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This article shines a light on the act of social construction of climate change mitigation as a policy issue at the hands of expert bodies enjoying epistemic power, notably the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), using Integrated Assessment Models (IAMs) as key tools. This is crucial to the politics of tackling climate change as IPCC models and scenarios profoundly shape what are seen as viable futures and mitigation policy options. Analysing how technocratic governance bodies broach climate change, its mitigation, and the associated economic costs and implications, reveals contestations within the technocratic politics of climate change. The particular social construction of mitigation as a policy issue through IAMs and IPCC scenarios has important and real socio-ecological consequences. This engagement with the technocratic politics of mitigation problematises five key assumptions that are fed into modelling, and reveals why and how they matter politically. We also highlight ways in which contestable assumptions built into IPCC IAMs undermine their credibility and usefulness for planning mitigation strategies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Most people in rural sub-Saharan Africa lack access to electricity and rely on traditional, inefficient, and polluting cooking solutions that have adverse impacts on both human health and the environment. Here, we propose a novel integrated agroforestry-bioenergy system that combines sustainable biomass production in sequential agroforestry systems with biomass-based cleaner cooking solutions and rural electricity production in small-scale combined heat and power plants and estimate the biophysical system outcomes. Despite conservative assumptions, we demonstrate that on-farm biomass production can cover the household's fuelwood demand for cooking and still generate a surplus of woody biomass for electricity production via gasification. Agroforestry and biochar soil amendments should increase agricultural productivity and food security. In addition to enhanced energy security, the proposed system should also contribute to improving cooking conditions and health, enhancing soil fertility and food security, climate change mitigation, gender equality, and rural poverty reduction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sustainable livestock management plays a crucial role in food production, climate change mitigation, and cultural preservation. Our study aimed to identify and analyse the diversity of social–ecological conditions that characterize extensive livestock systems in southern Patagonia. We integrated data collected from interviews and secondary sources and analysed data using hierarchical cluster analysis and non-metric multidimensional scaling to identify distinct ranching types. A qualitative analysis of key informant interviews identified key social–ecological changes for each type. The results emphasize the impact of administration, production, and biophysical factors on shaping different livestock ranching schemes. Further, we identified three significant social–ecological changes driving the dynamics of these systems, including shifts from (1) sheep to cattle ranching, (2) domestic to feral cattle ranching, and (3) landowners to tenant land managers. These findings have implications for policymakers seeking to develop strategies tailored to diverse realities, ensuring the sustainability of livestock systems in Tierra del Fuego. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Although accelerated urbanization has led to economic prosperity, it has also resulted in urban heat island effects. Therefore, identifying methods of using limited urban spaces to alleviate heat islands has become an urgent issue. In this study, we assessed the spatiotemporal evolution of urban heat islands within the central urban area of Fuzhou City, China from 2010 to 2019. This assessment was based on a morphological spatial pattern analysis (MSPA) model and an urban thermal environment spatial network constructed using the minimum cumulative resistance (MCR) model. Optimization measures for the spatial network were proposed to provide a theoretical basis for alleviating urban heat islands. The results show that the heat island area within the study area gradually increased while that of urban cold island area gradually decreased. The core area was the largest of the urban heat island patch landscape elements with a significant impact on other landscape elements, and represented an important factor underlying urban heat island network stability. The thermal environment network revealed a total of 197 thermal environment corridors and 93 heat island sources. These locations were then optimized according to the current land use, which maximized the potential of 1599.83 ha. Optimization based on current land use led to an increase in climate resilience, with effective measures showing reduction in thermal environment spatial network structure and function, contributing to the mitigation of urban heat island. These findings support the use of current land use patterns during urban heat island mitigation measure planning, thus providing an important reference basis for alleviating urban heat island effects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the Huasteca region of Mexico, certain food plant species have been neglected due to public policies that have reduced support for family agriculture and favored the commercialization of processed and ultra-processed foods. It is important to identify and characterize these underutilized food plant species in the context of climate change and food and nutritional poverty. A survey was conducted among 45 participants in four rural localities, and field visits were carried out. The data obtained were analyzed thematically and through descriptive statistics. The study area is experiencing a progressive abandonment of species, resulting in a loss of germplasm and the traditional knowledge that underlies it. The reintroduction of these species into agroecosystems can be achieved by incorporating them into the local culinary practices. This will promote the resilience of agroecosystems and contribute to the food and nutritional security of society. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In approximately one decade, global temperatures will likely exceed a warming level that a United Nations Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change report considers a "red alert for humanity". We propose exploring tidal flat diatoms to address climate change challenges. Tidal flats are extensive coastal ecosystems crucial to the provisioning and regulation of aquatic environments. Diatoms contribute to tidal flat biomass production and account for 20% of global primary productivity and 40% of annual marine biomass production, making them crucial for nutrient cycling and sediment stabilization. Potential CO2 removal from Korean tidal flats by diatoms is estimated to be 598,457–683,171 t CO2 equivalents (CO2e) annually, with the economic value of blue carbon (BC) resulting from diatom activity being approximately US$ 17.95–20.50 million. Dissemination of this potential could incentivize coastal wetland protection and climate change mitigation measures. The global estimated CO2e removal potential of tidal flat diatoms is 40,957,346–46,754,961 t CO2e, representing 0.11–0.13% of the annual global greenhouse gas emissions, even though tidal flats cover 0.0025% of the Earth's surface and diatoms represent less than 0.5% (by weight) of all photosynthetic plants. Researchers should combine ecology and economics to develop standardized approaches for carbon input monitoring and quantification. Further, spatiotemporal analyses of environmental threats to tidal flat diatoms are necessary for conserving their biodiversity and function as a critical BC source. Land-based cultivation for large-scale biomass production and biorefinery processes can contribute to a greener, more prosperous future for humanity and the marine ecosystems upon which we rely. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The development of sustainable chemistry underlying the quest to minimize and/or valorize waste in the carbon‐neutral manufacture of chemicals is followed over the last four to five decades. Both chemo‐ and biocatalysis have played an indispensable role in this odyssey. in particular developments in protein engineering, metagenomics and bioinformatics over the preceding three decades have played a crucial supporting role in facilitating the widespread application of both whole cell and cell‐free biocatalysis. The pressing need, driven by climate change mitigation, for a drastic reduction in greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, has precipitated an energy transition based on decarbonization of energy and defossilization of organic chemicals production. The latter involves waste biomass and/or waste CO2 as the feedstock and green electricity generated using solar, wind, hydroelectric or nuclear energy. The use of waste polysaccharides as feedstocks will underpin a renaissance in carbohydrate chemistry with pentoses and hexoses as base chemicals and bio‐based solvents and polymers as environmentally friendly downstream products. The widespread availability of inexpensive electricity and solar energy has led to increasing attention for electro(bio)catalysis and photo(bio)catalysis which in turn is leading to myriad innovations in these fields. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Silvopasture is a form of agroforestry that has been practiced around the globe for millennia and involves integrating trees, livestock, and forage within the same area. Recent increased attention and research on this practice has provided greater evidence that it can deliver both economic and environmental benefits, including climate mitigation and adaptation. However, it is not widely used in the United States. The objective of this study was to gain a better understanding of the current state of silvopasture and opportunities for expansion of this practice in California, one of the primary agricultural regions in the United States. California is geographically suited to silvopasture and already has large land areas dedicated to both orchards and grazing though these two types of agriculture are typically managed and documented separately. We report the results of our statewide survey of silvopasture producers, including benefits, motivations, and challenges associated with this practice. Finally, we recommend ways in which the barriers to silvopasture adoption could be reduced. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As governments and multilateral institutions launch projects and programs to support climate change mitigation and adaptation, the challenge lies in determining their effectiveness. The high complexity of climate-change programs often makes it difficult to determine their effectiveness through standard monitoring and evaluation procedures. ‘complexity-aware monitoring’ is a qualitative approach to monitoring, recently introduced by international development programs. This increasing awareness of complexity in the evaluation sector opens up a window of opportunity for complexity science to support climate change mitigation and adaptation programs. This paper’s contribution is a hands-on methodology for live monitoring and evaluation of development programs. The methodology is rooted in existing literature on social–ecological systems, as pioneered by Ostrom, and in quantitative methods from complexity science. To illustrate the methodology, an existing climate mitigation project in Madagascar, funded, monitored and evaluated by the Green Climate Fund, is discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Reef-building coral populations are at serious risk of collapse due to the combined effects of ocean warming and acidification. Nonetheless, many corals show potential to adapt to the changing ocean conditions. Here we examine the broad sense heritability (H2) of coral calcification rates across an ecologically and phylogenetically diverse sampling of eight of the primary reef-building corals across the Indo-Pacific. We show that all eight species exhibit relatively high heritability of calcification rates under combined warming and acidification (0.23–0.56). Furthermore, tolerance to each factor is positively correlated and the two factors do not interact in most of the species, contrary to the idea of trade-offs between temperature and pH sensitivity, and all eight species can co-evolve tolerance to elevated temperature and reduced pH. Using these values together with historical data, we estimate potential increases in thermal tolerance of 1.0–1.7°C over the next 50 years, depending on species. None of these species are probably capable of keeping up with a high global change scenario and climate change mitigation is essential if reefs are to persist. Such estimates are critical for our understanding of how corals may respond to global change, accurately parametrizing modelled responses, and predicting rapid evolution. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Biochar, produced from the thermochemical conversion of biomass waste, has various applications owing to its broad utility and advantageous properties. This study employs a scientometric approach to comprehensively assess the advancements in biochar application from 2022 to 2023. Utilizing 13,357 bibliographic records sourced from the Web of Science Core Collection with the search term "biochar", the analysis focuses on authorship, national contributions, and keyword trends. Findings demonstrate a continual rise in annual publications since 2009, albeit with a moderated growth rate in 2023. China leads in publication outputs, followed by USA and India, with Hailong Wang emerging as a prominent figure in biochar research. Keyword co-occurrence analyses identify key research themes such as biochar's role in climate change mitigation, easing salinity and drought stress, immobilizing toxic metals, degrading organic pollutants, serving as additives in anaerobic digestion, and functioning as electrodes in microbial fuel cells. Among these, biochar's application for global climate change mitigation gains significant attention, while its utilization as electrodes in microbial fuel cells emerges as a promising research frontier, indicating the growing need for sustainable energy sources. The study also outlines critical research gaps and future priorities for enhancing biochar application. Overall, it highlights the diverse applicability of biochar and offers valuable insight into research progression and forthcoming directions in biochar studies. Highlights: Utilization of bibliometric review for keyword analysis. Examination of recent developments in biochar application. The emerging focus on biochar's effectiveness as electrodes in microbial fuel cells (MFCs). Suggested future research directions and priorities for sustainable biochar application. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In response to biodiversity declines worldwide, over 190 nations committed to protect 30% of their lands and waters by 2030 (hereafter, 30×30). Systematic conservation planning and return on investment analysis can be helpful tools for determining where protection efforts could deliver the most efficient and effective reserve design, and supporting decision‐making when trade‐offs among objectives are required. Here, we propose a framework for efficient “30×30” implementation and apply it to the state of California (USA). Because conservation of a region's full suite of biodiversity is the primary objective of the global initiative, we prioritized representation in our analysis. We used Zonation to identify networks that close the gap in representation of major habitat types in California's protected area network and that also conserve the places important for biodiversity or climate change mitigation. We identified networks that are efficient relative to metrics likely to be important in implementation including land acquisition cost, number of transactions, and conservation benefit per hectare, and we illustrate not only trade‐offs associated with these metrics but also differences in the co‐benefits achieved. Five of the eight major habitat types in California are not currently protected at a 30% level statewide, and if representation was achieved solely through private land acquisition, targets could be met for as little as $5.84 billion, with as few as 364 transactions, or with 2.18 million additional conserved hectares. Implementation of 30×30 will likely require more flexibility than a single network design. A “no regrets” action would be to protect properties that were prioritized across all networks and additional implementation should include properties with characteristics of any of the individual networks. Our analytical framework and implementation guidance can be applied to other geographies and jurisdictions to increase the likelihood of both meeting 30×30 targets and delivering the conservation benefits they aim to secure. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper draws on participatory research with secondary school learners in Perú and Uganda that shows how environmental and social (in) justices are interwoven and embedded in young people's experiences of the natural world. These experiences contrast with learners' accounts of environmental education in secondary schooling, in which the notion of justice is comparatively, and therefore conspicuously, absent. We employ four distinct but overlapping conceptualisations of justice—biocentric and anthropocentric notions of environmental justice, including climate justice, and epistemic justice—to analyse how learners understand responsibilities for climate action, and what change they anticipate and hope for in the future. Observing that ethical frameworks enable learners to make sense of the complexity of human and more‐than‐human relationships within natural ecosystems, we argue that a multiple justice framework in formal schooling is needed. A multiple justice approach to environmental education could support learners to develop a critical consciousness in and about the natural world, and to imagine and be motivated to act in support of a better future. Our findings are based on accounts from 123 secondary school learners in eight schools—four schools in northern Uganda and four in diverse regions of Perú. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article explores the opportunities and challenges that climate change presents for development and poverty alleviation. It emphasizes the importance of fairness and justice in addressing climate change, as low-income countries are likely to be disproportionately affected. The article discusses practical challenges such as limited budgets and the need for global cooperation. It also highlights the limitations of market-based solutions and the need for a just transition. The text calls for greater representation of developing countries in global governance and a focus on economic development and human welfare in climate action. It argues for a new paradigm of climate justice that prioritizes developmental impact and wealth creation. The article emphasizes the need for deep emission reductions in high-income countries, support for resilience and compensation for harms, and ensuring that the costs of transitioning to low-carbon futures are not borne by the world's poor. It discusses the opportunities for development in low-carbon technologies and climate-resilient approaches, but acknowledges the challenges in realizing these opportunities. The text calls for a global compact that includes both developed and developing countries taking action on climate change, with support for financing and adaptation. It highlights the potential role of African countries in the climate solution and calls for fair financing mechanisms and market access for Africa. The article discusses the need for a paradigm shift in climate finance away from concessional lending and official development assistance, and the limitations of relying solely on financial pledges. It concludes by emphasizing the need for effective and urgent action to combat climate change, including regulatory changes and a shift in investor perception. The article highlights [Extracted from the article]

Climate change demands urgent action to limit greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and explore methods for atmospheric carbon removal. Forest residues, a significant biomass resource, represent a readily available solution. With the use of life cycle assessment (LCA), this study investigates the environmental advantages of thermochemical processes utilizing forest residues to produce valuable energy-dense products, like syngas, bio-oil, and biochar, providing a carbon sink. While slow pyrolysis emphasizes biochar production for carbon sequestration, gasification focuses on bioenergy generation. This research evaluates the environmental performance of both techniques in terms of carbon sequestration and GHG emissions mitigation. This comprehensive analysis aims to identify critical factors influencing the environmental sustainability of thermochemical processes in forest management. The findings aim to contribute to achieving sustainable development goals by highlighting the environmental advantages of biochar in mitigating climate change. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Forest restoration is a powerful tool that combats forest loss and mitigates climate change. Our review asks how climate change considerations are integrated into forest restoration. We asked: (1) How many articles about forest restoration practices discuss climate change; (2) has this changed over time; and (3) when climate change is mentioned, how is it considered? We used the framework created by Simonson et al. in 2021, which describes seven unique areas where practitioners can consider climate change impacts in their projects. These areas include adjusting species and location for projected changes to fitness, mitigating risks, and aligning practice with policy. We reviewed the literature through Web of Science and evaluated publications for inclusion of these considerations. We found that the number of publications about forest restoration projects has increased significantly since the early 2000s, exceeding 200 in 2021. The proportion of these including the terms “climate change” or “global warming,” has also increased (35% in 2021). Climate change concepts were only considered in what we defined as an “in‐depth” context in 83 of the 186 publications we reviewed (45%). However, the majority of publications (115 of 186, 61%) did incorporate at least one of the seven considerations, even if they did not satisfy our definition for in‐depth climate change consideration. Several articles discussed other considerations not described by Simonson et al. (2021), leading us to recommend adding an eighth criterion to their framework: consider place‐based communities and Indigenous Knowledge Holders' responses to climate change in forest restoration. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Agriculture is a significant contributor to anthropogenic global warming. In recent years, agricultural greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions in China, which is the largest emitter, has been decreasing. In order to identify whether or not Chinese agricultural development has affected GHG emission, we used the logarithmic mean Divisia index (LMDI) factor decomposition model to study the effect of productivity factors on GHG emission and their characteristics in four phases of Chinese agricultural development. The results indicate that land productivity is the most significantly promotion factor which contributes 1.12 Gt CO2e GHG emission growth. On the contrary, technological input intensity exerts an obvious mitigating effect with 1.57 Gt CO2e GHG emission reduction. The effects of productivity factors on GHG emission differ between household-based farming systems and large-scale management systems. A more nuanced perspective on the significant role of agricultural large-scale management in GHG emission could aid climate change mitigation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Societal Impact Statement Summary Genebanks contribute to global food security, directly influencing societal well‐being, by providing access to seed or genetic material that is more resilient to pests, diseases, and environmental stresses. The ability to develop crops adapted to changing environmental conditions and with high nutritional value means societies can better cope with the adverse effects of climate change, safeguarding food production and rural livelihoods. Enhancing sustainable crop traits, such as improved water‐use efficiency and nutrient utilization, supports the transition toward more sustainable agricultural practices. New technologically advanced phenotyping tools are required to optimally realize the potential of these genetic resources, to identify plant genetic resources that will best enable us to address current global challenges.Plant genebanks have a crucial role as specialized repositories, preserving diverse plant genetic resources and providing essential access to researchers, breeders, and farmers for developing resilient crops. With over 7 million global accessions, these genebanks significantly contribute to global food security, climate change mitigation, and sustainable agriculture. This opinion paper, inspired by an international workshop in 2022 in Wageningen (Netherlands), focuses on the transformative impact of phenomics technology within genebanks, offering a view on its potential applications and implications for preserving and utilizing plant genetic resources. Discussions from the 2022 workshop organized by the International Plant Phenotyping Network are integrated, emphasizing the potential of phenomics for global collaboration without requiring major policy developments. The workshop prioritized traits like disease resistance and drought tolerance, highlighting roots as a critical organ for phenotyping. Participants expressed a keen interest in global collaboration, emphasizing the need for partnerships between genebanks and advanced phenotyping facilities. The workshop's outcomes underscore the transformative impact of phenomics on genebanks, promoting innovation, collaboration, and sustainable agricultural practices. These results will guide future pilot studies, marking a significant step toward integrating phenomics into genebank practices and ensuring the continued prosperity of plant genetic heritage. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study analyses Ghana’s climate-change legal and policy frameworks, pinpointing significant gaps and offering targeted recommendations to bolster the nation’s resilience against climate change. Despite Ghana’s commitments under international agreements and the formulation of national policies, challenges persist in policy implementation, sectoral integration, research, stakeholder engagement, funding and adaptation strategies. The paper argues for a robust, integrated approach to enhance Ghana’s climate governance, highlighting the necessity for improved implementation capacity, cross-sectoral policy harmonisation, enhanced climate data collection, active stakeholder participation, innovative financing and a stronger focus on adaptation and resilience. Key recommendations advocate for political commitment, collaborative efforts and resource mobilisation to ensure effective climate action. This condensed analysis contributes to the broader dialogue on climate-change management in emerging economies, offering insights for policy-makers and stakeholders on advancing climate resilience and sustainable development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Remote sensing of forests is a powerful tool for monitoring the biodiversity of ecosystems, maintaining general planning, and accounting for resources. Various sensors bring together heterogeneous data, and advanced machine learning methods enable their automatic handling in wide territories. Key forest properties usually under consideration in environmental studies include dominant species, tree age, height, basal area and timber stock. Being proxies of stand productivity, they can be utilized for forest carbon stock estimation to analyze forests' status and proper climate change mitigation measures on a global scale. In this study, we aim to develop an effective machine learning-based pipeline for automatic carbon stock estimation using solely freely available and regularly updated satellite observations. We employed multispectral Sentinel-2 remote sensing data to predict forest structure characteristics and produce their detailed spatial maps. Using the Extreme Gradient Boosting (XGBoost) algorithm in classification and regression settings and management-level inventory data as reference measurements, we achieved quality of predictions of species equal to 0.75 according to the F1-score, and for stand age, height, and basal area, we achieved an accuracy of 0.75, 0.58 and 0.56, respectively, according to the R2. We focused on the growing stock volume as the main proxy to estimate forest carbon stocks on the example of the stem pool. We explored two approaches: a direct approach and a hierarchical approach. The direct approach leverages the remote sensing data to create the target maps, and the hierarchical approach calculates the target forest properties using predicted inventory characteristics and conversion equations. We estimated stem carbon stock based on the same approach: from Earth observation imagery directly and using biomass and conversion factors developed for the northern regions. Thus, our study proposes an end-to-end solution for carbon stock estimations based on the complexation of inventory data at the forest stand level, Earth observation imagery, machine learning predictions and conversion equations for the region. The presented approach enables more robust and accurate large-scale assessments using limited annotated datasets. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Dry Afromontane forests play a vital role in mitigating climate change by sequestering and storing carbon, as well as reducing greenhouse gas emissions. Despite previous research highlighting the importance of carbon stocks in these ecosystems, the influence of canopy cover and environmental factors on carbon storage in dry Afromontane forests has been barely assessed. This study addresses this knowledge gap by investigating the effects of environmental factors and vegetation cover on carbon stocks in Desa'a forest, a unique and threatened Afromontane dry forest ecosystem in northern Ethiopia. Data on woody vegetation, dead litter, grass biomass, and soil samples were collected from 57 plots. A one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) was performed at a 95% confidence level (α = 0.05) to examine the influence of canopy cover and environmental factors on the carbon stocks of various pools. Results: Among the 35 woody species identified, Juniperus procera was the most dominant, while Carissa edulis Vahl and Eucalyptus globulus were the least dominant. The average total carbon stock was 92.89 Mg ha−1, with contributions from aboveground carbon, below-ground carbon, litter carbon, grass carbon, and soil organic carbon. Among the carbon pools, soil organic carbon had the highest carbon stock, accounting for 76.8% of the total, followed by above-ground biomass carbon at 17.7%. Significant variations in carbon stocks were found across altitude class and canopy level but not slope and aspect factors. Conclusions: In summary, altitude and canopy level were found to significantly influence carbon stocks in Desa'a forest, providing valuable insights for conservation and climate change mitigation efforts in dry Afromontane forests. Forest intervention planning and management strategies should consider the influence of different environmental variables and tree canopy levels. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

ABSTRACT Aim Location Taxon Methods Results Main Conclusions Many tree species may be threatened with declines in range and biomass, or even extinction, if they cannot disperse or adapt quickly enough to keep pace with climate change. One potential, and potentially risky, strategy to mitigate this threat is assisted migration (AM), the intentional movement of species to facilitate population range shifts to more climatically suitable locations under climate change. The ability for AM to minimise risk and maximise conservation and forestry outcomes depends on a multi‐faceted decision process for determining, what, where and how much to move. We provide an assessment on how the benefits and risks of AM could affect the decision‐making process.Mountainous coastal western United States.Trees.We used a dynamic vegetation model parameterised with 23 tree species.We found that most of the modelled species are likely to experience a substantial decline in biomass, with many potentially facing regional extinction by 2100 under the high‐emission SSP5‐85 climate‐change scenario. Though simulations show AM had little effect on the forestry goal of total biomass across all species, its effects on the conservation goal of promoting individual species' persistence were far more substantial. Among eight AM strategies (differing in the life cycle stage of movement and target destination selection criteria), the approach that conserved the highest biomass for individual species involved relocating target seedlings to areas that recently experienced fire. Although this strategy significantly reduced extinction risk for six at‐risk species compared with no action, it also slightly reduced biomass of four species, due to increasing competition. Species with relatively weak tolerance to drought, fire or high temperature were the most likely candidate groups for AM.Our simulations indicate that AM can aid conservation by reducing extinction risks for species vulnerable to climate change, but it has limited impact on forestry‐specific goals, affecting overall biomass minimally. This model framework could be applied to other forest ecosystems to evaluate the efficacy of AM globally. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The rapid growth of offshore wind farms (OWFs) is driven by concerns for energy security and climate change mitigation. However, their impact on marine environments remains poorly understood due to limited research. This study analyzes the effects of an OWF along China's Jiangsu Coast on seawater quality using data from different development phases. Results show the major pollutants were different across phases. Heavy metal pollution reached alert levels during construction compared to the safe levels observed in the pre-construction and operational phases, mainly due to increases in Pb, Cd, and Hg concentrations. Eutrophication was mild throughout all periods but exhibited a continuous decrease, primarily attributed to reductions in PH and COD concentrations. As a result, the comprehensive pollution level during construction was increased, but it was improved to a clean level during the operational phase. Besides, significant variations were observed in the spatial distribution patterns of major pollutant indices across different scenarios. These changes may stem from a combination effect of land-based pollution, aquaculture, OWF-induced disturbances to atmosphere and hydrodynamics, OWF-related drain and leakage contamination, and marine management policies. Understanding these effects informs OWF optimization, rational wind resource utilization, and marine ecology protection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim(s) Design Methods Results Conclusion Implications for the Profession and/or Patient Care Impact Reporting Method Patient or Public Contribution To describe a sample of healthcare professionals' responses to the valid and reliable Climate and Health Tool and compare participant characteristics relating to Climate and Health Tool subscales.Observational, cross‐sectional, multi‐site study.An electronic survey containing the Climate and Health Tool was administered to healthcare professionals across a large, multi‐state health system in the Western United States with a committed effort to reducing carbon emissions.One thousand three hundred and sixty‐three participants reported moderately elevated levels of awareness and concern around climate impacts on health and motivation to participate in climate protective actions. Respondents reported moderate levels of climate‐protecting behaviours at home and low levels at work. Females were more concerned and motivated. Medical staff and respondents reporting familiarity with system environmental initiatives reported more awareness and behaviours at home to preserve climate health.Healthcare professionals are concerned and motivated to decrease climate impacts on health yet take little action at work to preserve the climate. Because of the intersection of climate change, health, and healthcare, healthcare organizations should prioritize and support meaningful action for healthcare professionals to meet community climate health needs.Healthcare organizations committed to contributing to climate solutions can use this research to increase healthcare professionals' education, engagement, and impact to preserve the climate and health of communities. Healthcare is a major contributor to carbon emissions, yet healthcare professionals' awareness, motivation, concern, and behaviours related to climate change and health were not clear. Our research showed healthcare professionals are aware and concerned about climate impacts on health but reported low levels of workplace behaviours to protect the climate. The findings of our research will impact healthcare professionals and healthcare organizations to focus efforts on climate‐preserving behaviours. This manuscript followed the STROBE guidelines.None. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ecosystem restoration, recognized as a critical strategy for climate change adaptation and mitigation, faces significant challenges in achieving widespread implementation. A particular facet of this challenge lies in the active involvement of rural landowners. Our study aimed to understand rural landowners' perspectives, motivations, and characteristics that influence their participation in restoration projects in the Atlantic Forest of southeastern Brazil. Qualitative content analysis was conducted on 68 semi‐structured interviews with two groups of landowners: 36 who received support and 32 who did not receive project support from a local non‐governmental organization to restore native forests on their landholdings. Approximately three‐quarters of the sample are classified as smallholders (<80 ha). The main difference between the two groups is the dependence on agricultural production as the main source of income, with 22% of farmers in the supported group and 72% in the unsupported group. This socio‐economic characteristic appeared to influence the decision to restore native forest. Farmers' focus tends to be linked to rural production, and the main obstacle to restoration was the loss of productive land. They usually allow natural forest regeneration to establish on slopes. The other type of landowner (lifestylers) mainly restored land through planting of seedlings, with the main barrier being the cost of restoration. Both groups had water conservation as their main motivation for restoration. Our study shows that understanding the perspectives and motivations of the diversity of rural landowners is crucial to effectively engage them and address the socio‐economic feasibility of different restoration approaches. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

It is a perennial challenge for different political organisations, including environmental NGOs (ENGOs), to accommodate diverse social and political groups’ interests, opinions, and experiences. Without sufficient inclusiveness, ENGOs struggle to help create social and political change at a much faster pace, with climate action in Australia being a key example. In this regard, this paper argues that inclusiveness needs to encompass three dimensions, diversity, equity, and procedural justice, which are critical to managing internal tensions, disagreements, and conflicts. Evidence from two different ENGOs, the Australian Conservation Foundation (ACF) and Extinction Rebellion Australia (XR Aus), shows that despite different types of organisational structures and resource availability, there are different challenges and opportunities for the two ENGOs in trying to establish and maintain higher inclusiveness. While diversity remains challenging to both groups, XR Aus’s self-organising and decentralisation have much easier access to decision-making and autonomous participation than ACF. However, it remains to be seen if XR Aus could harass its organising features to establish and maintain a higher level of procedural justice. These findings are relevant not only to issues in climate action problems but also to other collective action problems such as ethnics equality, domestic violence, income disparity, and gun control. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Climate change poses a massive and growing threat to wildlife. Calls are growing for coordinated and collaborative responses to conserve species threatened by climate change, but how this works in practice remains largely unexplored. Focusing on seabirds in North‐West Europe, we carried out 32 semi‐structured stakeholder interviews to (1) explore existing conservation work linked to climate change, (2) identify barriers to work on climate change among conservation actors, and (3) identify key conservation actors and characterize their interactions. Interviewees identified a range of research, policy, and practical conservation work for seabirds related—directly or indirectly—to climate change. They highlighted the importance of general conservation work to facilitate seabird adaptation to climate change, and global mitigation of climate change (e.g., through decarbonization and ecosystem restoration). Interviewees identified several barriers to conservation work explicitly addressing climate change, pertaining to information, leadership, resources, and values/beliefs. We discovered that seabird conservation networks are generally well‐established and harmonious, but not tension‐free. There are also some misunderstandings over actor responsibilities that could lead to bystander effects. We present suggestions to increase the effectiveness and efficiency of seabird conservation in response to climate change. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Since 2000, Clouds and the Earth's Radiant Energy System (CERES) instruments on Aqua and Terra satellites have recorded top-of-atmosphere (TOA) clear-sky outgoing radiation fluxes. Over northwest India, analysis of these two decades of data revealed significant negative trends in reflected shortwave radiation, indicating positive shortwave radiative forcing. To understand the drivers of this trend, we investigate changes in the surface reflectance, aerosol optical depth (AOD), Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI), and land surface temperature from MODIS observations during the same period. We find decreasing trends in surface reflectance and AOD, while NDVI shows a pronounced increase. Notably, despite positive shortwave radiative forcing, daytime land surface temperature exhibits a significant decrease, with only a slight nighttime increase. Sensitivity analysis using a radiative transfer model identifies decrease in the surface reflectance as the primary contributor to the decrease in TOA shortwave fluxes. This suggests that the observed greening, potentially linked to expanded irrigation projects, has played a crucial role by reducing both surface reflectance and aerosol production. Our findings highlight the potential for increasing vegetation as a locally effective strategy to mitigate the effects of global warming through enhanced evapotranspiration process, even in the presence of positive shortwave radiative forcing. Investigating regional climate trends is vital for understanding and quantifying climate change; these results highlight the need for future climate change impact studies to consider interplay between vegetation dynamics and regional climate. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of this study is to predict the active communication behaviors and their Behavioral Intentions to Support Federal Climate Policies from the view of government public relations. Using data from an online survey of 548 adults living in the United States, this study investigated the roles of Government-Citizen Relationships (GCR) and situational perceptions (i.e. Problem Recognition, Constraint Recognition, and Involvement Recognition) in predicting active communication behaviors (i.e. information seeking, forefending, and forwarding) and federal climate policies in the framework of situational theory of problem solving (STOPS). The results of this study indicate that GCR is critical in predicting active communication behaviors and public support. While Involvement Recognition among situational perceptions is significant to predict active communication behaviors and public support, program recognition and Constraint Recognition are partially significant. The results highlight the pivotal mediating roles of situational perceptions – Problem Recognition, Constraint Recognition, and Involvement Recognition – in the link between GCR and public support for federal climate policies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The international community is confronted with urgent questions relating to the protection of the marine environment, as well as climate change mitigation. In this vein, ocean interventions, such as ocean fertilisation and carbon capture and sequestration in sub-sea geological formations have gained popularity in order to accelerate the uptake of anthropogenic carbon dioxide. The interaction of such technologies with the ocean environment can potentially cause unintended effects beyond sequestration and storage of atmospheric carbon, hence clear regulations, adapting to emerging technologies and based on public international law, are indispensable and to be based on scientific evidence and research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Overall interest in marine geoengineering (MGE) techniques and in their potential to mitigate the effects of climate change, as well as the multiple interests driving urgency for deployment, have intensified. This article considers the scientific, measured, transparent, and robust approach taken by the joint-meetings of the Governing Bodies of the 1972 London Convention and the 1996 London Protocol and the regulatory framework they are developing in response, with a particular focus on the regulation and guidelines for legitimate scientific research for MGE activities. It unpacks key attributes of the research assessment framework, particularly its acknowledging and accounting for scientific gaps and uncertainties, as well as its informed application of the precautionary approach. This is especially relevant in the context of rapidly growing interest in MGE as a means of climate mitigation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The London Convention and London Protocol are the two main international treaties of global application addressing the protection of the marine environment from pollution caused by the dumping of wastes and other matter into the sea. This article describes how the treaties were developed and adopted, explores their relationship with the overarching 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (LOSC) and examines how the treaties are administered to implement their vision of 'two instruments, one family'. The article also highlights the ground-breaking steps the London Convention and London Protocol have taken to address new threats to the ocean, which include regulating new climate change mitigation technologies that have the potential to cause harm to the marine environment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Irish legislation on climate change has driven transformative measures across the public sector in Ireland. For Dublin Airport, this has pushed sustainability to the forefront of how we operate our airport and the impact it has had on our ability to grow. This paper explores how Dublin Airport has adapted its capital investment plans and strategy to achieve these new climate action targets as well as its plans to invest in sustainability to achieve its ambition to facilitate the growth of passengers while also meeting its net zero target by 2050. The paper takes a deep dive into the airport's carbon footprint, providing detail on Scope 1, 2 and 3 emissions, evaluating the current challenges of decarbonisation across each scope and the opportunities for collaboration with key stakeholders to reduce Scope 3 emissions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The dissolution of CO2 in seawater in the form of bicarbonate ions is an attractive alternative to storage in geological formations, on the condition that the storage is stable over long periods and does not harm the marine environment. In this work, we focus on the long-term chemical stability of CO2 absorbed in seawater as bicarbonate by monitoring the physico-chemical properties of the solutions (pH, dissolved inorganic carbon and alkalinity) in six different sets of experiments on both natural and artificial seawater lasting up to three months. The bicarbonate treatment of natural seawater consists of mixing it with pre-equilibrated solutions obtained from the reaction of CO2 and Ca(OH)2, with the same pH as natural seawater. This was achieved with a pilot plant working with tons of seawater, while small-scale laboratory experiments were carried out by adding sodium bicarbonate to artificial seawater solutions. If the increase in the overall carbon concentration in the final mixture does not exceed a critical threshold (about 1000–1500 μmol/L), the resulting bicarbonate-rich solutions are found to be stable for over three months. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this article, we explore the importance of incorporating Indigenous Elders' perspectives in developing solutions to climate change. Following relational land-based theoretical frameworks, we learn from Indigenous Elders how they foster a strong sense of community and collective responsibility. Indigenous Elders prioritize inclusivity, social cohesion, and the interconnectedness of humans with nature. In our study, we focus on two main perspectives: how traditional land-based knowledge and practices held by Indigenous Elders contribute to the development of solutions for climate change mitigation and adaptation. What lessons can be learned from Indigenous Elder perspectives that may guide global efforts in addressing climate change and creating a sustainable future for all? Our study suggests that recognizing and incorporating Indigenous Elder perspectives into climate change solutions is essential for addressing the complex and multidimensional challenges of the current climate crisis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Peatland restoration is seen as a key nature‐based solution to tackle climate change and biodiversity loss. In Europe, nearly 50% of peatlands have been drained during the last decades, which have shifted their soils to carbon dioxide (CO2) sources. Soils of forestry‐drained peatlands are known to vary from CO2 sources to small sinks depending on their fertility and wetness. When peatlands are restored, it can be expected that rates of CO2 and methane exchange will vary depending on site fertility and wetness. We generated seven restoration pathways with different starting and end points and assessed the climate impacts of them. The GHG emission coefficients were compiled from literature, and radiative forcing was calculated for a 500‐year time period since restoration. All seven restoration pathways improved carbon sink capacity; however, the climate impact differed from cooling to warming. The highest cooling impact occurred in a pathway leading from nutrient‐rich drained peatlands toward tree‐covered spruce or pine mires. Warming impacts occurred in a pathway leading from nutrient‐poor drained peatlands toward open peatlands. The results of this study can be used to help identify peatland sites and restoration targets to maximize climate change mitigation from restoration. In practice, however, restoration has to fulfill other targets, such as biodiversity safeguarding, improvement of hydrological conditions, and socio‐economic aspects. Fulfilling all targets simultaneously requires compromises on all targets. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Land-use and land-cover change (LULCC) is a critical environmental issue that has significant effects on biodiversity, ecosystem services, and climate change. This study examines the land-use and land-cover (LULC) spatiotemporal dynamics across a three-decade period (1998–2023) in a district area. In order to forecast the LULCC patterns, this study suggests a hybrid strategy that combines the random forest method with multi-layer perceptron (MLP) and Markov chain analysis. To predict the dynamics of LULC changes for the year 2035, a hybrid technique based on multi-layer perceptron and Markov chain model analysis (MLP-MCA) was employed. The area of developed land has increased significantly, while the amount of bare land, vegetation, and forest cover have all decreased. This is because the principal land types have changed due to population growth and economic expansion. This study also discovered that between 1998 and 2023, the built-up area increased by 468 km2 as a result of the replacement of natural resources. It is estimated that 25.04% of the study area's urbanization will increase by 2035. The performance of the model was confirmed with an overall accuracy of 90% and a kappa coefficient of around 0.89. It is important to use advanced predictive models to guide sustainable urban development strategies. The model provides valuable insights for policymakers, land managers, and researchers to support sustainable land-use planning, conservation efforts, and climate change mitigation strategies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Germany needs to reduce CO2 emissions from space heating in its old buildings to net zero by 2045 to fulfil its climate goals. However, direct CO2 reduction measures in existing buildings receive relatively little subsidy support from the federal government's German Development Bank, compared to generous subsidies for energy efficiency measures. This interdisciplinary paper evaluates this phenomenon by comparing costs and CO2 abatement effects of ever higher energy efficiency measures, alongside the costs of direct CO2 reduction through heat pumps and onsite photovoltaics. It uses a set of carefully selected reports on the costs and benefits of renovation to a range of energy efficiency standards in three common types of multi-apartment buildings in Germany, updating these for 2024 construction, energy, and finance costs. The cost of the CO2 saved is extremely high with energy efficiency measures and absurdly high with the highest energy efficiency standards, up to 20 times the cost of CO2 abatement through other means, such as offsite renewables. This reduces markedly with onsite CO2 reduction measures. This paper sets this analysis in the context of asking what social, cultural, and discursive factors extol energy efficiency so highly that policy tends to thwart its own stated goal of deeply reducing CO2 emissions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Improving the energy efficiency of buildings (IEEBs) is crucial to achieving the European Union's ambitious climate and energy goals. To channel these efforts, new policies, legislation, sources of funding, mechanisms for distributing funds, programs, and support tools are being introduced. The purpose of this study is to demonstrate the effects of the disbursement of EU Cohesion Policy 2014–2020 funds on IEEBs in Poland and Germany, filling the research gap regarding the regional differentiation of investments, beneficiaries, and the spatial distribution of subsidies and projects. An analysis was made of 7818 projects on IEEBs implemented under regional operational programs from European Regional Development Funds under Thematic Objective 4. This research was conducted for two main variables: (1) beneficiaries (8 categories) and (2) investments (8 categories). Based on this division, using a cluster analysis through the use of Ward's agglomerative hierarchical clustering method, groupings were made in relation to beneficiaries (6 groups) and investments (6 group). The results allowed us to identify regional differences and similarities in the approach to the disbursement of funds on IEEBs, to indicate the main beneficiaries, to highlight trends in this regard, to demonstrate the impact of changes in territorial affiliation on investment targeting, and, furthermore, to capture the variation in the sophistication of the implementation of EU IEEB-related policies and legislation. The results provide a well-documented voice in the discussion of the effects of distributing EU funds for IEEBs in the regions of Poland and Germany and provide a basis for further comparative research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study utilizes machine learning to quantify CO2 plume extents by analyzing microseismic data from the Illinois Basin Decatur Project (IBDP). Leveraging a unique dataset of well logs, microseismic records, and CO2 injection metrics, this work aims to predict the temporal evolution of subsurface CO2 saturation plumes. The findings illustrate that machine learning can predict plume dynamics, revealing vertical clustering of microseismic events over distinct time periods within certain proximities to the injection well, consistent with an invasion percolation model. The buoyant CO2 plume partially trapped within sandstone intervals periodically breaches localized barriers or baffles, which act as leaky seals and impede vertical migration until buoyancy overcomes gravity and capillary forces, leading to breakthroughs along vertical zones of weakness. Between different unsupervised clustering techniques, K-Means and DBSCAN were applied and analyzed in detail, where K-means outperformed DBSCAN in this specific study by indicating the combination of the highest Silhouette Score and the lowest Davies–Bouldin Index. The predictive capability of machine learning models in quantifying CO2 saturation plume extension is significant for real-time monitoring and management of CO2 sequestration sites. The models exhibit high accuracy, validated against physical models and injection data from the IBDP, reinforcing the viability of CO2 geological sequestration as a climate change mitigation strategy and enhancing advanced tools for safe management of these operations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

CCUS technologies are crucial solutions for mitigating climate change by reducing CO2 emissions from industrial operations and energy sectors. This review critically examines the current state of CCUS technologies, and highlights advancements, challenges, regulatory frameworks, and future directions. It comprehensively analyzes carbon capture methods, such as pre-combustion, post-combustion, and oxy-fuel combustion capture, while comparing their efficiencies and limitations. The review also explores carbon utilization techniques, such as direct and indirect utilization, emphasizing their potential applications and technological constraints. Additionally, it assesses various carbon storage methods, focusing on geological, ocean, and mineralization storage, and discusses their capacity, feasibility, and environmental implications. The study reviews the policy and regulatory frameworks, economic viability, market trends, and environmental sustainability of CCUS. By identifying research gaps and recommending future research priorities, this review aims to guide the development of more efficient/effective, and cost-effective CCUS technology, ensuring their role in a sustaining low-carbon future. This review provides a forward-looking perspective, a critical and interdisciplinary analysis that assesses the current state of CCUS technologies, and further provides a roadmap for future development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The first climate action stocktake cycle under the Paris Agreement was completed in 2023 to assess global progress on mitigation, adaptation, and climate finance goals. State-driven action needs to be complemented by sectoral efforts, and this paper builds on the first Tourism Stocktake undertaken in 2023 that examined climate action in the tourism sector. First, an expert elicitation survey was conducted to validate and deepen the findings from the stocktaking activity. Second, an analysis of the Stocktake's 40 metrics was undertaken against six criteria of indicator quality. The expert survey revealed a sector still in the early stages of implementing its climate response, with a consensus that 2030 tourism emission reduction targets would not be achieved. Tourism policy and investment were deemed inconsistent with climate ambitions, and current adaptation is insufficient for projected climate change, so that future impacts will restrict tourism development in some destinations. Analysis of the metrics exposed significant data gaps and a core set of 13 robust metrics to measure change over the next stocktaking cycle is identified. The paper concludes with recommendations to advance sector capabilities and collaboration to monitor progress on climate action for an updated Tourism Stocktake in 2026. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Climate change has become a global issue, but no study has examined the discursive construction of resistance to climate change as part of crisis response in the media. To fill this gap, this study employs Wodak's discourse-historical approach to examine 82 news articles collected from China's English-language news media. The analysis reveals three themes used in the construction of a discourse of resistance to climate change: (1) climate change as a global enemy, (2) China as a leading climate change fighter, and (3) other nations as China's allies in the fight. These themes are articulated in the news stories using discursive strategies such as nomination, predication, argumentation, and mitigation. The article sheds light on the language state-run news media uses to project China's image abroad and encourage international collaboration and action in the fight against climate change. It also illustrates how discourse analysis can illuminate the geopolitical and sociocultural dimensions of climate change. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Supersulfated cements (SSCs), as potential green alternatives to Portland cements, are in demand for developing new kinds of precursors instead of blast-furnace slag. A mixture of kaolin, quartz and sodium hydroxide was calcined to prepare SSC by grinding clinkers with lime and gypsum. Preparation factors were investigated and multiple characterisation methods were adopted to explore the calcination and hydration mechanisms. The sodium hydroxide additive was found to reduce the activation temperature of the kaolin and a moderate addition of sodium hydroxide improved the compressive strength of SSC made from calcined kaolin. Quartz added into the kaolin calcined with a moderate amount of sodium hydroxide also promoted the compressive strength. Comprehensive characterisations indicated that the alkali-added calcination of the kaolin generated pozzolanic zeolite and sodium aluminosilicates along with inert nepheline at a calcination temperature ≤950°C. The hydration of SSC pastes tended to produce C(N)–A–S–H/N(C)–A–S–H gels and crystalline ettringite. During sodium hydroxide-added calcination, quartz added into the kaolin hindered the generation of inert nepheline and produced cementitious N–S gels. The research facilitates the utilisation of the massive discharged coal gangues rich in kaolinite and quartz by synthesising SSCs economically. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Social media greatly facilitates people's access to information; however, it can also lead to information overload and exposure to uncomfortable content that may cause individuals to avoid it. As a result, two types of influencing mechanisms emerge: information exposure and information avoidance, which may impact users' behaviors. Currently, there is limited understanding of the simultaneous effects of social media information exposure and avoidance on individuals' behavioral intentions towards climate change mitigation. Using survey data for 1056 Chinese Gen-Z undergraduates and based on the extended theory of planned behavior, this paper utilizes a partial least squares structural equation model to examine the effects of social media information exposure and information avoidance on individual low-carbon behavioral intention. The results show that information exposure on social media has a positive relationship with behavioral attitude, subjective norm, and perceived behavioral control, and then increasing the low-carbon behavioral intention. Information avoidance has a negative association with three factors, respectively, and decreases the low-carbon behavioral intention. Additionally, exposure to social media information has the greatest impact on the subjective norm and the least impact on behavioral attitude; information avoidance has the greatest impact on behavioral attitude, whereas perceived behavioral control is the least affected. Drawing from the results, we propose policy recommendations that facilitate information exposure while addressing avoidance in shaping low-carbon behavioral intentions. Those implications would help reconcile the two opposing effects while promoting public engagement in climate activities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Transportation electrification aims to mitigate climate change but will also introduce challenges to adaptation planning and management of infrastructure and facilities. Concurrently, these challenges can be amplified by vulnerabilities arising from the growing intense climate and weather events, such as heavy precipitation and tropical cyclones. Given their role in channeling the mobility of residents under environmental shocks, public electric vehicle charging stations (EVCS) need to exhibit resilience, i.e., the ability to withstand, respond to, and recover from disruptions. EVCS service flow can be disturbed not only by physically damaging charging stations but also by impeding the station-user interactions along spatial networks. To our best knowledge, the user-centric resilience of EVCS networks, when confronted with present and anticipated shocks, has not been well studied. We introduce a novel bipartite network of EVCSs and users (BNEU) to conceptualize the resilience of neighborhood charging service flows under environmental shocks using three-level resilience metrics. We then correlate the resilience of BNEU with the physical, socioeconomic, and topological characteristics. Furthermore, we develop a counterfactual analytical framework using a multiagent-based model to simulate users' charging activities in worse-case scenarios of a real-world hurricane, with intensified wind and flood hazards. Through a case study of Hurricane Ian's disturbances on the BNEU in the Tampa Bay area, we find that topologically dispersed subnetworks and stations or user nodes with higher average degree show greater resilience. We also uncover uneven charging opportunities for older adults and low-income populations under disturbances, which could be exacerbated by worse-case hurricane scenarios. The counterfactual analytical framework further informs strategic infrastructure planning for the forward-looking resilience of EVCS network in coastal communities, thus closing the resilience gap in the adaptation of mitigation measures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Many countries, including Germany have struggled to agree on ambitious climate action, in part because technocratic policy advice failed to adequately consider the social and political consequences. The combination of science and citizen deliberation could enable a new coalition to stimulate policy learning along different climate policy options. The Ariadne Project was a transdisciplinary research project about different policy options for the German Energy Transition. It facilitated an iterative social learning process between researchers and citizens during focus groups, citizen conferences and online deliberations. As such, this case sheds light on a new culture of science–society relations. To assess if and how learning occurred, we ask whether the involved citizens and researchers have changed their understanding of policy options and of each other. We found that citizens were very enthusiastic about the new learning opportunities, and their roles within them. While researchers appreciated the new experience, they also faced challenges. We argue that despite these challenges, there is inherent value in providing spaces for researchers and citizens to interact with and jointly inform policymakers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The European Green Deal (EGD) represents the most ambitious environmental policy framework in European history, aimed at improving the health and well-being of citizens and future generations through climate action and becoming the first climate-neutral region in the world by 2050. The EC has initiated the European Democracy Action Plan and the European Climate Pact to include the participation of citizens in a meaningful way to help achieve these goals (i.e. not simply a tokenistic gesture or box-ticking exercise). While these efforts to ensure greater citizen participation and deliberation in environmental policy are good first steps, there is still a lack of clarity about what meaningful citizen engagement should look like. This paper will propose that for such efforts to be successful, we need to assess different perspectives in the debate and provide recommendations based on this. This paper provides a systematic review of various approaches within the academic literature on citizen participation and deliberation in environmental policy (ecocentrism, biocentrism, ecomodernism, ecofeminism, environmental pragmatism, environmental citizenship, environmental rights, and environmental justice). Following this, we provide a list of 16 criteria (in five thematic sections) for policymakers, civil society organisations (CSOs), and society, to ensure meaningful citizen participation and deliberation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Climate change is a reality that can no longer be ignored, so much so that combating climate change and its impact is one of the main goals of the UN Agenda 2030. Youths, albeit the main victims of climate change, are often excluded from decision-making processes on sustainable actions. More and more young people are joining collective pro-environmental movements, raising their voices against the current inadequate sustainable policies and claiming to be the main actors of change. However, pro-environmental collective actions are often judged negatively by public opinion, diminishing their effectiveness and potentially impacting youth participation. In light of this, it is critical to understand the individual, contextual and relational aspects that lead young people to engage with these movements. The present study aimed to systematically review the existing literature on factors that might promote youth participation in pro-environmental movements. According to the PRISMA guidelines, we conducted a literature search of three databases (PsycINFO, ProQuest, and SCOPUS). Moreover, we deepened our research by focusing on two relevant theoretical models on collective actions, the Social Identity Model of Collective Action and the Social Identity Model of Pro-Environmental Action. After the screening and the eligibility phases, 11 articles (12 studies) were included. Most of the selected studies adopted a cross-sectional quantitative design. The results revealed individual and relational factors involved in promoting youths' involvement in pro-environmental movements. To the aim of deepening young people's pro-environmental activism, findings highlighted the need to consider personal and social drivers together. Limitations of the study, future directions, and practical implications are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]