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| Open AccessStakeholder integration predicts better outcomes from groundwater sustainability policy
This paper shows that integrating diverse stakeholders into management plans results in better protection, especially for those most vulnerable to the impacts of natural resource depletion.
- Debra Perrone
- , Melissa M. Rohde
- & E. J. Remson
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| Open AccessThe narrowing gap in developed and developing country emission intensities reduces global trade’s carbon leakage
International trade redistributes production activities to regions with varying emission intensities. This study finds that the convergence of emission intensities between the global South - North and changes in trade patterns have resulted in declining net emissions in trade in the past decade.
- Jing Meng
- , Jingwen Huo
- & Kuishuang Feng
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| Open AccessOffshore freshened groundwater in the Pearl River estuary and shelf as a significant water resource
A large and relatively fresh groundwater reservoir is identified in Pearl River estuary and adjacent shelf. This offshore low-salinity groundwater, likely a global phenomenon, has great potential to alleviate the pressure of future water shortages.
- Chong Sheng
- , Jiu Jimmy Jiao
- & Jinghe Cao
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| Open AccessTracing metal footprints via global renewable power value chains
In this study, the authors report that, developed economies allocate metal-intensive-low value-added production activities to developing economies in global renewable power value chains. It necessitates building metal-efficient and green supply chains for just transition of power sector.
- Rao Fu
- , Kun Peng
- & Jiashuo Li
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| Open AccessA research and development investment strategy to achieve the Paris climate agreement
Timely R&D investment in green technologies lowers mitigation costs with positive employment effects. Carbon revenues are sufficient to finance the additional R&D investment and generate economic benefits.
- Lara Aleluia Reis
- , Zoi Vrontisi
- & Massimo Tavoni
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| Open AccessQuantitative evaluation of large corporate climate action initiatives shows mixed progress in their first half-decade
More companies are setting climate targets, but detailed evaluations remain scarce, raising questions on their effectiveness. Here, authors assess the progress of 102 of the largest companies in the world by revenue for the period 2015–2019.
- Ivan Ruiz Manuel
- & Kornelis Blok
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| Open AccessHidden delays of climate mitigation benefits in the race for electric vehicle deployment
The climate benefits of battery electric vehicles relative to internal combustion engine vehicles are favorable but usually delayed. The authors show the delay threshold in China and call for more attention to the temporal characteristics of climate benefits.
- Yue Ren
- , Xin Sun
- & Xinzhu Zheng
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| Open AccessThe global power sector’s low-carbon transition may enhance sustainable development goal achievement
The low-carbon power transition could enhance global sustainable development goal (SDG) progress, but hinder that of developing economies under fossil fuel-based scenarios. Meanwhile, SDG synergies and trade-offs exist within and between economies.
- Kun Peng
- , Kuishuang Feng
- & Jiashuo Li
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| Open AccessPrehistoric population expansion in Central Asia promoted by the Altai Holocene Climatic Optimum
The impact of climate change on Holocene human activity in the Altai-Sayan region of Central Asia is unclear. Here, the authors use pollen, biogenic silica, and isotope records from lake cores to show that the climate prompted human population expansion and intensified cultural exchange during the Bronze Age.
- Lixiong Xiang
- , Xiaozhong Huang
- & Fahu Chen
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Article
| Open AccessFood demand displaced by global refugee migration influences water use in already water stressed countries
While minimal in most host countries, the water needed to produce the food consumed by refugees can have a large effect on water stress in vulnerable countries. Small changes to food trade and refugee resettlement policies can alleviate this unequal burden.
- Leonardo Bertassello
- , Marc F. Müller
- & Michèle C. Müller-Itten
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| Open AccessSpatially-optimized urban greening for reduction of population exposure to land surface temperature extremes
This study uses earth observation data and proposes a method to evaluate and optimize the increment of urban greening to reduce the population exposure to extreme land surface temperatures in cities.
- Emanuele Massaro
- , Rossano Schifanella
- & Gregory Duveiller
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| Open AccessValue chain carbon footprints of Chinese listed companies
A paper led by Prof. Zhang evaluates the value chain carbon footprints of Chinese listed companies. The results could encourage collaborative climate actions along value chains and help investors understand the environmental impacts of their investment.
- Zengkai Zhang
- , Jiaoyan Li
- & Dabo Guan
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| Open AccessAllocating capital-associated CO2 emissions along the full lifespan of capital investments helps diffuse emission responsibility
This study proposes an alternative approach for assessing CO2 responsibility of capital assets, through allocating required CO2 from the production of assets over their lifespans of use. It improves the assessment of emission equity across generations.
- Quanliang Ye
- , Maarten S. Krol
- & Klaus Hubacek
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| Open AccessExploring spatial feedbacks between adaptation policies and internal migration patterns due to sea-level rise
Adaptation policies can considerably influence the intensity and spatial patterns of sealevel rise-related migration, with managed retreat and setback zones leading to outmigration, while hard protection measures favor migration toward the coast.
- Lena Reimann
- , Bryan Jones
- & Athanasios T. Vafeidis
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| Open AccessGlobal green hydrogen-based steel opportunities surrounding high quality renewable energy and iron ore deposits
Facility-level analysis of green H2- based steel production demonstrates co-location of high-quality renewables and iron ore resources is imperative for cost minimisation.
- Alexandra Devlin
- , Jannik Kossen
- & Aidong Yang
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| Open AccessGrid integration feasibility and investment planning of offshore wind power under carbon-neutral transition in China
Offshore wind power may play a key role in decarbonising energy supplies. Here the authors evaluates current grid integration capabilities for wind power in China and find that investment levels should be doubled for 2030, and that long-term storage and transmissions are key to accelerated developments of offshore wind in 2050.
- Xinyang Guo
- , Xinyu Chen
- & Michael McElroy
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| Open AccessSediment delivery to sustain the Ganges-Brahmaputra delta under climate change and anthropogenic impacts
The potential for enhanced sediment delivery to the Ganges-Brahmaputra delta exists, but it alone is insufficient to sustain the system. The delta may be resilient to climate change, but only in the absence of dam construction and water diversions.
- Jessica L. Raff
- , Steven L. Goodbred Jr.
- & Lauren A. Williams
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| Open AccessPhysical and virtual nutrient flows in global telecoupled agricultural trade networks
This study identifies the flows of physical and virtual nutrients (N and P) within the global agricultural trade network by trade tracing, and explores strategies to improve global nutrient use efficiency using the telecoupling framework.
- Xiuzhi Chen
- , Yue Hou
- & Yunkai Li
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Article
| Open AccessIncorporating human dimensions is associated with better wildlife translocation outcomes
Conservation biologists have made calls for including human dimensions in wildlife conservation efforts. This quantitative synthesis of case studies from a global IUCN reintroduction program suggests that inclusion of local stakeholders in wildlife restoration programs boosts success rate.
- Mitchell W. Serota
- , Kristin J. Barker
- & Arthur D. Middleton
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| Open AccessBehavioral changes during the COVID-19 pandemic decreased income diversity of urban encounters
Mobile phone data reveals a significant decrease in the income diversity of urban encounters during the COVID-19 pandemic in the USA, even though overall mobility returned to pre-pandemic levels by late 2021. This was mainly due to persistent behavioral changes including less willingness to explore new places.
- Takahiro Yabe
- , Bernardo García Bulle Bueno
- & Esteban Moro
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| Open AccessThe potential for coral reef restoration to mitigate coastal flooding as sea levels rise
The capacity of coral reefs to keep pace with sea-level rise is central to their ability to continue to provide shoreline protection to vulnerable coastal communities. Here, the study shows that whereas restoration has the potential to minimize climate-change impacts, doing nothing will amplify them.
- Lauren T. Toth
- , Curt D. Storlazzi
- & Richard B. Aronson
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| Open AccessHealth disparities among older adults following tropical cyclone exposure in Florida
Tropical cyclones pose a significant threat to human health. Here, authors show associations between tropical cyclones and risk of cause-specific hospitalizations, with elevated risks according to neighborhood-level poverty, homeownership and urbanicity.
- K. Burrows
- , G. B. Anderson
- & M. L. Bell
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| Open AccessThe value of ecosystem services in global marine kelp forests
By combining fisheries, nutrient, and carbon cycling data, this synthesis suggests that marine kelp forests, a dominant but often undescribed habitat, provide services with a potential value of $111,000/ha/year and a global yearly value of $500 billion.
- Aaron M. Eger
- , Ezequiel M. Marzinelli
- & Adriana Vergés
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| Open AccessThe role of oxygen-vacancy in bifunctional indium oxyhydroxide catalysts for electrochemical coupling of biomass valorization with CO2 conversion
Electrochemical coupling of biomass valorization with CO2 conversion provides a promising approach to generate value-added chemicals on both sides. However, bifunctional catalysts are lacking. Here the authors report oxygen-vacancy-rich indium oxyhydroxide as a bifunctional catalyst for CO2 reduction to formate and 5-hydroxymethylfurfural electrooxidation to 2,5-furandicarboxylic acid with faradaic efficiencies for both > 90.0%.
- Fenghui Ye
- , Shishi Zhang
- & Chuangang Hu
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| Open AccessElectrified hydrocarbon-to-oxygenates coupled to hydrogen evolution for efficient greenhouse gas mitigation
The production of hydrogen, and the refining of hydrocarbons, are significant contributors to the CO2 emissions of the chemicals industry. Coupled electrification of these processes has the potential to reduce total emissions by up to 39% even when using the electricity mix available today.
- Wan Ru Leow
- , Simon Völker
- & Edward H. Sargent
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| Open AccessThawing permafrost poses environmental threat to thousands of sites with legacy industrial contamination
Thousands of industrial sites were found to be correlated with contaminated sites in the Arctic. Between 13,000 and 20,000 contaminated sites are likely to exist in the permafrost region, 26% of which will be affected by permafrost thaw before 2100.
- Moritz Langer
- , Thomas Schneider von Deimling
- & Guido Grosse
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| Open AccessIncreased impact of heat domes on 2021-like heat extremes in North America under global warming
The heat dome explains about 55% of the 2021 Western North American high temperatures. The intensity of heat extremes associated with such circulations are increasing faster than background global warming due to soil moisture feedbacks.
- Xing Zhang
- , Tianjun Zhou
- & Wenmin Man
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| Open AccessU.S. West Coast droughts and heat waves exacerbate pollution inequality and can evade emission control policies
Heat waves and droughts increase air pollution from power plants in California, which disproportionately damages counties with a majority of people of color. Droughts cause chronic increases in pollution damages. Heat waves are responsible for the days with the highest damages.
- Amir Zeighami
- , Jordan Kern
- & August A. Bruno
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| Open AccessImpact of small farmers' access to improved seeds and deforestation in DR Congo
Availability of modern seed varieties in developing countries has had positive effects on households’ well-being. Here, the authors show that without support to maintain soil fertility, access to modern seed varieties increases primary forest clearance in DR Congo.
- Tanguy Bernard
- , Sylvie Lambert
- & Margaux Vinez
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| Open AccessPredictability of fossil fuel CO2 from air quality emissions
The historical changes in country emissions of greenhouse gases and air quality pollutants are classified together as a function of economic development, providing valuable guidance to emission scenario development.
- Kazuyuki Miyazaki
- & Kevin Bowman
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| Open AccessRevealing influencing factors on global waste distribution via deep-learning based dumpsite detection from satellite imagery
Dumpsites are hard to locate globally. Here the authors apply deep networks to satellite images to provide an effective and low-cost way to detect dumpsites with the new method saving more than 96.8% of the manual time with a strong sensitivity to dumpsites.
- Xian Sun
- , Dongshuo Yin
- & Kun Fu
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| Open AccessInformation about historical emissions drives the division of climate change mitigation costs
Who pays for climate change mitigation is an ongoing source of conflict. Here the authors examine how historical carbon emissions influences how much people will pay for climate change mitigation via an economic experiment.
- Alessandro Del Ponte
- , Aidas Masiliūnas
- & Noah Lim
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| Open AccessNatural resources modulate the nexus between environmental shocks and human mobility
Remote sensed information and population data for continental Africa are used to assess how migration acts as an adaptation response after drought event. The effect on mobility is amplified with drought frequency and poverty.
- Michael Brottrager
- , Jesus Crespo Cuaresma
- & Saleem H. Ali
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| Open AccessAssessing coupling interactions in a safe and just operating space for regional sustainability
Here the authors propose an operationalizable framework, integrating safe and just operating space with Sustainable Development Goals, to assess regional sustainability and develops targeted strategies for actualizing sustainable development across scales.
- Dongni Han
- , Deyong Yu
- & Jiangxiao Qiu
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| Open AccessReshoring silicon photovoltaics manufacturing contributes to decarbonization and climate change mitigation
Reshoring silicon photovoltaic manufacturing back to the U.S. improves domestic competitiveness, advances decarbonization goals, and contributes to mitigating climate change.
- Haoyue Liang
- & Fengqi You
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| Open AccessChina’s electric vehicle and climate ambitions jeopardized by surging critical material prices
Under a high-cost scenario for battery critical materials, the uptake of electric vehicles in China may be greatly reduced, leading to increased cumulative carbon emissions. This may jeopardize both China’s electric vehicle and climate targets.
- Hetong Wang
- , Kuishuang Feng
- & Jiashuo Li
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| Open AccessUnintended consequences of combating desertification in China
This paper shows that desertification combating practices decline incomes of farmers and herders, and China needs to adapt its ecological programmes to address the impacts of climate change and create positive synergies to combat desertification.
- Xunming Wang
- , Quansheng Ge
- & Fahu Chen
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| Open AccessMangrove reforestation provides greater blue carbon benefit than afforestation for mitigating global climate change
Blue carbon benefit has not been compared among mangrove reforestation and afforestation pathways at the global scale. This study shows that mangrove reforestation could perform a greater carbon storage potential per hectare than afforestation as its higher nitrogen availability and lower salinity.
- Shanshan Song
- , Yali Ding
- & Guanghui Lin
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Comment
| Open AccessToward the effective and fair funding of CO2 removal technologies
Carbon dioxide removal technologies are gaining prominence in academia, industry and policy, yet the need for substantial funding raises serious challenges. This comment discusses these issues and offers suggestions for future funding efforts in this area.
- Matthias Honegger
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Article
| Open AccessGlacial lake outburst floods threaten millions globally
Glacial lake outburst floods (GLOFs) are a major hazard to downstream populations. Here, the authors show that 15 million people globally are potentially exposed to GLOF impacts, with more than half of these living in India, Pakistan, Peru and China.
- Caroline Taylor
- , Tom R. Robinson
- & Matthew Westoby
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| Open AccessSocioeconomic factors predict population changes of large carnivores better than climate change or habitat loss
Habitat loss and climate change are widely acknowledged as drivers of wildlife population change, but socioeconomic impacts are relatively unexplored. This study explores drivers of population change in large carnivores and reveals that socioeconomic growth is more associated with population declines than habitat loss and climate change.
- Thomas F. Johnson
- , Nick J. B. Isaac
- & Manuela González-Suárez
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| Open AccessUnderstanding variability in petroleum jet fuel life cycle greenhouse gas emissions to inform aviation decarbonization
This study presents a global well-to-wake assessment of jet fuel greenhouse gas emissions with a range of 81.1-94.8 gCO2e MJ−1. Understanding this variability can improve decision-making amid the transition to decarbonizing aviation.
- Liang Jing
- , Hassan M. El-Houjeiri
- & Joule A. Bergerson
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| Open AccessDecarbonization, population disruption and resource inventories in the global energy transition
As coal is phased out, this will have an effect on mining towns. Here the authors find that in these locations ramping up energy transition metals will be more disruptive to demographic systems than ramping down coal.
- Kamila Svobodova
- , John R. Owen
- & Benjamin K. Sovacool
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| Open AccessNationwide geospatial analysis of county racial and ethnic composition and public drinking water arsenic and uranium
Environmental justice and drinking water in the US: Higher proportions of Hispanic/Latino, American Indian/Alaskan Native, and non-Hispanic Black residents were associated with higher public water arsenic and uranium at the county-level, findings differed by region.
- Irene Martinez-Morata
- , Benjamin C. Bostick
- & Anne E. Nigra
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| Open AccessOvercoming global inequality is critical for land-based mitigation in line with the Paris Agreement
In a world of deepening inequalities, climate polices might be feasible in high-income countries only. Here the authors find that overcoming global inequality through sustainable socio-economic development is critical for land-based mitigation in line with the Paris Agreement.
- Florian Humpenöder
- , Alexander Popp
- & Quentin Lejeune
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Comment
| Open AccessChallenging the financial capture of urban greening
Financing of urban greening has traditionally prioritized economic growth. Here the authors argue for action to ensure more socially just green financing.
- Melissa García-Lamarca
- , Isabelle Anguelovski
- & Kayin Venner
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Article
| Open AccessConstructing molecular bridge for high-efficiency and stable perovskite solar cells based on P3HT
The poor contact at poly(3-hexylthiophene)/perovskite interface has led to unsatisfactory performance in solar cells. To resolve this issue, the authors introduce a molecular bridge to form a charge transport channel, realizing devices with maximum efficiency value of 22.87% and long-term stability.
- Dongdong Xu
- , Zhiming Gong
- & Jinwei Gao
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| Open AccessAir quality impacts of crop residue burning in India and mitigation alternatives
We quantify the air quality and health impacts of Indian crop residue burning and trace these impacts back to individual burning events by hour and district. We find that small interventions, such as burning one hour earlier in the day, may provide broad public health benefits
- Ruoyu Lan
- , Sebastian D. Eastham
- & Steven R. H. Barrett
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| Open AccessEnergy requirements and carbon emissions for a low-carbon energy transition
A low-carbon energy transition consistent with 1.5 °C of warming may result in substantial carbon emissions. Moreover, the initial push to substitute fossil fuels with low-carbon alternatives will reduce the net energy available to society.
- Aljoša Slameršak
- , Giorgos Kallis
- & Daniel W. O’Neill