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• Buildings potential for climate change mitigation is high. • Mitigation actions in the buildings sector can have significant social and economic values. • These enable the achievement of 4 SDGs, reinforce 7 other. • And are linked to the achievement of 5 SDGs (SDG3, SDG7, SDG8, SDG11, and SDG13). • Trade-offs were identified for 9 SDGs. Buildings are responsible for a big part of total GHG emissions; therefore, their climate change mitigation potential is high. But research shows that mitigation actions in the sector can have significant social and economic values beyond reduction of energy consumption and the associated GHG emissions. This paper summarizes these multiple impacts of mitigation actions in buildings, which are related to microeconomic and macroeconomic effects, health impacts, environmental benefits, better management of natural resources, impacts on social well-being, and energy security implications, and assesses their interactions (synergies and trade-offs) with the UN SDGs. The findings of our analysis show that climate change mitigation actions in buildings enable the achievement of 4 SDGs, reinforce 7 others, and are inextricably linked to the achievement of 5 SDGs, namely SDG3: good health and well-being, SDG7: affordable and clean energy, SDG8: decent work and economic growth, SDG11: sustainable cities and communities, and SDG13: climate action. On the other hand, trade-offs were identified for 9 SDGs, with rather minor implications, which can be further eliminated with the implementation of appropriate policies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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

The Paris Agreement and the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development embody highly intertwined targets to act for climate in conjunction with sustainable development. This, however, entails different meanings and challenges across the world. Kenya, in particular, needs to address serious sustainability threats, like poverty and lack of modern and affordable energy access. This study uses a multi-criteria group decision aid and consensus measuring framework, to integrate both agendas, and engages with Kenyan stakeholders to help inform future mitigation research and policy in the country. Results showed that stakeholders highlight topics largely underrepresented in model-based mitigation analysis, such as biodiversity preservation and demand-side transformations, while pointing to gaps in cross-sectoral policies in relation to access to modern energy, agriculture, life on land, and climate change mitigation. With numerous past and recent policies aiming at these issues, persistent stakeholder concerns over these topics hint at limited success. Sectoral and technological priorities only recently emphasised in Kenyan policy efforts are also correlated with stakeholders' concerns, highlighting that progress is not only a matter of legislation, but also of coordination, consistency of targets, and comprehensibility. Higher bias is found among the preferences of stakeholders coming from the country's private sector. Results from this exercise can inform national policymakers on effectively reshaping the future direction of the country, as well as modelling efforts aimed at underpinning Kenya's energy, climate and sustainable development policy. • We propose a climate & sustainability co-governance multi-criteria decision framework. • Stakeholder preferences are assessed based on 2-tuple TOPSIS and consensus measuring. • Biodiversity, AFOLU, and demand-side residential transformations among key priorities • Recent policy aimed at these issues but stakeholder concerns hint at limited success. • Our exercise also unveils higher bias among private-sector stakeholders' preferences. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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

• Expert technical and economic rationalities overlook political aspects of sustainability. • Local experiences reveal structures and processes that shape inequitable outcomes. • Sustainable developmentality creates a triple-bind for rural mountain residents. • The triple-bind contributes to large numbers migrating from mountain dwellings. • Mountain migration and land abandonment is a political not an inevitable process. Sustainability challenges persist in the central Indian Himalayas (CIH) despite an array of solutions proffered by external experts. This paper interrogates the 'sustainability gaze' of external experts – which reflects attempts to reconcile neoliberal economic growth with environmental conservation within the logics of technical and biophysical rationalities - by exploring local experiences of rapid and uncertain social and environmental change. Three strands of policy and practice shape the gaze: (i) natural hazard mitigation for climate change adaptation; (ii) reducing social vulnerability through pro-poor development; and (iii) increasing resilience through environmental management and conservation. Results challenge narratives that overpopulation causes environmental degradation and changing patterns of migration are a natural process of modernisation in the CIH. Alternative local narratives highlight haphazard and inequitable economic growth, lack of mountain planning and disaster management, inadequate social welfare programmes, and monkey relocation policies as the major sustainability challenges. The paper discusses how the gaze produces 'sustainable developmentality' - a depoliticising process that cultivates multiple and conflicting mountain subjectivities, namely: (i) active community members responsible for mitigating natural hazards, (ii) productive farmers and flexible waged labourers, and (iii) custodians of the environment. This creates a triple-bind for smallholders which has forced huge numbers to migrate from their mountain dwellings with unsustainable outcomes. Exploring local perspectives re-politicises the debate, exposing the contradictions and tensions of the gaze and the broader systemic issues of power and inequity the gaze overlooks. Such insights are crucial for rendering development policies more relevant to mountain residents of the CIH and beyond. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To limit global temperature increases to 'well below 2 ºC', it is necessary that current national commitments to reduce emissions are increased, and these commitments are implemented. The identification of local development benefits from climate change mitigation is a possible motivating factor to achieve this. However, there is a lack of practical examples of how climate change mitigation and development priorities can be integrated in national planning processes, particularly in low- and middle-income countries. This work considers two questions i) What are the factors that have to be considered when developing a plan integrating GHG reductions with local development goals?; and ii) How do you structure a process to reach a consensus about the plan itself?. It does this by conceptualising the integration of climate mitigation and development benefits as a policy intervention. As a case study, a national planning process that integrated climate change mitigation with improvements to air quality and human health in Nigeria is conceptualised, ex-post , as an intervention theory model. The key factors identified include the importance of tailoring the planning process to the national context of how development priorities are identified and then used in the allocation of national budgets. In particular, assessments undertaken within the planning process, of emission reductions, and development of implementation pathways provided necessary information on how climate mitigation actions contribute to national development priorities. Additionally, the importance of structuring these assessments within a planning processes that also engaged key stakeholders to allow the information produced by the assessments to be informed, and acted upon, by those responsible for mitigation in each key sector is also highlighted. Finally, approaches for the use of intervention theory as a conceptual framework to design a planning process, ex-ante , are discussed, to further optimise the integration of development priorities into climate change planning. • Assessment of factors to integrate development priorities in climate change planning. • Example of planning process on climate change and air quality in Nigeria evaluated. • Process needs to respond to how development priorities used in budget allocation. • Evidence provided by assessments of emission reduction for key mitigation actions. • And implementation pathways that identify concrete actions for mitigation priorities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Climate Resilient Trajectories consider aspects of climate change adaptation and mitigation in a sustainability context. • Specific and complex contexts in which poor and marginalized people operate need to be considered. • Critical to consider short- and long-term time frames when prioritizing and implementing development agendas for the poor. • Involvement of relevant stakeholders key to ensuring trajectories yield expected benefits. Climate Resilient Trajectories are routes to development progress that take into account aspects of climate change adaptation and mitigation in a sustainability context, offering a way to explicitly consider impacts of development and climate change choices on different sectors, scales, and socio-economic effects. Due to their scope and relevance, Climate Resilient Trajectories are of great interest to climate scientists, governments and the private sector, based on the urgent need to consider different strategies to decarbonize the economy. Pursuing such trajectories may also be beneficial in processes to implement the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) up to 2030 and beyond. This Communication describes the concept of Climate Resilient Trajectories and clarifies its relevance, with particular attention to the poor. It also outlines some of the necessary considerations to ensure no one is left behind. It highlights the need for the design of Climate Resilient Trajectories to be flexible enough to accommodate the specific and complex contexts in which poor and marginalized people operate; and that the involvement of all relevant stakeholders (e.g. governments, business and private organizations, policy makers, and whole communities) is necessary in order to ensure such trajectories yield the expected benefits. It further demonstrates that it is critical to consider both short- and long-term time frames when prioritizing and implementing development agendas for the poor. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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

Carbon emission reduction in China matters to global climate change mitigation. China has been experiencing extensive land changes, which profoundly influence terrestrial ecosystem carbon storage (TECS) and carbon emissions. Scholars have predicted influences of land changes on TECS in China with scenarios obtained from global integrated assessment models (IAMs), which lack national details. Moreover, universally existing variations in land-use intensity have not been considered when estimating influences on TECS. This study simulated changes of land-use intensity of China from 2000 to 2050 using CLUMondo under China-specified policies for sustainable development modeled by a national IAM named Threshold21-China. We proposed a more precise TECS estimation method by distinguishing land-vegetation and land-soil types. Results demonstrated that under scenario with preceding policies, the total TECS can increase by 865.5 Tg C from 2000 to 2050. Through implementing preceding policies, TECS loss by conversions from cultivated land to artificial surfaces can decline by 82 Tg C, and new TECS accumulated by increased and densified forests can increase by 73 Tg C. Mountainous and rapidly urbanizing regions are sensitively influenced and need more restrict land change management policies. This study demonstrates the significance of sustainable development policies for TECS conservation and indicates specific critical regions. • Introducing national IAM into land change simulation. • Considering land-use intensities in land change simulation. • Proposing an improved TECS estimation method. • Estimating influences of land changes on China's TECS. • TECS accumulation could be improved under sustainable policies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• A mindset shift is already emerging across sectors and contexts. • It relates to new, relational modes of knowing, being and acting. • A paradigm shift has not yet happened at the collective level. • Safe spaces can function as a visible manifestation and catalyst. • A competency framework of transformative skills is presented. Technological and policy solutions for transitioning to a fossil-free society exist, many countries could afford the transition, and rational arguments for rapid climate action abound. Yet effective action is still lacking. Dominant policy approaches have failed to generate action at anywhere near the rate, scale or depth needed to avoid potentially catastrophic futures. This is despite 30 years of climate negotiations under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), and wide-ranging actions at national, transnational and sub-national levels. Practitioners and scholars are, thus, increasingly arguing that also the root causes of the problem must be addressed – the mindset (or paradigm) out of which the climate emergency has arisen. Against this background, we investigate decision-makers' views of the need for a different mindset and inner qualities that can support negotiating and activating climate action, along with factors that could enable such a mindset shift. Data were collected during participatory workshops run at the 25th UNFCCC Conference of the Parties (COP25) in 2019, and comprise surveys, as well as social media communication and semi-structured interviews with COP attendees. Our results underline vast agreement among participants regarding the need for a mindset shift that can support new ways of communication and collaboration, based on more relational modes of knowing, being and acting. They also suggest the emergence of such a mindset shift across sectors and contexts, but not yet at the collective and systems levels. Finally, they highlight the importance of transformative skills and the need for experimental, safe spaces. The latter are seen as a visible manifestation and enabler that can support agency for change through shared self-reflection, experience and practice. We present a transformative skills framework, and conclude with further research needs and policy recommendations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Climate change adaptation and mitigation remain critical to achieving sustainable development while reducing climate vulnerability, particularly among climate-exposed and sensitive regions. Yet, achieving a balance between climate-resilience pathways, high economic productivity, high human development, and energy efficiency appears complex, leading to potential trade-offs. Here, we examine the overarching effect of the diversified energy portfolio, socio-economic drivers, and governance adaptation readiness on Climate change vulnerability across 212 economies. Contrary to the poor conventional panel techniques reported in the existing literature, we employ novel machine learning and dynamic panel estimation techniques that control for chaos, nonlinearity, mutual coupling, and heterogeneity in dynamic systems. The convergent cross-mapping causality technique reveals mutual coupling effects between energy portfolio, governance readiness, socio-economic drivers, and climate change vulnerability. The rapidly increasing population and increasing demand for resources under the business-as-usual society and economic structure that normalizes unsustainable development pathways due to weak governance structures create ineffective climate-resilient policies that lead to unabated emissions with consequences on climate change. The effect of social and governance readiness leads the transformation process to attain sustainable development. Thus, high social and governance readiness spurs climate resilience through climate change adaptation and mitigation to achieve sustainable development. Alternative (renewables) and nuclear energy have displacement effects on fossil fuels, yet, the magnitude of displacement is not large enough to replace future fossil fuel consumption. Conversely, a low-carbon future is still attainable by replacing the fossil energy portfolio with more natural gas and carbon-abatement technologies. Our study demonstrates that energy innovations are useful climate-resilience pathways that lessen climate change vulnerability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• CAPs have emerged as key policy tools for cities to fight impacts of climate change. • Existing coverage on city CAPs is lacking in case of developing countries. • Cities often have to fulfil multiple objectives, also including climate change. • Cities and local governments need more autonomy for effective climate action. • Climate policy formulation at local levels may avoid experimentation and influence. Climate change impacts have affected cities across the world, with cities in the developing world showing higher climate risks to property, infrastructure, and individual lives. Climate Action Plans (CAP) have emerged as a key tool and policy strategy for cities globally in their fight against climate change. However, most studies on CAPs cover cities of the Global North, lacking representation of the developing world. This study conducts an exploratory case study analysis of CAPs of four metropolitan cities in India, one of the world's worst climate-exposed cities. The objective is to highlight and compare key components and characteristics of these CAPs and showcase their key strengths, unique solutions, weaknesses, and areas of improvement that may offer opportunities for strengthening existing and future city CAPs leading to effective climate policy and urban governance at the national and global level. Characteristics of the CAPs are discussed under the purview of global best practices and frameworks, such as C40 cities. Analysis shows that city CAPs in India are at a nascent stage owing to the absence of climate policies resulting in experimentation and implementation, suiting stakeholder and local government needs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Paris Agreement, signed in 2015 by 195 countries around the world as a measure to stop and reverse the consequences of global warming and promote Sustainable Development (SD), sets out strategies for reducing greenhouse gases and the Agenda 2030, which contains the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The participating countries of these agreements are demanded to develop public policies that incorporate the signed commitments. Regarding this issue, a topic of great importance is solid waste management. To decrease the generation of waste through prevention, reduction, recycling, and reuse become fundamental. Landfill Mining (LM) is presented as a strategic tool that, if established properly within waste management public policies, it can contribute to SD and mitigation of climate change. This article reviews more than a hundred projects carried out in North America, Europe, Asia and the Middle East, which were cataloged according to the objectives they attended. Economic, social and environmental benefits and their relations with the compliance of SDGs are discussed. • From 112 projects worldwide, none were from Latin America, Africa and Australia. • Most projects were initiated by the public sector. • Landfill mining is considered as a strategic tool to accomplish 11 of the 17 SDGs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Climate change is poised to exacerbate coastal erosion. Recent research has presented a novel strategy to tackle this issue: dual wave farms, i.e., arrays of wave energy converters with the dual function of carbon-free energy generation and coastal erosion mitigation. However, the implications of sea level rise – another consequence of climate change – for the effectiveness of wave farms as coastal defence elements against shoreline erosion have not been studied so far. The objective of this work is to investigate how the coastal defence performance of a dual wave farm is affected by sea level rise through a case study (Playa Granada, southern Iberian Peninsula). To this end, a spectral wave propagation model, a longshore sediment transport formulation and a one-line model are combined to obtain the final subaerial beach areas for three sea level rise scenarios: the present situation, an optimistic and a pessimistic projection. These scenarios were modelled with and without the wave farm to assess its effects. We find that the dual wave farm reduces erosion and promotes accretion regardless of the sea level rise scenario considered. In the case of westerly storms, the dual wave farm is particularly effective: erosion is transformed into accretion. In general, and importantly, sea level rise strengthens the effectiveness of the dual wave farm as a coastal protection mechanism. This fact enhances the competitiveness of wave farms as coastal defence elements. Highlights • Dual wave farms for renewable energy production and coastal protection. • Assessment of the performance of dual wave farms under sea level rise (SLR). • SLR strengthens the effectiveness of wave farms as coastal defence mechanisms. • Better strategy for mitigation of climate change than hard engineering solutions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract The level of public response to extreme catastrophes is considerably greater than concern over climate change. This research compares the public's responses to extreme disasters and climate change when governments intervene to mitigate long-term climate change impacts. To do so we examine the property market behaviour in response to beach erosion and cyclone damage in Queensland, Australia. The results show that the impact on the property market of the public's response to the negative impact of cyclones is more marked than its response to the negative impact of beach erosion. The relative non-responsiveness to beach erosion can be seen as a product of both local government intervention strategies and the recreational and aesthetic attractions of beaches. This study, therefore, provides useful insights for the development of sustainable coastal development strategies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Cities, the core of the global climate change mitigation and strategic low-carbon development, are shelters to more than half of the world population and responsible for three quarters of global energy consumption and greenhouse gas (GHG). This special volume (SV) provides a platform that promotes multi- and inter- disciplinary analyses and discussions on the climate change mitigation for cities. All papers are divided into four themes, including GHG emission inventory and accounting, climate change and urban sectors, climate change and sustainable development, and strategies and mitigation action plans. First, this SV provides methods for constructing emission inventory from both production and consumption perspectives. These methods are useful to improve the comprehensiveness and accuracy of carbon accounting for international cities. Second, the climate change affects urban sectors from various aspects; simultaneously, GHG emissions caused by activities in urban sectors affect the climate system. This SV focuses on mitigation policies and assessment of energy, transport, construction, and service sectors. Third, climate change mitigation of cities is closely connected to urban sustainable development. This SV explores the relationships between climate change mitigation with urbanization, ecosystems, air pollution, and extreme events. Fourth, climate change mitigation policies can be divided into two categories: quantity-based mechanism (e.g., carbon emission trading) and price-based mechanism (e.g., carbon tax). This SV provides experiences of local climate change mitigation all over the world and proposes the city-to-city cooperation on climate change mitigation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Highlights • Decrease in psychological distance leads to reduced ideological polarization. • Congruent novelty and distance manipulation have strong effects. • Political ideology interacted with distance framing to influence attitude. • Cultural worldview and environmental attitude influence attitude toward mitigation. • Results support research in construal level theory related to climate engagement. Abstract Construal level theory of psychological distance suggests that people are likely to pay more attention to contextual cues when appraising proximal, rather than distant stimuli. We tested the theory in the climate change context by examining if framing climate change impacts in a psychologically close way may motivate the American public to support climate-mitigating policies and enact climate-mitigating actions, accounting for their political ideology, cultural worldview, and environmental value. Results of an experimental survey based on a large adult sample (N = 1,086) supported some of our hypotheses. Ideological polarization in climate change perception was reduced when climate change impact was portrayed as influencing a spatially close and familiar exemplar, as compared to a spatially distant and novel exemplar. However, cultural worldview and environmental value had consistent influence on policy support and environmental action, regardless of message framing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Global firms are increasingly adopting greenhouse gas mitigation targets in response to climate change. These targets serve as a spur for carbon mitigation initiatives, provide guidelines to select appropriate mitigation actions, and set the standards to measure the progress of the mitigation efforts. Despite their important functionalities, firm-level mitigation targets have rarely been studied. In this paper we aim to provide a comparative view on mitigation targets set by global firms across different countries and industrial sectors. The analysis focuses on four dimensions, i.e., adoption, metric, scope, and stringency. We find Japan far leads the other major countries in terms of target adoption, but the targets of Japanese firms are generally less stringent. Canadian firms are laggards in both target adoption and target stringency. The mitigation targets are also considerably uncommon among Australian firms. Firms in developing countries fall behind in target stringency and display a significantly greater divergence than developed countries in sectoral adoption rate. The European Union firms are most likely to cover the emissions in their supply chains in targets. Target stringency has substantially tightened from 2005 to 2012. For all the countries in this study, around 95% of the firm-level targets are more stringent than the Intended Nationally Determined Contributions submitted to the Paris Agreement. Setting mitigation target has a significant positive impact on both the likelihood of investing in renewable energy and the amount of investment in renewable energy. However, there is no evidence that more stringent targets lead to higher investment. These findings point to the most pressing issues with regard to corporate mitigation target-setting that policymakers and corporate management should address. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The energy transition is at the core of sustainable development as it helps to combat global warming and climate change. Similarly, carbon markets also support the climate change mitigation. Therefore, by realizing the potential role of clean energy and carbon markets in ensuring environmental sustainability, this study analyzes the spillovers and connectedness between the environment (global carbon) and renewable energy sources (wind, solar, geothermal, biofuel, and fuel cell). The empirical analysis is conducted by applying the novel "TVP-VAR" connectedness framework of Balcilar et al. (2021) on the daily data over the period from August 1, 2014, to February 4, 2022. The findings show that solar and biofuel appear as the highest net shock transmitter among alternative renewable sources while global carbon is shown as the net receiver of shocks. The largest transmission of shocks to global carbon is observed from wind followed by solar. Although these findings support the connectedness between renewable energy and the environment, however this connectedness is influenced by economic crises such as the oil crisis and pandemic crisis. During COVID-19, the fuel cell was the highest transmitter of shocks. The results are important for policy formulation, investment, and portfolio management as they provide insights into the interconnectedness and help in boosting climate actions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Tropical peatlands represent an acute site of contested development on the front line of global climate change and action. Media analysis reveals how and why these ecosystems are understood in the context of local and national discourse, and the implications of these representations for peatland policy-making. In this study, we provide an instructive account of media representations of tropical peatlands in Malaysia – a country home to 6% of the world's tropical peat by area and 12% by magnitude of the peat carbon pool. Set against an examination of the policy context for peatland media representations, we analyse how this critical ecosystem is framed in Malaysian media, and explore how these representations cast light on current sustainability-related policy and management debates. Drawing on media framing methodology, we analysed three English language newspapers (News Straits Times , The Star and Borneo Post) and one popular news website (Malaysiakini) from 1995 to 2018. From a sample of 1359 news articles, we found four dominant frames: development, conservation/protection, sustainable development and fire/haze. Within these frames, a number of key themes emerged including ecological benefits, community livelihoods, threats to peatland, integrated management approaches, and the value of peatland research. Our findings also reveal a polarising representation present across the study period – peatlands portrayed as a 'time-bomb' of ecological destruction and as a 'gold mine' in terms of their opportunities for development. We argue that contrasting interpretations of the sustainable development of peatlands may serve to obfuscate rather than facilitate current peatland policy discourses. Finally, we conclude that the fate of Malaysian peatlands hinges on recognising the localised challenges faced by peatland communities. We urge policy makers to consider food systems transformation approaches to move beyond a vision that relies entirely on drainage-based development. • An instructive account of media representations of tropical peatlands in Malaysia is undertaken. • Three English-language newspapers and one popular news website from 1995 to 2018 are analysed. • Four domiant frames were found: development, conservation/protection, sustainable development and fire/haze. • Findings reveal a polarisation in representation – peatlands portrayed as a 'time-bomb' and as a 'gold mine'. • Policy-makers are urged to consider food systems transformation approaches. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Efforts to combat global climate change through forestry plantations designed to sequester carbon and promote sustainable development are on the rise. This paper analyses the trajectory of Cambodia´s first large-scale reforestation project awarded within the context of climate change mitigation. The 34,007 ha concession was formally conceived to promote sustainable resource use, livelihood improvements and emission reduction. On the ground, however, vast tracks of diverse forest landscapes are being cleared and converted to acacia monocultures, existing timber stocks are logged for market sale, and customary land users dispossessed from land and forest resources. While the project adds to an ongoing land grab crisis in Cambodia, we argue that the explicit environmental ends of the forestry concession enabled a ‘green grab’ that not only exceeds the scale of land grabs caused by conventional economic land concessions, but surprisingly also exacerbates forest logging and biodiversity loss in the area. This case demonstrates the extent to which current climate change discourses, forestry agendas and their underlying assumptions require critical revision in global policy discussions to forestall the growing problem of green grabbing in land use. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We assess whether carbon pricing in combination with targeted use of the associated revenues could jointly advance Peru's long-term climate change mitigation targets and short-term socio-economic development goals. Based on expert interviews and detailed document analysis, we draw parallels to extractive industries, where revenues that are earmarked for public investment have often been found to be used ineffectively. Based on these experiences, we identify five key areas that could help to establish carbon pricing as a cross-cutting issue in the context of sustainable development: First, emphasizing the co-benefits of carbon pricing. Second, reforming the power sector to increase the use of low-cost renewable sources. Third, assessing the equity aspects of such policies and designing appropriate compensation systems. Fourth, increasing the government's capacity to effectively carry out public investment. Fifth, using results-based payments to establish a shadow price on land-use emissions and build up institutions and trust. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Although scientists have studied and touted the importance of insects to many ecosystem services for decades, insects and insect science are often poorly perceived by the public and by policy makers. Because insects do have important influences on many ecosystem services, they have even greater potential to be used to solve some anthropogenically-caused current global problems. We give several examples where insects are currently being used, or are being considered for future use, as a part of the solution to a global problem, including their potential roles as a part of the solution to sustainable fuel and food systems, deforestation and other environmental degradation, and global inequities. Ecologists have an important role to play in assessing how many of the proposed uses of insects will alter ecological processes and ecosystem services, or how their use may be effectively implemented. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background In Australia, co-benefits have rarely entered policy discourse and have so far failed to gain traction in climate change-related policy debates. This is partly due to the dominant perception about the difficulties associated with identifying, quantifying and incorporating co-benefits into decision-making frameworks. There is also limited understanding on the part of policy-makers about the profound policy implications of a ‘co-benefits approach’ as a paradigm that can address multiple policy goals, including addressing climate change impacts, achieving sustainable development, and enhancing health, wellbeing and liveability. Objectives Our paper addresses this gap by contributing to current understandings of the ‘co-benefits approach’ as a means of integrating climate concerns into local planning and development control in general. At a more specific level, the paper provides an insight into the Australian local government policy context to illustrate how to plan, generate and purposively promote co-benefits in planning urban built environments. Methods A desktop review of NSW councils’ web sites and their climate change-related policies was undertaken. A comprehensive online survey was subsequently conducted to investigate the extent to which councils have adopted a ‘co-benefits approach’ in their low carbon policies. Results Major barriers to integrating co-benefits in the policy process were identified in this research. They include: (i) local government's current practice of single-sectoral policy development; (ii) absence of an integrated and co-ordinated ‘whole-of-government approach’ to address climate change impact; (iii) over-reliance on quantitative decision-support frameworks; and (iv) over-emphasis on short term and readily quantifiable monetary consideration of benefits. Conclusion Local government's over-emphasis on readily quantifiable ‘monetary considerations’ in targeting benefits from climate change policies excludes a wide range of environmental, social and health benefits from incorporation in policy. This limits the achievement of optimal policy outcomes across multiple sectors using a co-benefits approach. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • The Budyko framework was applied to 75 catchments covering a large area of Taiwan. • Varied landscape effects determined water resources availability among catchments. • Considerable spatial variability in the Budyko-related variables were found. • Three clusters were identified based on catchments' movements in the Budyko space. • 64 catchments will face the reduced availability of future water resources. Assessing water resources availability in a changing climate is a determinant of promoting sustainable development in a region. Such assessment should better be inter-basin in order to unveil a region's overall risk, so a time-varying Budyko framework is developed and adopted in this study. Gauge-based gridded precipitation and temperature, in company with runoff data, were used to derive the Budyko curves for 75 catchments over Taiwan. Downscaled precipitation and temperature data from selected global climate models and Representative Concentration Pathways (RCPs) were then used to calculate the shifts in the Budyko space of each catchment. It was found that the Budyko-related variables (e.g., evaporative and aridity indices, and catchment-specific parameter) exhibited considerable variability island-wide, with a few outliers in certain catchments being modulated by distinct landscape features and/or human activities. Under all RCPs analyzed, the majority of catchments showed the magnified movement vectors pointing at the 1st quadrant in the Budyko space in the late-21st century, suggesting a predominant and aggravating drying trend over Taiwan. Cluster analysis of the movement vectors under RCP8.5, which entailed the least inter-model differences, identified three major clusters, two of which (64 catchments included) indicated a drying trend of varied significancy. According to our findings, without effective mitigation of climate change, an increased likelihood of the worst-case scenario will substantialize the reduced availability of Taiwan's water resources. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study contributed to the environmental research by analyzing the nexus between innovation in climate change mitigation technologies and carbon dioxide emissions in the United States, with the gross domestic product per capita, international collaboration in green technology development, renewable energy consumption, the labor force, and trade openness as control variables from 1990Q1 to 2018Q4. First, the results suggested that renewable energy consumption, innovation in climate change mitigation technologies, and international collaboration in green technology development are significant mitigating and determining factors for carbon dioxide emissions. Second, the findings also indicated that trade openness and gross domestic product per capita were positively associated with carbon dioxide emissions. Third, the Granger causality test results validated the presence of a bidirectional nexus between innovation in climate change mitigation technologies and carbon dioxide emissions, renewable energy consumption and carbon dioxide emissions, and international collaboration in green technology development and carbon dioxide emissions. Fourth, the results validated a one-way causality between gross domestic product per capita and carbon dioxide emissions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the plight for sustainable development and to support net zero ambitions for climate change mitigation, a broad range of aeration strategies have been developed with the hope of improving efficiency to minimize environmental and economic costs associated with the wastewater treatment processes. However, a balance is levied between reducing oxygen availability and hindering aerobic processes thus compromising performance. In the present work, we evaluate and compare the sustainability of a range of investigated strategies including continuous aeration (CA) at different dissolved oxygen (DO) setpoints (0.5 mg/L, 2.5 mg/L, 4.5 mg/L) and intermittent aeration (IA) at different oxic-anoxic portions (2.5 h on/0.5 h off, 2.0 h on/1.0 h off, 1.5 h on/1.0 h off). To achieve this, an eco-efficiency assessment is performed based on the results of previous life cycle impact and costing analyses for each strategy, while also incorporating a third factor to account for their respective treatment performance. The results demonstrate a clear pattern of increased sustainability for the IA strategies (0.54–0.56 Pt/m3), compared to the CA strategies (0.76–0.77 Pt/m3). While only negligible difference was observed within each aeration type, the trade-off between environmental and economic efficiency and treatment performance was distinct in CA strategies. At the individual pollutant level, IA strategies demonstrated decreasing sustainability for total phosphorous (TP) removal as the anoxic cycle portion increased, while CA at 0.5 mg/L was shown to be the most sustainable strategy for the removal of this pollutant (0.61 Pt/m3). Further work is suggested to incorporate the relative N 2 O emissions generated by each strategy and to investigate other strategies based on automated control. [Display omitted] • The sustainability of 6 aeration strategies in wastewater treatment is evaluated. • Intermittent aeration is more sustainable than continuous. • Increasing performance compromises eco-efficiency in continuous aeration strategies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Reducing CO 2 emissions progressively moves up on national and international political agendas. Hopes for "carbon neutrality" heavily rely on renewable energies, especially wind and solar. However, actions against climate change are not at zero cost and can exert large negative environmental and social impacts. The land footprints of wind, solar and hydropower are dozens to hundreds of times larger than other alternatives to fossil fuels, such as nuclear power. However, evidence-based calls to seriously consider nuclear power as part of the energy mix needed to get rid of fossil fuels are systematically ignored, as nuclear energy has been progressively ruled out from the energy transition debate, particularly in most advanced economies. Since first reports on the topic, habitat degradation still ranks as the largest driver of biodiversity loss (e.g. a 68% decrease in vertebrate populations since 1970), contributing between 4 and 14 times more than climate change. Climate action is a Sustainable Development Goal that must be addressed without compromising other Agenda 2030 targets, such as preserving biodiversity. Halting habitat degradation while fighting against climate change will require to seriously re-consider the inclusion of nuclear power into the energy mix for a truly sustainable development, particularly considering that the global energy demand has no signs of slowing down. Otherwise, we risk to degrade what is left of our already decimated nature in the name of climate change. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Climate-resilient agriculture (CRA) aims to address hunger and poverty. • We provided six principles for the selection of assessment indicators for CRA. • Developed a framework in quantifying the climate-resilient agriculture. • The assessment framework combined four dimensions and has 71 evaluation indicators. • The framework provides a quantitative tool to evaluate CRA in various scenarios. Climate change threatens agricultural production and leads to an increasing contradiction between food supply and needs. Greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from agricultural activities will exacerbate climate change in the future. Solving food security has become a major challenge around the world. The development of climate-resilient agriculture (CRA) is critical to address or slow climate change and is also helpful to improve agricultural quality and efficiency. Based on a review of previous studies and a deep understanding of CRA goals, this paper introduced a comprehensive assessment framework to evaluate CRA. This assessment framework combined four dimensions, i.e., agricultural productivity, farmer income, climate adaptability, and the green development level, and has 71 evaluation indicators. The highlights of this framework are to analyze the impacts of climate change on agricultural development and to stress the synergy of mitigation and adaptation strategies. All indicators represent various factors related to the development of CRA and have been used in previous studies. Therefore, the comprehensive assessment framework can be used as an evaluation tool for analyzing the changes in agroecosystem resilience under climate change, which is also helpful to implement scientific management to ensure sustainable agricultural development and food security. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cities must transform in order to address the challenge of climate change and to achieve societal ambitions such as the sustainable development goals. However, a key impediment to achieving transformation is underdeveloped understandings of how key actors and sectors within the built environment work together to achieve goals. This paper addresses these gaps by developing and visually presenting a process map to describe: the key processes involved in producing the built environment across its life stages; key sectors of the built environment, their key actors, and the activities coordinated between them. The process map was peer reviewed by an expert reference group of built environment professionals active in Australia and the UK. The motivation for developing this process map is to facilitate future research to identify and expedite opportunities for coordinated action to address significant societal challenges such as climate change action, and the sustainable development goals – which require transformative action in cities. • Cities must transform to address climate change • We develop a process map to describe the production of the built environment • Process map describes fundamental activities for producing the built environment • Process map spans built environment life stages; identifying activities and interactions of key sectors and actors • Can be applied to inform transformative action targeted at challenges such as climate change [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: This paper presents the results of the EX-Ante Carbon-balance Tool (EX-ACT) application on two rural development projects in Brazil. The analysis provides an estimate of project impact on GHG emissions and C sequestration indicating net mitigation potential: results show that the Santa Catarina Rural Competitiveness Project has the potential to mitigate 12.2Mt CO2e and the Rio de Janeiro Sustainable Rural Development Project 0.85Mt CO2e. Both projects are successful at promoting activities aimed at reducing rural poverty and also contribute to climate change mitigation, demonstrating the potential importance of sustainable agriculture (improved cropland and grassland management, expansion of agro-forestry systems and protection of forested areas) in delivering environmental services. EX-ACT has also been used as a tool to guide project developers in refining components and activities to increase project environmental benefits. Cost–benefit analysis shows that while both projects generate environmental benefits associated with climate change mitigation, the Santa Catarina Rural Competitiveness Project has significantly higher potential due to the size of the project area and the nature of activities, thus a higher likelihood of potential co-financing from climate finance sources. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Climate change was not on the policy agenda in Hong Kong before 2007. In 2010, a consultation document, Hong Kong’s Climate Change Strategy and Action Agenda, was published proposing a voluntary carbon intensity reduction target of 50–60% by 2020 (from the 2005 level). This review attempts to understand why there was a sudden shift to climate issues and whether the proposed strategy, actions and targets are appropriate to the climate change challenges faced by the city. Through synthesizing existing literature on climate change at the city level, a framework outlining possible actions at the strategic, knowledge accumulation and implementation phases is developed to position Hong Kong’s experience. It is found that Hong Kong’s move towards climate change is strongly affected by China’s efforts. The city is facing some real climate change threats. However, while the carbon intensity reduction target looks impressive, it is actually too modest for the city’s developed economy. The city needs to reflect critically on its economics-first strategy and undertake more refined vulnerability studies and risk assessments to identify spatially and sectorally-specific adaptation measures. To be a responsible global citizen and to pursue sustainable development, Hong Kong needs more concerted and comprehensive efforts to combat climate change. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

• Review of smart cities research related to climate change adaptation and mitigation. • Focus on five key areas: infrastructure, public health, equity, sustainable systems, and governance. • Implications of big data and smart cities are discussed. In recent years, smart cities have grown in popularity, both in research and in practice. The focus of smart city studies and policy initiatives has historically been on technology, particularly how information and communication technology can be leveraged to improve city functions. This focus has begun to shift towards sustainability, with many researchers calling for the development of smart, sustainable cities, which can aid efforts of climate change mitigation and adaptation. The connection between smart cities and climate change, however, is not clear. In this review article, we aim to synthesize the recent literature surrounding smart cities and climate change, and to discuss the benefits (or costs) of smart cities with regard to climate change mitigation and adaptation efforts. In particular, we focus on five key aspects of urban resilience to climate change: infrastructure, public health and well-being, accessibility and equity, sustainable systems, and governance. The literature reveals a higher level of emphasis on infrastructure resilience to climate change than the other categories. Moreover, the research areas differ in the level of connection between smart city initiatives and climate change adaptation and mitigation efforts. For example, within the critical infrastructure research area, studies on smart energy systems focus on climate change mitigation, particularly reducing emissions, while studies on smart water systems emphasize adaptation to future floods and droughts. Going beyond the aforementioned research areas, we discuss the role of big data in smart cities, including the benefits and challenges associated with collecting large amounts of data from smart technology, as well as the techniques needed to analyze such data. Finally, we highlight future directions that we believe the research on smart cities needs to focus on, based on the results from our literature review. These include infrastructure and disaster resilience, public health and social equity, and sustainability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Current approaches are fragmented and segregated across disciplines. • Simplistic one-way perspectives/ relationships dominate. • Gaps relate to foci, conceptualisation, epistemology, ontology and ethics. • The complexity of internal–external transformation requires emergent approaches. • We propose an integrated model to guide future research, policy and practice. Climate change is an increasing threat to sustainable development worldwide. However, the dominant incremental policy approaches have not generated action at anywhere near the rate, scale or depth that is needed. This is largely due to the fact that climate change has historically been framed as a purely external, technical challenge. There is an urgent need for a more integral understanding that links internal and external (collective and systems) approaches to support transformation. However, related knowledge is scarce and fragmented across disciplines. This study addresses this gap. Through a systematic literature review, we analyse how the linkages between internal and external change are portrayed and understood in current research. We assess the scope, perspectives and approaches used to understand why, and how, internal change relates to climate action and sustainability. Our results highlight patterns and gaps regarding foci, conceptualisation, methods, epistemology, ontology and ethics that hamper emergent solutions and progress. Starting from the status quo, we propose an integrated model of change as an agenda and roadmap for future research, policy and practice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Integrated approaches across energy, water and environment systems can accelerate the process of mitigating climate change through urgent action. New scientific advances that extend multiple opportunities in this direction have emanated from the 2nd Latin American, 1st Asia Pacific, 4th South East European and 15th Conferences on Sustainable Development of Energy, Water and Environment Systems as represented in this editorial. The review of recent scientific advances connects the 27 research articles in this special issue with those of other researchers based on eight main themes. The first two themes relate to system flexibility for renewable energy penetration and urban solutions in the energy transition. The foci of these themes include enabling energy system flexibility, climate neutral islands, electrification solutions, optimizing urban energy systems, spatiotemporal modelling of heat demand and smart energy hubs. The next three themes relate to solar energy technologies, hydrokinetic, wind and osmotic innovations as well as bioenergy and combustion modelling. These themes include new advances for predicting and monitoring photovoltaic module performance, thermochemical energy storage for concentrated solar options, artificial intelligence for wind energy, micro-cogeneration, and wastewater utilization. The last three themes relate to batteries and hydrogen energy advances, including sector coupling opportunities, optimizing heat exchangers and networks as well as solutions for redesigning sectors and repurposing post-mining reservoirs for energy storage. There are multi-disciplinary interrelations among these themes and each contribution will support the wide-ranging opportunities for realizing the European Climate Law and any other similar targets around the world for sustaining planetary life-support systems on which sustainable development depends. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Coal is the central energy resource in Poland, and air pollution levels in cities in Poland are some of the highest in Europe. Environmental protection problems are among the greatest challenges for the Polish authorities and society. As of today, there is a risk of temperatures rising 1.5 °C before 2050; this rise in temperature is leading to the intensification of changes that are unfavorable for people, such as weather disasters. The aim of this article was to analyze the scale of necessary sustainable investments of the local governments in Poland, with particular emphases on the role of cities, the current structural gaps and the financial mismatches. The focus was mainly on the adaptation and mitigation aspects of climate change, with less emphasis on social factors. The results indicated an increasing need for green and/or sustainable investments by local governments. A number of barriers to accessing new forms of sustainable finance were identified. The most important hurdles included low involvement of the private sector in local government financing, regulatory and fiscal barriers, and the inability of local governments to provide effective currency hedging. The need for new mechanisms to help local governments through guarantees or innovative instruments and potentially through new institutions or facilities was demonstrated. • The sustainable financial market for local governments. • The crisis caused by the COVID-19 will limit financing for sustainable development. • Special role of local governments in preventing climate change. • The barriers to sustainable finance development are primarily fiscal. • Mobilizing sustainable investments of private capital. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Carbon capture and storage can help achieve the sustainable development goals. • It is a key enabler of goal 13 relating to combating climate change. • It also enables provision of affordable energy and decarbonisation of industry. • The capturing process has both positive and negative interactions with most sustainability goals. For carbon capture and storage (CCS) to be a truly effective option within the efforts being made to mitigate climate change, it must be sustainable. An assessment is therefore required regarding how the deployment of CCS will positively contribute towards the achievement of the UN's Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) by 2030. This assessment reviews current evidence regarding the interactions between CCS technologies and the SDGs to improve the accessibility of information regarding the relevance and sustainability of CCS as a climate mitigation technology. Implicit in the SDG logic is that the goals depend on each other and enablers for one goal may therefore also potentially act as inhibiters for another goal. When evaluated against the SDGs, CCS shows several positive 'enabling' interactions, and fundamentally CCS is 'indivisible' with SDG 13 regarding combating climate change. The main 'inhibiting' impacts are predominantly due to the requirement for extra energy per unit of electricity produced and the environmental impacts associated with the use of some capture systems. None of the inhibiting impacts identified had 'cancelling' interactions against the SDGs covered in this assessment. CCS is therefore a sustainable option to combat climate change and does not prohibit the achievement of any other SDG. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • This paper deepens the conceptualisation of climate resilient development (CRD). • Ethics, values and worldviews are the most important enablers shaping CRD. • Partnerships and commitment to finance and technology is needed for achieving CRD. • Interactions between the actors and arenas of engagement facilitate CRD decisions. • Developed and developing societies need to chart their context-specific CRDPs. The concept of climate resilient development pathways (CRDPs) introduced in IPCC's Fifth Assessment Report remains poorly conceptualised. We have attempted to deepen the conceptualisation of climate resilient development (CRD) or climate compatible development, while charting its pathways through fuzzy cognitive maps (FCMs)-based simulations aided by knowledge based on stakeholders' insights. We conceptualise CRD as a development embracing mitigation, adaptation and inclusive sustainable development to advance planetary health and well-being for all. The FCMs-based simulations demonstrate that appropriate enabling conditions are critical to the achievement of CRD, the most important of them being (i) the ethics, values, and worldviews shaping CRD's directions by framing appropriate climate narratives and action; (ii) partnerships and commitment to finance and technology by the governments; (iii) interactions between the actors and arenas of engagement facilitating CRD decisions and actions; and (iv) dimensions of governance at multiple levels involving policy, institutions and practice. Citizens' defence against climate change as a human right, along with planetary health and well-being, demands synergies while implementing mitigation, adaptation and sustainable development. Short-term decisions and actions related to mitigation, adaptation, and sustainable development could have long-term effects on CRDPs. CRD could entail a societal transformation to eudaimonic living for ensuring universal well-being. The findings of this research could have profound implications for multilateral negotiations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Bhutan is a rapidly growing economy currently undergoing swift and extensive rural-to-urban migration. Its commitment to carbon neutrality, as well as its unique Gross National Happiness (GNH) objectives, make Bhutan a fascinating laboratory for studying sustainable development strategies and how they can be specifically tailored to align with local contexts and values. This paper uses the framing of the Shared Socioeconomic Pathways (SSPs) from the global climate change mitigation literature to develop a vision for a locally appropriate SSP for a sustainable Bhutan, encompassing energy supply, energy demand, and urban and regional planning. The approach outlined here demonstrates how research-based recommendations from the academic literature can be combined with knowledge of local considerations to develop place-based visions for sustainable societies. The proposed sustainable pathway for Bhutan (SSP1) outlines a future in which the nation continues to sequester more carbon than it emits while maintaining traditional cultural values, a strong sense of community, and a burgeoning economy. Outcomes of alternative scenarios are described according to the nine domains of GNH. Focusing on Bhutan as a real case study, this paper thus demonstrates how mitigation measures can be selected and implemented to align with unique cultural values and national aspirations. • Identify the place-based sustainable transitions • Develop an extended Shared Socioeconomic Pathways (SSPs) for Bhutan • Develop assumptions of regionally balanced development scenario as SSP1 (Sustainability) • Analyze mitigation measures and options based on Bhutan's sustainability pathway • Raise key factors to achieve a sustainable Bhutan based on developed scenarios [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Environmental patents' impact on sustainability and economic growth is analyzed. • Innovations can contribute to countries' sustainable economic growth. • Technological innovation can effectively respond to climatic changes. • A better understanding of the role of technology transfer on the European continent is provided. Most of the literature on technology transfer has tended to focus on the country or regional level, neglecting to look at the continent-level flow of knowledge that is becoming more important due to regional trading blocs. This study sought to fill the gap in research on the role of technology transfer in the European continent (i.e., countries inside and outside the Eurozone) by focusing on environment-related patents. The research also included examining the effects of environmental water-related adaptation technology and climate change mitigation patents on real gross domestic product. The results contribute to the literature on technology transfer policies by highlighting how environmental patents influence Europe's economic growth rate and whether countries' geographical location can affect their level of entrepreneurship and innovation. The technology-organization-environment (TOE) and sustainability perspectives were used as a theoretical framework for understanding how geographical contexts influence technology transfer in terms of environment-related patents. Implications for management, theory and policy are discussed together with the study's limitations and suggestions for future research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]