scholarly journals An Application of an Urban Freight Transportation System for Reduced Environmental Emissions

Systems ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 8 (4) ◽  
pp. 49
Author(s):  
Evripidis P. Kechagias ◽  
Sotiris P. Gayialis ◽  
Grigorios D. Konstantakopoulos ◽  
Georgios A. Papadopoulos
Keyword(s):  
Environmental Impact ◽  
Urban Areas ◽  
Real Life ◽  
Freight Transportation ◽  
Extreme Weather Events ◽  
Routing And Scheduling ◽  
Urban Freight ◽  
Logistics Company ◽  
Weather Events ◽  
Environmental Emissions

Today, there is a great need for greener urban freight transportations due to their ever-increasing environmental impact. The planet’s climate has been significantly affected as the temperature is constantly rising and extreme weather events are occurring more and more often. Aiming to reduce the environmental impact of freight transportation in urban areas, an advanced vehicle routing and scheduling system for improving urban freight transportations, has been developed. This paper presents the functionality of the advanced system, while also analyzing its subsystems and demonstrating its use in a case study. The system is provided as an integrated cloud-based software to support the needs of logistics companies, in order to efficiently schedule their deliveries and perform the routing of their vehicles. The utilized multi-objective algorithm produces solutions that minimize either the distribution cost or the environmental emissions or a combination of these parameters. An application of the system is performed for validation purposes, concerning the comparison of the system’s results with corresponding real-life data provided by a medium-sized logistics company. The results of the testing reveal its significant contribution to the reduction of the environmental impact of the company’s distribution services.

scholarly journals Underground Cities : Sustainable Urbanism of the Future

2019 ◽  
Vol 8 (2S8) ◽  
pp. 1754-1757
Keyword(s):  
Climate Change ◽  
Urban Areas ◽  
Design Guidelines ◽  
Extreme Weather Events ◽  
Natural Catastrophes ◽  
Weather Events ◽  
Sustainable Urbanism ◽  
The World ◽  
High Precipitation ◽  
Impacts Of Climate Change

Cities across the world are the main contributors to climate change but at the same time they are also the most vulnerable to its consequences. Some of the disastrous impacts of climate change include extreme weather events, periods of extreme heat and cold, high precipitation, floods, strong cyclones and storms. There is a need for urban design guidelines to effectively address the issues of climate chanbe and increase the resilience of cities. One way to adapt to this is through engineered infrastructure. Today nearly 70% of the world live in urban areas and in the next 20 years two billion more people are expected to move to the cities. With increasing urban densification land and buildable areas are going to become increasingly scarce. One possible solution is to build downwards instead of upwards. Underground areas are less susceptible to external influences and have the ability to better withstand natural catastrophes and hence can be sustainable solution for an unpredictable future. This paper will analyze the viability of underground cities through examples from history and existing case studies along with new upcoming proposals and probe how using underground spaces can increase the resilience of future cities

scholarly journals Development of Nomogram for Debris Flow Forecasting Based on Critical Accumulated Rainfall in South Korea

Water ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 11 (10) ◽  
pp. 2181
Author(s):  
Nam ◽  
Lee ◽  
Kim
Keyword(s):  
South Korea ◽  
Debris Flow ◽  
Urban Areas ◽  
Debris Flows ◽  
Rainfall Intensity ◽  
Extreme Weather Events ◽  
Weather Events ◽  
Accumulated Rainfall ◽  
Landslides And Debris Flows ◽  
Heavy Rains

Climate change causes extreme weather events worldwide such as increasing temperatures and changing rainfall patterns. With South Korea facing growing damage from the increased frequency of localized heavy rains. In particular, its steep slope lands, including mountainous areas, are vulnerable to damage from landslides and debris flows. In addition, localized short-term heavy rains that occur in urban areas with extremely high intensity tend to lead a sharp increase in damage from soil-related disasters and cause huge losses of life and property. Currently, South Korea forecasts landslides and debris flows using the standards for forecasting landslides and heavy rains. However, as the forecasting is conducted separately for rainfall intensity and accumulated rainfall, this lacks a technique that reflects both amount and intensity of rainfall in an episode of localized heavy rainfall. In this study, aims to develop such a technique by collecting past cases of debris flow occurrences and rainfall events that accompanied debris flows to calculate the rainfall triggering index (RTI) reflecting accumulated rainfall and rainfall intensity. In addition, the RTI is converted into the critical accumulated rainfall (Rc) to use rainfall information and provide real-time forecasting. The study classifies the standards for flow debris forecasting into three levels: ALERT (10–50%), WARNING (50–70%), and EMERGENCY (70% or higher), to provide a nomogram for 6 h, 12 h, and 24 h. As a result of applying this classification into the actual cases of Seoul, Chuncheon, and Cheongju, it is found that about 2–4 h of response time is secured from the point of the Emergency level to the occurrence of debris flows.

scholarly journals Passenger Aviation and High Speed Rail: A Comparison of Emissions Profiles on Selected European Routes

2018 ◽  
Vol 2018 ◽  
pp. 1-10 ◽  
Author(s):  
Matteo Prussi ◽  
Laura Lonza
Keyword(s):  
Environmental Impact ◽  
Transport System ◽  
High Speed ◽  
Weather Conditions ◽  
Global Scale ◽  
Extreme Weather Events ◽  
High Speed Rail ◽  
Eu Member States ◽  
Weather Events ◽  
High Speed Trains

Air transport has been constantly growing and forecasts seem to confirm the trend; the resulting environmental impact is relevant, both at local and at global scale. In this paper, data from various datasets have been integrated to assess the environmental impact of modal substitution with high speed rail. Six intra-EU28 routes and a domestic route have been defined for comparison. The airports have been chosen considering the share of the total number of passengers on flights to/from other EU Member States. Three scenarios have been proposed in the time period 2017–2025; aircraft types, distance bands, and occupancy rate are investigated on each scenario. The comparison with HSR service has been carried out only on passenger service and not for freight. The energy consumption and the consequent emissions for the aircraft have been estimated on the base of the available data for the mix of aircraft types, performing the routes. The results indicate the advantage of the high speed trains, in terms of direct CO2eq emissions per passenger km. Compared to a neutral scenario, with an annual passenger increment of 3.5%, the HSR substitution of the 5% and the 25% of this increment allow a GHG saving of 4% and 20%, respectively. Some of the analysed routes (e.g., Frankfurt Main–Paris CDG) have interesting GHG savings but the duration of the trip today is limiting for a real substitution. Moreover, there is general agreement that the extreme weather events induced by climate change will affect the functioning of the European transport system. In this sense, transportation by the rail mode is expected to play a significant role in strengthening the EU transport system, its resilience, and its reliability, as it is less immediately subject to the impacts of severe weather conditions.

scholarly journals Corona Virus, Climate Change, and Food Security

2021 ◽  
pp. 563-579
Author(s):  
Nkiru Theresa Meludu ◽  
Toyin Abolade
Keyword(s):  
Climate Change ◽  
Food Security ◽  
Agricultural Production ◽  
Urban Areas ◽  
Food Shortage ◽  
Extreme Weather Events ◽  
Weather Events ◽  
The World ◽  
The Relationship ◽  
Improve Food Security

AbstractCoronavirus disease of 2019 (COVID-19) is a current pandemic causing lockdown of cities and countries. The nature of this disease and the global cases are still considered as deadly all over the world. Analogous was drawn between the current COVID-19 pandemic and some of the other contemporary crises of the world as regards to climate change in addition to food shortage. Also, Survey Monkey instrument was used to generate emperical evidences from 514 respondents on covid-19 awareness and the effect on food security. Effects of diseases on climate change, such as the increasing frequency and strength of extreme weather events or the expanding range and spread of diseases was considered. Then, the relationship between the COVID-19 pandemic and climate change was investigated. Prior to the pandemic, climate change already had adverse effects on agriculture and vice versa, which led to food insecurity. The need for fruits as well as leafy and root vegetables in peri-urban and urban areas is increasing, as well as the food shortage. A drop in agricultural production will be expected in the future if the pandemic continues for a few more months. The perception and adherence to the preventive measures for this pandemic were determined to reduce its spread and lessen its effect on agricultural production as well as to improve food security

scholarly journals Aerosol as a potential factor to control the increasing torrential rain events in urban areas over the last decades

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Seoung Soo Lee ◽  
Zhanqing Li ◽  
Yong-Sang Choi ◽  
Chang-Hoon Jung
Keyword(s):  
Spatial Distribution ◽  
Strong Convergence ◽  
Metropolitan Area ◽  
Urban Areas ◽  
Extreme Weather Events ◽  
Torrential Rain ◽  
Aerosol Loading ◽  
Weather Events ◽  
Potential Factor ◽  
Rain Events

Abstract. This study examines the role played by aerosol in torrential rain that occurred in Seoul, which is a metropolitan area where urbanization has been rapid in the last few decades, using cloud-system resolving model (CSRM) simulations. The model results show that the inhomogeneity of the spatial distribution of aerosol concentrations or loading causes the inhomogeneity of the spatial distribution of evaporative cooling and the intensity of associated outflow around the surface. This inhomogeneity generates a strong convergence field in which torrential rain forms. With the increases in the inhomogeneity of the spatial distribution of aerosol concentrations, the occurrence of torrential rain increases. This study finds that the effects of the increases in the inhomogeneity play a much more important role in the increases in torrential rain than the much-studied effects of the increases in aerosol loading. Results in this study demonstrate that for a better understanding of extreme weather events such as torrential rain in urban areas, not only changing aerosol loading but also changing aerosol spatial distribution since industrialization should be considered in aerosol-precipitation interactions.

scholarly journals Aerosol as a potential factor to control the increasing torrential rain events in urban areas over the last decades

2018 ◽  
Vol 18 (16) ◽  
pp. 12531-12550 ◽  
Author(s):  
Seoung Soo Lee ◽  
Byung-Gon Kim ◽  
Zhanqing Li ◽  
Yong-Sang Choi ◽  
Chang-Hoon Jung ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Spatial Distribution ◽  
Spatial Variability ◽  
Strong Convergence ◽  
Urban Areas ◽  
Extreme Weather Events ◽  
Torrential Rain ◽  
Aerosol Loading ◽  
Weather Events ◽  
Potential Factor ◽  
Rain Events

Abstract. This study examines the role played by aerosol in torrential rain that occurred in the Seoul area, which is a conurbation area where urbanization has been rapid in the last few decades, using cloud-system-resolving model (CSRM) simulations. The model results show that the spatial variability in aerosol concentrations causes the inhomogeneity of the spatial distribution of evaporative cooling and the intensity of associated outflow around the surface. This inhomogeneity generates a strong convergence field in which torrential rain forms. With the increases in the variability in aerosol concentrations, the occurrence of torrential rain increases. This study finds that the effects of the increases in the variability play a much more important role in the increases in torrential rain than the much-studied effects of the increases in aerosol loading. Results in this study demonstrate that for a better understanding of extreme weather events such as torrential rain in urban areas, not only changing aerosol loading but also changing aerosol spatial distribution since industrialization should be considered in aerosol–precipitation interactions.

scholarly journals Understanding the Costs of Inaction–An Assessment of Pluvial Flood Damages in Two European Cities

Water ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 11 (4) ◽  
pp. 801 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nicklin ◽  
Leicher ◽  
Dieperink ◽  
Leeuwen
Keyword(s):  
Flood Risk ◽  
Urban Areas ◽  
Flood Damage ◽  
Data Availability ◽  
Assessment Process ◽  
Extreme Weather Events ◽  
Flood Risks ◽  
Weather Events ◽  
Flood Damages ◽  
Flood Damage Estimation

Today, over 50% of the global population lives near water. Due to population growth, ongoing economic development, and extreme weather events, urban areas are growing more susceptible to flood risks, and the costs of inaction of failing to manage flood risks are high. Research into the benefits of pluvial flood-risk management is needed to spread awareness and motivate investments in pluvial flood-risk reduction. So far, such research is lacking. This research therefore assesses pluvial flood damage from a single 60mm/1-hour rainfall event in the cities of Rotterdam and Leicester using 3Di flood modelling and the flood damage estimation tool (waterschadeschatter; WSS). The results demonstrate that potential pluvial flood damages exceed €10 million in each city. From this research, inhabitants and authorities of Leicester and Rotterdam can learn that preparing for upcoming pluvial floods can save millions of euros resulting from future damages. The application of these tools also makes clear that data availability is a highly relevant bottleneck to the pluvial flood damage assessment process. By addressing data shortages, flood damage estimates can be strengthened, which improves decision support and enhances the chance actions are taken in reducing pluvial flood risks.

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