Energy and Environment Encyclopedias Articles

Like humans, plants breathe. During photosynthesis, plants absorb carbon dioxide (CO2) and release oxygen (O2). As they breathe, plants break down some of the compounds formed during photosynthesis and produce energy. With plants increasingly subject to water stress due to global warming, what happens in the event of severe stress? How do respiratory mechanisms enable the synthesis of defence compounds?

Trees capture CO2 through the process of photosynthesis. Therefore, forests are key carbon sinks, playing a crucial role in the macroscopic balance between CO2 release and capture within the biosphere. How can human activities and forest management optimise these carbon sinks, which will become increasingly valuable in the context of global warming and rising CO2 concentrations in the atmosphere?

Although awareness of climate change and its impacts on life was already raised by the scientific community in the 19th century, it was not until the 1980s that global gatherings addressed the issue, such as the annual "Conferences Of the Parties (COPs)", launched in 1992. What do these COPs deal with? What were the different stages of these negotiations around climate issues and what were the outputs, COP after COP?

Since the emergence of agriculture, an increasing number of innovations has enabled the augmentation of crop yields and the expansion of productivity boundaries of these systems. However, what is the current impact of intensive agriculture on soils and ecosystems? What lessons can we learn to preserve soil health and biodiversity while feeding the ever-expanding global population?

The dream of Icarus has haunted mankind for thousands of years. Birds have succeeded in mastering the air for 250 million years and have developed a multitude of techniques such as hovering or non-stop migrations over several thousand kilometres. The study of fossils of the ancestors of birds allows us to understand the anatomical and morphological evolution of birds that enabled them to conquer the sky.

As temperatures continue to rise and populations increase, conflicts over water usage are likely to intensify. However, water is an essential resource for plant growth. If this vital resource becomes scarce, how can humans guarantee the necessary plant production to feed themselves and to maintain ecosystems?

We are currently experiencing a global collapse of vertebrate populations. This raises alarming concerns about the ecosystems’ resilience, particularly tropical forests. Volcanic islands in the Indian Ocean provide the perfect environment to study the consequences of these extinctions. How do vertebrate extinctions threaten forest dynamics?

Fuel cells enable the electricity conversion into hydrogen via chemical transformations. The hydrogen produced can be used in several end-uses in industry, transport or construction. Thus, this hydrogen contributes to the transition of these consuming sectors towards non-carbon energies. How does a fuel cell work?

Biomass has been used by humans for thousands of years for their vital needs, such as food, heat, shelter, and more. Despite its abundance on the planet, its sustainability is now being questioned, due to its limited regeneration rate in the demographic and economic growth context. How and at which rate is biomass produced, and how much of this stock is used by humans?

When applied to the world of energy, the concept of sustainable development often emphasises renewable energies such as wind, solar, geothermal and hydro. However, like all energy sources, their impact is not zero. For example, hydropower requires various materials, including concrete, and land to install the plants. How can the social and environmental impacts of this energy source be minimised while maximising its usefulness?

The construction of port infrastructures leads to the total and irreversible destruction of marine ecosystems and threatens coastal marine biodiversity. To conciliate the need for these infrastructures and the need to preserve the ecosystem, some countries are committed to rehabilitating port areas. Should this be considered as a real hope for the preservation of biodiversity or as additional greenwashing?

April 19th, 2021 (part 1) One of the main issues with solar and wind energy is their variability. At the same time, hydrogen and biomethane are two promising solutions to decarbonise the energy production. Power-to-gas processes enable to couple these two value chains, and therefore to optimise the whole system, deriving value from the excess renewable electricity generation. Similarly, Power-to-heat can contribute to the energy transition in the heating sector. However, this sector coupling solutions require significant investments, and will only become competitive if a right regulative framework is enforced (part 1). December 14th, 2021 (part 2) A major challenge for solar and wind energy is their intermittency. At the same time, hydrogen and "green gas" produced by methanation are aiming at developing the decarbonisation of energy production. The "Power to gas" processes enable the connection between these different sectors to optimise the entire sector, valuing the surplus electricity from renewable energies. In the same way, the "Power to heat" contributes to this energy transition, for heating. However, these couplings require strong investments and need support from governments to be competitive in open energy markets. Click below for part 2