Digital Commons Network^™

Driving Climate Mitigation And Health Equity In Rapid Test Diagnostics (Rdts): A Sustainable Biodegradable Patch Solution, Sarah Abozeid

COP30

Total energy-related CO2 emissions increased by 0.8% in 2024, hitting an all-time high of 37.8 Gt CO2, driven primarily by energy, transport, and industrial sectors. The healthcare sector, often overlooked in mitigation discussions, contributes 4.4% of total global GHG emissions, a footprint exceeding that of many countries. Disposal of petroleum-based plastics—especially through incineration—emits approximately 2.7 tonnes of CO2 equivalent (CO2e) per tonne of plastic burnt. Production itself accounts for around 2.5 tonnes CO2 per tonne of

plastic, making the combined lifecycle emissions significant when including end- of-life incineration or decomposition. Around 16,000 tonnes of plastics are

produced globally for rapid …

Strengthening A Just Energy Transition In Egypt By 2035: Policy Options And A Practical Road Map, Basmala Zahran

COP30

Egypt’s dilemma is twofold: reduce emissions of greenhouse gasses in line with international commitments while safeguarding the livelihoods of workers and communities dependent on fossil-fuel industries. Egypt’s continued subsidies on fossil fuels, natural gas powered electricity generation, and regional skill and energy access gaps could lead to an inequitable and politically unstable transition. This paper analyzes the evidence, reviews lessons from Spain and Indonesia, and proposes a hybrid, actionable policy package: (1) a National Green Jobs Training & Reskilling Program, (2) a phased, socially-protected removal and reallocation of fossil-fuel subsidies, and (3) a rooftop-solar mandate for public buildings. Implementation strategies, …

Boosting Carbon Sequestration In Agri-Food Systems Through Nature-Based Solution(Nbs) For People, Planet And Prosperity., Carlos Colorado

COP30

In 2015, 195 United Nations’ Parties adopted the Paris Agreement at COP21, marking a historical milestone in the Climate Negotiations to limit global warming to well below 2°C above the pre-industrial levels by 2030. Since then, countries have committed to present their Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) to tackle the rise of global temperatures. Achieving the 1.5°C climate target demands transformative climate action, especially in the Agri-Food System, as it is both, one of the major contributors and victims of Climate Change, accounting for up to 13-21% of total Greenhouse Gases (GHG) emission annually. In this context, Nature-Based Solutions (NBS) appear …

The Potential Of Individual Emissions Reduction In Mitigating Global Warming: Introducing An Intergenerational Transition Perspective, Yuxi Yang

COP30

The study aims to investigate effective pathways for reducing individual carbon emissions. Adopting a comprehensive analytical perspective, the research reveals that temporal variations in personal carbon footprints are not solely correlated with rising per capita income levels, but are significantly associated with transformations brought about by generational shifts. Using China as a case study, the investigation examines the lifestyle patterns and value systems characteristic of the emerging generation that currently forms the societal backbone. Based on these identified characteristics, the study proposes practical and actionable mitigation solutions: In daily activities such as shopping and transportation, consumers should be informed of …

Transferring Green Hydrogen Solution For Decarbonization: A Comparative Review Of Germany And Brazil’S Mitigation Pathways To Net Zero, Fagr Mohamed

COP30

According to the Paris agreement, there is a global narrative to limit global warming to 1.5 c, which requires urgent decarbonization of energy incentive sectors, particularly industry and heavy transport which amount to 50% of global CO2 emissions. Among emerging technologies green hydrogen which is hydrogen produced via electrolysis process by renewable energy such as solar and wind and hydro offers a high potential zero emission energy vector for sectors where direct electrification remains challenging.

This paper assesses Germany’s green hydrogen strategy as a successful model of mitigation policy, and examines its potential transferability to Brazil, a developing country with …

From Policy To Power: How Denmark’S And Morocco’S Energy Successes Can Shape South Africa’S 2030 Transition Policy Paper (Mitigation), Yelyzaveta Umarova

COP30

Tripling global renewable energy capacity and doubling energy efficiency by 2030 are now global priorities. These targets were formalised in the COP28 Global Renewables and Energy Efficiency Pledge (European Commission, 2023, para. 2) and will be central to COP30 implementation discussions in Brazil in November 2025. Despite committing to ambitious emission reduction targets in its updated Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC) by 2030, the country’s current pace of energy transition is insufficient to meet the 1.5 °C goal (Climate Action Tracker, 2025). Various barriers, including Eskom’s debt and inconsistent policy implementation, have slowed progress (OECD, 2025). The International Energy Agency (IEA) …

Structuring South-South Co-Operation: Legal Pathways To Compulsory Licensing And Beyond Voluntary Climate Contributions, Livia Luckson

COP30

The UNFCC framework1

recognises that Action for Climate Empowerment (ACE) plays a vital role for a better climate action, highlighting the importance of educating all stakeholders to directly involve themselves in the implementation and delivery of policy. The increasing shift towards locally owned solutions with South-South Co-operation (SSC) is a reminder for the much-needed emergence of key policies for equitable technology transfer and capacity building. Aligning with COP30’s theme of adaptation as the central focus, models of the SSC can best promote local ownership of climate solutions and equitable technology transfer through the key roles of peer learning, co-development and …

Digital Capacity Building For Climate Empowerment: Evaluating Post-Cop29 Implementation And Gaps In Ace Delivery, Lilian Eldin

COP30

With an emphasis on young involvement and capacity-building, this policy paper assesses the execution of digital Action for Climate Empowerment (ACE) programs after COP29. While COP29 brought promising initiatives to improve digital learning and inclusivity, such as the Youth Delegate Program and the Capacity-Building Hub, there are still significant gaps in long-term follow up, transparency, and regional participation. Although regional digital participation was launched by the Presidency Youth Climate Champion (PYCC) project, its impact is tough to evaluate due to a lack of public reporting and categorized data. Similarly, the Capacity-Building Hub did not include regional digital access or language …

Digital Tools For Climate Action: A Strategic Review Of Education, Policy And Finance, Janeeta Awan

COP30

The global community faces an urgent and escalating climate crisis, and a critical barrier to effective action is the widespread disparity between expert and public understanding of climate change. This report presents a structured literature review on the pivotal role of digital tools— online platforms, mobile applications, and AI-driven systems—in democratizing climate knowledge and training at scale. The analysis confirms that digital solutions offer a powerful, multimodal toolkit for learning, from structured online courses to gamified mobile apps that drive behavioral change. Case studies in agriculture and K-12 education demonstrate tangible benefits, such as improved resource efficiency and enhanced youth …

Chambers Of Change: Students’ Unions As Civic Accelerators Of Ace, Bassem Helal

COP30

The transformative potential to incorporate students’ unions as an institutional gateway for the implementation of Action for Climate Empowerment (ACE) in higher education systems is discussed in this paper. Working on the outlines of the Glasgow Work Programme and prominent ACE frameworks as a basis of support, it asserts that student governments are structurally aligned with ACE goals, providing them procedural legitimacy, direct access to young people, and the capacity to put all six ACE pillars into practice: education, training, public awareness, public participation, access to information, and international cooperation. The study applies case studies from the University of Florida, …

Capacity Building And Action For Climate Empowerment (Ace): A Technical Review, Salman Almudawib

COP30

Capacity Building and Action for Climate Empowerment (ACE) is a core pillar for climate change mitigation through people’s participation, education, and empowerment (UNFCCC, n.d.; Action for Climate Empowerment, 2025). This article describes technological and digital resources that support ACE, particularly in the COP30 environment. It also identifies inventive methods and the stumbling blocks alongside the best digital instruments that facilitate local-level empowerment, targeting innovation centers, AI education, indigenous knowledge systems, and the integration of policies (IFLA, 2025; Mbuvha et al., 2024). One of the key anticipated outcomes is the Baku-to-Belém Roadmap, aimed at mobilizing $1.3 trillion annually for climate action …

Advancing Gender-Responsive Climate Adaptation: A South-South Indigenous Knowledge Exchange Platform Proposal Between Brazil And Egypt, Kimberlly Xavier

COP30

Indigenous and rural women in the Global South play a crucial role in climate resilience through traditional knowledge in food systems and natural resource management. Despite their importance, climate policies in Brazil and Egypt have yet to effectively embed their leadership and Indigenous knowledge, weakening adaptation efforts. This paper highlights systemic barriers in both countries and showcases successful women-led practices like Brazil’s Quebradeiras de Coco Babaçu and Egypt’s ancestral irrigation systems led by rural and Bedouin women. To address these challenges, this paper proposes the establishment of the South-South Indigenous Knowledge Platform (SS-IKP) under the UNFCCC framework, alongside broader recommendations …

Learning Platforms: A Future In Environmental Education Or A Motionless Present?, Nazareno Calvo

COP30

In a global context marked by the climate crisis, environmental education and training have taken a different path, adapting to current technologies. It is in these circumstances that learning platforms (from now on LP’s) emerge, changing the way we learn and perform around climate change. This type of web app can provide remote knowledge, and has taken on a growing role the last few years. However, despite their potential, challenges remain, such as inequality in digital access, poor variety of languages and cultural adaptation, a lack of media outreach, and the absence of assessments of their real impact on communities …

Unlocking Private Stakeholders Engagement In The Gst Follow Up Roadmap, Salsabil Nasry

COP30

SIMULATION

Executive Summary

. Situation Analysis:

Progress toward the 1.5C target is limited by weak private sector inclusion. Despite their crucial role in climate finance, private actors face restricted access and fragmented engagement in GST follow up. Their contributions are often excluded from UNFCCC. The Belem Action Agenda calls for clear mechanisms to enable structured public private collaboration.

. Problem Significance:

1. Economic Significance: Governments alone can't close the implementation gap. Private sector drives sustainable investment and lowers costs. 2. Political Significance: Continuity despite political changes. Inclusiveness and shared responsibility. 3.Social Significance: Enhancing community engagement and local Ownership. Advancing social …

Theme 7: Global Stocktake & Cop30 Implementation Agenda, Karam Abuodeh

COP30

The first Global Stocktake (GST) at COP28 showed what many feared: current national plans are not enough to keep warming near 1.5C. The GST is an accurate, urgent diagnosis, but a diagnosis without a delivery plan will not change outcomes. This paper recommends that COP30 adopt a practical Globally Determined Contribution (GDC) as a shared benchmark and gives concrete ways to link that benchmark to national planning, measurement, and finance. Three pillars are essential: (1) an operational GDC with transparent allocation rules and a UNFCCC-hosted technical panel to publish annual syntheses; (2) mandatory, time-bound integration of GST findings into NDCs, …

Global Urban Green Space Initiative For Climate Capacity Building: A Policy Blueprint For Youth, Collaboration, And Climate Action, Finley Moore

COP30

This is a policy paper recommending the implementation of a Global Urban Green Space Initiative for Climate Capacity Building (GUGSI-CCB). Following the success of the UK’s National Education Nature Parks (NENP) this paper explores how the policy could be transferred to the international stage by using the UNs Race to Zero education campaign. It highlights the policy being a method of collaboration between the north and south which national governments have failed at in recent years. The policy paper focuses on the importance of decreasing youth anxiety towards climate change, the benefit of a global database on climate change, and …

Climate Transparency Pact (Ctp) For Post-Gst Accountability A Policy Framework For Strengthening Global Climate Governance Through Transparency, Incentives, And Behavioral Insights, Sandy Elnenay

COP30

The Climate Transparency Pact (CTP) is an actionable proposal to bridge the credibility gap in the Paris Agreement's Global Stocktake (GST). While the Enhanced Transparency Framework (ETF) sets a reporting structure, it remains largely voluntary and lacks strong compliance measures. The result is clear: despite successive COP negotiations, global temperature projections remain at 2.5-2.9C above pre-industrial levels (UNEP, 2023), threatening ecosystems, economies, and human security. Drawing upon Dr. Robert Cialdini's six principles of persuasion, the CTP is built not only as a legal instrument but also as a behavioral framework: Authority: Embedding the CTP under UNFCCC's Subsidiary Body for Implementation …

From Policy To Power: How Denmark’S And Morocco’S Energy Successes Can Shape South Africa’S 2030 Transition, Yelyzaveta Umarova

COP30

Tripling global renewable energy capacity and doubling energy efficiency by 2030 are now global priorities. These targets were formalised in the COP28 Global Renewables and Energy Efficiency Pledge (European Commission, 2023, para. 2) and will be central to COP30 implementation discussions in Brazil in November 2025. Despite committing to ambitious emission reduction targets in its updated Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC) by 2030, the country’s current pace of energy transition is insufficient to meet the 1.5 °C goal (Climate Action Tracker, 2025). Various barriers, including Eskom’s debt and inconsistent policy implementation, have slowed progress (OECD, 2025). The International Energy Agency (IEA) …

Circular Carbon Markets For Renewable Energy Transitions: Integrating Circular Economy Models With Carbon Trading To Accelerate Just And Equitable Renewable Energy Deployment In Emerging Economies, Omaima Ahmed

COP30

In the wake of the Paris Agreement ratified by 195 UN Parties in 2015 the global community committed to limiting the average temperature rise to well below 2°C, with an aspirational threshold of 1.5°C above pre-industrial levels. Meeting this ambition requires transformative mitigation measures across all sectors, with the energy sector playing a decisive role given its substantial contribution to global greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. Renewable energy stands at the forefront of decarbonization efforts; however, its large-scale deployment in emerging economies remains constrained by financial limitations, technological dependencies, and socio-economic disparities. This policy paper introduces the Circular Carbon Markets for …

Kenyon Collegian - September 25, 2025

The Kenyon Collegian

No abstract provided.

Understanding And Assessing Climate Change: Preparing For Nebraska’S Future, 2024 Climate Change Impact Assessment Report, Deborah J. Bathke, Eric Hunt, Heather Akin, Andrea D. Basche, Jesse E. Bell, Daniel R. Dileo, Ross Dixon, Martha Durr, Tonya Haigh, Francis John Hay, Kristina W. Kintziger, Nicholas A. Mcmillan, Hank Miller, Jerome Okojokwu-Idu, Crystal Powers, Tirthankar Roy, Zhenghong Tang, W. Ryan Wishart, Aaron R. Young, Sarah A. Sonsthagen, Jonathan J. Spurgeon

School of Natural Resources: Faculty Publications

Contents

Report Team

Acknowledgments

Executive Summary

Introduction

Climate Change Contexts: Global, National, and State

Observed Changes in Nebraska's Climate

Projections of Nebraska's Future Climate

Water Systems

Energy

Ecosystems

Agriculture

Human Health

Communities and the Built Environment

Indigenous Peoples

Climate Justice and Equity

The Response of Faith Communities

Nebraskans' Perceptions of Climate Change

Next Steps and Future Work

Supplemental Report: Adaptation, Risks, and Impacts

About the Authors

Faith-based Communities Survey

Evaluated Plans and Assessments

References

Move Slow Or Fail Fast? Enhancing Stem Design Education With Ai-Assisted Iterative Workflows, Yingying Sun

Learn X Design Conference Series

The integration of Artificial Intelligence (AI) into industrial design education offers transformative potential, particularly within the interdisciplinary context of STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) programs. This paper explores how AI-assisted, hypothesis-driven approaches can address cross-disciplinary challenges and enhance the iterative design process in STEM-related design projects. Using a controlled comparative study, we investigate the efficiency and interdisciplinary knowledge integration enabled by AI tools such as Large Language Models (LLMs). Our findings reveal that AI not only accelerates workflows by automating routine tasks but also fosters deeper exploration of technical and contextual knowledge. Participants leveraging AI demonstrated greater productivity, producing …

Exploring The Role Of Design To Support Interdisciplinary Research In Higher Education Institutions, Rute Harada, Nina Costa, Johannes Goessling

Learn X Design Conference Series

This paper explores how design approaches can enhance interdisciplinary research in Higher Education Institutions (HEIs). Through a review of fourteen recent articles (2019-2024), we analyze challenges, institutional barriers, and existing methods for measuring interdisciplinary research. Our findings reveal that while interdisciplinary research has advanced significantly, it continues to face substantial challenges across cognitive, emotional, and institutional dimensions. The analysis suggests three key areas where design can contribute: fostering collaborative research cultures, developing integrated research methods, and enhancing cross-disciplinary communication. This research identifies critical gaps in current understanding and proposes directions for future investigation, including developing systematic measurement methods and conducting …

Community-Based Learning Experiences Of Graduate Education Students Within Applied Statistics And Science: Emerging Insights, Carla J. Thompson, Sandra B. Davis

Journal of Community Engagement and Higher Education

Integrating community-based learning in graduate education programs is an emerging trend in the United States. This study examined community engagement in graduate educational statistics and science education using four procedures: (1) defining a conceptual framework aligned with National Standards for Community Engagement; (2) examining 10 community-based learning applications from graduate education programs in statistics and science relative to standards; (3) determining specific emerging characteristics of community-based learning; and (4) providing insights for graduate education programs.

Cultivating Community-Engaged Faculty: The Institution’S Role In Individual Journeys, Eric Malm, Nicholas Rademacher, David Dunbar, Mary Harris, Erin Mclaughlin, Caroline Nielsen

Journal of Community Engagement and Higher Education

Campus-community partnerships are increasingly recognized as important parts of curricula and have become central to the missions of many colleges. Yet while the notion of service is becoming more prominent at the institutional level, the number of faculty who are actually teaching community-engaged courses is alarmingly low. This paper addresses the problem of inadequate faculty participation in campus-community partnerships through the case study analysis of the pathways that brought six faculty members from different backgrounds and disciplines into the world of the engaged classroom. From the stories of individual faculty members, a model of involvement emerged that illustrates a common …

Harnessing Wind Energy For A Green Hydrogen Revolution In Oman: Potential, Challenges, And Economic Viability, Navid Nasiri, Morteza Mohammadzaheri, Rayyan Muhammad Rafikh, Maryam Farrizi, Hooman Nasiri, Intisar Al-Busaidi, Sulaiman Al-Hashmi

The Journal of Engineering Research

This study is the first to comprehensively evaluate green hydrogen production from wind energy across 14 geographically diverse sites in Oman, filling a critical research gap in the MENA region where wind-to-hydrogen feasibility remains underexplored. Unlike prior studies focused on Europe (Dincer & Acar, 2015) or solar-heavy MENA projects (Mohammed et al., 2024), this simulation-based analysis leverages Oman’s unique wind resources and arid climate to pioneer regionspecific insights. Using Weibull distribution for wind resource assessment, we calculate Capacity Factor (CF), Levelized Cost of Energy (LCOE), Levelized Cost of Hydrogen (LCOH), annual hydrogen yields, and CO₂ emission reductions. Results highlight …

Chimes: September 22, 2025, Calvin University

Chimes

Parking prices increase: How are students feeling? by Addy Offutt & Ian Tjoelker

"Famous last words": Calvin Theatre Company's latest 24-hour theatre by McKenna Wilkilson

Student Senate's bright hopes for a new year by Jorie Cho

Dining in looks different this year: Ex-ploring dining hall changes by Evangeline Anga

Constitution Day celebration sparks dialogue on campus by Ella Vanden Berg

To cut language is to cut identity: A call to Calvin's conscience by Sarah Sparling

Review Of: Deep Transformations: A Theory Of Degrowth, Daina Cheyenne Harvey

The Journal of Social Encounters

No abstract provided.

Dalit And Tribal Women As Ecological Victims, Dhinakaran Savariyar

The Journal of Social Encounters

The essay examines the ecological marginalization of Dalit and tribal women in India, especially by analysing the three points of intersection, namely, caste, patriarchy, and gender. Though it starts with a global outlook on the African water crisis, it substantiates the argument with Indian realities of water inequality and resource depletion. While showing caste as the root cause of water discrimination in the country, it exposes the abetting roles of patriarchy and gender in keeping the Dalit and tribal women at the lowest position in the Indian social fabric. Environmental casteism and exclusion from decision-making processes add to the invisibility …

Making Upper Peninsula History Accessible: The Promise And Fragility Of Uplink, Annika Peterson

Upper Country: A Journal of the Lake Superior Region

Small historical societies frequently cannot afford to make their collections more accessible via online catalogs or digital collections. Many are now coming together in consortia in order to afford digital collections platforms. Several such consortia have popped up in the Great Lakes region. This article focuses on UPLINK, the Upper Peninsula Digital Network, and what resources scholars can find there. It also explains why a consortial approach is useful to archives, libraries, and historical societies.