Assessing the dynamics and patterns of Land Use and Land Cover (LULC) and its transformation is an important practice of urban planners and environmentalists for a variety of applications, including land management, urban climate modeling, and sustainability of any urban region. Monitoring changes in LULC using geospatial techniques can help to identify areas at risk for indefensible land use, low-grade environment, and especially for sustainable urban planning. This study aims to analyze the changing pattern, dynamics, and alteration of LULC using Google Earth Engine (GEE) and Machine Learning Applications for the years 1991, 2001, 2011, and 2022 in the Varanasi City Development Region (VCDR). The LULC classification was divided into seven classes using random forest classification, and Landsat-5(TM) and 9(OLI-2) satellite data were used. Saga GIS has been utilized for the detection of LULC change during the 1991-2022 period. For validation of classification results, accuracy assessment was estimated using error matrices and through user, producer, and overall accuracy estimation. The Kappa statistics were applied for the reliability of the accuracy assessment result. As a result, the built-up area increased by 507.8 percent, and other classes like agricultural, barren, fallow land, and vegetation cover rapidly declined and altered into concrete areas over the period. Water bodies and river sand classes have been slightly converted into different classes. The finding explains that 114.8 km2 of fertile agricultural land, 14.81 km2 barren land, and 12.93 km2 of vegetation cover transformed into impervious surface, which is unsustainable and causes various problems like food scarcity, environmental degradation, and low quality of urban life. This study can be a useful guide for urban planners, academicians, and policymakers by providing a scientific background for sustainable urban planning and management of VCDR and other cities as well.

Integrated Riverside Development (IRD) is a planning approach that aims to achieve sustainable development of urban areas located along riverbanks. To implement this IRD with controlled regulations, the study is focused on developing a comprehensive riverside development and river zoning regulatory framework that integrates all five main elements, with particular emphasis on economic, ecological, and social factors, in order to reduce encroachment and pollution in the study area. The objectives of the study include analyzing the current land use, recreational parks, encroachments, pollution levels, sewage disposal patterns, and solid waste dumping zones in the study area, as well as studying the socio-economic and eco-environmental aspects of the area. Additionally, identifying and analyzing the major threats to the river and developing a river zoning regulatory framework using the land use matrix technique is also included in the study objectives. The study area (Adyar River) was chosen based on social, ecological, and economic factors, and data was collected through surveys and from government offices. Using the land use matrix method, proposals for riverside development were made, and the zones were classified into development-prohibited, development-restricted, and development-optimized zones. The zones were classified based on the calculated values of Eco sensitivity for each of the three zones. Proposals were then given based on these classified zones, and the levels of development potential were determined. The proposed zoning regulatory framework is expected to have a significant impact in reducing further encroachments and improving connectivity between the city and the river. By considering socio-economic, ecological, and environmental aspects, the study recommends appropriate zoning regulations for riverfront developments that promote sustainable growth.

An important factor in determining agricultural production is the availability of irrigation water in the main canal of the M’Pourie plain. This factor affects both the intensification of crops and the size of the irrigation areas. The main Senegal River canal in Rosso, Mauritania, runs across the Plaine of M’Pourie. This study aims to assess the physicochemical quality of the water used for irrigation and agriculture in the main irrigation canal on the M’Pourie plain. The measurements were made from 2021 to 2022, and the following physical and chemical parameters were monitored: pH, temperature, electrical conductivity, salt content, calcium, magnesium, sodium, and potassium; ammonium bicarbonate; chloride; nitrite; nitrate; nitrogen; sulfate; and sodium adsorption ratio (SAR). These measurements were analyzed using volumetric, spectroscopic, and spectrophotometric methods. After conducting statistical analysis and comparing the results with Moroccan quality standards for surface water utilized in irrigation, it has been discovered that the average pH value is 7.51, indicating a neutral state. However, the average nitrite and ammonium values exceed Moroccan standards at 5.16 mg.L-1 and 0.41 mg.L-1, respectively. The water’s low mineralization is attributed to its low electrical conductivity, with an average of 52.2 μS.cm-1. Based on the analysis of the Senegal River water used for irrigation in the M’Pourie plain, it has been determined that its sodium adsorption ratio and electrical conductivity classify it as belonging to class C1S1. This indicates that the water has low salinity and is excellent for irrigation, with a low risk of alkalinization.

The relationship between trade and climate change is not a simple linear relationship. In this paper, using the threshold regression model, we estimated the effect of trade on climate change in South Africa. The paper applied the LM test to examine the nonlinear inference approach to test whether nonlinearity existed and if the threshold model was relevant to the study. The results show that when energy use is set as the threshold variable, the relationship between trade and climate change measured as methane is U-shaped. Also, in other models of GHG as climate change indicators, the results show that the effect of trade on climate change is not dynamic. This result supports the idea that high and low trade effects may have different impacts on climate change indicators. It is, therefore, recommended that all exporters in South Africa resort to more innovative environmental mechanisms to reduce the contribution to climate. The suggestion for future studies is to consider exports of different sectors to climate change. This approach will avoid the generalization of exporting firms as the worst emitters.

The wetlands are the partially water-submerged environments that are highly productive, and support fauna and flora species in significant numbers that are dependent for their survival on the organic production of wetlands. Kanwar Lake is situated about 22 kilometers to the northwest of Begusarai. The Gandak River, a tributary of the Ganges, meanders across the area, creating the largest oxbow lake in Asia. It is a natural body of water that is significant on many different levels, including ecological, floral, faunal, geomorphological, and zoological. In 1989, the state government of Bihar designated Kanwar as a protected area for avian species. It has been considered a Ramsar site since 1987, but the wetland was not one of the 13 designated sites. In 1984, the lake’s area was 6,786 hectares (ha), but by 2004, it had shrunk to 6,043.825 ha. Only 2,032 hectares remained of the original lake area by 2012. Wealthy farmers and locals have rapidly colonized the lake bed. Lake biodiversity has declined as weeds have grown across the wetland. Widespread deforestation, overgrazing, unsustainable agricultural methods and over-exploitation of biomass for wood, fodder, and timber have stripped the land of its natural vegetative cover and exacerbated erosion. The research deals with the ecological study of the area and how urbanization has caused impacts on it. It focuses on how this has caused the deterioration of the lake and the measures for restoring the lake ecology, safeguarding the trend of urbanization. After analyzing the major key issues and analyzing the issues at the edge of the lake and around the Manjhaul, some of the major findings conclude that there is a need for stormwater management of the whole city, restoration of Kanwar wetland, and industrial control around the lake.

As groundwater is the primary element of life, countries all over the world are experimenting with legal reforms. The degree to which law reforms combine justice and sustainability is a crucial question. In response to this question, the present article focuses on a case study of Uttar Pradesh, India. Our response is based on a content analysis of the Uttar Pradesh Groundwater (Management and Regulation) Act, 2019, and the Uttar Pradesh Groundwater (Management and Regulation) Rules, 2020. Three conclusions emerged from our investigation. First, the 2019 Groundwater Act and the 2020 Draft Groundwater Rules are primarily motivated by concerns about resource sustainability, particularly in areas where the water table is steadily declining. Still, neither the 2019 Groundwater Act nor the 2020 Draft Groundwater Rules propose any proactive groundwater justice measures. Second, we suggest that some locally defined basic elements are critical in supporting sustainability and – to a lesser extent – groundwater justice. These characteristics include a community’s ability to (1) recognize a crisis and show a willingness to address it; (2) establish a rule-bound community groundwater resource; (3) demonstrate leadership and a sense of community; and (4) make use of awareness, information, and knowledge. Our third conclusion is that there is a need for community practices and state-led groundwater law to co-evolve; this co-evolution has the potential to create groundwater arrangements that support both groundwater justice and sustainability.

Combined heavy metal contamination in soil is a common phenomenon. Biochar amendment into the soil is considered to be an alternative for immobilization remediation of soil contaminated with heavy metals due to its adsorption and alkalization. However, much attention has been paid to the adsorption and immobilization of single heavy metals by biochar. In this paper, the competitive adsorption of Cd(II) and Zn(II) on biochar derived from cotton straw and pig manure at 500℃ (BCS500 and BPM500), loess and biochar-loess mixtures were investigated using the batch equilibrium method. The results showed that the adsorption capacities of biochars, loess, and biochar-loess mixtures to Cd(II) and Zn(II) in the mixed Cd-Zn systems increased with the increase of initial metal concentrations of Cd(II) and Zn(II). The adsorptive capacities of BCS500 and BPM500 to Cd(II) in mixed Cd-Zn system were 33% and 35% less than those in the single Cd(II)systems, while the adsorptive capacities to Zn(II) were 62% and 56% less than those in the single Zn(II) systems. The adsorptive capacities of loess to Cd(II) and Zn(II) in mixed Cd-Zn systems were 29% and 55% less than those in the single metal systems. The adsorptive capacities of loess-BCS500 (LBCS) and loess-BPM500 (LBPM) to Cd(II) in mixed Cd-Zn system were 40% and 38% less than those in the single Cd(II) systems, while the adsorptive capacities to Zn(II) were 63% and 60% less than those in the single Zn(II)systems. Moreover, the competitive adsorptive capacity of Cd(II) is greater than that of Zn(II). It can be seen that when heavy metal pollution with similar nature of multiple elements exists in soil, the amount of adsorbent should be increased to resist the possible weakened adsorption caused by competitive adsorption in order to guarantee an effective absorption treatment.

Ten species of white-rot fungi were evaluated for their ability to decolorization of palm oil mill effluent. The highest decolorization efficiency was found with Trametes elegans (PP17-06), followed by Ganoderma sp.2 (PW17-06) and Ganoderma sp.2 (PW17-177), respectively. T. elegans was further evaluated for the long-term performance of decolorization for 24 d. The optimal retention time for the decolorization was 8 d, with a color removal efficiency of 47.7%. Beyond 18 d of incubation, decolorization efficiency was reduced due to the autolysis of enzymes. During the biodegradation process, manganese peroxidase enzyme activities reached a maximum of 36.03 U.L−1. However, no significant laccase and lignin peroxidase activities were observed. T. elegans was also assessed for decolorization performance through biosorption on mycelial biomass. The synthesis of the enzyme was prevented by exposing the mycelium to HgCl2. Within an optimal contact time of 2 d, decolorization efficiency reached 12.5% with ADMI reduction from 4259.0 (±20.1) ADMI to 3727 (±104.04) ADMI. Results indicate that the adsorption capacity was reached at this time, and no significant color removal can be achieved by biomass. Results obtained in this study showed the potential of T. elegans in decolorizing palm oil mill effluent.

The nutritive value of mulberry leaves makes it the only food of silkworms (Bombyx mori L.). It is recorded that 6.73 million hectares of area are affected by salinity and sodicity stresses covering various states of the country, which is becoming one of the major threats to popularizing sericulture in India. In the present study, chlorophyll, protein, catalase, peroxidase, and superoxide dismutase content of leaves of six mulberry germplasm viz., English Black, Kolitha-3, C776, Rotundiloba, BC259, and S1 grown under coastal saline soils of South 24 Parganas district of West Bengal, India was investigated. Results demonstrated a sharp decrease in the chlorophyll (2.35 to1.19 mg.g FW-1) and protein (30.10 to 15.20 mg.g FW-1) contents of leaves of all the mulberry germplasm with increasing soil salinity (1.60 to 22.70 dS.m-1). On the contrary, the number of stress-related antioxidant enzymes like catalase, peroxidases, and superoxide dismutase increased from 1.15 to 5.43, 1.43 to 4.76, and 8.65 to 25.15 g-1 FW.min-1, respectively. Overall, the field study indicated the superiority of Kolitha-3 and C776 grown in Canning (Canning I and II), Basanti, Namkhana, Kakdwip, and Sagar blocks of coastal regions of South 24 Parganas. The study deals with issues of the utilization of scarce land promoting income-generating avenues like sericulture in saline areas.

Energy security and stable supply are the most important aspects for any nation. The rising need for energy, caused by both population growth and economic activity, is a problem for many nations throughout the world. Consequently, they have to find a way to meet energy demand while also making sure it is inexpensive and sustainable. The use of renewable energy has gradually become one that is being given a lot of attention since it does not cause any harm to the environment. On the other hand, renewable energy is gaining popularity for a variety of different reasons. A paradigm shift toward renewable resources is relevant, as they have the ability to lessen reliance on fossil fuels and decrease environmental consequences; this article will provide several reasons why renewable energy is attracting attention on a global scale. Indeed, renewable energy is plentiful, clean, and might one day provide all of our energy needs. A country's carbon footprint and reliance on fossil fuels may be reduced by investing in renewable energy sources. In addition, there are several health and environmental problems associated with air and water pollution; nevertheless, renewable energy may assist decrease these problems.