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Corporate net-zero emission pledges have multiplied in recent years, with estimates suggesting that more than 1000 companies have made such commitments. While seemingly indicative of companies stepping up to address climate change, critics have argued that pledges may be mere greenwashing if they rely on excessive offsetting and legitimise business-as-usual. Considerable grey and academic literature has debated the problems of net-zero and explored the integrity and transparency of net-zero plans. We add to this literature by investigating discursive aspects of net-zero logics through an in-depth case study of the Swedish fast food chain MAX Burgers AB. Through a textual analysis of MAX's communication of its 'climate-positive' – or net-negative – burgers, we explore the narratives underpinning its net-zero work and how these serve MAX's interests. Our investigation shows that MAX's net-zero claim justifies its existing business practices and directs focus away from actions that could directly reduce its emissions. Thus, we show that MAX is pushing non-transformative solutions, such as offsetting and voluntary corporate action, while shifting responsibility for climate action onto others, such as consumers and smallholder farmers in the global South. We conclude that even seemingly progressive corporate net-zero pledges and claims become problematic if they distract from real reductions and justify carbon-intensive lifestyles. • We investigate the net-zero claims and narratives of a Swedish fast food chain. • Net-zero claims may serve to justify business-as-usual corporate climate approaches. • The claim shifts responsibility to act and proposes non-transformative solutions. • Carbon-intensive lifestyles in the global North are enabled and legitimised. • Without regulation net-zero pledges risks diverting from decarbonisation efforts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The emerging economies of Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa (BRICS) have significant influence on the global economic and environmental trajectories. They have carbon intensive economic systems, which contribute significantly to total global greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, leading to climate change. However, BRICS have joined the race to net-zero emissions by 2050 in the quest for a climate neutral and sustainable global economy. The journey, however, is not without challenges and opportunities. The proliferation of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) had mixed reactions from scientists regarding its implications on net-zero trajectories. While statistical data show a correlation between COVID-19 and a decrease in total emissions, it is envisaged that COVID-19 compromised the efforts to develop carbon neutral economies. Hence, there is still need for more scientific examination of COVID-19's impact on net-zero ambitions, especially in the emerging economies. This study focuses on India and South Africa's trajectories. Statistical analysis of secondary data from authentic interactive web-based dashboards for COVID-19 data repositories, namely Our World in Data and Climate Action Tracker was performed in conjunction with the document analysis approach following the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) methodology. Some of the COVID-19 challenges as indicated by the results of the study include curtailing the technology transfer staircase in the energy sector, retaliatory emissions for recovery and resource diversion. The opportunities presented by COVID-19 in the quest for carbon neutrality include behavioural changes in investment, production and consumption patterns with a focus on low carbon options. Governments and stakeholders need to focus on addressing the barriers whilst riding on the opportunities presented by the pandemic to achieve net-zero emissions by 2050. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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

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

[Display omitted] • Contribution variations of various policies to PM 2.5 deaths are quantified by period and region. • Carbon and pollution controls can enable 79% to reside in low PM 2.5 areas by 2060. • Population aging could double PM 2.5 deaths by 2060 if other factors remain constant. • A joint effort for carbon and pollution could prevent 2.15 million PM 2.5 deaths by 2060. • Pollution controls can greatly reduce PM 2.5 before 2030, but climate policy becomes crucial after. To confront the challenges posed by air pollution and climate change, China has undertaken significant initiatives to develop strategies that address both issues concurrently. However, the health benefits of these initiatives have not been clearly articulated. In this study, the dynamic changes in health impacts under air pollution and carbon reduction actions in China are evaluated by employing the latest concentration–response models and projected PM 2.5 concentrations under future scenarios. From 2020 to 2060, the enforcement of clean air and climate mitigation policies is expected to increase the percentage of the population living with PM 2.5 concentrations meeting the 10 μg/m3 standard by 79 %. Without the implementation of relevant mitigation measures, PM 2.5 -associated deaths are projected to double due to an aging population. In comparison to the 2060 reference scenario, the joint implementation of clean air and carbon neutrality measures is expected to reduce nationwide PM 2.5 -associated mortality by 62 %, equivalent to 2.15 (95 % CI: 1.80–2.48) million deaths. Stringent pollution controls are crucial for reducing PM 2.5 -associated deaths before 2030, after which carbon neutrality actions become increasingly significant from 2030 to 2060. The challenges of mitigating future PM 2.5 -associated deaths vary greatly across regions, showing a critical response to pollution control and carbon reduction. The research proves the effectiveness of China's future air pollution control and carbon reduction policies in mitigating PM 2.5 -associated deaths. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• The 57.00% of the Yangtze River Economic Belt area exhibited a significant increase in annual NPP. • The response of NPP on climate factors was nonlinear, with greater sensitivity to temperature. • The impact of topographic factors on NPP changes had a threshold effect. Net primary productivity (NPP) of terrestrial ecosystems serves as a crucial carbon sink, playing a significant role in mitigating climate change. This study, focusing on the Yangtze River Economic Belt (YREB), a key area for both economic development and ecological conservation in China, evaluates the temporal and spatial changes in regional NPP and its responses to climatic factors against the backdrop of global change. Utilizing long-term NPP and meteorological grid data from 1981 to 2017, we analyzed the annual change patterns of NPP and its linear and nonlinear responses to climatic factors using copula functions. Our findings indicate that 57.00 % of the YREB has experienced a significant increase in NPP, with the most substantial decreases observed in Shanghai and its surrounding areas (P < 0.05). Temperature emerged as the primary climatic driver, positively correlating with NPP changes in over half of the study area (P < 0.05). Moreover, the nonlinear response of NPP to temperature and precipitation underscores the complex interactions between these factors, revealing a sensitivity to temperature variations that surpasses that to precipitation. The study also highlights the influence of solar radiation and topographic factors, with a significant positive correlation between NPP and solar radiation observed in 15.85 % of the area (P < 0.05). The practical significance of these findings lies in their implications for regional ecological management and climate resilience strategies. The positive correlation between temperature and NPP underscores the potential for targeted temperature management to optimize carbon sequestration across the YREB. Furthermore, the identified nonlinear responses and the role of solar radiation and topography in influencing NPP offer valuable insights for the formulation of adaptive strategies that enhance ecosystem productivity and contribute to achieving carbon neutrality goals. By elucidating the dynamics of NPP in response to a range of environmental factors, this study provides a foundation for informed decision-making in ecological conservation and climate change mitigation efforts within the YREB and similar regions globally. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Implementation costs are a more relevant constraint to afforestation than opportunity costs. • Financial incentives for afforestation are constrained by market access and market prices. • Carbon-neutral and food multi-oriented land policies need further exploration. • Collaboration among global carbon markets can enhance CO 2 removal efficiency. Afforestation is a promising nature-based climate solution for mitigating climate change, but it is subject to a complex web of biophysical, cost-benefit, market, and policy processes. Although its biophysical feasibility has been established, the cost, market, and policy constraints that affect climate change mitigation through afforestation are still unclear. Here, we estimate such cost, market, and policy constraints on the basis of biophysical feasibility. Our findings reveal that implementation costs are a more relevant constraint than opportunity costs on mitigating climate change through afforestation. The China Certified Emission Reduction market currently provides only a 0.308 % incentive for climate change mitigation through afforestation, due to market access constraints. The current market prices of China Certified Emission Reduction, China Carbon Emissions Trading Exchange, and Nature Based Carbon Offset in Voluntary Carbon Market constrain 88.15 %, 87.95 %, and 85.75 % of CO 2 removal actions through afforestation, compared to the carbon price scenario (US$62.97 tCO 2 -1) of the EU Emissions Trading System. Moreover, land policy under the scenarios of prohibiting conversion of cultivated land to forest and forest restoration in degraded areas exhibit 8.87–29.59 % and 65.16–74.10 % constraints, respectively, on mitigating climate change through afforestation compared to land-use freedom conversion scenarios from 2020 to 2060. Thus, enhancing the incentive price of CO 2 removal, addressing the market access barrier, strengthening cooperation between global carbon markets, and exploring carbon–neutral and food multi-oriented land policies can be valuable sources of mitigation efforts over the next 40 years. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• A CGE model elaborately depicting six CCS technologies was developed. • Impacts of four CCS incentive scenarios on decarbonization pathways were simulated. • CCS can sequester 960 ∼ 1,604 MtCO 2 annually in China by 2060 with policy incentives. • CCS incentives can reduce China's future primary energy demand by 7.7 ∼ 17.4 %. • CCS incentives can increase GDP by 5.64 ∼ 6.59 % compared to no policy scenario. Carbon capture and storage (CCS) technology, considered as a pivotal tool in mitigating climate change within the fossil energy system, particularly in China, has experienced slower development than expected. The exploration of direct incentive policies to facilitate its growth remains relatively underdeveloped. This study developed a hybrid dynamic computable general equilibrium (CGE) model to simulate the substantial impacts of CCS incentive policies on China within the context of carbon neutrality target. Two potential incentive policies, carbon emission trading system (ETS) and 45Q tax credit, were simulated, with different sectoral coverage. The results indicate that CCS technologies can reduce carbon emissions by 960 ∼ 1,604 MtCO 2 annually by 2060 through the strategic implementation of these incentive policies. The 45Q tax credit demonstrates its effectiveness in promoting early-stage research and development (R&D) and demonstration of CCS, while the ETS policy facilitates the commercial development of CCS in the later stage of development. By 2060, the implementation of CCS incentive policies could potentially result in 7.7 ∼ 17.4 % reduction in China's primary energy consumption, 71.2 ∼ 82.7 % decrease in the carbon price of ETS and 5.64 ∼ 6.59 % increase in the GDP compared with the no-policy scenario. In addition, the sectoral output in various sectors and the welfare of urban and rural households also increase. This paper provides an important reference for the realization of China's carbon neutrality goal and the model framework can be applied to other countries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The ever-increasing challenges related to water security and climate mitigation underscore the pressing need for forward-thinking systems planning tools to drive urban sustainability transitions. In this study, we propose a novel city-level multi-objective planning framework that explores the nexus between carbon trading and water management, with the aim of facilitating water-efficient urban industrial restructuring. The framework integrates cap-and-trade mechanisms into a two-layered optimization model, creating an integrated approach to optimizing carbon emissions and generating economic opportunities for improving water efficiency. To illustrate the potential application of this framework, we conducted a case study focusing on Dongguan City, a water-stressed industrial metropolis in southern China. The results illustrate potential synergies between water planning strategies and carbon trading schemes, which could be harnessed to enable targeted reductions in water usage and carbon emissions. Furthermore, our findings identify the textile, apparel, and paper products manufacturing industries as primary candidates for strategic production scale reduction, emphasizing the importance of sustained support for the development of the computer and electronic manufacturing sector as a catalyst for urban sustainability transitions. By pioneering this new nexus-based perspective, our study offers valuable insights into long-term strategic planning for a low-carbon and resource-efficient urban economy. • Synergizing carbon trading and water management within a novel integrated planning framework. • Implementing resource-efficiency-driven optimization for water- and carbon-intensive manufacturing sectors. • Gaining insights into the specific roles of key manufacturing sectors in water management and carbon trading. • Introducing carbon trading systems may help in promoting water-efficient industrial restructuring. [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Chinese government has announced ambitious carbon reduction goals to address climate change, however, there has been limited scientific attention to the achievement of deep decarbonization in regions with insufficient economic development. Moreover, the complex impacts of climate change mitigation on energy system, environment and economic development remain unclear in Northwest China. Here we construct a comprehensive evaluation model system to evaluate the effects of different climate mitigation pathways in Qinghai, Ningxia, Gansu and Xinjiang provinces. Results show that the four provinces need to vigorously increase the share of electricity that consumed in final energy to 53.1–60.0% and 52.9–62.0% for 2 °C and 1.5 °C target, respectively, and reduce total energy demand to 11.6–44.4 Mtoe and 8.2–34.1 Mtoe in 2050. Meanwhile, the CO 2 emissions for their energy systems will reach peak by 2025 at lower values. Moreover, the synergies of CO 2 reduction are most conducive to abating SO 2 pollution and also contributing to decreasing PM 2.5 concentrations. Additionally, the GDP losses in 2050 fluctuate from 5.0 to 21.7 billion USD in the 2 °C scenario to 11.5–52.7 billion USD in the 1.5 °C scenario. Our study provides practical guidance on achieving carbon reductions in less developed regions of China and lays foundations to promote decarbonization of energy systems in other provinces. • Realizing climate goals requires low-carbon energy systems led by electricity. • Energy-related carbon emissions in Northwest China will peak by 2025. • More ambitious climate and clean air policies are needed for air quality improvement. • Economic loss shows an upward trend in the future under climate targets. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• The Carbon sink capacity of a typical ecotypic county was precisely estimated. • STARFM was employed to estimate interannual NEP at county scale. • The NEP dataset at a 30 m grid scale from 2000 to 2020 was generated. • Spatio-temporal dynamics of NEP in ecotype county were grasped. Net ecosystem productivity (NEP) serves as a pivotal metric for quantitatively elucidating the carbon sink function of terrestrial ecosystems. As a prototype county for the development of an ecological civilization in China, the quantitative estimation of the ecotypic county's ecosystem carbon sink capacity holds immense significance in comprehending the carbon cycle and facilitating the sustainable advancement of regional ecosystems. This study undertook the estimation of NEP in Wuning County from 2000 to 2020, employing a fusion of multi-source remote sensing data, the Spatial and Temporal Adaptive Reflectance Fusion Model (STARFM), the improved Carnegie-Ames-Stanford Approach model, and the soil respiration model. Furthermore, we delved into the differences in NEP across various types of land cover. In addition, we employed the Theil-Sen Median trend analysis and Mann-Kendall test to discern the spatio-temporal trends of NEP. The findings indicated the following: (1) The downscaled NDVI generated by STARFM exhibited a remarkable consistency with Landsat NDVI overall (R 2 > 0.95, P < 0.01, 0 < RMSE < 0.1). (2) The gross NEP from 2000 to 2020 in the study area ranged from 542.78 to 720 Gg C, with a multi-year average NEP of 183.84 g C m−2 yr−1. The simulated NEP demonstrated higher accuracy when compared to the measured data (R 2 = 0.79, P < 0.01). (3) The NEP exhibited a spatial pattern characterized by lower values in the central area and higher values in the north and south. Approximately 89.60 % of the total area demonstrated an increase in NEP, with woodland acting as the primary contributor, while 4.50 % of the total area displayed a decreasing trend, predominantly due to the expansion of built-up land. (4) Notable variations in NEP existed among different types of land cover. In terms of vegetation types, the annual average NEP ranked as follows: woodland > grassland > cropland. The application of STARFM has provided valuable insights into the methodology for precise delineation of spatio-temporal dynamics of NEP at the county scale. The outcomes of this study have furnished support for implementing climate change mitigation strategies in ecologically-oriented counties and the bottom-up promotion of China's carbon peaking and carbon neutrality goals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Due to the expeditious rise in anthropogenic activities and rapid extractive pressure, protected areas in the Indian Himalayan Region (IHR) are experiencing significant losses in ecological diversity and a substantial decline in the potential for carbon sequestration and climate change mitigation. The quantification of carbon sequestration and the understanding of its corresponding economic gain/loss are crucial for raising strict preservative concerns in protected areas with rich ecological and economic values. Transitions in land use land cover (LULC) trajectories from historical to future scenarios impact the dynamics of carbon storage and sequestration in terrestrial ecosystems. The present study extends a comprehensive 40-year (1995–2035) assessment of carbon mapping (gain/loss) as well as an economic approximation of carbon sequestration in the Askot Wildlife Sanctuary (AWLS), Western Himalaya, using satellite data. This investigation presents a novel hybrid approach by infusing machine learning algorithms and a spatial-temporal technique-based MLPnn-Markov chain model for future LULC simulation with the InVEST model that incorporates carbon mapping and economic valuation. The results show that among all the land use classes, dense forest has the highest carbon density; however, it exhibits a decreasing trend from 1995 (5,695,878.41 Mg/ha) to 2035 (4,378,439.81 Mg/ha). The economic quantification of carbon sequestration was performed by applying sensitivity analysis combined with different carbon prices and discount rates from 2020 to 2035. The observed outcomes reveal significant economic losses due to rapid forest cover decline, as indicated by a negative net present value (NPV) ranging from a minimum of ∼US$ -8 million to a maximum of ∼US$ -53 million. This study develops a valuable database by providing evidence-based decision-making and guidance for the sustainable preservation of ecosystems in the Western Himalayas and similar regions worldwide, where forest carbon sequestration is of paramount importance. The findings of the study suggest sound provisions for the conservation of forested landscapes and the development of efficient voluntary and regulatory carbon trading markets to achieve stability in forest carbon stocks. In doing so, this interdisciplinary approach addresses the growing imperative of integrating ecological and economic aspects in the context of biodiversity conservation and climate change mitigation. • Carbon sequestration in forests and across the landscape is performed and compared. • Remote sensing and machine learning techniques are executed for LULC simulation. • Carbon mapping is carried out in InVEST model. • Both country-level and international carbon prices are used for economic accounting. • Decline in forest cover encounters huge economic losses. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Petrochemical producers both rely upon and generate some of the most problematic substances in the current age of socioecological crisis: fossil fuels and plastics. With mounting calls to cap fossil fuel extraction as well as plastics production, the industry appears to be caught between a rock and a hard place. Nonetheless, betting on continuously increasing global plastic demand, petrochemical production is expanding significantly. This predicament raises the question of how the industry attempts to square increasing petrochemical production with the need to address environmental issues. In recent years, leading actors in and around the industry have promoted notions of carbon circularity as a desirable mitigation strategy. In this paper, we examine this strategy, using discourse analysis to uncover what we refer to as the imaginary of circular carbon. We highlight how the circular carbon imaginary risks delaying climate mitigation by rendering alternative mitigation pathways undesirable. It does so by reconciling increased production, carbon neutrality, and circular economy in a vision of a circular carbon economy, framing the climate crisis as an issue of carbon management. In the circular carbon economy, carbon dioxide, petrochemicals, and plastics all fit as mere flows of carbon. The circular carbon imaginary thereby helps future-proof the petrochemical industry in legitimizing its carbon-intensive practises essential to the fossil world order and the plastic crisis. • We explore the circular carbon imaginary as promoted by the petrochemical industry. • It is a mitigation strategy centred around circular and diversified carbon flows. • That relies on largely unproven technologies and frames out short-term mitigation pathways. • By doing so, it risks delaying climate mitigation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Environmental deterioration brought on by the top ten greenhouse gas emitters is a critical worldwide issue with far-reaching ramifications for global economic sustainability. The main purpose of this research is to explore the link between economic growth, energy consumption, trade openness, and environmental factors with a focus on achieving carbon neutrality without compromising economic growth in the top ten emitting countries by employing a dynamic STIRPAT modeling technique. The data used in this research was taken from various sources, such as the International Energy Agency and the World Bank. The research found a robust association between energy consumption and economic growth, with a correlation coefficient of 0.87. The results revealed that carbon emissions (CO 2) are positively related to per capita gross domestic product (PGDP), cubic GDP (G D P 3 ), international tourism arrivals (Tour) and energy consumption (EC), while negatively related to trade openness (TO) and squared GDP (G D P 2 ) in the top ten emitting countries, confirming the N shaped Kuznets curve hypothesis. Trade liberalization also impacted emissions with a coefficient of 0.65 (p < 0.01). The findings suggest that in order to simultaneously achieve carbon neutrality and continue economic development, it is imperative for the major polluting countries to embrace renewable energy sources and enact environmentally beneficial trade and economic measures. [Display omitted] • The study highlights collaboration for carbon neutrality and economic growth. • Results suggest a balance between carbon neutrality & economic vitality. • Renewable energy can drive economic growth while reducing emissions. • Results are policy relevant in achieving carbon neutrality. • The study validates the N shape Kuznets curve hypothesis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Lithium-ion batteries (LIBs) play a crucial role in driving energy transitions, particularly in electric vehicles (EVs) and energy storage systems. Forecasting LIB prices has received significant attention due to the tightening of raw material markets. Additionally, the implementation of carbon pricing policies has highlighted the need to incorporate the carbon footprint of LIBs in price evaluation. This study presents a comprehensive analysis of the carbon footprint, pricing trajectories, and forthcoming carbon pricing ramifications associated with LIBs. Firstly, the findings derived from the life-cycle carbon footprint assessment indicate that the global production volume-weighted average carbon footprint of EV battery packs spans 49.2–81.1 kgCO 2 eq/kWh, depending on the chosen end-of-life treatment. Strategic end-of-life selections, aligned with battery chemical composition, can diminish the carbon footprint by up to 46% relative to improper disposal methods. Notably, direct cathode recycling of NCA and NMC622 batteries exhibits superior environmental performance. Secondly, techno-economic analysis predicts that the mean price of EV battery packs with diverse chemical compositions will decline to $75.1/kWh by 2030, factoring in the compound annual growth rate of critical raw material prices over the past decade. LFP batteries emerge as the top economic performers. Lastly, the results reveal that monetizing a battery's carbon footprint may offset battery price reductions through learning effects. This underscores the imperative of effective recycling for curtailing the carbon footprint and ensuring the enduring economic and environmental competitiveness of LIBs. • Life-cycle carbon emissions are integrated into future battery price projections. • Direct cathode recycling provides the greatest potential for carbon reduction. • LFP might be the only lithium-ion battery to achieve the $80/kWh price target. • Cost reductions from learning effects can hardly offset rising carbon prices. • Recycling is needed for climate change mitigation and battery economics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Under the background of "carbon peak" and "carbon neutrality", China's cities are at the heart of climate change mitigation. To fulfill the commitments, the potential drivers of China's low-carbon economy at the city level should be explored. Thus, this study estimated the quality of low-carbon economy from the perspectives of carbon emissions and sequestration. Subsequently, spatial econometric approach was adopted to analyze the direct and spatial spillover effects of drivers on low-carbon economy. Moreover, to explore more potential variables, this study combined machine learning algorithms with different weight matrices to assess the importance scores of neighbouring cities' potential variables. The results show that (1) GDP per capita, emissions reduction technological progress, terrestrial vegetation's net primary productivity and the ratio of forest land cover improved cities' low-carbon economy; (2) land urbanization reduced nearby cities' low-carbon economy (especially those with high human footprint index at the inter-city border), which was caused by its negative spatial spillover effects on forest net primary production; (3) based on importance analysis, this study found that the characteristics of different sectors (e.g., the ratio of labor to fixed capital stocks, employment and fixed asset investment expenditure) also significantly influenced nearby cities' low-carbon economy. • China's city-level quality of low-carbon economy (reo) was estimated based on carbon intensity and sequestration. • The importance of 72 variables' spatial spillover effects were ranked based on machine learning algorithms. • Terrestrial vegetation's net primary productivity and the ratio of forest land cover greatly improved the reo. • The spatial spillover effect of land urbanization was negative in nearby cities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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

Highlights • Coupling economic and biogenic carbon models to assesses energy policy scenarios. • Complete GHG life cycle inventories of the French transport sub-sector are built. • Dynamic approach is needed for transport GHG emissions and impact determinations. • The mitigation is 462% higher than the static assumption for 2G bioethanol. • The model is sensitive to forest rotation length, robust to tree growth parameters. Abstract Bioenergy systems are promoted in an effort to mitigate climate change, and policies are defined accordingly to be implemented in the coming decades. Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) is used to assess the environmental performance of bioenergy systems, yet subject to the limitations of static approaches. In classical LCA, no temporal differentiation is undertaken: all inventoried instant to long-term greenhouse gases emissions (GHG) are aggregated and characterised in the same way, over a fixed time horizon, by means of fixed characterisation factors. Positive and negative impact contributions of dynamic biogenic carbon (C bio) sum up to zero, yielding the same result as carbon neutral estimates. Climate mitigation results are biased without the temporal consideration of these flows. The purpose of the study is to highlight the time-sensitive potential climatic consequences of policy-driven transport strategies for metropolitan France, in the specific context of the dynamic LCA framework and climate change mitigation. We therefore propose a dynamic approach coupling a partial-equilibrium model (PEM) with dynamic C bio models. The PEM analyses in detail the techno-economic performance of the metropolitan French energy-transport sector. It explores prospective optimization options (supply-demand equilibrium) of emerging commodity and energy process pathways in response to a policy in question. The C bio model generates dynamic inventories of the C bio embedded in the primary renewable biomass outputs of the PEM. It captures the dynamic C bio exchange flows between the atmosphere and the technosphere over time: negative emissions from fixation (sequestration) and positive emissions from release (e.g. combustion or decay). A dynamic impact method is applied to evaluate the mitigation effects of C bio from forest wood residues by comparing the climate change impacts from complete carbon (fossil + biogenic) with carbon neutral inventories across scenarios. Two sets of results are computed concerning the overall transport (all emissions) and bioethanol (wood-to-fuel emissions) systems. The mitigation effect from long-term historic sequestration allocated to bioethanol (462%) is significantly larger than for transport (3%), expressed as the difference with carbon neutral estimates. The fossil-sourced emissions from bioethanol production represents only 5.4%. In contrast, a comparison with an alternative reference scenario involving wood decay demonstrated higher impacts (i.e. an increase of 316%) than carbon neutral estimates. The representation of the actual climatic consequences depends on the chosen fixed end-year of the dynamic impact assessment. Moreover, the mitigation effect is proven sensitive to the rotation length of forestry wood: the shorter the length the lower the mitigation from using renewable forest resources. Other energy-policy scenarios, C bio modelling approaches and consequences of indirect effects should be further studied and contrasted. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Highlights • Substantial share of car owners willing to offset carbon emissions despite high costs. • Government-led norm interventions can promote voluntary carbon offsetting behaviour. • Peer group social norm interventions have little effect if behaviour is not yet widespread. • Combination of both interventions perform best. Abstract Conventional wisdom holds that voluntary pro-environmental action of citizens is desirable, but there remains much debate over how it could be promoted. We study this issue focusing on social norm interventions to increase voluntary carbon offsetting, which involves high personal costs. Specifically, we examine the causal effects of two types of social norm signals. One relates to attitudes and behaviour of other car owners (group information), the other to government policy on carbon offsetting, which carries an institutional signal of social desirability. While the former should have a positive effect, the latter could encourage or crowd out voluntary offsetting. Based on an experimental study design and a representative sample of 1919 car owners from the largest canton in Switzerland we find that, despite high costs, around 25% of our sample expressed a willingness to offset, and 11% actually paid to offset their emissions. The group norm intervention per se had little effect, but the combination of institutional and group norm signal caused a substantial increase in offsetting payment. Our study contributes to the discussion on how social norms and pro-environmental behaviour relate. The two main policy implications are that: (1) there is substantial room for using voluntary carbon offsetting to reduce emissions; and (2) institutional norm signals can promote voluntary carbon offsetting when pro-environmental behaviour is not yet widespread and group related norm interventions are thus difficult. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cities are the major contributors to global carbon dioxide emissions; however, the carbon transfers embodied in cities' domestic and foreign trade have not been fully discussed. As carbon emissions from different domestic and foreign trade partners have not been distinguished, and since China's four municipalities (Beijing, Tianjin, Shanghai and Chongqing) carry an increasingly significant responsibility for carbon reduction in China, a multi-scale and multi-regional carbon emission assessment is applied to identify their emission transfers to and from 26 domestic provinces and 184 foreign economies. The results show that the intensities of the four municipalities are mainly above the international standard (0.14 kg/CNY) but beneath the Chinese average (0.24 kg/CNY). 71.72%, 55.35%, 65.34% and 33.65% of their emissions are imported from other regions. Generally, the four municipalities are net recipients of domestic carbon transfers and suppliers of foreign carbon transfers. Carbon transfers from Hebei to Beijing and Tianjin, Zhejiang to Shanghai, and Sichuan to Chongqing as well as from Beijing and Tianjin to Japan and South Korea and from Shanghai and Chongqing to the United States and Germany are identified in domestic and foreign supply chains. The multi-scale and multi-regional simulation and assessment in this work allows us to identify the carbon emissions not only within a city's boundaries but also via inter- and intra-national trade, providing a solid foundation for the carbon emission assessments of Chinese mega cities from an embodied perspective. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, the price of carbon is used to incentivize a reduction in the release of CO 2 emissions and an increase in sequestration of CO 2 through forestry activities. Forest managers essentially have two options for increasing carbon sequestration (i.e., creating carbon offset credits): (1) avoid or delay harvest of mature timber; or (2) harvest timber and allow natural or artificial regeneration (with ‘regular’ or ‘seed-selected’ growing stock). A forest management model representative of the southern interior of British Columbia is described and used to examine forest conservation that prevents emissions of CO 2 , and even-flow and commercial harvesting where timber is processed into long-lived wood products that store carbon and residuals for energy. The objective of the model is to maximize net discounted returns to commercial timber operations plus the benefits of managing carbon fluxes. The model tracks carbon in living trees, organic matter, and post-harvest carbon pools. It also includes various parameters related to the weighting of future carbon flows, anticipated price of carbon, whether and to what extent use of biomass reduces fossil fuel emissions from generating electricity or production of non-wood construction materials, et cetera. The results demonstrate that the decision about which forestry activities generate carbon offset credits and how many is essentially a political and not a scientific one. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In an effort to contribute to climate change mitigation, China has committed to achieving its peak carbon by 2030 and carbon neutrality by 2060. However, reaching these goals will require a massive reduction in carbon emissions. The humans have to consume food to meet their survival needs. Furthermore, the society's demand for food is consistent with the development level of agricultural structures. At present, reducing environmental costs associated with food to adjust the agricultural structure has not received sufficient scientific attention. Because of this, the present study combines food consumption, climate change, and agricultural structure to design future scenarios based on the widely used SSP storyline. Moreover, in order for China to reach its carbon peak in 2030, this study applies a life-cycle approach to uncover the potential carbon reduction of Chinese residents under different dietary structures. From a demand perspective, this study puts forward recommendations for dietary restructuring and guides the direction of future agricultural restructuring in China. It also shows that a diet structure that replaces red meat with plant foods such as vegetables and fruits will have a more significant carbon reduction potential. The traditional agricultural structure consumes a large amount of food and produces a significant amount of greenhouse gases. Reducing meat and high-fat foods consumption may help reduce GHG emissions produced by food consumption. In addition, reducing the proportion of food used for feeding in the agricultural structure will also help achieve peak carbon targets. The shift in diet structure will advance China's agricultural structure and promote green agriculture development. • Food consumption and related carbon emissions within the 2030 scenario will continue to increase, with the highest share of rice consumption. • The carbon emissions of food consumption in the environmentally sustainable scenario will decrease. • Readjusting toward a more balanced diet could significantly contribute to the carbon peak goal. • A shift in dietary structure will promote agricultural restructuring. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Urban parks are considered as an effective, sustainable, and affordable heat mitigation strategy. At present, there is a lack of understanding of the carbon saving potential of urban parks in the context of urban warming. Here we provide a simple approach to estimate the potential carbon savings due to heat mitigation based on analysis of 1510 parks in 26 major urban areas of the years 2017–2021 within the Yangtze River Economic Belt (YREB), China's largest sustainability experiment. On average, an urban park with 26.9 ± 1.5 ha in the YREB could avoid 23.7 ± 1.6 t CO 2 (1.08 ± 0.03 t CO 2 /ha) in emissions due to heat mitigation per summer day. Considered altogether, the 1510 urban parks can offset 5.37% of the daily fossil fuel emissions in the YREB. To boost carbon saving efficiency, lush vegetation should be first considered and the coupled green and blue infrastructures are always advocated. The total parks carbon saving of cities gradually improved along the Yangtze River from west to east, among which Shanghai city (in the east of the YREB) is with the largest amount (4341 t CO 2). The strategies using exquisite landscape design for improving carbon saving may differ across different climate zones. These findings can inform decision-making for urban sustainable development and climate change mitigation, which may benefit China's movement toward carbon neutrality. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Carbon neutrality objectives affect meteorology and ozone (O 3) concentration in China, both of which would influence crop yields, thus food security. However, the joint impact of these two factors on crop yields in China is not clear. In this study, we investigated future trends in China's maize, rice, soybean, and wheat yields under a carbon-neutral scenario considering both regional emission reduction and global climate change in 2060. By combining a process-based crop model (Agricultural Production Systems sIMulator, APSIM) with O 3 exposure equations, the impacts of regional emission reduction and global climate change were studied. The results suggest that regional emission reduction dominated the increase in yield by reducing the O 3 concentration, whereas global climate change led to yield loss mainly through meteorological factors. The national yield decreases for the four crops ranged from 1.0% to 38.0% owing to meteorological factors, while O 3 reduction resulted in additional yield increases ranging from 2.8% to 7.0%. The combined effect of carbon neutrality, which included both meteorological factors and O 3 concentration, resulted in changes to the yields of maize, rice, soybean, and wheat of +4.3%, -7.3%, -24.0%, and -31.7%, respectively. It seems that crop production loss caused by meteorological factors in 2060 would be mitigated by the O 3 reduction. Given the advantages of declining O 3 concentration, regional emission reduction would likely benefit crop growth. However, global climate change may offset the benefits and threaten food production in China. Therefore, more strict emission reduction policies and global climate change mitigation actions are necessary to ensure food security in China. [Display omitted] • Low carbon emissions would lead to increased crop yields in China. • Crop yield loss is mitigated owing to ozone decreases induced by emission reduction. • Global climate change would cause yield loss mainly through meteorological factors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Carbon capture, utilization, and storage (CCUS) is a crucial technology for global climate mitigation. To implement large-scale CCUS, decisions about where and how to build a CO 2 transportation network are urgently required. However, previous studies are limited in proposing the economical transportation network for CCUS that considered comprehensive risks from socio-economic, geographical and geological factors. Here, we develop a pipeline layout planning model to investigate the cost-effective and reliable transportation network for CCUS. Results show that to meet the annual CO 2 emission reduction target of 654 million tons for CCUS in the coal-fired power sector under China's carbon neutral goal, pipelines with a total length of 17,589 km need to be constructed. The emission sources can be transported in pipelines with an average radius of 58 km, and with diameters of 8, 12, and 16 inches. Northeast, north, and northwest China are the main areas suitable for pipeline construction. • Northeast, North, and Northwest in China are vital areas for capture, transport, and storage. • Five large-scale pipeline network groups can be constructed in China. • Pipeline construction is greatly affected by a variety of practical factors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aims to forecast greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions in Hong Kong with an optimal selection of predictors. A review is made on the time-series of the GHG emissions by different sources in 1992–2021. Twenty potential predictors are examined relating to economics, social developments, energy use, waste production and climatic conditions, based on previous studies on GHG emissions and mitigation. Three principal components produce well-fitting linear-log regression models. The model stability over time is verified by expanding window analysis. The model accuracy is assured by a CV(RMSE) of 6.1508% in the testing sets. Based on hierarchical clustering and stepwise regression, the gross floor area of construction projects is the most significant predictor to forecast GHG emissions, followed by the unemployment rate and the total expense in construction works. High levels of the three predictors facilitate GHG mitigation, but cannot meet the carbon neutral target. Carbon reduction technologies should be strengthened in growing construction projects. Electricity related carbon mitigation should be further enhanced. The novelty of this study is to provide insights to updating and prioritizing decarbonization strategies in the next phase of Hong Kong's Climate Action Plan. • The peak and downward trend of GHG emissions are examined in Hong Kong. • Principal components produce well-fitting linear-log regression models with social and economic variables. • Significant predictors to forecast GHG emissions are identified from hierarchical clustering and stepwise regression. • Construction is the top priority in GHG mitigation. • Mitigating electricity-related GHG emissions facilitates meeting carbon neutrality. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • TUEEC in 10 urban agglomerations in China are substantially different. • TUEEC within urban agglomeration have an impact on CO 2 emissions. • Ecological construction partially mitigated emissions growth. • Guarding against unsustainable development is vital to carbon neutral. Urban agglomerations are major generators of CO 2 emissions owing to human socioeconomic activities. Evaluating the trade-offs between urban expansion and ecological construction during rapid urbanization is a crucial step towards climate change mitigation and carbon neutrality. This study investigated the impacts of trade-offs between urban expansion and ecological construction on CO 2 emissions using multi-source data and spatial and statistical analysis. Ten urban agglomerations in China, with various development levels, were selected as study areas. The results indicated that (1) urban development in the 10 urban agglomerations expanded by 90%–288.9%, while ecological land changed by −28.1–2.3%. (2) CO 2 emissions grew by 154.2–291.2% in urban agglomerations, and the south and east of China emitted more CO 2. The high-value clusters of CO 2 inside of all urban agglomerations expanded outward from cities. (3) Urban expansion increased emissions, while ecological construction partially mitigated emissions growth. Moreover, ecological development within cities helps to reduce excessive urban emissions and should be given more attention. (4) It is as important to guard against unsustainable development as it is to reduce existing high emissions. Low-carbon development paths must continue to be supported in western China. On the basis of the results, we identify important implications for meeting China's target of carbon neutrality. These contribute to an understanding of future development modes for urban agglomerations and reveal the impact of trade-offs of land use on CO 2 emissions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • The capture and utilization of CO 2 is crucial for climate change mitigation. • A plasmon-enhanced photoelectrochemical process for CO 2 and N 2 into urea was proposed. • The plasmonic Au nanostructures are tuned to maximize CO 2 and N 2 PEC reduction activity. • A PEC system based on Au nanosheets yielded higher urea (of 98.5 µg urea mg cat -1 h−1) and FE of 22.7% The photoelectrochemical reduction of CO 2 and N 2 (N 2 CO 2 RR) is a promising method of producing urea under ambient conditions since highly active and stable electrocatalysts are desired. Plasmonic metals have attracted considerable attention due to their enhanced electrochemical activity at visible and near-infrared wavelengths (NIR). Herein, the morphology of Au was tuned to spherical nanoparticles, nanorods, and nanosheets by utilizing a variety of structure-directing agents. Among them, Au nanosheets (Au NSs) can absorb a broad spectrum of NIR wavelengths, enabling electrochemical reduction of N 2 into NH 3 , with high yield rates and higher Faradic efficiency (FE) than most of the N 2 RR results reported. In addition, a distal associative pathway for N 2 RR into NH 3 has been established over Au NSs. Additionally, the Au NSs photocathode demonstrates high stability over a period of 10 consecutive runs. In addition, this work provides a guide to fabricating highly stable photocathodes that convert N 2 and CO 2 into urea. Au NSs photocathode achieves a maximum urea yield rate of 98.5 µg urea mg cat -1h−1 and FE of 22.7% at −0.7 V vs. RHE. Results show that the N 2 and CO 2 is the primary factor for urea production, whereas reducing NO 3 – and HCO 3 – contributes significantly to the total urea yield rate. Density functional theory calculations (DFT) reveal that Au NSs play a crucial role in promoting N 2 and CO 2 adsorption, activation, and stimulating the coupling reaction between C-N to form urea by the distal mechanism. As a result, this work opens up the possibility of developing hybrid catalytic systems for simultaneously reducing nitrate-containing wastewater and CO 2 , thus producing urea-rich treated water for agricultural use and achieving carbon neutrality. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With increased understanding of the impacts of climate change, institutions across the world are committing to achieve carbon neutrality and other emissions reduction targets. Within academia, the American College & University Presidents' Climate Commitment was created as a highly visible public contract with over 300 active signatories. Existing climate action planning tools rely on significant subjectivity and previously conducted project analysis. This work presents an optimization framework that develops a long-term planning tool tailored for use by academic institutions. Further, we highlight the potential for ecological solutions and land management as economically competitive actions for campuses. The presented tool, known as DCARB (Designing Climate Action and Regulations for sustainaBility), features an ability to quickly optimize multiple pathways towards carbon neutrality based on user-input and parameter variability. We showcase DCARB through an application for The Ohio State University to demonstrate the outputs of the tool based on current projects outlined in the institution's climate action plan. Additionally, parameter variability is analyzed to explore how solutions might change due to data uncertainty or application to other campuses. The results encourage urgent action as they can provide cheaper pathways towards neutrality, including immediate consideration of land-based actions. Additionally, applications of the tool highlight challenges for achieving neutrality such as a reliance on market-based offsets, future market volatility, proper carbon credit accounting, and planning for future social and behavioral actions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Building sector plays a significant role in China's ambitous climate targets to peak carbon emissions (CEs) by 2030 and to realize carbon neutral by 2060. However, studies in characterizing the CEs of urban residential buildings from life-cycle perspective at regional level are still limited, especially for the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area (GBA) in China. Here, life cycle assessment method and improved building stock turnover model were employed to quantify the annual CEs of urban residential buildings (including materialization CEs of the newly-built urban residential buildings, operational CEs of the existing urban residential buildings, and CEs generated from the demolition of the existing urban residential buildings) in GBA cities from 2000 to 2018. The results show that the total CEs increased dramatically from 44.5 Mt. CO 2 e in 2000 to 75.1 Mt. CO 2 e in 2018 with an annual growth rate by approximately 3%. The CEs from operation stage accounted for around 70%, and recycling building wastes could reduce 7.5% emissions. Compared with other bay areas globally, the operational CEs of urban residential building in GBA became the highest since 2014. Therefore, climate actions in energy saving and emission mitigation are required. Based on scenario analysis, we estimated that Huizhou city can reach the peak target by 2020 if taking some effective measures. These emission findings could provide data references and suggestions for the low-carbon development path for urban residential buildings in GBA and other global cities. [Display omitted] • This study evaluates the life-cycle carbon emissions of urban residential buildings in bay area. • This study provides a reference for the carbon emission of building unit floor area. • Operation stage is the focus of emission reduction in urban residential buildings. • This study explores the path of peak carbon emissions from residential buildings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A rapid decarbonization of the electricity system is urgently required for the Paris Agreement objectives to stand a reasonable chance of being met. While state-owned power companies (SPCs) are the dominant firm type in the global electricity sector, representing nearly two thirds of global electric power generation capacity, most climate policy literature focuses on private sector companies when analyzing decarbonization interventions. SPCs' distinct corporate governance structures, objectives, relationships with government, and sources of finance, however, can be markedly different from those of private companies. Here, we develop a framework for analyzing the extent to which common and divergent features of SPCs, and the markets in which they operate, affect their relationship to government interventions on decarbonization. We also consider the implications of these relationships for the effective implementation of sector-wide decarbonization strategies. We then apply this framework using a comparative case study analysis of six major SPCs, and highlight how differences in their agency, motivation, capacity, and market exposure may result in different potential responsiveness to government regulatory, policy and market interventions on decarbonization. We generalize these findings by developing four SPC archetypes and illustrate how they might respond differently to government interventions targeting decarbonization. Our analysis posits that SPCs can, under the guidance of governments pursuing ambitious climate policy, be more effective vehicles for decarbonization relative to private sector companies, particularly when they operate with a high degree of operational independence, are insulated from competitive pressures, and have the financial and technical capacity to invest in the decarbonization of their asset base. Similarly, market-wide policy interventions, such as carbon pricing mechanisms, could in practice be less effective interventions with respect to SPCs than their private counterparts when the SPC is ill-equipped to translate these incentives into decarbonization action because it is mandated to pursue supplementary objectives other than profit maximization alone. Ultimately, governments will need to step up their climate action to achieve carbon neutrality. SPCs can, and where they are major market players, must be key actors in driving decarbonization when the appropriate interventions are utilized and therefore deserve significantly more attention in the climate policy debate. • State-owned enterprises are central to power sector decarbonization. • Comparative case studies yield useful state-owned power company archetypes. • Market-based climate policies are not always effective in state-led power markets. • Policy targeting state-owned enterprises can accelerate power sector mitigation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • High resolution data from a Dutch net zero energy neighborhood is analysed. • Most buildings are positive energy, emit less carbon than they offset. • Large occupant differences in energy demand are visible across the households. • Occupant preferences and weather conditions greatly influence thermal energy demand. • Due to the high thermal efficiency, there is a high risk for summer overheating. Decarbonizing the building stock is a central component of global climate change mitigation efforts. In practice, this decarbonization can be achieved by a variety of different measures, including improvements in building energy efficiency, electrification of energy demand to reduce reliance on fossil fuels, and installation of distributed (renewable) generation in conjunction with flexible storage. However, these large-scale, often disruptive changes to the built environment also raise a number of concerns, such as loss of occupant comfort exacerbated by climate change, and introduction of additional stressors on the distribution grid. In this paper, we demonstrate several conclusions using detailed sub-hourly data of two years (2019–2020) collected from 40 homes in a recently refurbished net-zero energy neighborhood in the Netherlands. This paper shows that, in renovation projects like the case study, net-zero energy balances should be considered on a neighborhood, rather than building level to minimize worst case planning by accounting for occupant influences and seasonal effects. Furthermore, the energy flexibility and climate resilience in the buildings seems to be rather limited, as a result of energy efficiency improvements. While helpful in climate change mitigation efforts, the large seasonal differences in energy demand and generation imply that this evolution is perhaps sub-optimal from the grid perspective. The results illustrate that all homes in the study were net-zero energy over the two year period, sometimes net positive by up to a factor of three. This led to considerable excess generation especially during the summer months. In addition, it was found that indoor air temperature sensors in a number of buildings showed overheating beyond guideline thermal comfort temperature of 25°C, showing potential thermal comfort and heat stress for vulnerable occupants. These results motivate energy storage or modifications of the installed heat pumps to leverage summer excess generation while reducing the impact of summer heat waves. These findings should enable the Netherlands and other countries aiming to fully decarbonize the building stock formulate better, future-proof policies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Achieving the carbon neutral targets before year 2060 is one of the important commitments for mitigating global climate change by Chinese government. However, the manner in which one would maximize the carbon sequestration of the planted forests is still unclear. Estimating accurately the carbon balance in forestry depends highly on the dynamics of numerous delay-released carbon pools (e.g., harvest residues, wood products), thus the strategies used to account for the carbon emissions of these components may have great influences on the decision-making and profitability associated with planted forests. This study developed a tool that allows forest managers and policy makers to analyze the effects of alternative accounting strategies for recognizing carbon emissions on the optimal rotation lengths and profitability of planted forests. The considered carbon balance not only refers to the within-forest pools, e.g., living biomass, harvest residues, annually generated litters and dead trees, but also refers to the outside-forest pools that include wood products, biofuel, operating process and substitution effect. The obtained results indicated that the lengths of optimal forest rotation decreased significantly with increases in site index, planting density and discount rate, while they increased dramatically with increases of carbon price. The gaps in rotation lengths were as large as 13.5 years, 6.9 years, 27.6 years and 11.0 years, respectively for the ranges of site index (10–18 m), planting density (2500–4444 trees per hectare), discount rate (1%–5%), and carbon prices (0–880 CNY/ton CO 2) assumed. The effects of delay-released carbon pools on the optimal rotation lengths were not significant, when the substitution effects of wood products and biofuels were considered under the current carbon trading markets; however, some exceptions were observed when a very high carbon price (880 CNY/ton CO 2) was assumed. [Display omitted] • A management tool that considers carbon balance and wood production was developed. • The optimal rotations are sensitive to forest- and economic-based variables. • The delayed effects of carbon emissions on optimal rotations were offset by substitution effects. • Pricing CO 2 sequestrated in forests can increase optimal rotations and profitability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Carbon neutrality has become central in policy discourse and cities' climate actions are crucial to achieve this goal. Consequently, many cities have already published ambitious climate neutrality target years and are preparing for transition to climate neutrality. This study presents findings from the first ever literature review on the carbon-neutral city concept, covering definition, assessment approaches, and barriers and drivers for transition to carbon neutrality. These findings are combined with interviews with Finnish cities aiming at carbon neutrality to explore gaps between research and practice. More clarity is needed on the definition of carbon-neutral city concept and especially on the role of offsetting the emissions (a specific feature compared to other urban climate concepts). The lack of consistency in city carbon accounting methods and emission scopes making cities' carbon neutrality goals incomparable, thus calling for harmonization and guidance on common assessment methods. In addition to research, climate networks play an important role in the transition to carbon neutrality. Cities have set ambitious goals and need support to develop action plans, assess actions, come up with creative and innovative ideas and increase collaboration with various stakeholders. Development of ways to support cities that have taken on ambitious carbon neutrality targets would benefit from more systematic research on transition to carbon neutrality from different contexts capturing the lessons learned. There is a need for methods that are flexible enough to accommodate adjustments to local conditions and needs, but also consider broader system transition. • Carbon neutrality has evolved into an urban climate concept with high ambition. • Concept and especially role of offsetting emissions require further work. • Cities need support in development and assessment of action plans and actions. • Initiatives and networks can also ensure that concept lives up to its promise. • There is need for flexible methods covering system transition at various levels. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• We provide evidence on willingness-to-pay for offsets of flight-related emissions. • We use a revealed-preference approach in a large dataset of a Swiss airline. • WTP for offsetting is low, median WTP is zero. • Our results question results based on hypothetical stated-preferences methods. Voluntary offsetting of flight-related emissions is an important cornerstone of passengers' individual efforts to contribute to climate change mitigation. Hence, many scientific studies have tried to assess people's willingness-to-pay to offset their own flight-related carbon emissions. Up-to-date, these studies are overwhelmingly grounded in hypothetical stated-preference approaches, with very limited knowledge about external validity. Here, we report on an observational field study involving a final sample of 63,520 bookings made with a European airline, allowing us to gauge actual willingness-to-pay for carbon dioxide compensation in a revealed-preference approach. Our pre-registered study shows that the median willingness-to-pay to voluntarily offset a ton of carbon dioxide from flight-related emissions is zero, with the mean willingness-to-pay being around 1 EUR. Aggregated voluntary willingness-to-pay thus dramatically falls short of current prices to offset carbon dioxide, for example through the EU-ETS. Our results thereby question the suitability of self-reported, hypothetical assessments of offsetting and raise caution about the effectiveness of offsetting schemes, which currently do not very successfully internalize flight-related cost of emissions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: The land-use change and forestry sector can be a cost-effective contributor to climate mitigation in at least three ways: providing carbon offsets through carbon sequestration in biomass and soils, reducing emissions of methane and other greenhouse gases, and producing biofuels that replace fossil fuels. The presence of carbon markets should help encourage these activities; however, most carbon trades to date have occurred in the energy sector. A major obstacle to carbon trades from land-use systems is the presence of high transaction costs of converting a carbon offset into a tradable commodity, so the prevailing market carbon prices may not provide enough incentive for adoption. This paper presents a model of the exchange of carbon offsets between a project developer and a group of landholders. The model is solved to derive project feasibility frontiers that show the minimum number of contracts necessary to make a project feasible at any given carbon price. The model is applied to two case studies (smallholder agroforestry in Indonesia and partial reforestation of family farms in Australia) under two types of contract (purchase of carbon flows and rental of carbon stocks). The paper concludes by identifying possible strategies to reduce transaction costs while maintaining project integrity. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: This study uses an experimental social survey in two large Japanese cities to explore citizens’ attitudes toward international voluntary carbon offsetting that encourages low carbon development in developing countries. In particular, the study focuses on whether the offsetting is a contribution to meet national target of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions reduction under the Kyoto Protocol or reduction beyond the national target, using Kyoto credits generated from climate change mitigation projects in developing countries. The study finds that around 40% of the survey respondents chose real carbon offsetting over a gift certificate as compensation for their participation in the survey, around half of whom chose carbon offsetting contribution to the world. However, most of the current Japanese carbon offsetting providers utilise only the carbon offsetting contribution to the Japanese government. Thus, Japanese citizens have significant untapped potential for undertaking more carbon offsetting to meet targets other than national targets. However, the results also show that there is a general lack of understanding regarding the mechanism of carbon offsetting. Carbon offsetting providers in Japan and other countries that may have national self-imposed targets and allowing the usage of international carbon offsetting should therefore be considered, so as to provide individuals with the options of either contributing to their government to help it meet its national target or contributing to the world to help reduce GHG emissions beyond the national targets. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Current global climate policy architecture does not aim at stabilizing the greenhouse gases concentration in the atmosphere that may achieve the proclaimed 2°C guard rail. An alternative approach that targets on limiting the global cumulative emission to accomplish such an outcome is put forward by German Advisory Board of Global Change (WBGU). This research work further elaborates the approach and its flexibility instrument i.e. carbon trading. As the approach visualises sharing of the carbon budget (750Gt CO2) equally to every human being (2.7t CO2 per capita), India is the country with largest tradable surplus reflecting its low emission per capita and large population. The research work further analyzes the emission profile of rural India and the significance of its future emission pathways within the proposed framework. It also shows how low carbon development in India can assist in cost effective decarbonization of industrialized countries and mitigation of climate change, given a global climate treaty based on the WBGU approach. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: This study assesses four proposals to generate funds for international climate financing in developing countries according to three criteria: adequacy, predictability and equitability. The focus year is 2020, in which USD 100 billion should be available for climate financing according to the Copenhagen Accord. The four financing proposals assessed include auctioning emission allowances (Norwegian Proposal), a global carbon tax (Swiss Proposal), an emissions trading (IET) levy, and a tax on international aviation and shipping emissions (bunker fuel emissions tax). Adequacy and predictability are assessed by calculating the revenue of the financing proposals for three mitigation scenarios. Equitability is assessed by comparing the regional distribution of costs of the financing proposals to that of a common but differentiated responsibilities and respective capabilities approach, which can be regarded as an equitable approach. For the calculations, the integrated FAIR model is used. Based on the three criteria above, we conclude that the Swiss Proposal and the bunker fuel emissions tax are the most promising financing proposals of the four. An IET levy receives a low score for all three criteria. Importantly, a low price on the carbon market, resulting from a low mitigation ambition level (as under the current unconditional Copenhagen Accord pledges), would undermine generating funding for all financing proposals analysed here except for the Swiss Proposal. Combining such proposals would therefore not increase the predictability of funding. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

The EU has developed the first and largest international emissions trading system in the world. This development is puzzling due to the EU's scepticism to international emissions trading in greenhouse gases (GHGs) in the run-up to the 1997 Kyoto Protocol. This article analyses how the EU ETS was initiated in the first place mainly from the perspectives of Liberal intergovernmentalism (LI) and multi-level governance (MLG). LI emphasises change in the positions of the EU member states as the key to understand what happened and why, whereas MLG opens up for change in the position of supranational entrepreneurial leaders as the key explanation. The main conclusion is that entrepreneurial epistemic leadership exercised by the European Commission was crucial for making the EU ETS. The principal means of leadership involved building up independent expertise on how an EU ETS could be designed, and mobilizing support from state and non-state actors at various levels of decision-making. This type of leadership may be needed more generally to deal with challenges characterized by high scientific uncertainty and social complexity in which learning is pertinent, such as climate change. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

The Carbon Offsetting and Reduction Scheme for International Aviation (CORSIA) is the first programme to tackle carbon dioxide (CO 2) emissions from a single industry at the global level, to realize the carbon-neutral growth of international flights from 2020 onwards. However, the COVID-19 pandemic has caused a drastic decline in the global aviation industry. The International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) has adjusted the CORSIA by removing 2020 emissions from the baseline, which now will only be based on 2019 emissions. We estimate that the total carbon dioxide (CO 2) emissions from global international flights decreased by 70 % from February to July 2020 compared to those in 2019. Our analysis suggests that the annual CO 2 emissions from international flights during the pilot stage of CORSIA (2021–2023) will be far below the revised baseline even if the global aviation industry could embrace an optimistic recovery. The major airline companies will have very limited motivations due to the CORSIA scheme to implement mitigation actions proactively. Therefore, more progressive actions are needed to align the industry recovery of global aviation and climate change mitigation during the post-COVID-19 period. [Display omitted] • COVID-19 caused a drastic decline in international aviation CO 2 emissions globally. • Personal climate footprint of global aviation significantly increased in the COVID-19 period. • Global aviation CO 2 emissions will be not likely to exceed the 2019 level before 2023. • The new CORSIA baseline will have limited policy pressure for airlines through 2023. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• GDP growth is the main contributor to GHG emissions increase in low-income countries. • Decreases in energy intensity had the highest impact on GHG emission reductions. • Greater RES and EE efforts are necessary to offset effects from growing economy. • Current climate policies in the Baltics are not sufficient to achieve 2030 targets. The global economy is on the verge of one of the greatest transitions in modern history. The ability to ensure sustainable economic development and prosperity while significantly reducing consumption of energy resources and generated greenhouse gas emissions is a global challenge that affects every country in the world. To assess whether economies are ready for this challenge, there is an urgent need to examine this dual relationship between economic growth and climate change measures. European Green Deal strategy has set the ambitious goal of Europe becoming the first climate-neutral continent by 2050, boosting competitiveness and long-term prosperity of the economy. Kaya identity and LMDI decomposition is applied to examine how European Union countries have been coping with these countereffects historically. The decomposition analysis is conducted for the EU-28 (including the UK) countries for a 10-year study period from 2010 to 2019. This study analyses the main drivers of changes in GHG emissions in European Union and estimates the progress made in implementing the Green Deal targets. The results show that in the EU, energy efficiency improvements have twice the effect on reducing GHG emission compared to RES strategies. The effect of economic growth was the main offsetting factor hindering the achievement of larger GHG emission reductions. More in-depth ex-ante and ex-post investigation is performed for the Baltic States. A novel forecasting technique is applied to project GHG emissions under three different development scenarios, such as the scenario with existing measures, the scenario with additional measures, and the business-as-usual scenario. The results show that the current climate policies in the Baltic States are not sufficient to achieve the 2030 emission reduction targets and that greater efforts should be made to enforce climate mitigation measures in the economies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Governments foster voluntary actions within households to mitigate climate change. However, the literature suggests that they may not be as effective as expected due to rebound effects. We use a dynamic economy–energy–environment computable general equilibrium (CGE) model of the Catalan economy to simulate the effect of 75 different actions on GDP and net CO 2 emissions, over a 20-year period. We also examine how a carbon tax could counteract the carbon rebound effects. We find energy rebound effects ranging from 61.77% to 117.49% for voluntary energy conservation actions, depending on where the spending is redirected, with similar carbon rebound values. In our main scenarios, where energy savings are redirected to savings and all non-energy goods proportionally, the rebound is between 64.47% and 66.90%. We also find, for these scenarios, that a carbon tax of between 2.4 and 3.6 €/ton per percentage point of voluntary energy reduction would totally offset carbon rebound effects. These results suggest that voluntary actions in households need additional measures to provide the expected results in terms of energy use reduction and climate change mitigation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Climate policy is changing fast in the EU, with country leaders raising the bloc's ambition to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 2030 and 2050. However, there is uncertainty about the allocation of decarbonisation effort between EU member states. This paper develops a multi-objective optimisation framework to provide insights to decision-makers in this policy context by exploring trade-offs between stronger decarbonisation goals and higher costs. Applying this approach for Cyprus, we find that the maximum achievable abatement for the EU Effort Sharing sectors corresponds to a 35% target. The current 24% ambition can be achieved with net social benefits, but the transition to higher abatement results in positive costs with a gradual rate of increase. The picture changes when decision-making explicitly accounts for external costs of emissions of greenhouse gases and air pollutants in the optimisation procedure. In this case, the least-cost solution delivers an abatement of about 32% and can yield social benefits of more than one billion Euros'2020. Regarding public expenditures, it requires about 3% of national GDP each year. This indicates that the socially optimal policy mix for attaining decarbonisation of the Cypriot economy is feasible but requires a consistent allocation of public funds to build infrastructure, overcome investment barriers and mobilise capital to enable the uptake of clean technologies across the economy. Although the modelling framework has been developed for a specific country and is tailored to the specific EU policy circumstances, the proposed methodology is entirely suitable for other world regions with a demanding decarbonisation roadmap. • Optimisation framework to explore climate policy options under uncertain targets. • Abatement costs increase faster when the emissions target becomes more ambitious. • Decarbonisation yields economic benefits if air pollution costs are factored in. • Path to carbon neutrality is feasible but requires targeted allocation of funds. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• An integrated top-down and bottom-up modeling framework was developed. • Analyze low-carbon pathways for Chinese iron & steel industry towards carbon neutrality. • Both the supply-side and demand-side contributions to decarbonization are explored. • Energy-saving retrofitting technologies help short-term CO 2 emissions reduction. • Breakthrough technologies are crucial in achieving carbon neutrality. Iron and steel production in China contributes to 14% of China's total energy-related CO 2 emissions. Decarbonizing the iron and steel sector will therefore play an important role in achieving the goal of carbon neutrality. This study explored possible low-carbon transition pathways for China's iron and steel industry to achieve carbon neutrality by 2050. An integrated approach was developed that combined a computable general equilibrium model and a bottom-up technology-selection module. The results indicated that although energy-saving technologies can reduce CO 2 emissions in the short term, in the long term, adopting breakthrough technologies (e.g., carbon capture and storage (CCS) and hydrogen-based direct reduction (DR)), increasing the share of scrap-based electric arc furnace (EAF) steel production, and decarbonizing upstream energy-supply sectors will be crucial for climate change mitigation. Hydrogen-based DR could be an effective option for CO 2 emission reduction in scenarios where CCS is not available, with its share increasing to 23%–25% by 2050. System-wide cross-sector decarbonization can help achieve climate targets at lower costs through flexible technology combinations and avoid carbon leakage into upstream energy-supply sectors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Research and observable climate impacts point almost unequivocally to the need for a larger and faster climate mitigation effort that includes capturing and permanently storing CO 2 both from large sources and from the atmosphere directly. Carbon capture and storage technologies are mature and available, with considerable real-world experience, but their deployment is still limited. We examine why this is so and suggest viable path forward. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • The pre-use stage (construction) emissions of buildings occur in a short time. • Wooden buildings seem to emit less compared to concrete ones in pre-use stage according to LCA. • Green building certificates need to consider embodied emissions more exhaustively. The construction and use of buildings consume a significant proportion of global energy and natural resources. Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) is arguably the most international green building certification system and attempts to take actions to limit energy use of buildings and construct them sustainably. While there has been a wide range of research mainly focused on energy use and emission production during the operation phase of LEED-certified buildings, research on embodied emissions is rare. The aim of this study is to evaluate the efficiency of LEED regarding initial (pre-use) embodied emissions using life cycle assessment (LCA). The study comprised several steps using a designed model. In the first step, three optional building material scenarios were defined (optimized concrete, hybrid concrete-wood, and wooden buildings) in addition to the base case concrete building located in Iceland. Second, an LCA was conducted for each scenario. Finally, the number of LEED points and the level of LEED certification was assessed for all studied scenarios. In addition, a comparison regarding embodied emissions consideration between LEED and Building Research Establishment Environmental Assessment Method (BREEAM) as mostly used green certificate was conducted in the discussion section. The LCA showed the lowest environmental impact for the wooden building followed by the hybrid concrete-wood building. In the LEED framework, wooden and hybrid scenarios obtained 14 and 8 points that were related to material selection. Among these points, only 3 (out of a total of 110 available points) were directly accredited to embodied emissions. The study recommends that the green building certificates increase the weight of sustainable construction materials since the significance of embodied emissions is substantially growing along with the current carbon neutrality goals. As most of the materials for building construction are imported into Iceland, this study is useful for locations similar to Iceland, while overall it is beneficial for the whole world regarding climate change mitigation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from agriculture, forestry and other land uses (AFOLU sector) cover the 24% of global emissions, representing the second hot spot in the contribution to climate change after the energy sector. Thus, the land sector plays a crucial role in the context of climate change, being both a contributor to the problem and part of its solution, particularly thanks to the capacity of soils and biomass to sequester atmospheric carbon. The challenge of this paper is to understand the extent to which sustainable land management can be a valuable solution for increasing the mitigation potential of the land sector, particularly at small-scale rural landscape level.The paper presents and tests a land-based approach to be applied at small-scale rural landscape level, aiming at reducing and offsetting GHG emissions from the livestock activities, one of the main sources of GHG emissions of the whole agricultural sector. The proposed land-based approach builds on an ensemble of methodologies, including Geographic Information System (GIS) elaboration, Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) and methodologies from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), that allow estimating livestock GHG emissions and the mitigation potential of sustainable land-use options applied in the same small-scale rural landscape.Results from a case study in Italy show that land-based mitigation options applied at small-scale rural landscape level can reduce and completely offset the GHG livestock emissions of the same area, leading to carbon neutral livestock systems. Thus, this study confirms that the land sector can strongly contribute to climate change mitigation if sustainable land-use options are applied. • Land-based mitigation options at small-scale landscape level can lead to carbon neutral livestock systems. • Land sector can strongly contribute to climate change mitigation if sustainable land-based options are applied. • Land-based mitigation options can be applied in the immediate proximity of the livestock GHG emissions source. • Land-based climate change mitigation contributes also to a wide range of ecological co-benefits at landscape level. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Carbon neutral labeling of food products is a market-based approach to reduce carbon footprints in the agri-food sector. To better understand consumers' preferences and attitudes towards a carbon neutral label on globally traded agri-food products, the willingness to pay (WTP) of German consumers for a carbon neutral label on specialty coffee was examined. A discrete choice experiment was conducted in Germany, where coffee is often sold with multiple labels or claims, in order to examine the WTP for alternative combinations of a carbon neutral label with either a Fair Trade label or a claim of direct trade coffee sourcing. Choice data were analyzed using random parameter logit models which determined a positive WTP for the carbon neutral label. This estimate exceeds the corresponding marginal costs of certification and the marginal social cost of carbon, yet it is relatively lower than the estimated WTP for the Fair Trade label and the direct trade claim. A positive synergy effect on utility was also determined for the combination of a carbon neutral label and a direct trade claim. If no additional information was provided, consumers often perceived coffee as a "natural product" that does not generate any greenhouse gas emissions. Thus, awareness-building policies are needed to make carbon neutral labels an effective market-based tool to reduce greenhouse gas emissions in the agri-food sector. • German consumers are willing to pay for a carbon neutral label on specialty coffee. • The WTP for a carbon neutral label was lower than that for ethical trade claims. • We found a positive synergy between the carbon label and a direct trade claim. • Consumers have limited awareness of greenhouse gas emissions in coffee value chains. • Carbon neutral labeling needs to be leveraged with education campaigns to make it effective. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Peatlands provide habitats for many species and a variety of ecosystem services worldwide. In this study we used an integrated biophysical-economic modeling approach with multi-objective optimization to investigate how alternative land-use and land-management (LULM) options jointly affect economic returns from marketed (timber, energy peat, restoration costs) and non-marketed public goods (water quality, GHG emissions, biodiversity) in a typical landscape dominated by peatlands in northern Finland. We considered several LULM options including no action (the current state will continue), bioenergy wood harvesting, intensive forest management, restoration, and energy peat extraction with three after use options (no after use, reforestation, rewetting). Our study revealed strong tradeoffs between biodiversity and ecosystem services in drained peatlands. Optimal LULM depended strongly on the chosen objectives, i.e. whether marketed or non-marketed goods were preferred. For example, when the objective was carbon neutral land-use, the no action option was mostly chosen, while bioenergy wood harvesting was mostly chosen when the objective was to provide economic and environmental benefits at the same time. The strong tradeoff between biodiversity and ecosystem services indicates that compromises are unavoidable in order to obtain a multi-functional landscape which provides biodiversity conservation, climate change mitigation and water protection in a cost-effective manner. • Selection of alternative land-management options for peatlands was analyzed. • The cost-impact analysis utilized multi-objective optimization. • The variables were the NPV, biodiversity, climate impact, and water emissions. • A small decrease in the NPV resulted in a clear increase in environmental benefits. • Optimal land-management depended strongly on the chosen objectives. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]