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Methane, both enteric and from manure management, is the most important greenhouse gas from ruminant livestock, and its mitigation can deliver substantial decreases in the carbon footprint of animal products and potentially contribute to climate change mitigation. Although choices may be limited, certain feeding-related practices can substantially decrease livestock enteric CH 4 emission. These practices can be generally classified into 2 categories: diet manipulation and feed additives. Within the first category, selection of forages and increasing forage digestibility are likely to decrease enteric CH 4 emission, but the size of the effect, relative to current forage practices in the United States dairy industry, is likely to be minimal to moderate. An opportunity also exists to decrease enteric CH 4 emissions by increasing dietary starch concentration, but interventions have to be weighed against potential decreases in milk fat yield and farm profitability. A similar conclusion can be made about dietary lipids and oilseeds, which are proven to decrease CH 4 emission but can also have a negative effect on rumen fermentation, feed intake, and milk production and composition. Sufficient and robust scientific evidence indicates that some feed additives, specifically the CH 4 inhibitor 3-nitrooxypropanol, can substantially reduce CH 4 emissions from dairy and beef cattle. However, the long-term effects and external factors affecting the efficacy of the inhibitor need to be further studied. The practicality of mass-application of other mitigation practices with proven short-term efficacy (i.e., macroalgae) is currently unknown. One area that needs more research is how nutritional mitigation practices (both diet manipulation and feed additives) interact with each other and whether there is synergism among feed additives with different mode of action. Further, effects of diet on manure composition and greenhouse gas emissions during storage (e.g., emission trade-offs) have not been adequately studied. Overall, if currently available mitigation practices prove to deliver consistent results and novel, potent, and safe strategies are discovered and are practical, nutrition alone can deliver up to 60% reduction in enteric CH 4 emissions from dairy farms in the United States. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The research objective is to create a mechanism that generates a valid 'sustainability' metric to enable prospective buyers to confidently identify low carbon footprint computers. The necessity is based upon the hypothesis that current product carbon footprint reports for computers are incomparable between brands. While the inconsistency of use-phase emissions has been addressed in prior associated research, supply chain emissions remain an issue. This is due to multiple scope 3 life cycle assessment methodologies being used by manufacturers that produce differing results even when applied to the same device. To test the theory and generate an alternative approach, the research analyses 244 notebook carbon footprint reports to show inconsistencies caused by five different methodologies. Based on the findings, an alternative approach to comparing supply chain impact is proposed that enables comparison between results. The new metric first generates an average scope 3 carbon footprint baseline value by device type (e.g. notebook). This is then reduced by specific values depending upon actions undertaken by manufacturers when calculating their original carbon footprint report. This includes deductions to the baseline value achieved by including high percentages of production and transport primary data, plus the availability and affordability of offerings that will extend device useful life spans to drive demand displacement. This includes warranty duration and cost plus ease of repair. The research finds that current methodologies create a range of inconsistency of +106% when used to calculate the carbon footprint of the same device and +142% when calculating similar device types. Therefore, the hypothesis of scope 3 emissions being incomparable is validated. Comparatively, the newly proposed mechanism shows a reduced range of inconsistency of 18% when demonstrated. As such, it is recommended that the new approach be applied to the latest version of the world's leading computer eco-label certification, TCO Certified version 10, in 2024. Doing so will enable organisations to confidently select low carbon footprint devices on a global scale and therefore meaningfully support the United Nations sustainable development goals of responsible consumption and production and ultimately climate action. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The climate crisis and related events are often in the headline in recent years. The climate agreements reflected these concerns and called the researchers' attention to the urgent need for climate mitigation and adaptation policies. Many countries made new commitments during the latest United Nations Climate Conference (COP26) in November 2021 in Glasgow. In turn, scientists and experts worry that new pledges are not ambitious enough. The first environmental regulation was ratified in Great Britain in 1863. Later, the industrial and agricultural revolution stimulated pollution and brought about the emergence of environmental issues. The first agreement aiming to mitigate environmental pollution and stabilize greenhouse gas concentrations in the atmosphere was the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), adopted at the Rio Earth Summit in 1992. Behind the European Union, the contribution of the biggest polluter countries to climate change is also significant. The objective of the paper is to investigate the explanatory factors of CO 2 emission, focusing on the contribution of economic growth, agriculture, and trade along with free trade and climate agreements on climate change in Non-European Union member states, including the biggest emitters in the past two decades. In addition, it investigates the role of specific free trade agreements in emission cuts. The results showed an increase in CO 2 emissions in third countries, the reduction in the impact of agricultural export on greenhouse gas emissions, underlining the potential hidden effect of trade-related emissions between 2000 and 2018. NAFTA was encouraged while EFTA, ASEAN and MERCOSUR reduced emission growth. The USA, China, and Russia have the highest responsibility in controlling climate change. The findings reflect the limited progress and implementation of climate and trade policies and agricultural-related emissions in Non-EU countries. • Confirmed the validity of the U-shaped EKC curve in Non-EU countries. • Economic development stimulates while agricultural development reduces CO 2 emission. • Agricultural export has a sinking impact on GHGs in the rest of the world. • NAFTA encouraged while EFTA, MERCOSUR and ASEAN hindered CO 2 emission. • The USA, China, Russia have the highest responsibility in controlling emission. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To effectively mitigate climate change, policymakers worldwide established various GHG tracking and trading systems. In the light of ambitious climate goals, stricter regulations, and increasing demand for climate action, various groups such as researchers and governmental institutions suggested additional approaches. This paper addresses the complexity that arises from the breadth of suggested approaches and implemented systems for GHG tracking and trading. By doing so, it synthesizes relevant dimensions in a way that is understandable to enterprises and policymakers, enabling them to design meaningful systems incorporating the reduction of GHG emissions and advance cleaner production. Therefore, this paper presents a first-of-its-kind taxonomy of GHG tracking and trading approaches through a systematic literature review. It illustrates ten main design and implementation dimensions with 30 corresponding characteristics. To accelerate decarbonization, this paper sets impulses for future GHG tracking in the electricity sector based on semi-structured expert interviews. Consecutively, it provides policy directions for CO 2 -adaptive decision-making for enterprises, formulated as a Call for Action with seven prospective questions. These include, for example, questions concerning technical aspects like data management, legal issues like the sufficiency of existing data security and privacy regulations, as well as economic topics like the calculation of an appropriate local and temporal granularity. • Presenting a first-of-its-kind taxonomy of GHG tracking and trading approaches through a systematic literature review. • Creating targeted knowledge for enterprises and policymakers for designing meaningful systems to reduce GHG emissions. • Setting impulses for future GHG tracking in the electricity sector based on semi-structured expert interviews. • Providing policy directions for CO 2 -adaptive decision-making for enterprises, formulated as a Call for Action. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Carbon tax is a policy instrument that facilitate the phase-out of coal as a chemical feedstock and help China achieve an early carbon peak. However, the policy design is challenged by the complex dynamics of global warming potentials (GWP) from upstream methane emissions, which have a short atmospheric lifetime but a high climate impact. In this study, we compared the life-cycle GWP of two propylene production routes in China: Coal-to-Olefin (CTO) and Propane Dehydrogenation (PDH). We also conducted a cost-profit analysis that incorporates the carbon tax, considering uncertainties in the dynamic radiative forcing of methane. We derived a range of optimal carbon tax rates that can enhance the economic competitiveness of low-carbon propylene routes PDH and discourage the expansion of coal-fed CTO propylene routes. Results show that, for the propylene sector in China, the carbon tax rate should be between 86 and 600 Chinese Yuan (CNY) or 12–84 US dollars (USD) per ton of carbon dioxide equivalent (CO2e), which corresponds to 1–10% of the typical propylene price in the Chinese market. Our study provides spatiotemporal insights into the carbon tax for China's propylene sector to decarbonize and control upstream methane emissions. Since propylene is one of the key raw materials for chemical (e.g., plastic) productions, our analysis contributes to the climate benefits of global chemical trade. • Carbon tax contributes to controlling upstream methane emissions from coal-based chemical production. • Time-horizon is crucial for taxing carbon, especially as short-lived greenhouse gas emissions affect propylene producers' profits. • Carbon tax is necessary at provincial scale since the intensity of methane emissions from coal and propane feedstock supply chains vary regionally. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We perform an ex-ante life cycle assessment, integrating cradle-to-gate greenhouse gas emissions into an off-grid energy system model. By applying a multi-objective optimization, minimizing both costs and carbon dioxide equivalent (CO 2 e) emissions, we find the Pareto boundary between these two goals. As a case study, we chose the power supply to an astronomical observatory in Chile, using mostly solar power and energy storage in batteries and hydrogen. We compare the ex-ante study to a prior ex-post life cycle assessment, and furthermore dive into sensitivities of our model regarding component lifetimes and costs. We find (i) low-hanging fruit in lowering emissions with small cost increases, (ii) ex-ante life cycle assessments' possibility to find less CO 2 e intensive power systems compared to ex-post conducted studies, (iii) a pronounced sensitivity of the optimization model on assumed lifetimes of energy storage components. This study shows the importance of including life cycle CO 2 e emissions into the optimization objective of energy system models. This method uncovers the environmental and economic trade-offs associated with high shares of renewable energies in off-grid energy systems. • We integrate life cycle assessment (LCA) into an off-grid energy system optimization. • The applied case study powers a remote astronomical telescope in Chile. • A multi-objective optimization finds Pareto curves at varying costs and lifetimes. • Low-hanging fruit shows low additional system costs to reduce CO 2 e impacts. • In contrast, a separate LCA did not find such trade-offs in costs and CO 2 e emissions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

COVID-19 is a severe acute respiratory syndrome caused by the novel coronavirus SARS-CoV-2. The COVID-19 pandemic lockdowns and quarantines have led to significant industrial slowdowns among the world's major emitters of air pollutants, with resulting decreases to air pollution and greenhouse gas emissions in nations such as China, India and US, deemed to be major sources of global CO 2 emissions, as well. However, there are major concerns that these decreases in atmospheric pollution can be hampered as economies are reactivated. Historically, countries have weakened environmental legislations following economic slowdown to encourage renewed economic growth. Such a policy response now will likely have disproportionate impacts on global Indigenous people and marginalized groups within countries, who have already faced disproportionate impacts from COVID-19 and environmental pollution. Our "new normal" remain nimble enough to allow us to fine-tune our interventions, research tools and solutions-oriented research to quickly enough to stay ahead of the pandemic trajectory in the face of air pollution and climate change. Societal and behavioral changes to reduce these anthropogenic cumulative stressors should be advocated, while prioritizing the public health of marginalized groups around the world, promoting new approaches to champion environmental health along with educational programs addressed to the population. Bold government decisions can restart economies while pre-empting future inequities and committing to environmental protection in an era of COVID-19 and global change. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Climate protection goals and the transformation of the mobility sector are pushing the shipping industry to develop new propulsion systems emitting fewer or no greenhouse gases. One promising approach to eliminate greenhouse gas emissions from ships is a hybrid propulsion system powered by fuel cells and batteries. A high-temperature solid oxide fuel cell (SOFC) can supply heat and the electrical power demand in combination with a battery. Due to the low dynamic performance of the SOFC when faced with sudden load changes, a battery is responsible for providing the power for the dynamic load components. To ensure the resource-efficient operation of the propulsion components, intelligent energy management methods are required for power distribution control. Implementing a machine-learning-based energy management method based on twin-delayed deep deterministic policy gradient (TD3) improves the overall system efficiency, lifetime, and fuel economy compared to conventional energy management methods. To verify the technical feasibility of the propulsion system including its controls, the system is tested in a hardware-in-the-loop (HIL) environment. By implementing the TD3-based algorithm within the energy management used on the test bench, hydrogen consumption was reduced by approximately 10% and the remaining battery capacity after five years was 6% higher in comparison to conventional energy management methods. [Display omitted] • Hybrid electric propulsion system for a marine application. • Development of machine-learning-based energy management algorithms. • Validation measurements with propulsion components. • Assessment of the economic performance for a large cruise ship application. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Straw application is an effective and common measure to improve soil quality but generally increases greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. The combined application of biochar and straw has been proposed to mitigate these emissions. However, the effects of the combined application of biochar and maize straw, particularly at different proportions, on GHG emissions remain inadequately understood. In this study, an incubation experiment was conducted with five treatments: soil only (CK), 1 % maize straw application (TS), 0.7 % maize straw +0.3 % biochar application (S7B3), 0.5 % maize straw +0.5 % biochar application (S5B5) and 0.3 % maize straw +0.7 % biochar application (S3B7). The study also considered the effect of 1 % biochar application (TB) from our previous study with the same soil type and incubation condition. Carbon isotope technology was utilized to trace CO 2 sources and assess the priming effects on soil organic carbon (SOC) mineralization. The results showed that TB reduced CO 2 emission, while TS increased CO 2 emission due to maize straw decomposition and its positive priming effect on native SOC mineralization. S7B3, S5B5 and S3B7 also increased CO 2 emissions, but with significantly lower emissions than TS, in the order of TS > S7B3 > S5B5 ≥ S3B7. The positive priming effects of S7B3, S5B5 and S3B7 on native SOC mineralization weakened over time and eventually turned negative. TB, TS and combined applications reduced N 2 O emission due to decreased substrates (NH 4 + and NO 3 −) for nitrification and denitrification, induced by promoting microbial fixation of inorganic nitrogen. The reduction effects on N 2 O emission of combined applications were superior to those of TS and TB, with S5B5 demonstrating the best efficacy. TS increased CH 4 emission, while S7B3, S5B5 and S3B7 reduced CH 4 emission. The reduction effects of CH 4 emission with combined applications were superior to that of TB, and S5B5 exhibited the lowest CH 4 emission. Unlike soils with higher nitrogen content, where N 2 O emission dominated the global warming potential (GWP), CO 2 emission dominated the GWP in this study, resulting in increased GWP in TS, S7B3, S5B5 and S3B7, but with significantly lower values for S7B3, S5B5 and S3B7 compared to TS. In conclusion, our study suggests that the combined application of biochar and maize straw, especially S5B5, could effectively mitigate GHG emissions promoted by maize straw application, especially in soils with higher nitrogen content. [Display omitted] • Biochar and maize straw co-application reduced CO 2 emission promoted by maize straw application. • The priming effect of co-application on SOC shifted from positive to negative over time. • Co-application reduced stimulation of CH 4 emission caused by maize straw application. • Co-application exhibited superior efficacy in reducing N 2 O emissions. • The optimal co-application ratio for mitigating greenhouse gas emissions was 1:1. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Efforts to enhance greenhouse gas (GHG) emission reduction in East Asia play a pivotal role on both global and regional scales in advancing climate mitigation strategies. This study aimed to better constrain anthropogenic CO 2 emission estimates by expanding the network of near-surface in-situ stations for CO 2 observations across South Korea. To achieve an optimal CO 2 network design, we conducted an Observing System Simulation Experiment (OSSE) coupled with the Stochastic Lagrangian Transport model (STILT), utilizing meteorological data from the Korean Integrated Model (KIM). Our inversion setup incorporated two CO 2 emission datasets with a 0.1o resolution: EDGAR v6 for prior emissions and GRACED for truth emissions. A uniform model-mismatch error of 3 ppm was introduced across sites. The effectiveness of the existing five in-situ stations, termed the base network, in South Korea was evaluated to gauge their ability to constrain CO 2 surface flux estimates. However, the findings revealed a reduction in flux uncertainty of only 29.2%, which fell short of the desired uncertainty reduction goal. In this base network, the Lotte World Tower (LWT: 37.5126°E, 127.1025°E) in Seoul and the Anmyeondo (AMY: 36.538576° N, 126.330071° E) site in Taean county stood as major contributors, with estimated reductions of 17.48% and 6.35%, respectively. Consequently, we proposed and developed an extended network, identifying seven candidate sites based on consideration of logistical factors, existing infrastructures, and proximity to the emission source regions. An incremental optimization scheme ranked their contributions, resulting in an additional 25% reduction, bringing the total to 54.13%. However, it is noteworthy that diminishing returns (ranging from 13% to less than 0.1%) were observed with an increase in station count mainly due to the possibility that adding a station earlier in the sequence might render subsequent stations redundant. Despite this, the proposed CO 2 network successfully reduced uncertainty in emissions, narrowing the gap with the objectives of the Global Greenhouse Gas Watch (G3W). • Designing CO 2 near-surface observation network over South Korea. • New stations selected considering logistic factors, existing infrastructures, and proximity to emission sources. • The base network was able to reduce 29.18% of the uncertainty in CO 2 emissions. • Extending network, by adding new seven candidate sites, led to a total uncertainty reduction of 54.13%. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Drained peatland currently contributes 7.5% of Germany's total national greenhouse gas emissions. The National Peatland Protection Strategy adopted by the German government in 2022 recognizes that these emissions need to be reduced significantly to meet the country's climate change mitigation commitments. The present study employs a global dynamic computable general equilibrium model to assess the economic and greenhouse gas emission impacts of alternative agriculture-focused peatland rewetting scenarios for Germany up to 2030. In contrast to partial-analytic approaches, the global general equilibrium approach allows to take consistent account of economic ripple-on effects and carbon leakage effects triggered by peatland rewetting. The results suggest that in the medium term towards 2030 a reduction in annual emissions from agricultural peatland use by up to 45% are attainable at marginal private abatement costs between 27 and 61 Euro/tCO 2 e. Carbon leakage effects due to induced indirect land use change in Germany and the rest of the European Union reduce the global net emission reduction impact by 0.7 to 1.0% of the direct emission reduction. The effects on food prices remain small in all scenarios. In conclusion, a sizable reduction of Germany's land-use-related emissions is achievable at a low macroeconomic cost by moving beyond the moderate ambitions of the National Peatland Restoration Strategy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As a response to the increasing threat to sport events from climate change and expectations around climate change mitigation, sport event managers increasingly engage in environmentally-related initiatives that aim to reduce GHG emissions. One of the major contributors to GHG emissions at large sport events is spectators' travel and, thus, their associated modal choices. Building on the Sport Logistics Framework (SLF) and using the case study of Rapid Vienna, the largest football club in Austria, this study investigates spectators' modal choice to systematically assess the total GHGs emitted by spectators at a professional football home game. Data was obtained from two sources: a) an extensive data set collected on Rapid Vienna season ticket holders, and b) three surveys at home games which, together, constituted 3317 valid responses. The calculation of the GHG emissions resulted in 99,548 kg GHG emissions per home game or 6.0 kg GHG emissions per spectator. It was also found that 42.4 per cent spectators arriving by car emit 71.6 per cent of GHG emissions, while in contrast, 52.8 per cent of spectators using public transport emit 27.1 per cent of GHG emissions. The results also indicate that the possession of an annual public transport ticket seems to determine travel behavior, i.e. the majority of spectators with an annual ticket are using it, while spectators without a ticket are using a car. As such, this paper not only provides an opportunity for academics and managers to benchmark the data in order to identify initiatives to reduce the impact of GHG emissions, but also allows for the systematic measuring of the environmental impact of fan and spectator travel. • Fan travel to professional football games is a major contributor to GHG emissions. • We assess fans' modal choices and their carbon footprint at a football home game. • The home game emits a total 99,548 kg GHG emissions or 6.0 kg GHG emissions per fan. • We found that 42.4% fans arriving by car emit 71.6% of GHG emissions. • The study allows for benchmarking and systematic measuring of fan travel behavior. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Using the recently proposed concept of "design coalitions," this paper analyzes stakeholder participation in a subnational U.S. climate change mitigation policy redesign process. We demonstrate the utility of design coalitions for analyzing policy design processes, contending that it provides an opportunity to examine the understudied "secondary beliefs" of actors as described by the advocacy coalition framework. Our case study consists of an iterative, inductive content analysis of written input to the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative's 2016 policy redesign process. We developed a typology of 12 distinct stakeholder types who coalesced in 19 separate design coalitions, each espousing a stance on one of 11 elements of the policy design. These coalitions were dynamic, with radically different sets of stakeholder types participating simultaneously in many different design coalitions without coordination, usually for their own unique reasons. We observe that, although the updated policy reflected many stakeholder's stances, their influence was limited by their exclusion from the agenda-setting phase of this policy redesign process. In this critical era of climate mitigation policy proliferation, it is important to develop a better understanding of climate policy design coalitions and how they engage in and influence climate mitigation policy design processes. • This research expands knowledge of actor engagement in climate policy design processes. • We develop the concept of design coalitions & explore its relevance to climate policy. • Here, actors aligned in design coalitions based on the "secondary beliefs" of the ACF. • Each type of stakeholder participated in a unique set of design coalitions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Climate mitigation actions are getting attention in the national and sectoral policy discourse in Nepal. • Semi-structured interviews and content analysis of policies provided insights into climate mitigation mainstreaming in Nepal. • The global environmental discourse and the green growth concept are influencing the policy discourse in Nepal. • The climate mitigation mainstreaming process employs a collaborative approach across sectors and multi-level governance. This study aims to investigate the influencing factors and the processes for incorporating climate change mitigation actions into policies in the non-environment sector in Nepal. We use semi-structured interviews with policy actors such as national and sub-national policymakers, and respondents from the private sector and international development organizations active in Nepal. We also use thematic, narrative, and focused coding to analyze narrative data obtained from 12 respondents, and qualitative analysis of textual data from six non-environment sector policies to generate insights into the mainstreaming of climate change mitigation actions. A major finding from the study is that global environment-related initiatives like the Paris Agreement and the Sustainable Development Goals, and the green growth concept that aims to mitigate greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, are influencing the policy discourse in Nepal. Consequently, climate change mitigation actions are integrated either as add-ons or as overriding policy objectives in non-environment sector policies. Our conceptualization of mainstreaming moves beyond the mere integration of policy objectives to focus on the collaborative practices of policy actors, the influencing factors, and the processes for incorporating climate change mitigation actions across non-environment sector policies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Rice, as a main crop, contributes to food security in Asia. However, its by-product, rice straw, poses challenges as it is often disposed of unsustainably. This research investigates the environmental performance of a 1000 m3 rice straw biogas pilot plant in Laguna, Philippines. A lifecycle assessment identified the climate change impact of the biogas system, straw burning and soil incorporation. In addition to GWP100, the global temperature potential's dynamic climate effects were assessed, including integrated radiative forcing and instantaneous temperature effects. The timeframe of the biogenic emission fluxes of rice production is particularly relevant as the sequestered CO 2 during plant growth is partly released as methane and CO 2 , depending on the straw management practices. Straw burning had the highest net emission impact. However, straw incorporation has the highest short-term radiative forcing and temperature increase. The biogas system provided significant short- and long-term GHG emission reduction of up to 68 % when biogas replaced burning or soil incorporation and the use of fossil fuels. Still, considerable uncertainties remain about fugitive methane emissions, handling and post-processing of the digestate. While single GHG emission figures on a GWP100 basis are useful for informing decision-making, this single-metric approach limits understanding of rice production's short- and long-term impacts. Additionally, our assessment emphasises the necessity for governance frameworks that promote sustainable practices in rice farming, as banning rice straw burning may result in less favourable outcomes from soil incorporation, whereas integrating biogas offers a solution benefiting rice-growing communities and global sustainability efforts. • Biogas from rice straw reduces emissions by up to 69 %. • Soil incorporation of straw has highest short-term (20 years) temperature increase. • Assessing more than one metric and timeframe supports more informed decision-making. • Governance frameworks enabling bioenergy integration support SDG 3, 7 and 13. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • Different INM treatments affected soil N and C fractions; • INM produced one emission peak for CO 2 and CH 4 , whereas two for N 2 O from rice agroecosystem; • Significant positive correlation of dehydrogenase (DH) enzyme with CO 2 and N 2 O emissions; • GHG intensity index and yield of rice increased in the order rice stubble > FYM > Azolla ; • CH 4 emission is the dominant contributor to GHG intensity from the rice agroecosystem. The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change recognize to agriculture the responsibility for about 15 % of global anthropogenic greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, contributing to global warming. The increasing nutrient inputs in industrial agriculture affect the GHG concentration in the atmosphere and varies substantially due to rate and type of fertilizers applied to the crops, making the management more or less sustainable. In this perspective, this study has investigated at small scale the effect of different adjusted agricultural management practices, based on different nutrient dosage, to optimize the effect of rice cropping systems on carbon dioxide (CO 2), methane (CH 4) and nitrous oxide (N 2 O) emissions. Farmyard manure (FYM), rice stubbles and Azolla integrated with chemical fertilizers have been correlated with microbial and enzymatic activities, and with different carbon and nitrogen fractions in acid Inceptisol. Results have revealed that the integrated nutrient management used in rice-rice agroecosystem yielded a peak for CO 2 and CH 4 emissions, whereas two peaks for N 2 O emission. This study has shown an increase in greenhouse gas emission intensity (GHGI) and grain yield of rice in the following order: rice stubbles > FYM > Azolla and it has confirmed CH 4 emission as the dominant contributor to GHGI from the rice-rice agroecosystem. When analyzed together GHGs emission and soil properties, a positive correlation was found with biological properties as well as with the different carbon and nitrogen fractions in soil. The highest GHGI has been highlighted in the treatment where recommended dose of chemical fertilizers has been combined with rice stubbles, primarily due to the increase in CH 4 emissions. In contrast, the lowest GHGI has been exhibited in Azolla treated plot, probably due to the cumulative effects of the photosynthetic rate of Azolla , the release of oxygen from the Azolla roots, and the physical protection capacity of the Azolla cover, which partially avoid the CH 4 diffusion from the standing water. The seasonality did not affect the estimated rates of GHGI that have been lower both in case of winter and autumn rice compared to previous studies, probably for dissimilarities in management practices. Further research is required in other cropping sequences for addressing the ecological contribution of smallholder agriculture to help reducing GHG emissions, thus, mitigating global warming with actions at local scale. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the face of escalating global climate challenges, effective carbon dioxide (CO₂) capture techniques remain at the forefront of mitigating anthropogenic greenhouse gas emissions. This comprehensive review elucidates the latest advancements in CO₂ capture, emphasizing two predominant methodologies: absorption and adsorption. We delve into the mechanisms underlying each process, highlighting the novel materials and technologies that have emerged over recent years. For absorption, the focus is placed on the material design strategy, and identifying new materials in the class of amines, ionic liquids (ILs) and nanofluids for enhanced CO 2 capture capacities and reduced energy requirements. In the realm of adsorption, the synthesis of innovative adsorbents, such as metal organic framework (MOF), organic polymers, inorganic adsorbents, silicon-based adsorbents, and biochar and byproducts from biomass with superior selectivity and stability, is explored. Additionally, the review addresses the challenges associated with each method, offering insights into potential avenues for further research. By providing a holistic overview of the current landscape of CO₂ capture, this article serves as a pivotal resource for researchers and industry professionals aiming to advance sustainable solutions to combat climate change. [Display omitted] • Absorption and adsorption materials are at the forefront of CO 2 capture technologies. • Ionic-liquids and nanofluids can be comparable to amines with improvements in scalability and stability. • Biomass byproducts as adsorbents offers a sustainable solution to CO 2 capture. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Livestock management is recognized as the largest source of greenhouse gas (GHG) and ammonia emissions in agriculture. Despite the many available mitigation options, they are often not taken up by farmers even when they are economically beneficial for farms. Effective knowledge transfer is among the critical policy instruments to increase the adoption of new mitigating measures. Recently, there has been a shift in agricultural knowledge transfer from a linear, top-down learning model towards more participatory approaches that emphasise peer-to-peer learning. However, effectiveness of the new model has rarely been evaluated. Our study assessed the impact of participatory workshops on farmers' uptake of climate-friendly soil and manure management practices that can help reduce GHG and ammonia emissions. A group of 438 cattle-rearing farmers from two Slovenian regions participated in a randomised experimental evaluation, of which 225 received training and 213 participated in a control group. After attending the participatory workshops, farmers had statistically significant and on average 25% higher knowledge levels of climate change and mitigation measures. Furthermore, the intention to perform mitigation measures was significantly higher, on average by 19%, compared to the control group. The workshops also had a significant positive effect on attitudes towards mitigation measures, climate change beliefs, social norms, psychological distance and perceived behavioural control. However, previous personal experience (habits) had a stronger effect on intentions than participation in workshops. Based on the results we provide recommendations on how to best use various policy tools to increase the adoption of mitigation measures. • We conducted an impact evaluation of participatory workshops' effects on the uptake of climate-friendly farming practices. • The training significantly increased the knowledge and the intention to implement mitigation measures. • Previous experience (habits) had a stronger effect on intentions than workshop participation. • Workshops had positive effects on attitudes, subjective norms and perceived control over adoption of mitigation measures. • Positive attitudes, innovativeness and strong subjective norms positively affected the intention to implement the measures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Crop residue burning is a common practice in many parts of the world that causes air pollution and greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. Regenerative practices that return residues to the soil offer a 'no burn' pathway for addressing air pollution while building soil organic carbon (SOC). Nevertheless, GHG emissions in rice-based agricultural systems are complex and difficult to anticipate, particularly in production contexts with highly variable hydrologic conditions. Here we predict long-term net GHG fluxes for four rice residue management strategies in the context of rice-wheat cropping systems in Eastern India: burning, soil incorporation, livestock fodder, and biochar. Estimations were based on a combination of Tier 1, 2, and 3 modelling approaches, including 100-year DNDC simulations across three representative soil hydrologic categories (i.e., dry, median, and wet). Overall, residue burning resulted in total direct GHG fluxes of 2.5, 6.1, and 8.7 Mg CO 2 -e in the dry, median, and wet hydrologic categories, respectively. Relative to emissions from burning (positive values indicate an increase) for the same dry to wet hydrologic categories, soil incorporation resulted in a −0.2, 1.8, or 3.1 Mg CO 2 -e change in emissions whereas use of residues for livestock fodder increased emissions by 2.0, 2.1, or 2.3 Mg CO 2 -e. Biochar reduced emissions relative to burning by 2.9 Mg CO 2 -e in all hydrologic categories. This study showed that the production environment has a controlling effect on methane and, therefore, net GHG balance. For example, wetter sites had 2.8–4.0 times greater CH 4 emissions, on average, than dry sites when rice residues were returned to the soil. To effectively mitigate burning without undermining climate change mitigation goals, our results suggest that geographically-target approaches should be used in the rice-based systems of Eastern India to incentivize the adoption of regenerative 'no burn' residue management practices. • Efforts to build SOC for climate change mitigation, while simultaneously avoiding burning, may have unintended consequences. • Tier 1, 2, and 3 modelling approaches were used to compare no-burn rice residue pathways. • Field hydrology had a dominant effect on methane emissions. • Soil incorporation of residues increased emissions relative to open burning, except in comparatively dry fields. • Biochar is estimated to have the lowest GHG emissions of the evaluated 'no burn' alternatives. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• The UK's Committee on Climate Change suggest up to 195 MtCO 2 pa of removal is possible. • Scale up of Greenhouse Gas Removal requires more than technical and least cost considerations. • In the UK there is an adapted and unplanned governance framework which is inadequate. • Procedural Justice mechanisms are unsuitable and weak failing to engage the wider national public. • There is a lack of understanding of the scale at which socio-legal governance is required. Greenhouse gas removal (GGR) is increasingly seen as a key dimension of national and international climate policy. The need to deploy a portfolio of GGR technologies in order to decarbonise sectors with the 'hardest-to-abate' emissions, particularly to achieve net-zero emissions targets, has become increasingly evident in recent years. In May 2019, the Committee on Climate Change (CCC) published a report outlining a pathway to net-zero emissions in the UK, which comprised significant contributions from engineered and land-based removals. The target of net-zero emissions has since been enshrined in UK legislation, meaning that GGR will likely be part of the UK's climate strategy. Plans for GGR deployment will therefore need to be set in motion in the short-term, in order to align with the timeframe proposed by the CCC. Despite a growing body of research examining the role governance could and should play in GGR development and deployment, there is a gap in the literature relating to the social implications of removal activities. In particular, the roles of procedural justice (PJ) and social legitimacy (SL) have not been closely examined. This study comprises an analysis of relevant legislation, combined with a series of interviews conducted in the community of Selby (a proposed location for BECCS development) in order to investigate PJ and SL in the context of GGR. It is found that the existing legal framework operates PJ as a 'tick-the-box' exercise, failing to engage a wide range of interested stakeholders or to promote meaningful engagements. Moreover, the PJ landscape for GGR is unplanned and adapted from existing legislation and cannot meet the unique needs of this novel activity, such as the need to engage the wider national public given their interest in climate change mitigation. Research in Selby corroborates these findings, revealing a range of issues with engagement procedures, including disinterest or disillusionment with processes, a lack of accessible information, and a disparity between stakeholder expectations and GGR realities. Ultimately, it is only by conducting meaningful engagements, which adequately inform and include participants, that the role of social legitimacy can truly be understood and thus leveraged. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The main objective of this study is to analyze and compare greenhouse gas emission profiles, dynamics thereof, and the climate change mitigation efforts of the major players in the global climate change arena, namely the G7 and BRICS countries that are accounting for more than 60% of the world greenhouse gas emissions as in 2017. Given that the energy sector is the major source of the greenhouse emissions in these countries, the framework of sustainable energy development indicators was applied to the comparative analysis. The analysis revealed the differences among the groups of countries in terms of greenhouse gas emission profiles and development trends of these profiles. The convergence of greenhouse gas emission profiles can be noticed between G7 and BRICS countries during 1990–2017 period. Greenhouse gas emissions per capita has decreased in G7 countries and increased in BRICS countries. Energy intensity, economic growth and carbon factor are the main drivers of greenhouse gas emissions per capita growth in both groups of countries. Carbon factor represents carbon intensity of a country's energy sector and is measured by greenhouse gas emissions per unit of total primary energy supply. The impact of carbon factor was least significant among the main drivers in both groups. Energy intensity was the major driver of decrease in greenhouse gas emissions per capita for both groups, however, the economic growth exceeded the contribution of energy intensity in BRICS countries and greenhouse gas emissions have increased in this group during investigated period. The comparative analysis of greenhouse gas emission profiles development trends and the main drivers of these trends in both groups of countries provides important insights in shaping future climate change mitigation policies and developing greenhouse gas emission reduction targets. Due to the high greenhouse gas profiles, low GHG reduction commitments and insufficient climate change mitigation the Perform, Achieve and Trade (PAT) scheme in India efforts in both groups there is danger of postponing implementation of Paris commitments and achieving the 1.5° target. The policies implemented in high ranked countries, like or Integrated Resources Planning in South Africa or measures under Energy efficiency directive in EU can be applied in low ranked countries by providing the substantial contribution to the country's climate targets. Image 1 • The GHG profiles of G7 and BRICS were converging during 1990–2017. • GHG/capita has decreased in G7 countries and increased in BRICS countries. • Energy intensity, economic growth and carbon factor - the main drivers of GHG/capita. • Energy intensity - the major driver of decrease in GHG/capita for both groups. • However, the economic growth exceeded the contribution of energy intensity in BRICS. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Freshwater bodies are found as significant sources of greenhouse gas to the atmosphere, but their quantitative significance is not yet clear. The rapid increase in hydropower dams and associated emissions has received much attention from hydropower industries, environmentalists, and policymakers from across the globe. The tropical/subtropical eco-regions are, particularly, considered as hotspots from greenhouse gas production point of view as the emitted gases are playing a critical role in climate change. The present paper reviews the uncertainty and limitations of greenhouse gas measurement from Chinese freshwater bodies based on available data. Literature reported that carbon dioxide emission from Chinese lakes falls in the range of 0.01–2.16 μmol m−2s−1 except for Poyang Lake. The CO 2 emission from Chinese hydropower reservoirs is estimated as 0.15–1.11, while for rivers, it is 0.44–4.12 μmol m−2s−1. The methane and nitrous oxide emissions are, however, found less than carbon dioxide emission. The CO 2 emission falls in the range of −0.17–0.54 and 1.08–1.70, respectively higher than global lakes and rivers, while the global reservoirs have emission in the range of −0.17–2.98 μmol m−2s−1. The paper also reports the challenges in the estimation and prediction of greenhouse gas emissions from hydropower reservoirs along with suggested mitigation measures. Image 10945 • GHG emissions have been limited by data availability and inconsistencies in methodological approach. • Investigate uncertainty and limitation of GHG measurement. • Literature reveals CO 2 emission from Chinese rivers is twice than lakes and four times than hydropower reservoirs. • CH 4 and N 2 O emissions are however found less than CO 2 emission. • Suggested mitigation measures to minimize the impact of GHG on climate change. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The food we eat plays a large role in greenhouse gas emissions. Climate labeling is one way to increase sustainable food consumption by making consumers mindful of their consumption choices. Many initiatives communicate food's climate impact; however, it is unclear whether these labels are effective in changing food consumption behavior. Based on a review of climate label research and existing labels, three label designs were created and tested in an experimental online survey with a convenience sample of 249 Austrian residents (63.9% female; 54.2% aged 18–29 years) to determine whether the visual communication of a food product's climate footprint influences food choices. Compared to no climate impact labels, communicating the climate footprint nudged participants towards climate friendlier food choices in half of the product choice sets (meat, grains, broccoli, and tomatoes). Label designs B and C consistently led to more sustainable choices. Not all labels were equally effective, suggesting that label design is key in stimulating climate-friendlier choices. The design features used to convey climate impact can better help consumers understand the impact of food and make more informed decisions when food shopping, however we find that how these features come together in a label design also play a role. Producers looking to convey their products' impact are advised to not only consider what information they put on their packaging (i.e., climate footprint) but also how this information is presented (i.e., holistic design of climate labels). • Climate labels can stimulate sustainable food choices. • Certain design features are more effective in nudging sustainable food consumption. • Not all climate labels are equally effective in nudging sustainable food choices. • Three label variations based on traffic-light categorical bar scales were designed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The depth and breadth of the climate crisis is well known, all sectors, industry, government and the individual have the potential to reduce emissions to slow or stop catastrophic climate change. To determine and evaluate the (revealed) preferences of the public in reducing their personal carbon emissions, a conjoint analysis survey, using the PAPRIKA (Potentially All Pairwise RanKings of all possible Alternatives) method, was distributed to the public in a city in the south of England (Southampton). Knowledge of the deep-seated preferences of the public makes a fundamental contribution to future climate actions because it enables publicly acceptable system change to be developed. Results showed the public were unwilling to make large-scale lifestyle changes, even if they would cause large emission reductions. There was a clear preference for making relatively easy, convenient changes to behaviour rather than making more difficult personal lifestyle changes involving diet and transportation. A significant value-action gap is evident, with the public showing high awareness of the seriousness of climate change but showing an unwillingness to make deep cuts to their personal emissions. Demography and personal factors had a relatively low influence over preferences with trends generally staying the same across demographic groups, aside from income brackets. Participants believed that reductions in emissions should come from a 'group effort' from all levels of government, business, environmental groups and individuals. Few participants placed themselves as individual drivers of carbon emission reduction. In order to reduce emissions some form of intervention needs to be made, as the public are not personally willing to make large-scale reductions in carbon emissions, regardless of their environmental awareness or demography. • Public's views on approaches to carbon reduction investigated via conjoint analysis. • Preference for low intensity, 'easy' behaviours not challenging lifestyle changes. • Demographic & personal factors have low influence on carbon reduction preferences. • High awareness of severity of climate change, impacts/priority; also high anxiety. • Desire to consume & "carry on as normal" outweighs self-reported concerns/attitudes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Plastics account for 4.5% of global greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, which are hard-to-abate due to the use of fossil fuels as feedstock. Our study develops a cradle-to-gate life cycle assessment of bioethylene production, exploring 33 pathways across Brazil, the EU, and the US. It aims to understand whether substituting fossil-based ethylene with bioethylene contributes to lowering carbon emissions, and in which of the relevant bioenergy-producing regions/countries the valorisation of biofuels as feedstocks would provide a less carbon-intensive bioethylene production. Results indicate that bioethylene production through catalytic dehydration of sugarcane bioethanol in Brazil presents lowest GHG emission. This pathway could deliver up to −2.1 kg CO 2 e/kg ethylene when accounting for biogenic carbon storage in long-lived applications such as infrastructure. In contrast, beef tallow performs the poorest as a raw material, regardless of whether land-use change (LUC) emissions are considered. When biogenic carbon storage is factored out, none of the pathways outperforms conventional fossil-based steam cracking; however, some are within the fossil-based range indicating potential indirect benefits through reduced refinery utilisation. Our study underscores that biomaterials production as a climate mitigation strategy must be on par with circular economy measures and the conservation of native forestry ecosystems. These results are particularly relevant to policymakers and industries seeking to align polymer manufacturing with sustainability objectives. • Bio-ethylene cradle-to-gate GHG emissions were assessed for 33 pathways. • Sugary, starch, lignocellulosic and oily crops are raw materials for bio-ethylene. • Local specificities such as biogenic carbon storage and land-use are critical to LCA GHG emissions. • Sugarcane bioethanol dehydration route yielded 2.1 kgCO 2 e captured per of kg ethylene. • Climate mitigation and circular economy policies must be designed coherently. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mitigating greenhouse gas emissions is an essential element of climate change policies. This paper explores Dutch dairy farmers' adoption behaviour of climate change mitigation measures using a Self-regulated Stage model of Behavioural Change. It tests the statistical relationship of stage-specific socio-psychological factors with individual farmer's intentions of planning or adopting on-farm climate mitigation measures. In addition, it tests the statistical relationship of intentions on four stages (pre-decisional, pre-actional, actional, post-actional). The empirical application focuses on data from specialised Dutch dairy farmers registered with the Farm Accountancy Data Network. Our findings suggest that negative emotion, personal norm, perceived goal feasibility, action planning, and coping planning vary significantly by stage. Furthermore, personal norm, attitude, goal intention, behavioural intention, and implementation intention are found to be statistically significant and positive influencing factors on adopting climate mitigation measures. Lastly, farmers younger than 45 years old with full agricultural education and farms with high livestock density are more likely to have taken steps in adopting mitigation measures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Anthropogenic greenhouse gas emissions (GHGE) are behind climate change. In Chile, food system is the second source of GHGE. Changing Chileans dietary patterns is key to reducing such emissions. There is geographic variability in terms of dietary patterns within the country. Here we investigated the dietary GHGE in five different geographical zones, along with the main contributing food groups and socio-demographic variables. Data for 4676 individuals were obtained from the 2010–2011 National Survey of Food Consumption. The carbon footprint value of each food was obtained from studies using life cycle assessment methodology. Median and percentiles of dietary GHGE were calculated, expressed in kilograms of carbon dioxide equivalent per person per day (kgCO 2 eq/person/d) and compared among zones by Kruskal-Wallis and Dunn's tests. Logistic regression models were fitted to analyzed associations among the variables of interest and quartiles of GHGE. Diet-related GHGE ranged from 3.50 (2.34–5.12) in the North-Central Zone to 4.66 (2.89–6.69) kgCO 2 eq/person/d in the South zone. Meat accounted for 53–58% of the GHGE in all the zones, followed by dairy products with 12–13%. Higher GHGE were significantly associated with energy intake (kcal/d) in all of the zones, with high socioeconomic level in the North-Central, South and Metropolitan zones, and with urban residence in the South-Central zone. Tailored policies considering geographic variability are warranted to promote healthy and sustainable diets among the Chilean population. • Differences in dietary greenhouse gas emissions were determined among five Chilean geographical zones. • South and Metropolitan region showed the highest GHGE while North showed the lowest. • Meat and dairy were the most contributing foods in all zones. • GHGE were positively associated with energy intake in all zones & with high socioeconomic level in three zones. • The promotion of sustainable diets in Chile must consider the geographical specificities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Micro-level concerns about climate change can not only affect individual low-carbon behaviors but also exert intense pressure on carbon emission reduction strategies and policy design. However, whether public concern about climate change can affect per capita carbon emission is still unclear. Based on panel data from 30 provinces in China and 188,943 climate change-related blogs from 2012 to 2019, this research investigates the impact of public concern on per capita carbon emissions. Results show that, in general, public concern about climate change has a significant negative impact on per capita carbon emissions in China, indicating that climate crisis awareness has a supervisory effect on greenhouse gas emissions. Nevertheless, the effects of different public concerns on per capita carbon emissions are different, with the topics of "low-carbon appeal" and "concern for future" have significant positive impacts on per capita carbon emissions, while the topics of "carbon governance performance" and "climate change mitigation strategies" have significant negative impacts on per capita carbon emissions. The findings yield new opportunities to delve into the relationship between the externality of people's will and governmental behaviors and provide in-depth insights for decision-makers to develop tailor-made solutions towards carbon reduction and sustainable development. [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Air pollution and climate change are currently common global concern issues. Understanding the main pollution sources of fine particulate matter (PM 2.5) and carbon dioxide (CO 2), and the drivers that accelerate their concentrations can provide novel insights into the co-benefits of air-quality improvement and climate change mitigation. Hence, in this study, we conducted source apportionment of PM 2.5 and CO 2 , and obtained impacts of common sources on PM 2.5 -CO 2 using an ensemble source apportionment method. Then, machine learning (ML) methods were utilized to study the effects of different drivers (including main pollution sources and meteorological factors) on PM 2.5 and CO 2. The results demonstrate that coal combustion (40%), vehicle exhaust (37%), and industrial emissions (23%) were the main common sources of PM 2.5 and CO 2. Controlling the combustion of fossil fuels and long-term vehicle electrification still hold significant importance for reducing pollutions and carbon emissions. The results of data-driven ML models show that temperature had the highest effect among meteorological factors, reflecting the seasonal changes of CO 2 and PM 2.5. The study provides a feasible framework for exploring co-benefits of clean air policies on greenhouse gas emissions based on online observation dataset. [Display omitted] • Variation characteristics and sources of PM 2.5 , and CO 2 were analyzed. • Machine learning methods reveal the impact of drivers on PM 2.5 and CO 2. • Secondary sources are still the focus of particle pollution prevention and control. • Controlling the combustion of fossil fuels benefits mitigation of PM 2.5 and CO 2. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• The study proposes models to predict carbon emission in terms of Co2. • The study uses socio-economic and energy-related variables for prediction. • Proposes a hybrid machine learning model of PCA and elastic regression. • Comparatively, hybrid model perform better than LR, SVR, RFR, RNN, LSTM and TabNet. • Experiments used real data from the Indian government official records. Industrial development has contributed to carbon emissions majorly, resulting in high concentrations of greenhouse gases (GHGs) in the environment leading to climate change phenomenon. Climate change threatens people in multiple ways: threatening food security, water scarcity, frequent and extreme weather events, the spread of diseases, economic losses and migration etc. The World Health Organization (WHO) declared that climate change is the greatest threat to global health in the 21st century. Since 1970, CO2 emission has increased by about 90 per cent, making it 78 per cent of the total greenhouse gas emission. Climate change impact, carbon emission factors and social-economic attributes make the prediction of GHG emission a very complex research problem having dynamic scenarios due to a large number of factors and impacting variables. Accurate prediction of carbon emission in such a scenario makes it one of the most important and challenging research works. Artificial intelligence and machine learning approaches are increasingly being used to study complex, dynamic environmental phenomenons with high variability of time, space and other factors. The research paper proposes hybrid machine learning models for the prediction of CO2 emissions using energy and social-economic variables. The work uses energy and socioeconomic variables from 1960 to 2018 to collate them to provide a new perspective on the application of machine learning approaches in the modelling and prediction of GHG emissions. The proposed hybrid model of principal component analysis (PCA) and machine learning approaches is compared on accuracy and efficiency and performs better than other machine learning and deep learning approaches such as Linear regression variants, random forest regression (RFR), support vector regression (SVR), recurrent neural network (RNN), long short term Memory (LSTM) and Tabnet etc. The proposed hybrid model reports MAE equal to 0.0307, RMSE equal to 0.0346, MAPE equals to 5.1447 and SMAPE equal to 5.2267. In terms of efficiency of computation, the proposed hybrid machine learning model PCA + LER took 12.4 ms better than other models. This proposed research work of correlation analysis and prediction can help policymakers and governments in the mitigation and management of carbon emissions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Multi-family housing construction (MFHC) with wood instead of concrete as frame material results in lower greenhouse gas emissions. Hence, substituting wood for concrete in MFHC in Sweden until 2030, and onwards to 2070, could be a promising climate change mitigation option. But to what extent, and how would it impact Sweden's forests? Here we assess climate and biodiversity implications - in terms of the area of old forest - of a completely wood-based future MFHC in Sweden. The wood required is assumed to be exclusively sourced as additional fellings in Swedish forests, thus carbon leakage from wood imports as well as displacement of other wood uses can be disregarded. Different types of timber frame systems and the role of varying future dwelling sizes are considered. We find that the wood needed for a complete substitution of concrete would result in very minor increases in harvests. We further register slight net additional climate change mitigation, irrespective of the wood construction system. There is a small tradeoff between climate change mitigation and biodiversity, as the area of old forest reduces slightly. The largest climate benefit, and lowest impact on Swedish forests, is provided when using timber-light frame combined with reduced dwelling size. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The area of ​​Indonesian rice fields in 2016 reached 8.19 million hectares (ha), an increase of 1.16% from the previous year, this number comprising 4.78 million ha of irrigated rice fields and 3.4 million ha of non-irrigated rice fields. In 2017, especially in East Java, the harvest area is 2,278,460 hectares, and rice production is 13,633,701 tons. On the other hand, increasing agricultural activities can also contribute to emissions that can trigger climate change through the greenhouse gases (GHG) produced. GHG is a gas contained in the atmosphere, which absorbs and re-emits infrared radiation. Side effects of greenhouse gas accumulation can cause extreme climate change that affects land productivity. This study aims to analyze rice field productivity and build a greenhouse gas emission model that produce from the rice field productivity system. Emissions to be discussed in this study are CO2, CH4, and N2O. The approach is carried out with a system dynamics because it has the characteristics of a complex, non-linear system dynamics, changes in system behavior over time and feedback that describes new information about the state of the rice productivity system, which will then produce further decisions. The results of this study are causal loop diagram of CH4, CO2 and N2O emissions resulting from the productivity of rice fields modeled using system dynamics. This model contains GHG information generated from the agricultural sector and its impact. This model can be used as a consideration for the government and stakeholders as a reference for making policies for GHG emission mitigation technology as part of smart agriculture. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The lack of safely managed sanitation services is a major global public health and ecological sustainability challenge. Ecological sanitation (EcoSan) technologies designed to close the "poop loop" through the capture, treatment, and beneficial reuse of human feces can meet this interconnected challenge. EcoSan has the potential to mitigate climate change through the reduction of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, yet the climate impacts of EcoSan are poorly understood. We measured GHG emissions (carbon dioxide, CO 2; methane, CH 4 ; and nitrous oxide, N 2 O) from two EcoSan operations in Haiti, as well as two anaerobic waste stabilization ponds and a grass field where sewage is known to be illegally deposited. Carbon dioxide was the major constituent of total GHG emissions from both EcoSan systems. Nitrous oxide emissions were similar across both EcoSan systems, however CH 4 emissions were significantly higher in the system with moister pile conditions. Highest CH 4 fluxes were observed during the first two months of composting in both EcoSan systems. In a paired-comparison, we found that piles with a soil lining had four-fold lower CH 4 emissions and three-fold lower N 2 O emissions compared to piles with a cement lining. Overall climate-forcing effects of emissions from EcoSan were favorable relative to waste stabilization ponds and unmanaged disposal on grass fields. In contrast to EcoSan, CH 4 emissions dominated net emissions from waste stabilization ponds, accounting for 94% of net emissions, and N 2 O emissions were negligible. Methane emissions from waste stabilization ponds were up to 250 times higher than those from EcoSan compost piles. The grass field had a significantly higher CH 4 flux than EcoSan, and the highest N 2 O flux rate observed. Our data suggest that EcoSan systems can contribute to climate change mitigation by reducing GHG emissions relative to alternative sanitation pathways, and EcoSan management conditions can be optimized to minimize emissions. • Greenhouse gas emissions from ecological-based sanitation (EcoSan) systems are poorly quantified. • Composting human waste reduced methane emissions compared to stabilization ponds. • Climate-forcing effects of EcoSan emissions were less than alternative pathways. • Management of compost piles that reduces moisture minimizes methane emissions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sustainable agricultural and food processing practices are often proposed as attractive strategies enabling food systems to respond to the challenges posed by climate change in terms of adaptation and mitigation. However, information on the actual contribution to climate change provided by sustainable food production systems is lacking in literature. With the intention to contribute to a more informed debate, this study aims at quantify the actual impact on climate of sustainable practices applied to a grape-to-wine system in Italy. The overall budget of greenhouse gas (GHG) fluxes is assessed at wine farm level, from the vineyard to the final bottle of wine, through an integration of methods, including the eddy covariance technique, the life cycle assessment (LCA) and the IPCC guidelines. All the components of the GHG budget have been considered: the (a) biogenic GHG fluxes and the (b) anthropogenic GHG emissions generated for the grape production as well as the (c) carbon stock change due to the vineyard management and the (d) anthropogenic GHG emissions generated by the transformation of grape into wine. At the vineyard level, the overall GHG budget resulted to be close to zero, showing a potential carbon neutrality of sustainable viticulture: the sum of biogenic GHG fluxes (a) and the carbon stock change (c) resulted in a net carbon sink with a potential contribution to climate change mitigation of −0,27 ± 1,11 Mg CO 2 eq year−1 per hectare; while the anthropogenic GHG emissions (b) for the sustainable vineyard management accounted for 0,24 ± 0,05 Mg CO 2 eq ha−1 year−1. The total carbon footprint (b + d) of sustainable wine is 0,79 ± 0,14 kg CO 2 eq per bottle, with 15% attributable to the agricultural phase and 85% to the transformation of grape into wine. These findings indicate that sustainable wine production has in general a lower contribution to climate change. In particular, sustainable practices applied to viticulture can turn the system into a net carbon sink able to totally compensate the anthropogenic emissions for the vineyard management. Therefore, sustainable viticulture allows food production with a potential carbon neutrality without exacerbating climate change. • Sustainable viticulture allows food production with a potential carbon neutrality without exacerbating climate change. • Sustainable viticulture generates biogenic GHG fluxes that turn the agrosystem into a net carbon sink. • Anthropogenic GHG emissions in sustainable vineyard are low and can be totally compensate by the net carbon sink. • The carbon footprint (CF) of sustainable wine is 0,79 ± 0,14 kg CO 2 eq per bottle. • Sustainable wine production has in general a lower contribution to climate change. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Highlights • LAC GHG efficiency in agricultural sector using within and across country metrics. • 5 Countries offset agriculture emissions with land-use-related carbon sequestration. • Small Caribbean island-states report the worst-case decoupling elasticity scenario. • Top decoupling countries are not equivalent to high factor productivity countries. Abstract The paper explores the relationship between production and greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions in the agricultural sector of Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC) between 1990 and 2015. By appraising how GHG emissions have changed with respect to agricultural production (elasticity), we are able to classify countries into six decoupling states. While the decoupling elasticity provides information for assessing the evolution within countries, we introduce a performance ratio for country comparison by calculating GHG emissions over agricultural production for 2015 and using the global distribution as benchmark. The information from both measurements serves to identify various country and sub regional situations. The findings illustrate that countries with performance ratios in the top 25% and under the best-case elasticity scenario (of strong decoupling) are not necessarily the same as the ones usually identified under factor productivity analyses, suggesting that environment-specific policy incentives and tools play a key role in enhancing sustainable agricultural production. Another major finding is that very few countries in the region (and worldwide) are able to offset agriculture emissions with land use-related carbon sequestration practices. Lastly, the evidence on small Caribbean island-states reporting the worst-case elasticity scenario (of strong negative decoupling) and performance ratios close to the world median, further supports the need for development plans related to climate change mitigation and adaptation in this sub region. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract The use of residual biomass for the production of bioenergy and biomaterials is often suggested as a strategy to avoid negative effects associated with dedicated biomass production. One potential source is biomass from landscape management. The goal of this study was to find the lowest net greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions of various applications of residual biomass from landscape management. GHG balances of thirteen residual biomass applications were calculated and compared to their respective conventional counterfactuals. As a case study, the potential contribution to climate change mitigation through the use of residual biomass available from vegetation management in floodplains of the Dutch Rhine delta were quantified. The greatest GHG benefits are achieved when using woody biomass to produce heat (−132 kg CO 2 -eq./tonne wet biomass) and grassy biomass to produce growth media (−229 kg CO 2 -eq./tonne wet biomass). In contrast, composting grassy biomass for fertiliser replacement on agricultural fields results in the largest GHG burdens of 62 kg CO 2 -eq./tonne wet biomass. The findings imply that residual biomass from landscape management can contribute to both GHG benefits and burdens, depending on the application. Higher benefits were found for bioenergy than for biomaterial applications. Biomass applications should be chosen with care and consideration of their counterfactuals. Highlights • A life cycle GHG analysis of residual biomass applications was performed. • Counterfactuals were defined to evaluate various application options. • Generally higher benefits were found for bioenergy than for biomaterial applications. • Composting grassy biomass for growth media achieves the highest GHG benefits. • Using woody biomass for the production of heat also provides net GHG benefits. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Within the framework of the 2015 Paris Agreement and the increased acceptance of circular economy (CE) principles of national and local governments, it is essential to study the potential effect on climate change of CE-strategies implemented on an urban scale. The present research quantitatively assesses the potential impact of these strategies on primary material footprint (MF) and carbon footprint (CF) of households in areas an urban area, using the case of Brussels Capital Region (BCR), Belgium. Because the CE-strategies are linked to consumption domains, this assessment first calculates both footprints of consumption domains using a city-level input-output analysis and discusses the relationship between the footprints. The findings show that the carbon footprint of BCR in 2010 was 22 Mt CO 2 -eq. or 20.3 t/cap. The material footprint of BCR in 2010 was 31 Mt or 29.5 t/cap. Important insights are that BCR relies on its hinterland for 98% of its primary materials and 83% of the region's greenhouse gas emissions (GHGs) are emitted outside of its territory. The household consumption domains of food, housing and transport were identified as hotspots in both footprints. Within these domains, we calculated and discussed the potential impact on both footprints of CE-strategies on consumption or production of food, mobility and housing. Results from this case show that with these strategies Brussels could mitigate 25% of its CF and 26% of its MF, 18% of its CF and 26% of its MF, and 7% of its CF and 10% of its MF, respectively. The methodology and insights could therefore support authorities and policy-makers to effectively develop coherent and consistent action plans on consumption domains to improve resource efficiency and reduce the GHGs, simultaneously. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Forest-based bioenergy plays an important role in climate mitigation for limiting global mean temperature increase to below 2 °C. The greenhouse gas (GHG) impact of three forest-based bioenergy systems from the USA, Canada and Spain supplying wood pellets for electricity in the UK were evaluated by conducting lifecycle assessments and forest carbon modelling of the three forest systems. Cumulative emissions were analysed by calculating the forest carbon stock change and net GHG emissions balance of the forest-based bioenergy electricity. The analysis considered both the replacement of the existing electricity mix with bioenergy electricity and forest management with and without bioenergy use. The supply chain emissions and forest carbon balances indicated that GHG emission reductions are possible. However, the cumulative net GHG balance at forest landscape scale revealed that the reduction potential is limited, potentially with no GHG reductions in fast growing forests with shorter rotations, while slow growing forest systems with longer rotations result in greater GHG reductions. This means that the maximum climate benefit is delivered at a different point in time for different forest systems. To evaluate the climate change mitigation potential of forest-based bioenergy it is therefore necessary to consider the management, utilisation and relevant counterfactual of the whole forest and its products. In terms of climate change mitigation potential and minimising possible negative impacts that would require multi-level governance. Highlights • Net GHG balance shows GHG reduction potential of forest bioenergy is limited. • Results are dependent on methods, system boundaries and reference system. • Mitigation potential depends on forest management and whole forest product basket. • Multi-level governance framework require to track wider impacts of forest bioenergy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The contribution of municipal solid waste incineration (MSWI) to anthropogenic mercury and CO 2 emissions have become increasingly important over the past decade. This study developed an inventory of anthropogenic mercury emissions and CO 2 emissions during the period of 2014–2020, of MSWI process in China using a bottom-up inventory at the plant level. Overall, national MSWI anthropogenic mercury emissions increased from 2014 to 2020 by province. It was estimated that total 8321.09 kg of anthropogenic mercury emissions from 548 MSWI plants were scattered in 31 provinces of mainland China in 2020. The average intensity of mercury emission in China was 0.06 g·t−1 in 2020, which was much lower than the pre-2010 level. Furthermore, the increased CO 2 emission generated by MSWI from 2014 to 2020 is 1.97 times. Anthropogenic mercury emissions and CO 2 emissions were concentrated mainly in developed coastal provinces and cities. The general uncertainty of national mercury emissions and CO 2 emissions was estimated to be −123% to 323% and −130% to 335%, respectively. Furthermore, future emissions were predicted from 2030 to 2060 based on different scenarios of the independent and collaborative effects of control proposals, the results indicate that the enhancement of advanced air pollution control technologies and effective management of MSWI represent pivotal factors in realizing future reductions in CO 2 and mercury emissions. The findings will supplement those for mercury and CO 2 emissions, and be useful for relevant policy-making and to improve urban air quality, as well as human health. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We examine the supply chains of post-fire salvage harvest to 28 mills or 10 communities in British Columbia, Canada, and assess the net change in GHG emissions for community bioenergy and biofuels, relative to a 'do-nothing' baseline with fossil fuel use. Lowest-cost supply chains for post-fire salvage had largest hauled biomass for mills in the southern interior of the province, with mills in close proximity to each other having small fibresheds and low haul costs. Supply chains were also quantified for salvage biomass hauled to communities by using a lowest GHG optimization routine that selected between liquid transportation fuels or community bioenergy (heat and/or electricity). For the first few decades, avoided GHG emissions were larger when biomass was used for bioenergy (heat and/or electricity), mainly in larger communities, to avoid fossil fuel burning. As energy systems decarbonized, biomass was used for biofuels, and production was more evenly distributed amongst the communities. Adding these results to an integrated framework with previously published ecosystem emissions and removals assessed the net change in GHG emissions for a post-fire rehabilitation and bioenergy scenario relative to a 'do-nothing' baseline with continued fossil fuel use. We found that there was an initial increase in net GHG emissions even though biogenic emissions from bioenergy were partially offset by avoided fossil fuel emissions. Over time, an enhanced sink from rehabilitation activities combined with avoided fossil fuel emissions resulted in a cumulative (2020–2070) GHG reduction at median levels of −6 TgCO 2 e with a range from reduced emissions of −39 TgCO 2 e to increased emissions 37 TgCO 2 e. Cumulative avoided fossil emissions were −62 TgCO 2 e with a range from −49 TgCO 2 e to −86 TgCO 2 e. • Supply chains of post-fire salvage harvest to communities and mills in British Columbia, Canada. • Integrated framework optimized net GHG emissions for bioenergy from forest rehabilitation. • Net cumulative GHG reduction was −6 TgCO 2 e (range −39 TgCO 2 e to 37 TgCO 2 e) over 50 years. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Food systems contribute 23–42% of global greenhouse gas emissions. Reducing food system emissions is an essential component of climate change mitigation, and a system-wide approach, including production, processing, trade and demand-side transformations, will be needed. Long-term analysis of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions of food supply is crucial for informing this transformation, and understanding the processes contributing to existing trends can reveal opportunities for future mitigation strategies. To address these needs we used data on food supply, trade and emission intensity to quantify changes in GHG emissions between 1986 and 2017 resulting from food supply in the United Kingdom (UK). Uniquely, the relative contributions of supply-side and demand-side changes to historical trends in food emissions were assessed, and the gap between current UK food consumption and EAT-Lancet recommended diets was used to estimate the additional GHG emission reductions that could be achieved by shifting to the Planetary Health Diet (PHD). It was estimated that in the UK, per-capita GHG emissions from food fell by 32% (from 4.6 tCO 2 eq/capita to 3.1 tCO 2 eq/capita) between 1986 and 2017. Of this 32% reduction, 21% was due to supply-side changes (a fall in emission intensity per unit of production due to increased efficiency of farming practices), 10% was due to demand-side changes (including dietary change and waste reduction), and 2% was due to changing trade patterns. Relative to the PHD, however, the average UK citizen still greatly over-consumes beef, lamb and pork, tubers and starchy vegetables and dairy products, and under-consumes vegetables, nuts, and legumes. It was estimated that by adopting the PHD, UK per capita food emissions could be reduced by a further 42% to 1.8 tCO 2 eq/capita. These results expose the historic contributions of both supply- and demand-side changes to reductions in GHG emissions from food, and highlight the underutilised potential of dietary change in contributing to mitigation of GHG emissions from food. [Display omitted] • UK per-capita food emissions fell by 32% between 1986 and 2017. • Supply and demand-side changes contributed to this reduction. • Adopting the Planetary Health Diet could reduce emissions of UK food supply by 42%. • This reveals the underutilised potential of dietary change as a mitigation strategy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As the content of the climate policy to meet the 2 °C targets, actions in all economic sectors, including agriculture, are required to mitigate global greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. Although there has been an ever-increasing focus on agricultural GHG emissions, little is known about the environmental benefits of individual crops, making it challenging to link production to consumption (including trade) and GHG emissions. In this study, we estimated GHG emissions related to rice in 227 countries and three sectors, taking time series data from the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) from 1986 to 2017. The results showed that production-based emissions increased by 25.5%, and actual consumption-based presented the same trend while assuming domestic production (no trade) expanded by 45.1%. The reason for the unbalance between the two sectors is that the total transfer volume embodied in the rice trade increased by 151.6% in 32 years. Meanwhile, we found that trade flows increased from low- to high-emission intensity countries, while rice emissions intensity was significantly reduced, contributing to a global GHG emission reduction of an average of 56.3Mt per year. Our results provide a comprehensive, forward-looking assessment of the environmental impacts of global growing rice production and consumption on the main countries and their trading relationships. Thus, besides domestic policies, main importing countries should also consider environmental benefits in developing sustainable international trade to limit the negative environmental impacts of its growing rice consumption. • Differences between production-based and consumption-based GHG emissions are investigated. • GHG transfer embodied in the rice trade regulates the imbalance of production and consumption. • Trade contributed to a reduction of GHG emissions of above 56.3Mt yr−1. • Rice-related emissions deserve more policy attention toward sustainable food systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Agriculture represents about 11% of global anthropogenic greenhouse gas emissions (GHGe). Many climate change mitigation strategies have been evaluated in Mediterranean agroecosystems, including their soil organic carbon sequestration potential. High residue yielding old varieties could constitute a useful alternative, especially for organic farming, which lacks specific genetic material. In this study, old and modern wheat varieties were evaluated under organic (ORG) and conventional (CON) management during a 3-year field experiment under rainfed Mediterranean conditions. Field measurements of biomass components, literature emission factors, and soil organic carbon modeling were combined in an attributional Life Cycle Assessment, in order to estimate GHGe from “cradle to farm gate”. The resulting yield-based carbon footprints of old wheat varieties were significantly lower than those of modern varieties both under CON management, decreasing from 263 to 144 g CO 2 e kg −1 , and under ORG management, decreasing from 29 to −43 g CO 2 e kg −1 . Our results indicate that climate change mitigation strategies in Mediterranean rainfed cereal cropping systems should focus on diminishing GHGe from machinery and fertilizer use, and promoting carbon sequestration. The combination of organic management and old cereal varieties can constitute a promising climate change mitigation strategy in these systems, as low area-scaled GHGe of organic management are combined with enhanced carbon sequestration and a good yield performance of old varieties under these conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To ensure the use of water today does not damage the prospects for its use by future generations, there is need to understand long-term water demand and supply through energy production, conversion, and use. This study aims to develop an integrated framework to assess the long-term impacts of climate change scenarios on water requirements and greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. The framework includes the integration of the Water Evaluation And Planning model (WEAP) and the Long-range Energy Alternative Planning Systems model (LEAP). As many countries are planning to move towards a cleaner electricity grid to mitigate climate change, this work attempts to present the impact of various scenarios on water demand, GHG emissions, and cost effectiveness. This is done by conducting a case study of the western Canadian province of Alberta where more than 85% of electricity is generated by fossil fuels. This paper provides a comprehensive overview of nine integrated LEAP-WEAP climate change scenarios for the years 2015–2050 by forecasting water consumption and greenhouse gas emissions from the power sector. The economic aspects of the developed scenarios are discussed in the form of a cost curve that shows the GHG saving potential, water use, and GHG mitigation costs for each scenario. For the Business-As-Usual (BAU) scenario (coal power phase out by 2030), GHG emissions and water demand will fall by 44% and 34%, respectively, in 2030. The integrated results show that the scenarios will mitigate carbon emissions but will result in higher water consumption, which will directly affect water resources in the region. Because of the high investment cost to install the considered renewable power plants in the climate change scenarios, the cost of mitigating carbon emissions in the power sector is high. Early coal-to-gas power plant conversion is the only scenario that is expected to save water (67 million m 3 ) and reduce emissions (40 million tonnes of CO 2 eq.) and be cost effective ($68/tonne of CO 2 eq.). These LEAP-WEAP model results can help create awareness among policy makers to understand the water-energy demand and supply relationship in a quantifiable way. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Energy-saving certificate trading programs within the U.S. have not had the success of their counterparts abroad due to the energy efficiency reduction targets not being stringent enough to incite trading. Programs exist in Italy, Denmark, France, the UK and Australia, and each is unique in what it allows to qualify, its units, and other details. The Italian market is the most robust in terms of volumes traded, but programs in Australia are strong and growing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Overwhelming evidence has shown that, from the Industrial Revolution to the present, human activities influence ground-level ozone (O 3 ) concentrations. Past studies demonstrate links between O 3 exposure and health. However, knowledge gaps remain in our understanding concerning the impacts of climate change mitigation policies on O 3 concentrations and health. Using a hybrid downscaling approach, we evaluated the separate impact of climate change and emission control policies on O 3 levels and associated excess mortality in the US in the 2050s under two Representative Concentration Pathways (RCPs). We show that, by the 2050s, under RCP4.5, increased O 3 levels due to combined climate change and emission control policies, could contribute to an increase of approximately 50 premature deaths annually nationwide in the US. The biggest impact, however, is seen under RCP8.5, where rises in O 3 concentrations are expected to result in over 2,200 additional premature deaths annually. The largest increases in O 3 are seen in RCP8.5 in the Northeast, the Southeast, the Central, and the West regions of the US. Additionally, when O 3 increases are examined by climate change and emissions contributions separately, the benefits of emissions mitigation efforts may significantly outweigh the effects of climate change mitigation policies on O 3 -related mortality. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Wood and other bio-based building materials are often perceived as a good choice from a climate mitigation perspective. This article compares the life cycle assessment of the same multi-residential building from the perspective of 16 countries participating in the international project Annex 72 of the International Energy Agency to determine the effects of different datasets and methods of accounting for biogenic carbon in wood construction. Three assessment methods are herein considered: two recognized in the standards (the so-called 0/0 method and −1/+1 method) and a variation of the latter (−1/+1* method) used in Australia, Canada, France, and New Zealand. The 0/0 method considers neither fixation in the production stage nor releases of biogenic carbon at the end of a wood product's life. In contrast, the −1/+1 method accounts for the fixation of biogenic carbon in the production stage and its release in the end-of-life stage, irrespective of the disposal scenario (recycling, incineration or landfill). The −1/+1 method assumes that landfills offer only a temporary sequestration of carbon. In the −1/+1* variation, landfills and recycling are considered a partly permanent sequestration of biogenic carbon and thus fewer emissions are accounted for in the end-of-life stage. We examine the variability of the calculated life cycle-based greenhouse gas emissions calculated for a case study building by each participating country, within the same assessment method and across the methods. The results vary substantially. The main reasons for deviations are whether or not landfills and recycling are considered a partly permanent sequestration of biogenic carbon and a mismatch in the biogenic carbon balance. Our findings support the need for further research and to develop practical guidelines to harmonize life cycle assessment methods of buildings with bio-based materials. [Display omitted] • Life cycle assessments of the same multi-residential building were carried out by experts from 16 countries. • Effects of methods and datasets of biogenic carbon accounting in wood construction were identified. • Different end-of-life scenarios (incineration, landfill, recycling) cause variations in the results. • Different interpretations of the permanence of storing biogenic carbon in landfills also cause variations in the results. • The input and output flows of biogenic carbon must be balanced to correctly assess its climate change impacts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • Global land-use impacts of China's bioenergy import schemes were explored. • Major sustainability concerns arise when relying on any single market for biomass import. • Economically optimized biomass import can partly mitigate sustainability tradeoffs. Most ambitious climate change mitigation pathways indicate multifold bioenergy expansion to support the energy transition, which may trigger increased biomass imports from major bioenergy-consuming regions. However, the potential global land-use change and sustainability trade-offs alongside the bioenergy trade remain poorly understood. Here, we apply the Global Biosphere Management Model (GLOBIOM) to investigate and compare the effects of different increasing bioenergy import strategies in line with the 1.5℃-compatible bioenergy demand in China, which is projected to represent 30% of global bioenergy consumption by the middle of the century. The results show that sourcing additional bioenergy from different world regions could pose heterogeneous impacts on the local and global land systems, with implications on food security, greenhouse gas emissions, and water and fertilizer demand. In the worst cases under strict trade settings, relying on biomass import may induce up to 25% of unmanaged forests converted to managed ones in the supplying regions, while in an open trade environment, increasing bioenergy imports would drastically change the trade flows of staple agricultural or forestry products, which would further bring secondary land-use changes in other world regions. Nevertheless, an economically optimized biomass import portfolio for China has the potential to reduce global overall sustainability trade-offs with food security and emission abatement. However, these benefits vary with indicator and time and are conditional on stricter land-use regulations. Our findings thus shed new light on the design of bioenergy trade strategies and the associated land-use regulations in individual countries in the era of deep decarbonization. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Biomass use and recycling are among the few options to reduce the greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions of the growing plastics sector. The bio-based plastic polyethylene furanoate (PEF) is a promising alternative to polyethylene terephthalate (PET), in particular for small bottle applications. For the first time, we assessed the life cycle global warming potential (GWP) for 250 mL PET and PEF bottles over multiple mechanical (MR) and chemical (CR) recycling trips in the Netherlands. We found that bio-based PEF would offer 50–74% lower life cycle GHG emission after one recycling trip compared to PET, depending on the waste management case. Our results also show that deposit-based recycling systems significantly reduce the cumulative cradle-to-grave net GHG emissions for both bottle types, especially when multiple recycling trips are applied. We propose complementary material utility (MU) indicators to reveal synergies and trade-offs between circularity and GWP: While deposit-based CR shows the best performance in terms of MU, it falls behind deposit-based MR when it comes to net GHG emissions due to the energy intensity of CR. Hence, combining mechanical and chemical recycling could contribute to achieving the goals of the circular economy and climate change mitigation alike. [Display omitted] • A circular bioeconomy could reduce the growing environmental impact of plastics. • Bio-based PEF offers 50–74% lower life-cycle GHG emission than PET in 250 mL bottles. • Deposit-based recycling systems lower GHG emissions and increase material utility. • Multiple recycling trips improve the performance of deposit-based recycling systems. • We show trade-offs between mechanical and chemical recycling systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Biomass plays a dual role as an energy source and a solution for climate change mitigation. There are complexities surrounding decentralized electricity generation, and Ghana could not achieve its 10% renewable energy target in 2020. The paper assesses the greenhouse gas mitigation potential and economic impact of electricity from major food crop residues subjected to anaerobic digestion technology in 16 regions and 88 districts in Ghana from 2017 to 2020. Buswell equation was applied to calculate the biogas and methane yield. The environmental impact assessment was expressed as global warming potential, and the economic feasibility was conducted. The results showed that crop residues' annual theoretical and technical potential was 28.92 Mt and 17.24 Mt. The top four residues with the largest share of technical potential were maize (5.41 Mt), yam (3.58 Mt), plantain (3.05 Mt) and cassava (2.39 Mt). Biogas and electricity potentials were 1,912.74 Mm3 and 3,068.34 GWh, which could offset 15.56% of electricity consumption in Ghana. The Ashanti (478.18 GWh), Eastern (430.20 GWh), Bono East (318.29 GWh) and Northern (314 GWh) regions demonstrated the highest electricity potential. Ghana could generate the highest electricity potential of 46.52 GWh in the districts and a minimum potential of 0.89 GWh annually. Power generation potential from anaerobic digestion had a diesel displacement capacity of 923.35 × 10 6 L with a GHG emissions reduction of 2,507.35 kt CO 2 eq. The largest GHG reduction potential was 38.15 kt CO 2 eq at the district level. The findings show that the project is economically viable, with an average net present value of $ 10,105,904 per region and an electricity cost of $ 0.0321/kWh. The study provides critical insights to policymakers and industry developers for decentralized biomass-based electricity generation in Ghana. • A sustainable crop residue assessment is conducted in Ghana. • The total biogas-based electricity is 3,068.34 GWh. • Ashanti region has high electricity (478.18 GWh) than Greater Accra (9.82 GWh). • The total GHG mitigation is estimated as 2507.35 kt CO 2 eq. • The project is economically viable at a cost of $ 0.0321/kWh. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]