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Sustainable Low-Carbon Transitions: Advancements in the Sectors of Land, Water and Energy

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A special issue of Sustainability (ISSN 2071-1050). This special issue belongs to the section "Environmental Sustainability and Applications".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (30 April 2022) | Viewed by 22426

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Special Issue Editors

Prof. Maria P. Papadopoulou

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Guest Editor

Laboratory of Physical Geography and Environmental Impacts, School of Rural and Surveying Engineering, National Technical University of Athens, GR-15780, Athens, Greece
Interests: Sustainable Water Resources Management; Water-Energy-Food-Land Nexus; Climate Change Adaptation; Groundwater Dependent Ecosystems (GDEs) ; Environmental Impact Assessment; Water Governance

Dr. Chrysaida-Aliki Papadopoulou

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Guest Editor

Laboratory of Physical Geography and Environmental Impacts, School of Rural and Surveying Engineering, National Technical University of Athens, GR-15780, Athens, Greece
Interests: Sustainable development; Spatial planning; Spatial Decision Support Systems; GIS; Land use management; Nexus

Prof. Dr. Chrysi S. Laspidou

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Guest Editor

Department of Civil Engineering, University of Thessaly, Pedion Areos, 38334 Volos, Greece
Interests: resource Nexus and water informatics; mathematical modeling and simulation of physical-chemical and biological processes that take place in natural aquatic systems and other ecosystems; urban water issues; resource depletion and sustainability; virtual water and water-carbon-ecological footprint
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Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

The establishment of low-carbon economies represents a fundamental pillar supporting sustainable development and a core priority of the European Union and the global community. The new conditions imposed by climate change call for the adoption of decisive solutions and informative policy decisions that will further support adaptation and mitigation purposes. The efficient use of land, water, and energy sources lie at the core of such a perspective as they are closely related to spatial transformations and land use changes, water deficits, flood and drought risks, GHG emissions, renewable energy production and reduction of fossil fuels environmental footprint.

According to the EU’s ‘Green Deal,’ Europe faces the challenge of becoming the first climate-neutral continent by 2050 through the extensive exploitation of green technologies, the development of innovative sustainable solutions, and the establishment of new businesses targeting at the rational and effective use of available resources. Such an attempt presupposes the integrated management of non-renewable and scarce resources, the adoption of smart environmental solutions and the elimination of environmental impacts on natural and human ecosystems.

In this context, this Special Issue focuses on the exploration and analysis of inter-disciplinary methods, tools and policies supporting transitions to a low-carbon economy. Emphasis is placed on the role that land, water, and energy sectors may play in such an effort. Issues that will be investigated concern:

Land use management under climate change conditions
Energy mix: Towards a zero impact society
Low-carbon economies and territorial transformations
Sustainable management of the land-water-energy (LWE) nexus
Smart management of water resources in the urban and rural space
‘Green Deal’ and clean energy solutions

Contributors are invited to submit their articles on these topics.

References:

Altieri, M. A.; Nicholls, C.I. The Adaptation and Mitigation Potential of Traditional Agriculture in a Changing Climate. Climatic Change 2017, 140(1), 33-45. https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.1007/s10584-013-0909-y
Baker, I.; Peterson, A.; Brown, G.; McAlpine, C. Local Government Response to the Impacts of Climate Change: An Evaluation of Local Climate Adaptation Plans. Landscape Urban Plan. 2012, 107(2), 127-136. https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.1016/j.landurbplan.2012.05.009
Burman, E.; Mumovic, D.; Kimpian, J. Towards Measurement and Verification of Energy Performance under the Framework of the European Directive for Energy Performance of Buildings. Energy 2014, 77, 153-163. doi.org/10.1016/j.energy.2014.05.102
European Commission, 2019. What is the European Green Deal? Available at: https://ec.europa.eu/commission/presscorner/detail/en/fs_19_6714
Iglesias, A.; Garrote, L. Adaptation Strategies for Agricultural Water Management under Climate Change in Europe. Agr. Water Manage. 2015, 155, 113-124. doi.org/10.1016/j.agwat.2015.03.014
Laspidou, C. S.; Mellios, N.; Kofinas, D. Towards Ranking the Water-Energy-Food-Land Use-Climate Nexus Interlinkages for Building a Nexus Conceptual Model with a Heuristic Algorithm. Water 2019, 11(2), 306. doi.org/10.3390/w11020306
Misra, A. K. Climate Change and Challenges of Water and Food Security. International Journal of Sustainable Built Environment 2014, 3(1), 153-165. doi.org/10.1016/j.ijsbe.2014.04.006
Papadopoulou, C.-A.; Papadopoulou, M. P.; Laspidou, C. Unfolding Policy Goals and Means of the Nexus Water-Energy-Land-Food-Climate in Greece. E-Proceedings of the 5^th International Conference on Sustainable Solid Waste Management 2017, Athens, Greece.
Papadopoulou, C.-A.; Papadopoulou, M. P.; Laspidou, C.; Munaretto, S.; Brouwer, F. Towards a Low-Carbon Economy: A Nexus-Oriented Policy Coherence Analysis in Greece. Sustainability 2020, 12, 373. doi.org/10.3390/su12010373
Sikka, A. K.; Islam, A.; Rao, K. V. Climate-Smart Land and Water Management for Sustainable Agriculture. Irrig. Drain. 2018, 67(1), 72-81. https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.1002/ird.2162
Silalertruksa, T.; Gheewala, S. H. Land-Water-Energy Nexus of Sugarcane Production in Thailand. J. Clean Prod. 2018, 182, 521-528. https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.1016/j.jclepro.2018.02.085
Van Vliet, M.; Wiberg, D.; Leduc, S; Riahi, K. Power-Generation System Vulnerability and Adaptation to Changes in Climate and Water Resources. Nat. Clim. Change 2016, 6, 375–380. doi:10.1038/nclimate2903
Weller, S. The Regional Dimensions of the ‘Transition to a Low-Carbon Economy’: The Case of Australia’s Latrobe Valley. Reg. Stud. 2012, 46(9), 1261-1272. https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.1080/00343404.2011.585149

Prof. Maria P. Papadopoulou
Dr. Chrysaida-Aliki Papadopoulou
Prof. Chrysi Laspidou
Guest Editors

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Keywords

Climate change
land uses
resource efficiency
environmental policies
LWE nexus
sustainable transitions
low-carbon solutions
green deal

Published Papers (7 papers)

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Research

14 pages, 2486 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Cross-Mapping Important Interactions between Water-Energy-Food Nexus Indices and the SDGs

by Alexandra E. Ioannou and Chrysi S. Laspidou

Sustainability 2023, 15(10), 8045; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/su15108045 - 15 May 2023

Cited by 6 | Viewed by 1587

Abstract

Worldwide, many developing countries are making efforts to achieve sustainability through the 17 SDGs and at the same time to contribute to environmental security. The Nexus approach enables a more integrated and sustainable use of resources that extends beyond traditional siloed thinking and is applicable at multiple scales. This is especially important in a globalized world where collaboration is becoming increasingly important for societies. In this framework, we present an analysis that will assist policymakers set priorities in investments by investigating the influence of the WEF nexus on the 17 SDGs and vice versa. Following the Nexus approach may thus enhance synergies and contribute to increased performance in connected SDGs that are positively influenced. In this article, we present an analysis that allows stakeholders to adapt it to their specific needs by entering new scores based on the characteristics of each case study; the results of this methodology should be considered in light of the specific conditions, including socio-cultural aspects and geographical, geopolitical, and governance realities, as well as the scale of the case study in question. A Fuzzy Cognitive Map analysis is also conducted on the scores to quantify SDG impact and identify the SDGs that most strongly “influence” nexus-coherent policies and the SDGs that are most strongly “influenced by” the nexus. This is achieved by analyzing the causality in this complex system of positive and negative interlinkages. Through this analysis, three SDGs, namely SDG 2 (Food), SDG 6 (Water) and SDG 7 (Energy), are indicated as the most influenced by the WEF nexus, revealing either synergies or trade-offs, while other SDGs are identified as having little interaction with the WEF nexus system. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sustainable Low-Carbon Transitions: Advancements in the Sectors of Land, Water and Energy)

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10 pages, 499 KiB

Open AccessArticle

A Bilevel Linear Programming Model for Developing a Subsidy Policy to Minimize the Environmental Impact of the Agricultural Sector

by Konstantinos Ziliaskopoulos and Konstantinos Papalamprou

Sustainability 2022, 14(13), 7651; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/su14137651 - 23 Jun 2022

Cited by 6 | Viewed by 1976

Abstract

The agro-food industry, while critical for establishing food security, is the most environmentally impactful industry since it causes biodiversity loss and the conversion of natural land to farms and pastures, requires pesticide and fertilizer use as well as high water consumption, and leads to greenhouse gas emissions as well as soil and environmental degradation. This impact can be mitigated through proper policy design. Environmental policy in agriculture, however, is inherently complex, due to the conflict between actors in the system, namely policy makers and farmers. This article introduces a bilevel linear programming (BLP) approach for the development of subsidy policies with the upper-level objective being the minimization of the environmental impact of the agricultural sector. Both levels of the model are formulated as linear programs and by considering the Water-Energy-Food-Climate Nexus, a general-purpose model is introduced. The methodology of the model formulation is spelled out. Finally, different approaches for fine tuning the BLP model are discussed in order to adjust it to each case study’s needs, and the model is applied to the case study of the region of Thessaly, Greece. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sustainable Low-Carbon Transitions: Advancements in the Sectors of Land, Water and Energy)

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21 pages, 4097 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Implementing Water-Energy-Land-Food-Climate Nexus Approach to Achieve the Sustainable Development Goals in Greece: Indicators and Policy Recommendations

by Chrysaida-Aliki Papadopoulou, Maria P. Papadopoulou and Chrysi Laspidou

Sustainability 2022, 14(7), 4100; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/su14074100 - 30 Mar 2022

Cited by 12 | Viewed by 2461

Abstract

In 2015 the updated Agenda 2030, outlining the new priorities towards future sustainability, was published by the United Nations reflecting the general directions towards a fairer and more sustainable pattern of socio-economic development. The specialisation of the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and indicators into local contexts constitutes a basic prerequisite as particular characteristics, needs and peculiarities should be considered. This paper focuses on the exploration of local-oriented indicators and policy recommendations that have the potential to boost the successful implementation of SDGs in Greece. A nexus approach is adopted underlining the need to analyse complexities, motivate systemic thinking and develop integrated policies targeting at the sustainable and efficient use of resources. It also highlights the need for designing local-specific indicators and policy initiatives, encapsulating particular characteristics and conditions and boosting the advancement of SDGs. Such an approach has the potential to be implemented not only at national but also at an operational level in local scale (e.g., River Basin Scale). The outcomes indicate that emphasis should be given on smart water management and precision agriculture, extensive use of technologies capturing Greenhouse Gases (GHGs), dynamic penetration of Renewable Energy Sources (RES) in gross final energy production/consumption and protection of terrestrial ecosystems. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sustainable Low-Carbon Transitions: Advancements in the Sectors of Land, Water and Energy)

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15 pages, 1435 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Sediment Level Prediction of a Combined Sewer System Using Spatial Features

by Marc Ribalta, Carles Mateu, Ramon Bejar, Edgar Rubión, Lluís Echeverria, Francisco Javier Varela Alegre and Lluís Corominas

Sustainability 2021, 13(7), 4013; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/su13074013 - 03 Apr 2021

Cited by 6 | Viewed by 2330

Abstract

The prediction of sediment levels in combined sewer system (CSS) would result in enormous savings in resources for their maintenance as a reduced number of inspections would be needed. In this paper, we benchmark different machine learning (ML) methodologies to improve the maintenance schedules of the sewerage and reduce the number of cleanings using historical sediment level and inspection data of the combined sewer system in the city of Barcelona. Two ML methodologies involve the use of spatial features for sediment prediction at critical sections of the sewer, where the cost of maintenance is high because of the dangerous access; one uses a regression model to predict the sediment level of a section, and the other one a binary classification model to identify whether or not a section needs cleaning. The last ML methodology is a short-term forecast of the possible sediment level in future days to improve the ability of operators to react and solve an imminent sediment level increase. Our study concludes with three different models. The spatial and short-term regression methodologies accomplished the best results with Artificial Neural Networks (ANN) with 0.76 and 0.61 R2 scores, respectively. The classification methodology resulted in a Gradient Boosting (GB) model with an accuracy score of 0.88 and an area under the curve (AUC) of 0.909. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sustainable Low-Carbon Transitions: Advancements in the Sectors of Land, Water and Energy)

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14 pages, 768 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Clean Energies for Ghana—An Empirical Study on the Level of Social Acceptance of Renewable Energy Development and Utilization

by Ephraim Bonah Agyekum, Ernest Baba Ali and Nallapaneni Manoj Kumar

Sustainability 2021, 13(6), 3114; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/su13063114 - 12 Mar 2021

Cited by 21 | Viewed by 3039

Abstract

Despite the enormous renewable energy (RE) resources available in Ghana, the country has not seen much development and investments in the sector. Therefore, the government has committed to increasing the share of RE in the country’s electricity generation mix to some 10% by 2030. However, this cannot be achieved without the Ghanaian people’s support since the RE sector is capital intensive and requires both public and private sector participation. This study was conducted to evaluate RE’s social acceptance among Ghanaian people using the ordered logit regression model. A total of 999 valid questionnaires out of 1020 distributed questionnaires were considered for the study. The five-point Likert scale was employed to rank their willingness to accept (WTA) RE. From the results, it was observed that there is a general sense of acceptance of renewable energy among Ghanaians. However, the level of acceptance varies from one respondent to another. The study observed that a majority of the respondents (i.e., approximately 45.65%) agree to their WTA renewable energy, while 36.04% strongly agree. The results also indicate that while 6.21% and 0.3% disagree and strongly disagree, 11.81% of the respondents were indifferent regarding their willingness to accept renewable energy development and utilization in Ghana. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sustainable Low-Carbon Transitions: Advancements in the Sectors of Land, Water and Energy)

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27 pages, 4153 KiB

Open AccessArticle

The Climate, Land, Energy, Water and Food Nexus Challenge in a Land Scarce Country: Innovations in the Netherlands

by Davine N. G. Janssen, Eunice Pereira Ramos, Vincent Linderhof, Nico Polman, Chrysi Laspidou, Dennis Fokkinga and Duarte de Mesquita e Sousa

Sustainability 2020, 12(24), 10491; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/su122410491 - 15 Dec 2020

Cited by 10 | Viewed by 4917

Abstract

The Netherlands has the ambitious target of transitioning to a low-carbon economy by 2050. One factor that may constrain this progress, however, is the large spatial requirements of renewable energy technologies, and resulting competition for land through interlinkages between the Climate (C), Land (L), Energy (E), Water (W) and Food (F) domains—the CLEWF nexus. This study aims at identifying innovations that can improve the performance of the nexus by addressing the land scarcity constraint while supporting the low-carbon economy transition. A framework for the identification of potential innovations applicable in the nexus context was developed and applied. It is derived from a Driver-Pressure-State-Impact-Response (DPSIR) analysis of land scarcity in the Dutch nexus and a stock-taking benchmarking analysis of European countries. An inventory of innovations was prepared based on several classifications of innovations, collecting examples from the Netherlands, Belgium, Denmark, Germany, Latvia and Sweden. Three innovations were identified as particularly promising: district heating, Energy Service Companies and peak shaving through water pumping. Furthermore, the DPSIR framework was also used to identify overarching societal elements common to countries that successfully implemented sustainable innovations. These were found to relate to long-term political commitments, geopolitical and economic drivers, and pioneering approaches building from and towards national strengths. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sustainable Low-Carbon Transitions: Advancements in the Sectors of Land, Water and Energy)

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19 pages, 5197 KiB

Open AccessArticle

A GIS-Based Approach to Inform Agriculture-Water-Energy Nexus Planning in the North Western Sahara Aquifer System (NWSAS)

by Youssef Almulla, Camilo Ramirez, Konstantinos Pegios, Alexandros Korkovelos, Lucia de Strasser, Annukka Lipponen and Mark Howells

Sustainability 2020, 12(17), 7043; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/su12177043 - 29 Aug 2020

Cited by 10 | Viewed by 4541

Abstract

The North Western Sahara Aquifer System (NWSAS) is a vital groundwater source in a notably water-scarce region. However, impetuous agricultural expansion and poor resource management (e.g., over-irrigation, inefficient techniques) over the past decades have raised a number of challenges. In this exploratory study, we introduce an open access GIS-based model to help answer selected timely questions related to the agriculture, water and energy nexus in the region. First, the model uses spatial and tabular data to identify the location and extent of irrigated cropland. Then, it employs spatially explicit climatic datasets and mathematical formulation to estimate water and electricity requirements for groundwater irrigation in all identified locations. Finally, it evaluates selected supply options to meet the electricity demand and suggests the least-cost configuration in each location. Results indicate that full irrigation in the basin requires ~3.25 billion million m³ per year. This translates to ~730 GWh of electricity. Fossil fuels do provide the least-cost electricity supply option due to lower capital and subsidized operating costs. Hence, to improve the competitiveness of renewable technologies (RT) (i.e., solar), a support scheme to drop the capital cost of RTs is critically needed. Finally, moving towards drip irrigation can lead to ~47% of water abstraction savings in the NWSAS area. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sustainable Low-Carbon Transitions: Advancements in the Sectors of Land, Water and Energy)

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