Environmental social sciences articles from across Nature Portfolio

Increasing nitrogen (N) fertilization does not proportionally increase crop production. The integrative application of knowledge-based N management by synchronizing crop N demand with N supply is effective for enhancing crop N uptake while reducing its losses to the environment.

Funding large-scale negative emissions through a carbon market designed for traditional emission reduction strategies risks exacerbating long-term economic inequality. We suggest exploring alternative financing mechanisms that address this concern and that still ensure decarbonization at reasonable costs.

Merging flood impact data from Landsat, Sentinel-2, and Sentinel-1 satellites boosts useful flood image coverage from 7% to 66% across all flood types, and would greatly increase the percentage of displaced populations served by high-resolution images

Globally, most cities increased tree cover, and about half expanded areas with nontree vegetation; however, human exposure to urban trees is declining in the Global South, according to an analysis using satellite-derived vegetation, climate, and socioeconomic datasets.

The coal chemical sector uses coal to produce chemicals and emits substantial greenhouse gases, which are hard to abate by electrification alone. Deploying green H₂ for China’s coal chemical plants can reduce ~50% of emissions at a low cost.

Given the escalating climate crisis, the task of integrating novel carbon dioxide removals into the European Union’s climate policy is urgent and long overdue. This Comment argues that there is a window of opportunity for responding now, and puts forward a solution.

Science is starting to recognize the movement to create mass-market products using local knowledge and materials to improve lives around the world.

Companies must be transparent about how they calculate their emissions goals. Researchers must help to clear up doubts about the system.

Increasing nitrogen (N) fertilization does not proportionally increase crop production. The integrative application of knowledge-based N management by synchronizing crop N demand with N supply is effective for enhancing crop N uptake while reducing its losses to the environment.

Funding large-scale negative emissions through a carbon market designed for traditional emission reduction strategies risks exacerbating long-term economic inequality. We suggest exploring alternative financing mechanisms that address this concern and that still ensure decarbonization at reasonable costs.