This study investigates the impact of the digital trade on energy consumption, as well as its mechanism, from 2014 to 2022 by developing a digital trade evaluation index system. We find that the growth of the digital trade can reduce per capital energy consumption and also passes various robustness tests. The main influencing mechanism is that the digital trade affects energy structure transformation and changes in final demand, which results in lower energy consumption. In terms of the spatial distribution, the digital trade decreases per capital energy consumption more in the eastern regions and promotes per capital energy consumption reduction less in the central regions, whereas there is no significant correlation in the western regions. The findings extend the benefits of the digital trade beyond economic and social welfare benefits and provide a consultation for digital economy for green development.

The frequency and severity of flooding in urban areas have escalated in recent years, and the worst affected urban areas are those in Africa. Despite the escalating flood risks accompanied by the growing vulnerability, cities and urban areas in Africa are struggling to build resilience. One of the actors in urban resilience building are the households in the urban settlements. Indeed, their contribution forms an important component of many flood risk response strategies. Nonetheless, the knowledge about this remains limited and is often confined to specific regions or case studies. In this study, we sought to identify the measures put in place to respond to flood risk by the households in Nyamasaria and Manyatta and explored the potential of mainstreaming resilience to flood risk in these settlements. We adopted a survey design. The settlements were purposively sampled, while the sampling procedure for the households involved transect lines established parallel to the major roads within the settlements. A transect walk was made to mark the households, and then simple random sampling was used. Data collection through personal interviews using questionnaires followed. Descriptive statistics were used to analyze the primary data. The findings showed that both settlements suffered frequent flood events, with 79 % of households having suffered inundation by floods in the past. About 46 % of the households have put in place flood risk reduction measures, including using sandbags, digging trenches around the houses, and raising floor levels. There were also cases of households temporarily relocating from the risk areas to safer places. The findings showed that the households’ response measures were short-term and were aimed at addressing immediate risks. We concluded that the existence of capacities and actions to reduce flood risk among households provides a viable starting point for mainstreaming the resilience to flood risk in these settlements. We therefore recommend that households need to transition from short-term measures to risk-sensitive resilience measures, including flood-resilient designing of buildings, installation of risk-reducing infrastructure, and risk-sensitive urban planning.

Mangrove ecosystems serve as critical natural filters and retention points for continental waste entering the sea, making them primary accumulation sites for solid waste, such as plastics. These plastics undergo transformation from macroplastics to microplastics through weathering. We investigated the resistance and degradation process of plastic waste in the mangrove swamp of the Botanical Garden at the Autonomous University of Carmen, focusing specifically on its transformation into microplastics over time. By quantifying the collected waste and identifying by-products, we evaluated the degradation process of these materials, which impact the environment and become microplastics. Our analysis provided a detailed approximation of this transformation process through the quantification and examination of collected waste and its by-products. We explored the degradation dynamics and their environmental ramifications. Using data derived from collected waste samples, we estimated an annual generation of 12,300 kg of plastic waste and 1,351 kg of microplastics. This latter figure represents 11% of the total annual plastic waste, posing a significant threat to the biodiversity and ecological balance of mangroves. Our findings underscore the urgent need for more effective and sustainable waste management practices within these critical ecosystems. Furthermore, this research emphasizes the importance of continuous monitoring and investigation of degradation processes to better understand the long-term effects of plastic pollution on mangrove environments and to develop effective strategies to mitigate its adverse impacts.

This study explores the service innovation model of Taiwan’s Yingge Historical Street of Ceramics and analyzes how political capital and public-private partnerships (PPPs) influence service innovation development in the district. By adopting a case-study approach, data was collected from literature and secondary sources. Findings reveal three aspects of the service innovation model: (1) innovation based on cultural heritage, utilizing ceramic culture and technology to offer diverse cultural experiences; (2) community participation as the core, enhancing cohesion, identity, and promoting cultural heritage development; and (3) service innovation mechanism through PPPs, integrating public and private resources/capabilities to enhance efficiency and quality. The study highlights the significant impact of political capital (government support, funding, regulatory frameworks, and local groups’ political influence) and PPPs (collective public-private actions including resource integration, cooperation norms, trust-building, and value co-creation) on service innovation. This contributes theoretically and practically to understanding service innovation mechanisms in cultural districts and promoting their development.