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Environmental catastrophes, including the increased severity and frequency of climate extremes, can act as "windows of opportunities" that challenge citizens' mental models and motivate them to engage in reflective processes, challenging their pre-conceived ideas. Less well understood is whether experiencing changing weather conditions, common in mid-latitudes, can have a similar effect and increase the citizens' concerns about climate change and their willingness to accept more stringent climate policies. In this paper, we investigate the effects of changing seasonal temperature on the perceived seriousness of climate change and willingness to mitigate climate change. We use data from four yearly waves of a spatially explicit representative population survey in Germany and weather records from the postal code areas in which they live. To our knowledge, this study is the first analysis to link individual perceptions towards climate change and different mitigation options with seasonal temperature changes at specific locations in Europe. The analyzed perceptions were strongly influenced by socio-demographic characteristics and broader societal changes, as well as individual experiences of seasonal temperatures. The results show that experienced seasonal temperature change influences personal climate change concerns as well as the willingness to mitigate climate change, although with a weaker effect. The results indicate that it is the absolute temperature variation experienced that is important, rather than whether it is getting colder or warmer than usual. Considering the influences identified in this study can offer a window of opportunity for more stringent and targeted climate change policy. • Seasonal temperature changes influence climate change perception. • Effects can offer a window of opportunity for more stringent climate change policy. • Governmental mitigation policy solutions less supported than self-determined options. • Perceptions influenced by broader societal changes as well as individual experiences. • Need for targeted climate change communication. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Climate change poses serious risks to rural communities which rely heavily on climate-sensitive resources. Rural communities are also significant contributors to GHG emissions given the prevalence of agriculture and related activities and are therefore expected to develop courses of action that tackle climate change. This includes either formulating a standalone plan that outlines mitigation and adaptation strategies or integrating these priorities into existing plans. The extent to which municipalities fulfill these planning functions, and how well, has been found to vary considerably from one community to another. In this study, we sought to contribute to knowledge about how well rural municipalities are planning for climate change risks. To this end, we systematically evaluated the contents and quality of rural climate change plans in Ontario (Canada). Using a well-established plan quality evaluation framework, we found that rural plans generally contained strong mechanisms for coordination between departments, and most had outlined specific goals concerning climate change action. By contrast, few plans provided a meaningful fact base to support their goals, many lacked specific policies to guide decision-makers in achieving climate goals, and most contained weak provisions for monitoring and evaluation. After drawing out some key themes from the plan quality analysis, the article concludes by pointing to areas of rural climate change planning that require further attention, and by outlining some areas for further study. • Rural municipal climate change planning is in its infancy in Ontario, Canada. • There is an emphasis on climate mitigation over adaptation. • There is a lack of meaningful fact base to support climate change goals. • Plans lacked specific policies to guide decision-makers in achieving climate goals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Urban areas have key roles in climate mitigation, including increasing renewable energy penetration in smart energy systems. The potential of urban areas in limiting global warming, however, is not quantified. This research work develops a new framework to analyse urban emissions and land use efficiency scenarios with coupling to the transient climate response to cumulative carbon dioxide emissions. Two new parameters that quantify contributions to and avoidance of increments of global warming from urban areas are formulated and applied to twelve scenario combinations. The results for 465 urban areas indicate that a green-growth scenario with lower ambition in reducing urban emissions can lead up to a 0.13 °C additional increment of global warming in 2050 based on the best estimate of the transient climate response to cumulative carbon dioxide emissions. Those of the most ambitious urban emissions scenario with green-growth and renewable energy are limited to 0.06 °C. When combined with the most ambitious land use efficiency scenario for 135 urban areas, it is possible to avoid more than double or 2.09 times additional increments of global warming in comparison to other integrated urban scenarios. The mean and 5–95th percentile range of the results are compared based on 10,000 Monte Carlo simulations. Informing on the urgency to ensure ambitious mitigation action in urban areas can support a climate future that remains within critical thresholds and tipping elements of the planet. [Display omitted] • A new framework couples urban scenarios and increments of additional global warming. • Cumulative urban emissions of 465 urban areas can be 291.04 GtCO 2 eq in 30 years. • A green-growth oriented renewable energy scenario can avoid up to 0.09 °C in 2050. • Cumulative sequestration penalties of 135 urban areas are up to 2.01 GtCO 2 in 30 years. • Joint ambitious mitigation and land use efficiency in this case averts 0.039 ± 0.016 °C. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The port governance literature has charted the trend towards devolution of port services to the private sector, also showing how the increasing influence of external private actors such as shipping lines and global terminal operators affects decisions on expansion and service provision, producing a more multifaceted and polycentric kind of port governance. In this paper we extend these notions to cover both mitigation of and adaptation to climate change. A growing body of literature on green ports discusses the various actions that can be taken to limit emissions in the port area, while another body of literature is growing on climate change adaptation measures, including the uncertain risks and rewards. Both mitigation and adaptation actions are partly linked to the commercial decisions of port actors but also partly driven by external actors (e.g. society, government, regulators). The analysis produces an updated conceptualisation of port governance under climate change, based on four stakeholder groups (public policy, commercial actors, indirect actors and international shipping governance) and produces three key conclusions. First, concession contracts and commercial relationships will need to change, with a more integrated vision and approach to sharing future (sometimes undefined or uncosted) costs and benefits between the port authority and commercial partners. Second, diversification of the port business model will see a larger focus on energy production and provision, requiring the more explicit inclusion of external stakeholders, particularly energy companies, in port governance. Third, port governance will see a return to prominence of the public dimension, both in terms of national decarbonisation plans and particularly regarding adaptation to an uncertain and turbulent future. As ports are both commercial activities and national infrastructure, these different identities will need to be united in a joint vision. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

There is urgent need for the transformation of built environments to tackle climate change. The reduction of greenhouse gas emissions to achieve the Paris Agreement goal of limiting warming to well below 2 °C is of paramount importance, as is planning for future climate change risks. Architects, as designers of the built environment hold an important role in advocating and enabling the necessary mitigation and adaptation actions required in the design and construction of new buildings, and the reuse of existing built fabric – to reduced embodied carbon and achieve operational energy efficiency. Despite the importance, most built environments do not yet adequately address climate change. Limited research has examined the barriers that architectural professionals encounter when integrating climate change action in their projects during their role designing built environments. This is the gap that this research addresses. Interviews with twenty-two Australian architectural practitioners were undertaken, to investigate their experience of barriers to and facilitators of climate change action in their professional practice. Four key themes were found: 1) actors, 2) processes and structures, 3) information and knowledge, and 4) the role of government. Barriers and facilitators were found to be embedded in architects' perception of their role, the processes and practices they undertake, and their relationship with other stakeholders. The facilitators identified can assist drive better outcomes for future design and construction of buildings. Recommendations identified include: 1) build architects' confidence and capability to be advocates; 2) develop of architects' climate change knowledge and competence; 3) transform design processes to be more circular, interdisciplinary and long term focused, and 4) reform current built environment policy to adequately consider climate change. [Display omitted] • Architects are crucial to achieving climate change action, but there is limited information on how to achieve this. • This study interviewed Australian architects about the barriers and facilitators they face to climate change action. • Key barriers for architects to enable change include limited influence, reach and decision-making capabilities. • Barriers and facilitators to climate action are influenced by both internal and external factors. • Identifies initiatives to facilitate climate change action: building knowledge and capacity, and transforming design processes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • The pandemic did not halt, nor slow down climate change. • Africa faces challenges in financing climate action. • COVID-19 drained resources and attention for climate action. • Africa will be less sustainable and resilient post-COVID-19. • Approaches used to address COVID-19 should be adopted for climate change. This study assesses the potential for establishing a sustainable and climate-resilient African economy, post-COVID-19, focusing on Kenya, South Africa, Rwanda, and Zimbabwe. Utilising the United Nation's Climate-Positive Action Framework, document analysis, and a systematic literature review, it examines these nations' investment in climate action. Findings reveal a decrease in climate funding during the pandemic, with notable gaps in climate finance, including reallocations away from climate-related ministries and delays in project implementation. This decline in climate action poses risks to sustainability and climate resilience. To mitigate these risks, the study emphasizes the need for frameworks to mobilize external and domestic resources for climate action. Despite ongoing challenges posed by COVID-19, proactive measures are essential to maintain focus on climate action. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Agroforestry, a sustainable land-use system that integrates trees with crops and/or livestock, is recognized as an effective strategy for synergizing climate change adaptation and mitigation efforts in India. However, the prevalence of limited land under agroforestry indicates the presence of significant constraints hindering its widespread implementation. To address this challenge, the State Action Plan on Climate Change (SAPCC) represents a potentially potent policy tool for driving the expansion of agroforestry at the sub-national level. The aim of this study was to examine (i) how the SAPCCs recognized and reported the benefits of agroforestry for climate change adaptation and mitigation, and (ii) what policy approaches are put forth to operationalize agroforestry in India. For this study, the information on agroforestry was coded using a hybrid approach (a combination of deductive and inductive coding) followed by thematic analysis and peer debriefing (for validation of the generated codes and themes). Many of the mitigation and adaptation benefits of agroforestry are reflected in the SAPCCs. However, the predominant focus of these SAPCCs has been on tree-based agroforestry, with insufficient attention given to the crop-tree-livestock nexus, which could offer greater scope for reducing agricultural emissions. Furthermore, existing constraints to the expansion of agroforestry have not been adequately addressed, and the strategies proposed lack the necessary precision to enable effective implementation on the ground. These shortcomings are further compounded by the absence of accurate budgetary estimates, thereby hindering the ability to execute meaningful actions at the grassroots level. The results of this study could offer valuable perspectives on how the potential benefits of agroforestry may be harnessed more prudently to realize mitigation and adaptation outcomes in India while aligning with the country's Nationally Determined Contributions and building sustainable livelihood. [Display omitted] • India's sub-national climate change action plans acknowledge agroforestry's potential for climate change adaptation and mitigation. • However, the plans primarily focus on adding trees to expand agroforestry and overlook the potential of agrosilvopastoral systems. • The existing constraints of agroforestry adoption in India are not sufficiently addressed, and budget estimates vary significantly among states. • To address these issues, the plans require revision to incorporate specific actions and a clear implementation roadmap. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Much recent research on climate change mitigation has focused on carbon intensities, i.e. emissions per unit of economic value, to better understand interrelationships of decarbonization with value. This paper studies large tourism enterprises, which account for a large share of tourism's emissions. Based on annual reports, the paper evaluates greenhouse gas emission and revenue interrelationships for a total of n = 29 large tourism companies including airlines, cruise lines and accommodation businesses. Together, these companies represent about 13% (365 Mt CO 2) of global tourism emissions, generating revenues of US$477 billion (in 2019). The paper tracks their total emissions and emission intensities over the period 2015–2019, revealing that large tourism firms are not on track to net-zero. Results show considerable differences in emission intensities between the three tourism subsectors and between individual firms within the subsectors. These findings are discussed against emission reduction needs to mid-century. There is strong evidence that continued growth at industry's expected rates represents an insurmountable barrier to net-zero, contradicting industry narratives of progressively and successfully engaging with climate change mitigation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• COVID-19 pandemic aside, climate change is the ultimate challenge of our time • There is lack of political thrust to facilitate appropriate climate action • Climate change-induced mortality and morbidity are expected to rise globally • Little time is left to develop and implement mitigation and adaptation strategies COVID-19 pandemic aside, climate change is the ultimate challenge of our time. However, to date, there has been insufficient political thrust to make that much-needed climate action a reality. Infectious diseases represent only one facet of the threats arising from climate change. Direct impacts from climate change include the more frequent occurrence and increased magnitude of extreme weather events, as well as changing temperatures and precipitation patterns. For climate-sensitive infectious diseases, these changes implicate a shift in geographical and temporal distribution, seasonality, and transmission intensity. Susceptibility to the deleterious effects of climate change is a net result of the interplay of not only environmental factors, but also human, societal, and economic factors, with social inequalities being a major determinant of vulnerability. The global South is already disproportionately affected by the climate crisis. The financial capacity to pursue adaptation options is also limited and unevenly distributed. Climate change-induced mortality and morbidity from both infectious and non-infectious diseases, among other adverse scenarios, are expected to rise globally in the future. The coming decade will be crucial for using all remaining opportunities to develop and implement adequate mitigation and adaptation strategies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As interest in natural climate mitigation solutions continues to grow, there is an essential role for coastal and ocean ecosystems ("blue carbon") to play. To meet mitigation targets, however, it is crucial that human actions to protect or restore blue carbon sinks are based on solid science and actionable human management opportunities to increase sinks and reduce emissions from ecosystem loss. Here, we reaffirm the role of coastal wetlands in climate mitigation opportunities. We update the state of the science regarding existing blue carbon pathways and explore expanding the blue carbon opportunities to new systems. Specifically, we analyze new science for those blue carbon pathways we categorize as "emerging" (e.g., management interventions involving macroalgae - both cultivated and wild, tidal flats, and marine sediments) where human action may be able to increase these sinks, but we currently have insufficient information to ensure that their climate mitigation benefit is additional. We revisit those that are "non-actionable" (e.g., management interventions involving calcifying organisms and marine fauna) where the scientific evidence is clear that there is no mitigation benefit, or the science is too uncertain to claim that human action can definitively increase these carbon sinks. With limited funding for climate action, it is critical that efforts focus on projects with the most mitigation potential. Blue carbon management is only one piece in the climate mitigation challenge, but it is an important one. Continued scientific research and investment in developing policy pathways is warranted for these actionable and emerging systems. At the same time, the world must continue to work to decrease emissions rapidly, invest in other natural climate solutions, and scale renewable energy technologies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

It is central for climate policy to understand, monitor and forecast greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, generating insights on the key factors and actions with a greater impact to mitigate and adapt to global warming. Focusing on the leading role of cities, it is relevant to build robust and reliable GHG emissions prospects for every city committing to mitigate and adapt to climate change. In this paper, a novel methodology is proposed to build those prospects, presenting a case study with 6231 EU-27 cities and local municipalities taken from the Global Covenant of Mayors (GCoM). Key GHG emissions predictors for the target years of 2020 and 2030 refer to the baseline energy consumption and associated GHG emissions, as well as the population and the national emissions per capita trend. Additionally, other informative predictors are the baseline inventory year, the reduction target, the disaggregated baseline emissions by type of fuel (fossils or renewables), the heating and cooling degree days and the NUTS urban/rural categorization. The proposed methodology allows assessing the cities' achievements based on their expected performance, and it could be further implemented to support new cities willing to commit to a significant reduction of their GHG emissions. • A robust methodology is proposed to predict GHG emissions for cities committing to climate change mitigation and adaptation. • Key predictors refer to local, regional and national sources of information. • A case study is performed with 6231 European cities: 2030 commitments are expected to achieve a 40 % GHG emissions reduction. • The models described in this paper provide useful information to urban policy makers in the climate action planning process. • The results are replicable in the context of transnational initiatives involving cities in the fight against climate change. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study investigates the climate emergency declaration (CED) movement in cities and its effects and synergies with local climate planning. Urban areas are experiencing a wide range of climate-induced extreme events, particularly those located in the Mediterranean hotspot. The focus is on Italian cities, which have only recently become key players in climate planning. The method is based on the collection, analysis, and comparison of data on CEDs and local climate plans (LCPs), integrated with information on city membership in climate networks, to extrapolate key performance indicators of the CED movement. The results show that the CED movement can motivate municipalities to become more ambitious in climate action. As of February 2021, the "climate emergency" movement was supported by 105 Italian cities geographically concentrated in the northern regions (66.7%). The motivation behind a CED is often attributable to local populations calling for concrete climate action (91.1% referred to the Fridays for Future movement) but also to a greater perception of the impacts of climate change (85.6% referred to the Special Report on Global Warming of 1.5 °C). Networking plays an important role (85 cities in the Covenant of Mayors). Interestingly, 36 cities (34.3%) were not engaged in local climate planning previously, but the CED shows now they see the urgency to act. 24.4% cities aim at carbon neutrality in their CEDs (most with local adaptation aspirations), with a much smaller fraction of cities doing so in LCPs and generally lower ambition in terms of greenhouse gas emission reduction targets. [Display omitted] • Case study: 105 IT cities that have declared climate emergency (66.7% in the north). • Motivation: 91.1% refer to the FFF movement, 85.6% to the 2018 IPCC Special Report. • Networking: 85 cities are members of CoM and 33 of the Italian Green City Network. • 34.3% of the CED cities had not previously a mitigation or adaptation plan. • 24.4% of CEDs aim at carbon neutrality, while LCPs have less ambitious GHG targets. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Indonesia is the largest archipelagic country in the world and has vast natural resources. In the maritime sector, efforts to realize the sustainability of natural resources in coastal ecosystems have focused on mangroves and seagrass meadows, also known as blue carbon ecosystems, that have an important role in regulating the Earth's climate. The need for ecosystem-based climate change mitigation combined with economic recovery and improved environment conditions has shifted the motivation and escalated mangrove restoration efforts in Indonesia. As the richest mangrove nation with the greatest mangrove carbon stocks in the world, recently Indonesia has taken significant steps in the land use sector to reduce emissions by acknowledging the 'true' value of mangrove carbon and setting priorities for mangrove conservation and restoration within Indonesia's climate actions. This paper reviews opportunities and challenges in mainstreaming mangrove blue carbon into policy in Indonesia. We evaluate the gaps in regulations and policies and propose pathways for the national blue carbon action. As mangroves are embedded in both forestry and marine sectors and the responsibilities for management lies within several government ministries, an integrated framework is suggested to support the national blue carbon strategy. The Indonesia Blue Carbon Strategy Framework (IBCSF) encompasses three main elements that should be considered in order to address challenges and seize opportunities in blue carbon: coordination, policy and funding. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Though the need for holistic climate change education has been realized around the world, there is a lack of studies that examine the multidimensional impact of climate change education in higher education. To amend for this gap in literature, this paper uses a pre- and post-questionnaire (N = 245) to examine how students' knowledge, values, worldview and willingness to take mitigative climate actions change during a course on climate change. Though the course was designed to be multidisciplinary and holistic, the results show that the course had limited impact. First, the pre-post tests showed a significant increase in science knowledge, but knowledge on mitigative actions remained unchanged despite related course assignments. Second, though participants' worldview seemed to change or strengthen during the course, minimal changes were seen in students' willingness to take mitigative actions. However, an increase in biospheric values -a strong predictor of pro-environmental behavior - was seen in some segments of participants, potentially predicting a lower carbon footprint for those students in the future. Furthermore, the findings suggest that during the course, individuals found new, environmentally friendly ways to address their hedonic pleasures, also potentially having long-term positive effects. Some differences in gender and field of study were noted. Implications of the findings are discussed in relation to planning and implementing holistic climate change education. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Under the Global Covenant of Mayors (GCoM) initiative, cities present their action plans committing to mitigate greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and/or adapt to climate change. One concrete objective consists in setting a reduction target, by which cities commit to reduce their baseline GHG emissions for a chosen target year. In monitoring their emissions, cities report inventories for any arbitrary year(s), making available only discrete readings in what can be considered a very sparse yearly time series. Examining the performance of the cities for the target years of 2020 and 2030, the actual measurements are usually not available. Therefore, a machine learning methodology is proposed to predict the GHG emissions inventories for each city on their target year, enabling the assessment of the cities' performance inside a common reporting framework. Using the reported inventories, the methodology identifies a model for each city, minimizing the error for the last known reported value. As a result, the proposed method allows predicting GHG emissions for cities from their yearly inventories, controlling the uncertainty associated to the estimations and extracting reliable information that can be updated as soon as new emissions inventories become available. • A methodology is proposed to forecast the GHG emissions of cities monitoring their actions on climate change. • Forecasting models are validated by the novel Leave Last Known Value Out technique. • The proposed method predicts GHG emissions for cities from their yearly inventories. • The methodology is illustrated for a group of 1950 cities and local administrative units in the EU-27. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The lawmaking body plays an important role in developing comprehensive policies and regulations that integrate aspects of climate mitigation and adaptation, and disaster risk reduction. The present research aims to understand how the effects of climate change in coastal areas have been addressed in the Brazilian policies and normative framework. A thorough review was carried out to identify and evaluate the main legislative documents and proposed management instruments available. Although only about half of the documents include detailed and explicit coastal guidelines, the analyzed normative framework presented a comprehensive scope that enables managers to tailor actions to their particular needs on the littoral. Policies addressing climate challenges are concentrated on a national scale. For instance, financial support actions to mitigate greenhouse gas emissions stand out, such as the economic resources presented by the National Climate Change Fund. Along the same lines, both the National Disaster Protection Policy and the Sectoral Plan for Sea Resources point out how the process of climate adaptation and disaster risk reduction is fundamentally related to financial investment in Marine Sciences and the permanent ocean and meteorological monitoring. Regarding the management instruments, only 13 are currently implemented, of which 10 explicitly address climate change. As an example, the Federal Coastal Zone Action Plan aims to establish future scenarios and subsidize adaptation strategies. In the state of Santa Catarina, the State Policy on Climate Change stands out as one of the most comprehensive available pieces of legislation, even though not specifically designed for the coastal zone. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Social risk perceptions affect farmers' response to climate change. • Farmers perceive social risks associated with belief in climate science and the adoption of associated practices. • Farmers' concerns include reduced access to neighborly networks of reciprocity. • Social risk perception can slow the pace and scale of climate action. • Agricultural advisors often reinforce climate change perceptions expressed by farmers. • Accounting for perceived social risks may improve climate policy and program effectiveness. Crop and livestock farmers must respond to climate change, including a range of physical and cultural impacts and risks. In rural northern California, farmers face extreme drought and catastrophic wildfires with increasing frequency. I draw on an extended case study of farmers and agricultural advisors in Siskiyou County to understand how rural agriculturalists perceive risks when navigating climate change discourses. While farmers are changing their management practices in response to the physical effects of climate change, many perceive substantial social risks within their communities if they align themselves publicly with climate change beliefs or actions. Perceived social consequences included loss of access to the benefits of membership in formal and informal farming groups. Efforts focused on educating or convincing farmers of climate science may, in some contexts, increase rather than decrease the perceived social risks of climate action. The framing of climate policies, programs, and practices – especially by public agricultural advisors like Cooperative Extension Advisors and local USDA staff (e.g., Farm Service Agency) – is important not only for increasing farmer participation, but also for reducing perceived social risks associated with climate change. Interventions that focus on livelihood impacts and validate existing land stewardship-oriented values have more potential to increase the pace and scale of climate change mitigation and adaptation in agriculture. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The global climate is going through a transformation due to increased GHG emissions. Urban transportation is one of the leading contributors to increased GHG emissions due to its dependency on fossil fuels. Mitigation measures are evaluated globally to reduce the emissions from the transport sector. These mitigation strategies have a disproportionate effect on the income-gender groups, and the emissions contribution is non-uniform across income levels and gender. It is imperative to understand the emissions contribution of these groups. In this study, the CO 2 and PM 2.5 emissions from a combination of eight income-gender groups together are estimated for four urban transport mitigation policy bundles. Further, the emission potential of each mitigation policy bundle for each income-gender group is calculated by comparing emissions from each policy bundle with respective BAU scenario emissions. For a better understanding, policy implication on each income-gender group's specific travel parameters like mode share, average trip length and vehicle kilometres travelled are also assessed. Bundle 4, which is a blend of planning, regulatory, economic and technological policy instruments, showed the highest mitigation potential across all income-gender groups. The study finds that the majority of the female groups showed the highest mitigation potential for both pollutants for 2030 and 2050. • Impact of climate change mitigation policies for urban transportation on income-gender. • Stricter policies with faster public transportation systems reduce emissions significantly. • Emissions reduction from female groups is higher than male groups. • Discussions on how analysis can influence transport planning and policy [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

How to ensure success for climate change mitigation policies? For the past decades, local climate action has been amongst the main global priorities. The Covenant of Mayors initiative is a major example of bottom-up climate initiative gathering municipalities of all sizes towards GHG reduction under a harmonised framework. Now, after the end of the first phase of the initiative in 2020, would be the time to assess the impact and effectiveness of the planed actions, based on the results of the monitoring exercise. However, the level and quality of monitoring reported by participating municipalities was not as expected and required an initial deep analysis. This study investigates the reasons behind this low number by comparing statistically the action plans of the 1643 CoM municipalities monitoring their emissions against the 3411 municipalities not doing it. The paper describes how, despite technical and financial barriers, key factors such as the direct involvement of local staff, stakeholders in participatory processes from an early stage, accurate budget allocation, or the development of the plan and deployment of actions as soon as possible, enabling municipalities to track and monitor their progress towards their climate target. • Assessing CoM impact is challenging due to the lack of monitoring/progress reports. • The lack of monitoring is explained by technical and financial barriers. • Direct engagement of local staff and stakeholders is key for successful monitoring. • Barriers and drivers found are a valuable guidance for global climate actors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• There is no single explanation for mitigation planning in European cities. • Four qualitatively different factor configurations are sufficient for planning. • City network membership is sufficient for about one half of the planning cities. • Domestic support only plays a positive role in combination with local capacity. Research on urban climate action has identified a broad range of potential factors explaining why and how local governments decide to tackle climate change. However, empirical evidence linking such factors in order to explain actual urban climate action has so far been mixed. To address this roadblock, our paper relies on a novel approach, postulating that different configurations of factors may lead to the same outcome ("equifinality"), through a qualitative comparative analysis (QCA). It is based on an available data set of local climate mitigation plans in 885 European cities. We find that urban climate action is systematically associated with four qualitatively different configurations of factors, each with its own consistent narrative ("networker cities", "green cities", "lighthouse cities", "fundraising cities"). Crucially, some factors play a positive role in some configurations, a negative in others, and no role in further configurations (e.g., whether a city is located in a country with supportive national climate policies). This confirms that there is no single explanation for urban climate action. Achieving greater robustness in empirical research about urban climate action may thus require a shift, both conceptual and methodological, to the interactions between factors, allowing for different explanations in different contexts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • Climate smart forestry (CSF) indicators based on forest inventory are presented. • Indicators were projected under management scenarios with a simulation model. • National carbon stock increases with current management, but regions differ. • Trade-offs occur between mitigation, adaptation and ecosystem services (ES). • The presented framework can support policy in balancing ES in the context of CSF. Climate-smart forestry (CSF) has gained increasing attention in recent years. Yet, a framework to assess the three pillars of CSF, in terms of mitigation and adaptation to climate change and ecosystem service (ES) provision based on national forest inventory (NFI) data is currently lacking. In this study, we present an assessment framework of CSF based on forest indicators derived from NFI. To quantify the three pillars of CSF we defined 1) mitigation based on the forest carbon stock, 2) adaptation using biodiversity and susceptibility to disturbances caused by storm and bark beetles and 3) ES provision with timber production and protection against avalanches and rockfall. We demonstrate the application of this framework using Swiss NFI data and projections of future forest development under four different management scenarios. Our results show that, in general, the carbon stock is increasing at the national scale when current management practices are maintained. Increases are especially pronounced in the Jura and Southern Alps regions. Trade-offs occur between enhancing mitigation and adaption, and the sustainable provision of ES such as timber production. Scenarios with increased harvesting intensities lead to a higher timber supply in the short-term, while decreasing the carbon stock, biodiversity-related old-growth indicators and the protective function of forests. The indicator framework presented in this study provides a first methodological approach that can support policy making to balance the different forest services in the context of CSF. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Renewable energy plays a crucial role in both climate change mitigation and adaptation in highly climate-vulnerable nations such as Nepal. This paper reviews various types of renewable energy technologies and their status, potential for adoption, relationship to climate change, and mitigative and adaptive roles in Nepal. Nepal has installed micro-hydro projects, solar power, improved cooking stoves, biogas technology, improved water mills, and wind energy to mitigate and adapt to climate change. There is a growing potential for renewable energy development in Nepal, such as hydropower, solar, wind energy, biogas, and improved cooking stoves. Roughly 70% of Nepal's energy consumption is generated from traditional energy sources while renewable energy accounts for approximately three percent. The gradual increase in the use of renewable energy has reduced greenhouse gas emissions and enhanced carbon sequestration. By adopting renewable energy technologies, Nepal has reduced emissions by 221,129 tCO 2 e from 2017 to 2018. Nepal's second Nationally Determined Contribution targets a 15% increase in national energy use from renewables with a reduction of 23% of CO 2 emissions by 2030 using biogas and improved cooking systems. Furthermore, a significant increase in the adoption of renewable energy has become a pivotal strategy in adaptation to climate change in social, health, and economic sectors resulting in time savings, alternative income sources, improved health and educational status, local job opportunities, and the promotion of social capital. The benefits of adapting to climate change and mitigating CO 2 emissions via renewable energy are significant at the local, national, and international levels. This study recommends that the government of Nepal focus work on energy policy reviews to address local energy demand and climate change issues by utilizing renewable energy resources at the local level, which has global implications. • Suitable, potential renewable energy technologies in Nepal. • The relationship between energy and climate change. • Relevant data on energy and climate change in tables and figures. • Social, economic, and environmental benefits of renewable energy. • Climate change adaptation and mitigation via renewable energy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Farmers' adoption of climate change mitigation measures is key to successfully reduce agricultural greenhouse gas emissions. This article investigates the role of non-cognitive skills, namely self-efficacy and locus of control, in farmers' uptake of mitigation measures. The study is based on a combination of survey and census data from 105 farmers in Switzerland. Almost all farmers in our sample already adopt some of the considered measures to reduce greenhouse gases on their farm. On average, 37% of the mitigation measures available to the specific farm type are adopted. We find that a one standard deviation increase in non-cognitive skills is associated with a 20 to 40% higher share of adopted mitigation measures. This relationship is robust to the inclusion of a comprehensive vector of controls, inspired both from the agricultural economics and the psychology literature. Additionally, we find that omitted variable bias would need to be implausibly large to refute our findings. Finally, we explore potential mechanisms. The suggested pathway through which non-cognitive skills are associated with the adoption of climate change mitigation measures is the innovativeness of the farmers. Fostering farmers' non-cognitive skills could be an effective policy lever to accelerate the diffusion of climate change mitigation measures. • Understanding farmers' climate change mitigation behavior is key for reducing agricultural greenhouse gas emissions. • Non-cognitive skills are positively associated with adoption of mitigation measures adoption. • Innovativeness is the suggested mechanism towards the uptake of greenhouse gas mitigation measures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• The questionnaire assessed environmental awareness and knowledge about CCS technology. • The interviews were conducted using a face-to-face approach. • A structured research was employed using an ordinal qualitative scale. • Respondents were aware of the climate change. • Climate change mitigation actions are not a priority for respondents. Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS) is considered an important option to mitigate climate change. However, the success of the new technology does not only depend on engineering practices and techniques but also involves social, political, and economic factors, as well as public acceptance. The discussion about CCS in Brazil is recent and few papers addressing Brazilian public perception and engagement with CCS were found. In this sense, this paper aims to analyze the environmental awareness about climate change and the citizens' perception of CCS technology. A public perception survey was conducted with 800 people in two Brazilian cities. Descriptive statistical techniques combined with hypothesis tests were performed to depict the results and to verify associations between different demographic groups to climate change issues and support for the development of CCS technology in Brazil. The results show that the public is aware of climate change and its consequences. However, despite public support for governmental development and investments in CCS technology, investments to mitigate climate change are not a priority for the population. Only 2% and 5% of interviewed citizens in the cities of São Mateus and Vitória, respectively, considered investments in climate change mitigation as a priority. More than 70% of respondents considered that other social elements, as health, public safety, and job creation, should be prioritized by the Brazilian government. The results suggest that the population needs more information about CCS technology and its impacts. [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]