As Arctic sea ice recedes due to global warming, ship traffic is increasing, posing global climate risks, particularly from black carbon emissions. Emitted by ships burning heavy fuel oil, black carbon accelerates ice melt and contributes to climate change. Despite this urgency regulatory progress on the topic has been slow. The International Maritime Organization has debated Arctic black carbon emissions for over a decade with little advancement. Notably, regulatory efforts on the topic so far have been driven mainly by non-state actors rather than states. However, their regulatory influence is hindered by a critical barrier: a lack of transparency. This article analyses the crucial role of transparency in international law-making, specifically for non-state actors, using Arctic black carbon regulation as a case study. Drawing on semi-structured interviews, the article identifies transparency challenges and suggests recommendations to overcome them, thereby strengthening the role of non-state actors within the regulation.
This paper highlights the urgent need to accelerate research and action on ocean carbon sinks through human intervention, known as Global Ocean Negative Carbon Emissions (Global-ONCE) Programme, as a vital strategy in global efforts to mitigate climate change. Achieving 'net zero' by 2050 cannot rely on emission reductions alone, emphasising the necessity of complementary approaches. Global-ONCE's mission extends beyond scientific exploration. It embodies a profound commitment to protecting and restoring blue carbon ecosystems, as well as implementing ocean-based solutions that are sustainable, equitable, and inclusive. Early Career Ocean Professionals (ECOPs) are at the heart of these efforts, and their innovative approaches, technical expertise, and passion make them indispensable leaders in advancing ONCE initiatives. ECOPs bridge the gap between science and society, playing a relevant role in integrating cutting-edge research, technological advancements, and community-driven action to address climate threats. By bringing together diverse perspectives and leveraging their interdisciplinary expertise, ECOPs ensure ONCE strategies are grounded in scientific rigour and practical feasibility. Through advocacy, education, and collaboration, ECOPs not only spearhead research and innovation but also inspire collective action to safeguard our oceans. This paper amplifies the critical role of ECOPs as agents of change and calls for a unified global commitment to harness the ocean's potential for a climate-resilient future.
The literature on climate change in the maritime transport industry has grown rapidly in the last few years. Yet as the research agenda has progressed, scientific debates have become more isolated and fragmented, making it difficult to translate new findings into broader policy debates. This article draws on problematization methodology to help organize the scientific debate on maritime emissions and to identify analytical gaps and challenges. We argue that scholars investigate shipping's emission problem from four distinct analytical perspectives— (1) international laws and regulations, (2) markets and economics, (3) engineering and technology, and (4) authority and legitimacy. Each of these perspectives problematizes maritime emissions in specific ways, leading to different policies and strategies to address the problem. We call for better integrating these four literatures and highlight three crosscutting areas and problems for future research. First, developing institutions that facilitate market and engineering solutions; second, integrating climate mitigation and adaptation research; and third, focusing on justice concerns to ensure an equitable green transition in the maritime industry.
Climate change is affecting the oceans with increased sea levels, ocean acidification and extreme weather affecting coastal ecosystems. This necessitates a new model for climate and marine law, because existing law and policy are insufficient to tackle adaptation and mitigation impacts upon the marine environment. Presently, we do not know what it takes to integrate and balance climate legislation and governance when faced with unknown problems. The concept of Blue Economy is new and originates from the United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development. This chapter explores how one can best build new knowledge that can integrate climate law and marine governance. It does so by proposing the creation of a nexus between ecosystem-based regulations and marine spatial planning in order to create a new paradigm for effective and inclusive Blue Economy, using a systemic multi-regulatory framework (Global, Regional and National).
Havebrugsindustrien i nordiske lande er meget afhængig af drivhussystemer på grund af begrænsningen af det naturlige miljø og de strenge plantekrav for bestemte plantetyper. Kommercielle avlere i disse regioner støder på betydelige udfordringer med at garantere kvaliteten af planterne, mens de minimerer produktionsomkostningerne. På den ene side skal et drivhussystem forbruge en stor mængde energi for at give et tilfredsstillende klima for plantevækst. På den anden side, i de senere år, har energiprisen stigende i Europa ført til en stigning i produktionsomkostningerne for drivhuse, hvilket gør energibesparelse og optimering imperativ. Det er dog udfordrende for avlere at håndtere dette dilemma, fordi drivhusklimakontrol er et meget dynamisk og meget koblet komplekst system. Ved at analysere funktionerne i ikke-linearitet og dynamik i drivhusklimaet kan de eksisterende løsninger ikke korrekt opfylde de praktiske krav i gartneriindustrien.
For at tackle disse problemer foreslås en digital tvilling af drivhusklimakontrol (DT-GCC) rammer i denne forskning for at optimere aktuatorens driftsplan til minimering af energiforbrug og produktionsomkostninger uden at gå på kompromis med produktionskvaliteten. Arkitekturen i DT-GCC-rammen og de anvendte metoder er uddybet modulært, herunder fysisk tvilling af drivhusklimakontrol (PT-GCC) systemforståelse, design af DT-GCC-system, sammenkobling af DTGCC og PT-GCC og integration med andre digitale tvillinger (DTS).
DT-GCC omfatter en virtuel drivhus (VGH) og en multi-objektiv optimeringsbaseret klimakontrol (MOOCC) platform. VGH er den digitale repræsentation af det fysiske drivhus gennem modellering af de faktorer, der kan påvirke drivhusklimaet markant og aktuatorens driftsstrategier. MOOCC er ansvarlig for at definere drivhusklimakontrol som et multi-objektivt optimeringsproblem (MOO) og optimere driftsplanen for kunstigt lys (lysplan) og varmesystem (varmeplan). Desuden er en hierarkisk struktur af DT-GCC designet i henhold til funktionerne og ansvaret for individuelle lag, der gavner den praktiske realisering af DT-GCC med en organiseret arkitektur af design og styring.
Funktionaliteterne i DT-GCC er udviklet i en drivhusklimakontrolplatform, der er navngivet af Dynalight, som er kombineret med en genetisk algoritme (GA) ramme kaldet Controleum. Dynalight definerer et MOO -problem til at abstrahere drivhusklimakontrolsystemet med flere objektive funktioner, og omkostningerne beregnes baseret på modelleringsresultaterne fra VGH. Controleum er ansvarlig for implementeringen af GA for at generere en Pareto Frontier (PF) og endelig løsning af løsning til let plan og varmeplan.
Forskellige scenarier og tilsvarende eksperimenter er designet til at evaluere ydelsen af DT-GCC fra individuelle perspektiver, herunder VGH, MOOCC og DT-integration. Eksperimenterne på VGH verificerer forudsigelsesydelsen for kunstigt neuralt netværk (ANN) metoder på indendørs temperatur, opvarmning af forbrug og netto fotosyntese (PN). Hvad angår de to standaloneeksperimenter, garanterer resultaterne DT-GCCs evne til at kortlægge avlernes beslutningstagning om let plan og varmeplan og verificere MOOCC-ydelsen for at opfylde voksende krav og samtidig reducere energiforbruget og omkostningerne. Endelig, i DT-integrationseksperimenterne med Digital Twin of Production Twin (DT-PF) og Digital Twin of Energy System (DT-ES), afslutter DT-GCC det tilsvarende svar på forudsigelser og optimeringsanmodninger.
This podcast features leading experts insights on current climate change research.
At The Climate Show, we talk to leading experts on climate change law and politics. Through a series of conversations, we explore current developments in climate change research.
Podcast hosts: Beatriz Martinez Romera, Linnéa Nordlander and Alessandro Monti.
Discusses the challenges of raising finance to build and convert low- and zero-emission ships as required by international law and policy to mitigate climate change.
This report discusses the concept of governance, how to understand 'effective' governance, and a research plan for further studies of the effectiveness of and potential for improving governance at the regional and sub-regional level in the SEAwise regions (Baltic Sea, North Sea, Western Waters, and the Mediterranean Sea). The theoretical insights from the first two main parts inform and are merged into the research plan, forming the last part of the report. The work is based on the recognition that fisheries management in Europe is still struggling to deliver on its objectives relating to ecology, economy, and social considerations although improvements have been made over the last decades. On top of this, marine biodiversity and ecosystem integrity can be identified as pressing challenges, while climate change presents renewed uncertainties and risks.
Improved governance, appropriately designed for Ecosystem Based Fisheries Management (EBFM), is key to improving the system performance towards the societal objectives. Lack of appropriate measures towards cooperation between the EU, national, and regional levels has led to uncoordinated decision-making processes and prevented coherent management through the implementation and adoption of EU legislation, leading to lower than desired performance both of fisheries and environmental policies. Referring specifically to the involvement of stakeholders, the European Commission stresses the importance of transparency, cooperation, outreach, information, and inclusiveness in developing and implementing measures to ensure that all stakeholders, not least fishermen, have a say in the management process, and that their needs and concerns are considered (European Commission, 2023a). Improvement of what can broadly be defined as 'governance' is, thus, among the pathways that the European Commission has identified for improvements in the area.
This report discusses the concept of governance, how to understand 'effective' governance, and a research plan for further studies of the effectiveness of and potential for improving governance at the regional and sub-regional level in the SEAwise regions (Baltic Sea, North Sea, Western Waters, and the Mediterranean Sea). The theoretical insights from the first two main parts inform and are merged into the research plan, forming the last part of the report. The work is based on the recognition that fisheries management in Europe is still struggling to deliver on its objectives relating to ecology, economy, and social considerations although improvements have been made over the last decades. On top of this, marine biodiversity and ecosystem integrity can be identified as pressing challenges, while climate change presents renewed uncertainties and risks.
Improved governance, appropriately designed for Ecosystem Based Fisheries Management (EBFM), is key to improving the system performance towards the societal objectives. Lack of appropriate measures towards cooperation between the EU, national, and regional levels has led to uncoordinated decision-making processes and prevented coherent management through the implementation and adoption of EU legislation, leading to lower than desired performance both of fisheries and environmental policies. Referring specifically to the involvement of stakeholders, the European Commission stresses the importance of transparency, cooperation, outreach, information, and inclusiveness in developing and implementing measures to ensure that all stakeholders, not least fishermen, have a say in the management process, and that their needs and concerns are considered (European Commission, 2023a). Improvement of what can broadly be defined as 'governance' is, thus, among the pathways that the European Commission has identified for improvements in the area.
This article reviews and examines the most significant climate-change-related impacts and adaptation from the perspective of stakeholders in Greenlandic fisheries. The study was constructed as a comprehensive, multi-site, bottom-up case study around Greenlandic fisheries (south-north/offshore-inshore), where interviews and workshops with Greenlandic fishermen and stakeholders have communicated their observations of fishery changes associated with changes in the marine environment within the last decade. Key observations include: changes in sea ice cover; increased abundance of known species in North Greenland; fish species relocation and periodic absences in coastal systems; a northward movement of the shrimp fishery; new and unprecedented bycatch issues; and new fisheries. Stakeholder knowledge acknowledges the capacity of both offshore and coastal fisheries to adapt to changing seasonality and distribution. Factory capacity and decision-making as well as bycatch legislation have been identified as the most critical bottlenecks for (re)diversifying fisheries and increasing the value of the locally available resources.