Urea is an essential nitrogenous fertilizer in modern agriculture. Its production, however, is too carbon and energy intensive. Here Chuanxin He and colleagues green this process through pulsed co-electrolysis of CO2 and nitrate.

See Qi Hu et al.

We are rapidly expanding our reach into Earth’s orbital space and beyond. The adverse impacts of this development occur right here on Earth’s surface and in our atmosphere, in our near orbital space and all the way to our ability to see into the stars. As we show in this month’s Focus, it is now urgent to extend our notions of protecting a sustainable future on Earth to ensure a sustainable future in space.

See Editorial

Recovering ammonia from manure wastewater has multiple sustainability benefits. Qin and colleagues develop an electrochemical process that allows such removal efficiently and enables the production of decentralized fertilizers and chemicals.

See Wang et al.

Sustainable mining relies on vigorous and comprehensive mitigation strategies; however, two studies in this issue show that these measures are falling short. Among artisanal and often illegal mining operations in the Amazon, Fritz et al. demonstrate that while mercury retorts reduce losses, the amount of mercury and CO2 emissions into the environment remains substantial. Globally, Aska et al. draw attention to the number of mine tailing facilities contained within or near the boundaries of protected areas, posing a potential hazard for regional biodiversity.

See Fritz et al. and Aska et al.