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The impact of climate change on crops and agricultural yield is an actual threat while being a challenging issue due to the high complexity of factors that intervene at the local scale of the crop. Assessing it, requires the use of coupled models climate-phenology, meanwhile methods to identify management and genotypes suitable for local future conditions, in order to sustain adaptation strategies. We present the implementation and use of a new integrated climate-phenology adaptation support modeling system based on regional CORDEX climate models and the CERES Maize model from DSSAT platform, with new modules for optimal management and genotype identification using a hybrid method: deterministic modeling and -ML/ genetic algorithms. It was run as a regional pilot over Romania, operating in real-time in interaction with users, performing agro-climate projections (combination of fertilization, sowing date, soil) and providing best crop management simulated under climate change projections. Multi-model ensemble simulations for two climate scenarios RCP4.5 and RCP8.5 and twelve management scenarios show new results for the region. For the actual genotype we find a projected mean decrease in yield in both climate scenarios for all sowing dates and fertilization levels tested, response shown to be sensitive to initial soil parameters. This response was linked to two factors: a shorter growing season by up to 10 % and a loss of fertilization efficiency in a warmer climate. A warning points to results showing a narrowing of agro-management opportunities for crop yield but in opposite it is shown a significant role of optimal genotype-range identification that may provide crop solutions under climate change even in extreme years. Identifying best genotype under warmer climate along sets of six cross-parameter simulations show systematic lower values of the maximal yields, but emphasizes genotype windows of increases in the intermediate yield values in scenarios compared to actual climate. The highest harvest sensitivity to genotype is shown to be to changes in the thermal time to juvenil respectively to maturity stage under warmer climate. The results sustain using a deterministic coupled modeling system combined with data-driven modeling for identifying optimal adaptation including fertilization paths that contribute to climate change mitigation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: African countries are among the most vulnerable and affected by climate change. Comprehending climate change poses a major hurdle for the African population, politicians, and the African Union alike, presenting a substantial challenge for all involved. It is generally accepted that universities and other higher education institutions must play a leading role as drivers of change. Therefore, it is very important that African universities educate students about both mitigation and adaptation measures, develop the necessary initiatives to foster research in climate change-related topics and promote cooperation and alliances with key stakeholders. Results: This research reports on a study aimed at identifying the extent to which higher education institutions in Africa are engaging in efforts to deal with the challenges posed by climate change. The objectives were accomplished through a mixed method approach, incorporating a review of literature, an international survey, and the inclusion of selected case studies from African universities that have developed successful initiatives. The research has brought to light significant disparities, such as varying perceptions regarding the potential outcomes of climate change and its associated extreme events in African countries. In addition, the study highlighted areas where there is a notable consensus on specific issues. It also offers a comprehensive view of the different strategies that universities are implementing to contribute to climate change mitigation and adaptation in several areas. Although there is a growing interest in the need to contribute to the joint task of mitigating the effects of climate change and adapting to its consequences, HEIs need to increase their efforts to enhance the work of their professors and researchers. To this end, the involvement of public authorities and other private sector actors is essential. Conclusions: This article outlines some actions that need to be undertaken so that universities may play a more active role in global efforts to handle the problems associated with a changing climate. There is a notable focus from academic actors on addressing climate change challenges in Africa. In addition, there is a proactive emphasis on utilizing science and research to comprehend climate change issues and offer widely applicable tools for adaptation and mitigation to safeguard both people and the environment. Consequently, it is crucial and time-sensitive for African universities to enhance their expertise in the field of climate change, fostering the capacity to conduct innovative research that addresses the various challenges linked to the evolving climate. This study offers several useful lessons for African universities to replicate experiences that have generated results in different countries and contexts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The decarbonization of the mobility sector is one of the main challenges in the context of climate mitigation. In Germany, as in many other countries, policy measures aiming to make the mobility system greener frequently fail to produce substantial results, not least due to a lack of support by large sections of the general public. Policy measures directed at reducing car traffic in particular are often met with indifference and resistance. The question thus arises: what basis do citizens use to form their (often negative) opinions about sustainable mobility policies? As a conceptual starting point for our empirical analysis, we draw on the frame concept and focus on people's frames of the politics of mobility. With "politics of mobility" we refer to everything people could consider as political with regard to mobility. We understand frames as culturally mediated patterns of interpretation that ultimately motivate and guide actions. Results: Based on interviews and focus group data gathered in the region of the city of Stuttgart (Germany), we identify two dominant frames as well as combinations of these frames by which people make sense of the activities of political actors in the field of mobility. In one frame, which we labeled "politics-as-actor", mobility politics are interpreted with reference to politics as some kind of monolithic abstract actor. In the other, which we labeled as "politics-as-staged-process", mobility politics are portrayed as an interest-driven, opaque process that only purport to being democratic. Conclusions: In terms of policy recommendations, we use our findings to derive suggestions for how to increase support for green mobility policies: transparent implementation of policy measures, pragmatic policy styles and the involvement of intermediaries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Increasing temperatures and shifting precipitation patterns have major consequences for smallholder farmers, especially in the Global South. Our study examined spatial patterns and climatic drivers of farmers' perceptions of climate change, and how these perceptions translated into adaptation actions. We interviewed 56 farmers in southwestern Ethiopia and analyzed ERA5-Land reanalysis climate data from 1971 to 2020. The majority of farmers perceived the recorded temperature increase as well as a decrease and shift in the timing of rainfall. Perceived climate change varied with local climate factors and not with the rate of climate change itself. Farmers' adaptation practices showed associations with local temperature, but not with farmers' perceptions of climate change. Our findings highlight that even if farmers perceive climate change, perceptions are most common in areas where climate action is already urgent, and perceptions may not translate into adaptation. Thus, targeted and timely information and extension programs are crucial. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This review analyzes the complex relationship between climate change and energy security and their joint impact on global development. It emphasizes the need for sustainable energy solutions to tackle increasing global warming effects and energy demands. A thorough literature analysis highlights the link between energy policies, climate goals, and sustainable development aspirations. Moreover, it examines the effectiveness of energy policies in various national contexts in promoting environmental sustainability and emphasizing regional dynamics, socio-economic factors, and diverse energy planning approaches. The review explains the multifaceted relationship between climate change, energy security, and environmental protection. Key recommendations related to renewable energy transitions are provided as crucial means to address global energy demand and resource constraints while reducing dependence on fossil fuels. The analysis underscores renewable energy's key role in aligned energy strategies that balance security and sustainability for a low-carbon future. It emphasizes the critical need for coordinated policies, technological innovation, and collaborative action between academia, industry, and policymakers to advance integrated energy systems and thermal storage solutions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Examining the interconnected dynamics of urbanization and climate change is crucial due to their implications for environmental, social, and public health systems. This study provides a comprehensive analysis of these dynamics in the Peshawar Valley, a rapidly urbanizing region in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan, over a 30-year period (1990–2020). A novel methodological framework integrating remote sensing, GIS techniques, and Google Earth Engine (GEE) was developed to analyze land use/land cover (LULC) changes, particularly the expansion of the built-up environment, along with the land surface temperature (LST) and heat index (HI). This framework intricately links these elements, providing a unique perspective on the environmental transformations occurring in the Peshawar Valley. Unlike previous studies that focused on individual aspects, this research offers a holistic understanding of the complex interplay between urbanization, land use changes, temperature dynamics, and heat index variations. Over three decades, urbanization expanded significantly, with built-up areas increasing from 6.35% to 14.13%. The population surged from 5.3 million to 12.6 million, coupled with significant increases in registered vehicles (from 0.171 million to 1.364 million) and operational industries (from 327 to 1155). These transitions influenced air quality and temperature dynamics, as evidenced by a highest mean LST of 30.30 °C and a maximum HI of 55.48 °C, marking a notable increase from 50.54 °C. These changes show strong positive correlations with built-up areas, population size, registered vehicles, and industrial activity. The findings highlight the urgent need for adaptive strategies, public health interventions, and sustainable practices to mitigate the environmental impacts of urbanization and climate change in the Peshawar Valley. Sustainable urban development strategies and climate change mitigation measures are crucial for ensuring a livable and resilient future for the region. This long-term analysis provides a robust foundation for future projections and policy recommendations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Climate change causes a global rise in mean air temperature and an increased frequency of temperature extremes. Recent studies link sharp temperature changes between consecutive days to increased mortality, reduced economic growth, and negative effects on ecosystems. This study assesses the variability of the daily maximum air temperature between two consecutive days (i.e., temperature volatility) across Germany from 1990 to 2022. Using observation-based raster data of maximum daily temperature at 0.1° × 0.1° spatial resolution, we assess temperature volatility regarding: (1) magnitude, (2) seasonality, (3) directionality (day-to-day warming vs. cooling), and (4) trends. Further, we analyse land cover changes during the period and examine their correlation to extreme temperature volatility (Tve). The results show that Tve mostly occurred during spring and summer. The magnitude of Tve increased with distance to the coast north-west to south during all seasons and was highest during spring and summer (>10 °C). Overall, Tve was particularly associated with day-to-day cooling (in spring, summer, autumn), while in winter, >60% of days were associated with warming in north and central Germany. Less than 12% of Germany showed significant trends in median Tve associated with warming over the period. Significant trends included increases (>0.26 °C/year) and decreases (−0.09 °C/year) in extreme day-to-day warming during autumn and winter in northeastern Germany. In spring, the majority (>60%) of southern areas showed significant positive trends (up to 0.16 °C/year) in Tve associated with day-to-day cooling. During winter, summer, and autumn, trends in extreme day-to-day cooling were insignificant in over 80% of Germany. Within all land cover types, Tve predominantly varied between 6 °C and 9 °C. Changes in land cover, especially transforming coniferous forests for agricultural purposes, were accompanied by increasing Tve up to 0.49 °C. Understanding rapid temperature changes is crucial for climate change mitigation strategies and limiting the impacts on human health and on the environment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Urban Heat Island phenomenon (UHI), characterized by elevated temperatures in urban areas compared to their rural surroundings, is highly exacerbated by urbanization and climate change. Understanding the complex relationship between UHI effect and urban form is crucial for effective urban planning and climate mitigation strategies. This paper examines the multifaceted connection between UHIs and urban forms, exploring various methods used to study this relationship. Through a review of the existing literature, we analyze the influence of various urban characteristics on the intensity and spatial distribution of UHIs. Furthermore, we discuss the key methods and technologies, such as remote sensing and modeling, used in advancing our understanding of UHI–urban form interactions. This study then delves into the literature on UHIs within the specific context of Morocco, identifying research gaps and emphasizing the need for more comprehensive research to address them. By translating study findings into actionable urban solutions, this paper suggests contextual mitigation strategies based on the research outcomes. Finally, by synthesizing current research findings and methodologies, this paper seeks to provide insights into the complexities of UHI dynamics and their implications for climate resilience, highlighting the potential of research for forging sustainable and climate-conscious planning strategies in Morocco and across the broader MENA region. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

All pathways which limit global temperature rise to <2°C above pre-industrial temperatures now require carbon dioxide removal (CDR) in addition to rapid greenhouse gas emissions reductions. Novel and durable CDR strategies need to rapidly scale over the next few decades in order to reach Paris Agreement Targets. Terrestrial enhanced weathering (EW) involves the acceleration of natural weathering processes via the deployment of crushed rock feedstocks, typically Ca- and Mg-rich silicates, in soils. While models predict this has the potential to remove multiple gigatonnes of CO2 annually, as an open-system pathway, the measurement (monitoring), reporting, and verification (MRV) of carbon removal and storage is challenging. Here we provide a review of the current literature showing the state-of-play of different methods for monitoring EW. We focus on geochemical characterization of weathering processes at the weathering site itself, acknowledging that the final storage of carbon is largely in the oceans, with potential losses occurring during transfer. There are two main approaches for measuring EW, one focused on solid phase measurements, including exchangeable phases, and the other on the aqueous phase. Additionally, gas phase measurements have been employed to understand CO2 fluxes, but can be dominated by short-term organic carbon cycling. The approaches we review are grounded in established literature from the natural environment, but implementing these approaches for EW CDR quantification has strengths and limitations. The complexity inherent in open-system CDR pathways is navigable through surplus measurement strategies and well-designed experiments, which we highlight are critical in the early stage of the EW CDR industry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Climate change impacts will continue to worsen with rising greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, underscoring the growing necessity to foresee and comprehend the impact of climate change risks on economic activity. Using quarterly firm-level data of 209 firms from the People's Republic of China (PRC) over the period Q1 2018–Q2 2022, this study estimates the impact of firms' exposure to climate-related risks on their financial performance. The results indicate a notable adverse effect of climate change exposure on firms' rate of return, with a lag of around two years. Firms located in more climate-vulnerable coastal areas and high-income provinces experience relatively greater negative impacts on their financial returns. Our findings have important policy implications for firms aiming to maximize their returns through enhanced climate change mitigation and adaptation efforts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Forestation is a key strategy for climate mitigation in China through its biogeochemical (BGC) effect of ecosystem carbon sequestration. Additionally, the BGC effect of forestation can be either reinforced or counteracted by concurrent biogeophysical processes (BGP effect) resulting in local land surface warming or cooling, which can be translated into CO2e (i.e., BGC effect) using a local transient climate response. Previous evaluations of the climate mitigation potential of future forestation in China have, however, focused on the BGC effect only and neglected the BGP effect, potentially leading to suboptimal forestation areas. Here, we determined priority forestation areas in China by incorporating both effects to maximize its global climate mitigation effect. Our results suggest an additional 167.2 Mha potentially suitable for forestation in China, exceeding the largest forestation target (86.8 Mha) possibly assumed by the government in 2060. The forestation‐induced BGP effect (18.7 ± 61.9 tCO2e ha−1) largely reinforces the BGC effect (458.2 ± 92.6 tCO2e ha−1) in China, yielding a total climate mitigation effect of 476.9 ± 114.2 tCO2e ha−1 over 40 years (2021–2060). Under the 2060 forestation target, considering both BGC and BGP effects will displace 17.7% (15.3 Mha) of the forestation area derived by considering the BGC effect alone. Integrating both BGC and BGP effects will lead to a CO2 uptake of 28.8 GtCO2e by 2060, 3.9 GtCO2e higher than the value obtained when considering the BGC effect only. Our results highlight the importance of considering BGP effect when making forestation policies for climate mitigation. Plain Language Summary: Forestation plays a crucial role in mitigating climate change through both carbon sequestration (biogeochemical or BGC effect) and modification of land surface temperature (biogeophysical or BGP effect). Maximizing forestation contribution to global climate mitigation requires maximizing the collective effects of both BGC and BGP through converting BGP to BGC, as temperature change is fundamentally driven by atmospheric CO2 changes which are further influenced by forestation BGC effect. However, previous evaluations of China's forestation potential almost completely focused on the BGC effect. This study identified optimal forestation areas to maximize their global climate mitigation effect in China by considering both BGC and BGP effects. Considering both effects will displace 17.7% (15.3 Mha) of forestation areas determined by considering only the BGC effect under the 2060 forestation target. Considering both effects also leads to a higher CO2 uptake of 3.9 GtCO2e than the value when considering the BGC effect only by 2060. Forestation‐induced BGC and BGP effects mostly work in synergy in China, mutually enhancing the overall climate benefits. Our findings have implications for future forestation policy in China to maximize its contribution to global climate mitigation. Key Points: The biogeophysical (BGP) effect should be included in the traditional forestation policies considering only biogeochemical (BGC) effectConsidering BGC and BGP effects will lead to 17.7% of forestation area being displaced, compared to considering the BGC effect only by 2060Integrating BGC and BGP effects exhibits a 15.8% (3.9 GtCO2e) increase in CO2 uptake by 2060 [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Understanding the climate and carbon cycle response to negative CO2 emissions is important for developing climate mitigation strategies that aim to limit global warming to a specific threshold. In this study, using a coupled climate and carbon cycle model, a novel set of nine stylized simulations are conducted with cumulative emissions of 1,000 GtC, 2,000 GtC, and 5,000 GtC over 150, 250, and 500 years, followed by identical cumulative negative emissions so that the net cumulative emissions are zero. On millennial‐timescales, the climate system returns close to the preindustrial state, independent of the emission and removal pathways. However, the thermal and biogeochemical inertia of the ocean play an important role in determining the climate and carbon cycle response during the emission and removal phases. When zero net emissions are reached, surface air temperature is larger by 0–1°C than the preindustrial state, and the atmospheric CO2 concentration is less by 12–29 ppm. These changes increase with both the magnitude and duration of the emission and removal pulses. In contrast, hysteresis in the relationship between global mean surface temperature and cumulative carbon emissions increases with the magnitude but decreases with the duration of emission and removal pulses. Our study highlights the role of ocean inertia in the asymmetry in climate response to emissions and removals and indicates that an earlier emission reduction implying emission/removal pathways with smaller magnitudes and shorter durations for the positive and negative emission pulses would avoid larger climate and carbon cycle impacts on centennial‐timescales. Plain Language Summary: In this study, we examine the climate system response to a set of scenarios where emissions are followed by the removal of all carbon emitted into the atmosphere. We find that the climate system returns to preindustrial state on millennial timescales independent of emission and removal pathways. However, larger changes in the climate system at the end of removals (on centennial timescales) are simulated for a larger magnitude and longer duration of the emission and removal pulses. Since a delay in emission reduction implies a larger magnitude and longer duration for the emissions and consequently larger magnitude and longer duration for the removals to bring the climate state to preindustrial conditions, an earlier emission reduction would help to avoid large climate and carbon cycle impacts on centennial‐timescales. Key Points: The climate system response to net zero emissions is path independent on millennial timescalesOn centennial time scales, the climate system response to net zero emissions depends on the magnitude and duration of emission pulsesA larger magnitude and longer duration for the emission pulses lead to longer delays in climate response on centennial timescales [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Forests are a large carbon sink and could serve as natural climate solutions that help moderate future warming. Thus, establishing forest carbon baselines is essential for tracking climate‐mitigation targets. Western US forests are natural climate solution hotspots but are profoundly threatened by drought and altered disturbance regimes. How these factors shape spatial patterns of carbon storage and carbon change over time is poorly resolved. Here, we estimate live and dead forest carbon density in 19 forested western US ecoregions with national inventory data (2005–2019) to determine: (a) current carbon distributions, (b) underpinning drivers, and (c) recent trends. Potential drivers of current carbon included harvest, wildfire, insect and disease, topography, and climate. Using random forests, we evaluated driver importance and relationships with current live and dead carbon within ecoregions. We assessed trends using linear models. Pacific Northwest (PNW) and Southwest (SW) ecoregions were most and least carbon dense, respectively. Climate was an important carbon driver in the SW and Lower Rockies. Fire reduced live and increased dead carbon, and was most important in the Upper Rockies and California. No ecoregion was unaffected by fire. Harvest and private ownership reduced carbon, particularly in the PNW. Since 2005, live carbon declined across much of the western US, likely from drought and fire. Carbon has increased in PNW ecoregions, likely recovering from past harvest, but recent record fire years may alter trajectories. Our results provide insight into western US forest carbon function and future vulnerabilities, which is vital for effective climate change mitigation strategies. Plain Language Summary: We investigated the role of western US forests as natural climate solutions by analyzing current forest carbon storage and trends from 2005 to 2019 across 19 forested regions. We found that the Pacific Northwest stores the most carbon, while the Southwest stores the least. Climate, wildfires, and human activities determined carbon amounts. For instance, climate is important in the Southwest and Lower Rockies, while wildfires impact the entire western US, but particularly the Upper Rockies and California. Human activities like harvesting and private ownership, decrease carbon, particularly in the Pacific Northwest. Since 2005, live carbon has declined in many western US areas, likely due to drought and fires. The study highlights the vulnerability of western US forests to climate‐related and human threats to carbon, providing crucial insights for effective climate change mitigation strategies. Understanding these dynamics is essential for scientists, policymakers, and educators working toward sustainable forest management and climate solutions in the region. Key Points: Live carbon has declined across much of western United States forests, likely due to drought and fire, resulting in an increase in dead carbonIn the Pacific Northwest (PNW), harvest led to reduced carbon, but recovery from past harvest likely caused carbon to increase since 2005Our results provide a baseline from which to evaluate future changes and inform management strategies [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Chiusella Valley (NW Italian Alps) is a key area for both the history of the alpine orogeny and its environmental context. It presents major structural features (including the Traversella neoalpine intrusion and a section of the Insubric line) and evidence of past climate changes in the region. Even if the Chiusella Valley was previously renowned for mining activities and most recently considered an alpine rural area with minor tourist attractions, its important geoheritage could offer alternatives to traditional mountain activities, which are facing adversity from increasing temperatures. This paper emphasises the role of geotourism in both enhancing sustainable development and raising awareness of climate change. For this purpose, the geodiversity of the Chiusella Valley has been analysed and several geosites have been identified. The research methodology includes field surveys, analysis of an existing educational activities and scientific literature, and assessment of geosites by quantitative analysis of five groups of indicators, including scientific, cultural, and educational values. The geosite selection within the Chiusella Valley reveals memories of past and present climate changes but also supports the development of targeted geotourism activities in the area. Additionally, a specific location has been identified for hosting indoor activities showcasing climate change action. These valuable contributions to sustainable geotourism provide opportunities for exploring the Alps in the vicinity of the Po Plain urban areas, while minimizing the environmental impact and facilitating educational activities on geodiversity and geoheritage. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Forest soils are considered the largest carbon and nitrogen pools in soil organic matter among terrestrial ecosystems, and soil carbon and nitrogen dynamics and greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions are normally affected by climate change and human activity. The collection of recent research on this scientific theme would provide a basis for understanding the responses of soil carbon and nitrogen dynamics and GHG fluxes in forest ecosystems to climate change and human activity. A Special Issue was, thus, organized to discuss recent research achievements, including a total of nine research articles and one review. This Special Issue includes the effects of climate changes such as changes in throughfall, snow cover, and permafrost degradation; human activities such as nitrogen and/or phosphorus addition and the use of biochar; and soil–plant interactions on soil carbon and nitrogen dynamics and GHG fluxes in forest ecosystems. Although this collection of papers reflects only a small part of this scientific theme, it can, to some extent, provide a basis for understanding some important research aspects related to the future of forest soil carbon and nitrogen dynamics and GHG fluxes in a changing world, thereby enabling sustainable development and the mitigation of climate change. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

For nearly half a century, negotiations in the context of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change have sought to reduce pressures on nature without curtailing the North's wealth or thwarting the South's economic development. Since the 1992 Rio Earth Summit, science has become more granular, the global economy has grown phenomenally, greenhouse gas emissions and temperature rises have accelerated rather than slowed, the climate crisis and inequality have become more extreme, and the status quo interests have become more entrenched. After three lost (wasted, rather) decades, climate mitigation is terribly urgent, yet hugely contested. Choices are stark: financing mitigation and adaptation, or stomaching immense suffering. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

People are increasingly exposed to extreme weather events with the escalation of global warming. Understanding how individuals face and respond to it is crucial for climate mitigation. In the present study, we surveyed a sample of 856 people in five metropolitan areas in China to examine how personal experiences of extreme weather events affect individuals' low-carbon behavior through consequential and moral processing of climate change. The results indicate that people with personal experience of extreme weather events show significantly better cognitive judgment, emotional reactions, and mitigation behavior than those without such experience. Furthermore, to the best of our knowledge, this is the first study to illustrate that personal experience can initiate a sense of collective morality about climate change and predict the adoption of mitigating behaviors. Additionally, it can be seen that cognitive processing precedes emotional processing in the context of climate change. The present findings provide some evidence at the individual level for further moral philosophical discussions about climate change and offer insights for social solutions about promoting sustainable environmental behaviors. We point out that mechanisms of social cooperation among collectives and individuals used to deal with climate change deserve further research. We also discuss the implications and limitations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Farmers’ awareness and the incidence of climate change are crucial inputs to effectively scale up interventions to mitigate the effects of climate change. This is because incidence leads to awareness due to observation of occurrences. The purpose of this paper is to examine the determinants of climate change awareness and incidence across farming systems and agroecological zones in Sierra Leone. An ex-post-facto research design was applied, while a multistage sampling procedure was used to select 865 smallholder farmers across agroecological zones and farming systems. Data were collected with a structured questionnaire subjected to face validity and split-half reliability tests. This data analyzed frequency counts, percentages, multiple regression, and principal component analysis. The results show that farmers in the coastal plain, savannah woodland, and transitional rainforest had greater awareness and incidence of climate change across the crop, livestock, and fishery farming systems. The significant determinants of awareness and incidence of climate change among farmers are the adoption of crop smart practices (t = 4.192; p < 0.01); information needs on water smart practices (t = –5.581; p < 0.01); adoption of nutrient smart practices (t = 10.592; p < 0.01); adoption of energy/carbon smart practices (t = 3.206 ; p < 0.01); adoption of livestock smart practices (t = 3.608; p < 0.01); information needs on weather smart practices (t = 3.505; p < 0.01); incidence of climate change (t = 16.282; p < 0.01); and constraints on nutrient smart practices (t = –2.669; p < 0.01). The Principal Component analysis identified four factors, namely Factor 1 (Impact), Factor 2 (Occurrence), Factor 3 (Evidence), and Factor 4 (Threat), and accounted for 14.96%, 8.27%, 6.41%, 3.50% of the variance, respectively, with a cumulative variance of 33.14%. The study concludes that farmers are aware of the incidence of climate change and are adopting different techniques in response to the different climate changes observed. This study also recommends the identification of specific climate change adaptations and the scaling of interventions for adaptation and mitigation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mega ports, defined in this study as those handling over 5 million TEUs annually, are major hubs within the dynamic framework of global trade, influencing both economic and environmental landscapes. This study identifies climate change as the foremost environmental concern for these ports, necessitating urgent and strategic responses. Through comprehensive research, this paper explores the main Climate Change Mitigation (CCM) strategies and evaluates their implementation across mega ports worldwide. Findings indicate widespread adoption of certain strategies, such as setting greenhouse gas (GHG) reduction targets and providing on-shore power supply (OPS), while also identifying challenges, particularly in implementing environmentally differentiated port fees. Additionally, this paper outlines key strategies for climate change adaptation (CCA) in ports. The results of this research offer insights into sustainable practices and collaborative efforts to confront climate change challenges effectively. These findings have the potential to significantly improve maritime policy and ship management strategies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Climate solutions related to mitigation and adaptation vary across the United States and India, given their unique current socio-political–technological abilities and their histories. Here, we discuss results from online face-to-face interviews undertaken with 33 U.S.-based climate experts and 30 India-based climate experts. Using qualitative grounded theory, we explore open-ended responses to questions related to mitigation and adaptation and find the following: (1) there is broad agreement among experts in both countries on the main mitigation solutions focused on the decarbonization of energy systems, but (2) there are a diversity of views between experts on what to prioritize and how to achieve it. Similarly, there is substantial agreement that adaptation solutions are needed to address agriculture, water management, and infrastructure, but there is a wide variety of perspectives on other priorities and how best to proceed. Experts across both countries generally perceived mitigation as needing national policies to succeed, while adaptation is perceived as more local and challenging given the larger number of stakeholders involved in planning and implementation. Our findings indicate that experts agree on the goals of decarbonization, but there was no consensus on how best to accomplish implementation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The "Dual Carbon" initiative is a two-stage carbon reduction goal proposed by China, with significant implications for global climate change mitigation. This article examines the impact of the "Dual Carbon" strategy on China's forestry development and explores how to leverage this strategy to facilitate the transformation and advancement of the forestry sector. Current review indicated that forestry has the advantage of achieving higher emission reduction targets at a low cost. Starting with an overview of the "Dual Carbon" strategy, this paper analyzes the carbon sequestration potential of plants and soil, and the challenges and opportunities faced by forestry development under this framework. Furthermore, we outline implementation pathways for forestry development, aiming to provide insights for the progress of China's forestry sector. Overall, it should be noted that the priority is to vigorously develop timber resources, and we also need to vigorously develop and protect forestry talent with the support of China's policies. By trapping into the carbon storage capabilities and leveraging carbon trading mechanisms of forests, a favorable ecological environment can be created, thus achieving the goal of carbon neutrality. Highlights: • Forest development and its carbon sinks, attributed to plant and soil have the potential in carbon sequestration process, thus helping China achieve carbon neutrality. • The supply of forest products and the balance of economic growth and environmental protection are the key difficulties under the "Dual Carbon" strategy. • Trading forest carbon sinks can boost China's sequestration. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Natural forests are crucial for climate change mitigation and adaptation, but deforestation and degradation challenges highly reduce their value. This study evaluates the potential of natural forest carbon stock and the influence of management interventions on enhancing forest carbon storage capacity. Based on forest area cover, a study was conducted in nine purposely selected forest patches across various forest ecosystems. Data on diameter, height, and environmental variables from various forest management approaches were collected and analyzed with R Ver. 4.1. The findings revealed a substantial difference (p.029) in carbon stock between environmental variables and management interventions. The findings revealed a strong connection between environmental variables and the overall pool of carbon stock within forest patches (p.029). Carbon stocks were highest in the Moist‐montane forest ecosystem (778.25 ton/ha), moderate slope (1019.5 ton/ha), lower elevation (614.50 ton/ha), southwest‐facing (800.1 ton/ha) and area exclosures (993.2 ton/ha). Accordingly, natural forests, particularly unmanaged parts, are sensitive to anthropogenic stresses, decreasing their ability to efficiently store carbon. As a result, the study highlighted the importance of sustainable forest management, particularly area exclosures and participatory forest management, in increasing forest carbon storage potential. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

While Moringa oleifera Lam. is gaining importance in Africa, especially sub-Saharan Africa, it is unclear whether research is following the quick pace of its development on the continent. Therefore, this article analyzes the landscape of research dealing with moringa in Africa. This systematic review draws upon 299 eligible articles identified through a search carried out on the Web of Science in April 2023. Research on M. oleifera is rather recent in Africa but interest is increasing among scholars. While the research field is multidisciplinary and cross-sectoral, the literature seems to focus on biological and environmental sciences. Moreover, research is performed mainly in South Africa, Nigeria, Egypt, and Ghana. The analysis suggests a significant potential contribution of moringa to food security and nutrition, climate change mitigation/adaptation, farming systems resilience, and livelihoods. Its versatility and diverse applications and uses make moringa particularly interesting for developing countries, such as African ones. However, this review also underscores some factors hindering its development. Therefore, there is a need to strengthen research on moringa to unlock its potential in Africa. Investments in research, innovation, and development can help address the many challenges that Africa faces and contribute to the transition towards sustainable and resilient food systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Organic horticulture is a holistic management system that follows good production practices and should be considered the cornerstone of mitigating climate change and producing healthier fruits and vegetables. This agroecosystem practice not only benefits the green economy but promotes and enhances soil biological activity, biodiversity, and other biological cycles in the sphere. The last decade has observed a rise in the production and consumption of organically certified agricultural products, and the biggest growth was registered in France (18%) due to its higher nutritional value of vitamin C (27%) and polyphenol content (72%), with a lowered risk of exposure to harmful chemicals of up to 70% and improved organoleptic properties. Between 2012 and 2020, the European Union's organic sector experienced significant growth, with a 56% expansion in organic land area, a 40% increase in organic producers, and a 114% increase in retail sales. The aim of this review was to evaluate the significant impact of organic horticulture on mitigating climate change and meeting consumer needs by examining key research areas, including Soil Health and Management, Pest and Disease Management, Climate Resilience and Adaptation, Carbon Sequestration and Climate Mitigation, Market and Consumer Preferences, and Policy and Institutional Support. The outcome of this review demonstrates that there are still numerous research studies required to evaluate how different farming systems and pedoclimatic conditions can contribute to more efficient horticultural practices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Climate change is a serious contemporary issue around the world. Adolescents are mostly affected due to climate change. Thus, they are expected to behave in an environmentally appropriate manner, which requires the identification of factors influencing pro-sustainable behavior/pro-environmental behavior. The literature offers a wide range of factors influencing adolescents' pro-sustainable behavior; nonetheless, these factors are not provided with some common themes. Furthermore, no study integrates dispersed research of the area with a comprehensive systematic review. With this consideration, a systematic review was carried out to find comprehensive factors influencing the pro-sustainable behavior of adolescents. For the review, all 21 interdisciplinary studies on factors influencing adolescents' ecological behavior, published between 2010 and 2023 and indexed in Scopus and Web of Science, were analyzed. The analysis revealed that the number of studies in the area increased after 2020, especially in developed countries, and most studies utilized quantitative research methods. The identified key factors influencing adolescents' pro-environmental behavior are categorized into demographic, internal, and external factors. The findings can be helpful for future researchers to have rigorous discourse on the issue and expand the research in developing countries using mixed methods research. The policy maker can use findings to motivate adolescents to participate in climate change mitigation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Biodiversity loss and climate change are deeply intertwined and constitute a complex and interdependent crisis. These interlinked sustainability issues need to be addressed through an integrated approach. However, governments have been slow to integrate the need to protect both climate and biodiversity into environmental governance. NGOs, as non-profit organisations promoting public good, are seen as having the potential to recognise and advocate for this much-needed holistic protection of climate and biodiversity. But to what extent and in what ways do NGOs recognise this climate-biodiversity nexus? This article addresses these questions through an analysis of 107 German climate NGOs, examining their 190 annual reports from two time periods, 2016/2017 and 2021/2022. We found that, while German climate NGOs have made significant progress in recognising the climate-biodiversity nexus, they lack recognition of the role of biodiversity in stabilising the climate and the unintended negative consequences of climate policies and measures for biodiversity, highlighting that NGOs are still far from being holistic environmental stewards. Climate NGOs need to integrate the interplay between climate and biodiversity objectives into their organisational activities and align their mandates to promote synergies and minimise trade-offs between climate and biodiversity actions. We suggest that one way forward is to increase collaboration between NGOs. NGOs could then complement each other's expertise and be better placed to jointly contribute to finding integrated solutions for climate and biodiversity protection and mainstreaming biodiversity into climate policy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ecuador, a country with distinct coastal (CO), highland (HL), and Amazon (AM) regions that are characterized by unique climatic, ecological, and socio-economic features is highly vulnerable to climate change. This study focuses on these three regions, highlighting their individual importance in the broader context of Ecuador's climate vulnerability. Utilizing dynamically downscaled data from the Regional Climate Model (RCM), we generated precipitation and air temperature projections for the period 2070-2099 under three different climate change scenarios. We indicate projected temperature increases across all three regions: mean temperature increases for the CO, HL and AM regions are of 1.35, 1.55, and 1.21°C, respectively. Each year, the largest temperature increases are predicted for the third quarter (June-August), with the smallest increases predicted for the last quarter (December-February). Precipitation patterns show varied changes, with CO exhibiting a positive mean daily change, in contrast to a mean negative change in the AM region. These region-specific projections underscore the differential impacts of climate change within Ecuador and highlight the necessity for tailored adaptation measures. The study's novel approach, focusing on distinct regional impacts within a single nation, offers valuable insights for policymakers, aiding in the development of effective, region-specific climate change mitigation and adaptation strategies. This targeted approach is crucial to address unique challenges faced by different regions, thereby supporting national resilience strategies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Human and earth system modeling, traditionally centered on the interplay between the energy system and the atmosphere, are facing a paradigm shift. The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change's mandate for comprehensive, cross-sectoral climate action emphasizes avoiding the vulnerabilities of narrow sectoral approaches. Our study explores the circular bioeconomy, highlighting the intricate interconnections among agriculture, forestry, aquaculture, technological advancements, and ecological recycling. Collectively, these sectors play a pivotal role in supplying essential resources to meet the food, material, and energy needs of a growing global population. We pose the pertinent question of what it takes to integrate these multifaceted sectors into a new era of holistic systems thinking and planning. Results: The foundation for discussion is provided by a novel graphical representation encompassing statistical data on food, materials, energy flows, and circularity. This representation aids in constructing an inventory of technological advancements and climate actions that have the potential to significantly reshape the structure and scale of the economic metabolism in the coming decades. In this context, the three dominant mega-trends—population dynamics, economic developments, and the climate crisis—compel us to address the potential consequences of the identified actions, all of which fall under the four categories of substitution, efficiency, sufficiency, and reliability measures. Substitution and efficiency measures currently dominate systems modeling. Including novel bio-based processes and circularity aspects might require only expanded system boundaries. Conversely, paradigm shifts in systems engineering are expected to center on sufficiency and reliability actions. Effectively assessing the impact of sufficiency measures will necessitate substantial progress in inter- and transdisciplinary collaboration, primarily due to their non-technological nature. In addition, placing emphasis on modeling the reliability and resilience of transformation pathways represents a distinct and emerging frontier that highlights the significance of an integrated network of networks. Conclusions: Existing and emerging circular bioeconomy practices can serve as prime examples of system integration. These practices facilitate the interconnection of complex biomass supply chain networks with other networks encompassing feedstock-independent renewable power, hydrogen, CO2, water, and other biotic, abiotic, and intangible resources. Elevating the prominence of these connectors will empower policymakers to steer the amplification of synergies and mitigation of tradeoffs among systems, sectors, and goals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The seminal outcome of COP28 was the Global Stocktake (GST), which referenced transitioning for the first time among all the United Nations' climate agreements. While the GST's attempt at energy transition is welcomed, it is deficient. In this paper, the historical challenges of international climate policymaking and implementation has been explored. The challenges that undermined previous UN agreements will likely hinder the global stocktake. Moreover, the GST's failure to use more forceful language could be a fatal flaw. Furthermore, the GST did not sufficiently define key terms like net zero and energy transition. Likewise, it did not give due consideration to energy justice. The GST missed the opportunity to take strategic advantage of state actors while creating an ecosystem for non-state actors to contribute to the fight against climate change. The GST should have taken advantage of the avalanche of scientific knowledge available on energy transition to mandate timely climate mitigation plans. Subsequent GSTs must proactively address the shortcomings of the first GST if the current generation, which is touted as the generation with the last chance to combat climate change, hopes to achieve the primary goal of the Paris Agreement. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This document is a summary of a special issue in the journal Biology that focuses on the conservation and evolution of wildlife in the context of climate change and human population growth. The issue includes five articles that cover a range of topics related to wildlife conservation. Three articles use species distribution models to predict suitable habitats for endangered species under future climate change. Another article explores variations in egg and clutch size in high-altitude birds, while the final article examines the cultural and medicinal significance of birds and mammals in a national park in Pakistan. The articles provide valuable insights into the effects of climate change and human activity on wildlife conservation and offer suggestions for conservation managers. It is worth noting that all the articles are based on studies conducted in Asian countries, which adds novelty to the research. [Extracted from the article]

Climate change and the resultant environmental deterioration signify one of the most challenging problems facing humankind in the 21st century. The origins of climate change are multifaceted and rooted in anthropogenic activities, resulting in increasing greenhouse gases in the environment and leading to global warming and weather drifts. Extremophilic fungi, characterized by their exceptional properties to survive extreme habitats, harbor great potential in mitigating climate change effects. This review provides insight into the potential applications of extremophilic fungi in climate change mitigation strategies. They are able to metabolize organic biomass and degrade carbon compounds, thereby safely sequestering carbon and extenuating its release into the environment as noxious greenhouse gases. Furthermore, they possess extremozymes, which break down recalcitrant organic species, including lignocellulosic biomass and hydrocarbons. Enzymatic machinery equips these extremophilic fungi to perform the bioremediation of polluted environments. Extremophilic fungi can also be exploited for various biological interventions, such as biofuels, bioplastics, and other bioprocessing applications. However, these fungi characterize a valued but underexplored resource in the arsenal of climate change mitigation strategies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The European Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) has evolved over the years, and climate change mitigation and sustainability were recently added as objectives to the policy. This sustainability policy includes subsidies for farmers. The success of EU policies relies on positive public perception. This study aimed to investigate Europeans' perception of EU sustainability subsidies. This analysis was complemented by evaluating citizens' attitudes towards agriculture and climate change and socio-economic variables. Overall, EU citizens support CAP and sustainability practices. Our findings reveal that EU citizens strongly in favour of this support tend to be older, more educated, politically left-wing, from higher social classes, residing in smaller communities, and optimistic about the EU's future. Additionally, these citizens hold strong environmental concerns and support innovative practices to benefit sustainable agriculture. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The relationship between natural cycles and human actions in causing climate change and its impacts on society have been a subject of debate. This paper explores the responses of pre-modern Koreans to climate change and natural disasters. The focus of this paper is on the societal reactions to these natural calamities and disasters during the Koryŏ dynasty (936–1392 A.D.) and their influence on Korea afterwards. This paper investigates the reasons behind the retention of primal religious worldviews in the face of ecological crises while other major imported religions were abandoned. The research method involved in this paper is archival research, and the literature sources include ancient records and other ecotheological resources. Through an analysis of the archival research and ecotheological resources, this study sheds light on the interpretation of climatic events in pre-modern Korea. Furthermore, based on the research findings, it presents missional implications for the Korean church in the post-pandemic era. This study underscores the importance of the church's responses to environmental awareness, collective responsibility, and spiritual support in addressing the challenges of climate change and provides missional implications for the Korean Church in response to the post-COVID-19 era based on the results of the research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With the rapid proliferation of climate policies in both number and scope, there is an increasing demand for a global-level dataset that provides multi-indicator information on policy elements and their implementation contexts. To address this need, we developed the Global Climate Change Mitigation Policy Dataset (GCCMPD) using a semisupervised hybrid machine learning approach, drawing upon policy information from global, regional, and sector-specific sources. Differing from existing climate policy datasets, the GCCMPD covers a large range of policies, amounting to 73,625 policies of 216 entities. Through the integration of expert knowledge-based dictionary mapping, probability statistics methods, and advanced natural language processing technology, the GCCMPD offers detailed classification of multiple indicators and consistent information on sectoral policy instruments. This includes insights into objectives, target sectors, instruments, legal compulsion, administrative entities, etc. By aligning with the sector classification of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) emission datasets, the GCCMPD serves to help policy-makers, researchers, and social organizations gain a deeper understanding of the similarities and distinctions among climate activities across countries, sectors, and entities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Climate change poses significant challenges to Indian agriculture, impacting crop yields, water availability, and overall food security. To address these challenges, a combination of adaptation and mitigation strategies is crucial. Adaptation measures involve adjusting agricultural practices to changing climate conditions, such as altering planting schedules, implementing water-saving techniques, and promoting resilient crop varieties. Mitigation strategies focus on reducing greenhouse gas emissions from agricultural activities, like adopting sustainable farming practices and enhancing carbon sequestration in soils. In India, the integration of adaptation and mitigation efforts is essential to enhance the resilience of farmers and agricultural systems to climate change impacts while contributing to global climate goals. By combining traditional knowledge with modern scientific approaches, Indian agriculture can navigate the complexities of climate change, ensuring sustainable food production and livelihood security for millions of farmers across the country. A concerted effort involving policymakers, researchers, extension workers, and farming communities is vital to bolster the resilience of Indian agriculture while contributing to global climate change mitigation efforts. Effective extension services are paramount for educating farmers and ensuring widespread adoption of these strategies. By prioritizing both adaptation and mitigation, Indian agriculture can navigate the challenges of climate change and ensure long-term food security. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This review proposes that mineral-based greenhouse gas (GHG) mitigation could be developed into a substantial climate change abatement tool. This proposal was evaluated via three objectives: (1) synthesise literature studies documenting the effectiveness of geological minerals at mitigating GHG emissions; (2) quantify, via meta-analysis, GHG magnitudes that could be abated by minerals factoring-in the carbon footprint of the approach; and (3) estimate the global availability of relevant minerals. Several minerals have been effectively harnessed across multiple sectors—including agriculture, waste management and coal mining—to mitigate carbon dioxide/CO2 (e.g., olivine), methane/CH4 (e.g., allophane, gypsum) and nitrous oxide/N2O (e.g., vermiculite) emissions. High surface area minerals offer substantial promise to protect soil carbon, albeit their potential impact here is difficult to quantify. Although mineral-based N2O reduction strategies can achieve gross emission reduction, their application generates a net carbon emission due to prohibitively large mineral quantities needed. By contrast, mineral-based technologies could abate ~9% and 11% of global CO2 and CH4 anthropogenic emissions, respectively. These estimates conservatively only consider options which offer additional benefits to climate change mitigation (e.g., nutrient supply to agricultural landscapes, and safety controls in landfill operations). This multi-benefit aspect is important due to the reluctance to invest in stand-alone GHG mitigation technologies. Minerals that exhibit high GHG mitigation potential are globally abundant. However, their application towards a dedicated global GHG mitigation initiative would entail significant escalation of their current production rates. A detailed cost-benefit analysis and environmental and social footprint assessment is needed to ascertain the strategy's scale-up potential. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Stratospheric aerosol injection (SAI) has been proposed as a potential supplement to mitigate some climate impacts of anthropogenic warming. Using Community Earth System Model ensemble simulation results, we analyze the response of temperature and precipitation extremes to two different SAI strategies: one injects SO2 at the equator to stabilize global mean temperature and the other injects SO2 at multiple locations to stabilize global mean temperature as well as the interhemispheric and equator‐to‐pole temperature gradients. Our analysis shows that in the late 21st century, compared with the present‐day climate, both equatorial and multi‐location injection lead to reduced hot extremes in the tropics, corresponding to overcooling of the mean climate state. In mid‐to‐high latitude regions, in comparison to the present‐day climate, substantial decreases in cold extremes are observed under both equatorial and multi‐location injection, corresponding to residual winter warming of the mean climate state. Both equatorial and multi‐location injection reduce precipitation extremes in the tropics below the present‐day level, associated with the decrease in mean precipitation. Overall, for most regions, temperature and precipitation extremes show reduced change in response to multi‐location injection than to equatorial injection, corresponding to reduced mean climate change for multi‐location injection. In comparison with equatorial injection, in response to multi‐location injection, most land regions experience fewer years with significant change in cold extremes from the present‐day level, and most tropical regions experience fewer years with significant change in hot extremes. The design of SAI strategies to mitigate anthropogenic climate extremes merits further study. Plain Language Summary: Injecting SO2 into the stratosphere to deflect incoming sunlight back to space has been proposed as a possible means to counteract anthropogenic warming. Previous studies focused on the response of the mean climate change to SO2 injection. Here we analyze how SO2 injection would affect climate extremes using two sets of climate model simulations under a high‐CO2 scenario. In one set of simulations, SO2 is injected into the stratosphere at the equator to stabilize global mean warming at the present‐day level; in another set of simulations, SO2 is injected into the stratosphere at four different latitudes to stabilize global mean temperature, interhemispheric temperature gradient, and equator‐to‐pole temperature gradient at the same time. Our analysis shows that both equatorial injection and multi‐location injection can help reduce temperature and precipitation extreme events induced by global warming, but their effectiveness varies across different regions. In general, compared to equatorial injection, multi‐location injection can be more effective in stabilizing climate extremes at the present‐day level over most regions. This is consistent with the fact that multi‐location injection exhibits smaller changes in mean climate state than that of the equatorial injection relative to the present‐day state. Key Points: We examine the climate extreme response to two stratospheric aerosol injection (SAI) strategies: equatorial injection and multi‐location injectionThe response of climate extremes to SAI shows similar characteristics to mean climate responseMulti‐location injection is more effective in stabilizing climate extremes at the present‐day level [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Existing estimates of the climate mitigation potential from cropland carbon sequestration (C‐sequestration) are limited because they tend to assume constant rates of soil organic carbon change over all available cropland area, use relatively coarse land delineations, and often fail to adequately consider the agronomic and socioeconomic dimensions of agricultural land use. This results in an inflated estimate of the C‐sequestration potential. We address this gap by defining a more appropriate land base for cover cropping in the United States for C‐sequestration purposes: stable croplands in annual production systems that can integrate cover cropping without irrigation. Our baseline estimate of this suitable stable cropland area is 32% of current U.S. cropland extent. Even an alternative, less restrictive definition of stability results in a large reduction in area (44% of current U.S. croplands). Focusing cover crop implementation to this constrained land base would increase durability of associated C‐sequestration and limit soil carbon loss from land conversion to qualify for carbon‐specific incentives. Applying spatially‐variable C‐sequestration rates from the literature to our baseline area yields a technical potential of 19.4 Tg CO2e yr−1 annually, about one‐fifth of previous estimates. We also find the cost of realizing about half (10 Tg CO2e yr−1) of this potential could exceed 100 USD Mg CO2e−1, an order of magnitude higher than previously thought. While our economic analyses suggest that financial incentives are necessary for large‐scale adoption of cover cropping in the U.S., they also imply any C‐sequestration realized under such incentives is likely to be additional. Plain Language Summary: As a "Nature‐based Climate Solution" (NCS), the practice of cover cropping has received widespread attention and investment recently. Through cover cropping, croplands may be able to absorb and hold more carbon in soil, drawing down CO2 in the atmosphere (i.e., sequester carbon). However, the sequestration that is feasible, which reflects socioeconomic and land use considerations, remains unquantified. We estimate this feasible potential for carbon sequestration in the U.S. croplands from cover cropping and find it to be a fraction of previous estimates. A large portion of the reduction is due to our use of a more realistic and rigorous definition of the land area suitable for cover cropping for climate mitigation purposes. This land area comprises "croplands remaining croplands" (or stable croplands) that are planted to annual crops, like corn and soybeans, because they can more easily integrate the practice. We exclude irrigated croplands to conserve water resources. At just under 44 million ha, our baseline area estimate is 32% of the current U.S. cropland extent. The rest of the reduction is associated with our use of more conservative rates of increase in soil carbon from cover cropping than earlier studies that are more realistic for assessing soil carbon sequestration potential over large areas. Our economic analyses suggests that without financial incentives, implementing cover cropping could be expensive for most U.S. farmers. This high cost hurdle needs to be evaluated against the cost‐effectiveness of alternatives that compete for the same limited resources for climate mitigation. Key Points: For U.S. croplands, the feasible potential of carbon sequestration from cover cropping is a fraction of previous estimatesDefining the land base suitable for mitigation practices more realistically and rigorously is critical to estimating the feasible potentialCover cropping, though beneficial for soil health, may not be a low‐cost pathway for climate mitigation at scale in the U.S. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Messages regarding climate change that are intended to stimulate responsible engagement can impact our mental health in both positive and negative ways, which in turn can increase or limit the potential engagement being sought through those very messages. Increasingly alarmist environmental metaphors are being brought into question due to their possibly detrimental impact on mental health and well-being, and in their place, relational environmental metaphors are proffered to instill hopeful and constructive individual and collective engagement for responsible climate action. This article discusses how both alarmist and relational environmental metaphors interact with eco-emotions. It proposes, in light of concepts arising from Porges' Polyvagal Theory -- on the psychophysiology of autonomic states created in contexts of threatening cues and feelings of safety and connection --, that relational environmental metaphors are preferable for stimulating responsible collective engagement and fostering global well-being in the midst of climate change. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Natural ecosystems store large amounts of carbon globally, as organisms absorb carbon from the atmosphere to build large, long-lasting, or slow-decaying structures such as tree bark or root systems. An ecosystem's carbon sequestration potential is tightly linked to its biological diversity. Yet when considering future projections, many carbon sequestration models fail to account for the role biodiversity plays in carbon storage. Here, we assess the consequences of plant biodiversity loss for carbon storage under multiple climate and land-use change scenarios. We link a macroecological model projecting changes in vascular plant richness under different scenarios with empirical data on relationships between biodiversity and biomass. We find that biodiversity declines from climate and land use change could lead to a global loss of between 7.44-103.14 PgC (global sustainability scenario) and 10.87-145.95 PgC (fossil-fueled development scenario). This indicates a self-reinforcing feedback loop, where higher levels of climate change lead to greater biodiversity loss, which in turn leads to greater carbon emissions and ultimately more climate change. Conversely, biodiversity conservation and restoration can help achieve climate change mitigation goals. Loss of vegetation carbon from biodiversity loss could rival emissions from other sources such as land-use change. This creates a feedback where climate change increases biodiversity loss, leading to greater emissions and more climate change. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Antarctic meltwater discharge has been largely emphasized for its potential role in climate change mitigation, not only by reducing global warming, but also by stabilizing the Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation (AMOC). Despite the tremendous impact of the AMOC on the climate system, its temporal evolution in response to the meltwater remains poorly understood. Here, we investigate the meltwater impacts on the AMOC based on the GFDL CM2.1 experiments and discover its fast weakening and slow strengthening to the Antarctic meltwater discharge. Cold ocean surface caused by meltwater spread throughout the globe and eventually strengthened the AMOC. However, in the early stages, the tropical temperature response could stimulate the Rossby wave teleconnection, modulating atmospheric circulation in the North Atlantic, and weakening convection and even the AMOC. This counterintuitive evolution implies a potential destabilizing effect of Antarctic meltwater, underscoring the importance of the atmospheric dynamics in the interaction between the two poles. Plain Language Summary: The climate system is made up of interactions between different subsystems, so that regional climate changes can have global effects. The freshwater discharge from Antarctica would increase in the future and result in regional cooling. Atmospheric and oceanic dynamics extend this local effect to the globe, reducing global surface temperature and strengthening the large‐scale ocean circulation in the Atlantic. These mitigating effects naturally put the spotlight on Antarctic meltwater. Our study however suggests that the mitigation effect depends on the time scale. Although the global mean temperature is always reduced, the ocean circulation in the Atlantic surprisingly slows down as an early response to Antarctic meltwater; fast atmospheric teleconnection enables it. This non‐monotonic evolution emphasizes the importance of the atmospheric teleconnection between the two poles, which should be carefully considered to understand the polar climate. Key Points: The response of the Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation to perennial meltwater‐induced cooling is investigated by GFDL CM2.1 experimentsBefore the cooling spreads out the Atlantic, tropical atmospheric teleconnection could weaken the Greenland ocean convectionThe fast and slow responses imply the importance of the atmospheric teleconnection to regulate polar climate [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Political polarization of Americans' support for climate policies often impedes the adoption of new, urgently needed climate solutions. However, recent polls suggest that younger conservatives favor adopting pro-climate policies to a greater degree than older conservatives, resulting in less political polarization among younger Americans relative to older Americans. To better understand these patterns, we analyzed Americans' support for various climate policies from 1982–2020, across 16 waves of historical, nationally representative survey data from the American National Election Studies (total N = 29,467). Regression models consistently show that, since 2012, younger Americans have been less politically polarized than older Americans on support for climate policies. Before 2012 and on non-climate policy topics, we did not find consistent statistical evidence for political polarization varying with age. These findings can inform policy debates about climate change and offer hope to environmentalists and policymakers who seek to build broad consensus for climate action at the policy level. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Artocarpus altilis, commonly known as breadfruit, is a potential crop adapted to a wide variety of climates and widely spread, including in Indonesia. However, information on how this species can adapt to climate change, in particular in Central Java, is still limited. In Indonesia, Central Java is the center for cultivation areas for many crop species to support the 145 million people living on Java Island. One of the potential crops being developed in Central Java is breadfruit. To assess the suitable cultivation areas for breadfruit, species distribution modeling (SDM) was used to predict the current and future (2050-2070) distribution of breadfruit. Two climate change scenarios, including optimistic RCP2.6 and pessimistic RCP8.5 models, were considered to represent future climate change impacts. Based on the results for both optimistic and pessimistic scenarios, the breadfruit's suitable cultivation areas will expand eastward. Implementing a mitigation climate change scenario and limiting the temperature increase to only 1 °C under RCP2.6 will provide 270.967 km² more of suitable cultivation areas for breadfruit in 2050 and 133.296 km² in 2070. To conclude, this study provides important information on the status and potential cultivation areas for breadfruit, mainly in the Southeast Asia region. The identification of suitable areas will guide land conservation for breadfruit to support food security in this region. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The issues of climate change in Senegal have the potential of undermining sustainable development efforts if positive steps are not taken to respond to its adverse consequences. This study documents existing and available literature on impacts of climate change on Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) in semi-arid zones of Senegal. It is evident that there are significant negative impacts of climate on SMEs in Senegal. Loss of goods, low productivity and sales as well as loss of income are mainly observed by the small and medium enterprises due to the impacts of increased temperature, soil erosion and salinization, decrease of rainfall, frequency of extreme events on both supply and production processes. Despite this fact, there are limited adaptation and mitigation strategies to climate change at company or enterprise level in order to deal effectively with the changing climate. Ensuring Senegal's enterprises to develop more effective climate change adaptation and mitigation strategies, there is the need for the Senegalese government to support enterprises by providing the necessary resources such as credit, information, training for managers and employees on climate change adaptation strategies and technologies, and investing in climate resilient projects which will reduce significantly the adverse effects of climate change on business operations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The global agriculture industry is facing never before faced issues in the form of soil degradation, water scarcity, rising greenhouse gas emissions, and climate change. Among the possible remedies, applying biochar to the soil has drawn interest as a viable strategy. Although a great deal of literature has been written about the benefits and drawbacks of applying biochar initially, there is still a significant amount of research on the effects of using biochar repeatedly. This study seeks to address this gap by examining the varied effects of both the initial application (at rates of 0 t.ha−1, 10 t.ha−1, and 20 t.ha−1) and the reapplication of biochar (at rates of 0, 10, and 20 t.ha−1), especially when combined with different levels of nitrogen fertilizer (0, 108, and 162 kg.ha−1). The investigation focuses on soil properties and CO2 emissions from Haplic Luvisol in the temperate climate zone (Slovakia). The results showed that biochar generally improved soil properties, such as soil pH (KCl) (p <0.05), shifting it from acidic towards moderately acidic, and generally led to a decrease in ammonium (NH4+) and nitrate (NO3-) content. The second level of fertilization, combined with different biochar treatments, yielded the most efficient results in physical properties such as soil temperature, bulk density (BD), and soil water content (SWC) compared to control treatments without biochar. Biochar application contributed to the reduction of both average daily CO2 emissions and cumulative CO2 emissions during the study period (April – October) in 2022 compared to the control without biochar application. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study identified the practices of adaptation strategies to climate change in Jimma, Bedelle, Bonga, and Sokorru urban centers using a survey of 384 households, 55 key informant interviews, 4 focus group discussions, and field observations. A cross-sectional study design was employed from 2019 to 2021. The adaptive capacity of municipalities to reduce climate extreme events was rated as poor by the majority (51%), mostly reactive measures (76%). The climate hazards identified in four urban centers were riverine and flash floods, urban heat waves, landslides, and windstorms. The urban households practiced lifestyle modification, reduce paved surfaces, the use of air conditioner, planting trees, and multiple windows. The adaptation strategies practiced by municipalities include the relocation of prone areas, the support of basic amenities, the construction of protection walls, diversion ditches, the clearance of waterways and rivers, greenery, and park development. The adaptation actions were constrained by a lack of awareness, commitment, cooperation and coordination, adaptive capacity, and participation. Gray/physical infrastructures (costly but important) as adaptation actions were hampered by the low municipal capacity. We recommend that urban authorities should incorporate climate change adaptation strategies into urban planning and development proactively to ensure future resilient climate smart urban centers of southwest Ethiopia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Continued urban expansion (UE) has long been regarded as a huge challenge for climate change mitigation. However, much less is known about how UE affects carbon emissions (CEs), especially in the urban agglomerations of the Yellow River Basin (UAYRB), China. In this regard, this study introduced kernel density analysis, the Gini coefficient, and Markov chains to reveal the UE patterns and carbon emissions intensity (CEI) in the UAYRB at the county level, and explored the spatial heterogeneity of the impact of UE on CEI with the geographically and temporally weighted regression model. The results show that both CEI and UE in the UAYRB showed a steady growing trend during the study period. The kernel density of CEI and UE revealed that CEI in the UAYRB was weakening, while the UE rate continuously slowed down. The Gini coefficients of both CEI and UE in the UAYRB region were at high levels, indicating obvious spatial imbalance. The Markov transfer probability matrix for CEI with a time span of five years showed that CEI growth will still occur over the next five years, while that of UE was more obvious. Meanwhile, counties with a regression coefficient of UE on CEI higher than 0 covered the majority, and the distribution pattern remained quite stable. The regression coefficients of different urban landscape metrics on CEI in the UAYRB varied greatly; except for the landscape shape index, the regression coefficients of the aggregation index, interspersion and juxtaposition index, and patch density overall remained positive. These findings can advance the policy enlightenment of the high-quality development of the Yellow River Basin. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Reducing emissions from deforestation and forest degradation (REDD) is a specific strategy for combating deforestation and forest degradation to alleviate the effects of climate change. In this study, the potential greenhouse gas (GHG) emission reduction resulting from the implementation of a REDD project is estimated. Changes in forest cover throughout the years 1985, 1990, 1995, 2000, 2010, 2015, and 2020 were analyzed using time-series Landsat imagery (TM, ETM + , and OLI) and a random forest algorithm. Multilayer perceptron neural networks were used to model the transition potential of the forest cover, which were then predicted via Markov chain analysis. The change detection analysis revealed two discernible patterns in forest cover dynamics. Between 1985 and 2000, a notable decrease in forest cover was seen, whereas from 2000 to 2020, it significantly increased. The results suggested that the absence of REDD implementation would result in the deforestation of approximately 199,569 hectares of forest cover between 2020 and 2050, leading to the release of 1,995,695 tCO2e of emissions into the atmosphere. However, with the implementation of REDD, these emissions would be reduced to 405,512 tCO2e, effectively preventing the release of 1,590,183 tCO2e of emissions into the upper atmosphere. This study demonstrates that the implementation of REDD projects can be an effective strategy for reducing GHG emissions and mitigating climate change in the Hyrcanian forests. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This research investigates the long-term determinants of carbon emissions in three diverse regions—Europe and Central Asia (ECA), Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA), and the Middle East and North Africa (MENA)—spanning 1990 to 2020. Utilizing advanced econometric models and analyses, including the Regularized Common Correlated Effects Estimator (rCCE), Common Correlated Effects Estimator (CCE), and Mean-Group (MG) approach, the study explores the intricate relationships between carbon emissions, crop production, emissions per agricultural production, energy consumption, renewable energy consumption, per capita GDP, and population. Region-specific nuances are uncovered, highlighting the varying dynamics: ECA exhibits intricate and non-significant relationships, SSA showcases significant effects of population dynamics and green technology adoption, and the MENA region reveals a nuanced interplay between emissions per agricultural production. The findings underscore the universal efficacy of green technology adoption for mitigation. Strategies for mitigating carbon emissions in the agricultural sector require diversified energy transition approaches, emphasizing efficiency enhancements, green technology adoption, and tailored population management strategies based on regional intricacies. Counterfactual simulations indicate the potential efficacy of strategic measures targeting crop production to reduce carbon emissions, while acknowledging the nuanced relationship between economic growth and emissions. Policymakers are urged to recognize the persistence in emission patterns, emphasizing the importance of targeted interventions to transition towards more sustainable trajectories. Overall, the research provides essential insights for crafting effective policies at both regional and global scales to address the complexities of climate change mitigation in the agricultural sector. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]