Data collection was carried out from a digital ethnography, analysing the social media and linked news in the media of 13 children from different countries (Australia, United States, India, Holland, England, Indonesia, South Africa, Uganda and Sweden) over an 18-month period. Results. To understand the data, digital ethnography was used as a strategy to follow the main interactions and online mobilisations through different social media (Facebook, Instagram and Twitter), as well as linked news in the media about those children, and articulation of them with governmental, non-governmental organizations and private companies. In relation to the selection of participants, the pro le of a child activist was added and through the algorithms of these platforms other activists with similar pro les were found that promote content about climate justice. Conclusions. It was possible to identify that the Internet has enabled the visibility and articulation of children’s actions on the theme, and how this engagement has promoted awareness and changes to ght against the climate crisis. It is worth emphasising the importance of digital literacy so that access to these spaces is carried out safely and responsibly for this social group.This work was financially supported by Portuguese national funds through the FCT (Foundation for Science and Technology) within the framework of the CIEC (Research Center for Child Studies of the University of Minho) projects under the references UIDB/00317/2020 and UIDP/00317/2020

Avaliação dos impactos da cultivar de milho híbrido BRS 1030.

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Procesado del ácido poliláctico (PLA) y de nanocompuestos PLA/montmorillonita en planta piloto: Estudio de sus cambios estructurales y de su estabilidad térmica

Se aplican procesos de transformación y tratamiento determoplásticos (inyección, extrusión-inyección y recocido) al ácido poliláctico (PLA) y a determinados nanocompuestos PLA/montmorillonita, con objeto de estudiar las variaciones de la estructura físico-química del PLA durante su procesado en planta piloto. El grado de cristalinidad de los materiales se estudió mediante calorimetría de barrido diferencial (DSC), difracción de rayos X (XRD) y espectroscopía FTIR, constatándose que el procesado mecánico provoca la práctica desaparición de la estructura cristalina del PLA, que se recupera mediante el recocido. Además, la técnica FTIR ha permitido el estudio de interacciones químicas entre los componentes de los nanocompuestos. Por otro lado, se ha estudiado la estabilidad térmica de muestras de PLA y de sus nanocompuestos, a partir de temperaturas de descomposición características, que se obtienen de los termogramas TGA

Análise da atividade florestal no Pará através da matriz de contabilidade social.

As indústrias de base florestal e de madeira processada mecanicamente possuem relevância na economia brasileira, pois participaram na formação do Produto Interno Bruto (PIB) em 2006 com 4,7% e geraram 10,6 milhões de empregos (ABIMCI, 2007). No âmbito estadual, o Pará se destaca com produtos extrativos da floresta tropical, principalmente da madeira em tora, cuja participação, em 2005, foi de 57,2% do total de 17.372.428 m3 produzidos no País (IBGE, 2006). Frente a esse cenário, este estudo teve como objetivo analisar a importância socioeconômica das atividades florestal e de madeira e mobiliário no Pará, através do modelo da Matriz de Contabilidade Social (MCS) do ano de 1999. Os resultados revelaram que as atividades de base florestal foram consideradas atividades-chave, por apresentarem efeito de linkages para frente e/ou para trás superior a um. Todavia, em função do ajuste da legislação ambiental em vigor, as atividades de base florestal terão que implementar novos padrões de produção sustentáveis, atendendo as exigências dos mercados nacional e internacional