Climate Targets Research Articles

Energy Transformation in the Dairy Industry Towards Process Efficiency and Environmental Impact Reduction

The dairy industry is among the most energy-intensive sectors within the food processing chain, relying heavily on fossil fuels for heating, cooling, and packaging operations. In response to global sustainability challenges and climate targets, this review explores integrated strategies for energy transformation in the dairy sector, focusing on renewable energy adoption, waste valorization, and digital technologies. Emphasis is placed on the use of soybean hulls—a rich source of lignocellulosic biomass—as feedstock for bioethanol production through a sequence of pretreatment, hydrolysis, fermentation, and distillation processes. Additionally, the role of biogas and solar energy integration, along with energy recovery systems and IoT-based monitoring, is analyzed for improving operational efficiency. The findings reveal that such transformations can reduce greenhouse gas emissions, lower operational costs, and increase energy self-sufficiency, especially when supported by circular economy principles. This review highlights the potential for scaling these solutions in both industrial and small-scale dairy production, offering practical insights into how renewable energy and digital innovation can drive a more competitive, sustainable, and decarbonized dairy industry.

Financing India’s Green Transition: The Emergence of Sovereign Green Bonds as a Strategic Lever in India’s Sustainable Finance Agenda for Viksit Bharat@2047

The most populated country as well one of the largest and fastest developing major economies in the world, India has also the dubious distinction of alarming carbon footprints. However, India is all set to play the role of a responsible climate leader pledged to the Paris Agreement and, as evidences suggest, is trying to evolve as an Inclusive Green Economy (IGE) by balancing environmental sustainability and economic growth. In line with the UN Sustainable Development Goals 2030 and its national vision-plan Viksit Bharat@2047, India has undertaken ambitious climate targets, including achieving net-zero emissions by 2070, reducing greenhouse gas emissions intensity of its GDP by 45% (from 2005 levels) by 2030, and securing 50% of its electricity generation capacity from non-fossil fuel sources by 2030. To realize these climate and environment friendly goals, India needs an estimated $2.5 trillion in climate finance by 2030. In this context, Sovereign Green Bonds (SRGBs) have emerged as a vital financial (read debt) instrument for mobilizing both domestic and international capital towards environmentally sustainable projects. India’s ambitious climate targets necessitate significant capital mobilization, making SGrBs a crucial instrument in its sustainable finance agenda to fund green projects of renewable energy, clean transportation, climate change adaptation, sustainable water and waste management, pollution prevention and control, green infrastructure, etc. This paper argues that India’s sovereign green bond program plays a pivotal role in advancing the country’s sustainable finance agenda by mobilizing ESG-aligned capital; however, overcoming challenges related to market trust, governance, and transparency is essential. This paper employs a SWOT analysis to review India’s SGrBs programme on green bonds and sustainable finance, contextualizing India’s initiative within global trends and evaluating the SGrBs program’s strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats. Key market problems such as transparency issues, low ‘greenium,’ secondary market illiquidity, and the absence of a comprehensive, full-proof green taxonomy are identified. Through a detailed analysis of current policies and market dynamics, the study proposes strategic interventions aimed at enhancing investor confidence and optimizing capital mobilization to support India’s climate and development objectives through SGrBs. Finally, strategies are proposed to enhance market trust and facilitate greater ESG-aligned capital mobilization, including strengthening reporting, optimizing greeniums, boosting secondary market liquidity, and developing a robust green taxonomy aimed at generating sustainable finance over time to realize the vision of Viksit Bharat@2047.

Minimum-Regret Hydrogen and Carbon Supply Chains to Decarbonize European Industrial Hydrogen Demands.

Low-carbon hydrogen (H2) is envisioned to play a central role in decarbonizing European hard-to-abate industries, such as refineries, ammonia, methanol, steel, and cement. To facilitate its widespread use, low-carbon H2 supply chain (HSC) infrastructure is needed. However, uncertainties around future low-carbon H2 demands and biomass availability hamper their proliferation. This work investigates the impact of uncertainties in H2 demand and biomass availability on the optimal HSC design. A linear optimization model is used to determine the cost-optimal HSC design, considering a regional spatial resolution and a multiyear time horizon from 2022 to 2050. CO2 and biomass infrastructure is designed alongside the HSC. A scenario-based approach is used to derive minimum-regret strategies and support infrastructure development. Results show that investing in scalable H2 production capacity, targeting 10 Mt/a by 2030, enables flexible expansion to meet larger H2 demands of up to 35 Mt/a by 2050. Although biomass-based H2 production is most cost-effective, coupling conventional H2 production with carbon capture and storage or investments in electrolysis provide more flexibility. Moreover, investments in CO2 infrastructure are essential, often determining the ability to achieve 2050 climate targets.

Implications of states’ dependence on carbon dioxide removal for achieving the Paris temperature goal

ABSTRACT Achieving the Paris Agreement’s long-term temperature goal of limiting global warming well below 2°C while pursuing efforts to limit it to 1.5°C requires rapid and sustained reductions in greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and CO2 to be withdrawn from the atmosphere and safely stored. However, pathways consistent with the Paris long-term temperature goal span a wide range of emission reductions in coming years: the IPCC indicates 34–60% cuts in GHG emissions between 2019 and 2030. This range is a major source of policy uncertainty. A key determinant of the rate at which emissions must be reduced this decade is the extent to which CO2 removal (CDR) is relied on later to withdraw emissions from the atmosphere. Here, we evaluate the dependence on CDR of 71 states, primarily in their near and long-term climate strategies submitted to the UNFCCC by May 2024, and the associated risks. Our analysis finds substantial ambiguities in how states plan to meet their climate targets. A feature of this ambiguity is that states expect to rely heavily on novel and conventional CDR options to meet their climate goals, and in some cases, rely on removals delivered in other states’ territories. Pathways that overshoot 1.5°C and use CDR to remove emissions produced in excess of the 1.5°C-aligned carbon budget will result in more severe climate change impacts and higher risks of crossing planetary tipping points. Moreover, states’ disclosed reliance on CDR is highly exposed to risks to its delivery, and non-delivery of planned CDR would raise global temperatures further, worsening impacts of climate change. Our findings provide a basis for enhanced scrutiny of states’ targets. The risks associated with heavy reliance on CDR to meet climate goals indicate that states should prioritize pathways that minimize overshoot and the reliance on CDR to reach net-zero CO2 emissions.

Case Study of Unilever's Zero-Emission Target Realization

This paper presents a detailed case study of Unilever’s strategy and progress toward achieving zero carbon emissions, focusing on Scope 1, 2, and 3 emissions. The study analyzes a 10-year time series of both financial and non-financial data to assess the relationship between sustainability indicators, such as greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, total and renewable energy use, and the company’s operating profit. Forecasting techniques were applied to project future emission levels based on historical data, while correlation analysis was used to evaluate the relationships between key variables. The results show a strong positive correlation between total energy use and CO₂ emissions, highlighting the importance of energy efficiency in emission reduction efforts. However, no significant correlation was found between operating profit and CO₂ emissions or energy use, suggesting that sustainability initiatives have not yet had a measurable direct impact on profitability. Despite this, Unilever has demonstrated substantial progress toward its climate targets, including a 91% reduction in CO₂ emissions per ton of production (compared to a 2008 baseline) and the transition to 100% renewable electricity in many of its facilities. The study concludes that while sustainability measures may not immediately influence profit margins, they are essential for long-term competitiveness and corporate responsibility. This case provides valuable insights for firms aiming to integrate environmental performance into strategic decision-making.

Best practices in European wetland restoration: a review of manuals and guidelines

A significant portion of wetlands is currently degraded and scaling up restoration efforts is necessary for both biodiversity and climate targets. However, many barriers to ecological restoration have been identified. To overcome them, capacity building and effective exchange of best practices are vital. Restoration experts have reported shortcomings in the availability, usability, scope, and quality of restoration guidance and manuals. This study reviews wetland restoration guidance across Europe (and beyond), assesses the state-of-the-art and potential gaps, and discusses how well it addresses restoration impediments. The reviewed resources performed generally well in providing technical guidance for restoration, regardless of the wetland type addressed. The manuals also covered various aspects of restoration project planning generally well, but a striking shortcoming was that monitoring and post-restoration evaluation were rarely mentioned. Regarding stakeholder engagement, again many resources hardly addressed this aspect of restoration, but the most recent resources performed better. In the review, general restoration manuals, not specific to any wetland type, were ranked highest across the various aspects of restoration. At the same time, we want to highlight that manuals with a narrower scope serve their purpose well in their context. A key limiting factor for capacity building and cross-border knowledge exchange is language—many of the good restoration manuals were in national languages only. We recommend reserving resources in projects for making restoration guidance better accessible (e.g. English translation) and drawing on multidisciplinary expertise for upscaling the socio-ecological approach to restoration.

GB energy networks: experts' views on future pathways and multi-vector energy networks approach

The decarburization of energy systems poses significant challenges to energy networks due to the introduction of new energy vectors and changes in the pattern of energy demand. However, this is currently an under-researched area. This paper addresses a gap in the literature by drawing on the socio-technological transitions and multi-system interactions literature to explore the views of experts from industry, academia and other sectors about the challenges facing UK energy networks and the possible solutions, including taking a more wholistic approach to the planning and operation of different networks. Using these frameworks, we have demonstrated that systems can be deliberately integrated to interact and solve particular system challenges, and have identified the nature of these interactions. The empirical results identify areas of consensus and disagreement about the future development of network infrastructure and regulation. They also highlight how government policy responds to the challenges and opportunities presented by the UK climate targets. The findings show widespread agreement that the UK energy system will become more electrified and decentralized as it incorporates more renewable energy. However, the role of gaseous fuels in the energy system is more uncertain, with some experts seeing a move from natural gas to hydrogen as being key to maintaining the security of supply, while others see little or no role for hydrogen. There is also widespread agreement that the regulatory structure should change to address the challenges facing energy networks with much less agreement on whether this could happen quickly enough. Recent developments indicate the UK Government recognizes the need for regulatory change, but it is premature to foresee their success in helping networks be a driver of, rather than a barrier to, a net-zero energy system.

CARBON CAPTURE, UTILIZATION AND STORAGE IN TENGIZ OIL FIELD

Carbon capture, utilization, and storage (CCUS) technologies have become critical tools in mitigating anthropogenic greenhouse gas emissions and achieving global climate targets. This study investigates the potential for CO₂ sequestration in the depleted gas reservoirs of the Tengiz field, a unique site characterized by deep reservoir conditions and a history of extensive hydrocarbon extraction. The research aims to evaluate the technical feasibility and effectiveness of CO₂ injection into a high-temperature, high-pressure formation, using dynamic reservoir simulation. Key objectives include assessing injection capacity, breakthrough time, storage efficiency, and pressure behavior under varying operational scenarios. The study integrates geological, petrophysical, and fluid data to build a robust sector model, calibrated with historical production data. Simulation results demonstrate favorable injectivity and containment, with minimal risk of CO₂ leakage. These findings contribute to the growing body of knowledge on field-scale CCUS deployment and support the development of sustainable carbon management strategies in mature oil and gas provinces.

Towards integrated financing for a climate-neutral European Union

Abstract Motivation: The biggest challenge for achieving the Paris commitments and the European Union's 2030 and 2050 climate and energy targets in a just transition is to provide long-term support through coherent policies and instruments that increase public and private funds for climate transition. Due to the complexity of the 'super wicked’ climate change problem, scientists and some politicians (European Commission) recommend mainstreaming or 'integration' of climate objectives into non-climate policy areas. The study answers whether these declarations are followed by the integration of financing in EU policy and fills the gap in the literature on integrating climate policy instruments. Aim: This paper examines the progress in integrating the sources and mechanisms of financing the European Union's transition towards net-zero emissions. Results: Climate policy integration is an ongoing process that requires adjustments to activities and sources of financing. The Multi-Annual Budget and the Recovery Resilient Facility, the support of the EIB Group, national development banks and other financing institutions provide the financial, technological and political conditions for achieving the 2030 and 2050 targets. The revenues from market mechanisms (EU ETS) feed into specialised funds and public programmes, and repayable funding instruments (e.g. InvestEU Fund, the EIB) complement non-repayable funding (Structural and Investment Funds). New instruments such as the Just Transition Mechanism, the Modernisation Fund and the Social Climate Fund aim to increase public support by mitigating the costs of the transformation.

Evidence Synthesis and Knowledge Integration for Sustainable Peatland Management

Peatland research has expanded rapidly in the last two decades encompassing a diverse, multi-disciplinary evidence base, as countries seek to manage this resource sustainably along with meeting climate and biodiversity targets. There is growing global interest in the role of peatlands in carbon and water cycles, leading to more interdisciplinary research that applies ecosystem services and other integrative frameworks to generate knowledge and provide guidance for action. These trends have been replicated in Ireland with increasing research in peatland science, applied work on these degraded ecosystems, and a growing interest from civil society, landowners, and communities in the stewardship of this resource. This paper presents evidence-based insights from over two decades of Irish peatland research, with practical lessons for peatland policy and management in other national contexts. Analyses of the evidence from the literature, specialist expertise, and stakeholder knowledge were carried out under ten themes: biodiversity, soil, climate change, water, archaeology and palaeoenvironment, technology and mapping, society and culture, management, growing media and policy and law. The research identified four foundational pillars (accountability, longevity, equity and holistic knowledge) as critical to achieving sustainable peatland management in Ireland, with broader application to other regions. Peatland restoration is widely recognised across research disciplines as a key tool to meet regulatory targets related to climate, biodiversity, and water quality, while also delivering societal benefits. The findings of this research provide accessible, reliable and up-to-date evidence for sustainable peatland management. This study addresses a critical global knowledge gap by developing a novel, interdisciplinary evidence synthesis framework—applied here to Ireland but replicable worldwide—that systematically integrates 20 years of multi-disciplinary peatland research, expert insights, and stakeholder perspectives across ten thematic pillars.

Запасы фитомассы подлесочных пород и их прирост в лесостепных экосистемах Окско-Донской равнины

Introduction. The study of stocks and annual dynamics of phytomass of undergrowth species in forest ecosys-tems of the Oksko-Donskaya Plain is important for understanding the contribution of different tier forest components to the carbon cycle, especially under changing climate conditions. Aim of the study is to estimate phytomass stocks of undergrowth species and their annual growth in different types of forest ecosystems of the specified region, as well as to determine their role in carbon accumulation and dy-namics. Materials and Methods. The studies were conducted on permanent sample plots in two types of forest ecosys-tems of the Voronezh Region: (1) pure pine stands of the Levoberezhnoye forest division and (2) mixed deciduous stands of pedunculate oak (Quercus robur) with admixture of small-leaved lime (Tilia cordata), sharp-leaved maple (Acer platanoides) and common ash (Fraxinus excelsior) (Pravoberezhnoye forest division). For each undergrowth spe-cies, species affiliation, condition category, understorey structure, height, width, projective cover values and other den-drometric parameters were determined. Carbon stocks in phytomass were calculated using taxation methods. Annual net primary production (NPP) was determined by the dynamics of aboveground biomass stocks. Results. It was found that undergrowth makes a significant contribution to the formation of biomass stocks and carbon storage in forest ecosystems of the region. The highest values of annual phytomass growth were recorded in old-growth oak stands under fresh oak forest conditions, which is associated with increased productivity under the in-fluence of a rich layer of forest litter and humus. In pine stands, lower growth and less complex undergrowth structure are observed. Conclusion. The data expand the ideas about the structural and functional organisation of undergrowth in dif-ferent types of forest-steppe ecosystems and its role in the biogeochemical carbon cycle. The results can be used to improve carbon monitoring systems and adaptive forest management planning with climate targets in mind.

Recovery of Sphagnum from drought is controlled by species-specific moisture thresholds

As the largest terrestrial carbon (C) store, peatlands are vital to meeting climate targets. Sphagnum, a genus of ca. 350 species, sustains many peatlands through its high water content and chemistry which inhibits decomposition and vascular plant proliferation. However, many peatlands face increased risk of drought due to climate change, and how Sphagnum will respond and recover from drought is unknown. We measured moisture content, CO2 and methane (CH4) flux, and photosynthetic pigments in two species, S. palustre and S. squarrosum, over increasing drought (1–10 weeks) and recovery (1–10 weeks) periods. We identified biomass moisture thresholds of 12 g g− 1 (S. palustre) and 18 g g− 1 (S. squarrosum) below which irreversible damage occurred to photosynthesis. Due to higher moisture retention, and a lower moisture threshold, S. palustre withstood longer drought than S. squarrosum. These species-specific thresholds provide important insight for modelling peatland C sinks and for sustainable peatland restoration.

Trade‐Offs Among SDGs: How the Pursuit of Economic, Food, and Urban Development Goals May Undermine Climate and Equity Targets?

ABSTRACTThe United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) provide a comprehensive framework for addressing global challenges; however, their implementation reveals critical tensions between development priorities and climate action that warrant deeper examination. Indeed, one significant factor impacting the implementation of the SDGs is the presence of conflicts between certain goals. Accordingly, this study aims to critically examine how the pursuit of economic growth (SDG 8), food security (SDG 2), clean energy (SDG 7), and urban development (SDG 11) may exacerbate climate change and environmental degradation (SDGs 13–15) while also reinforcing social inequalities (SDGs 6, 10). Employing a review‐based approach to assess SDG interactions—focusing on the climate‐development nexus, particularly the relationship between economic expansion (SDG 8), environmental sustainability (SDGs 13–15), and social equity (SDGs 1, 5, and 10)—this research identifies key areas of conflict that challenge the framework's internal coherence. Findings indicate significant trade‐offs between economic growth and environmental sustainability, alongside previously underexamined tensions between social equity goals and resource‐intensive development strategies. Accordingly, the study proposes a roadmap for resolving these tensions through integrated climate governance, targeted interventions, and cross‐sectoral decision‐making that aligns development with the Paris Agreement and the 2030 Agenda. The practical implications of the study are twofold. First, it triggers a reflection on the root causes of conflicting goals, a serious problem that has been largely overlooked. Second, it highlights the importance of addressing the need to pay more attention to existing conflicts, as they have adverse effects that should be avoided. By offering actionable recommendations, this study contributes to the evolving discourse on sustainable development within the context of climate change mitigation and adaptation. It provides a strategic pathway toward balancing economic development with environmental resilience, ensuring that SDG implementation aligns with the urgent need for climate action within the remaining timeframe before 2030.

AI-Based Water Usage Monitoring and Reduction in Hospital Operations

Abstract: Water is a critical yet often overlooked resource in the efficient operation of hospitals. Healthcare facilities consume vast quantities of water for sanitation, medical procedures, cooling systems, and landscape maintenance. Given increasing global water scarcity and the rising cost of utilities, optimizing water consumption has become a strategic imperative for sustainable hospital operations. This paper explores the application of Artificial Intelligence (AI) technologies in monitoring, managing, and reducing water usage across three key areas: sanitation systems, HVAC (Heating, Ventilation, and Air Conditioning) cooling processes, and hospital gardens. The study proposes a comprehensive AI-based framework that integrates real-time data collection through IoT-enabled sensors, predictive analytics, and machine learning algorithms to achieve water efficiency without compromising hygiene, safety, or environmental aesthetics. In the domain of sanitation, AI systems can identify peak usage patterns, detect leaks, and recommend optimized flush schedules and fixture upgrades to minimize water wastage. For instance, AI can predict toilet and sink usage trends in patient and staff areas to enable dynamic water allocation and maintenance scheduling. Furthermore, anomaly detection algorithms can alert facility managers to leaks or inefficiencies in plumbing infrastructure. In cooling systems, particularly those that rely on water-cooled chillers and evaporative cooling towers, AI can analyse weather conditions, hospital occupancy rates, and thermal load patterns to adjust water flow and reuse rates. Machine learning models trained on historical data can optimize operational cycles, thereby reducing both water and energy consumption. Additionally, AI can facilitate the integration of greywater reuse systems by predicting safe recycling cycles based on water quality metrics and system demands. Hospital gardens and green areas, while beneficial for patient recovery and employee wellbeing, often suffer from inefficient irrigation practices. AI-powered irrigation systems use satellite imagery, soil moisture sensors, and local weather forecasts to determine precise watering schedules and amounts. By shifting from time-based to need-based watering, hospitals can achieve substantial reductions in water usage while maintaining healthy landscapes. This paper includes a review of current AI technologies applicable to water management, a survey of case studies from hospitals that have implemented smart water systems, and a simulation model demonstrating potential water savings of up to 35% through integrated AI solutions. Challenges such as upfront costs, data integration, and staff training are also discussed, along with strategies to overcome them. In conclusion, leveraging AI for water usage monitoring and reduction in hospitals represents a promising convergence of healthcare, environmental stewardship, and smart technology. By adopting AI-driven approaches, hospitals can not only reduce operational costs but also contribute to broader sustainability goals, including compliance with national green building standards and global climate targets. Future research can further refine these technologies, incorporating advanced AI techniques such as deep learning and reinforcement learning for autonomous water management. The implementation of AI in hospital water management marks a critical step toward intelligent and sustainable healthcare infrastructure.

Thirty years of drivers and patterns of land-use change across the Amazon biome.

The Amazon biome is crucial for achieving global biodiversity and climate targets but is severely threatened by deforestation and land-use change. While direct deforestation drivers have been analysed, their interactions with socio-economic and land-use dynamics, and the effects of policy interventions remain poorly understood, partly due to limited long-term data. To address this, we present and provide a pan-Amazonian dataset of potential deforestation drivers for the period 1990-2020 and assess their main trends, emergent land-use archetypes, and links to socio-economic dynamics. Our findings reveal a general commoditization of deforestation frontiers-i.e. expansion of export-oriented crops and extractive activities, with regional particularities and different degrees of commoditization. Understanding large-scale patterns of land-use change is key to support policies that effectively address the shifting interactions between deforestation, land-use change, and socio-economic dynamics. These include agricultural and extractive industries' expansion, migration and armed conflicts in the Amazon, and other frontiers of the Global South.

An Intelligent Long Short-Term Memory-Based Machine Learning Model for the Potential Assessment of Global Hydropower Capacity in Sustainable Energy Transition and Security

Climate change is a pressing global issue with severe consequences for the planet and human health. The Earth’s temperature has risen by 2 °C from 1901 to 2023, and this warming trend is expected to continue, causing potentially dangerous shifts in climate. Climate change impacts are already visible, with more frequent and severe heat waves, droughts, intense rain, and floods becoming increasingly common. Therefore, hydropower can contribute to addressing the global climate change issue and help to achieve global energy transition and stabilize global energy security. A Long Short-Term Memory (LSTM)-based model implemented in Python for global and regional hydropower forecasting was developed for a study period of 2023 to 2060 by taking the input data from 1980 to 2022. The results revealed that Asian countries have greater hydropower potential, which is expected to increase from 1926.51 TWh in 2023 to 2318.78 TWh in 2030, 2772.06 TWh in 2040, 2811.41 TWh in 2050, and 3195.79 TWh in 2060, as compared with the other regions of the world like the Middle East, Africa, Asia, Common Wealth of Independent State (CIS), Europe, North America, and South and Central America. The global hydropower potential is also expected to increase from 4350.12 TWh in 2023 to 4806.26 TWh in 2030, 5393.80 TWh in 2040, 6003.53 TWh in 2050, and 6644.06 TWh in 2060, which is sufficient for achieving energy transition and energy security goals. Furthermore, the performance and accuracy of the LSTM-based model were found to be 98%. This study will help in the efficient scheduling and management of hydropower resources, reducing uncertainties caused by environmental variability such as precipitation and runoff. The proposed model contributes to the energy transition and security that is needed to meet the global climate targets.

Can Circular Economy Strategies Limit the Prospective Dysprosium Demand in the European Union?

Dysprosium (Dy) is a high critical rare earth element, which is basically used for improving the thermo-magnetic properties in various low carbon products. This research provides a detailed examination on the evolution of Dy demand, in-use stock, and end-of-life (EoL) under ambitious climate targets and demand shrinkages that can be expected due to the implementation of two circular economy strategies: material efficiency and end-of-life recycling in 13 product sectors in the European Union from 2022 to 2050. Our results indicate that future Dy demand, in-use stock accumulation, and EoL generation are likely to be exacerbated by High-APS (Announced Pledges Scenario) and High-NZE (Net Zero Emissions by 2050 Scenario). Moreover, the circular economy strategies used in this study will contribute to significant decreases in the future Dy demand when such strategies are combined and applied in a high magnitude under High-APS and High-NZE scenarios. Recent efforts in the partial and full elimination of Dy mainly in high-tech products such as wind turbines and electrical vehicles are admirable, however, it is necessary to more focus on improving the implementation of circular economy strategies in manufacturing processes to mitigate future Dy supply uncertainties in the European Union.

Local people in both frontier and intensifying landscapes in Ecuador desire forest restoration that provides multiple benefits

Abstract Forest restoration is being promoted globally as an action that addresses multiple challenges, including climate change, biodiversity loss and poverty. But restoration projects will only persist over the long term if their goals are aligned with local people's interests and priorities. Few projects, however, assess local interests, or how these might be influenced by factors, such as local landscape condition and need for ecosystem services (ES). We hypothesized that inhabitants in highly degraded, intensifying landscapes, would prefer the restoration of regulating and cultural ES to improve ecological function and relational values, whereas people in fast‐changing frontier landscapes with large areas of remaining intact ecosystems would prefer provisioning ES. We surveyed local community members in both intensifying and frontier landscapes in Ecuador, which has been implementing an ambitious national reforestation programme, to assess local preferences and priorities for restoration. Participants selected and ranked potential restoration sites and explained their selection criteria. We categorized these criteria by ES classes to analyse local intentions, interests (frequency of ES) and priorities (ranking) at local and landscape scales. At a landscape scale, contrary to our expectations, inhabitants in both landscapes showed higher interest and priority for regulating and cultural ES than for provisioning ES. Interest in regulating ES was higher in the intensifying landscape (56%) than in the frontier (46%), whereas interest in provisioning ES was higher in the frontier (26%) than in the intensifying (15%). At a local scale (by site type), interest and priority of ES varied within landscapes. Our results show that local communities are motivated to engage in restoration to recover scarce ES. Moreover, the results invoke a pro‐active precautionary ‘Ecosystem service enhancement‐path’ to enhance and prevent ES scarcity. Framing interest and priorities through the lens of ES can help local communities and stakeholders formulate restoration goals that align with the particular socio‐ecological contexts of their landscapes, thereby improving local well‐being while meeting the ambitious global climate targets for restoration. Read the free Plain Language Summary for this article on the Journal blog.

Barriers and policy solutions for electric vehicle adoption in Spain: a multidimensional analysis

In Spain, the transport sector is one of the largest contributors to greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, primarily due to the widespread use of fossil fuels. Electric vehicles (EVs) are a key component in transitioning towards sustainable mobility and transport decarbonization. The article presents novel insights into the interplay between economic, technical, regulatory, and social factors affecting EV uptake in Spain, distinguishing itself from previous studies, using a multidimensional approach. It not only identifies the main challenges but also proposes actionable solutions based on successful international case studies. These include enhancing financial incentives, expanding nationwide charging networks, ensuring consistent regulatory frameworks and promoting public awareness campaigns to dispel misconceptions about EVs, among others. By integrating these aspects, the research contributes significantly to the discourse on sustainable transport in Spain, aiming to provide a roadmap for policymakers and stakeholders in achieving national climate targets.

Analyzing Energy Poverty and Its Determinants in Greece: Implications for Policy

Energy and environmental policies in the sector of buildings aim to achieve climate targets while ensuring affordable energy services for households. This study uses the Greek residential sector as a case study and focuses on energy poverty, examining both established and novel energy poverty indicators for its measurement, analyzing the key determinants of energy poverty, and developing statistical models to identify energy-poor households. The same models are also used for assessing the effectiveness of policies and measures implemented or planned to address energy poverty with a view to develop synergies with policies aiming to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Energy poverty levels in Greece ranged from 8.4% to 19.6% in 2021, depending on the energy poverty measure used. The evaluation of the policies aiming at tackling energy poverty showed that deep energy renovations, combined with space heating system upgrades, can reduce energy poverty by 69–99%. Shallow energy renovations and upgrades of space heating systems, implemented either individually or in combination, are less effective. Finally, while the various subsidy schemes for vulnerable households do not significantly affect energy poverty levels, they play a critical role in alleviating the depth of energy poverty and improving the quality of energy services provided to households.