CO2 Increase Research Articles

The Impact of Climate Forcing Biases and the Nitrogen Cycle on Land Carbon Balance Projections

AbstractEarth System Models (ESMs) project that the terrestrial carbon sink will continue to grow as atmospheric CO2 increases, but this projection is uncertain due to biases in the simulated climate and how ESMs represent ecosystem processes. In particular, the strength of the CO2‐fertilization effect, which is modulated by nutrient cycles, varies substantially across models. This study evaluates land carbon balance uncertainties for the Canadian Earth System Model (CanESM) by conducting simulations where the latest version of CanESM's land surface component is driven offline with raw and bias‐adjusted CanESM5 climate forcing data. To quantify the impact of nutrient limitation, we complete simulations where the nitrogen cycle is enabled or disabled. Results show that bias adjustment improves model performance across most ecosystem variables, primarily due to reduced biases in precipitation. Turning the nitrogen cycle on increases the global land carbon sink during the historical period (1995–2014) due to enhanced nitrogen deposition, placing it within the Global Carbon Budget uncertainty range. During the future period (2080–2099), the simulated land carbon sink increases in response to bias adjustment and decreases in response to the dynamic carbon‐nitrogen interaction, leading to a net decrease when both factors are acting together. The dominating impact of the nitrogen cycle demonstrates the importance of representing nutrient limitation in ESMs. Such efforts may produce more robust carbon balance projections in support of global climate change mitigation policies such as the 2015 Paris Agreement.

ELMO CPAP: an innovative type of ventilatory support for COVID-19-related acute respiratory distress syndrome.

To assess whether the use of ELMO, a helmet for noninvasive ventilation created in Brazil, had a positive impact on the prognosis of patients with hypoxemic respiratory failure caused by severe COVID-19. This is a retrospective study of 50 critically ill COVID-19 patients. Epidemiological, clinical, and laboratory data were collected on ICU admission, as well as before, during, and after ELMO use. Patients were divided into two groups (success and failure) according to the outcome. ELMO use improved oxygenation parameters such as Pao2, Fio2, and the Pao2/Fio2 ratio, and this contributed to a gradual reduction in Fio2, without an increase in CO2, as determined by arterial blood gas analysis. Patients in the success group had significantly longer survival (p < 0.001), as determined by the Kaplan-Meier analysis, less need for intubation (p < 0.001), fewer days of hospitalization, and a lower incidence of acute kidney injury in comparison with those in the failure group. The significant improvement in oxygenation parameters, the longer survival, as reflected by the reduced need for intubation and by the mortality rate, and the absence of acute kidney injury suggest that the ELMO CPAP system is a promising tool for treating ARDS and similar clinical conditions.

Understanding the Formation of the Reduced Warming Pattern in the Pacific Sector of the Southern Ocean

Sea surface temperature (SST) warming patterns exhibit a reduced warming band in the Pacific Sector of the Southern Ocean (PSSO) in response to global warming, known as the Southern Ocean reduced (SOR) warming pattern. This study utilizes data from 30 climate models participating in the Coupled Model Intercomparison Project Phase 6 (CMIP6), under the 1% CO2 increase per year (1pctCO2) scenario. Through factor decomposition, we identify the radiation forcing, wind cooling in evaporation, and oceanic heat flux as the essential contributors to multi-model ensemble (MME) mean distribution and inter-model uncertainty of the SOR pattern. It is crucial to highlight that the significant impact of the intensified westerlies on the formation of the SOR pattern involves both the wind cooling effect and the wind-driven oceanic dynamics, in both the MME mean distribution and inter-model uncertainty aspects. Our findings suggest that improving the simulation skills of the westerly winds could lead to more precise projection of Southern Ocean warming.

Focused recharge enhances soil carbon leakage and carbonate weathering in groundwater: Implications for subsurface carbon sinks

Soil carbon leakage into groundwater is a crucial and natural carbon sink process in the subsurface carbon cycling. However, the primary driving force for soil carbon downward leakage and the following fate of the carbon in groundwater remains elusive. Here, we investigated multi-seasonal hydrodynamics, hydrogeochemistry and environmental isotopes (δ13C, δ2H and δ18O) in groundwater wells in a humid region. Frequent water-table rise (1 ∼ 3 m) and isotopic signature fluctuation after the concentrated rainfall supported evidence for the occurrence of focused groundwater recharge. We found that focused recharge during the shorter and wetter season induced the increase of groundwater DOC (306.5 ± 231 μmol/L) and CO2 (2154 ± 726.6 μmol/L), the dilution of CH4 (1.75 ± 1.2 μmol/L) and DIC (4486 ± 790.8 μmol/L) as well as depleted δ13C signatures (−17‰ ∼ −18‰). These variations jointly elucidated accelerated soil carbon downward leakage and hydrodynamic mixing driven by focused recharge. Saturation index calculation and PHREEQC simulations confirmed that massive groundwater CO2 from soil carbon leakage during focused recharge exerted positive perturbations on carbonate weathering, and ultimately stored in a more stable form by transforming into HCO3−. Carbon isotope analysis further identified carbonate weathering accounted for approximately one third of DIC dynamics compared to biogenic sources. This study highlights that focused recharge has a disproportional contribution to flushing soil-derived carbon into groundwater and activating carbonate weathering in the groundwater, with important implications for temporal variability of non-negligible subsurface carbon sinks in the global carbon budget.

Spatiotemporal heterogeneity in the increase in ocean acidity extremes in the northeastern Pacific

Abstract. The acidification of the ocean (OA) increases the frequency and intensity of ocean acidity extreme events (OAXs), but this increase is not occurring homogeneously in time and space. Here we use daily output from a hindcast simulation with a high-resolution regional ocean model coupled to a biogeochemical ecosystem model (ROMS-BEC) to investigate this heterogeneity in the progression of OAX in the upper 250 m of the northeastern Pacific from 1984 to 2019. OAXs are defined using a relative threshold approach and using a fixed baseline. Concretely, conditions are considered extreme when the hydrogen ion concentration ([H+]) exceeds the 99th percentile of its distribution in the baseline simulation where atmospheric CO2 was held at its 1979 level. Within the 36 years of our hindcast simulation, the increase in atmospheric CO2 causes a strong increase in OAX volume, duration, and intensity throughout the upper 250 m. The increases are most accentuated near the surface, with 88 % of the surface area experiencing near-permanent extreme conditions in 2019. At the same time, a larger fraction of the OAXs become undersaturated with respect to aragonite (ΩA &lt; 1), with some regions experiencing increases up to nearly 50 % in their subsurface. There is substantial regional heterogeneity in the progression of OAX, with the fraction of OAX volume across the top 250 m increasing in the central northeastern Pacific up to 160 times, while the deeper layers of the nearshore regions experience “only” a 4-fold increase. Throughout the upper 50 m of the northeastern Pacific, OAXs increase relatively linearly with time, but sudden rapid increases in yearly extreme days are simulated to occur in the thermocline of the far offshore regions of the central northeastern Pacific. These differences largely emerge from the spatial heterogeneity in the local [H+] variability. The limited offshore reach of offshore-propagating mesoscale eddies, which are an important driver of subsurface OAX in the northeastern Pacific, causes a sharp transition in the increase in OAX between the rather variable thermocline waters of nearshore regions and the very invariant waters of the central northeastern Pacific. The spatially and temporal heterogeneous increases in OAX, including the abrupt appearance of near-permanent extremes, likely have negative effects on the ability of marine organisms to adapt to the progression of OA and its associated extremes.

The importance of forests in the environment

The importance of forests in the environment

Greenhouse Gas Forcing and Climate Feedback Signatures Identified in Hyperspectral Infrared Satellite Observations

AbstractGlobal greenhouse gas forcing and feedbacks are the primary causes of climate change but have limited direct observations. Here we show that continuous, stable, global, hyperspectral infrared satellite measurements (2003–2021) display decreases in outgoing longwave radiation (OLR) in the CO2, CH4, and N2O absorption bands and increases in OLR in the window band and H2O absorption bands. By conducting global line‐by‐line radiative transfer simulations with 2003–2021 meteorological conditions, we show that increases in CO2, CH4, and N2O concentrations caused an instantaneous radiative forcing and stratospheric cooling adjustment that decreased OLR. The climate response, comprising surface and atmospheric feedbacks to radiative forcings and unforced variability, increased OLR. The spectral trends predicted by our climate change experiments using our general circulation model identify three bedrock principles of the physics of climate change in the satellite record: an increasing greenhouse effect, stratospheric cooling, and surface‐tropospheric warming.

Supercritical water gasification of microalgae: The impact of the algal growth water

Investigation into the supercritical water gasification (SCWG) of microalgae has largely used deionized water as the reaction medium. However, real systems would use the algal growth water directly, containing ions that have been known to catalyse SCWG (K+, Na+, OH-, Fe3+, Cl-). Investigation into the effect of the growth water on SCWG was carried out for a range of temperatures (450–550), biomass concentrations (1–3wt%) and catalysts (KOH, Ru/C), using glucose or Chlorella vulgaris as the feedstock was performed. A significant increase in CO2 and reduction in CO content in the gas was observed without a catalyst and with a Ru/C catalyst. An increase in char/tar was also observed without a catalyst. As a result, the impact of the growth water should be considered for the SCWG of microalgae, in laboratory experiments and the selection of algal growth media in industrial applications.

Mathematical modelling and optimization of producing hydrogen-rich gas in COREX melter gasifier

The integration of dome injection technology and coal gasification technology can enhance space utilization and generate high-quality reducing gas in the dome of COREX melter gasifier, making it a promising process for hydrogen-rich gas production. In this study, a comprehensive 3-D mathematical model is utilized to depict the inner characteristics with dome coal injection, including flow filed, thermal state, gas composition and particle behavior in the dome of COREX melter gasifier. The results indicate that the flow field in the dome can be categorized into jet flow region, impinging flow region and plug flow region. The gasification performance exhibited significant improvement, particularly the hydrogen production capability, which increased by 2150 Nm3/h. The proportion of C(s) consumed by combustion decreased to 37.32 %, while that of gasification increased to 62.68 %. Without oxygen compensation, the optimal coal injection ratio is determined to be 204.5 kg/t. As the oxygen flow rate through the oxygen burners increases from 1478 Nm3/h to 4478 Nm3/h, the dome temperature rises, advancing the devolatilization process of coal particles and improving combustion efficiency. When CO2 is used as the alternative carrier gas, the proportion of CO in the export gas increases by 0.03 % and that of CO2 increases by 1.11 %. However, when H2O is used as the alternative carrier gas, the proportion of H2 in the export gas increases by 0.35 % and that of H2O increases by 0.89 %.

Asymmetric Arctic and Antarctic Warming and Its Intermodel Spread in CMIP6

Abstract Under the background of global warming, the Arctic region has warmed faster than the Antarctic, which is referred to as asymmetric Arctic and Antarctic warming. The new generation of model simulations from the CMIP6 offers an opportunity to identify the major factors contributing to the asymmetric warming and its intermodel spread. In this study, the preindustrial and abrupt-4 × CO2 experiments from 18 CMIP6 models are examined to extract the asymmetric warming and its intermodel spread. A climate feedback-response analysis method is applied to reveal the contributions of external and internal feedback processes to the asymmetric warming and its intermodel spread, by decomposing total warming into the partial temperature changes caused by individual factors. It is found that a seasonal energy transfer mechanism (SETM) dominates in both polar warmings. The direct consequence of the sea ice declining in response to the anthropogenic forcing is an increase in the effective heat capacity of the ocean surface layer. Such an increase in the effective heat capacity temporally withholds most of the extra solar energy absorbed during summer and then releases it during winter, contributing to stronger warming in winter. However, the background oceanic circulation in the Southern Ocean, namely, the Antarctic Circumpolar Current, continually transports energy equatorward, resulting in a suppressed SETM and surface warming in the Antarctic. The key factor that accounts for intermodel spread in the asymmetric warming is the difference in their strengths of SETM. The poleward atmospheric transport and water vapor feedback also contribute to the intermodel spread. Significance Statement The asymmetric Arctic and Antarctic warming, as a response to the increase in CO2, can regulate global atmospheric and oceanic circulations via meridional temperature gradient. Previous studies have all ascribed the key role of the ocean in the asymmetric warming over the two poles with a lack of comprehensive understanding of the roles of other feedback processes. This study emphasizes that oceanic circulation is the root of the asymmetric warming via suppressing sea ice retreat and the associated SETM in the Antarctic, instead of increasing ocean heat uptake and equatorward transport only. For the intermodel spread in the asymmetric warming over two poles, the differences in the strength of all processes involving the SETM among models are the prominent issue.

Impact of El Niño Southern Oscillation on CO2 and Solar‐Induced Fluorescence Over the Indo‐Pacific Region

AbstractOver the tropical Indo‐Pacific, we explore the variations of Solar‐Induced Fluorescence (SIF), CO2, and precipitation during El Niño Southern Oscillation (ENSO) events verse other times. Based on various data sets, we analyze the time series of deseasonalized precipitation, vertical velocity, SIF, and CO2 across the Indo‐Pacific region. Our analysis reveals that there is less precipitation, more sinking air, lower SIF, and higher carbon dioxide over the Indo‐Pacific region during the El Niño events compared to other times. We also explore the spatial patterns of different variables to gain a deeper understanding of their relationships. The spatial analysis suggests that less precipitation resulting from predominant sinking air not only leads to lower SIF values by reducing photosynthetic activities but also triggers more biomass burning, which contribute to an increase in atmospheric CO2 levels across most areas of the Indo‐Pacific region. The comparative study between observational analyses and numerical simulation by the NOAA CarbonTracker model indicates that the model can simulate the increase of atmospheric column CO2 during the El Niño event, although there are some difficulties in capturing the correct spatial pattern. The results of this study can significantly enhance our understanding of the spatial‐temporal variabilities of atmospheric CO2 concentration and the observational characteristics can be used to enhance models. Furthermore, the complex interactions between ENSO and other variables revealed in this study improve our understanding of how ENSO influences the biosphere and carbon cycle.

Modeling the role of renewable energy to mitigate the atmospheric level of carbon dioxide along with sustainable development

In the past few decades, the use of fossil fuels has increased dramatically due to industrialization in developing nations. The elevation of carbon dioxide (CO2) has become a serious concern for the entire world. Therefore, most countries want to reduce the use of fossil fuels by transitioning to renewable energy sources. In this research work, we formulate a nonlinear mathematical model to study the interplay between atmospheric CO2, human population, and energy production through traditional energy sources (coal, oil, and gas) and renewable energy sources (solar, wind, and hydro). For the model formulation, we consider that the atmospheric level of CO2 increases due to human activities and energy production through traditional energy sources. Additionally, we consider that the dependency of the human population shifts from traditional to renewable sources of energy as the atmospheric level of CO2 increases. Through the model analysis, we have obtained a condition that implies a change in the equilibrium level of CO2 by increasing the deployment rate of renewable energy sources. This condition demonstrates that the atmospheric level of CO2 can be reversed from its current level through sufficient deployment of renewable energy sources. Moreover, for a certain critical value of the growth rate parameter of renewable energy, three interior equilibria may exist. This situation indicates the presence of hysteresis, which implies that the system may undergo discontinuous jumps between different stable steady states. Furthermore, we discuss an optimal control problem to minimize atmospheric CO2, simultaneously minimizing the cost of the considered strategy.

Enhancing Debromination Efficiency through Introducing Water Vapor Atmosphere to Overcome Limitations of Conventional Pyrolysis.

Bromine removal is significant in the recycling of waste printed circuit boards (WPCBs). This study found that the critical factors limiting the debromination efficiency of conventional pyrolysis are the formation of coke impeding mass transfer and conversion of bromine into less volatile species, such as coking-Br and copper bromide. According to frontier molecular orbital analysis and thermodynamic equilibrium analysis, C-O bonds of resin are sites prone to electrophilic reactions and copper bromide in residue may undergo hydrolysis; therefore, introducing H2O during pyrolysis was a feasible method for thorough debromination. Through pyrolysis in a water vapor atmosphere, the diffusion limitation of debromination was overcome, and resin was converted into light components; thereby, rapid and deep removal of bromine was achieved. The result indicated that 99.7% of bromine was removed, and the residue could be used as a clean secondary resource. According to life-cycle assessment, pyrolysis of WPCBs in water vapor could be expected to reduce 77 Kt of CO2 emission and increase financial benefits by 60 million dollars, annually.

Direct injection diesel engine characteristics fuelled with diesel, biodiesel and 1-butanol blends

The current study concentrated on performance, combustion and emission characteristics of a direct injection diesel engine. The experiments were carried out on single cylinder Kirloskar make TV-1 diesel engine test-rig. The blends were made using equal parts of Karanja biodiesel (Pongamia pinnata) and 1-butanol with plain diesel. For the experiment, five mixes were investigated at constant speed of 1500 rpm and varying loading condition from no load to full load in 25 % steps. The properties of the mixtures considered are within the permissible ASTM limits. The study revealed that performance characteristics such as brake thermal efficiency, mechanical efficiency are observed highest for D80K10B10 blend at 100 % BP and BSEC at 25 % BP for D80K20 blend. No appreciable variations are observed in volumetric efficiencies and concentration of 1-Butanol showed greater reduction in EGT amongst others. Highest CO emission reduction to 53 % whereas 31 % CO2 increases and HC, and NOx emissions are observed marginally increased. Long term test and energy-exergy analysis should be required to get more in insights from the research.

End-tidal carbon dioxide after sodium bicarbonate infusion during mechanical ventilation or ongoing cardiopulmonary resuscitation

PurposeEnd-tidal CO2 is used to monitor the ventilation status or hemodynamic efficacy during mechanical ventilation or cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR), and it may be affected by various factors including sodium bicarbonate administration. This study investigated changes in end-tidal CO2 after sodium bicarbonate administration. Materials and methodsThis single-center, prospective observational study included adult patients who received sodium bicarbonate during mechanical ventilation or CPR. End-tidal CO2 elevation was defined as an increase of ≥20% from the baseline end-tidal CO2 value. The time to initial increase (lag time, Tlag), time to peak (Tpeak), and duration of the end-tidal CO2 rise (Tduration) were compared between the patients with spontaneous circulation (SC group) and those with ongoing resuscitation (CPR group). ResultsThirty-three patients, (SC group, n = 25; CPR group, n = 8), were included. Compared with the baseline value, the median values of peak end-tidal CO2 after sodium bicarbonate injection increased by 100% (from 21 to 41 mmHg) in all patients, 89.5% (from 21 to 39 mmHg) in the SC group, and 160.2% (from 15 to 41 mmHg) in the CPR group. The median Tlag was 17 s (IQR: 12–21) and the median Tpeak was 35 s (IQR: 27–52). The median Tduration was 420 s (IQR: 90–639). The median Tlag, Tpeak, and Tduration were not significantly different between the groups. Tduration was associated with the amount of sodium bicarbonate for SC group (correlation coefficient: 0.531, p = 0.006). ConclusionThe administration of sodium bicarbonate may lead to a substantial increase in end-tidal CO2 for several minutes in patients with spontaneous circulation and in patients with ongoing CPR. After intravenous administration of sodium bicarbonate, the use of end-tidal CO2 pressure as a physiological indicator may be limited.

Assessing impacts of coastal warming, acidification, and deoxygenation on Pacific oyster (Crassostrea gigas) farming: a case study in the Hinase area, Okayama Prefecture, and Shizugawa Bay, Miyagi Prefecture, Japan

Abstract. Coastal warming, acidification, and deoxygenation are progressing primarily due to the increase in anthropogenic CO2. Coastal acidification has been reported to have effects that are anticipated to become more severe as acidification progresses, including inhibiting the formation of shells of calcifying organisms such as shellfish, which include Pacific oysters (Crassostrea gigas), one of the most important aquaculture resources in Japan. Moreover, there is concern regarding the combined impacts of coastal warming, acidification, and deoxygenation on Pacific oysters. However, spatiotemporal variations in acidification and deoxygenation indicators such as pH, the aragonite saturation state (Ωarag), and dissolved oxygen have not been observed and projected in oceanic Pacific oyster farms in Japan. To assess the present impacts and project future impacts of coastal warming, acidification, and deoxygenation on Pacific oysters, we performed continuous in situ monitoring, numerical modeling, and microscopic examination of Pacific oyster larvae in the Hinase area of Okayama Prefecture and Shizugawa Bay in Miyagi Prefecture, Japan, both of which are famous for their Pacific oyster farms. Our monitoring results first found Ωarag values lower than the critical level of acidification for Pacific oyster larvae in Hinase, although no impact of acidification on larvae was identified by microscopic examination. Our modeling results suggest that Pacific oyster larvae are anticipated to be affected more seriously by the combined impacts of coastal warming and acidification, with lower pH and Ωarag values and a prolonged spawning period, which may shorten the oyster shipping period and lower the quality of oysters.

F-doped carbon derived from asphalt by mechanochemical approach: More effective toward selective CO2 capture

Porous carbon materials are a preferred choice for CO2 capture and separation owing to unique physical and chemical properties. Here, mechanochemical synthesis of porous carbon (high surface area, up to 1188 m2g−1) and in situ fluorine doping have been accomplished with asphalt as carbon source and Teflon (PTFE) as porogen and fluorine-doped precursors. Ball milling treatment are indispensable for the subsequent carbonization process of asphalt-PTFE mixture. The particle mixing and surface activation in the solid state are promoted by the input of mechanical energy and reaction mixtures are exposed to mechanical force impact. Meanwhile, the micropores and polar functional groups rich in the as-prepared carbon materials both conduce to higher CO2 capture and increase in adsorption energy based on DFT calculation. As evidence, the CO2 uptake capacity reached to 4.1 mmol g−1 for F-C-30# at 273 K, 1 bar. The CO2/N2 selectivity could reach up to 54 under ambient conditions, thereby reflecting a highly competitive CO2-adsorption capacity.

The enhancement of photosynthetic performance, water use efficiency and potato yield under elevated CO2 is cultivar dependent.

As a fourth major food crop, potato could fulfill the nutritional demand of the growing population. Understanding how potato plants respond to predicted increase in atmospheric CO2 at the physiological, biochemical and molecular level is therefore important to improve potato productivity. Thus, the main objectives of the present study are to investigate the effects of elevated CO2 on the photosynthetic performance, water use efficiency and tuber yield of various commercial potato cultivars combined with biochemical and molecular analyses. We grew five potato cultivars (AC Novachip, Atlantic, Kennebec, Russet Burbank and Shepody) at either ambient CO2 (400 μmol CO2 mol-1) or elevated (750 μmol CO2 mol-1) CO2. Compared to ambient CO2-grown counterparts, elevated CO2-grown Russet Burbank and Shepody exhibited a significant increase in tuber yield of 107% and 49% respectively, whereas AC Novachip, Atlantic and Kennebec exhibited a 16%, 6% and 44% increment respectively. These differences in CO2-enhancement of tuber yield across the cultivars were mainly associated with the differences in CO2-stimulation of rates of photosynthesis. For instance, elevated CO2 significantly stimulated the rates of gross photosynthesis for AC Novachip (30%), Russet Burbank (41%) and Shepody (28%) but had minimal effects for Atlantic and Kennebec when measured at growth light. Elevated CO2 significantly increased the total tuber number for Atlantic (40%) and Shepody (83%) but had insignificant effects for other cultivars. Average tuber size increased for AC Novachip (16%), Kennebec (30%) and Russet Burbank (80%), but decreased for Atlantic (25%) and Shepody (19%) under elevated versus ambient CO2 conditions. Although elevated CO2 minimally decreased stomatal conductance (6-22%) and transpiration rates (2-36%), instantaneous water use efficiency increased by up to 79% in all cultivars suggesting that enhanced water use efficiency was mainly associated with increased photosynthesis at elevated CO2. The effects of elevated CO2 on electron transport rates, non-photochemical quenching, excitation pressure, and leaf chlorophyll and protein content varied across the cultivars. We did not observe any significant differences in plant growth and morphology in elevated versus ambient CO2-grown plants. Taken all together, we conclude that the CO2-stimulation of photosynthetic performance, water use efficiency and tuber yield of potatoes is cultivar dependent.

Iodine‐Mediated C─C Coupling in Neutral Flow Cell for Electrochemical CO2 Reduction

AbstractCarbon utilization efficiency is of vital importance for electrochemical CO2 reduction systems. Proton exchange membrane (PEM) electrolyzers using nonalkaline electrolytes can prevent CO2 crossover and increase carbon utilization efficiency, yet they suffer from unfavored C─C coupling and severe hydrogen evolution. Herein, an iodine‐mediated approach to facilitate C─C coupling on Cu‐based catalysts toward multi‐carbon products in a neutral PEM electrolyzer is reported. By in situ constructing an I‐modified Cu surface, the hydrogenation of *CO is promoted and the C─C coupling process progresses through the *CO−*COH pathway with a low energy barrier. A high Faradaic efficiency of ≈72% and a high partial current density of 575 mA cm−2 are achieved for multi‐carbon products. The present study demonstrates an efficient approach to developing advanced CO2 electrolyzers for high‐value products with high efficiency.

Strategies to reduce CO2 emissions and increase temporary carbon stock in Brazilian housing using planted wood

Wood is a biological material; it is renewable and widely used in construction projects around the world. One of its main features is its ability to capture CO2 from the atmosphere and temporarily store carbon; this helps to mitigate climate change. This research analyzes strategies to reduce CO2 emissions and increase temporary carbon storage in the Brazilian construction sector by promoting the long-term use of planted wood for housing purposes. To this end, two strategies are developed: the first (SS1) proposes to increase the yield of the primary processing performance of sawn wood by 7.0%; the second (SS2) replaces the market share of wood products with a short life cycle (<1 year) with those with a long-life cycle (>40 years) in construction. It was found that, compared to the reference scenario, the implementation of SS1 and SS2 can mitigate ∼4% (27.6 MtCO2) and ∼1% (89.9 MtCO2), respectively, of accumulated emissions between 2024 and 2050. Temporary carbon storage can be increased by up to 6% (8.3 MtC) via the increase in wood frame houses, or up to 15% temporary carbon (20.4 MtC) via the increase in cross-laminated timber houses (hypothetical maximum potential values). A sensitivity analysis was performed considering native wood from both managed and unmanaged forests, and the results indicate that the proposals satisfy the objective only in the planted wood scenarios.