Journal highlights – 2024

@article{Schandl2024,

title = {Global material flows and resource productivity: The 2024 update},

author = {Heinz Schandl and Raymundo Marcos‐Martinez and James West and Alessio Miatto and Stephan Lutter and Mirko Lieber and Stefan Giljum and Manfred Lenzen and Mengyu Li and Heming Wang and Hiroki Tanikawa and Fridolin Krausmann and Nina Eisenmenger and Marina Fischer‐Kowalski},

doi = {10.1111/jiec.13593},

issn = {1530-9290},

year  = {2024},

date = {2024-12-00},

journal = {J of Industrial Ecology},

volume = {28},

number = {6},

pages = {2012--2031},

publisher = {Wiley},

abstract = {AbstractAccurate assessments of global primary material extraction, trade of primary materials and products, material use, waste, and emissions support the development of policies that facilitate the decoupling of economic activity, natural resource use, and related environmental impacts. Here, we quantify all crucial aspects of global and country‐by‐country material requirements needed to fuel economic activities, covering both territorial‐ and demand‐based indicators. These data have been assembled by a consortium of research partners that compile the global material flow and resource productivity online database for the International Resource Panel, which contributes to the global dataset for the System of Environmental–Economic Accounting (SEEA) framework and is employed to monitor progress for the Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) indicators 8.4 and 12.2. We present the main findings of the 2024 update, including methodological improvements and result differences, and discuss the main findings and limitations. Since the last update, we have identified a slowing of global materials extraction since about 2014, a continuation of solid growth in direct trade of materials and products, persistent inequality in resource use between high‐ and low‐income countries, and a prolonged improvement in global material productivity. The full dataset used herein can be downloaded from the Global Material Flow Database hosted by the United Nations Environment Program International Resource Panel.},

keywords = {},

pubstate = {published},

tppubtype = {article}

}

@article{Malik2024g,

title = {Integrated assessment modelling and input-output analysis},

author = {Arunima Malik and Roberto Schaeffer},

doi = {10.1080/09535314.2024.2408660},

issn = {1469-5758},

year  = {2024},

date = {2024-10-07},

journal = {Economic Systems Research},

pages = {1--7},

publisher = {Informa UK Limited},

keywords = {},

pubstate = {published},

tppubtype = {article}

}

@article{Malik2024,

title = {Assessing waste and carbon impacts of health system at a regional level},

author = {Arunima Malik and Jamie Goodlet and Mengyu Li and Camille J. Mora and Jacob Fry and Alice Munro and Scott Mill and Anna Noonan and Manfred Lenzen},

doi = {10.1016/j.resconrec.2024.107750},

issn = {0921-3449},

year  = {2024},

date = {2024-10-00},

journal = {Resources, Conservation and Recycling},

volume = {209},

publisher = {Elsevier BV},

keywords = {},

pubstate = {published},

tppubtype = {article}

}

@article{Malik2024b,

title = {Carbon and social impacts in the EU's consumption of fossil and mineral raw materials},

author = {Arunima Malik and Guillaume Lafortune and Camille J. Mora and Sarah Carter and Manfred Lenzen},

doi = {10.1016/j.jenvman.2024.122291},

issn = {0301-4797},

year  = {2024},

date = {2024-10-00},

journal = {Journal of Environmental Management},

volume = {369},

publisher = {Elsevier BV},

keywords = {},

pubstate = {published},

tppubtype = {article}

}

@article{Liu2024,

title = {Localized nitrogen management strategies can halve fertilizer use in Chinese staple crop production},

author = {Yize Liu and Minghao Zhuang and Xia Liang and Shu Kee Lam and Deli Chen and Arunima Malik and Mengyu Li and Manfred Lenzen and Liying Zhang and Rui Zhang and Lixiao Zhang and Yan Hao},

doi = {10.1038/s43016-024-01057-z},

issn = {2662-1355},

year  = {2024},

date = {2024-09-27},

journal = {Nat Food},

publisher = {Springer Science and Business Media LLC},

keywords = {},

pubstate = {published},

tppubtype = {article}

}

@article{Niu2024,

title = {Impacts of global trade on cropland soil-phosphorus depletion and food security},

author = {Kunyu Niu and Mengyu Li and Manfred Lenzen and Thomas Wiedmann and Xudong Han and Shuqin Jin and Arunima Malik and Baojing Gu},

doi = {10.1038/s41893-024-01385-9},

issn = {2398-9629},

year  = {2024},

date = {2024-09-00},

journal = {Nat Sustain},

volume = {7},

number = {9},

pages = {1128--1140},

publisher = {Springer Science and Business Media LLC},

keywords = {},

pubstate = {published},

tppubtype = {article}

}

@article{Sack2024,

title = {Healthcare-related carbon footprinting—lower impact of a coronary stenting compared to a coronary surgery pathway},

author = {Fabian Sack and Amanda Irwin and Raymond van der Zalm and Lorraine Ho and Danielle J. Celermajer and David S. Celermajer},

doi = {10.3389/fpubh.2024.1386826},

issn = {2296-2565},

year  = {2024},

date = {2024-08-21},

journal = {Front. Public Health},

volume = {12},

publisher = {Frontiers Media SA},

abstract = {Healthcare is a major generator of greenhouse gases, so consideration of this contribution to climate change needs to be quantified in ways that can inform models of care. Given the availability of activity-based financial data, environmentally-extended input–output (EEIO) analysis can be employed to calculate systemic carbon footprints for healthcare activities, allowing comparison of different patient care pathways. We thus quantified and compared the carbon footprint of two common care pathways for patients with stable coronary artery disease, with similar clinical outcomes: coronary stenting and coronary artery bypass surgery (CABG). Healthcare cost data for these two pathways were disaggregated and the carbon footprint associated with this expenditure was calculated by connecting the flow of money within the economy to the greenhouse gases emitted to support the full range of associated activities. The systemic carbon footprint associated with an average stable patient CABG pathway, at a large tertiary referral hospital in Sydney, Australia in 2021–22, was 11.5 tonnes CO2-e, 4.9 times greater than the 2.4 tonnes CO2-e footprint of an average comparable stenting pathway. These data suggest that a stenting pathway for stable coronary disease should be preferred on environmental grounds and introduces EEIO analysis as a practical tool to assist in health-care related carbon footprinting.},

keywords = {},

pubstate = {published},

tppubtype = {article}

}

@article{Dai2024,

title = {Coupling an integrated assessment model with an input–output database},

author = {Nicolas Dai and Qiyu Liu and Mengyu Li and Arunima Malik and Manfred Lenzen},

doi = {10.1080/09535314.2024.2387023},

issn = {1469-5758},

year  = {2024},

date = {2024-08-19},

journal = {Economic Systems Research},

pages = {1--18},

publisher = {Informa UK Limited},

keywords = {},

pubstate = {published},

tppubtype = {article}

}

@article{Malik2024c,

title = {Polarizing and equalizing trends in international trade and Sustainable Development Goals},

author = {Arunima Malik and Manfred Lenzen and Mengyu Li and Camille Mora and Sarah Carter and Stefan Giljum and Stephan Lutter and Jorge Gómez-Paredes},

doi = {10.1038/s41893-024-01397-5},

issn = {2398-9629},

year  = {2024},

date = {2024-08-08},

journal = {Nat Sustain},

publisher = {Springer Science and Business Media LLC},

abstract = {AbstractThe influence of international trade on the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals is multi-faceted. International trade can either promote or hinder progress, thus directly impacting people, economies and livelihoods. Here we explore the relevance of consumption-based proxies, which capture global demand for goods and services, to assess progress towards Sustainable Development Goals. We link these proxies to environmental and social issues for understanding trends in international outsourcing of resource and pollution-intensive production. We undertake a temporal assessment from 1990 to 2018 for the Global North and South to highlight polarizing trends that are affecting progress on achieving Sustainable Development Goals. We conclude that global trade can lead to both polarizing and equalizing trends that can influence a country’s ability to meet the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.},

keywords = {},

pubstate = {published},

tppubtype = {article}

}

@article{Irwin2024,

title = {The carbon footprint of health care delivery in Western Australia's public health system},

author = {Amanda Irwin and Arunima Malik and Aditya Vyas and Catherine Bateman and Sarah Joyce},

doi = {10.1016/j.lanwpc.2024.101115},

issn = {2666-6065},

year  = {2024},

date = {2024-07-00},

journal = {The Lancet Regional Health - Western Pacific},

volume = {48},

publisher = {Elsevier BV},

keywords = {},

pubstate = {published},

tppubtype = {article}

}

@article{Li2024,

title = {Flexibility options in a 100% renewable grid for Australia},

author = {Mengyu Li and Felix Keck and Manfred Lenzen and Fabiano Ximenes},

doi = {10.1016/j.mtsust.2024.100736},

issn = {2589-2347},

year  = {2024},

date = {2024-06-00},

journal = {Materials Today Sustainability},

volume = {26},

publisher = {Elsevier BV},

keywords = {},

pubstate = {published},

tppubtype = {article}

}

@article{Wei2024,

title = {Outsourcing carbon emissions of the expanding affluent groups in China},

author = {Liyuan Wei and Xuan Jiang and Hua Yan and Manfred Lenzen and Mengyu Li and Arunima Malik and Vivienne Reiner and Zhen Wang and Song Hong},

doi = {10.1016/j.eiar.2024.107541},

issn = {0195-9255},

year  = {2024},

date = {2024-05-00},

journal = {Environmental Impact Assessment Review},

volume = {106},

publisher = {Elsevier BV},

keywords = {},

pubstate = {published},

tppubtype = {article}

}

@article{Beggs2024,

title = {The 2023 report of the \textit{MJA}–\textit{Lancet} Countdown on health and climate change: sustainability needed in Australia's health care sector},

author = {Paul J Beggs and Stefan Trueck and Martina K Linnenluecke and Hilary Bambrick and Anthony G Capon and Ivan C Hanigan and Nicolas Borchers Arriagada and Troy J Cross and Sharon Friel and Donna Green and Maddie Heenan and Ollie Jay and Harry Kennard and Arunima Malik and Celia McMichael and Mark Stevenson and Sotiris Vardoulakis and Tran N Dang and Gail Garvey and Raymond Lovett and Veronica Matthews and Dung Phung and Alistair J Woodward and Marina B Romanello and Ying Zhang},

doi = {10.5694/mja2.52245},

issn = {1326-5377},

year  = {2024},

date = {2024-04-00},

journal = {Medical Journal of Australia},

volume = {220},

number = {6},

pages = {282--303},

publisher = {Wiley},

abstract = {Summary





The MJA–Lancet Countdown on health and climate change in Australia was established in 2017 and produced its first national assessment in 2018 and annual updates in 2019, 2020, 2021 and 2022. It examines five broad domains: health hazards, exposures and impacts; adaptation, planning and resilience for health; mitigation actions and health co‐benefits; economics and finance; and public and political engagement. In this, the sixth report of the MJA–Lancet Countdown, we track progress on an extensive suite of indicators across these five domains, accessing and presenting the latest data and further refining and developing our analyses.



Our results highlight the health and economic costs of inaction on health and climate change. A series of major flood events across the four eastern states of Australia in 2022 was the main contributor to insured losses from climate‐related catastrophes of $7.168 billion — the highest amount on record. The floods also directly caused 23 deaths and resulted in the displacement of tens of thousands of people.



High red meat and processed meat consumption and insufficient consumption of fruit and vegetables accounted for about half of the 87 166 diet‐related deaths in Australia in 2021. Correction of this imbalance would both save lives and reduce the heavy carbon footprint associated with meat production.



We find signs of progress on health and climate change. Importantly, the Australian Government released Australia's first National Health and Climate Strategy, and the Government of Western Australia is preparing a Health Sector Adaptation Plan. We also find increasing action on, and engagement with, health and climate change at a community level, with the number of electric vehicle sales almost doubling in 2022 compared with 2021, and with a 65% increase in coverage of health and climate change in the media in 2022 compared with 2021.



Overall, the urgency of substantial enhancements in Australia's mitigation and adaptation responses to the enormous health and climate change challenge cannot be overstated. Australia's energy system, and its health care sector, currently emit an unreasonable and unjust proportion of greenhouse gases into the atmosphere. As the Lancet Countdown enters its second and most critical phase in the leadup to 2030, the depth and breadth of our assessment of health and climate change will be augmented to increasingly examine Australia in its regional context, and to better measure and track key issues in Australia such as mental health and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health and wellbeing.



},

keywords = {},

pubstate = {published},

tppubtype = {article}

}

@article{Kikstra2024,

title = {Downscaling down under: towards degrowth in integrated assessment models},

author = {Jarmo S. Kikstra and Mengyu Li and Paul E. Brockway and Jason Hickel and Lorenz Keysser and Arunima Malik and Joeri Rogelj and Bas van Ruijven and Manfred Lenzen},

doi = {10.1080/09535314.2023.2301443},

issn = {1469-5758},

year  = {2024},

date = {2024-04-00},

journal = {Economic Systems Research},

pages = {1--31},

publisher = {Informa UK Limited},

keywords = {},

pubstate = {published},

tppubtype = {article}

}

@article{Young-Ferris2024,

title = {Making things (that don’t exist) count: a study of Scope 4 emissions accounting claims},

author = {Anna Young-Ferris and Arunima Malik and Victoria Calderbank and Jubin Jacob-John},

doi = {10.1108/aaaj-04-2023-6406},

issn = {0951-3574},

year  = {2024},

date = {2024-03-28},

journal = {AAAJ},

publisher = {Emerald},

abstract = {PurposeAvoided emissions refer to greenhouse gas emission reductions that are a result of using a product or are emission removals due to a decision or an action. Although there is no uniform standard for calculating avoided emissions, market actors have started referring to avoided emissions as “Scope 4” emissions. By default, making a claim about Scope 4 emissions gives an appearance that this Scope of emissions is a natural extension of the existing and accepted Scope-based emissions accounting framework. The purpose of this study is to explore the implications of this assumed legitimacy.Design/methodology/approachVia a desktop review and interviews, we analyse extant Scope 4 company reporting, associated accounting methodologies and the practical implications of Scope 4 claims.FindingsUpon examination of Scope 4 emissions and their relationship with Scopes 1, 2 and 3 emissions, we highlight a dynamic and interdependent relationship between quantification, commensuration and standardization in emissions accounting. We find that extant Scope 4 assessments do not fit the established framework for Scope-based emissions accounting. In line with literature on the territorializing nature of accounting, we call for caution about Scope 4 claims that are a distraction from the critical work of reducing absolute emissions.Originality/valueWe examine the implications of assumed alignment and borrowed legitimacy of Scope 4 with Scope-based accounting because Scope 4 is not an actual Scope, but a claim to a Scope. This is as an act of accounting territorialization.},

keywords = {},

pubstate = {published},

tppubtype = {article}

}

@article{Mora2024,

title = {Understanding climate risk externalities through the global supply chains: a framework and review of the literature on existing approaches},

author = {Camille J. Mora and Arunima Malik and Sruthi Shanmuga and Baljit Sidhu},

doi = {10.1108/jal-06-2023-0105},

issn = {2452-1469},

year  = {2024},

date = {2024-03-21},

journal = {JAL},

publisher = {Emerald},

abstract = {PurposeBusinesses are increasingly vulnerable and exposed to physical climate change risks, which can cascade through local, national and international supply chains. Currently, few methodologies can capture how physical risks impact businesses via the supply chains, yet outside the business literature, methodologies such as sustainability assessments can assess cascading impacts.Design/methodology/approachAdopting a scoping review framework by Arksey and O'Malley (2005) and the PRISMA extension for scoping reviews (PRISMA-ScR), this paper reviews 27 articles that assess climate risk in supply chains.FindingsThe literature on supply chain risks of climate change using quantitative techniques is limited. Our review confirms that no research adopts sustainability assessment methods to assess climate risk at a business-level.Originality/valueAlongside the need to quantify physical risks to businesses is the growing awareness that climate change impacts traverse global supply chains. We review the state of the literature on methodological approaches and identify the opportunities for researchers to use sustainability assessment methods to assess climate risk in the supply chains of an individual business.},

keywords = {},

pubstate = {published},

tppubtype = {article}

}

@article{Reiner2024,

title = {Wish You Were Here? The Economic Impact of the Tourism Shutdown from Australia’s 2019-20 ‘Black Summer’ Bushfires},

author = {Vivienne Reiner and Navoda Liyana Pathirana and Ya-Yen Sun and Manfred Lenzen and Arunima Malik},

doi = {10.1007/s41885-024-00142-8},

issn = {2511-1299},

year  = {2024},

date = {2024-03-00},

journal = {EconDisCliCha},

volume = {8},

number = {1},

pages = {107--127},

publisher = {Springer Science and Business Media LLC},

abstract = {AbstractTourism, including education-related travel, is one of Australia’s top exports and generates substantial economic stimulus from Australians travelling in their own country, attracting visitors to diverse areas including World Heritage rainforests, picturesque beachside villages, winery townships and endemic wildlife. The globally unprecedented 2019-20 bushfires burned worst in some of these pristine tourist areas. The fires resulted in tourism shutting down in many parts of the country over the peak tourist season leading up to Christmas and into the New Year, and tourism dropped in many areas not physically affected by the fires. Our research quantified the cost of the short-term shock from tourism losses across the entire supply chain using input-output (IO) analysis, which is the most common method for disaster analysis; to this end, we also developed a framework for disaggregating the direct fire damages in different tourism sectors from which to quantify the impacts, because after the fires, the economy was affected by COVID-19. We calculated losses of AU$2.8 billion in total output, $1.56 billion in final demand, $810 million in income and 7300 jobs. Our estimates suggest aviation shouldered the most losses in both consumption and wages/salaries, but that accommodation suffered the most employment losses. The comprehensive analysis highlighted impacts throughout the nation, which could be used for budgeting and rebuilding in community-and-industry hotspots that may be far from the burn scar.},

keywords = {},

pubstate = {published},

tppubtype = {article}

}

@article{Ripple2024,

title = {An environmental and socially just climate mitigation pathway for a planet in peril},

author = {William J Ripple and Christopher Wolf and Detlef P van Vuuren and Jillian W Gregg and Manfred Lenzen},

doi = {10.1088/1748-9326/ad059e},

issn = {1748-9326},

year  = {2024},

date = {2024-02-01},

journal = {Environ. Res. Lett.},

volume = {19},

number = {2},

publisher = {IOP Publishing},

keywords = {},

pubstate = {published},

tppubtype = {article}

}