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Food choices greatly affect global GHG emissions, but the contributions of different groups, across or within countries, are highly unequal. Adopting the global planetary health diet could yield co-benefits by reducing both emissions and inequality among populations.
US healthcare contributes 8.5% of national greenhouse gas emissions, but its policies to guide mitigation and waste reduction are underdeveloped. We recommend national policies to streamline the adoption of best practices, address implementation challenges to achieve net-zero goals and serve as useful exemplars for other nations.
The erosion of melting permafrost in the coastal Arctic Ocean is projected to lower the ocean’s capacity to absorb carbon dioxide, triggering unexpected carbon–climate feedbacks in the Arctic region.
Technological feasibility and project-level economic costs are only two important considerations in previous estimations of climate mitigation costs. Now a study shows how political and institutional constraints matter too.
A free-air CO2 enrichment experiment exposed a 180-year-old oak forest in central England to elevated atmospheric CO2 concentrations for 7 years. Increases in wood production and net primary productivity were observed in response to this CO2 enrichment, contrary to expectations that such responses are limited to young tree plantations.
The Paris Agreement requires reaching net-zero carbon emissions, but a debate exists on how fast this can be achieved. This study establishes scenarios with different feasibility constraints and finds that the institutional dimension plays a key role for determining the feasible peak temperature.
While experiments in younger trees support increased production under higher CO2, it is unclear whether more mature trees can respond similarly. Here, the authors show increased production of biomass in a 180-year-old Quercus robur L. woodland under 7 years of free-air CO2 enrichment (FACE).
The rate of Arctic coastal permafrost erosion is predicted to increase up to 3 times by 2100. Here the authors model how organic matter released from coastal permafrost erosion will reduce the CO2 sink capacity of the Arctic Ocean and lead to positive feedbacks on climate.
From a scientific standpoint, the causes of current ongoing climate change are well established. But in the context of rapid change, and real-world consequences, there is still room — and need — for scientific discussion in climate change fields.
Eliminating government infrastructure spending, public disaster insurance and post-disaster aid in high-risk coastal areas reduces development there and leads to lower flood damages and higher property values on nearby lands. The strategic withdrawal of development incentives could be used more broadly to reduce climate risks.
Scientists play a crucial role in addressing climate change. Using a large-scale international survey, this study explores scientists’ beliefs about climate change and their perceived barriers to climate change engagement.
Adaptation requires limiting exposure to climate threats, and policies should focus on curbing development in risky areas. By examining the Coastal Barrier Resources Act, researchers demonstrate that removing financial incentives for development can lower climate risks and damages.
Just Energy Transition Partnerships (JETPs) are an important international initiative to address the urgent coal phase-out issue in emerging economies. Model-based assessment demonstrates JETPs for South Africa, Indonesia and Vietnam provide a promising route for achieving the 1.5 °C target.
