Thank you for visiting nature.com. You are using a browser version with limited support for CSS. To obtain
the best experience, we recommend you use a more up to date browser (or turn off compatibility mode in
Internet Explorer). In the meantime, to ensure continued support, we are displaying the site without styles
and JavaScript.
Agricultural expansion to grow food, fibre and biofuel will further threaten biodiversity. This study finds that almost 90% of terrestrial vertebrate species will lose habitat to such expansion, but proactive food policies could reduce these threats.
Assessing the performance of an economy in times of crisis is a difficult task. This study presents an agent-based model capturing the behaviour of firms facing transport and supply disruptions due to natural disasters, and shows possible paths to reinforce infrastructure and supply chain resilience.
The field of battery chemistry must embrace abundant elements such as Mn for improved sustainability. Here the authors engineer the orientation of Mn 3d orbitals, resulting in excellent performance in LiMnO2 cathodes.
Climate-oriented goals in air quality and clean energy policies can substantially reduce greenhouse gas emissions, particularly if shifting to biomass cooking and addressing emissions from brick production and agricultural residue burning.
The Indus river basin in South Asia is water stressed, energy insecure and intensively farmed, and research on this region often lacks a systemic approach to the issues. This study shows how the path to development in the region could be made less costly and more environmentally friendly by fostering transboundary cooperation.
A large survey in 19 US states covering just over a decade shows that values regarding wildlife are shifting toward seeing it as one’s community, as opposed to a resource to use for human benefit.
Soil nitrogen is vital for terrestrial ecosystems. This study finds that soil nitrogen increases with the number and age of plant species, suggesting another benefit from conserving plant diversity.
Agricultural landscapes have become more simplified as crop production has risen. This study finds that pesticide use rises with crop area and field size but falls with crop diversity.
Here the authors design an electrolysis reactor to generate H2O2 which could be further catalytically activated by Cu single atoms to yield hydroxyl radicals. Combining the two reactions enables a system that could treat organic wastewater, providing a path toward sustainable advanced oxidation processes.
An analysis of 643 cases of community forest management shows that most led to improved environmental and income outcomes, but access and resource rights often deteriorate when formalizing such management.
A study of over 36,000 villages in Indonesia shows that palm oil eco-certification reduces poverty in market-oriented villages but increases it in subsistence villages.
Negative air ions (NAIs) have been widely harnessed for air purification and environmental therapeutics. Herein, the authors construct a triboelectric NAI generator that produces NAIs with high efficiency, stimulated by mechanical motions.
A geospatial estimate of water scarcity in middle- to low-income countries finds that less than 37% of small-scale farms have irrigation. However, there exist considerable gaps in evidence for most commonly proposed, on-farm interventions.
To promote sustainable agriculture, small-scale producers must be included in the transformation of food systems. This scoping review finds that non-contract interactions provide producers with services such as credit, information and logistics.
A more sustainable agriculture is needed to address global food security and environmental degradation. This scoping review surveys the incentives for farmers to adopt sustainable practices benefiting their farms, the environment or both.
Reducing postharvest crop losses is vital to sustainably increase agricultural productivity. This analysis reveals a need for systematic assessment of postharvest loss reduction interventions across the value chain, targeting stakeholders beyond farmers, and for a more diverse range of food crops, to shape future policy decisions.
Exposure to volatile chemical products happens during or in the vicinity of product use and through ambient air; the latter pathway is neglected in exposure estimates. This study shows that both pathways should be considered in efforts to develop safer and more sustainable products and to achieve cleaner air.
Reverse osmosis membranes are the primary technology used for desalination and wastewater recycling, but they are prone to biofouling and subsequent performance deterioration due to poor tolerance to disinfecting agents such as chlorine. Here a chlorine-resistant polyester reverse osmosis membrane is developed to prevent biofouling and increase the sustainability of desalination and wastewater reuse.
Models used to calculate the costs of carbon emissions do not include ecological damages. This study expands an integrated assessment model to include natural capital as a form of wealth, and shows that accounting for the use and non-use value of nature has large implications for climate policy.
Worldwide, longer fire seasons are causing unsustainable impacts. This study finds that the 2019–20 Australia fire season caused health-related costs of AU$1.95 billion, nine times the median for the previous 19 years.