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| Open AccessQuantitative evaluation of large corporate climate action initiatives shows mixed progress in their first half-decade
More companies are setting climate targets, but detailed evaluations remain scarce, raising questions on their effectiveness. Here, authors assess the progress of 102 of the largest companies in the world by revenue for the period 2015–2019.
- Ivan Ruiz Manuel
- & Kornelis Blok
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| Open AccessUncertainty in non-CO2 greenhouse gas mitigation contributes to ambiguity in global climate policy feasibility
The potential for the mitigation of global non-CO2 greenhouse gases is highly uncertain. Harmsen et al. estimate this uncertainty and show that it has large implications for the feasibility of reaching the Paris Climate Agreement targets.
- Mathijs Harmsen
- , Charlotte Tabak
- & Detlef van Vuuren
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| Open AccessThe effectiveness of global protected areas for climate change mitigation
Protected areas are important for climate change mitigation. Here, the authors use satellite data and statistical matching to show that terrestrial protected areas have higher C stocks than non-protected areas, roughly equivalent to one year of annual global fossil fuel emissions.
- L. Duncanson
- , M. Liang
- & A. Zvoleff
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| Open AccessHidden delays of climate mitigation benefits in the race for electric vehicle deployment
The climate benefits of battery electric vehicles relative to internal combustion engine vehicles are favorable but usually delayed. The authors show the delay threshold in China and call for more attention to the temporal characteristics of climate benefits.
- Yue Ren
- , Xin Sun
- & Xinzhu Zheng
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| Open AccessSpatially-optimized urban greening for reduction of population exposure to land surface temperature extremes
This study uses earth observation data and proposes a method to evaluate and optimize the increment of urban greening to reduce the population exposure to extreme land surface temperatures in cities.
- Emanuele Massaro
- , Rossano Schifanella
- & Gregory Duveiller
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| Open AccessValue chain carbon footprints of Chinese listed companies
A paper led by Prof. Zhang evaluates the value chain carbon footprints of Chinese listed companies. The results could encourage collaborative climate actions along value chains and help investors understand the environmental impacts of their investment.
- Zengkai Zhang
- , Jiaoyan Li
- & Dabo Guan
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Article
| Open AccessGlobal transportation infrastructure exposure to the change of precipitation in a warmer world
In this study, the authors report that nearly 88.4% of global road and railway assets will face a more frequent precipitation in mid-21st century. A safety factor for climate change adaptation is recommended during infrastructure design process.
- Kai Liu
- , Qianzhi Wang
- & Elco E. Koks
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Article
| Open AccessGrid integration feasibility and investment planning of offshore wind power under carbon-neutral transition in China
Offshore wind power may play a key role in decarbonising energy supplies. Here the authors evaluates current grid integration capabilities for wind power in China and find that investment levels should be doubled for 2030, and that long-term storage and transmissions are key to accelerated developments of offshore wind in 2050.
- Xinyang Guo
- , Xinyu Chen
- & Michael McElroy
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Comment
| Open AccessQuantifying the recarbonization of post-agricultural landscapes
Despite worldwide prevalence, post-agricultural landscapes remain one of the least constrained human-induced land carbon sinks. To appraise their role in rebuilding the planet’s natural carbon stocks through ecosystem restoration, we need to better understand their spatial and temporal legacies.
- Stephen M. Bell
- , Samuel J. Raymond
- & César Terrer
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Article
| Open AccessInformation about historical emissions drives the division of climate change mitigation costs
Who pays for climate change mitigation is an ongoing source of conflict. Here the authors examine how historical carbon emissions influences how much people will pay for climate change mitigation via an economic experiment.
- Alessandro Del Ponte
- , Aidas Masiliūnas
- & Noah Lim
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Article
| Open AccessSilver lining to a climate crisis in multiple prospects for alleviating crop waterlogging under future climates
The climate crisis will increase the frequency of extreme weather events. Harrison et al. show that while global waterlogging-induced yield losses increase from 3–11% historically to 10–20% by 2080, adapting sowing periods and adopting waterlogging-tolerant genotypes can negate such yield losses.
- Ke Liu
- , Matthew Tom Harrison
- & Meixue Zhou
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Article
| Open AccessMangrove reforestation provides greater blue carbon benefit than afforestation for mitigating global climate change
Blue carbon benefit has not been compared among mangrove reforestation and afforestation pathways at the global scale. This study shows that mangrove reforestation could perform a greater carbon storage potential per hectare than afforestation as its higher nitrogen availability and lower salinity.
- Shanshan Song
- , Yali Ding
- & Guanghui Lin
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Comment
| Open AccessToward the effective and fair funding of CO2 removal technologies
Carbon dioxide removal technologies are gaining prominence in academia, industry and policy, yet the need for substantial funding raises serious challenges. This comment discusses these issues and offers suggestions for future funding efforts in this area.
- Matthias Honegger
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Article
| Open AccessGlacial lake outburst floods threaten millions globally
Glacial lake outburst floods (GLOFs) are a major hazard to downstream populations. Here, the authors show that 15 million people globally are potentially exposed to GLOF impacts, with more than half of these living in India, Pakistan, Peru and China.
- Caroline Taylor
- , Tom R. Robinson
- & Matthew Westoby
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| Open AccessBiophysical impacts of earth greening can substantially mitigate regional land surface temperature warming
Using satellite observations over the recent two decades, the authors quantify the biophysical impact of earth greening on land surface temperature and show a considerable cooling effect in India and China, important for climate mitigation.
- Yitao Li
- , Zhao-Liang Li
- & Lingling Ma
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Article
| Open AccessMethane emissions offset atmospheric carbon dioxide uptake in coastal macroalgae, mixed vegetation and sediment ecosystems
Coastal ecosystems are promoted as nature-based solutions to climate change. Here, the authors show that natural methane emissions across a variety of vegetated and unvegetated coastal habitats can, however, offset one-third of the carbon sink capacity attributed to atmospheric carbon dioxide uptake.
- Florian Roth
- , Elias Broman
- & Alf Norkko
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| Open AccessPredicting European cities’ climate mitigation performance using machine learning
Since the Paris Agreement recognized in 2015 cities have pledged climate actions that often exceed the scope and ambition of their national governments’ policies but there is scant evidence of these actions’ outcomes, largely because of the lack of reported emissions data. Here the authors utilize spatially explicit datasets relevant to urban carbon emissions and self-reported emissions data from European cities, and develops a machine-learning approach to predict and explore trends in city-scale mitigation.
- Angel Hsu
- , Xuewei Wang
- & Nihit Goyal
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| Open AccessOvercoming global inequality is critical for land-based mitigation in line with the Paris Agreement
In a world of deepening inequalities, climate polices might be feasible in high-income countries only. Here the authors find that overcoming global inequality through sustainable socio-economic development is critical for land-based mitigation in line with the Paris Agreement.
- Florian Humpenöder
- , Alexander Popp
- & Quentin Lejeune
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Comment
| Open AccessChallenging the financial capture of urban greening
Financing of urban greening has traditionally prioritized economic growth. Here the authors argue for action to ensure more socially just green financing.
- Melissa García-Lamarca
- , Isabelle Anguelovski
- & Kayin Venner
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Article
| Open AccessBenefits of subsidence control for coastal flooding in China
Chinese coastal populations are concentrated in subsiding locations, and also subject to sea-level rise. Here the authors find that more areas, population and assets are exposed to coastal flooding by 2050 but realistic subsidence control measures can avoid additional risks.
- Jiayi Fang
- , Robert J. Nicholls
- & Peijun Shi
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Article
| Open AccessEnergy requirements and carbon emissions for a low-carbon energy transition
A low-carbon energy transition consistent with 1.5 °C of warming may result in substantial carbon emissions. Moreover, the initial push to substitute fossil fuels with low-carbon alternatives will reduce the net energy available to society.
- Aljoša Slameršak
- , Giorgos Kallis
- & Daniel W. O’Neill
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| Open AccessImproving public support for climate action through multilateralism
A new study reports survey-experimental results suggesting that multilateral approaches to climate action increase domestic carbon tax approval. The appeal of multilateralism reflects improved sustainability beliefs about effectiveness, fairness, and reciprocity.
- Michael M. Bechtel
- , Kenneth F. Scheve
- & Elisabeth van Lieshout
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| Open AccessDrivers of global mangrove loss and gain in social-ecological systems
Mangrove forests protect communities from storms and support fisheries. Here, the authors show that the association with economic growth has shifted from negatively impacting mangroves to enabling mangrove expansion, and that community forestry is promoting mangrove expansion.
- Valerie Hagger
- , Thomas A. Worthington
- & Megan I. Saunders
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| Open AccessGlobal forestation and deforestation affect remote climate via adjusted atmosphere and ocean circulation
Based on coupled climate model simulations the authors show that changes to the Earth’s surface energy balance following global-scale forestation and deforestation may change the strength of the jet stream, the Hadley cell, and the ocean circulation, which alters remote climate patterns across the globe
- Raphael Portmann
- , Urs Beyerle
- & Sebastian Schemm
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| Open AccessUS cities increasingly integrate justice into climate planning and create policy tools for climate justice
Climate justice is rising: large cities in the U.S. are increasingly integrating justice into their climate mitigation plans and pioneer cities are developing tools to operationalize just climate policies on the ground.
- Claudia V. Diezmartínez
- & Anne G. Short Gianotti
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| Open AccessMitigation of China’s carbon neutrality to global warming
Here the authors show that China’s carbon neutrality may mitigate global warming by 0.48 °C and 0.40 °C, which account for 14% and 9% of the global warming over the long term under the shared socioeconomic pathway (SSP) 3-7.0 and 5-8.5 scenarios, respectively.
- Longhui Li
- , Yue Zhang
- & Guonian Lü
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| Open AccessComparing the levelized cost of electric vehicle charging options in Europe
Charging costs are important for the diffusion of electric vehicles as required to decarbonize transport. Here, the authors show large variance of electrical vehicle charging costs across 30 European countries and charging options, suggesting different policy options to reduce charging costs.
- Lukas Lanz
- , Bessie Noll
- & Bjarne Steffen
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Article
| Open AccessLand use change and carbon emissions of a transformation to timber cities
Wood used in construction stores carbon and reduces the emissions from steel and cement production. Transformation to timber cities while protecting forest and biodiversity is possible without significant increase in competition for land.
- Abhijeet Mishra
- , Florian Humpenöder
- & Alexander Popp
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Article
| Open AccessInequality can double the energy required to secure universal decent living
In exploring the energy required to provide decent living for all, the authors find the costs of inequality to be far greater than that of population growth. Nonetheless, population growth remains important for other reasons.
- Joel Millward-Hopkins
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Comment
| Open AccessTo create serious movement on climate change, we must dispel the myth of indifference
A new study finds that Americans underestimate how many are concerned about climate change as well as support for major climate policies by nearly half, with climate policy supporters significantly outnumbering non-supporters.
- Cynthia McPherson Frantz
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| Open AccessAmericans experience a false social reality by underestimating popular climate policy support by nearly half
A new study finds that Americans underestimate how many are concerned about climate change as well as support for major climate policies by nearly half, with climate policy supporters significantly outnumbering non-supporters.
- Gregg Sparkman
- , Nathan Geiger
- & Elke U. Weber
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Article
| Open AccessInstitutional decarbonization scenarios evaluated against the Paris Agreement 1.5 °C goal
Here the authors present a framework to assess the temperature outcomes of decarbonization scenarios from institutions such as the IEA, BP and Shell. Scenarios are evaluated for consistency with the long-term temperature goal of the Paris Agreement.
- Robert J. Brecha
- , Gaurav Ganti
- & Matthew J. Gidden
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| Open AccessMeasuring corporate Paris Compliance using a strict science-based approach
New study defines key guidelines to accurately assess the alignment of companies with Paris goals, finding that current methods to evaluate performance are deficient with few companies assessed as Paris Compliant.
- S. Rekker
- , M. C. Ives
- & C. Greig
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| Open AccessRates and drivers of aboveground carbon accumulation in global monoculture plantation forests
Tree planting is a promising yet controversial natural climate solution. Here the authors perform a global analysis of aboveground C accumulation in tree monocultures, identifying key predictors such as prior land use, taxonomic identity, and plant traits.
- Jacob J. Bukoski
- , Susan C. Cook-Patton
- & Matthew D. Potts
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| Open AccessEfficient use of cement and concrete to reduce reliance on supply-side technologies for net-zero emissions
A new study finds supply-side efforts alone are unlikely to lead to net-zero emissions across the cement and concrete cycle by 2050, advocating for more efficient use of cement and concrete in the built environment and more strategic options for decarbonization.
- Takuma Watari
- , Zhi Cao
- & Keisuke Nansai
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| Open AccessContrasting suitability and ambition in regional carbon mitigation
New study finds geographical mismatch in cross-regional ranking between cost and benefit of carbon mitigation, as well as spatial mismatch between relative suitability of mitigation and mitigation ambition of emitters.
- Yu Liu
- , Mingxi Du
- & Klaus Hubacek
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| Open AccessThe inequality labor loss risk from future urban warming and adaptation strategies
New study investigates heat-induced labor loss in 231 Chinese cities, finding that lower-paid sectors could be disproportionately affected in coming decades, although adaptation measures may mitigate inequality related impacts.
- Cheng He
- , Yuqiang Zhang
- & Haidong Kan
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Article
| Open AccessGlobal stocks and capacity of mineral-associated soil organic carbon
Mineral-organic associations play a key role in soil carbon preservation. Here, Georgiou et al. produce global estimates of mineral-associated soil carbon, providing insight into the world’s soils and their capacity to store carbon
- Katerina Georgiou
- , Robert B. Jackson
- & Margaret S. Torn
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| Open AccessSharing the effort of the European Green Deal among countries
An ethically-based method for allocating climate change mitigation effort among subsidiaries, applicable worldwide, is proposed. Applied to the EU Green Deal, this results in a wider range of targets than the Commission’s proposal of 2021.
- Karl W. Steininger
- , Keith Williges
- & Keywan Riahi
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Article
| Open AccessEnvironmental trade-offs of direct air capture technologies in climate change mitigation toward 2100
New study concludes that environmental tradeoffs of direct air capture and sequestration technologies are linked to the energy system in which they will operate, and their deployment should not equate to a relaxation of decarbonization or resource use efficiency targets.
- Yang Qiu
- , Patrick Lamers
- & Sangwon Suh
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| Open AccessCross-cutting scenarios and strategies for designing decarbonization pathways in the transport sector toward carbon neutrality
New study shows how region-specific policy under the Avoid–Shift–Improve framework may aid in realizing a deep decarbonization in the transport sector and assist in achieving China’s carbon neutrality goals.
- Runsen Zhang
- & Tatsuya Hanaoka
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| Open AccessObservationally constrained projection of Afro-Asian monsoon precipitation
A new study shows the latest climate models tend to overestimate future Afro-Asian monsoon rainfall and runoff due to present-day biases of warming patterns. By constraining biases, the rainfall increase is 70% of the raw projection.
- Ziming Chen
- , Tianjun Zhou
- & Liwei Zou
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| Open AccessField-based tree mortality constraint reduces estimates of model-projected forest carbon sinks
Here the authors use broad-scale tree mortality data to estimate biomass loss, constraining uncertainty of projected forest net primary productivity in 6 models, finding weaker tropical forest carbon sinks with climate change.
- Kailiang Yu
- , Philippe Ciais
- & Ashley P. Ballantyne
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Comment
| Open AccessFacilitating adoption of AI in natural disaster management through collaboration
Artificial intelligence can enhance our ability to manage natural disasters. However, understanding and addressing its limitations is required to realize its benefits. Here, we argue that interdisciplinary, multistakeholder, and international collaboration is needed for developing standards that facilitate its implementation.
- Monique M. Kuglitsch
- , Ivanka Pelivan
- & Elena Xoplaki
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Article
| Open AccessCOVID-19, Green Deal and recovery plan permanently change emissions and prices in EU ETS Phase IV
This paper finds that the EU’s 2030 reduction target of -55% might correspond to EU ETS allowance prices between 45 and 94 e/ton CO2 today, while the invalidation rule reduces carbon emissions to 14.2 to 18.3 GtCO2 over the EU ETS’ remaining lifetime.
- Kenneth Bruninx
- & Marten Ovaere
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Article
| Open AccessPossibility for strong northern hemisphere high-latitude cooling under negative emissions
A strong decrease or collapse of the Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation would cool down the northern high latitudes. This study reveals the possibility that such cooling could be amplified under deliberate CO2 removal from the atmosphere.
- Jörg Schwinger
- , Ali Asaadi
- & Hanna Lee
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Article
| Open AccessAir quality and health co-benefits of China’s carbon dioxide emissions peaking before 2030
Understanding benefits of carbon mitigation is an important impetus for governments to adopt more ambitious climate targets. Here, the authors show positive air quality and health co-benefits are possible if China’s CO2 emissions peak before 2030.
- Rong Tang
- , Jing Zhao
- & Haikun Wang
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Article
| Open AccessConsistent cooling benefits of silvopasture in the tropics
A new study shows that tropical silvopasture systems can provide significant cooling services for local communities, and identifies where these silvopasture systems can most effectively counteract global climate change to help communities adapt to warming.
- Lucas R. Vargas Zeppetello
- , Susan C. Cook-Patton
- & Yuta J. Masuda
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Article
| Open AccessVegetation-based climate mitigation in a warmer and greener World
Vegetation changes have been suggested as a climate mitigation option, but the numerous feedbacks between vegetation and climate are not well understood. Here, the authors show that greening leads to surface cooling in many areas, but the size of the effect depends on the background climate.
- Ramdane Alkama
- , Giovanni Forzieri
- & Alessandro Cescatti