Research articles

Marine construction is sprawling globally. As of 2018, this study finds that the structures occupied 32,000 km² but affected 1 to 3 million km², a shadow expected to expand 50–70% by 2028.

Drylands are under pressure from climate change and population growth. This study finds the sensitivity of dryland vegetation to rainfall changing, with opposite effects in poorer and richer nations.

Water use may be a topic of increased research, but water theft remains understudied. This paper utilizes insights from three international case studies to inform on the systemic failures that sustain water theft.

Neonicotinoid insecticides have the potential to harm non-target organisms. This study finds that, between 2008 and 2014, increased neonicotinoid use in the United States reduced bird diversity, especially grassland and insectivorous birds.

Perfluorochemicals render fabrics water and oil repellent; however, their use poses environmental and health risks. Here, the authors show the rational design of textile finishes with excellent oil repellency without adopting any perfluorinated substances.

Light-responsive smart materials hold promise for a solution to water desalination. Here the authors report an adsorbent based on a metal–organic framework that quickly adsorbs multiple ions from water in the dark, followed by release of these salts on exposure to sunlight.

The most-efficient solar cells use Pb-based halide perovskites; however, their toxicity poses environmental and health risks. Here, the authors report an adsorbent that allows for sustainable Pb management in these devices.

Although deserts have been the focus of large-scale solar power development, this study finds that ecosystem services are degraded during such development, with impacts not only on plants and animals, but indigenous peoples as well.

The presence of microplastics in wastewaters used for irrigation highlights the urgency of analysing the possible uptake of microplastics by crop plants. This study shows that submicrometre and micrometre plastic particles from treated wastewater enter the steles of crop plants via a crack entry at sites of lateral root emergence.

Solar-driven interfacial evaporation can be a sustainable process to obtain clean water but device efficiency and simplicity need improving. This study presents a super-wicking and super-light-absorbing aluminium surface with increased efficiency, a simple structure and strong performance.

Urban air quality remained remarkably worse than WHO recommended levels in cities during the first COVID-19 lockdown in China, despite substantial pollution reductions and the high costs of the measure.

Runoff from mountain water sources is critical to some lowland populations. In this Article, these populations are projected to increase from 0.2 billion people in the 1960s to 1.5 billion by mid-century.

Coastal wetlands may affect flood risks, as from rising sea level. This study finds that saltmarshes provided coastal defence from historic Northwest European floods.

Moral concerns matter for decisions in markets where activities generate negative externalities such as pollution emissions. With controlled experiments in which trading creates pollution, this study shows that a large portion of producers refrain from polluting even at the cost of forgoing profits.

Air pollution harms health but rises with economic activity, which aids health. This study uses long-range Saharan dust to isolate impacts, finding a significant rise in Sub-Saharan infant mortality from particulate pollution.

Half of Brazil’s tropical Cerrado savannah has been cleared for agropastoral use. Using models, this study finds that this clearing is degrading regional weather, reducing maize yields there.

Global responses of crops to warmer temperatures will affect agricultural sustainability. This study of maize, rice, soybean and wheat projects yield reductions of 3–13% under 2 °C warming.

After forest loss, public subsidies often encourage reforestation with tree plantations. This modelling study finds that between 1986 and 2011, Chile’s forest subsidies probably reduced biodiversity without increasing carbon stored in aboveground plant material.

Forest planting is considered a natural climate solution, but effects on soil carbon are unclear. This study, in northern China, finds that planting forests increases carbon in soils poor in it and vice versa.

Air pollution and dust can reduce photovoltaic electricity generation. This study shows that, without cleaning and with precipitation-only removal, particulate matter can reduce photovoltaic generation in polluted and desert regions by more than 50%, with soiling being the major cause of reduction.