Japan aims to establish an international hydrogen supply chain by utilizing low-cost and abundantly available hydrogen sources and liquid hydrogen carriers to realize a future hydrogen economy that will enhance energy security and help achieve carbon neutrality. While hydrogen does not emit CO₂ when used as a fuel to generate energy, CO₂ emissions can be attributed to hydrogen due to the energy and other resources required at each stage of the hydrogen supply chain. Therefore, from a life cycle perspective, if hydrogen is to contribute to the world’s carbon neutrality goal, the entire hydrogen supply chain must be low-carbon. This paper explores the life cycle CO₂ emissions of international hydrogen supply chains envisaged by Japan. The target supply chains involve hydrogen produced from renewable electricity via electrolysis, as well as from fossil fuels with carbon capture and storage, sourced from resource-rich countries and imported to Japan using liquid hydrogen carriers such as liquid hydrogen, methylcyclohexane (MCH), and ammonia (NH₃). In addition, this paper addresses potential options for reducing life cycle CO₂ emissions to effectively establish a low-carbon hydrogen supply chain.

A just energy transition (JET) to low-carbon fuels, such as green hydrogen, is critical for mitigating climate change. Countries with abundant renewable energy resources are well-positioned to meet the growing global demand for green hydrogen. However, to improve the volumetric energy density and facilitate transport and distribution over long distances, green hydrogen needs to be converted into an energy carrier such as green ammonia. This study conducted a comparative life cycle assessment (LCA) to evaluate the environmental impacts of green ammonia production, with a particular focus on greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. The boundary of the study was from cradle-to-production gate, and the design was based on a coastal production facility in South Africa, which uses renewable energy to desalinate seawater, produce hydrogen, and synthesise ammonia. The carbon intensity of production was 0.79 kg CO₂-eq per kg of ammonia. However, if co-products of oxygen, argon and excess electricity are sold to market and allocated a portion of GHG emissions, the carbon intensity was 0.28 kg CO₂-eq per kg of ammonia. Further, without the sale of co-products but excluding the embodied emissions of the energy supply system, as defined in the recent international standard (ISO/TS 19870), the carbon intensity was 0.11 kg CO₂-eq per kg of ammonia. Based on the hydrogen content of ammonia, this is equivalent to 0.60 kg CO₂-eq per kg of hydrogen, which is well below the current threshold for certification as a low-carbon fuel. The process contributing most to the overall environmental impacts was electrolysis (68%), with particulate matter (55%) and global warming potential (33%) as the dominant impact categories. This reflects the energy intensity of electrolysis and the carbon intensity of the energy used to manufacture the infrastructure and capital goods required for green ammonia production. These findings support the adoption of green ammonia as a low-carbon fuel to mitigate climate change and help achieve net-zero carbon emissions by 2050. However, achieving this goal requires the rapid decarbonisation of energy supply systems to reduce embodied emissions from manufacturing infrastructure.

Hydrogen is a promising energy carrier that is expected to play a crucial role in helping Canada achieve its net-zero target by 2050. However, reducing the ambiguity in regulatory frameworks is essential to incentivize and facilitate international trade in hydrogen. To this end, regulators must agree on quantification methodologies that consider life cycle boundaries, process descriptions, co-product allocation, conversion constants, and certification units. Several studies have highlighted the importance of life cycle assessment (LCA) as a standardized, relevant method for estimating the carbon footprint associated with hydrogen production and evaluating its environmental sustainability. As such, LCA-based certification schemes could help create a transparent hydrogen market. The aim of this study is to validate the proposed harmonized LCA-based methodology for quantifying hydrogen production’s carbon intensity. This methodology follows a consistent scope and life cycle inventory (LCI) development criteria, alongside a rigorous data quality assessment. The well-to-gate carbon intensities of six hydrogen production pathways are compared, which range from 0.26 to 10.07 kg CO_2e per kg of hydrogen (kg CO_2e/kg H₂), against the hydrogen carbon intensity thresholds established by the Canadian Clean Hydrogen Investment Tax Credit (CHITC). For example, the biomass gasification with carbon capture (CC) pathway demonstrates the lowest carbon intensity, while thermochemical pathways, such as steam methane reforming of natural gas without CC, poses challenges to meeting the maximum CHTIC threshold of 4 kg CO_2e/kg H₂.

A comprehensive review highlights how modified biochar is rapidly emerging as a powerful tool for improving soil health, boosting crop productivity, and supporting climate-smart agriculture. At the same time, the study warns that inconsistent performance and limited understanding of soil interactions still pose challenges for widespread adoption.

MASLD and CKD frequently coexist due to shared metabolic risk factors. The 2023 nomenclature of MASLD emphasizes cardiometabolic risk. MASLD is an independent risk factor for CKD, and risk increases with steatosis severity and fibrosis. CKD may also promote MASLD fibrosis progression. Common mechanisms include genetic variants (PNPLA3, HSD17B13), insulin resistance, dyslipidemia, hypertension, hyperglycemia, chronic inflammation, oxidative stress, gut dysbiosis, and portal hypertension. The MAFLD/MASLD criteria outperform NAFLD in identifying CKD risk. Non‑invasive fibrosis scores (FIB‑4, NFS) and liver stiffness measurement help stratify risk. Therapeutic options include lifestyle intervention, GLP‑1 receptor agonists, SGLT‑2 inhibitors, statins, RAAS inhibitors, PPAR agonists, and FXR agonists. This review summarizes common pathophysiology, epidemiological evidence, predictive tools, and potential treatments for MASLD–CKD comorbidity.

Seoul National University College of Engineering announced that a research team led by Prof. Changbum R. Ahn of the Department of Architecture and Architectural Engineering has developed a behavior-based safety assessment system capable of measuring construction workers’ ability to perceive risks and respond appropriately to them, in collaboration with Prof. Jeongmi Lee’s team at the Graduate School of Culture Technology at KAIST. This system utilizes three tests grounded in cognitive psychology and, unlike conventional safety knowledge assessments that rely on quizzes or image interpretation, evaluates workers’ actual, real-world behavioral characteristics—including attention, speed of risk recognition, and inhibitory control. The system has attracted attention from both academia and industry and is expected to contribute to accident prevention at construction sites and to the development of customized safety training tailored to individual cognitive traits. The research findings were recently published in the international journal, Journal of Safety Research, in the fields of safety engineering and safety science.