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Ecological carbon sinks play a crucial role in global carbon cycling and climate mitigation, making their effective management essential. This study develops a novel risk zoning and multifactor analysis framework for ecological carbon sink management in Yunnan Province, China, a region recognized for its ecological diversity and carbon sequestration potential. Our results reveal that high-priority ecological carbon sink zones, mainly in the southwest and western regions, cover 20% of the total area and contain over 60% of the province's carbon stocks. In contrast, high-risk zones, primarily in urbanized regions, show a reduction in carbon sequestration, with emissions exceeding 25.7 million kg due to urban development and landscape degradation. The analysis delineated five distinct risk zones; urgent intervention zones, risk control zones, priority restoration zones, long-term conservation zones, and integrated management zones. Notably, urgent intervention and priority restoration zones, while representing just 9.6% of the area, are critical for protecting over 40% of the carbon sequestration potential. The comprehensive risk zoning framework, combining principal component and canonical correspondence analysis (PCA-CCA), effectively integrates landscape indicators, socio-economic factors, and natural elements. Our innovative, data-driven approach offers strategic insights into managing carbon sinks while balancing ecological integrity and socioeconomic needs, providing a replicable model for ecosystem management. The framework presented in this paper. [Display omitted] • Created a zoning framework combining carbon sink priorities with landscape risks for precise ecological risk management. • Established a zoning matrix for differentiated strategies to enhance carbon sink conservation and mitigate ecological risks. • Integrated PCA and CCA for assessing ecological carbon sinks, revealing impacts from landscape and socio-economic factors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

There is increasing recognition in science and policy that the current nature and climate change crises are highly intertwined, and that these need to be jointly addressed. Within the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), the Race to Zero (R2Z) and the Race to Resilience (R2R) campaigns foster climate action by cities, regions, businesses, investors, and civil society organizations for mitigation and adaptation. The campaigns are part of UNFCCC-backed institutional arrangements linking intergovernmental climate governance with actions beyond national commitments to support the implementation of the Paris Agreement, also referred to as the Global Climate Action Agenda (GCAA). Both mobilization campaigns highlight and promote the contribution of nature to climate mitigation, adaptation, and resilience. Yet, the integration of nature in climate ambition is more complex than indicated in the calls to action. We here identify key areas of concern in the alignment of climate and biodiversity goals, discussing the biophysical and socio-ecological considerations relative to (i) practices for enhancing land-based and marine sinks to limit warming; (ii) the unpredictability of biodiversity dynamics under climate change; (iii) the spatial scale at which actions can be implemented; and (iv) the types of metrics that can be used for tracking progress. We provide recommendations for the two mobilization campaigns to integrate in their criteria and metrics frameworks to support effective and equitable actions that deliver for climate, but also for nature and people. We then make a call to action for transdisciplinary knowledge production and dissemination that strengthens science-policy interactions. [Display omitted] • Nature's contribution to climate mitigation and adaptation is increasingly recognized in science and policy. • The integration of nature in climate actions presents risks for climate, biodiversity and people. • Risks encompass bio-physical challenges, social trade offs, and equity concerns. • UN-backed mobilization campaigns can promote alignment goals for climate, nature, and people. • This article makes recommendations to strengthen standards, transparency, and accountability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As the importance of non-state mitigation actions in the transition to a low-carbon economy becomes firmly established, a rapidly growing number of companies are setting corporate climate mitigation targets. Shareholders increasingly value these commitments, conveying the impression of good future carbon performance. However, a critical question emerges: why do some companies progress better than others toward their climate mitigation targets? There is currently a lack of empirical literature assessing companies' progress against their mitigation targets. Using a new indicator to evaluate the progress against individual corporate climate mitigation targets in a comparable manner, this study presents an explanatory analysis of 120 determinants applied to 4341 climate mitigation targets (scope 1 and 2 emissions) of 2975 companies reporting to the 2020 CDP questionnaire. The target progress assessment shows that 30% of targets have increased emissions since their base year, 15% have reduced their emissions but not at a sufficient pace, while 55% were on track to achieving or had already achieved their targets. In addition, 18% of targets were already achieved the year the target was set, which may be due to choosing a base year with unusually high emissions. The findings reveal 19 key determinants significantly associated with the progress against corporate targets and highlight future research orientation. Our results indicate better progression by companies having absolute targets with longer timeframes and disclosing additional, as well as remuneration links to climate-related issues. Companies with more ambitious targets progress less than others, except when the ambitious targets are approved by the Science-Based Targets initiative. The latter implies ambitious targets from some firms may only be symbolic, and that investors should consider both target ambition and progress. Clear guidance and regulations should be implemented by policymakers to prevent misleading target information. Future research should address limitations related to reliance on self-reported data and exclusion of scope 3 emissions targets, along with the research directions suggested by the findings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Carbon emissions elimination in the rapid urbanization areas contributes to regional sustainable development and global climate change mitigation. With the target of carbon neutrality, the global top-class Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei Urban Agglomeration which confronts with the dual pressure of excess carbon emissions and shrink ecological space has increased its carbon reduction coordination cooperation, among which energy consumption carbon emission control and natural resource sink maintenance have been recognized as the key strategy. However, the study on carbon balance prediction is lack and the amount of energy consumption carbon emissions in the future can be offset by the ecological carbon sink is still unknown. To estimate the gap to carbon neutrality, this study proposes a framework for carbon offset analysis and prediction which takes various carbon emission scenarios and the potential of natural resource on carbon reduction into consideration. After the framework conduction in the agglomeration, it is revealed that the regional least carbon emissions of 29.51 Mt mainly derive from the population and economic growth brought by urbanization process, while the carbon sink predicted to be 2552.31 Kt is still far to cover the emissions. With the regional carbon offset rate decline from 0.68% to 0.63%, the ecological carbon sink in Beijing will offset 1.21% of its carbon emission, while the least ecological space keep city Tianjin is predicted to suffer the lowest offset rate of 0.09%. The research results contribute to recognize the key factors on carbon emission control and key areas for carbon maintenance in following years, as well as narrowing the gap to neutrality with both consideration of carbon emission reduction and sink maintenance. [Display omitted] • Framework on energy consumption carbon offset analysis was established. • Regional carbon emissions, sinks and offset rate were predicted. • Drop from 0.68% in 2020 to 0.63% in 2030, the declining offset rate indicates the gap to neutrality is still large. • Implications for each area's carbon emission offset rate improvement were discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cities face twin challenges of changing climate and urban heat island (UHI) effect, with the environmental implications of urbanization still unclear. This study employs the Weather Research and Forecasting (WRF) model to examine the impacts of urbanization in the Greater Bay Area (GBA) during warm and cold seasons in past (2000) and near-future (2030) scenarios [i.e., under shared socioeconomic pathways (SSP): SSP1-26, SSP2-45, and SSP5-85]. Datasets from the World Urban Database and Access Portal Tools (WUDAPT) were incorporated into the WRF model to improve the representation of urbanization effects on weather patterns. Our findings indicate that urban expansion significantly increases urban temperatures and decreases wind speed across selected climate change scenarios. The spatially averaged urban temperatures in the fine resolution domain for 2030 could rise by 0.9 °C (warm season) and 2.4 °C (cold season), respectively, and urban wind speed decreases by ∼ 3 m/s under the SSP5-85 scenario. In cold season, the UHI effect could last over 20 h, while urban area may experience cooler nighttime temperatures than rural areas in warm season. Moreover, the future scenario predicts higher daytime O 3 levels due to the warming effects of climate change and urbanization, but lower nighttime levels in warm season, attributed to intensified south-easterly sea breeze and background winds, when compared to the past scenario. This study highlights the importance of incorporating urbanization and climate change in future urban atmospheric environment studies, and underscores that urban climate change adaptation and mitigation should consider extra impacts on built-environment caused by urbanization. • Climate change and urbanization impacts on meteorological and O 3 fields were explored in GBA. • Urbanization and climate change are expected to raised temperatures by 0.9 °C in warm season over the study area. • Urbanization and climate change are expected to raised temperatures by 2.4 °C in cold season over the study area. • Urbanization is expected to reduce wind speed by 3 m/s and intensify sea breeze penetration over the study area. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The European Union (EU) has consistently held a prominent global position in climate governance. This paper compiles 152 climate neutrality policies issued by the European Commission (EU Commission) and employs a systematic analytical framework including "Vertical Policy Hierarchy - Horizontal Policy Path – Systematic Policy instruments" to conduct an in-depth analysis of the EU's climate neutrality policy system. This study produces several findings as follows: First, the EU's climate neutrality policy hierarchy is characterized by a structure comprising "Long-Term Planning – Specific Measures - Financial Support". Second, the EU's policy formulation process for climate neutrality emphasizes the integration of a multi-party engagement mechanism involving "Nongovernmental Level - Regional Level - National Level - Transnational Level - Supranational Level", while extensively employing a "framework-content" policy-making methodology. Third, the EU's climate neutrality governance is guided by the dual objectives of achieving a "Cleaner Energy Structure" and "Recover Ecological Environment" pursuing a broad-ranging and multi-tiered policy pathway towards climate neutrality. Fourth, the EU leverages a combined approach of mandatory measures and guiding policies to propel the climate neutrality governance process, aspiring to achieve breakthroughs in new energy technology innovation through climate neutrality governance, thereby solidifying its international standing. Moreover, this study provides an outlook on the future of the EU's climate neutrality policy governance, positing that the EU's emphasis on climate neutrality governance will remain undiminished, with a heightened focus on guiding policies and an emphasis on the roles of enterprises and the public in advancing the realization of climate neutrality. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Electricity demand is a crucial factor in energy system planning. Understanding future electricity demand is vital for developing effective energy and climate policies, as well as establishing a resilient and sustainable energy system. In light of these considerations, the escalating challenges posed by climate change are anticipated to have a substantial impact on electricity demand. This study, therefore, provides a comprehensive analysis delving into the dynamic nature of Temperature Response Functions (TRFs) of electricity demand across Europe. By examining various factors influencing electricity demand in residential buildings, such as thermal insulation, heating electrification, space cooling, and passive cooling, we aim to understand their collective impact on shaping future Temperature Response Functions. To project electricity demand, our study incorporates these factors into our scenario assumptions. Through a comprehensive investigation of these scenarios, our findings reveal distinctive regional influences of these factors. In regions where heating demand prevails, an initial increase in electricity demand is anticipated due to increased electrification rates. However, improved building thermal insulation is expected to substantially reduce winter electricity demand in the long run. Conversely, in regions with pronounced cooling demand, a notable escalation in electricity demand is foreseen due to increased space cooling penetration rate. Nevertheless, the application of effective passive cooling measurements is expected to mitigate and markedly diminish this increase. By highlighting the differential influences of these factors on electricity demand across Europe, our findings can offer valuable insights and guidelines first for energy system modelers for considering the change in Temperature Response Functions and second for policymakers to develop effective climate change adaptation and mitigation strategies. • Examination of the dynamic characteristics of Temperature Response Functions (TRFs). • Space and passive cooling, electric heating, insulation effects on electricity demand. • Projection of TRFs and electricity demand for 36 European countries until 2100. • Thermal insulation and passive cooling are essential for reducing electricity demand. [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]

This study aims to evaluate and compare two integrated processes (Plant A and B) for hydrocarbon production from CO 2. They involve proton exchange membrane water electrolysis for H 2 production, reverse water-gas shift reaction for syngas production, pressure swing adsorption for syngas purification, Fischer-Tropsch synthesis for diesel-range hydrocarbons from CO 2 , and atmospheric distillation for product separation. Plant B additionally integrates a hydrocracking-based upgrading section. The simulations were performed using Aspen Plus® v10, Aspen Adsorption® v10, and Aspen Custom Modeler® v10. The evaluation covers technical, economic, environmental, and multi-criteria assessment (GREENSCOPE). The proposed processes demonstrate the potential to convert CO 2 to hydrocarbons, with carbon conversion rates of 75% and 71% for Plants A and B, respectively. Process energy intensity is 155 and 170 MJ/kg LP for Plants A and B, respectively. Environmental assessment reveals CO 2 reduction, resulting in negative global warming potentials of −2.20 and −0.84 kgCO 2-eq /kg LP for Plants A and B, respectively. The sustainability degree indices for Plants A and B are 1.00 and 0.06, respectively, indicating Plant A as the more sustainable process alternative based on both quantitative and qualitative metrics. Economic analysis shows project unviability in the Brazilian context due to reliance on H 2 production and prevailing pricing conditions. Economic viability requires a price increase of liquid products by 266% and 302% or CO 2-eq abatement costs ranging from 2.05 to 3.43 US$/kgCO 2-eq for Plants A and B, respectively. GREENSCOPE methodology indicates better performance for Plant A across all scores, highlighting a clear connection between the hydrocracking unit and performance indicators. The findings show that these processes align with sustainable development goals (SDGs) targets for climate action (SDG 13), clean energy (SDG 7), industry, innovation, and infrastructure (SDG 9), decent work and economic growth (SDG 8), and responsible consumption and production (SDG 12). Overall, the research moves forward SDGs by offering solutions to cut carbon emissions and promote sustainable industrial practices. [Display omitted] • The overall carbon conversion achieved 71–75%. • The global warming potential is about −2.20 to −0.84 kg CO2-eq /kg LP. • The net present value is about −1066 to −1147 MMUS$. • An increase of 266–302% in liquid product prices is required for economic viability. • A CO 2-eq abatement cost of 2.05–3.43 US$/kg is required for economic viability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • Climate change triggers shrub encroachment into alpine grasslands and snowbeds. • Back from the future aims restore the encroached vegetation through shrub removal. • A multicriteria research protocol is proposed to assess the experiment feasibility. • The data obtained assessed the full comparability of control and manipulation zones. • The protocol allows assess the experiment feasibility and its long-term monitoring. Climate change triggers changes of vegetation floristic composition, physiognomy and even the onset of new successional pathways, requiring adequate, robust and replicable methodological approaches to properly track these changes. In tundra ecosystems woody plants are encroaching into grasslands and snowbeds, inducing their gradual regression. "Back from the Future" is a pilot project performing selective shrub removal from grasslands and snowbeds in the Italian Central Alps to contrast climate-driven shrub encroachment and promote the recovery and active conservation of vegetation communities. Here we propose a multi-criteria research protocol providing a quantitative tool for: a) the set-up of the manipulation experiment; b) the assessment of the full comparability of manipulation and control areas; c) the long-term monitoring of the efficiency of the manipulation experiment. The experiment was carried out in three study sites (Braulio, Cedec, Sforzellina) across an elevation gradient from the subalpine to the nival belts in the Italian Central Alps. At each study site we identified a control and a manipulation zone to assess the efficiency of the manipulation experiment compared to the natural ecosystem dynamics. The multi-criteria research protocol integrates different sampling approaches: mapping and morphological characterization of trees and shrubs; phytosociological survey of permanent plots; grid-point intercept survey of permanent plots; line-intercept survey along transects; allometric shrub measurements along transects. Our data show that this protocol is applicable to different vegetation types, across different elevation belts, and is suitable to match different targets and/or bioindicators of change. Indeed, the limitations of each selected method when individually applied can be overcome by their combination. Our data demonstrate the full comparability of the control and manipulation zone at each of the three study sites in terms of species richness, floristic composition, species coverage, shrub characteristics and volume. Our results supported the feasibility of this protocol as tool for the set-up of the experiment, to assess the full comparability of control and manipulation zones, and perform a detailed monitoring of the effects and the feasibility of the restoration action and the success and efficiency of this pilot project. The protocol elaborated in the frame of this pilot project could be exported beyond the local context and applied to similar mountain regions, especially in the European Alps, for the planning, set up and monitoring of good land management practices aiming to climate change mitigation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • Alpine study sites with a long close-to-nature forestry (CNF) history were studied. • Alternative climate change and CNF management scenarios were simulated. • CNF performs well in ensuring multiple forest ecosystem services and biodiversity. • Climate change requires adaptation of CNF by fostering climate-adapted tree species. • High multifunctionality, including biodiversity, needs diversified management. Close-to-nature forestry (CNF) has a long tradition in European Alpine forest management, playing a crucial role in ensuring the continuous provision of biodiversity and forest ecosystem services, including protection against natural hazards. However, climate change is causing huge uncertainties about the future applicability of CNF in the Alpine region. The question arises as to whether current CNF practices are still suitable for adapting forests to climate change impacts while also meeting the increasing societal demands regarding Alpine forests, including their potential contribution to climate change mitigation. To answer this question, we simulated forest development using the ForClim forest model at two Alpine study sites, together representing a large biogeographic gradient from high-elevation inner Alpine forests (Switzerland) to lower-elevation south-eastern Alpine forests (Slovenia). The simulations considered three climate scenarios (historical climate, SSP2-4.5 and SSP5-8.5) and six alternative management strategies, including both current CNF management practices and climate-adapted versions. Using an indicator based multi-criteria decision analysis framework, we assessed the joint impacts of climate and management on biodiversity and key ecosystem services of the investigated regions, including carbon sequestration (CS) inside and outside the forest ecosystem boundary. The joint effects of climate change and CNF varied, both among and within the study sites along the biogeographical gradient. While CS was more resistant to climate change under current CNF at the south-eastern Alpine site, it was more sensitive at the inner Alpine site, where CS potentials decreased at lower elevations. This adverse effect could be partly mitigated by fostering the use of climate-adapted tree species. However, current CNF and adaptations of it did not meet multiple management objectives equally well: while protection from gravitation hazards and timber production also benefited from this silvicultural practice, biodiversity benefited from CNF variants with low-intensity or no management. In conclusion, CNF has a high potential to continue fulfilling its crucial role in European Alpine forests. A differentiated approach will be needed in the future, however, to identify forest stands where adaptive measures are required, especially at sites particularly vulnerable to climate change. In combination with less intensively managed or unmanaged areas, CNF provides a management portfolio that will help European Alpine forests to meet the demands of future society. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Integrated multi-objective optimization with wood price uncertainty. • Identified trade-offs and synergies, considering wood price uncertainty. • Optimal management allocations shift with spatial and harvest size constraints. • Spatial restrictions and wood price uncertainty impact NPV and carbon sequestration. • Results inform strategic decisions in forest management. Forest ecosystems deliver multiple services crucial for human wellbeing and welfare, with complex relationships among forest ecosystem services (FESs). Implementing sustainable forest management (SFM) policy requires insights into trade-offs, conflicts and synergies among key FESs, necessitating decision-support tools for multiple objectives. However, uncertainty in key parameters adds complexity. We formulated a tri-objective optimization problem concentrating on three vital ecosystem services in Nordic boreal forests: timber supply, climate change mitigation, and biodiversity conservation. Furthermore, future timber price uncertainty was integrated into the optimization model. Utilizing the TreeSim individual-tree growth and yield simulator, we simulated forest growth and yields, carbon stocks, and biodiversity values. Pareto-optimal solutions were found for four distinct management strategies using the epsilon-constrain method to solve the optimization problem. These management strategies differed in spatial restrictions on harvest location and timing, including considerations like harvest adjacency, green-up and maximum harvest opening area (MOA). The analysis revealed trade-offs among all three objectives, with variations influenced by management intensity. Furthermore, within the Pareto solutions for each strategy, a compromise solution was identified based on the knee-point method. The study demonstrated nuanced impacts of green-up constraints related to harvest practices, showing minor effects on harvesting, carbon sequestration, and biodiversity conservation when MOA was restricted to 35 hectares or less. However, more substantial impacts were observed with a MOA limited to 60 hectares or in a strategy without spatial restrictions. Our results underscore the importance of considering multiple objectives in forest management and policy under uncertain wood prices, preventing undesired effects from a singular or deterministic approach. This work provides insights into trade-offs and synergies, contributing to strategic planning and policy design. [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the pursuit of sustainable development, accurate renewable energy demand forecasting holds great significance for climate change mitigation and promoting sustainability. However, renewable energy forecasting has been consistently challenged by seasonality and nonlinearity. Identifying the periodic and nonlinear characteristics concealed within renewable energy sources accurately is still an unexplored problem. Consequently, an innovative nonlinear discrete seasonal grey model is proposed for renewable energy forecasting, which incorporates seasonal dummy variables and a power exponent term for handling the seasonality and nonlinear patterns in time series. Furthermore, an intelligent algorithm matching framework is proposed to augment the flexibility of the newly developed model. For practical purposes, the new methodology is contrasted against a range of benchmarks encompassing statistical, machine-learning, and traditional grey models in forecasting the quarterly total renewable energy consumption in the United States. The proposed model exhibits over 27% improvement rates over its counterparts, achieving the most superior predictive accuracies of 1.45%, 39.27, and 0.79 in MAPEP , RMSEP , and MASEP metrics, respectively. Furthermore, the probability density and sample size analyses are conducted to validate the robustness of the new model, confirming its adaptability and stability towards algorithm randomness and historical information volume. Consequently, the novel model is employed to forecast the short-to-long-terms renewable energy consumption in the U.S., showcasing an upward trend and seasonal fluctuations of the consumption for the forthcoming 24 quarters from 2023Q4 to 2029Q3. These insights can offer valuable implications to the stakeholders such as energy suppliers, utility managers, and policy advocates, highlighting actionable strategies for optimizing renewable energy consumption forecasting and aiding sustainable development initiatives. • An innovative nonlinear discrete seasonal grey model is proposed for renewable energy forecasting. • The optimum algorithm matching the novel model is determined from five alternatives. • The Monte Carlo Simulation and parameter sensitivity analysis advance the robustness. • PSO with the optimal parameter group has been selected for searching coefficients. • The new model possesses higher accuracy and robustness than various competitors. [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]

Energy transitions in Indigenous, Northern and remote communities in Canada promise benefits that go beyond reliable, clean and affordable energy services. The Federal and Provincial governments have committed funding to get remote communities off diesel, acknowledging energy transitions' global and local benefits. Besides climate change mitigation, other benefits, including job creation, income generation, community ownership and local economic growth, are fundamental components of the value proposition of renewable energy projects. However, despite the promises, little evidence of the impacts of renewable energy on communities' local conditions exists. This article looks at the relationship between renewable energy projects and community well-being in Canada. We construct a panel of Indigenous communities and well-being levels using Census data and information about renewable energy projects for the period 1981–2016. The findings suggest that renewable energy is associated with higher levels of well-being. Concretely, having access to renewable energy increases overall well-being by 1 to 5 points on the 0–100 well-being scale, depending on the component of the well-being index considered in the analysis. • Renewable energy and community wellbeing is an essential relationship for successful energy transitions. • The size of the renewable energy projects is strongly associated with higher community wellbeing. • Communities that hold majority ownership of renewable energy projects exhibit higher wellbeing levels. • Solar and wind energy projects are associated with higher wellbeing levels, whereas hydropower is associated with lower ones. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Virtual water trade (VWT) is the trade of water 'embodied' in a product. This paper explores the extent to which bilateral tariffs, World Trade Organization (WTO), and Regional Trade Agreements (RTA) reshape the trade of water across nations and alleviate water scarcity issues. To achieve this goal, we built a panel database on blue (irrigation water) and green (rainwater) VWT among paired trading countries from 1998 to 2002. Using a standard gravity model, we study how the bilateral tariff and WTO/ RTA affect the intensity of blue and green VWT. The results indicate that, on average, a 1% tariff reduction increases the green virtual water trade by 0.219%. In most waterstressed countries, a 1% reduction in tariffs increased blue VWT by 0.416% and green VWT by 0.424%. By crops, we find that tariffs had a negative effect on VWT for the less water-intensive crops, but a positive effect or no effect on the more water-intensive crops. We further find in the most water-stressed countries, RTA facilitated VWT. As a climate mitigation strategy, water-scarce countries can increase VWT, thus reducing the production of water-intensive crops, by lowering tariff rates independently or through trade agreements. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Effective municipal solid waste (MSW) management is a crucial component for sustainable cities, as inefficient waste disposal contributes to the release of about a billion tons of CO 2 -eq in greenhouse gases (GHG) annually. With escalating global waste generation, there is an untapped opportunity to integrate carbon dioxide removal (CDR) technologies into existing MSW management processes. This review explores current research on utilizing MSW for CDR, emphasizing its potential for both energy generation and carbon sequestration. The investigation covers three waste management practices: landfilling, waste-to-energy (WtE), and biochar production, revealing two paths for carbon sequestration. First, MSW serves as a feedstock in bioenergy with carbon capture and storage (BECCS), acting as a carbon-neutral resource that avoids fossil fuel and energy crop use, reducing GHG emissions and generating value through energy production. Second, direct storage of organic MSW and its derivatives, like biochar, in various carbon sinks allows for extended sequestration, offering a comprehensive approach to address the challenges of waste management and climate change mitigation. Moreover, this review advocates for an extended exploration into several subjects including in-depth analysis of waste, research on MSW-derived biochar recalcitrance across different carbon sinks, and understanding the symbiotic connections with GHG-emitting sectors like agriculture and energy. Finally, this review emphasizes the necessity of conducting life-cycle assessment studies to fully discern the benefits and assess the impacts of any future endeavors exploring the role of MSW in carbon sequestration. [Display omitted] • Municipal solid waste (MSW) is an untapped resource for carbon dioxide removal. • Three strategies to utilize MSW for CO 2 removal include landfilling, waste-to-energy, and biochar production. • Carbon sequestration is achieved through MSW-burial and energy recovery with CCS. • Auditing carbon emissions and LCA are necessary to illuminate the impacts of MSW. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With less than 6 years left to achieve the global sustainable development goals (SDGs) by 2030, there is a growing urgency to increase the effectiveness of policy actions by targeting multiple SDGs. Mathematical modeling tools facilitate sustainability assessment in support of integrated policymaking. This study examines the interlinkages between the SDGs with commonly used and broadly applicable energy system models (ESMs) using the 248 indicators defined by the United Nations. The SDGs are classified under the environment (SDGs 6, 7, 12, 13, 14, 15), economy (SDGs 8, 9, 10, 11, 17), and society (SDGs 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 16) domains governing the sustainability framework. The results ascertain that current ESMs are conceived to prioritize energy-related environmental indicators related to SDG7 (Affordable and Clean Energy), SDG12 (Responsible Consumption and Production) and SDG13 (Climate Action) with limited focus on non-energy indicators of the environmental domain, along with little to no coverage of SDGs-indicators allocated within the economic and social domains, respectively. The findings call for expanding the frontiers of ESMs to incorporate emerging systemic interdependencies that extend beyond the traditional "energy-environmental" nexus considering the multi-dimensional facets of sustainable development. For this purpose, a conceptual integrated framework was developed underscoring procedural protocols and technical directives to advance the ESMs-SDGs modeling paradigm through the application of methodological improvement opportunities. Theoretical and practical implications driven by policy and managerial perspectives were also discussed. In closure, this study can inform stakeholders about the gaps (sustainability issues and corresponding targets-indicators) that are imperative to address in modeling the SDGs and how to leverage existing ESMs into integrating a broader range of SDGs beyond traditional considerations. The improved outcomes are expected to facilitate integrated sustainable policy planning and formulation in pursuit of operationalizing the SDGs for the timely attainment of the 2030 agenda. [Display omitted] • Shortlisted ten commonly used and broadly applicable energy system models (ESMs). • Systematic interlinkages mapping among ESMs and SDGs using 248 indicators. • Ranked SDGs-indicators coverage within ESMs using a customized scoring system. • ESMs focus on energy-environmental indicators followed by economic and then social. • Proposed conceptual integrated framework for advancing ESMs-SDGs modeling paradigm. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Healthcare organisations have a significant carbon footprint due to their substantial energy consumption and waste generation. The existing literature has mostly focused on examining the isolated impact of specific green organisational practices on individual dimensions of environmental performance. Hence, policy makers and practitioners still lack a holistic view of how combinations of green organisational practices can mitigate the impact on climate change of healthcare organisations. Drawing on the practice-based view (PBV) of strategy, the study first examines the extent to which the adoption of imitable, individual green organisational practices impacts on the whole climate change mitigation performance of publicly owned hospitals. Second, it explores possible combinations of green organisational practices that can lead to high levels of climate change mitigation performance. Focusing on the illustrative case of publicly owned acute care hospitals in the English National Health Service and employing a two-stage Data Envelopment Analysis and a fuzzy set Qualitative Comparative Analysis (fsQCA), the analysis shows that the adoption of the practice of green energy procurement can, in isolation, positively lead to high climate change mitigation outcomes. Moreover, high performance levels can be achieved through multiple configurations of green organisational practices. Therefore, the findings suggest that the effectiveness of green organisational practices on climate change mitigation performance of hospitals depends on how practices are combined, rather than on their single effects, and indicate the presence of a complementary as well as a substitution effect between practices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Carbon neutrality strategies have a significant role in climate mitigation efforts. As global concerns regarding climate change continue to increase, achieving carbon neutrality has emerged as a paramount objective for reducing greenhouse gas emissions and limiting the adverse impacts of anthropogenic activities on the environment. This research investigates a wide range of scholarly works to conduct an in-depth analysis and synthesis of the relevant information about carbon neutrality strategies. The review introduces carbon neutrality principles and terminologies, highlighting their importance in climate mitigation. It then proceeds to explore the wide range of strategies employed across different sectors and industries, investigating their effectiveness, scalability, and potential challenges. A multidimensional analysis contrasts the United States Nationally Determined Contributions pathway 2023, China's Nationally Determined contributions 2023, and the EU Directive 2023/2413, assessing their economic, environmental, political, and social impacts. The study evaluates strategies' effectiveness, scalability, and innovation for transitioning to a sustainable, low-carbon future. It fills a gap by analyzing global approaches across the US, China, and the EU, which account for about 50% of the world's total GHG emissions. It evaluates the novel application of diverse strategies, from renewable energy transitions to innovative policy measures, highlighting their potential to mitigate climate change effectively. By providing a multidimensional analysis of these strategies' impacts, the research not only enhances understanding of effective carbon neutrality tactics but also underscores the importance of international cooperation in realizing a sustainable, low-carbon future. • Identifies and analyzes carbon neutrality strategies, emphasizing the need for diverse US, Chinese, and EU approaches. • Evaluate renewable energy, carbon capture, and policy tools for carbon reduction effectiveness, scalability, and innovation. • Highlights the study's novelty in synthesizing current knowledge on carbon neutrality, addressing a significant research gap. • Concludes with strategic ideas for international collaboration and policy development for low-carbon futures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The number of patent ap plications for climate change mitigation technologies (CCMT) in China has shown a rapid development trend over the past decade. This study applies social network analysis (SNA) method and directed time-exponential random graph model(TERGM), while considering endogenous network structure variables, node variables and external network covariates, to analyze the Climate Change Mitigation Technology Innovation Cooperation Network (CCMTICN) formed in Chinese provinces, and analyzes the influencing factors and evolution of the CCMTICN from 2011 to 2021 using CCMT patent data from the Himmpat database. The results show that CCMTICN shows obvious core-edge structural characteristics; endogenous network structural variables have a non-negligible influence on the formation of the network, and other factors such as the information exchange network, industrialization level, knowledge level, and the degree of governmental intervention can promote the formation of CCMTICN; whereas, foreign direct investment, urbanization level, and carbon dioxide(CO 2) emissions can inhibit the formation of CCMTICN. When considering the 11-year time effect of CCMTICN, it is found that the CCMT cooperative relationship between provinces remains relatively stable. • Edge weights set by cooperative patents between provinces. • Examined CCMTICN factors over three periods using TERGM. • Added Baidu index to network variables; assessed CO2 impact. • Time effects in TERGM analyzed for network stability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Despite the use of biochar as a soil amendment has been widely studied as a promising strategy for climate change mitigation, to date, due to the extremely heterogeneous nature of this material, there is not a general agreement of the scientific community about its soil amendment potential. In the present paper, a comprehensive approach has been adopted to test the short-term effects of biochar alone or in combination with compost on soil biochemical properties related to C and N cycling functions, microbial community, and lettuce (Lactuca sativa L.) yield in a Mediterranean environment. With this purpose, a randomized block field trial was set up within an experimental area of about 500 m2. The four treatments tested were: 1) Control (C), no treatment; 2) Compost (CMP); 3) Biochar (BIO); 4) Compost-Biochar mixture (CMP + BIO in the ratio 9:1 w /w). After 45 days of cultivation, the biomass of well-developed lettuce plants was increased from 2- to 2.5-fold in all amended soils with respect to the control one. The CMP amended soils showed a higher effect with respect to the BIO amended soils on enzymatic activities (increase in β-glucosidase, SEI, synthetic enzymatic index, and butyrate esterase) and microbial community structure evaluated by the Ester-linked Fatty Acid Methyl Ester (El-FAME) profiling (increase in G- bacteria, total fungi, and AMF). The increase in the activity and abundance of the microbial community in CMP amended soils could indicate that the organic matter provided by the compost is more readily mineralized than that added with the biochar. Moreover, the BIO amended soils showed the lowest qCO 2 and ecoenzymatic C:N ratio and the highest q MIC (1.4 %), indicating a C immobilization process into the microbial biomass and a greater limitation for N with respect to C, offset by an increase in N-cycling enzyme activity. In the short term, even if the number of well-developed plants increased in all treated soils, a boost of soil C and N cycling was evident with CMP and BIO amendments respectively. Conversely, the combination of CMP with BIO (CMP + BIO) did not provide any synergic effect, probably because requiring longer periods. For these reasons repeated combined treatments can be suggested to reach a cumulative effect on soil quality over time using a balanced C:N ratio in the mixture amendment. • The number of well-developed plants (Lettuce sativa L.) increased in all treated soils. • Microbial viable biomass and its enzymatic activity were increased by compost treatment. • Biochar treatment induced C immobilization into microbial biomass and promoted N cycling. • The combining of compost and biochar seems to have had no synergistic effect. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• The arable-to-grassland conversion caused an annual SOC accrual of 0.30 Mg C/ha. • The accrual was unaffected by pre-conversion soil C level. • A steady state in SOC accrual was not observed during the 26 years of grassland. Converting arable land to permanent grassland may favor SOC sequestration and thus climate change mitigation. We studied a field experiment on coarse sand soil that during 1894–1997 was under arable rotation with various nutrient treatments (unfertilized, mineral fertilizer, animal manure), leading to topsoils with different SOC contents. In 1998, the treatments stopped, and a semi-natural grassland has been established with topsoil sampled seven times during the following 26 years. Introduction of grassland increased topsoil SOC content linearly at a rate of 0.30 ± 0.01 Mg C ha−1 yr−1, unaffected by pre-conversion SOC level and with no sign of steady state. By mitigating the loss of SOC associated with continued arable cropping, the overall benefit of this land conversion becomes 0.39 Mg C ha−1 yr−1 during the period 1998 to 2023. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An integrated assessment model AIM (Asia-Pacific Integrated Model) has been used climate change mitigation studies and the core of AIM is a computable general equilibrium model, AIM/Hub. However, the energy representation in the AIM/Hub is abstract and to overcome that shortcoming, this study integrated AIM/Hub with the energy system model AIM/Technology. First, we assessed how the new integrated model differ from the original standalone AIM/Hub. Second, we conducted the exchange of model outputs iteratively and evaluated how the model results converged. Comparing previous and corresponding iteration, the data points with discrepancies greater than 5% at the third iteration were only 5 variables which were minor variables from the full energy system point of view. The macroeconomic implications of climate change mitigation differ between the standalone AIM/Hub and the new integrated model, and however, there was no systematic discrepancies. Overall, the new model is valid for exploring energy-economic scenarios. • The new global AIM (Asia-Pacific Integrated Model) is developed. • AIM/Hub is integrated with the energy system model. • The key indicators show similar trends in original and new models. • Most major variables converge well at the third iteration. • The new model is valid for exploring future global energy-economic scenarios. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Efforts to reduce US emissions from transportation rely greatly on the Environmental Protection Agency's MOVES software to estimate pollutant emissions, a high-precision, computationally intensive tool with many required inputs. To compare numerous scenarios at scale, decision-makers need a faster, user-friendly, and credible emissions estimator. This study introduces MOVESLite, a framework for making fast, highly accurate predictions (with respect to MOVES) of emissions tailored to a user's county, with a limited, more user-friendly number of inputs. MOVESLite uses county- and pollutant-specific models trained on previous MOVES estimates to estimate transportation emissions immediately. While MOVES may take minutes-to-hours to estimate one county-year's emissions, MOVESLite takes approximately 1 ms, with acceptable accuracy. We test MOVESLite performance, comparing thousands of possible models' accuracy for random samples of US counties, and we implement a case study of public transportation planning in Tompkins County, NY. MOVESLite aims to help decision-makers compare and select effective climate action policies. [Display omitted] • We present a new method for swift emissions estimates for transportation policies. • MOVESLite makes predictions in milliseconds, compared to minutes or hours. • MOVESLite uses county-specific models trained on MOVES-estimated big datasets. • MOVESLite models show high accuracy among thousands of sampled use cases. • We demo MOVESLite's value-added in a case study of bus policies in Tompkins County. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper aims to investigate the factors that influence air passengers' intention to purchase the VCO program by applying the extended Theory of Planned Behavior. Furthermore, we examine how the influence of these factors on purchasing intention varies according to passengers' levels of environmental knowledge. We surveyed 319 individuals in Korea who have had air travel experience within the past three years and are planning future air travel. The collected data were analyzed using SPSS 25.0 and AMOS 25.0. To verify validity and reliability, we conducted confirmatory factor analysis and reliability analysis. Hypotheses were tested using a structural equation model, and the moderating effect of environmental knowledge was verified through multi-group analysis. Our findings revealed that personal norms, subjective norms, attitudes, and perceived behavioral control influence customers' intentions to purchase VCO program, in that order. Additionally, a critical aspect of our research is the multigroup analysis that demonstrates how environmental knowledge moderates the effects of attitudes and personal norms on purchase intentions. This indicates that the level of environmental awareness significantly shapes the decision-making process for participating in VCO program. Our study provides valuable insights for developing effective communication strategies to promote VCO program, emphasizing the need for tailored approaches based on individuals' environmental knowledge. This study is the first to analyze the intention to purchase voluntary carbon offset (VCO) program among Korean passengers. We conducted a comprehensive analysis based on the extended Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB) and investigated how the relative influence of each factor varies depending on the level of environmental knowledge. • This paper explores factors influencing airline passengers' intention to purchase VCO programs using the theory. • Personal norms, subjective norms, attitudes, and perceived behavioral control significantly affect purchse intentions. • The study also found that environmental knowledge moderates the impact of attitudes and personal norms on these intentions. • These findings indicate that communication tactics based on environmental awareness are critical for promoting VCO programs. • This study offers significant insights for improving airline passengers' participation in VCO activities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In Mediterranean forests, many species of fungi produce fruiting bodies every autumn, some of which are of great social and economic interest as NTFPs. In addition, these fungi are an essential part of the biodiversity network that ensures the proper functioning of natural ecosystems and that is currently in check due to global change. Therefore, understanding the biogeographic patterns of species-specific fungal productivity is fundamental to anticipate possible changes in the socioeconomic value of our forests and to understand the role they play in the functioning of ecosystems in terms of mitigation and adaptation to climate change. In this study we estimate the future impact of climate change (in Catalonia region, between 2023 and 2100) on five fungal species with high socioeconomic interest in a broad bioclimatic gradient representative of the Mediterranean basin using high resolution at the landscape scale. To achieve this, we use predictive models based on machine learning algorithms and a fungal database resulting from the sampling of more than 100 permanent sampling plots over 20 years. We estimate that current and future productivity patterns differ among species, under different climate change scenarios and bioclimatic regions. Our results suggest that optimal productivity areas may be shifted to higher elevations, making those species with higher productivity at higher elevations the most affected by climate change. This would mean that some species with high socioeconomic value, such as Lactarius deliciosus and Boletus edulis , could be negatively affected in their total productivity in the study area. This study highlights the need to anticipate the potential effects of climate change on fungal productivity and in particular on high socioeconomic value species and to develop management policies oriented to maintain the important role of fungi in natural ecosystems. • We used random forest to assess biogeographical patterns in edible fungal species productivity. • Climate change will reduce annual productivity of high-elevation mushroom species. • Lower and mid-range elevation species may shift fruiting optima to higher elevations. • Climate change may reduce Lactarius deliciosus and Boletus edulis production. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

China has made substantial investment in agricultural research and development (R&D) to promote technological change (TC). Although the role of TC in enhancing agricultural production and mitigating environmental impacts is widely recognized in separate contexts, knowledge about its' effects on food security and the environment, especially with a focus on China, is still lacking. This study uses an agro-economic optimization model to assess the impact of TC on food security and climate change mitigation. Our results indicate that TC plays an important role in improving agricultural productivity, which, in turn, contributes to a comparative advantage in agricultural trade. It also strengthens food security through lowering food prices. By contrast, a higher TC level increases greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, albeit marginally, due to higher agricultural production for exports. This indicates a rebound effect of agricultural productivity on GHG emissions. Therefore, additional efforts are required in China to improve food security without compromising GHG mitigation. • Technological change (TC) enhances China's agricultural production and comparative advantage in trade. • A higher level of TC within China's agriculture and land-use (AFOLU) sectors could contribute to lowering food prices in China. • Increase in TC within China's AFOLU sectors can causes trade-offs between food security and climate change mitigation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Against the backdrop of a fragmented and evolving governance landscape, this paper examines how effective climate commissions are in engaging the public to co-produce local climate action in the UK. Climate commissions are emerging amid heightened concerns regarding the top-down style of policymaking on climate change and resource-constrained local authorities. However, less is known about how they engage the public who are pivotal for climate action, both in signalling greater ambition from governments and through their own mitigation and adaptation efforts. This paper draws on qualitative interviews with an array of individuals both inside and outside climate commissions in the UK, and utilises Cash's theoretical framework of 'salience, legitimacy and credibility' to assess how effective climate commissions are in engaging the public to co-produce local climate action. The findings indicate a discernible chasm between commissions and the broader public. Equally however, they provide hopeful perspectives into the effect that more collaborative engagement, that speaks to local concerns and leverages local knowledge, would have on commissions' 'salience, legitimacy and credibility' and, additionally, the legitimacy of local authorities. Moreover, they suggest that deeper collaboration with local networks of community groups, who are not yet represented on commissions, could foster more sustained climate action. It concludes by considering the novel implications of these emergent insights for the Cash framework and what this means for commissions in their future engagement with the public. • Knowledge co-production resonates in both theory and practice. • Local and grassroot action is critical to meet climate mitigation and adaptation goals. • Ensuring 'salience, legitimacy and credibility' can lead to more effective climate policy. • Climate commissions need to better leverage local knowledge to drive climate action. • Community groups are under-utilised in climate conversations and decision-making. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Carbon capability (CC) is an interdisciplinary, integrative framework. • Develops a new theoretical framework for CC. • Presents new data from an extensive survey on CC of UK householders. • CC in the UK is improving, but too slowly. The urgent need to address climate change requires widespread behavioural changes and structural reforms. However, the adoption of low-carbon practices is limited by individual, social and structural constraints. Carbon capability (CC) is an interdisciplinary, integrative framework which bridges the gap between individual-level behaviours and systemic change. This article develops a new theoretical framework for CC, with insights from the capability approach, social practice theory, and recent work in environmental psychology. Drawing on a nationally representative survey from the UK, CC is evaluated across six key domains of practice: energy, transport, food, shopping, influence, and citizenship. Our revised theory emphasises the diverse forms that CC can take, highlighting the multiple roles that individuals (and other actors) can play in driving climate action, as consumers, influencers, organisational members, and citizens. Results show that the UK population is becoming more carbon capable over time, with increasing knowledge about climate change and some adoption of low-carbon practices. However, transformative change is still lacking. The study highlights the importance of reorienting systems of provision to enable low-carbon practices and set capability ceilings to limit excessive consumption. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Deforestation baselines are inconsistent across REDD+ methodologies. • Current REDD+ methodologies fail to properly measure additionality. • New REDD+ methodologies need to be urgently developed. The number of voluntary interventions seeking to generate carbon offsets by reducing deforestation and forest degradation, generally known as REDD+ projects, has increased significantly over the past decade. Offsets are issued based on project performance in comparison to a baseline scenario representing the expected deforestation in a project area in the absence of REDD+. Baselines from most ongoing REDD+ projects were established following four methodologies approved by the largest voluntary carbon offset certification scheme worldwide, the Verified Carbon Standard (VCS) from Verra. These methodologies often rely on oversimplified assumptions about deforestation that remain overlooked by project developers, certification bodies, and buyers. Here, we explore what these methodological assumptions are and their implications. We then construct alternative deforestation baselines for four ongoing VCS-certified projects using the four VCS-REDD+ methodologies and examine how they differ. Overall, we observe large discrepancies among the project baselines. On average, the highest baseline value we calculate for each project is more than 14 times greater than the lowest value across the four projects studied. This illustrates the lack of robustness and consistency across the VCS-REDD+ methodologies. The results also call into question the additionality of carbon offsets issued based on these methodologies. New baseline methods need to be urgently developed if voluntary REDD+ projects are to reliably estimate their additional contribution to climate change mitigation. The incorporation of causal inference methods represents current best practices in measuring the efficacy of REDD+ interventions. Regrettably, these methods remain largely overlooked by project developers, certification standards, and governmental and international bodies. Dynamic baselines developed by independent analysts could potentially enable project developers to distinguish the impacts of the REDD+ intervention from confounding factors and properly estimate additionality. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Future orientation positively predicts conventional climate action intentions. • Present orientation negatively predicts conventional climate action intentions. • Environmental cognitive alternatives and eco-anxiety mediate these relationships. • Both orientations have positive indirect relationships with radical intentions. Motivating climate action is challenging because the worst consequences of climate change are in the future, triggering a conflict between short- and long-term interests. Prior research suggests that orienting to the future facilitates pro-environmental behavior whereas orientation to the present inhibits it; however, we consider whether different temporal orientations simply make some kinds of climate action more attractive than others. The present study tests this using structural equation modeling with two Australian samples. In a first exploratory model (N = 967), followed by a direct, pre-registered replication (N = 953), we examine how two facets of temporal orientation – consideration of future and immediate consequences – predict intentions to engage in three kinds of climate action at individual and collective levels: conventional private-sphere, conventional public-sphere, and radical public-sphere climate action. Consistent with past research, higher consideration of future consequences and lower consideration of immediate consequences are associated with intentions to take conventional action directly and indirectly via eco-anxiety and/or access to environmental cognitive alternatives. In contrast, consideration of future and immediate consequences are only indirectly related to intentions to take radical action. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Little is known about the level of climate change to which societies can adapt to. • Limits to adaptation are more likely to be reached and breached in the future. • Limits can be viewed from a justice informed perspective and coupled with modelling. • Assessing limits is central to national and international adaptation policymaking. Anthropogenic climate change is already causing dangerous and widespread disruptions in global ecological and social systems and affects the lives of billions of people around the world. Even with scaled-up risk management and adaptation, the limits of adaptation will often be reached. Currently, very little is known about the degree to which societies can adapt to climate change, and where and when limits to adaptation will be reached. In this paper, we conceptualize adaptation limits through a novel methodological framework, assess adaptation limits along adaptation pathways, and propose a research strategy for empirical and model-based limits assessments based on biophysical and socio-economic data. Assessing limits is central to national and international adaptation policymaking. More efficient adaptation can also help climate mitigation efforts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Mixed-methods study, relying on 44 focus groups and a survey in 22 countries. • Cross-country variances in climate change beliefs and transformation pathways. • Climate harm and worry predict support for carbon removal and solar geoengineering. • Support for these technologies hinges on them being tied to credible climate action. • Prioritizing climate policies and action that tackle root causes considered key. As emerging methods for carbon removal and controversial proposals around solar radiation modification are gaining traction in climate assessments and policy debates, a better understanding of how the public perceives these approaches is needed. Relying on qualitative data from 44 focus groups (n = 323 respondents), triangulated with a survey conducted in 22 countries (n = over 22 000 participants), we examine the role that climate change beliefs and attitudes towards climate action play in the formation of public perceptions of methods for carbon removal and solar radiation modification. We find that nationally varying degrees of perceived personal harm from climate change and climate worry predict support for these technologies. In addition to different perceptions of the problem, varying perceptions of the solution – i.e. the scope of climate action needed − shape publics' assessment. Various tensions manifest themselves in publics' reflections on the potential contribution of these climate technologies to climate action, including "buying time vs. delaying action", "treating the symptoms vs. tackling the root causes", and "urgency to act vs. effects only in the distant future". We find that public perceptions are embedded in three broader narratives about transformation pathways, each reflecting varying notions of responsibility: (i) behavior change-centred pathways, (ii) top-down and industry-centred pathways, and (iii) technology-centred pathways. These results suggest that support for the deployment of the climate technologies studied hinges on them being tied to credible system-wide decarbonization efforts as well as their ability to effectively respond to a variety of perceived climate impacts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• We conducted unique public visioning workshops on radical low-carbon lifestyles. • We found strong public support for many low-carbon lifestyle strategies and futures. • Narratives of inaction create a public discourse of delay, undermining this support. • Narratives of inaction held emotional resonances that evoked defensive responses. • Countering this public discourse of delay is essential for meaningful climate action. Urgent action to tackle the climate crisis will only be possible with significant public support for radical lifestyle change. Arguments that seek to delay climate action and justify inadequate mitigation efforts, often termed 'discourses of delay', are widespread within political and media debate on climate change. Here we report the results of novel public deliberation and visioning workshops, conducted across the UK in 2020/2021 to explore visions of a 1.5 °C future. We found that despite very strong public support for many low-carbon lifestyle strategies in principle, entrenched discourses of delay are limiting beliefs that a fair, low-carbon future is possible. Consisting of four overarching narratives of climate inaction (Resisting personal responsibility; Rejecting the need for urgency; Believing change is impossible; and Defending the social contract), this public discourse of delay is characterised by three distinct repertoires (each with its own emotional resonance), that act to weaken support for climate action by producing defensive responses to discussions of low-carbon lifestyle change and undermining public sense of agency. We argue that countering these narratives, and the defensive responses they invoke, is essential for achieving meaningful public action on climate change. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Global climate action is the grand challenge of the 21st century. Large reductions in greenhouse gas emissions are needed, with net-zero CO 2 emissions by mid-century a requirement for many scenarios that restrain global warming below 1.5 °C by 2100. This will require massive deployment of renewables such as ground-based solar and wind, increased long-distance grid transmission capacity, and electrification of much of the global economy. Increased electrification, coupled with rising standards of living in developing countries, will drive ever-larger electricity demand to 2050 and beyond. And the intermittency, land-use, and transmission requirements of ground-based solar and wind present challenges to large-scale deployment to meet Net Zero targets. Space-based solar power (SSP) presents an enticing alternative, and with full reusability of upcoming heavy launch vehicles and modular SSP architectures, the economics of deployment are expected to become favorable in the coming decades. Efforts exist today to deploy demonstrators this decade, with initial production systems by 2050. However, deploying SSP at the scale required to address rising, global electricity demand will itself require orders-of-magnitude greater launch frequencies. If heavy launch frequency does not increase quickly enough, due to environmental concerns, launch site competition, or other bottlenecks, the dropping cost of launch will not be sufficient to enable SSP for global impact this century. A space elevator (SE) development program like that proposed by the International Space Elevator Consortium (ISEC) offers an alternative delivery mechanism for scaling SSP beyond 2050, hedging the risk of reliance on a single delivery system while reducing the time required for large-scale SSP deployment. To de-risk possible futures in which SSP is a major part of the global energy mix this century, a dual space access architecture is proposed, leveraging the strengths of heavy launch and SEs together. Such an architecture would secure the future for green energy on Earth, in 2050 and beyond. • Net-zero CO 2 emissions by 2050 required for many climate scenarios with < 1. 5 °C warming. • Massive deployment of renewables and scale-ups of long-distance transmission required. • Space-based solar power (SSP) is becoming economically viable as an enticing alternative. • Reusable heavy launch must scale-up rapidly to deploy SSP at scale for net-zero. • A space elevator development program would de-risk delivery of SSP at scale. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Climate change poses a significant threat to humanity and human activity is largely responsible for it. Clinical microbiology laboratories have their unintended shares in carbon dioxide (CO 2) emissions. The aim of this study is to estimate CO 2 emission of a clinical microbiology laboratory and to propose initiatives to reduce the emissions. CO 2 emission of instruments was estimated based on their electricity consumption. CO 2 emitted in producing consumables was estimated by weighing the consumables needed to perform major tests in a large academic hospital. A systematic literature review was performed to identify studies on the impact of clinical microbiology laboratories on the environment. A short survey was sent to four major manufacturers of agar plates on initiatives to reduce the environmental impact of their products. Opinion was given on activities that can reduce CO 2 emission in laboratories. The study shows that the largest amount of CO 2 emission in the microbiological laboratories comes from consumables and personnel commuting. For example, the production and transportation of agar plates needed to culture samples for a year in a hospital with 1320 beds result in 16 590 kg CO 2 is emitted. All survey participants mentioned that they were committed to reduce environmental impact of their products. The initiatives to reduce CO 2 emission can be performed at the laboratory and at policy level, such as reducing the number of tests to only the necessary amount to reduce consumables. The calculations contribute to map CO 2 -related emissions in clinical microbiology laboratory activities, and the proposed initiatives to reduce the CO 2 may serve as starting point for further discussions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nature-based solutions (NbS) to climate change, strategies for mitigation and adaptation that rely on natural ecosystem processes to preserve biodiversity and enhance human well-being, hold the potential to contribute to numerous Sustainable Development Goals and uplift Indigenous Peoples and local communities (IPLCs) that pursue place-based livelihoods. The local ecological and societal expertise housed in Indigenous and local knowledge (ILK) could provide substantial benefits to the development, implementation, and evaluation of NbS projects. However, the historical treatment of ILK through misappropriation and biopiracy by the scientific community leave IPLCs politically, socially, culturally, and economically vulnerable to the growing interest in NbS applications to combat climate change. This paper addresses the current state of NbS focused on IPLCs by assessing peer-reviewed literature with criteria developed around the validation, integration, and protection of ILK. The assessment uncovered that most NbS literature does not discuss ILK or the contributions and participation of IPLCs. Such omissions could establish a dangerous precedent of ignoring or misappropriating ILK in NbS projects, possibly ushering in a new era in biopiracy. To facilitate better inclusivity of IPLCs, honor the dual purpose of NbS, and ensure the proper application of ILK in climate response, future NbS projects should detail how ILK is validated, integrated, and protected. • Nature-based solutions hold great potential to help climate mitigation and adaptation. • Indigenous and local knowledge can support nature-based solutions. • Climate projects should validate, integrate, and protect Indigenous knowledge. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The delivery of effective climate adaptation on the ground requires that the (climate adaptation) practitioner community be better incorporated into the process of producing, gathering and synthesizing evidence on adaptation as part of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) process. This is not a recent issue and the co-production of knowledge, that goes beyond the traditional realms of 'science speaks to power', can only fully inform adequate and robust adaptation if it incorporates more practitioners, end-users, and those working at the interface of science, policy and practice. Through a high-level analysis of authors of the IPCC's Working Group II reports and special reports of AR6, we explore the evolution of representation of practitioners in IPCC WGII author teams from AR5 to AR6 and we find that practitioner representation has increased in AR6, however this remains low. We discuss how this low representation can affect readership and the potential to inform climate adaptation practice. As the IPCC evolves and reflects on its own practices, we seek to inform this process by providing further reflection on how the IPCC outputs can continue to be policy-relevant and maintain neutrality while ensuring accesibility and usability by climate adaptation practitioners. • Practitioner representation in IPCC WGII author teams remains low. • Adaptation practitioners provide invaluable knowledge on adaptation best practice. • Increased practitioners participation can help incorporate different perspectives. • The IPCC must prioritise diversity in authorship teams to inform climate action. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Climate change has led to a multitude of ecological disruptions and downstream reproductive health consequences that impair our reproductive capacity and, in turn, harm the health and survival of future generations. Atmospheric changes, driven by anthropogenic emissions, expose global populations to droughts, heat waves, rising sea levels, and extreme weather events-posing major threats to public health and exacerbating environmental health disparities. Existing evidence demonstrates the potential for climate-driven events to impact reproductive health outcomes, yet very few studies have explored this relationship. Recently, the American Society for Reproductive Medicine, the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, and the International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics released position statements regarding reproductive health and environmental exposures. Unfortunately, such initiatives have yielded little action within the health care system. To address this stagnation, health care workers must meld research findings into actionable preventive medicine strategies and transition to a more action-oriented approach to address the climate crisis. The objective of this article is to elucidate the urgency of the climate crisis in relation to reproductive health and push the health care workers to recognize their intrinsic opportunity as leaders in climate action at local, state, national, and international levels. We call on health care organizations and health care workers to leverage their inherent positions as climate action leaders to increase climate resilience and mitigate climate-related adverse reproductive health outcomes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Some of the most influential explorations of low-carbon transformations are conducted with Integrated Assessment Models (IAMs). The recent attempts by the IPCC to look for pathways compatible with the 1.5 °C and 2 °C temperature goals are a case in point. Earlier scholarship indicates that model-based pathways are persuasive in bringing specific possible future alternatives into view and guiding policymaking. However, the process through which these shared imaginations of possible futures come about is not yet well understood. By closely examining the science-policy dynamics around the IPCC SR1.5, we observe a sequence of mutually legitimising interactions between modelling and policy making through which the 1.5 °C goal gradually gained traction in global climate politics. Our findings reveal a practice of 'political calibration', a continuous relational readjustment between modelling and the policy community. This political calibration is indicative of how modellers navigate climate politics to maintain policy relevance. However, this navigation also brings key dilemmas for modellers, between 1) requirements of the policy process and experts' conviction of realism; 2) perceived political sensitivities and widening the range of mitigation options; and 3) circulating crisp storylines and avoiding policy-prescriptiveness. Overall, these findings call into question the political neutrality of IAMs in its current position in the science-policy interface and suggest a future orientation in which modellers aim to develop additional relations with a broader set of publics resulting in more diverse perspectives on plausible and desirable futures. • IAMs legitimised policy commitments to the 1.5 °C goal. • 1.5 °C pathways gained traction through mutually legitimising science-policy dynamics. • Model analysis is calibrated to policy requirements to maintain policy relevance. • Modellers face dilemmas when navigating between policy relevance and policy shaping. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Pakistan's urban air pollution is among the world's worst, wreaking havoc on public health and the economy. Although the country's environmental protection act and the climate change act recognize the dual challenges of air pollution and climate change, it lacks an integrated national strategy to manage both simultaneously. Based on simulations with the GAINS model (an integrated assessment model) through soft coupling with the EnerNEO Pakistan model (an energy-economic model), we assess the benefits of climate policies and air pollution control measures on air quality and public health for Pakistan under the baseline and alternative scenarios. Our results reveal that Pakistan's current air pollution control measures are insufficient to meet the country's air quality standards under the baseline scenario. Implementing sustainable development strategies will reduce nationwide PM 2.5 -related mortalities by 24% in 2050 compared to the baseline. While advanced control measures have the potential to improve air quality and human health in Pakistan, when combined with national sustainable development strategies, they have the potential to halve greenhouse gas emissions (implementing SDG 13 indicator on climate action) and save on emission control costs approximately by a quarter (0.32% of GDP) by 2050. This appears to be a significant co-benefit in terms of air quality (environmental), health (social), and cost (economic), implying that Pakistan's future policymaking should prioritize cost-effective co-control of air pollution and greenhouse gases. [Display omitted] • We studied air quality and health co-benefits under alternative policy scenarios. • Current legislations would result in a 1.5-fold rise in PM 2.5 levels by 2050. • Stringent air pollution control measures would cut PM 2.5 levels in half by 2050. • PM 2.5 mortalities would be decreased by 24% in a sustainable development scenario. • Sustainable development policies would further reduce GHG emissions by 53%. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nature-based Solutions (NbS) are increasingly proposed in international environmental governance settings to address the interlinked crises of climate change, biodiversity loss, and growing inequality. Thus far, scholarly research on NbS has been largely conceptual, and empirical research from the social sciences is widely absent, as are insights into the narratives that surround them. Using the 2019 United Nations Climate Action Summit and the 2019 United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP 25) as a case study, we set out to analyze the range of narratives associated with proposals for (and against) NbS. We used a discourse coalition approach, drawing data from a systematic document analysis of public-facing texts from a range of actors, and expert interviews. Results reveal two central and opposing NbS narratives: 1) Leveraging the power of nature —NbS are multifunctional, powerful, and must play a critical role in addressing global challenges, especially climate change (held by NbS proponents): and 2) Dangerous distraction —NbS are being co-opted to continue with what is seen as the unsustainable, unjust, status-quo (held by NbS critics). Both narratives make use of the ambiguity of NbS, though in contrasting ways, and their respective coalitions reflect and reproduce existing fault-lines in international environmental governance. Our findings indicate that, despite its promise, 'NbS' is currently unable to foster inclusive participation and support transformative change. • Two central and opposing narratives characterize Nature-based Solutions (NbS) discourses. • Proponents position NbS as key to addressing climate change and bridging siloes. • Critics warn that NbS are being co-opted to maintain the status-quo. • Ambiguity is leveraged implicitly and explicitly across NbS narratives. • NbS narratives reflect and reproduce longstanding power asymmetries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Changing environmental data analytics modify perceptions and policies on resources, particularly in terms on mining legitimisations. Enhanced data products are critical for improved planning and execution of extractive activities. Improved data in the mining industry tends to increase definitions and scale levels thus segregating environmental features from each other. This tends to be in conflict with local contingent appreciations of resources and their interactions with broader environmental features and conditions. Data scales and availabilities influence which resource perception dominates and so how mining is justified or antagonised successfully. This paper contributes to discussions that explore resource materialities from analyses of lithium mining. It focuses on the Atacama Salt Flat in contexts of lithium mining and material metrics, and separates itself from focuses on global availability of reserves by taking a narrower discussion on chemical differences that contour abundancy, variety and rarity of materials. This paper is based on fieldwork conducted in 2019 in Chile. It presents the current state of social appreciations on lithium materialities in and around places of extraction in Chile. Centrally, it unpacks an analysis of the social values of lithium and sets grounds for thinking about how a social value of a material becomes prevalent over other social values, particularly in contexts of global material needs and local environmental change for climate change mitigation solutions. • Affordances of data products on the Atacama Salt Flat sustain social values that favour lithium extraction. • Legitimisations to extract materials in the global south benefit from data products that increase metrics and categories of materials. • Contestations to lithium mining in San Pedro de Atacama use dominant discourses that better sustain extraction. • Environmental policy-making need to scrutinise data products from the outset of social values. • Data-driven responsible material sourcing should integrate social value assessments • There is no clear-cut definition of social value respective to the environment and progress on its understanding is context and place specific. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Small Island Developing States (SIDS) face complex socio-economic and environmental threats, making them particularly vulnerable to climate change. Blue Carbon (BC) ecosystems (mangrove forests, tidal marshes, and seagrass meadows) provide climate regulation services by sequestering and storing carbon, presenting an opportunity for SIDS to address climate change and implement Paris Agreement commitments in their Covid-19 recovery. BC habitat decline not only reduces carbon sequestration benefits provided, but can also result in sediment disturbance and the release of previously stored carbon back into the atmosphere. In this work, a scenario analysis informed by a stakeholder workshop and scientific and socio-economic expectations is used to assess the economic importance of Grenada's BC (mangroves and seagrasses) over the next 10, 25 and 50 years. Our findings indicate that sequestration benefits are severely diminished under Business-as-Usual habitat loss, but still marginally outweigh losses from carbon emissions, with overall welfare gains of US$0.5–1.9 million over 50 years. To stimulate economic recovery post-pandemic, stakeholders anticipated a realistic scenario of increased habitat decline resulting in overall losses of US$5.4–19.4 million in the next 50 years. However, if ecosystems are maintained, overall carbon benefits could reach US$10.7 million, while a 20% increase in mangroves over the next 25 years provides benefits reaching US$11.1 million between 2020 and 2070. These results demonstrate a significant increase in value when BC ecosystems are maintained and not disturbed, preventing the release of previously stored carbon and enhancing sequestration capacity. Restoration benefits are marginal, compared to conservation, supporting claims that conservation is more cost effective. • A scenario analysis is used to value Grenada's BC climate mitigation service. • Maintaining BC extents retains sequestration worth up to $10.7million over 50 years. • BAU habitat loss lowers sequestration and releases stored carbon, reducing benefits. • More severe habitat declines result in welfare losses up to US$19.4million by 2070. • Integrating BC into SIDS' Paris Agreement commitments can enrich climate mitigation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Although states continue to work together under the UNFCCC, it is increasingly apparent that not enough is being done, and that a just response to climate change is not being pursued. This paper asks whether non-state actors, such as cities, corporations, and non-governmental organisations might, by contrast, offer hope for such a response to emerge. Using the city of Bristol as an empirical case study, the paper puts forward that non-state actors can not only lower emissions and/or contribute to adaptation efforts, but more importantly have the potential to significantly shift the context of climate change action and create space for systemic change. They therefore offer room for cautious optimism. • Cosmopolitan climate justice centred analysis of non-state actors. • Non-state actors offer hope for a just response to climate change. • Non-state actors can push for systemic change in climate change policy. • City of Bristol, UK, used as an empirical case study. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Climate change has impacted development progress and increased global inequality. Therefore, all emitters, both developed and developing countries, must implement climate change mitigation and adaptation actions. Indonesia is one of the developing countries that signed the Paris Agreement. In its NDC document, Indonesia has pledged to reduce greenhouse gases emission by 29% using domestic resources (unconditional) and 41% with international support (conditional) from the business as usual (BAU) scenario by 2030. This commitment gives Indonesia the right to take advantage of various types of support, including ICF opportunities offered by the ADB through the non-UNFCCC financial scheme and the Global Green Growth Institute through the UNFCCC financial mechanism. This paper explores to what extent ICF supports the achievement of Indonesia's Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC) target. The study uses qualitative analysis to provide a general overview of ICF in Indonesia, its climate finance strategies, and the case study of the energy sector. The study finds that ICF in Indonesia continues to develop, albeit with many limitations. Several ICF channels could be utilized more optimally such as, loan and grant instruments. Indonesia cannot rely solely on international support to meet its enormous climate finance needs; it must develop innovative financing through various instruments, such as green sukuk. ICF also plays a role in facilitating the energy transition from coal-based to renewable energy sources and increasing energy efficiency. • Climate change has impacted development progress and increased global inequality; therefore, all emitters, both developed and developing countries, need climate change mitigation and adaptation efforts. • Several ICF channels can be utilized more optimally, both on loan and grant instruments. • To meet climate finance needs, developing countries (e.g Indonesia) cannot rely solely on international support, and it is necessary to develop innovative financing through various instruments. • ICF also plays a role in encouraging a transformation in terms of energy use from coal-based energy sources to renewable and more efficient energy. [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]

The rapid growth of industrial production signifies its CO 2 footprint and climate impact, highlighting the demand for efficient and energy-saving production scheduling. Generally, a single production job comprises multiple operations on various machines. Existing studies estimate job energy consumption from a broader perspective, often disregarding the detailed scheduling of operations. This simplification may result in inaccurate evaluations of energy consumption and savings, as energy consumption can differ significantly among operations, with each requiring specific levels of energy on various machines. Proposing a new scheduling framework to replace the classical strategy is challenging yet necessary due to these variations. This study aims to investigate the multiobjective flexible job-shop scheduling problem by considering operation-dependent energy consumption and to improve the accuracy and thoroughness of the energy-consumption evaluation framework. First, a core metamodel for energy assessment is established and a mathematical model is introduced to minimize the manufacturing span and total energy consumption. Subsequently, a dynamic diffusion weight adjustment for a multiobjective evolutionary algorithm based on decomposition (MOEA/D-DDWA) is proposed. Operation-dependent energy consumption and processing quality are discussed, and a superior unified energy-saving strategy is designed to facilitate the selection of the processing-speed range, balancing energy consumption and saving. Finally, numerical experiments are conducted based on datasets of various scales, demonstrating that the core metamodel for energy assessment can achieve significant energy savings. Compared with other classical multiobjective optimization algorithms, the MOEA/D-DDWA is more energy efficient. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Addressing the escalating impacts of climate change, this study explores the potential of CO 2 storage in submarine sediments, presenting a promising strategy for sustainable global warming mitigation. We examine the dynamics and stability of CO 2 hydrate caps using magnetic resonance imaging to investigate their spatial-temporal distribution under varying flowrates and storage pressures. Our findings indicate that hydrate caps predominantly expand along the flow direction, influenced significantly by the state of CO 2 (liquid or gas) and operational parameters (storage pressure and CO 2 flowrate). Notably, higher flowrates and pressures expedite hydrate formation, thereby mitigating the risks of injection well blockages and enhancing cap stability. However, excessively rapid formation may compromise cap thickness and effectiveness. The study delineates optimal conditions that sustain hydrate cap integrity, advocating for a minimum safety pressure of 9000 kPa to prevent failure. These insights significantly advance the development of efficient CO 2 storage strategies in submarine environments, offering vital guidance for policy and industry practices aimed at achieving carbon neutrality. By highlighting the technological challenges and solutions associated with deep-sea CO 2 storage, this research contributes to the broader discourse on innovative approaches to climate change mitigation. [Display omitted] • Dynamic formation charactistics and stability of CO 2 hydrate storage cap is revealed. • Hydrate caps mainly expand along the flow direction and shows a spatial dependence. • Higher flowrates and pressures expedite hydrate formation and enhance cap stability. • A minimum safety pressure of 9000 kPa is delineated to sustain hydrate cap integrity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]