geoengineering explained: the benefits and challenges of enhanced weathering

Enhanced weathering is the process of exposing large quantities of minerals that are reactive with carbon dioxide in the atmosphere and storing the resulting compound in the ocean or soil. It is considered a form of carbon dioxide removal or CDR. BENEFITS CHALLENGES Has the potential to increase terrestrial and oceanic net productivity Can be…

the principal-agent problem: what it is, why it’s important, and how it can be solved

The principal-agent problem is a common problem that arises whenever there is a contractual relationship between two parties – the principal, who in accordance with agreed upon terms, assigns a task to an agent, who then executes the task for the principal. It is expected that the agent will work on the behalf of the principal. Likewise,…

what value chains are and how they can optimize economic efficiency

First introduced in 1985 by Michael Porter, the value chain concept is understood as the process by which value is added to raw materials via various production processes in order to generate a final product that can be sold for a higher price. This article reviews what value chains are how how they optimize value….

vertical farming: when high-tech meets food production

vertical farming: when high-tech meets food production

In 2008, Dickson Despommier published the book ‘The Vertical Farm’. His vision of growing up rather than outwards intrigued the world and ignited the imaginations of innovators who would build on his ingenuity to create sustainable, agricultural production systems even in the most land poor locations. Since the release of his book, his creativity has…

geoengineering explained: the benefits and challenges of ocean alkalinity enhancement

Ocean alkalinity enhancement is increasements in the ocean’s alkalinity via the exposure of large quantities of reactive minerals to carbon dioxide in the atmosphere. Calcium oxide is created when temperatures of ca. 1000 degrees Celsius are used to heat high purity limestone. The Calcium oxide is then stored in the ocean. The water prevents the…

zero acreage farming (zfarming): what it is and how it can change the future of (urban) agriculture

It is not uncommon to hear about the challenges that will be faced in feeding the growing population of the world. One of the main concerns is the lack of arable space, an issue that can be attributed to land-use changes, especially urbanization. Subsequently, the rapid growth of cities contributes to a number of issues,…

institutions: what they are, why we need them and how they shape our everyday lives

It is a common practice in the United States to sing Happy Birthday to a person when they survive another year on this planet. However, in China, birthday celebrations commonly take the form of elaborate banquets and are reserved for the very young or very old. Despite being obviously divergent practices, they are both considered…

business clusters: what they are and why they provide a competitive advantage

Have you ever wondered why Wall Street is known for finance or why the California wine industry has been so successful in integrating itself into the global market? In a word: clusters. Clusters are concentrations of complementary organizations, institutions and companies that are components of a given field in a specific geographic location. These conglomerations…

geoengineering explained: the benefits and challenges of bioenergy with carbon capture and sequestration

The production of bioenergy with carbon capture and sequestration is considered a form of carbon dioxide removal (CDR). The process begins by growing biomass, burning it to create energy and finally capturing and sequestering the carbon dioxide created in the process. Negative CO2 emissions are generated by combining bio-energy production [biomass fuel power stations, pulp…

what is geoengineering?

Geoengineering is deliberate, large-scale intervention in Earth’s natural systems to counteract climate change. The two most common forms are: SOLAR RADIATION MANAGEMENT (SRM) SRM techniques aim to reflect a small proportion of the Sun’s energy back into space, counteracting the temperature rise caused by increased levels of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere which absorb energy…