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The Sixth Assessment Report (AR6) of the United Nations Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) highlights that Climate Resilient Development (CRD) can support sustainable development for all by reducing greenhouse gas emissions and offering adaptation options, while also contributing to innovation and transformation in urban areas. Based on China’s national pilot projects for low-carbon cities, sponge cities, and climate-resilient cities, this paper analyzes the potential and feasibility of Chinese cities in exploring the construction of “low-carbon-resilient cities”. First, referring to the relevant studies, the “Climate-Resilient Index” and “Low-Carbon Development Index” are constructed for 178 cities at or above the prefecture level in China. Second, by comparing the climate resilience index and the level of low-carbon development, this paper categorizes 178 Chinese cities into four groups with the potential to the co-benefits of synergy actions in mitigation and adaptation. Third, this paper showcases the potential and progress from some pilot model cities of the “climate-adaptive cities” in achieving the goal of “climate resilient development”. This paper will help advance China’s synergistic implementation of climate adaptation and mitigation policies, and provide examples and insights for cities in other developing countries to promote climate resilient development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mass conversion of native vegetation to agricultural land-use triggered secondary salinity, a hydrological imbalance, which has damaged more than 1.75 million ha of farmland in south-western Australia. Various types of reforestation have been proposed and tested to restore the hydrological balance, however the economic returns from these cannot compete with existing farm practice and land-holders thus have a reluctance to adopt. An alternative approach has been to reforest abandoned saline areas with salinity and/or water-logging tolerant trees to avoid displacement of farming activities. This reforestation approach is explicitly effective for carbon mitigation and thus finding appropriate tree species is essential. To select suitable tree species, three eucalypt species were planted adjacent to a salt scald in Wickepin, Western Australia, and their survival and growth on a site with saline soil and a shallow (< 1 m depth) saline ground water system. Survival and growth of Eucalyptus sargentii and E. salubris in the saline discharge areas were comparable to those in a non-saline area, and reforestation by these species can thus avoid land competition with farming activities and minimize opportunity costs. The biomass increment of E. sargentii was about three times higher than that of E. salubris in the saline areas (3.43 vs 1.12 Mg ha−1 year−1) over a 9.25 years period, and therefore E. sargentii can sequester more carbon (6.3 vs 2.1 Mg-CO2e ha−1 year−1) and mitigate hydrological imbalance within a much smaller reforestation area than E. salubris. Considering land use efficiency, cost-effectiveness and carbon mitigation efficiency, E. sargentii is the recommended tree species for reforestation to mitigate secondary salinity in Western Australia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Offshore wind (OSW) technology has recently been included in California's plans to achieve 100% carbon-free electricity by 2045. As an emerging technology, many features of OSW are changing more rapidly than established renewable options and are shaped by local circumstances in unique ways that limit transferrable experiences globally. This paper fills a gap in the literature by providing an updated technological assessment of OSW in California to determine its viability and competitiveness in the state's electricity generation mix to achieve its near-term energy and environmental goals. Through a critical synthesis and extrapolation of technical, social, and economic analyses, we identify several major improvements in its potential. First, we note that while estimates of OSW's costs per MWh of installed capacity have generally documented and projected a long-term decline, recent technical, microeconomic, and macroeconomic factors have caused significant backsliding of this momentum. Second, we project that the potential dollar value benefits of OSW's greenhouse gas reduction capabilities have increased by one to two orders of magnitude, primarily due to major upward revisions of the social cost of carbon. Several co-benefits, including enhanced reliability, economic growth, and environmental justice, look to be increasingly promising due to a combination of technological advances and policy initiatives. Despite these advancements, OSW continues to face several engineering and broader challenges. We assess the current status of these challenges, as well as current and future strategies to address them. We conclude that OSW is now overall an even more attractive electricity-generating option than at the beginning of this decade. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Voluntary carbon markets (VCMs) are gaining momentum as a strategy for climate change mitigation through forest carbon offset (FCO) projects in the United States (US). Despite this, few studies have examined the carbon storage performance and co-benefits associated with FCO projects, including afforestation/reforestation (A/R) and avoided conversion (AC). This study examines the current status of all existing A/R, AC, and avoided grassland conversion (AGC) projects registered within the VCM in the US. Using data from public carbon offset registries, we focus our analysis on the geographical and ownership distributions, project size, issued and retired credits, and co-benefits generated by these project types. Results showed a significant concentration of FCO projects in southern and western states, with 168,253 acres in Arkansas, 71,105 acres in Montana, and 42,857 acres in Colorado. Regarding project ownership, approximately 60% of all projects were owned by private companies and individuals or families. Analysis of offset credits by vintage period revealed that A/R projects generate a higher volume of both issued and retired credits compared to AC and AGC projects. Additionally, content analysis indicated that A/R projects provide a greater number of environmental and socioeconomic co-benefits than their AC and AGC counterparts. The findings from this study can improve our understanding of markets for forest-based ecosystem services and provide valuable insights for program administrators and policymakers to inform the decisions surrounding climate investments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Parallel to the growing evidence about the efficiency of Nature-based Solutions (NbS) in sanitation, there is a growing need to highlight the co-benefits of these solutions compared to conventional alternatives. This study focuses on economically valuing these co-benefits, with constructed wetlands (CWs) examined as a sanitation solution. The contingent valuation (CV) method has been utilized for this purpose, measuring people's willingness to pay (WTP) and willingness to accept (WTA) CWs as a sanitation solution. Jordan has been selected as a case study due to the country's preference for sustainable, cost-efficient solutions. By utilizing extended questionnaires at the stakeholder and community levels, this research aims to identify gaps between these groups' perspectives on CWs. Additionally, this study investigates the main factors affecting communities' WTP and WTA. The collected data were analyzed using descriptive statistics for the responses, followed by the CV method, and regression analysis to understand the main factors affecting WTP and WTA. The results are intended to guide decision-makers in developing programs that align with community preferences and address gaps in the acceptance of NbS-CWs. The main results found that while stakeholders have concerns about people's WTA CWs, the community survey revealed that people prefer CWs over conventional solutions. The findings revealed that 78.9% of respondents were willing to accept (WTA) CWs to treat wastewater in their town, but only 33% WTA having CW near their households. Meanwhile, 53.2% were willing to pay (WTP) for CWs in general, while 80.7% are willing to accept (WTP) using CWs to treat greywater at the household level and 56.9% of the respondents are WTP for that. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Natural flood management is emerging as a viable way to leverage ecological services to manage flooding. Stakeholders are progressively positioning natural flood management at the scale of river catchments to encourage a move beyond localised and opportunistic actions towards more strategic and cost‐effective flood risk management responses. This reflects a broader turn towards nature‐based solutions, acknowledgement of the climate change adaptation imperative, and recognition that natural flood management can achieve multiple socio‐economic and biophysical co‐benefits. A particular set of issues connected to the specific characteristics of natural flood management are influencing attempts to move towards the catchment scale. This paper identifies evidence, funding and governance as key to understanding the challenges facing natural flood management in this context, with these issues providing a focus for the identification of strategies to move towards catchment scale outcomes. A case study exploring the Irwell catchment in Northwest England provides empirical insights on these themes and identifies approaches that can support the transition towards catchment scale natural flood management. This paper calls for wider implementation of experimental approaches in this field focused on multi‐faceted evaluation, blended financing and strategic intermediaries to help overcome overarching evidence, funding and governance challenges to making this transition. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We quantify the potential impacts of carbon capture, utilization, and storage (CCUS) on local air pollution in the US Gulf region. We characterize pre-CCUS local air pollution emissions from fossil-fuel electricity generation and large industrial carbon emitters and compare these with projected post-CCUS local air pollution emissions, leveraging carbon capture quotient estimates from the engineering literature. We then analyze net emissions impacts on secondary particulate matter formation and damages via the AP3 integrated air pollution assessment model. An important aspect of the environmental impact of CCUS is increased ammonia emissions from CCUS technology, which we show can lead to net air pollution damages from CCUS deployment at natural gas power plants and most industrial facilities. Taken as a whole, our work suggests that CCUS may pose significant trade-offs between global climate benefits and costs to local communities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cities increasingly address climate change, e.g. by pledging city-level emission reduction targets. This is puzzling for the provision of a global public good: what are city governments' reasons for doing so, and do pledges actually translate into emission reductions? Empirical studies have found a set of common factors which relate to these questions, but also mixed evidence. What is still pending is a theoretical framework to explain those findings and gaps. This paper thus develops a theoretical public choice model. It features economies of scale and distinguishes urban reduction targets from actual emission reductions. The model is able to explain the presence of targets and public good provision, yet only under specified conditions. It is also able to support some stylized facts from the empirical literature, e.g. on the effect of city size, and resolves some mixed evidence as special cases. Larger cities chose more ambitious targets if marginal net benefits of mitigation rise with city size—if they set targets at all. Whether target setting is more likely for larger cities depends on the city type. Two types are obtained. The first type reduces more emissions than a free-riding city. Those cities are more likely to set a target when they are larger. However, they miss the self-chosen target. Cities of the second type reach their target, but mitigate less than a free-riding city. A third type does not exist. With its special cases, the model can thus guide further empirical and theoretical work. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

How to simultaneously reduce environmental pollution and CO2 emissions is a challenging issue for various countries, particularly in China. Unlike traditional urbanization process that inevitably deteriorates environment, China initiated a New-Type Urbanization (NTU) strategy in 2014 following four principles: people-centeredness, optimal layout, ecological civilization, and cultural inheritance. Previous studies conduct research on NTU's influencing pollution and carbon reduction (PCR), respectively, while ignoring synergistic governance. The research objectives of this study are to investigate the potential mechanisms of NTU's influencing PCR and co-benefits for PCR. By leveraging 30 provincial-level data from China spanning 2005 to 2019, we comprehensively construct an index and assess NTU from six domains: population, economic, environmental, spatial, equitable, and social urbanizations and combine a coupling coordination model with a 2-way fixed effects model for empirical analysis. Our findings demonstrate that (1) NTU tends to significantly suppress pollution and carbon emissions, and this finding is reliable after several robustness tests and solving endogeneity with relief degree of land surface as an instrumental variable (IV). (2) The reducing effects seem to be achieved by promoting talent agglomeration, facilitating economic agglomeration and strengthening environmental regulations. (3) NTU tends to have both current and time-lag effects on pollution and carbon reduction, and their co-benefits are mainly influenced by the time-lag effect. Accordingly, policy recommendations are recommended: governments need to plan urbanization rationally, including strengthening public infrastructure and social welfare, pursuing the strategy of introducing talents, planning land and resource use rationally and efficiently, and strengthening environmental regulations. In addition, a mechanism should be developed to reduce pollution and carbon in an integrated manner for the long term. Our study broadens the horizons for international scholars engaged in sustainable urbanization research, enriching the array of research methodologies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The integration of Nature-Based Solutions (NBS) with Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) is a crucial step in the restoration of ecosystems and the mitigation of the effects of urbanization and climate-induced flooding. Moreover, National Statistical Policies (NSP) and SDGs have notably diminished flood and hydrogeological risk in developed countries. Nevertheless, developing countries like Jordan have encountered difficulties in implementing NSP and SDG. Accordingly, the objective of the present study was to evaluate the feasibility of implementing NBS in the Jordanian Dead Sea (DS) area for the first time. To this end, a novel approach was proposed, integrating the NBS and SDGs with the SA-GIS and Fuzzy Analytical Hierarchy Process (FAHP) approaches, with the objective of addressing the severe issue of urban floods in the DS area. Furthermore, a life-cycle cost-benefit analysis was employed to comprehensively assess costs and benefits over a specified time frame, utilizing key indicators such as Net Present Value (NPV) and the Benefit-Cost Ratio (BCR). The findings revealed that detention ponds, vegetated swales, rain gardens, and rainwater harvesting have BCR values exceeding one, suggesting that incorporating co-benefits into economic assessments significantly enhances the economic efficiency and viability of NBS. In conclusion, the proposed method can be applied globally and serves as a viable strategy for advancing sustainable urban growth and reducing the risk of disasters in developing countries like Jordan. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The use of nature-based solutions (NBSs) for hazard mitigation is increasing. In this study, we review the use of NBSs for flood mitigation using a strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats (SWOT) analysis framework for commonly used NBSs. Approaches reviewed include retention and detention systems, bioretention systems, landcover and soil management, river naturalisation and floodplain management, and constructed and natural wetlands. Existing tools for identification and quantification of direct benefits and co-benefits of NBSs are then reviewed. Finally, approaches to the modelling of NBSs are discussed, including the type of model and model parameterisation. After outlining knowledge gaps within the current literature and research, a roadmap for development, modelling, and implementation of NBSs is presented. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Although climate change has been consistently identified as one of the greatest threats to humans, many clinicians do not feel prepared to address climate change with patients and medical school curricula still have very little coverage of its health consequences. At the same time, health care providers have been shown to be trusted voices and are therefore well suited to help build the public and political necessary to enact policies that effectively address climate change and protect human health in equitable ways. Nevertheless, teaching climate, health and sustainable healthcare to medical colleagues, students and healthcare leaders can be challenging for various reasons. It is therefore essential to provide health care providers and leaders with the appropriate tools and communication skills to facilitate a more sustainable and greener healthcare. Case presentation: In this case report, we describe how we developed a sustainability guide for clinicians with examples of how to reduce unnecessary environmental and climate impact, without compromising patient safety, highlighting potential co-benefits for public health, healthcare efficiency, financial aspects and to the occupational environment. Discussion: The sustainability guide has been appreciated by medical specialties as a tool to illustrate concrete ways of working with sustainable healthcare in Sweden. It has also been used to introduce the field into the medical curriculum at Swedish universities and teach students in sustainability. Conclusion: Our sustainability guide highlights the potential value of providing health care personnel and leaders with the appropriate tools and communication skills to facilitate a more sustainable and green healthcare.

Abstract Climate change presents a substantial global threat to human health and wellbeing. Planetary health, an emerging field, provides a comprehensive framework to comprehend the intricate interplay between ecological stability, human health, and ecosystems, particularly within the context of climate change. This study investigates the planetary health perspective on climate change by exploring global knowledge. The Scopus database is used as the source of data. The analysis encompassed a performance evaluation aimed at scrutinizing both quantitative and qualitative indicators. Visualization techniques utilizing VOSviewer software were deployed to analyze collaboration patterns, co-citation links among prominent knowledge-sharing platforms, and key topics derived from keyword co-occurrence matrices. Additionally, using SciMAT software, the study conducted thematic evolution and intellectual analyses to identify both driving and emerging themes, while also examining coherence among different themes across various periods. The study also explores policy implications, and the relevance of COVID-19 in the context of planetary health and climate change. Through this analysis, 261 relevant publications are identified, with the United States being the leading contributor (90 documents; 34.5% of publications). At the institutional level, the Australian National University secured the top position, representing 4.6% of the total with 12 documents. The Lancet Planetary Health journal was the most prolific source, contributing 15 documents (5.7%). In terms of impact, The Lancet journal held a central position as the most cited source. The primary funding organization was the Wellcome Trust, based in the United Kingdom. Motor themes shaping the future of this field include vector-borne diseases, human demographics, informal settlements, air pollution, carbon footprint of animal-based foods, and pro-environmental attitudes and behaviors. The study underscores the significance of leveraging the momentum surrounding infectious diseases like COVID-19 and the impacts of climate change to advance planetary health concepts. Integration of the social sciences and enhanced multidisciplinary cooperation are crucial for progress. Additionally, increased funding for developing countries, and legislative empowerment are essential to foster further research.

[Objective] The purpose of this study was to establish a quantitative evaluation method for the co-benefits of pollution reduction and carbon emission reduction from the perspective of performance, to provide methodological support for evaluating the co-benefits of pollution reduction and carbon emission reduction and exploring the improvement path of the co-benefits. [Methods] Based on the performance improvement thought of co-benefits “1+1>2”, a quantitative evaluation method for the co-benefits of pollution reduction and carbon emission reduction was constructed under the framework of data envelopment analysis (DEA). The method was used to evaluate the co-benefits of pollution reduction and carbon emission reduction in China from 2006 to 2021, and the basic paths for improving the co-benefits of pollution reduction and carbon emission reduction in China were compared based on scenario analysis. [Results] (1) The collaborative treatment of pollution reduction and carbon emission reduction could improve both air pollution emission performance and carbon dioxide emission performance in China, and the co-benefits of pollution reduction and carbon emission reduction in China from 2006 to 2021 had reached 22.35%. (2) The co-benefits of collaborative emission reduction were universal among different regions and provinces. From 2006 to 2021, the co-benefits of pollution reduction and carbon emission reduction in the eastern, central, western, and northeastern regions was 12.97%, 36.27%, 30.29%, and 37.77%, respectively. Among the 30 sample provincial units in China, 28 had co-benefits of pollution reduction and carbon emission reduction. (3) Scenario analysis showed that from 2015 to 2021, the co-benefits of China’s pollution reduction and carbon emission reduction under the scenario of energy conservation and efficient use and resource conservation and intensive use increased by 5.90% and 5.64% respectively compared with the benchmark model. Promoting energy conservation and efficient use and promoting the conservation and intensive use of various resources are the key paths to achieve the collaborative improvement of pollution reduction and carbon emission reduction. [Conclusion] Promoting the collaborative governance of pollution reduction and carbon emission reduction is of great significance for the overall realization of air quality improvement and carbon dioxide emission reduction. We recommend to promote the collaborative governance of pollution reduction and carbon emission reduction according to local conditions, strengthen the prevention and control of pollution and carbon emission reduction at the source through the saving and efficient use of energy, and promote the collaborative efficiency of pollution reduction and carbon emission reduction through resource conservation and intensive use.

Energy-inefficient buildings are a major driver of climate change. The aging, energy inefficient housing occupied by low-income households in the US and other high-income countries is a driver of notable environmental and health disparities as well. Public policies for alleviating the financial and health burdens of energy inefficient housing have existed for decades, but fallen short of reaching most households in need. This paper proposes a promising new approach to filling gaps left by public programs -- one that relies on mobilizing the tools of private governance, carbon offsetting and the voluntary carbon market (VCM) to finance energy upgrades for low-income households. We develop a new and readily applicable methodology for calculating energy and carbon savings from efficiency upgrades based on readily accessible publicly available data. Tailored to the needs of estimating energy and carbon savings from efficiency upgrades to low-income units, rentals in particular, this methodology can be fruitfully deployed in monetizing the carbon savings from efficiency driven reductions in household energy use. Specifically, we propose packaging the emission reductions generated through energy savings as carbon offsets, then selling these offsets on the voluntary carbon market to generate financing for energy upgrades to low-income homes not served by public energy efficiency programs. Given the multiple economic and health co-benefits from low-income energy upgrades, we expect that carbon offsets generated through such upgrades will be attractive to many corporate and institutional offset buyers, particularly those who seek to fulfill climate commitments while also advancing economic and human development in their host communities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Climate change presents a substantial global threat to human health and wellbeing. Planetary health, an emerging field, provides a comprehensive framework to comprehend the intricate interplay between ecological stability, human health, and ecosystems, particularly within the context of climate change. This study investigates the planetary health perspective on climate change by exploring global knowledge. The Scopus database is used as the source of data. The analysis encompassed a performance evaluation aimed at scrutinizing both quantitative and qualitative indicators. Visualization techniques utilizing VOSviewer software were deployed to analyze collaboration patterns, co-citation links among prominent knowledge-sharing platforms, and key topics derived from keyword co-occurrence matrices. Additionally, using SciMAT software, the study conducted thematic evolution and intellectual analyses to identify both driving and emerging themes, while also examining coherence among different themes across various periods. The study also explores policy implications, and the relevance of COVID-19 in the context of planetary health and climate change. Through this analysis, 261 relevant publications are identified, with the United States being the leading contributor (90 documents; 34.5% of publications). At the institutional level, the Australian National University secured the top position, representing 4.6% of the total with 12 documents. The Lancet Planetary Health journal was the most prolific source, contributing 15 documents (5.7%). In terms of impact, The Lancet journal held a central position as the most cited source. The primary funding organization was the Wellcome Trust, based in the United Kingdom. Motor themes shaping the future of this field include vector-borne diseases, human demographics, informal settlements, air pollution, carbon footprint of animal-based foods, and pro-environmental attitudes and behaviors. The study underscores the significance of leveraging the momentum surrounding infectious diseases like COVID-19 and the impacts of climate change to advance planetary health concepts. Integration of the social sciences and enhanced multidisciplinary cooperation are crucial for progress. Additionally, increased funding for developing countries, and legislative empowerment are essential to foster further research. Article Highlights: Planetary health and climate change global knowledge is analyzed using performance analysis and visualization mapping. Stimulating collaboration to advance the principles of planetary health is fundamental for effectively combating climate change. Managing the socioeconomic determinants of equity and health deserves to be the top priority of climate change initiatives. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This document is an editorial that focuses on the importance of addressing climate change in urban environments and the role of cities in mitigating greenhouse gas emissions. It emphasizes the need for adaptation strategies and highlights the interdependence between urban ecosystems and climate change. The document includes several articles that provide facts and figures on the changing climate and its impacts on the environment, society, finance, and health. These articles discuss various topics related to urbanization, climate change, and sustainable cities, such as the impact of urbanization on nighttime surface urban heat islands, the environmental effects of single-use plastic water bottles in hotels, the role of urban ecosystems in mitigating climate change, the challenges of smart city development, and the vulnerability of developing nations to climate change. The papers stress the importance of sustainable and resilient strategies to address these issues and promote the well-being of urban environments. [Extracted from the article]

Peatlands are complex landscape ecosystems. Since the beginning of the last century, they have been viewed as wastelands, with little or no economic value of note in their natural state. This led to their hidden values, particularly their contributions to human well‐being, and global and local support systems, being completely overlooked in policy and decision‐making, both at national and global levels. In this paper, we highlight some of the complexities relating to Irish peatlands: from their traditional use, to changes in land use relating to national and European policy changes in the last century. We then outline essential supporting components of a framework for their restoration and future sustainable use. Policy relating to agriculture, forestry, and energy has driven most of the land use change in Ireland, particularly since the mid‐1900s, and this has led to dramatic changes in peatland extent and condition, with negative impacts on the flows of ecosystem services and benefits for people. Restoration of peatlands has significant potential to reverse those negative flows and deliver benefits (local and global) for carbon, water, biodiversity, and people. Local communities can, and are keen to, support the delivery of peatland restoration, but they need to be supported by national agencies and policy frameworks that address social, economic, and environmental targets. The act of restoration creates opportunities to re‐connect with peatlands in a positive way, re‐enforcing the intrinsic and reciprocal values of peatlands, and ultimately supporting their sustainable use. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cities are facing challenges in adaptation to, and mitigation of climate change. Urban Green Spaces (UGS) have a pivotal role in this transformative process and are almost always coupled with digital tools. The deployment of digital solutions, encompassing Information and Communication Technology (ICT) and the Internet of Things (IoT), seeks to increase awareness of UGS benefits across a wider range of users. This study is part of a Horizon 2020 project that aims to measure the social impact of Visionary Solutions (VS), i.e., combined Nature Based Solutions (NBSs) and Digital Solutions (DSs), in UGSs located in seven European cities. The project proposes a novel application of the Social Return on Investment (SROI) methodology to forecast the impact of VS implementation in the case of an Italian demonstration. The three main objectives are: (i) establishing a causal chain for transformation through the Theory of Change (ToC) tool; (ii) quantifying the expected change by developing two monetary alternatives; and (iii) comparing these alternatives to assess which is more influential in stakeholders’ decision-making. The authors reviewed a range of financial proxies of social outcomes from other SROI case studies. The result of the Italian demonstration is that, for each euro invested in project solutions, two euros of social return are generated. The analysis reveals these monetized intangible outcomes.

Research has yielded increasingly robust estimates of the co-benefits from mitigating climate change while reducing air pollution, improving health, and meeting other development needs. Though quantifying these often hidden benefits could ease cost concerns and lower technological constraints for development-friendly climate solutions, achieving co-benefits frequently requires overcoming difficult-to-measure social and institutional barriers. This study extends insights from research focusing on quantitatively assessing the feasibility of a 1.5 °C future to build a multidimensional framework for measuring different barriers to achieving co-benefits. The framework offers a novel yet generalizable approach for bringing context-appropriate assessments of different dimensions of feasibility into the integrated assessment modelling that underpins work on co-benefits. It then outlines five steps for applying that framework to evaluate the size of different barriers for transport, agricultural and residential energy co-benefit solutions in Thailand. The results demonstrate that the sum of the delays from social/institutional barriers exceed economic/technological barriers for four out of six studied solutions. These delays also lead to increases of 24% to 31% in PM _2.5 emissions relative to a no-barriers effective implementation scenario between 2015 and 2030 and 2040. The feasibility framework can be integrated into not only national policy scenarios but also project assessments, following trends in carbon finance. An international barriers database as well as strengthening links to work on barriers and technological diffusion, transaction costs, and multi-level transitions can also help spread multi-dimensional feasibility assessments across countries and scales.

Reducing emissions from deforestation and forest degradation (REDD+) in developing countries was initially envisioned to incentivize forest protection through payments for ecosystem services (PES). Nevertheless, our global understanding of REDD+ project benefits proposed by proponents to local communities is limited. To address this gap, we ask: globally, how do REDD+ projects propose to provide local community benefits? We use and update the international database on REDD+ projects (ID-RECCO) to analyze the REDD+ benefits proposed by 347 REDD+ projects in 55 countries. Logistic regression and chi-square tests explore relationships between the probability of a benefit type being proposed and the influencing factors. Our global-level analysis can serve as a useful benchmark for empirical case studies. Our findings show the diversity of benefits REDD+ projects propose. Most REDD+ projects (89%) proposed a mix of monetary and non-monetary benefits; employment was proposed in >¾ of the projects, while forest restrictions were proposed in 52% of REDD+ projects. Many projects proposed infrastructure (107) or services (181). Factors that influence the probability a benefit type being proposed by a project include carbon certification standards, de facto forest user types, and country. PES-style conditional payments are no longer emblematic of benefits from REDD+ projects to local communities. Instead, REDD+ projects typically propose employment, livelihood activities, tenure clarification, and public goods and services. Further empirical research is needed to understand how meaningful these benefits are to local people, and their contribution in producing effective and equitable project outcomes. National policy and legal frameworks on benefit sharing, more explicit standards on benefit sharing among carbon standards, and better risk management related to community expectations from REDD+ projects are important avenues to ensure REDD+ benefits are aligned with the needs and realities of local communities.

We investigated the association of urban landscape profiles with health and environmental outcomes, and whether those profiles are linked to environmental and health co-benefits. In this ecological study, we used data from 208 cities in 8 Latin American countries of the SALud URBana en América Latina (SALURBAL) project. Four urban landscape profiles were defined with metrics for the fragmentation, isolation, and shape of patches (contiguous area of urban development). Four environmental measures (lack of greenness, PM2.5, NO2, and carbon footprint), two cause-specific mortality rates (non-communicable diseases and unintentional injury mortality), and prevalence of three risk factors (hypertension, diabetes, and obesity) for adults were used as the main outcomes. We used linear regression models to evaluate the association of urban landscape profiles with environmental and health outcomes. In addition, we used finite mixture modeling to create co-benefit classes. Cities with the scattered pixels profile (low fragmentation, high isolation, and compact shaped patches) were most likely to have positive co-benefits. Profiles described as proximate stones (moderate fragmentation, moderate isolation, and irregular shape) and proximate inkblots (moderate-high fragmentation, moderate isolation, and complex shape) were most likely to have negative co-benefits. The contiguous large inkblots profile (low fragmentation, low isolation, and complex shape) was most likely to have mixed benefits.

Objectives: Movement-friendly environments with infrastructure favouring active mobility are important for promoting physical activity. This scoping literature review aims at identifying the current evidence for links between mobility infrastructures and (a) behaviour regarding active mobility, (b) health outcomes and (c) co-benefits. Method: This review was conducted in accordance with the PRISMA scoping review guidelines using PubMed and EMBASE databases. Studies included in this review were conducted in Europe, and published between 2000 and March 2023. Results: 146 scientific articles and grey literature reports were identified. Connectivity of sidewalks, walkability, and accessibility of shops, services and work are associated with walking. Cycling is positively associated with cycle-paths, separation of cycling from traffic and proximity to greenspaces, and negatively associated with traffic danger. Increased active transportation has a protective effect on cardiovascular and respiratory health, obesity, fitness, and quality of life. Co-benefits result from the reduction of individual motorized transportation including reduced environmental pollution and projected healthcare expenditure. Conclusion: Mobility infrastructure combined with social and educational incentives are effective in promoting active travel and reducing future healthcare expenses. A shift to active transportation would increase both individual and community health and decrease greenhouse gas emissions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: Access to greenspaces and contact with nature can promote physical activity and have positive effects on physical and mental health. This scoping literature review aims to examine current evidence linking greenspaces and (a) behaviour change, (b) health outcomes and (c) co-benefits. Methods: This review was conducted in accordance with the PRISMA scoping review guidelines. Searches were conducted through PubMed and EMBASE databases for studies published between 2000 and March 2023 with a focus on Europe. Results: 122 scientific articles and grey literature reports were identified. Access to greenspaces is positively associated with physical and mental health, and reduced risk of all-cause mortality and some non-communicable diseases. Greenspace quality is associated with increased physical activity and reduced risk of obesity. Naturebased therapies or green prescription are effective in improving mental health outcomes and overall health. Importantly, numerous co-benefits of greenspaces are identified. Conclusion: Increasing access to greenspaces for populations with particular attention to greenspace quality is important for co-benefits. Responsible governance and use of greenspaces are crucial to minimize public health risks and human disturbance of nature. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The emergence of the planetary health approach was highlighted by the report of The Rockefeller Foundation‐Lancet Commission on Planetary Health in 2015 and changed how we comprehend human well‐being. The report advocates integrating the health of other living beings and Earth's natural systems as intrinsic components of human health. Drawing on over three decades of experience in respiratory epidemiology and environmental health, this article outlines how my perspective on human health underwent a transformative shift upon reading the abovementioned report. The planetary health approach offers a lens through which human health issues and potential solutions can be understood within the context of the Anthropocene. It addresses the pressing existential challenges arising from humanity's transgression of planetary limits. Embracing the planetary health paradigm within the field of health sciences can catalyze transformative changes essential for cultivating a sustainable and equitable future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The off-field utilization of crop straw requires a highly efficient collection, storage, and transportation system, focusing on the synergistic optimization of efficiency, cost, and carbon emissions. Four typical scenarios are selected to identify co-benefits in the town scaled straw transfer site: all-manual collection (I), 50% manual collection (II), small-scale machinery collection (III), and large-scale machinery collection (IV). The results indicate that, while achieving collection efficiency within 30 days, the scenario I exhibited the highest collection costs (460.9 CNY/ton) and carbon emissions (65.4 kg CO2/ton). In contrast, Scenario II, III, and IV achieved reduction in collection costs by 34.4%, 54.1%, and 60.3%, respectively, while carbon emissions reducing by 25.3%, 55.2%, and 65.9%. The transportation process would play an important role in cost reduction, wherein baled straws could lead to an average reduction in transportation costs of 66.1%. The pretreatment processing in straw transfer site is the determined factor to decline the carbon emissions, with the Scenario I and II accounting for an average of 59.2% of the total emissions. According to the analysis, further improving mechanization level in straw collection, storage, and transportation process, optimization of transportation tools and strategies, and equipment performance improvement could be a viable pathway to achieve the synergistic optimization of efficiency, cost, and carbon emissions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Appropriately designed and implemented climate mitigation actions have multiple co-benefits (yet some trade-offs cannot be excluded) that result in substantial social and economic value beyond their direct impact on reducing energy consumption and GHG emissions. Despite their wider acknowledgement by the research community, decision makers and the public have incomplete information on these multiple effects. This paper has a twofold objective: First, through analytical bottom-up approaches, it assesses, in quantitative terms, the macroeconomic effects and the public health benefits attributed to a variety of mitigation actions under consideration in the context of the Greek Energy and Climate Plan. Second, it investigates, through a social survey, how citizens perceive climate change and value these multiple impacts of mitigation actions, and to what extent they are willing to pay for them and support the adoption of policy measures aiming at the green transition of the Greek economy. We show that mitigation actions bring about significant health benefits, particularly in cities, and generate significant positive macroeconomic effects, particularly if mitigation actions focus on the decarbonization of the building sector and on the exploitation of local renewable sources. We also argue that most people do not realize that climate mitigation actions can have wider benefits for society, such as tackling energy poverty, improving public health, and creating new jobs. Unwillingness to pay tends to be the prominent attitude. People who are more reluctant to cover a part of the cost of environmental protection are less likely to perceive that climate change is one of the main challenges at global and national level and support the adoption of climate mitigation policies. In this context, the national strategy for climate change should focus on effectively informing and engaging the public in climate mitigation strategies, strengthening the public trust in government institutions, promoting mutually acceptable solutions with the local communities, and providing incentives for changing citizens' behavior towards climate-related actions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]