Mitigation Options Research Articles

Soil organic carbon in tropical shade coffee agroforestry following land‐use changes in Mozambique

AbstractCoffee (Coffea L.) agroforestry systems (CAFS) and wooded grasslands (WG) have been pointed out as having high soil organic carbon (SOC) storage potential compared to monoculture systems. Studies analyzing the response of soil bulk density (BD) and SOC to the conversion of WG to slash‐and‐burn agriculture (SBA) and to CAFS are lacking in southern Africa. This study was conducted in the buffer zone of Gorongosa National Park (Mozambique), where depth profiles of BD and SOC were estimated to 0‐ to 100‐cm soil depth in WG, SBA, and CAFS sites, with coffee shrubs aged 3, 5, and 8 years after planting. The stratification ratio (SR) was used as an indicator of soil quality and recovery from disturbance. BD and SOC stocks varied significantly among land use systems and coffee ages only in the surface soil layer (0–20 cm). SOC stocks of the surface soil and SR increased with increasing coffee age. Compared to SBA, significant increases in SOC stocks were only observed 5 years after implementation of CAFS. WG conversion to SBA did not alter SOC stocks in any soil layer; however, it led to decreased SR. Surface SOC stocks were 25.6 and 33.7 Mg ha−1 in WG and SBA, and 28.0, 41.9, and 61.1 Mg ha−1 in 3‐ and 5‐ and 8‐year‐old CAFS (mean SOC accumulation of 6.65 Mg ha−1 year−1). This study reveals that CAFS have the potential to increase belowground carbon sequestration when compared to SBA and WG over comparable soils, making it a practical option for climate change mitigation.

Potential and costs required for methane removal to compete with BECCS as a mitigation option

Potential and costs required for methane removal to compete with BECCS as a mitigation option

Predictors of Venous Thromboembolism Following Geriatric Distal Femur Fracture Fixation: Are These Patients at Higher Risk Compared With Hip Fracture Patients?

Venous thromboembolism (VTE) following injury and subsequent fixation of a distal femur fracture (DFFx) is associated with considerable morbidity. However, the incidence of VTE, associated factors, and the relative risk compared with hip fracture (HFx) fixation remains poorly characterized. Retrospective cohort study using the PearlDiver M165 database to identify geriatric patients who underwent DFFx and HFx fixation. Clinical risk factors of VTE within 90 days of DFFx and the risk modification associated with enoxaparin (Lovenox) and direct oral anticoagulants (DOACs) relative to aspirin/nonprescription agents were characterized. To determine the odds of VTE following fixation of DFFx relative to HFx, a matched comparison based on age, sex, and Elixhauser Comorbidity Index was done. Of 24,358 DFFx patients, 1684 (6.9%) developed VTE. Independent risk factors included a prior VTE (odds ratio [OR] 28.76), displaced DFFx morphologies (condylar [OR 5.44], and supracondylar without intracondylar extension [OR 3.96] and with extension [OR 3.75]), active cancer (OR 2.11), coagulopathy disorder (OR 1.15), and younger age (OR 1.03) (P < 0.05 for all). Lovenox and DOAC were both associated with reduced odds of VTE (OR 0.40 and OR 0.61, respectively) (P < 0.05 for both). Relative to HFx patients, DFFx patients demonstrated heightened odds of VTE (OR 1.25) (P < 0.001). This study identified a relatively high rate of VTE, 6.9% within 90 days, following surgical management of DFFx and heightened odds of VTE relative to HFx patients. Various factors demonstrated a notable association with increased odds of VTE, although both Lovenox and DOACs may be effective therapeutic options for risk mitigation.

Risk characterisation of chemicals of emerging concern in real-life water reuse applications.

Water reuse is a viable option to address temporal or structural water shortages. However, the ubiquitous presence of chemicals of emerging concern (CECs) in natural systems, especially the aquatic environment, represents a significant obstacle to water reuse and the receiving environment. Therefore, an extensive literature review was performed to identify current water reuse practices at field scale, reported types and levels of CECs and their associated risks for human and environmental health. Treated wastewater was the primary reused water source, with agricultural reuse being the most frequently reported reuse application (28 %), followed by indirect-potable reuse (16 %). Contrary to potable reuse, it was observed that almost no studies applied additional treatment before water reuse for agricultural purposes. Based on calculated risk quotients, ecological risks were identified for perfluorooctanesulfonic acid, chlorpyrifos, triclocarban, and ethinylestradiol, and human health risks for perfluorooctanesulfonic acid and perfluorooctanoic acid. Environmental risks could be assessed for 77 % of detected CECs, while the human health risk assessment is limited to 28 %. For agricultural reuse, it was observed that CEC concentrations in produced crops were at acceptable levels. However, a thorough risk assessment of CECs during water reuse is currently limited due to a focus on a defined class of contaminants in the literature, i.e., pharmaceuticals, and falls short of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances. Therefore, future water reuse studies should include a broader set of CECs and study additional mitigation options to decrease CEC concentrations before or during water reuse. Moreover, environmental harm caused by CECs during water reuse such as adverse effects on the microbial soil community or leaching to non-target sources has hardly been studied in the field and presents a knowledge gap.

Implementing FAIR data principles in the IPCC seventh assessment cycle: Lessons learned and future prospects

Every five to seven years, the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) convenes the climate science community to assess the latest knowledge on climate change relevant to policy-makers. This generally takes the form of Assessment Reports (AR) covering the scientific basis of climate change, its impacts and future risks, and options for adaptation and mitigation. With each cycle, these reports have grown in scope, length, number of referenced papers, and underpinning datasets. During the sixth assessment cycle, a large-scale collective effort went into archiving digital products assessed and generated through the IPCC process. The main objectives driving this initiative are making IPCC’s work more transparent, improving the reproducibility and reusability of the assessment outcomes, better utilization of the services of the IPCC Data Distribution Centre (DDC), and, more generally, compliance with best practices in open science. This paper expands on the motivations for the curation and preservation of digital objects in the IPCC. It gives an overview of how FAIR (Findable, Accessible, Interoperable, Reusable) and open data principles have been implemented in practice and explores some of the successes and setbacks of the AR6 experience. It concludes with recommendations for consolidation and expansion of the approach for AR7. These include a tighter integration of digital curation activities in the IPCC timeline and workflows, better support of IPCC authors and contributors through early training and use of suitable software, improved standardization and harmonization of data and software handling across Working Groups (WGs), and close collaboration with key external data providers and research organizations.

Carbon removal potentials in agricultural systems – participatory scenario modelling with farmers in Sweden

Estimates of theoretical climate change mitigation potentials in agriculture need to be complemented with investigations of factors that influence deployment. This study introduces a framework for landscape-level assessment of climate change mitigation in agriculture that accounts for existing land uses, soil carbon stocks, and farmers’ preferences concerning specific mitigation options. The framework is used in an assessment of the deployment potentials for selected mitigation options in an agricultural landscape in Sweden, in which arable land covers approximately one-third of the land area. Three options were found to be preferable by farmers: biochar as soil amendment, cover crops, and (an increased) cultivation of ley crops in crop rotations. Cultivation of cover crops and leys was found to increase SOC stocks by 1.9 and 1.6 MgC ha−1 over three decades, respectively. About 10.2 MgC ha−1 is sequestered in soils over three decades when biochar is added as a soil amendment, if 50% of available residues are collected and utilized. This can be compared with GHG emissions from agriculture from the studied area, estimated at 1.6 Mg CO2-eq ha−1 yr−1 (GWP100). The framework was found useful for assessing mitigation options in the agriculture sector, underlining farmer involvement to identify actionable strategies.

Information avoidance: An experimental test of anticipated regret

One reason people may avoid potentially useful information is to eliminate anticipated regret. We develop a model of anticipated regret and use it to derive predictions about how the accuracy of information and the ability to mitigate negative states of the world affect the decision to be informed. The model predicts that higher information accuracy and more effective mitigation options reduce information avoidance. We test these predictions using a laboratory experiment with a real-effort task and uncertain payoffs. Subjects choose whether to receive free but imperfect information about the state of the world (the piece-rate for the effort task) before deciding on a costly mitigation investment, doing the real effort task, and then learning their final payoff. We vary both the accuracy of the information and the effectiveness of mitigation in a 2×2 between-subjects experimental design. We find that increasing the accuracy of information increases information acquisition. Increasing mitigation effectiveness only increases informedness slightly, and the results are not significant. Overall, our results are consistent with our model of anticipated regret, but decision-making is noisier than predicted.

Climate Adaptation of Roads to Flooding Hazards—A Review

Flooding hazards due to climate change are increasingly becoming a frequent global occurrence. The aim of this study is to provide a comprehensive review of the various structural mitigation and adaptation strategies available to engineers and designers at various stages of road construction and rehabilitation to increase the resilience of roads to flooding damage. The criteria for categorising the various strategies available were the time of intervention with respect to the occurrence of the hazard. Thus, all studied strategies were separated into pre-construction design changes, post-construction mitigation and adaptation options like Sustainable Urban Drainage Systems (SuDS). The main findings were that changing the specifications of commonly used materials can provide increased flood resilience, and a preliminary design for flooding can reduce post-flooding rehabilitation. The study can be used as a guide for the different options available to deliver a design that takes flooding into consideration.

MESSAGEix-Materials v1.1.0: representation of material flows and stocks in an integrated assessment model

Abstract. Extracting raw materials and processing them into products used in industry constitute a substantial source of CO2 emissions, which are currently lacking process detail in many integrated assessment models (IAMs). To broaden the space of climate change mitigation options to include material-oriented strategies such as the circular-economy and material efficiency measures in IAM scenario analysis, we develop the MESSAGEix-Materials module, representing material flows and stocks within the MESSAGEix-GLOBIOM IAM framework. We provide a fully open-source model that can assess different industry decarbonization options under various climate targets for the most energy- and emissions-intensive industries: aluminum, iron and steel, cement, and petrochemicals. We illustrate the model's operation with a baseline and mitigation 2-degrees (2 °C) scenario setup and validate base year results for 2020 against historical datasets. We also discuss the industry decarbonization pathways and material stocks of the electricity generation technologies resulting from the new model features. The next steps are to extend the model to other sectors, end uses and materials, as well as the combined modeling of various supply- and demand-side measures.

Seaweed extracts: enhancing plant resilience to biotic and abiotic stresses

Seaweeds are a natural marine resource containing many bioactive compounds such as amino acids, lipids, carbohydrates, proteins, phytohormones, and antimicrobial compounds. Since ancient times, seaweeds have been used in various sectors, including medicine, food, and the cosmetic industry. Currently, seaweeds are a promising alternative to reduce the application of harmful chemicals in agriculture. Seaweed and its derived products have been utilized for plant growth promotion, immunity enhancement, and the reduction of biotic and abiotic stresses. In the current global scenario, synthetic fertilizers and chemical pesticides are commonly used to increase agricultural crop production to meet the growing demands of the world population. However, these chemicals pose significant threats to the health of people, livestock, plants, soil, and the entire environment. In contrast, seaweed-based products are emerging as a newer option for stress mitigation and reduction, offering an alternative to synthetic chemicals. This article explains the use of seaweed extracts to increase the tolerance of plants to biotic and abiotic stresses. We also address the functions of various bioactive compounds present in seaweed extracts and the mechanisms by which they promote plant growth and induce defense against different stresses.

The Legacy of Internal Migration in Our Environment: Understanding Its Footprint and Fingerprint

Internal migration is a process of relocation within a country by a person primarily to find a better prospect, education, or in response to natural calamities. Researching internal migration must be given attention to comprehend demographic movements and how they affect places where migration takes place and where it is received. This study sheds light on the very complicated relationship between internal migration and environmental effects. This paper lays out the systematic literature reviews by descriptively analyzing the causes of internal migration: economic opportunity, social bonds, and the environment. This paper explores the effect of internal migration on the environment, including the positive aspects (e.g. knowledge transfer, investment in green technology) and the negative ones (urban sprawl, increased consumption). The study of footprints and fingerprints and their effects on environmentalism is complex and at the same time contradictory. This study also focuses on policy responses and mitigation options, stating that there is a need for a holistic strategy that will meet the special demands of internal migrants and help them to be integrated into society. It will also promote sustainable development. The study makes valuable recommendations for drawing up sustainable development strategies that consider the link between internal migration and environmental well-being.

Media frame development of direct air capture 2011–2023: A comparative analysis of Europe and North America

Media portrayal of direct air capture (DAC) matters for public opinion and policy. How is DAC framed in the North American and European press, are there differences between the two, and what are the implications for public perceptions of DAC? This study provides an insight into the media frames of DAC in North American and European news articles, for the period 2011-2023. With no prior work on this topic, five generic media frames were used for classification purposes. While the study is intended to be exploratory rather than definitive, European articles were found to be more critical than North American articles, more often viewing DAC as an expensive mitigation option. North American articles highlighted the lack of government financial support for DAC. The employment and economic potential of DAC was acknowledged in both newspaper datasets. Although DAC is relatively little framed in relation to human interest, morality, or conflict, these frames may be important in shaping public opinion in future.

Land-use competition in 1.5°C climate stabilization: is there enough land for all potential needs?

Achieving a low-carbon future requires a comprehensive approach that combines emission mitigation options from economic activities with the sustainable use of land for numerous needs: food production, energy production, carbon sequestration, nature preservation and broad ecosystem services. Using the MIT Integrated Global System (IGSM) framework we analyze land-use competition in a 1.5°C climate stabilization scenario, in which demand for bioenergy and natural sinks increase along with the need for sustainable farming and food production. We find that to address the numerous trade-offs, effective approaches to nature-based solutions (NBS) and agriculture practices are essential. With proper regulatory policies and radical changes in current practices, global land is sufficient to provide increased consumption of food per capita (without large diet changes) over the century while also utilizing 2.5–3.5 billion hectares (Gha) of land for NBS practices that provide a carbon sink of 3–6 gigatonnes (Gt) of CO2 per year as well as 0.4–0.6 Gha of land for energy production—0.2–0.3 Gha for 50–65 exajoules (EJ) per year of bioenergy and 0.2–0.35 Gha for 300–600 EJ/year of wind and solar power generation. We list the competing uses of land to reflect the trade-offs involved in land use decisions, and note that while there is sufficient land in our scenario, attaining this outcome, capable of delivering a 1.5°C future, requires effective policies and measures at national and global levels that promote efficient land use for food, energy and nature (including carbon sequestration) and ensure long-term commitments by decision makers from governments and industry in order to realize the benefits of climate change mitigation.

Is in-situ burning an acceptable mitigation option after a major oil spill? Impact on marine plankton

Major oil spills can impose a significant environmental hazard on the marine ecosystem, and a promising mitigation measure is in-situ oil burning (ISB). However, our knowledge of the impact of the burned residues and soot deposition on the marine ecosystem is still limited. We investigated the effects of burned oil residue and soot deposition on the marine plankton communities of the oligotrophic Eastern Mediterranean Sea with a mesocosm experiment. Three triplicated treatments were tested: (1) Iranian crude oil was added and burned (Burned treatment); (2) soot was collected and deposited with artificial rain (Soot); and (3) a non-contaminated Control. Results revealed that Low Nucleic Acid heterotrophic bacteria, Synechococcus spp., and pigmented pico-nano Eukaryotes (pnEuk) were negatively affected in the Burned and Soot treatments. Viruses, heterotrophic pnEuk and ciliates (in Soot) were crucial for controlling the High Nucleic Acid bacteria. Ciliates and most dinoflagellates showed a negative response to the burned residues but were less affected or were even favored when exposed to soot. Our results show that ISB affected the structure and dynamics of the plankton food web through burned residues and soot depositions. However, since the effects appeared at least three days after the ignition, ISB could be combined with subsequent burned residue collection to minimize its impact on the pelagic ecosystem.

A pathway design framework for national freight transport decarbonization strategies

ABSTRACT National and international freight transport emissions represent about 40% of global transport emissions, with demand expected to triple by 2050, which will increase emissions further. However, to meet the 1.5°C climate goal, a rapid decrease in transport emissions is required, along with the achievement of zero emissions as soon as possible around mid-century. Given this context, long-term low-emission national development pathways provide a strategic instrument to align short-term action with long-term objectives and to reduce national freight transport emissions. However, current transport-energy modelling studies often exclude the structural and systemic mitigation options that influence the industrial production and supply chain structure, as well as modal and logistics choices, and instead focus mainly on the technological options related to road freight vehicles and fuels. In addition, such studies lack relevant policy and stakeholder-oriented explanations of the barriers and enablers associated with these options. In this paper, we introduce a new framework to design and compare long-term national and sectoral decarbonization pathways for freight transportation, facilitating the consideration of all decarbonization options and the organization of stakeholder-oriented policy dialogues. The development of this sectoral framework builds on the general Deep Decarbonization Pathways (DDP) framework and a first implementation in France. It is then applied and tested in three emerging countries: Brazil, India and South Africa and the results show that the linking of systemic and technological changes could reduce emissions per tonne-km by at least 60%, and up to 100% by 2050, while also reducing energy consumption and supporting national development.

Contrail altitude estimation using GOES-16 ABI data and deep learning

Abstract. The climate impact of persistent aircraft contrails is currently estimated to be comparable to that due to aviation-emitted CO2. A potential near-term and low-cost mitigation option is contrail avoidance, which involves rerouting aircraft around ice-supersaturated regions, preventing the formation of persistent contrails. Current forecasting methods for these regions of ice supersaturation have been found to be inaccurate when compared to in situ measurements. Further assessment and improvements of the quality of these predictions can be realized by comparison with observations of persistent contrails, such as those found in satellite imagery. In order to further enable comparison between these observations and contrail predictions, we develop a deep learning algorithm to estimate contrail altitudes based on GOES-16 Advanced Baseline Imager (ABI) infrared imagery. This algorithm is trained using a dataset of 3267 contrails found within Cloud–Aerosol Lidar with Orthogonal Polarization (CALIOP) data and achieves a root mean square error (RMSE) of 570 m. The altitude estimation algorithm outputs probability distributions for the contrail top altitude in order to represent predictive uncertainty. The 95 % confidence intervals constructed using these distributions, which are shown to contain approximately 95 % of the contrail data points, are found to be 2.2 km thick on average. These intervals are found to be 34.1 % smaller than the 95 % confidence intervals constructed using flight altitude information alone, which are 3.3 km thick on average. Furthermore, we show that the contrail altitude estimates are consistent in time and, in combination with contrail detections, can be used to observe the persistence and three-dimensional (3D) evolution of contrail-forming regions from satellite images alone.

LCA comparativo en distintos escenarios del edificio NZEB El Salvador, estimación de CO2 para el desempeño térmico

The recent IPCC 2023 report reiterates that humansare responsible for global warming over the past 200 years, causing a rise temperature of 1.1°C above pre-industrial levels, as well as an increase in energy demand, which can be avoided with mitigation options, reducing its use in all sectors, especially in the building sector. One of the options is the design based on the NZEB concept, as it has been the case of the laboratory built on the UCA campus, using passive and active energy efficiency strategies, studying the interaction between construction systems and energy savings. One of the NZEB El Salvador project research objectives, was to study the thermal performance of different construction scenarios, therefore, the present work presents the results of the Life-cycle assessment(LCA) in three proposals for popular construction systems in El Salvador, regulated by the national regulatory framework, comparing them with the baseline of its current operation, through 3 iterative calculation tools: structural, thermal and carbon footprint estimation, managing to find importantfindings on how vernacular systems meet the NZEB standard. ILIA: Investigaciones Latinoamericanas en Ingeniería y Arquitectura, No. 01, 2024: 160-166.

Noise monitoring of loud vehicles in four Dutch cities

Excessive noise from loud cars, motorcycles, mopeds, trikes and quads is commonplace in Dutch cities and is a major source of annoyance. In order to assess the sources, causes and potential solutions, TNO has performed a series of noise monitoring campaigns in four major cities including vehicle identification. Sound and vehicle data was acquired at 3 locations in each city for a period of five days. Several steps were applied to separate vehicle noise from other noises, and to attribute the noise to the correct vehicles. The resulting analysis provided insight into the types of vehicles and driving conditions causing most noise. A set of characteristic driving conditions were derived from the measurement data, including high acceleration, engine revving, engine backfire, high engine speed and others. Besides driving behaviour, vehicle modifications such as louder exhausts, removed dB-killers and mechanical or electronic engine modifications are common causes of high noise levels. Also an overview of suggested mitigation options and future outlook is given, based on the findings of the analysis.

A global synthesis of nitrous oxide emissions across cotton-planted soils

Globally, acquiring information on region- and crop-specific nitrous oxide (N2O) emissions is vital for establishing effective N2O mitigation strategies. Soil cultivated with cotton (Gossypium hirsutum L.) is an important source of N2O in agricultural production. However, little is known about the magnitudes and main drivers of soil N2O emissions from cotton fields worldwide. In this meta-analysis, we were the first to synthesize 34 peer-reviewed papers (298 observational datasets) to quantify the magnitudes and controlling factors of area-scaled N2O emissions (N2Oarea), direct N2O emission factors (EFd), and yield-scaled N2O emissions (N2Oyield) from the soils of cotton fields and to explore associated potential mitigation strategies. On average, the N2Oarea from global cotton-planted soils was 2.10 kg N ha−1, with a mean EFd of 0.92 %, which is comparable to those reported for cereal crops (e.g., maize, 1.02 %) and the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change default value of 1 % for global croplands. The global mean N2Oyield estimated here was 622 g N Mg−1. At the global scale, the variations in all N2O-related indices in the soils of cotton fields were demonstrated to be primarily controlled by climatic conditions (e.g. climate type) and soil properties (e.g., bulk density, pH, C/N or soil texture) rather than by well-recognized management practices (e.g., N fertilization rate). Furthermore, our analysis showed that the application of urease and/or nitrification inhibitors significantly reduced soil N2O emissions while maintaining seed cotton yields. These findings emphasize that cotton production has an obvious climate footprint and provide potential N2O mitigation options for the sustainable intensification of cotton production.

Enhancing Agricultural Soil Carbon Sequestration: A Review with Some Research Needs

The US rejoined the Paris Agreement in 2021 with a targeted 50–52% reduction in net GHG emissions in 2030 relative to 2005. Within the US’s nationally determined contributions, several land-based mitigation options were submitted, targeting the removal of 0.4–1.3 GtCO2 yr−1 in 2030 compared to the net flux in 2010. Acknowledging disagreement has existed on both technological and economic feasibility levels of soil C sequestration adoption and practices, this review explores and evaluates the research findings and needs for six concepts: (1) permanence; (2) additionality; (3) leakage; (4) uncertainty; (5) transaction costs; and (6) heat-trapping ability of different gases. These concepts are crucial for the effective implementation of soil C sequestration projects since they help establish robust and integrated methodologies for measurement, verification, and issuance of carbon credits. In turn, they help ensure that environmental, social, and economic benefits are accurately assessed and credibly reported, enhancing the integrity of carbon markets and contributing to global climate mitigation efforts. This review also evaluates the existing and potential market opportunities for agricultural production with C sequestration and “climate- smart” farming practices. Current barriers to, research needs for, and policy considerations regarding soil C sequestration strategies are also stated.