Volume 3 Issue 12, December 2020

Coupling technological advances with sociocultural and policy changes can transform agri-food systems to address pressing climate, economic, environmental, health and social challenges. An international expert panel reports on options to induce contextualized combinations of innovations that can balance multiple goals.

Pandemic responses can engender healthier and more sustainable societies only if we attend to urban equality.

Michael Norton, from the European Academies Science Advisory Council, and Baldwyn Torto, from the International Centre of Insect Physiology and Ecology, talk with Nature Sustainability about recent efforts to address neonicotinoid insecticide risks in Africa.

Converging evidence indicates that SARS-CoVs are present in wastewater for several days with potential health risks. This Review analyses knowledge about such risks as well as the potential spread of SARS-CoVs in waterborne, waterborne–aerosolized and waterborne–foodborne pathways during a pandemic.

Biodeterioration of stone monuments and buildings can lead to a loss of world cultural heritage. This Review discusses the role of microbes in the deterioration processes, the biochemical mechanisms involved and possible strategies for sustainable conservation of stone monuments and buildings.

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.

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.

A large-scale land-titling programme in the Brazilian Amazon did not affect forest cover in large landholdings, but induced deforestation in the small and medium ones, driven by crop and cattle price increases.

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.

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 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.

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.

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.