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• Many local authorities are preparing climate actions plans. • Policies to increase distributed energy generation such as PV are likely. • As capacities increase, PV can dominate system variability and predictability. • Predictive demand side response (DSR) may be too coarse to address this. • More granular techniques such as using system frequency may be required. Since 2018, over three quarters of UK local governments have signed climate emergency declarations signalling a new phase in local climate action. Many areas are developing climate action plans and considering what policies could be adopted to increase the use of distributed energy resources, such as building-integrated photo-voltaic (PV) generation. In this paper we demonstrate how city-scale backcasting can be used as a tool to go beyond technical feasibility and explore the policy, market and governance implications of decarbonisation pathways across the local and nation scales. Using urban PV as an example we model three scenarios for increasing installed capacity in the UK city of Bristol and demonstrate how, in each case, PV switches from being a minor 'negative load' on the energy system to being the dominant factor determining the volatility and predictability of the energy demand during daylight hours. Current approaches to integrating distributed energy resources into the wider system tend to focus on predictive modelling and half-hourly pricing to drive demand-side response. Our analysis indicates the risks of relying on these non-real time methods and suggests that more granular techniques such as triggering local DSR based on changes in electricity system frequency could better manage the variability of high levels of PV deployment at the local scale. We also demonstrate the importance of developing new local approaches to system integration that bring together network operators, local authorities and other local actors to deploy renewable generation and flexibility assets in coordination. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In Europe, increasing the area of legume crops has been identified as a key measure to achieve the objectives set by the European Green Deal and transition toward more sustainable food systems. Although the role of grain legumes in climate change mitigation has been closely examined, little research has focused on how climate change will challenge the development of these crops. This article systematically reviews recent simulation studies to assess the impact of climate change on grain legume performances in Europe and the effect of adaptation strategies. Forty papers using process-based, ecological niche, or statistical models were selected to simulate the response of eight grain legume species to future climate (2020–2100) in Europe. The lack of data on adaptation strategies in Europe was compensated for by enlarging the study area to climatically similar regions. The review highlights a notable imbalance between research about soybean versus other grain legumes, with soybean representing approximately 80% of selected studies. Studies focused on soybean found good agreement, with yield or suitability gains found in northern Europe and a higher probability of yield losses in southern and south-eastern Europe. While a similar spatial pattern may be expected for other grain legumes, the scarcity of data makes this result more uncertain. The review also shows that several adaptation strategies have the potential to mitigate the negative impact of climate change on grain legume performances or enhance its positive impact. The most promising strategies tested include irrigation, change in sowing date, and cultivar choice. In addition, we identify several knowledge gaps that, if addressed, would support legume development in Europe. In particular, key species such as field pea, faba bean, lentil, and chickpea remain blind spots, despite their prominent role in European environmental, agricultural, and nutritional policies. Other knowledge gaps include a lack of accounting for crop response to elevated CO 2 , ozone, and future biotic pressure, and a limited range of adaptation strategies tested and indicators assessed. Implementing multi-criteria analyses that involve stakeholders would help identify relevant inputs and outputs for future simulations. • We review 40 papers assessing grain legume response to climate change in Europe. • Grain legumes other than soybean are blind spots despite their role in policies. • For soybean, yield gains are expected in the north and yield losses in the south. • Adaptation strategies can mitigate the impact of climate change on grain legumes. • We identify several knowledge gaps, including a lack of data on key legume species. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study was undertaken to evaluate how future uncertain climate-related hydrological responses and low and highflow frequencies affect local hydrology up to the 2100, depending on different Global Circulation Models (GCM) and different Concentration Scenarios (CS). To this end, daily total precipitation and daily mean temperature data were used for RCP4.5 and RCP8.5 CSs by employing GCMs (GFDL-ESM2M, HadGEM2-ES and MPI-ESM-MR). In the study, the years 1971–2000 were chosen as the baseline period. Future streamflow predictions were modeled by machine learning. The models were calibrated with baseline period data and future streamflow values were predicted by using the best Streamflow Prediction Model during the 2055s (2041–2070) and 2085s (2071–2100) periods. Flow Duration Curves from the streamflow predictions were obtained and by using them, discharges corresponding to 95% probability of exceedance for lowflow and 5% probability of exceedance for highflow were calculated. According to the findings, it is predicted that there will be decrease of approximately 21% in lowflow discharges and approximately 30% in highflow discharges. This prediction has suggested water resources managers to implement mitigation measures to climate change in Eastern Black Sea Basin and most probably in Türkiye, especially in the context of continuity of aquatic life and sustainable water supply. It is expected that the paper will take a very important place in estimating and evaluating the expected changes in basin hydrology in the coming years, especially in the highflows and lowflows, which are the key concepts in hydroelectric power generation and in flood management. • Development of streamflow prediction model for climatic projection data. • Streamflow estimation using limited input data in small catchment. • Obtaining far future streamflow for water resources pre-planning. • Discussion of the impact of climate change on daily streamflow extremes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The climate crisis is recognized as one of the world's most serious concerns, posing a threat to environmental, social, and economic growth. However, previous work has failed to address the dynamic effects through which economic growth may affect green growth and climate crisis. In this research, we take a closer look at the impact of carbon emissions, eco-innovation adoption, and international collaboration on economic growth and the influence of economic growth on green growth. This paper used the generalized method of moments (GMM) for 54 African countries from 2010 to 2019, allied with an imbalanced panel of 540 observations. This paper finds a positive relationship between carbon emissions, eco-innovation international cooperation, and economic growth with p-values lower than 0.047. Our study discovers economic growth's robust and positive impact on green growth with a p-value of 0.009. This research finds a three-pronged mediating effect of economic growth between its driving factors and green growth. Lastly, this paper furnishes new visions into the argument over economic growth versus green growth. It informs policymakers of the need to pay attention to the growing effect of eco-innovation driving factors on attaining sustainable and greener growth and climate crisis mitigation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With the growing need for residential buildings as a result of population growth, the building sector is a high-priority area in climate change due to its large share of CO 2 emissions, the significant energy saving opportunities it represents, and the increasing expectations for occupant comfort. This paper presents the results of climate change impact assessment on a typical mid-rise residential building in four representative cities with different climatic characteristics in Turkey. Three different scenarios that characterize different solutions towards space cooling are developed, from naturally ventilated to fully air-conditioned. The energy requirements and corresponding CO 2 emissions due to space conditioning as well as occupant thermal comfort are the investigated building performance metrics. The preliminary results based on energy simulations indicate that pronounced overheating will be experienced in the future, which will have a strong effect on cooling energy use and/or occupant comfort. The projected energy demand also points to the future need to explore measures for climate change adaptation of buildings and the importance of the decarbonization of the electricity industry for climate change mitigation. The analysis results presented in this paper provide a basis for future studies on building retrofit for climate change. • Evaluation of climate change impact on a typical residential building in Turkey. • Cooling is to dominate thermal loads due to increased temperatures. • Warmer climates to be influenced most by negative effects. • Severe overheating for poorly ventilated, highly insulated buildings. • Adaptation measures needed for climate-proofing existing buildings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Solar-powered irrigation system, a low-cost option, ensures varieties of co-benefits both in the domains of climate mitigation and adaptation, and thus has been incorporated as a part of climate project. However, its co-benefits in climate adaptation have not been sufficiently explored, which may result in a lack of insights about co-benefits and prevent wider roll-out and scaling-up. This paper aims at exploring co-benefits of solar-powered irrigation, an adaptation measure, taking a project in a drought-prone area of the northwest part of Bangladesh as a case. Using both interviews and focused group discussion, this research finds that besides generating co-benefits in climate mitigation, there are substantial adaptation co-benefits in various forms including vulnerability reduction and enhancement of resilience. However, many of the co-benefits in climate adaptation are indirect and less visible and realizable in the long-term, such as informal social group formation, improved financial strength, and employment opportunity. Making co-benefits more visible among various stakeholders, and launching a feed-in option may help to scale up solar-powered irrigation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The saltmarsh carbon storage potential is a key topic in blue carbon research and climate policy. Ecosystem service valuations provide valuable information to policymakers for habitat management and climate change mitigation policies. Yet, only few saltmarsh valuation studies have included the carbon storage service in the UK context. This paper investigates how the public values saltmarsh ecosystem services, focussing on the carbon storage service. We used a choice experiment to elicit the willingness to pay (WTP) of a representative sample of the Scottish public to support interventions that would maintain or improve the provision of these services. Furthermore, we tested the effect of information on individuals' preferences and WTP with a split sample approach where one group received a treatment in the form of additional information. We found that (i) all attributes had a significant influence on individuals' choices; (ii) both groups had, on average, a positive marginal WTP for all presented ecosystem services; (iii) the treated sample had, on average, no significantly different marginal WTP for carbon storage than the control group. This paper adds to the limited literature on the saltmarsh carbon storage ecosystem service and demonstrates a developed nation's public's openness to nature-based climate change mitigation solutions. [Display omitted] • The Scottish public on average prefers saltmarsh management over the status quo. • Providing additional information reduced heterogeneity in WTP for carbon storage. • Most respondents preferred an improvement of all saltmarsh ecosystem services. • Therefore management should focus on both climate change mitigation and adaptation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The role of universities in climate change education (CCE) is of great importance if the scientific, social, environmental and political challenges the world faces are to be met. Future leaders must make decisions from an informed position and the public will need to embed climate change mitigation tools into their work and private life. It is therefore essential to understand the range of CCE strategies being taken globally by Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) and to explore and analyse the ways that HEIs could better address this challenge. Consistent with this research need, this paper offers an analysis of the extent to which HEIs in 45 countries approach CCE and provides a conceptual framework for exploring how HEIs are embedding CCE into their curricula. In addition to the specialist approach (where students choose to study a degree to become experts in climate change adaptation and mitigation tools), the CCE framework developed identifies and highlights three other approaches HEIs can deploy to embed CCE: Piggybacking, mainstreaming and connecting (transdisciplinary). Using data gathered in an explorative international survey involving participants working across academic and senior management, this paper illustrates the different approaches taken and analyses practical examples of current CCE practice from across the world. Responses from 212 university staff from 45 countries indicated that CCE was highly variable – no clear pattern was identified at the country level, with CCE approaches varying significantly, even within individual HEIs. This plurality highlights the wide range of ideas and examples being shared and used by institutions in very different countries and contexts, and underlines the importance of the independence and autonomy of HEIs so that they can choose the right CCE approaches for them. To highlight the breadth and variety of approaches that were uncovered by our survey, the paper offers a range of examples illustrating how climate change education may be embedded in a higher education context, some of which could be replicated in HEIs across the world. The conceptualisation of CCE and the examples given in this paper are valuable for anyone who is thinking about strategies for embedding more climate education in the higher education curriculum. • The emphasis to climate change at universities programmes is limited at present. • Possibilities for implementation of climate change in the curriculum are overseen. • A conceptual framework to describe climate change at universities was developed. • Practical examples show how it can be incorporated at universities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The beneficial role of biochar on improvement of soil quality, C sequestration, and enhancing crop yield is widely reported. As such there is not much consolidated information available linking biochar modulated soil condition improvement and soil nutrient availability on crop yields. The present review paper addresses the above issues by compilation of world literature on biochar and a new dimension is introduced in this review by performing a meta-analysis of published data by using multivariate statistical analysis. Hence this review is a new in its kind and is useful to the broad spectrum of readers. Generally, alkalinity in biochar increases with increase in pyrolysis temperature and majority of the biochar is alkaline in nature except a few which are acidic. The N content in many biochar was reported to be more than 4% as well as less than 0.5%. Poultry litter biochar is a rich source of P (3.12%) and K (7.40%), while paper mill sludge biochar is higher in Ca content (31.1%) and swine solids biochar in Zn (49810 mg kg−1), and Fe (74800 mg kg−1) contents. The effect of biochar on enhancing soil pH was higher in Alfisol, Ferrosol and Acrisol. Soil application of biochar could on an average increase (78%), decrease (16%), or show no effect on crop yields under different soil types. Biochar produced at a lower pyrolysis temperature could deliver greater soil nutrient availabilities than that prepared at higher temperature. Principal component analysis (PCA) of available data shows an inverse relationship between [pyrolysis temperature and soil pH], and [biochar application rate and soil cation exchange capacity]. The PCA also suggests that the original soil properties and application rate strongly control crop yield stimulations via biochar amendments. Finally, biochar application shows net soil C gains while also serving for increased plant biomass production that strongly recommends biochar as a useful soil amendment. Therefore, the application of biochar to soils emerges as a 'win-win strategy' for sustainable waste management, climate change mitigation and food security. • Nutrient value of various biochar is discussed. • Impact of biochar on improvement of soil pH, CEC and buffering system delineated. • Major, secondary and micronutrients dynamics in soil is elucidated. • Effect of biochar on crop yields in different soils across the globe discussed. • Meta-analysis of data done to explore the influence of biochar on soil chemical properties and crop yields. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Graphical abstract Highlights • Comparing alternative fuels with potential for low-carbon intensities. • Technical process design and economic assessment of hydrogen and CO 2 -based fuels. • Environmental life-cycle assessment considering the full carbon cycle. • Identification of methodological challenges in carbon accounting of CO 2 -fuels. Abstract The deployment of low-emission alternative fuels is crucial to decarbonise the transport sector. A number of alternatives like hydrogen or dimethyl ether/methanol synthesised using CO 2 as feedstock for fuel production (hereafter refer to "CO 2 -based fuels") have been proposed to combat climate change. However, the decarbonisation potential of CO 2 -based fuels is under debate because CO 2 is re-emitted to the atmosphere when the fuel is combusted; and the majority of hydrogen still relies on fossil resources, which makes its prospects of being a low-carbon fuel dependent on its manufacturing process. First, this paper investigates the relative economic and environmental performance of hydrogen (produced from conventional steam methane reforming and produced via electrolysis using renewable energy), and CO 2 -based fuels (dimethyl ether and methanol), considering the full carbon cycle. The results reveal that hydrogen produced from steam methane reforming is the most economical option and that hydrogen produced via electrolysis using renewables has the best environmental profile. Whereas the idea of CO 2 -based fuels has recently gained much interest, it has for the foreseeable future rather limited practical relevance since there is no favourable combination of cost and environmental performance. This will only change in the long run and requires that CO 2 is of non-fossil origin, i.e. from biomass combustion or captured from air. Second, this paper address unresolved methodological issues in the assessment of CO 2 -based fuels, such as the possible allocation of emissions to the different sectors involved. The outcomes indicate that implementing different allocation approaches substantially influences the carbon footprint of CO 2 -based fuels. To avoid allocation issues, expanding the boundaries including the entire system and is therefore recommended. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

It is central for climate policy to understand, monitor and forecast greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, generating insights on the key factors and actions with a greater impact to mitigate and adapt to global warming. Focusing on the leading role of cities, it is relevant to build robust and reliable GHG emissions prospects for every city committing to mitigate and adapt to climate change. In this paper, a novel methodology is proposed to build those prospects, presenting a case study with 6231 EU-27 cities and local municipalities taken from the Global Covenant of Mayors (GCoM). Key GHG emissions predictors for the target years of 2020 and 2030 refer to the baseline energy consumption and associated GHG emissions, as well as the population and the national emissions per capita trend. Additionally, other informative predictors are the baseline inventory year, the reduction target, the disaggregated baseline emissions by type of fuel (fossils or renewables), the heating and cooling degree days and the NUTS urban/rural categorization. The proposed methodology allows assessing the cities' achievements based on their expected performance, and it could be further implemented to support new cities willing to commit to a significant reduction of their GHG emissions. • A robust methodology is proposed to predict GHG emissions for cities committing to climate change mitigation and adaptation. • Key predictors refer to local, regional and national sources of information. • A case study is performed with 6231 European cities: 2030 commitments are expected to achieve a 40 % GHG emissions reduction. • The models described in this paper provide useful information to urban policy makers in the climate action planning process. • The results are replicable in the context of transnational initiatives involving cities in the fight against climate change. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Despite numerous prior studies regarding public acceptance of climate change mitigation technologies, most academic papers focus on individual technologies in their analyses. Little is known about the acceptance of multiple low-carbon energy technologies. This study bridges this research gap and explores the cross-technology acceptance of various energy solutions at different locations. Thus, we provide a comprehensive understanding of public acceptance patterns by analysing a broader range of technologies concurrently, focusing on: (a) nuclear power, (b) district heating, (c) energy-saving technologies, (d) onshore, nearshore, and offshore wind power (WP), (e) photovoltaics (PV) installed on agricultural land, industrial roofs, and private roofs, and (f) carbon capture and storage (CCS) in offshore, nearshore, rural onshore, and urban onshore locations. Based on Danish nationally representative survey data, our results give strong policy indications that PV on industrial rooftops is accepted at the highest level. In contrast, nuclear power, onshore rural and urban CCS, and nearshore CCS are the least accepted technologies to combat climate change among the Danish public. Additionally, we discover that the acceptance of a specific technology is contingent on locations. Specifically, the public acceptance of PV, WP, and CCS depends on the place of living and the potential location of technology placement. Finally, this study explores subgroup analyses to compare acceptance differences according to gender, age, education, income, and location of residence. [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the face of a changing climate, a growing number of construction firms are adopting carbon reduction targets on individual projects and across their portfolios. In the wake of the Paris Agreement, some firms are seeking a means of aligning their targets with sectoral, national and international mitigation commitments. There are numerous ways by which such an alignment can be achieved, each requiring different assumptions. Using data from the UK construction industry, this paper reviews current company commitments and progress in carbon mitigation; analyses the unique challenges in aligning construction targets, and presents a series of possible sectoral decarbonisation trajectories. The results highlight the disparity between current company targets and the range of possible trajectories. It is clear that a cross-industry dialogue is urgently required to establish an appropriate response that delivers both a widely-accepted target trajectory and a plan for its delivery. This paper is intended to stimulate and support this necessary debate by illustrating the impact of different methodological assumptions and highlighting the critical features of an appropriate response. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper empirically explores the linkage between the economic opportunities and climate adaptation and other antecedents in cities. Our dependent variable includes the economic opportunities identified by the cities; our independent variables are the adaptation plans, adaptation actions, climate change risks, incentive types, and incentivized stakeholders. To explore the effects of climate change risks, adaptation plans, adaptation actions, incentive types, and incentivized stakeholders, we used polychoric factor analysis and logistic regression analysis. The results show that a city's climate change adaptation plan and GDP have significant positive relationships with the economic opportunities present in the cities. Meanwhile, climate change risks also have a positive relationship with economic opportunities. Furthermore, economic opportunities present in cities have a negative relationship with three variables: one group of climate actions and two groups of stakeholders. This paper also further discusses the possible effects of incentives in the case of climate change in cities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The paper presents an energy simulation-based study to investigate the impacts of climate change on energy consumptions of an office building located in five different cities, United States. Annual energy consumption of a medium-size office building was predicted by building energy simulation software—EnergyPlus using TMY3 weather data and future climate data. In this study, we have used two sets of further climate data with different climate models including (1) Hadley Centre Coupled Model, version 3 (HadCM3), and (2) NCAR Community Earth System Model version 1 (CESM1) with the Community Atmosphere Model version 5 (CAM5). A morphing method was applied to downscale the monthly weather forecast to hourly forecast for use in building energy simulation for the two General Circulation Models (GCMs): HadCM3 and CESM1. Using the generated future weather files, HVAC operation related mitigation measures including adjustment of thermostat setpoints, reduced HVAC operation hours, reduced VAV box minimum flow setting, and mixed-mode ventilation were simulated to compare with ASHRAE Standard 90.1 baseline simulated using TMY3 weather data. Simulation results on predicted whole building, heating and cooling energy consumptions were examined. The paper highlighted the importance of efficiently operating mechanical systems in buildings to ensure a more sustainable future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The earth’s climate system is highly nonlinear and the vulnerability of a community to a climate hazard is no exception. While this fact is widely accepted, indicator-based vulnerability assessments (IBVA) hardly ever take such nonlinearities into account. This is mainly due to the fact that the majority of assessment studies use methods based on Multiple Attribute Utility Theory (MAUT) (e.g. simple additive weight or multiplicative aggregation) to aggregate indicators. These methods convert all indicators into a global utility function and produce only a linear, threshold-free scaling of the effects of an indicator on vulnerability. In a previous paper, we showed that outranking procedures developed in decision-making science offer a more theoretically-sound approach to aggregation because they allow the analyst to incorporate the incommensurability, fuzziness and uncertainty associated with indicators. In this paper, we develop a new mathematical framework for vulnerability in order to clearly identify various sources of nonlinearity and incommensurability in vulnerability assessments. We then propose a new outranking formulation which can accommodate both and can be used to conduct assessments at different scales. We do so by introducing the concept of harm criterion as a mediator between an indicator and the vulnerability it represents. The new assessment approach can aggregate a mix of indicators with various degrees of subjectivity and non-linearity, without converting them into a single utility function and without requiring them to be mutually compensating. We illustrate the proposed approach by applying it to a simplified model of urban vulnerability to heat, focusing on the non-linear relationship between mortality and temperature above a ‘comfort temperature’, long evidenced in the epidemiological literature. We compare vulnerability rankings yielded by linear and non-linear characterizations of the relationship between temperature and mortality and find that the incorporation of non-linearity can have a significant impact on the rankings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Impacts of commercial aircraft operation upon the environment, which are caused primarily from emissions of C O 2 , N O x and the formation of contrails, are matter of growing concern, as aviation is one of the fastest developing industrial sectors worldwide and the awareness of its effects is expanding. Recent research has focused on the cost-benefit potential of different mitigation strategies, which optimize flight trajectories with respect to climate and economy, but most of these mitigation strategies cannot be implemented in the near future due to technical challenges. The objective of this paper is to present an interim mitigation strategy, which bridges this time period. In analogy to military exclusion zones, climate restricted airspaces (CRA) are defined based on 3-D climate change functions, characterizing the environmental impact caused by an aircraft emission at a certain location. Regions with climate costs greater than a threshold value are closed in the corresponding month; others are cleared for air traffic. To estimate the cost-benefit potential of this strategy, a preliminary analysis is conducted on the route from Helsinki (EFHK) to Miami (KMIA). Affected flight trajectories are re-routed optimally around resulting CRA with regard to monetary costs for varying threshold values. Therefore, flight simulation algorithms are developed, which solve a non-linear optimal control problem. For each optimized flight trajectory corresponding average temperature response (ATR) and cash operating costs (COC) are expressed relative to a reference great circle trajectory with constant Mach number and compared with the climate mitigation potential of climate optimized trajectories. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Climate policy is often described by economists as an intertemporal consumption trade-off: consume all you want today and face climate damages in the future, or sacrifice consumption today to implement costly climate policies that will bring future benefits through avoided climate damages. If one assumes enduring technological progress, a society that is more averse to intertemporal inequalities should postpone climate policies and let future, richer generations pay more. Growing evidence however suggests that the trade-off is more complex: abrupt, extreme, irreversible changes to the climate may cause discontinuities to socio-economic systems, possibly leading to a sharp decline of human population and consumption per capita. In this paper, we show that, when accounting for a very small risk of catastrophic climate change, it is optimal to pursue stringent climate policies to postpone the catastrophe. Our results conform with the well-known conclusion that tight carbon budgets are preferred when aversion towards inequalities between generations is low. However, by contrast with previous studies, we show that stringent policies are also optimal when inequality aversion is high. The non-monotonicity of the influence of inequality aversion is due to the fact that, for a given investment in abatement, a higher inequality aversion gives a smaller weight to avoided future non-catastrophic damages, but a larger weight to the catastrophic outcome. We also explore the role of population ethics, and show that the size of the optimal carbon budget decreases with the social preference for large populations, although this parameter plays almost no role at extreme levels of inequality aversion. Our result demonstrates that views from opposite sides of the ethical spectrum in terms of inequality aversion converge in terms of climate policy recommendations, warranting immediate climate action. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Rapidly increasing catastrophic environmental incidents and changes in global climate have compelled researchers to take proactive measures for climate change mitigation. Consequently, reducing greenhouse gas emissions has become one of the most significant global targets. The transportation sector has a massive carbon footprint accounting for 22% of the total carbon dioxide emissions. In this regard, road transport contributes the largest fraction of the total emissions within the transportation sector. Conversely, the railway which is the cleanest form of transportation contributes slightly more than 1% of the total emissions. Moreover, since most of the rail systems are operated by government or private companies, it is relatively convenient to implement policies and replace conventional technology with environmentally friendly ones. This could be achieved by taking certain measures from technical and operational viewpoints for conserving energy to lower the carbon intensity of all transport modalities. Hence, this review paper focuses on investigating the railway sector to encourage a modal shift to the least carbon-intensive option. This study provides a critical review of the past and present rail technologies in terms of the environmental, economic, social, and technical perspectives. Moreover, a comparative assessment of the various locomotive types has been performed. The results reveal that battery-hydrogen hybrid locomotives are the best choice to be considered as a future locomotive technology. Hydrogen locomotives have the potential to be a promising alternative to diesel railway locomotives. However, certain technical barriers need to be overcome to enhance the overall system's performance and reliability to further improve the viability of its deployment in the railway sector. [Display omitted] • A critical review of the various rail technologies is provided through different viewpoints. • The assessment constitutes environmental, economic, social, and technical perspectives. • A decision-support tool for comparison of four rail technologies is also developed. • Battery-hydrogen hybrid locomotive results in the highest score of 1.47. • Standalone hydrogen locomotive results in the second highest score of 1.38. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper investigates the potential pathways and associated requirements to meet a goal of net-zero greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from the US commercial aviation sector by 2050 as outlined in the US 2021 Aviation Climate Action Plan. Aviation traffic (RTK) is projected to grow at an average of 2.0% per annum between 2019 and 2050, suggesting that a progressive and ultimately total decoupling of emissions from traffic growth will be required to meet the US aviation sector goal. Aircraft technology advancements, operational efficiency improvements, sustainable aviation fuels, and market-based measures (MBM) are considered as emissions reductions measures towards the goal. A parametric analysis framework is used to develop low, medium, and high emission reduction scenarios for each of these emissions reduction measures. If aircraft technology, operations, and fuels were frozen at 2019 levels, the aviation sector is projected to emit ≈430 million tonnes of CO 2 (MtCO 2) in 2050. Retirements of older aircraft, replaced by current-generation alternatives, may contribute 17% of the total 2050 emissions reduction goal. Further introduction of advanced aircraft technologies may contribute an additional system-level 11% emissions reductions towards the goal. Operational improvements may contribute ≈2% with a range from 1.5 to 4%. The remaining 70% of emissions in 2050 will be addressed through a combination of sustainable fuels and MBM, where appropriate. The level of contribution from fuels will be dependent on continued production ramp-up to meet aviation demand as well as improvements in lifecycle emissions reduction factor (ERF) for current and future fuel feedstock and production pathways, ranging from 0% for current petroleum-based fuels to 100% for sustainable aviation fuels with zero life-cycle emissions. Meeting a net-zero emissions goal by 2050 with SAF would require an increase in SAF production by 57% annually from 2022 to 2030 and 13% per year thereafter, reaching 100% emissions reductions factor by 2050. MBM may fill the gap between residual lifecycle emissions after accounting for all other in-sector improvement opportunities and the goal. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The livestock sector in Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) is under increasing pressure to define its role in jointly addressing food security and climate change. Climate-smart agriculture (CSA) has been widely leveraged as an approach to achieving both food security and climate change outcomes through suites of interventions that maximize synergies and reduce tradeoffs among three pillars: productivity, climate change resilience, and climate change mitigation. However, operationalization of the CSA approach in the livestock sector is hindered by a lack of clarity around what the pillars mean for livestock systems, given their fundamental attributes compared to crops and the spatial and temporal dimensions of these attributes. A conceptual framework is also lacking for assessing and comparing the potential CSA synergies and tradeoffs that different livestock systems and interventions may generate. In this paper we aim to offer guidance on the operationalization of the CSA approach in the livestock sector. We draw on a literature review to explore the essential attributes of livestock systems in SSA as they relate to CSA objectives over different temporal and spatial scales. Based on this review, we propose a practical and flexible framework for assessing and comparing the synergies and tradeoffs that different livestock systems may generate among food security and climate change objectives over different spatial and temporal scales. The framework consists of four elements: CSA pillars, spatial-temporal scales, CSA objectives mapped to each spatial-temporal scale, and indicator guidance. Using farm survey data and national statistics, an illustrative application of the framework to two dairy farms in Rwanda is presented and discussed. The illustrative application demonstrates how the framework can be used to identify important, spatial-temporal CSA synergies and tradeoffs that otherwise may go unrecognized. Additional applications are needed to assess the utility, practicality, and potential of the framework to guide CSA operationalization in the livestock sector in SSA. Maximizing synergies and reducing tradeoffs among food security and climate change outcomes in the livestock sector is critical for a sustainable food future. With an emphasis on flexibility for tailoring to specific development contexts and compatibility with varying levels of data availability and methodological complexity, the framework is intended to support diverse stakeholders involved in policy and development seeking to identify those livestock systems that contribute most to food security and climate change objectives over time and space. [Display omitted] • Maximizing synergies among food security & climate change in the livestock sector is critical for a sustainable future. • However, the climate-smart agriculture (CSA) approach has not been fully operationalized in livestock sector development. • Spatial & temporal dimensions determine when, where, and for whom CSA synergies & tradeoffs in the livestock sector arise. • We propose a spatial-temporal framework to assess and compare the CSA synergies & tradeoffs of different livestock systems. • Applying the framework can help identify important CSA synergies & tradeoffs that otherwise may go unrecognized. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Transformation of the energy sector’s power generation mix is needed to contain global mean temperature rise to no more than 2 °C above the pre-industrial level. Because the power sector is also a dominant direct and indirect consumer of water, it is vital to understand current and likely future trends in power sector water consumption. In this paper, we use an input-output based hybrid approach to study the direct and indirect impacts on water consumption from power mix adjustment in the world’s seven largest emitting economies under multiple cost-effective mitigation pathways toward the 2 °C target. Although different pathways exist, we discovered generally increases in water consumption of power sector under the long-term 2 °C target compared with no-climate-policy pathways, especially for China and India. Fulfilling the Intended National Determined Contributions (INDCs) could decouple direct water consumption and electricity output for most regions but may result in increases of indirect water consumption in China. This paper suggests that in the light of geographically uneven water scarcity, more comprehensive evaluation of both the direct and indirect water demands of the power sector is demanded when considering climate policies relevant to significant structural and technological adjustments in power sector. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Transport is a significant and growing contributor to climate change. To stay within ‘safe’ global warming guardrails requires substantial cuts in greenhouse gas emissions. This represents a global political consensus, but there is evidence that current legislation in the transport sector is not significant enough to achieve medium- and longer-term reduction goals. In focusing on the European Union, this paper investigates the perspectives of twelve policy officers in three Directorates-General (MOVE, CLIMA, ENV) of the European Commission with regard to their understanding of mitigation goals and timelines, responsibilities for policy development and implementation, and perceived efficiencies of these policies to achieve climate objectives in the transport sector. Results indicate diverging and common views on climate policy goals and political responsibilities, as well as barriers to policy-making, including lack of political leadership on climate change mitigation, resistance from member states, the favoring of economic growth over cuts in greenhouse gas emissions, pressure from industry and lobby groups, preferential treatment of aero- and automobility over more sustainable transport modes, policy implementation delays, insufficient forecasting and monitoring tools, and an overreliance on technologies to contribute to emission reductions. In offering a view inside the ‘black box’ of transport policy-making, the paper reveals fundamental institutional (structural) and individual (agency-based) barriers that will have to be overcome if significant emission cuts in the transport sector are to be achieved. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The rational choice model of voluntary public good provision predicts that an individual's contribution to climate change mitigation responds negatively to larger contributions by others whereas social norm theory maintains that one's own contribution is positively related to that of others. This paper tests the competing hypotheses empirically using representative data for about 30,000 individuals from 23 European countries. The paper finds that, up to a threshold percentage of others perceived to engage in mitigation, individuals' willingness to engage in mitigation themselves is lower the more other individuals are perceived to engage in such behavior, whereas the relationship is positive when the threshold is passed. Since the actual percentage of others perceived to engage in mitigation is lower than the estimated threshold (30 to 56%) in a number of countries, marginal increases in the percentage of others perceived to behave in a climate-friendly way may backfire by enhancing free-rider behavior. For the social norm to take grip, policy-induced non-marginal increases of perceptions may be required to shift the system past the tipping point. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Climate change has caused worldwide concern due to its adverse effects on the global ecosystem, economy and society. In this study, a new integrated framework was proposed for assessing the national vulnerability to climate change by considering both the sensitivity and adaptive capacity. Then, a first assessment of the spatial-temporal change in national vulnerability from 1996 to 2008 was provided from the global perspective. Finally, 171 countries were grouped, and hotspots of climate change were identified. Based on the results, the earth is more vulnerable than invulnerable, and the average rate of increase in the vulnerability index from 1996 to 2008 was 0.30%. African countries were identified as hotspots of vulnerability and instability in the changing climate, and 8 groups were clustered based on the key influencing index of 171 countries. The results of this new framework are consistent with the previous Fragile State Index and World Risk Index but provide more details and quantitative vulnerability analysis. The methods and results presented in this paper could be used as references for climate change adaption and policy at the global scale. Graphical abstract Image 106550 Highlights • A new method was proposed for assessing the vulnerability to climate change. • The spatial-temporal change in national vulnerability was provided. • Urrent earth become more vulnerable to climate change than ever before. • Key influencing factor were identified for effective adaption to climate change. • Countries were grouped, and hotspots of climate change were identified. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Cities, the core of the global climate change mitigation and strategic low-carbon development, are shelters to more than half of the world population and responsible for three quarters of global energy consumption and greenhouse gas (GHG). This special volume (SV) provides a platform that promotes multi- and inter- disciplinary analyses and discussions on the climate change mitigation for cities. All papers are divided into four themes, including GHG emission inventory and accounting, climate change and urban sectors, climate change and sustainable development, and strategies and mitigation action plans. First, this SV provides methods for constructing emission inventory from both production and consumption perspectives. These methods are useful to improve the comprehensiveness and accuracy of carbon accounting for international cities. Second, the climate change affects urban sectors from various aspects; simultaneously, GHG emissions caused by activities in urban sectors affect the climate system. This SV focuses on mitigation policies and assessment of energy, transport, construction, and service sectors. Third, climate change mitigation of cities is closely connected to urban sustainable development. This SV explores the relationships between climate change mitigation with urbanization, ecosystems, air pollution, and extreme events. Fourth, climate change mitigation policies can be divided into two categories: quantity-based mechanism (e.g., carbon emission trading) and price-based mechanism (e.g., carbon tax). This SV provides experiences of local climate change mitigation all over the world and proposes the city-to-city cooperation on climate change mitigation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract High-temperature heat pumps (HTHPs) based on vapour compression can be used for industrial low-grade waste heat valorisation, which can aid in mitigating climate change. Currently, the performance of HTHPs operating at high-temperatures lifts is limited; therefore, advanced configurations become an opportunity for their utilisation. This paper presents an HTHP cascade with configurations of internal heat exchangers (IHXs) that uses low GWP refrigerants in both high-stage (HS) (HCFO-1233zd(E), HFO-1336mzz(Z), HCFO-1224yd(Z), and pentane) and low-stage (LS) (HFO-1234yf, HFO-1234ze(E), butane, isobutane, and propane) cycles. Prior to the analysis and presentation of results, an optimisation of the operating conditions is performed based on intermediate temperature and IHX effectiveness in both stage cycles. Results indicate that butane and isobutane appear to be the most convenient working LS fluids from the point of view of coefficient of performance (COP). The highest system performance is obtained using pentane and HFO-1336mzz(Z) in the HS cycle. Compared to third-generation refrigerants (HFC-245fa/HFC-134a), a slight COP improvement is obtained using HCFO-1233zd(E), and HCFO-1224yd(Z). A comparable or even lower volumetric flow rate at the HS compression suction is also observed. The use of pentane/butane achieved maximum COP (3.15), which is a 13% improvement compared to COP obtained when HFC-245fa/HFC-134a is employed. Highlights • A high-temperature heat pump cascade with the IHXs is proposed and optimised. • Synthetic and natural refrigerants with low GWPs are proposed for both stages. • The higher effectiveness of both IHXs in similar proportions increases total COP. • Pentane/butane presents maximum COP and minimum HCFO-1224yd(Z)/HFO-1234yf. • A few refrigerant pairs are comparable with HFC-245fa/HFC-134a in the stages of V ˙ s u c . [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Global firms are increasingly adopting greenhouse gas mitigation targets in response to climate change. These targets serve as a spur for carbon mitigation initiatives, provide guidelines to select appropriate mitigation actions, and set the standards to measure the progress of the mitigation efforts. Despite their important functionalities, firm-level mitigation targets have rarely been studied. In this paper we aim to provide a comparative view on mitigation targets set by global firms across different countries and industrial sectors. The analysis focuses on four dimensions, i.e., adoption, metric, scope, and stringency. We find Japan far leads the other major countries in terms of target adoption, but the targets of Japanese firms are generally less stringent. Canadian firms are laggards in both target adoption and target stringency. The mitigation targets are also considerably uncommon among Australian firms. Firms in developing countries fall behind in target stringency and display a significantly greater divergence than developed countries in sectoral adoption rate. The European Union firms are most likely to cover the emissions in their supply chains in targets. Target stringency has substantially tightened from 2005 to 2012. For all the countries in this study, around 95% of the firm-level targets are more stringent than the Intended Nationally Determined Contributions submitted to the Paris Agreement. Setting mitigation target has a significant positive impact on both the likelihood of investing in renewable energy and the amount of investment in renewable energy. However, there is no evidence that more stringent targets lead to higher investment. These findings point to the most pressing issues with regard to corporate mitigation target-setting that policymakers and corporate management should address. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To cope with climate change, a firm can employ a portfolio of heterogeneous mitigation technologies, including pollution control, eco-efficiency, green design, low-carbon energy, and management system, each with distinct operational and climate implications. In this paper, we study how management factors of a firm can shape the structure of its climate change mitigation technology portfolio. Based on a sample of 362 major firms in the United States for 2011–2013, we find delegating the responsibility of climate change to a position higher in firm hierarchy can promote the use of green design technology. The provision of monetary incentive to firm management contingent on climate change performance is positively associated with the portfolio size, and the use of pollution control and eco-efficiency technologies. Non-monetary incentive such as recognition is effective in stimulating the use of eco-efficiency technology. The firm's risk attitude towards climate change negatively affects the proportion of eco-efficiency technology in the portfolio. The results underscore that firms should take differential effects of management factors on technology portfolio into consideration when building the portfolio to attain desired economic and climate outcomes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Green roof systems are considered a best practice for climate change adaptation and mitigation in urban areas affected by heat waves and stormwater flooding. Green roofs mitigate urban heat islands, improve urban air quality, buffer stormwater and improve runoff quality, absorb emissions and increase the thermal efficiency of buildings. Green roofs therefore are an interesting technology for densely populated urban areas in Thailand, but still at a rather low diffusion stage. The aim of this paper thus is to identify and quantify the main factors that influence green roof adoption using a mixed-method research design. The relevant factors were (1) identified in a qualitative content analysis, (2) structured alongside two dimensions (internal/external and positive/negative factors), and (3) quantitatively assessed in an Analytical Hierarchy Process based on expert judgments. The analysis yields three main factors influencing the diffusion potential of green roofs in Thailand: While their potential to mitigate urban heat islands is the most important facilitating factor, the lack of proper subsidy schemes as well as the lack of knowledge and skilled workforce, represent major adoption barriers. In spite of the discussed challenges and issues, a light trend towards greener buildings can already be observed among planners, architects, and also on policy levels in Thailand. If the identified issues are addressed properly, green roofs eventually could become a significant contributor to climate change mitigation and adaptation efforts in Thailand. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To better anticipate potential impacts of climate change, diverse information about the future is required, including climate, society and economy, and adaptation and mitigation. To address this need, a global RCP (Representative Concentration Pathways), SSP (Shared Socio-economic Pathways), and SPA (Shared climate Policy Assumptions) (RCP–SSP–SPA) scenario framework has been developed by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change Fifth Assessment Report (IPCC-AR5). Application of this full global framework at sub-national scales introduces two key challenges: added complexity in capturing the multiple dimensions of change, and issues of scale. Perhaps for this reason, there are few such applications of this new framework. Here, we present an integrated multi-scale hybrid scenario approach that combines both expert-based and participatory methods. The framework has been developed and applied within the DECCMA 1 1 DECCMA ( DEltas , vulnerability and Climate Change: Migration and Adaptation ) project is part of the Collaborative Adaptation Research Initiative in Africa and Asia (CARIAA), with financial support from the UK Government's Department for International Development (DFID) and the International Development Research Centre (IDRC), Canada. For more information, visit the project website: http://www.geodata.soton.ac.uk/deccma/ . project with the purpose of exploring migration and adaptation in three deltas across West Africa and South Asia: (i) the Volta delta (Ghana), (ii) the Mahanadi delta (India), and (iii) the Ganges-Brahmaputra-Meghna (GBM) delta (Bangladesh/India). Using a climate scenario that encompasses a wide range of impacts (RCP8.5) combined with three SSP-based socio-economic scenarios (SSP2, SSP3, SSP5), we generate highly divergent and challenging scenario contexts across multiple scales against which robustness of the human and natural systems within the deltas are tested. In addition, we consider four distinct adaptation policy trajectories: Minimum intervention , Economic capacity expansion , System efficiency enhancement , and System restructuring , which describe alternative future bundles of adaptation actions/measures under different socio-economic trajectories. The paper highlights the importance of multi-scale (combined top-down and bottom-up) and participatory (joint expert-stakeholder) scenario methods for addressing uncertainty in adaptation decision-making. The framework facilitates improved integrated assessments of the potential impacts and plausible adaptation policy choices (including migration) under uncertain future changing conditions. The concept, methods, and processes presented are transferable to other sub-national socio-ecological settings with multi-scale challenges. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Paris Agreement aims to limit global mean temperature rise this century to well below 2 °C above pre-industrial levels. This target has wide-ranging implications for Europe and its cities, which are the source of substantial greenhouse gas emissions. This paper reports the state of local planning for climate change by collecting and analysing information about local climate mitigation and adaptation plans across 885 urban areas of the EU-28. A typology and framework for analysis was developed that classifies local climate plans in terms of their alignment with spatial (local, national and international) and other climate related policies. Out of eight types of local climate plans identified in total we document three types of stand-alone local climate plans classified as type A1 (autonomously produced plans), A2 (plans produced to comply with national regulations) or A3 (plans developed for international climate networks). There is wide variation among countries in the prevalence of local climate plans, with generally more plans developed by central and northern European cities. Approximately 66% of EU cities have a type A1, A2, or A3 mitigation plan, 26% an adaptation plan, and 17% a joint adaptation and mitigation plan, while about 33% lack any form of stand-alone local climate plan (i.e. what we classify as A1, A2, A3 plans). Mitigation plans are more numerous than adaptation plans, but planning for mitigation does not always precede planning for adaptation. Our analysis reveals that city size, national legislation, and international networks can influence the development of local climate plans. We found that size does matter as about 80% of the cities with above 500,000 inhabitants have a comprehensive and stand-alone mitigation and/or an adaptation plan (A1). Cities in four countries with national climate legislation (A2), i.e. Denmark, France, Slovakia and the United Kingdom, are nearly twice as likely to produce local mitigation plans, and five times more likely to produce local adaptation plans, compared to cities in countries without such legislation. A1 and A2 mitigation plans are particularly numerous in Denmark, Poland, Germany, and Finland; while A1 and A2 adaptation plans are prevalent in Denmark, Finland, UK and France. The integration of adaptation and mitigation is country-specific and can mainly be observed in two countries where local climate plans are compulsory, i.e. France and the UK. Finally, local climate plans produced for international climate networks (A3) are mostly found in the many countries where autonomous (type A1) plans are less common. This is the most comprehensive analysis of local climate planning to date. The findings are of international importance as they will inform and support decision-making towards climate planning and policy development at national, EU and global level being based on the most comprehensive and up-to-date knowledge of local climate planning available to date. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The paper provides an overview of a part of research related to the analysis of information technologies and measures for improving the energy efficiency in urban planning that can contribute to mitigating the impact of climate change. The first part of the paper deals with problems supported by the numerous data on negative effects of climate change on the cities, such as urban heat islands, energy and ecological crisis. The second part of the paper proposes solutions that rely on information technologies which facilitate process of urban planning. Two projects related to the implementation of measures for improving the energy efficiency in urban planning were conducted within this research. The first one is considering the design of a spa centre in an undeveloped mountain landscape and the second one is dealing with reconstruction of a residential block in urban built environment. In the first case study, the proposed solutions rely on the information technologies, while in the second case study they rely on the implementation of measures for improving the energy efficiency in urban planning. The results show that the application of different measures in urban planning depends on the level of the built environment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

From 1997 to 2012, 114 Japanese industry associations implemented voluntary action plans, which are not enforced by laws or regulations, to reduce carbon emissions. This paper investigates whether the establishment of these voluntary action plans by industry associations contributed to the adoption of a carbon emissions target at the firm level within the associations. Using a survey of approximately 1000 firms in Japan, this paper finds that small and medium-sized firms in sectors with voluntary action plans were 2–4 times more likely to establish their own carbon emissions targets than were firms belonging to industry associations without voluntary action plans. In contrast, the paper finds that voluntary action plans did not affect the establishment of emissions targets among firms with more than 3000 employees. This result is consistent with the survey responses, which found that periodic follow-ups under a voluntary action plan helped small firms to obtain important pieces of information and that industry associations played an important role in this process. In general, small firms have relatively large potential for energy saving, but the lack of information prevents its realization. The results confirm the importance of voluntary action plans in removing the information barriers of relatively small firms and encouraging them to implement carbon emissions targets. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper addresses the use of impact indicators with respect to climate change in the 2007–2013 Rural Development Programme (RDP) of the European Union, with particular reference to the Scotland Rural Development Programme (SRDP). It concludes that the policy context has highlighted the need for the rural land use sector to respond to climate change but that the associated Common Monitoring and Evaluation Framework (CMEF) did not develop suitable indicators to assess the impact of SDRP measures on GHG emission mitigation. It suggests improved impact indicators based on the relationship between rural land use and greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions: first, an indicator based on net GHG emissions per holding; and a second based on net GHG emissions per unit volume of output. The paper points out the challenges in measuring land-based emissions accurately. It further proposes screening of RDP measures to ensure that climate change mitigation impacts are properly appraised. It is recognised that climate change policy in relation to rural land use is still at an early stage of development but greater sophistication of policy instrument design and evaluation will be required if the RDP is to contribute significantly to climate change policy objectives. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

International political negotiations and national policy for climate change mitigation are increasingly focussed on the mobilisation and scale up of investments in clean energy infrastructure. This paper aims to develop the understanding of how institutional investors in the private sector perceive barriers to scaling up investment into clean energy infrastructure and what policy solutions to those barriers they advocate. This paper adds to existing scientific knowledge through a clear focus on private sector perceptions. Through the analysis of previous public statements from organisations and coalitions in the finance sector a number of investment barriers were identified. These initial barriers fed into a Delphi process. The outputs of the Delphi process were categorized into five sets of barriers and a number of policy solutions associated with investing into clean energy solutions. We conclude that there is a need for better engagement with the institutional investment community to ensure further effort on policy development that underpins investments at scale is effective and efficient. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Political capabilities are vital for marginalised people to negotiate equitable resilience in climate change responses. • How to strengthen resilience in practice and through engaged and empowering research methods remains poorly understood. • Our analysis shows that dynamics of inclusion, exclusion, and oppression are pervasive, even in seemingly inclusive methods settings. • Contestation and resistance are essential to avoid the voices of disadvantaged populations being co-opted in the name of 'resilience building' • Engaged research methodologies to nourish political capabilities require self-reflexivity among development and resilience scholars. Critical scholarship on the intersection of development pathways and climate change responses highlights the roles of power, agency, social difference, intersecting inequalities, and social justice in shaping people's resilience in a rapidly transforming world. Yet, how to precisely increase the spaces in which people experiencing marginalisation can address power asymmetries and strengthen their resilience, particularly from a methodological perspective, remains poorly understood. Here, we build on recent insights into political capabilities and their relevance for equitable resilience practice to assess the role research methods play in not only locating political capabilities but also enhancing them in the context of climate resilience. We present the findings from an in-depth analysis of 57 articles, out of a larger set of 200+ papers, that have employed co-learning/cooperative inquiries, participatory action research, participatory methods, workshops, and/or interviews combined with other approaches as most engaging and potentially empowering methods. Methodological insights through this analysis allow us to examine if and how resilience-in-the-making materialises across uneven power relations and often flawed decision-making processes. We show the pervasiveness of power differentials, even in research settings designed to be inclusive, and how disempowering processes in adaptation, mitigation, disaster management, and social transformation further marginalise already disadvantaged actors. At the same time, we illustrate the transformative role of alliances, resistance, shared learning, and sustaining inclusive approaches. Such nuanced insights into best processes as well as detrimental pitfalls are essential for development scholars and practitioners to help anchor deliberative resilience practice in the everyday lives of disadvantaged populations and foster political capabilities for more just climate action and policy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Understanding future climate change is crucial for securing and managing water supplies necessary for agricultural activities in China, particularly in rainfed agriculture regions. This paper evaluates the projected climate change for nine major agricultural zones in China, using ensembles of regional climate models (RCMs) simulated under the Coordinated Regional Downscaling Experiment-East Asia second phase (CORDEX-EA-II) framework. The simulations were conducted for two climate scenarios (RCP2.6 and RCP8.5) at a 25 km grid spacing, with three RCMs (RegCM4, REMO, and WRF) driven by multiple CMIP5 global climate models (GCMs). The study compares the RCM simulations to the driving CMIP5 and the recent CMIP6 ensembles, focusing on surface temperature, precipitation, and surface relative humidity for the present day (1981–2010), mid-future (2036–2065), and far future (2070–2099) periods. The model evaluations indicate that the GCM and RCM simulations are consistent with observations, with RCMs showing better performance than the driving GCMs. The results show that both GCMs and RCMs project increased temperature and precipitation in most agricultural zones of China in the future, with the CMIP6 ensembles projecting the largest temperature increase and the CORDEX-EA-II ensemble showing the finest spatial details. Relative humidity is projected to decrease over major rice-producing areas of South China in the CORDEX-EA-II, CMIP5, and CMIP6 ensembles. This study provides valuable information to support climate change adaptation and mitigation efforts in China, particularly in the agricultural sectors. • CORDEX-EA-II simulations demonstrate better model performance over China. • Temperature and precipitation are projected to increase in the future. • Relative humidity is projected to decrease over South China. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • High resolution data from a Dutch net zero energy neighborhood is analysed. • Most buildings are positive energy, emit less carbon than they offset. • Large occupant differences in energy demand are visible across the households. • Occupant preferences and weather conditions greatly influence thermal energy demand. • Due to the high thermal efficiency, there is a high risk for summer overheating. Decarbonizing the building stock is a central component of global climate change mitigation efforts. In practice, this decarbonization can be achieved by a variety of different measures, including improvements in building energy efficiency, electrification of energy demand to reduce reliance on fossil fuels, and installation of distributed (renewable) generation in conjunction with flexible storage. However, these large-scale, often disruptive changes to the built environment also raise a number of concerns, such as loss of occupant comfort exacerbated by climate change, and introduction of additional stressors on the distribution grid. In this paper, we demonstrate several conclusions using detailed sub-hourly data of two years (2019–2020) collected from 40 homes in a recently refurbished net-zero energy neighborhood in the Netherlands. This paper shows that, in renovation projects like the case study, net-zero energy balances should be considered on a neighborhood, rather than building level to minimize worst case planning by accounting for occupant influences and seasonal effects. Furthermore, the energy flexibility and climate resilience in the buildings seems to be rather limited, as a result of energy efficiency improvements. While helpful in climate change mitigation efforts, the large seasonal differences in energy demand and generation imply that this evolution is perhaps sub-optimal from the grid perspective. The results illustrate that all homes in the study were net-zero energy over the two year period, sometimes net positive by up to a factor of three. This led to considerable excess generation especially during the summer months. In addition, it was found that indoor air temperature sensors in a number of buildings showed overheating beyond guideline thermal comfort temperature of 25°C, showing potential thermal comfort and heat stress for vulnerable occupants. These results motivate energy storage or modifications of the installed heat pumps to leverage summer excess generation while reducing the impact of summer heat waves. These findings should enable the Netherlands and other countries aiming to fully decarbonize the building stock formulate better, future-proof policies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper discusses the potential response of fluvial processes and landforms to the projected permafrost degradation and related hydrological change. Fluvial system structure is presented in the first section of the paper along with permafrost controls over its functioning, which vary across fluvial system compartments. The distinction is drawn between primarily fluvial landforms that are expected to adjust to future hydrology with less permafrost constraints, and primarily cryogenic landforms evolving in line with permafrost disturbances. The influence of permafrost on fluvial action varies across compartments: on hillslopes, permafrost mostly controls the occurrence of surface runoff, in river valleys and channels, sediment erodibility, while thermal interaction is essential for growing thermo-erosional gullies. Observed and projected changes in permafrost and hydrology are outlined, and their relevance for cryo-fluvial evolution of fluvial systems is reviewed. Based on these projections, future changes in fluvial action in each compartment are discussed. On hillslopes, where permafrost exerts important controls on hillslope hydrology, fluvial activity of overland flow is expected to decrease following the active layer deepening and decreased overland flow duration. In erosional networks, controlled by thermal interaction between runoff and permafrost terrain, higher water temperature is expected to increase the occurrence and rates of thermo-erosional gully development. In river valleys and channels, where permafrost controls the erodibility of bed and bank material, the expected fluvial feedbacks vary across scales and stream orders, and include changes in seasonality of channel deformations, increased retreat rates in lower river banks and decreased, in higher banks, along with floodplain subsidence, and minor potential for complete destabilization of existing channel patterns. Future collateral effects of fluvial change include alterations of terrestrial biogeochemical cycles and societal impact that must be accounted for in climate change adaptation and mitigation strategies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The ambitious goals to limit global warming can only be reached with a broad acceptance and participation of the general public. This paper relies on surveys among citizens in China, Germany and the U.S. and investigates the determinants of the acceptance of national and international adaptation and mitigation efforts. The empirical findings indicate that specific beliefs and environmental awareness are important drivers in all three countries, while political attitudes and socio-economic characteristics are the main sources of cross-country heterogeneity. The study thereby points at important starting points and target groups for raising the acceptance of national and international climate policy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The European Union launched a set of policies as part of its 2020 climate and energy package aimed at meeting its 20/20/20 headline targets for smart, sustainable and inclusive growth. This paper evaluates how successful new-to-the-market climate change mitigation technologies (CCMT) are in helping EU member states (MS) reach these goals and, furthermore, whether there are differences between sectors subject to EU-wide polices. To do so, we relate CCMT patent counts to two specific headline targets: (1) achieving 20% of gross final energy consumption from renewables, and (2) achieving a 20% increase in energy efficiency. Our results provide the first ex-post evaluation of the effectiveness of these technologies for combating climate change. Moreover, our sectoral impact assessment points to significant differences in the way in which these technologies contribute to policy goals across the sectors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Many universities around the world have been active centres of climate change research. However, there are a number of barriers to climate change research, stemming both from the nature of the research and the structure of institutions. This paper offers an overview of the barriers which hinder the handling of matters related to climate change at institutions of higher education (IHEs), and reports on an empirical study to investigate these barriers using a global survey of higher education institutions. It concludes by proposing some steps which could be followed with a view to making climate change more present and effective in university research and teaching. These include changing approaches to research, outreach and teaching to better support action on climate change. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper Kenya’s climate change mitigation ambitions are analysed from an energy system perspective, with a focus on the role of renewable and other low-carbon energy technologies. At COP-21 in 2015 in Paris, Kenya has committed to a ‘nationally determined contribution’ of reducing domestic greenhouse gas emissions by 30% in 2030 in comparison to a business-as-usual projection. An efficient exploitation of the country’s renewable energy resources is key to achieving this target. We use the TIAM-ECN model to characterize plausible development pathways for the Kenyan energy mix until 2050 under different climate change mitigation scenarios. We conclude that the power sector can expand with mostly renewable energy options even in the absence of stringent greenhouse gas abatement targets. On the contrary, on the demand side a substantial deployment of low-carbon technologies is triggered only when ambitious emission reduction objectives are in place. The introduction of these technologies entails additional energy system costs, ranging in 2050 from 0.5% to 2% of the country’s GDP. Our analysis supports the feasibility of Kenyan climate management goals, provided that adequate investments in renewable and other low-carbon energy technologies are timely made available. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Reducing local and global emissions is one of the drivers behind the promotion of renewable energy technologies (RETs). Some RET projects (e.g. solar, marine power, and some biomass and wind) usually require supplemental income from carbon credits in order to make them economically viable. This paper presents the mathematical development of nodal marginal CO 2 emission metrics for hydrothermal systems. These metrics are obtained from optimal power flow and hydrothermal dispatch models considering hydro uncertainty. The proposed model allows a more accurate assessment of the emission reduction effect of RET projects and the provision of efficient carbon signals to the system. Modeling of hydro reservoirs and intertemporal constraints also allows incorporating the emission mitigation potential of water storage. The concepts of marginal CO 2 emissions for hydrothermal systems are first exemplified using a small test system, and then simulations on a real hydrothermal system illustrate how these metrics can inform investment and operational decisions. Theoretical and simulation results show that transmission and hydro storage constraints neglect may provide wrong signals for RET investors, missing the incentives to install in areas where the potential for emissions reduction is higher (where renewable energy displaces a larger amount of coal or diesel). Policy makers can use the proposed model to assess the cost-effectiveness of emission reduction policies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Climate change mitigation technologies play a critical role in controlling greenhouse gas emissions. How the technologies affect firm performance is a research issue of great importance to firm managers and policymakers. Using a dataset on major United States manufacturing firms, this study identifies five types of climate change mitigation technologies: eco-efficiency, low-carbon energy, green design, pollution control, and management system. This paper develops measures to capture the firms' unified (operational and environmental) performance using data envelopment analysis, and examines the effects of different climate change mitigation technologies on the unified performance. The research finds that the adoption of low-carbon energy technology positively and significantly affects the unified performance, whereas the adoption of pollution control technology has a significantly negative effect. Moreover, increasing the share of investment in low-carbon energy out of total technology investment can positively and significantly affect the unified performance, and the share of pollution control has a negative and significant effect. The other technologies do not display significant impacts on unified performance. The results underscore that firms should take into consideration the differential effects of the climate change mitigation technologies when making investment decisions to cope with climate change. The reasons behind the findings and implications for management practices are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Massive grasslands on the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau(QTP) provide vital ecosystems services, which have been decreased by land degradation associated with global change. Effective efforts and actions of restoration and management are required to promote the sustainable development of these grassland ecosystems with global importance. This special issue collected numerous papers to address share the innovative theoretical foundations and practical approaches for restoring and protecting QTP's grassland ecosystems in the era of global change. The findings from the collected papers of this special issue stated that the ecosystems services of the QTP's grasslands are declining due to weakened interfaces among soil, plant and grazing animals in the QTP's grassland ecosystems by climate and land use changes. Applicable actions such as climate change mitigation and adaptation, close-to-nature restoration, rotational grazing regime with moderate grazing intensity should be taken to enhance the ecosystem services through rebuilding rational soil-plant-animal interfaces. • Both climate change and human activities led to grassland degradation. • Grassland degradation have weakened the ecosystem services. • Restoration and rational grazing can enhance sustainability of grasslands. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Biomass plays a dual role as an energy source and a solution for climate change mitigation. There are complexities surrounding decentralized electricity generation, and Ghana could not achieve its 10% renewable energy target in 2020. The paper assesses the greenhouse gas mitigation potential and economic impact of electricity from major food crop residues subjected to anaerobic digestion technology in 16 regions and 88 districts in Ghana from 2017 to 2020. Buswell equation was applied to calculate the biogas and methane yield. The environmental impact assessment was expressed as global warming potential, and the economic feasibility was conducted. The results showed that crop residues' annual theoretical and technical potential was 28.92 Mt and 17.24 Mt. The top four residues with the largest share of technical potential were maize (5.41 Mt), yam (3.58 Mt), plantain (3.05 Mt) and cassava (2.39 Mt). Biogas and electricity potentials were 1,912.74 Mm3 and 3,068.34 GWh, which could offset 15.56% of electricity consumption in Ghana. The Ashanti (478.18 GWh), Eastern (430.20 GWh), Bono East (318.29 GWh) and Northern (314 GWh) regions demonstrated the highest electricity potential. Ghana could generate the highest electricity potential of 46.52 GWh in the districts and a minimum potential of 0.89 GWh annually. Power generation potential from anaerobic digestion had a diesel displacement capacity of 923.35 × 10 6 L with a GHG emissions reduction of 2,507.35 kt CO 2 eq. The largest GHG reduction potential was 38.15 kt CO 2 eq at the district level. The findings show that the project is economically viable, with an average net present value of $ 10,105,904 per region and an electricity cost of $ 0.0321/kWh. The study provides critical insights to policymakers and industry developers for decentralized biomass-based electricity generation in Ghana. • A sustainable crop residue assessment is conducted in Ghana. • The total biogas-based electricity is 3,068.34 GWh. • Ashanti region has high electricity (478.18 GWh) than Greater Accra (9.82 GWh). • The total GHG mitigation is estimated as 2507.35 kt CO 2 eq. • The project is economically viable at a cost of $ 0.0321/kWh. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Limiting global warming well below 2 °C requires substantial increase in the installation of low-carbon electricity generation technologies (EGTs). EGTs however require several critical materials and materials associated with considerable energy, water and CO 2 emissions. This paper assesses the implications of materials and energy efficiencies for climate change mitigation potential of global energy transition scenarios (GETS). The analysis is carried out using a dynamic material flow-stock model for 21 materials and 15 scenarios combining GETS developed by international organizations including International Energy Agency (IEA) and Greenpeace (GP), materials scenarios, and energy, water, and emissions intensities scenarios. Materials related CO 2 emissions are expected to constitute between 4% and 14% the emissions reported in the IEA Sustainable Development scenario, while expected to be between 10% and 28% in GP Advanced Revolution scenario. Increasing material efficiency and reducing emissions intensities (driven by increasing energy efficiency, renewable technologies in energy supply mix, and recycling) reduce cumulative emissions by 73.2% and 26.3% respectively, while both reduce emissions by 79.5%. Increasing materials efficiency in EGT, energy and water efficiency in mining activities mainly for iron, aluminium, and nickel, and recycling, combined with careful selection of EGTs are significant to realize the full potential of GETS in climate change mitigation. • Materials and energy efficiencies implications for climate change mitigation potential of energy scenarios are assessed. • Dynamic material flow-stock model for 21 materials and 15 combined materials and energy scenarios are used. • Materials related CO 2 emissions constitute between 4% and 14% of emissions reported in IEA Sustainable Development scenario. • Increasing material efficiency and reducing emission intensities reduce cumulative emissions by 79.5%. • Increasing materials efficiency and recycling, and careful selection of EGT are significant for climate change mitigation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of Copernicus Climate Change Service (C3S) is to supply reliable climate data in support of strategies to adaptation and mitigation to climate change. The C3S provides access to high-quality climate data through its Climate Data Records (CDRs) of atmospheric, marine and land Essential Climate Variables (ECVs). Global Earth Surface Albedo (SA) satellite-based products are included in the land (biosphere) portfolio. SA is a magnitude which quantifies the fraction of solar energy reflected by the surface of the Earth. This paper details the retrieval methodology and preliminary validation results for global estimates of surface albedo based on Sentinel-3 observations for the C3S ECVs data (C3S SA v3.0). The retrieval algorithm exploits the synergistic use of the Ocean and Land Colour Instrument (OLCI) and the Sea and Land Surface Temperature Radiometer (SLSTR) on-board Sentinel-3 A and B satellites. Firstly, the atmospherically corrected reflectances are generated in the Copernicus Global Land Service framework. After that, the Bidirectional Reflectance Distribution Function (BRDF) inversion module concludes the BRDF model parameters, which are transferred to the angular integration module in order to generate spectral albedo quantities for the selected OLCI (Oa03, Oa04, Oa07, Oa17 and Oa21) and SLSTR (S1, S2, S5 and S6) bands. At the end, the spectral integration module generates broadband albedo quantities in three different standard broadband spectral regions (visible [0.4μ m − 0.7μ m ], near infrared [0.7μ m − 4μ m ] and total shortwave [0.3μ m − 4μ m ]). Preliminary validation results over 10-months demonstration period (July 2018–April 2019) show, in terms of spatial and temporal consistency, that C3S Sentinel-3 SA global estimates reached in general good agreement as compared to other satellite operational references derived from MODIS (MCD43A3 C6) and PROBA-V (C3S PROBA-V SA v1.0) acquisitions. The comparison with ground data shows similar results to the MCD43A3 C6 comparisons but opposite sign in differences (marginally positive in case of Sentinel-3), with accuracy of 0.005 (3.7%), precision of 0.016 (11.3%) and uncertainty of 0.032 (22.7%). Our results have demonstrated the feasibility to estimate global fields of SA from Sentinel-3 observations, with similar quality of existing operational products. These Sentinel-3 based SA datasets will give the continuity to the existing C3S SA CDR, introducing improvements in terms of spatial resolution (300 m) and spectral information (9 spectral albedos) in contrast to previous datasets based on Advanced Very High Resolution Radiometer (AVHRR; 4 km, 4 channels) and Vegetation instruments (VGT; 1 km, 4 channels). • Retrieval method for global surface albedo estimates from Sentinel-3 is proposed. • Algorithm is based on BRDF inversion, angular and spectral integration. • A cross-comparison with MODIS and PROBA-V satellite products is performed. • The direct validation includes comparison with spatially representative ground data. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]