Reduction Of Greenhouse Gas Emissions Research Articles

Impacts of alternative fuel combustion in cement manufacturing: Life cycle greenhouse gas, biogenic carbon, and criteria air contaminant emissions

Waste products destined for landfills with high calorific value are increasingly being explored for potential use in a variety of industries. One example is the potential use of these wastes in cement kilns to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from cement production. This study develops a cradle-to-gate life cycle assessment (LCA) model to estimate the GHG emissions, criteria air contaminants (CAC), and the impact of biogenic carbon accounting methods in biomass-containing alternative fuels (AFs) on life cycle GHG emissions when replacing natural gas with AFs at a cement facility. The proposed AF mixture includes landfill wastes like construction and demolition waste, asphalt shingles, tire fluff, carpet, textiles, and plastics. While many LCAs assume the biogenic fraction's climate impact is carbon-neutral, its actual effects depend on a range of new methods being proposed to account for the climate impacts associated with biogenic carbon. The findings of this study demonstrate a reduction of approximately 7–13% in life cycle GHG emissions. The preliminary estimates suggest that the change to CACs will likely not be materially different from the current use of natural gas. It also emphasizes the importance of accounting for the biogenic fraction in biomass-based AFs, indicating a potential overall reduction of up to 7.2% in life cycle GHG emissions when the biogenic fraction is treated as carbon-neutral. While factoring in the benefits of shorter rotation and longer storage periods results in a 12.7% reduction in life cycle GHG emissions. The LCA model developed in this study holds the potential for broad application among cement facilities that are considering fossil to alternative fuels as part of their GHG emission reduction strategies.

301 Leveraging genomics to advance the breeding of Canadian livestock

Abstract Implementing breeding strategies for a more sustainable food system is one of the most pressing topics for livestock industries. Although different species face different challenges, large-scale research projects can pave the way for future opportunities in these key sectors. Herein, we present two examples (dairy and poultry) of how research projects can result in meaningful changes to commercial breeding programs. The first example is an international large-scale dairy project, which will deliver a roadmap for greenhouse gas (GHG) management using genomics and nutrition. The project aims to facilitate a 55% reduction in GHG emissions from Canadian dairy at an estimated value of $338M CAD. This systems-level approach will leverage resources developed through previous and current large-scale projects to produce accurate multi-level emission estimates and identify opportunities to mitigate enteric GHG emissions. The results of this project will provide accurate, reliable, and robust data for industry stakeholders, national policy, and GHG inventories. The second example is a research collaboration with a commercial turkey breeding company that will enable breeding strategies for long-term and sustainable genetic improvement in health traits. This project aims to reduce preslaughter mortality by 5% and condemnations due to myopathies and health issues. This reduction alone is expected to result in 7.5M kg more turkey meat at a value of $19.8M CAD. Furthermore, there is also an expected reduction of 2.3M kg of CO2 equivalent per year for each 1% livability improvement due to production efficiencies and reduced inputs wasted for more sustainable and ethical meat production. Overall, ongoing and future research initiatives will continue to deliver solutions for key Canadian livestock sectors to improve animal health and welfare as well as efficiency and sustainability. The strides made in these ongoing collaborative projects are imperative for enhancing the sustainability of animal agriculture to feed the growing population.

Hydrogen-natural gas fuel blending in a “rich burn” engine with 3-way catalyst

Interest in hydrogen (H2) fuels is growing, with industry planning to produce it with stranded or excess energy from renewable sources in the future. Natural gas (NG) utility companies are now taking action to blend H2 into their preexisting pipelines to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from burning NG. Stoichiometric (“rich burn”) NG engines that operate on pipeline NG and will receive blended fuel as more gas utilities expand H2 production. These engines are typically chosen for their low emissions owing to the 3-way catalyst control, so the focus of this paper is on the change in emissions like carbon monoxide (CO) and nitrogen oxides (NOx) as the fuel is blended with up to 30% H2 by volume. The Caterpillar CG137-8 natural gas engine used for testing was originally designed for industrial gas compression applications and is a good representative for most “rich burn” engines used across industry for applications such as power generation, gas compression, and water pumping. A significant greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions reduction is observed as more H2 is added to the fuel. Increasing H2 in the fuel changes combustion behavior in the cylinder, resulting in faster ignition and higher cylinder pressures, which increase engine-out NOx emissions. Post-catalyst CO and NOx both decrease slightly with increasing H2 while operating at the optimal “air-fuel” equivalence ratio (λ). A “rich burn” engine with 3-way catalyst can tolerate up to 30% H2 (by vol.) while still meeting NOx and CO emissions limits. However, at elevated levels of H2, increased engine-out NOx emissions narrow the λ range of operation. As H2 is added to NG pipelines, some “rich burn” engine systems may require larger catalysts or more precise λ control to accommodate the increased NOx production associated with a H2-NG blend. Sudden step-increases in H2 cause dramatic changes in λ, resulting in large emissions of post-catalyst NOx during the transition. Comparable changes in H2 at elevated concentrations cause larger spikes in NOx than at lower concentrations. Better tuned engine controllers respond more quickly and produce less NOx during H2 step-transitions.

Numerical Investigation of flow and combustion process in a hydrogen direction injection rotary engine

The high power-to-weight ratio and zero carbon emission hydrogen rotary engine (HRE) is an attractive development direction of hydrogen-powered systems, which is of great significance in expanding the hydrogen energy diversified utilization and promoting greenhouse gas (GHG) emission reduction. In this paper, a direct injection HRE simulation model coupling chemical reaction kinetics is constructed. The flow and combustion processes are visually presented using computational fluid dynamics (CFD) means, and the effect of the air intake method and hydrogen injection timing on the mixture formation and combustion performance are analyzed. Research finds that the combustion pressure, peak pressure, indicated work and indicated power of the HRE are larger when using methods of the compound or side intake or delaying hydrogen injection strategy. Due to the forward flame propagation characteristics, the combustion process mainly occurs in the front part of the combustion chamber, and the mixture distribution in this area and aggregation near the ignition chamber are more favorable to improving the combustion performance. More gas fuel gathered in the leading or end regions of the chamber will affect the burn rate in the later combustion stage. The preferred scheme is compound AIM with HIT at the early compression stage (CAIM-190), and its peak pressure, indicated work and indicated power improve by 30.9%, 25.5% and 26.6% respectively while combustion duration shortens by 15.3% when comparing to the scheme of minimum peak pressure (PAIM-286). This study can offers basic data to promote the HRE achieving efficient combustion and zero carbon emissions.

A framework for climate change curriculum redevelopment within built environment professional degrees

Cities are important sites for greenhouse gas emission reductions and adaptation to climate change. Yet, the design, development and planning of many cities does not yet reflect this. Research reveals limited coverage of climate change in curricula of built environment degrees. This indicates that redevelopment of the curriculum of built environment professional degrees for greater climate change competencies is needed, and will be critical to achieve the Paris Agreement which seeks to limit warming to 1.5 °C. We address this gap by developing an evidence-based curriculum redevelopment framework for embedding climate change competencies in built environment degrees. A 10-stage framework, grounded in literature, was established, to redevelop curricula of built environment professional degrees for greater climate change coverage. The framework was applied to a Master of Urban Planning program at an Australian university, then refined. An outcome includes the development of a set of intended learning outcomes and generic skills for the program. The framework can be applied to other built environment professional degrees, to facilitate necessary curriculum change to address the climate crisis.

From pollution to resource: advancing swine waste treatment in the USA

Concentrated animal feeding operations (CAFOs) have led to environmental challenges, specifically waste management. Swine CAFOs generate large amounts of waste, requiring proper treatment to avoid air and water pollution. Conventional waste management technologies, such as lagoon and spray field systems, do not prevent air and water pollution impacts. Research for the past few decades led to recommendations for waste treatment technologies superior to lagoons and spray fields. Private environmental sustainability initiatives focused on reducing greenhouse gas emissions in the food supply chain have implemented biogas digester projects for capturing methane in covered swine lagoons to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. However, research indicates that methane capture alone does not solve the broader pollution issues associated with lagoon and spray field systems still in use at these CAFOs to dispose of digested effluents. The Environmentally Superior Technologies (EST) initiative in North Carolina set public standards to eliminate waste discharge, reduce atmospheric emissions, and control odors and pathogens. Research has confirmed that technologies coupling solids separation with water treatments to remove volatile organic carbon, pathogens, and reactive forms of nitrogen can meet EST standards. A designated EST—the Super Soil System—substantially reduced odor by 99.9%; pathogens by 99.99%, nutrients (phosphorus and nitrogen) by >90%, and heavy metals (cooper and zinc) by 99%. The ammonia emissions were reduced by 94.4% for the warm and 99.0% for the cool season with respect to a conventional lagoon system. Corresponding greenhouse gas emission reductions were 96.7%. Components of designated EST can be applied to retrofit covered lagoons and anaerobic digestion systems with significant environmental benefits. Recommendations are proposed, based on the collective experience with EST and current trends in animal production concentration, for environmentally safe technologies to handle excess manure produced in the USA.

Life cycle environmental trade-off of decarbonising UK industrial clusters — A cradle to gate approach

The industrial sector is a major source of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions due to process emissions and a heavy reliance on fossil fuels for heat and power. Methods exist to produce low carbon versions of products made in industrial clusters, including hydrogen, carbon capture and storage and alternative production methods, but these could increase burdens to other areas of the environment, such as resource depletion and water scarcity. This study compares different decarbonisation pathways for ammonia, cement, methanol and steel produced in the UK, to determine whether decarbonising could result in unintended environmental consequences. To determine this, life cycle assessment was applied to compare 267 different pathways to the conventional (fossil fuel) baseline. We find that most pathways lead to GHG emission reductions (43 to 78 % on average) but would increase impacts to other areas of the environment, including metal resources and ecotoxicity (8 % to 5-fold and 19 % to 24-fold, on average respectively). This study is the first to assess decarbonisation pathways for unintended environmental impacts and is of interest to industry, policy makers and anyone modelling industrial lifecycle emissions.

Low-carbon diets across diverse dietary patterns: Addressing population heterogeneity under constrained optimization

Mathematical optimization is a useful tool for modeling diets that fulfill requirements for health and environmental sustainability, however, population-based optimization approaches fail to account for underlying dietary diversity in populations. This study proposes a methodological approach to consider diverse dietary intake patterns in mathematical optimization of nutritionally adequate low-carbon diets and investigates the differences between different population groups, along with trade-offs between greenhouse gas emission (GHGE) reduction and the inconvenience of dietary changes required to achieve optimized diets. A k-means clustering analysis was applied to individual dietary intake data from Denmark, which resulted in four clusters with different dietary patterns. This was followed by quadratic programming, wherein the total dietary changes required from the observed diet within each cluster were used as a proxy for consumer inconvenience (i.e., “inconvenience index”) and were minimized while fulfilling nutrient constraints and incrementally tightened GHGE constraints. Across clusters, a steep increase of the inconvenience index was observed at GHGE levels below approximately 3 kg CO2e/10 MJ, corresponding to GHGE reductions of 24–36 % in different clusters. In all clusters, the optimized diets with nutritional and GHGE constraints showed common traits of increased content of cereals and starches, eggs, and fish and decreased amounts of beef and lamb, cheese, animal-based fats, and alcoholic beverages, but differences across clusters were also observed, maintaining characteristics of the clusters' baselines. When additional health-based targets for food amounts were applied as constraints, the optimized diets converged towards the same type of diet. The total inconvenience of dietary changes required to fulfill constraints differed between clusters, indicating that specific sub-populations may be more effective targets for dietary transition. The method has potential for future integration of more sustainability aspects and different consumer preferences.

Comprehensive assessment of the climatic and vegetation impacts of wind farms on grasslands: A case study in inner Mongolia, China

Although wind power contributes to the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions, it also has significant impacts on the local climate and vegetation. Exploring these impacts is important for the sustainable development of wind power. Therefore, based on moderate-resolution imaging spectroradiometer (MODIS) data and other remote sensing data from 2003 to 2022, this paper investigated the impacts of 101 grassland wind farms (WFs) in Inner Mongolia on land-atmosphere water and heat exchange, vegetation growth, ecosystem primary productivity, and vegetation structural characteristics during the growing season and revealed the spatial distribution patterns of the impacts of WFs as well as differences between different types of grasslands. The results indicated that WFs increased the nighttime land surface temperature (LST), decreased evapotranspiration (ET), inhibited vegetation growth, decreased gross primary productivity (GPP), and reduced the leaf area index (LAI) in growing season grasslands. This effect varied across different types of grasslands and showed significant complexity. In terms of land-atmosphere water and heat exchange, nighttime LST increases and ET decreases were significant in the typical steppe but not in the meadow steppe. In terms of vegetation change, meadow steppe had the most inhibited vegetation growth and the greatest reduction in GPP. In terms of the impact range, WFs on typical steppe and meadow steppe have opposite effects on vegetation growth and ecosystem primary productivity inside and outside of them, i.e., they inhibit vegetation growth and reduce GPP inside the WF areas but promote vegetation growth and increase GPP outside the WF areas. Compared with previous studies, this study analyzed multiple climate and vegetation indicators based on many WF samples, which reduced the uncertainty associated with a single sample and provided more comprehensive and comparable observations of different types of grasslands. These findings can help to balance the relationship between wind power development and ecological protection.

Cost estimation of Non-CO2 greenhouse gas emissions reduction- A bottom-up analysis of coal-bed methane extraction and utilization in Shanxi, China

This paper analyzes the synergistic effect of coal-bed methane (CBM) extraction and utilization on greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions reduction in Shanxi Province. Using data from a survey of 87 CBM extraction firms and 61 CBM utilization firms, we draw abatement cost curves of methane emission reduction with the "Conserved Supply Curve (CSC)." Our findings show large diversity among the methane abatement costs of extraction firms, meanwhile cost diversity in the extraction step is mainly due to differences in extraction technologies, rather than mine types. Power generation is the main utilization option for CBM, with much smaller abatement cost diversity than in the extraction step. Most utilization projects are established near CBM sources, with small-scale equipment supplied by domestic vendors. We suggest Shanxi could introduce a carbon pricing mechanism to further encourage CBM extraction and increase its scale. Promoting technology standardization can reduce cost diversity among extraction firms, while developing CBM purifying firms can create standardized products and break the strong integration of extraction and utilization. Strengthening CBM transportation infrastructure can form a competitive market with multi-source supply upstream and efficient transportation downstream. Promoting joint research and development for domestic CBM utilization equipment can also improve its scale.

Green Energy Development Strategy Towards Green Logistics: Case Study At PT. Pelabuhan Indonesia III (Persero) Benoa Bali

Implementing green logistics involves using environmentally friendly practices and technologies in the management of supply chains and transportation of goods. The potential benefits gained in implementing green logistics include, a reduction in greenhouse gas emissions, energy, and resource efficiency, reduced operational costs, reputation, and regulatory compliance. This research aims to create a strategy for developing the use of green energy towards green logistics at Benoa Port. The research methodology using a systematic literature review hybrid type then present several development strategy schemes that will be implemented. The results of the research conclude that the sea side and land side strategies can be applied to Benoa Port, the initial development strategy that has the greatest potential to be implemented is wind energy and solar energy on the land side to support the implementation of green logistics in fulfilling the Port area's electrical energy, the implications of this research will have an impact on the development of green energy for other ports in Indonesia in accordance with the government's national energy policy.

Mitigating GHG Emissions from Military Supply Chain by Use of Aerial Cable Way

The transportation sector being one of the significant contributors to greenhouse gas (GHG) emission, there is growing concerns about environmental sustainability, and reducing GHG emissions which has prompted re-evaluation of transportation systems. The 1.5 million strong Indian defence forces have huge transport fleet and this study delves into the potential of Aerial Cableway (ACW) as a promising alternative mode of transport that can significantly reduce emissions of military supply chain in mountainous terrain. The study takes a case of Himalayan terrain to investigate how ACWs offer a low-impact, energy-efficient, and environmentally friendly solution compared to conventional ground-based transportation. It takes a case of Pharkian Pass in North Kashmir where defence forces has presence and this pass is often exposed to frequent landslides, snowfall and avalanches. Every year, on an average, approximately 12,000 trucks cross Pharkian pass in a year for purpose of logistics and sustenance. Without touching sensitive issues and by using a multi-criteria-based cost-benefit analysis, the study establishes that even if 75 % of road transport trips are shifted to ACWs, the reduction of GHG emissions is by 57.7 % in addition to significant benefits of the social cost of carbon, environmental costs, economic savings and ensuring strategic advantage like all-weather connectivity.

Simulating the impact of a carbon tax on food in four European countries

Abstract Since agriculture is responsible for a considerable share of anthropogenic greenhouse gas emissions (GHGE), this paper examines the impact of various carbon taxes designed to incentivize environmentally friendly food consumption patterns in four European countries: Finland, Italy, Sweden, and the United Kingdom. As the proposed fiscal policies are likely to affect food consumption patterns, the study also assesses the consequent changes in diet quality and welfare. The results from this analysis reveal considerable variations in the reduction of GHGE across countries and tax schemes. While most taxation schemes have only a modest impact on dietary quality, these effects differ among nations. Additionally, the welfare cost of the compensated scheme is relatively small but not insignificant. These findings raise questions about the efficacy of a common European fiscal policy for climate mitigation compared to a more flexible approach where each member state calibrates the tax according to its unique circumstances.

Stakeholder Insights: A Socio-Agronomic Study on Varietal Innovation Adoption, Preferences, and Sustainability in the Arracacha Crop (Arracacia xanthorrhiza B.)

Arracacha, a root crop indigenous to the Andean region of South America, holds significant agronomic and socio-economic importance in Colombia. The study aims to evaluate the impacts of adopting the ‘Agrosavia La 22’ variety on agricultural sustainability and productivity, encompassing economic, environmental, and social dimensions. Additionally, it analyzes the preferences of farmers and other stakeholders regarding the sustainability of the introduced technological innovations. Conducted over three years (2021–2023), the study offers comprehensive insights into adoption trends and stakeholder perceptions. Utilizing the Ambitec-Agro methodology, the research assesses the environmental, social, and economic impacts of ‘Agrosavia La 22’. Data collection involved field observations and interviews with farmers and key actors in the arracacha supply chain. Results indicate a substantial increase in the cultivated area from 1500 hectares in 2021 to 2650 hectares in 2023, with the proportion of total cultivated area rising from 47.6% to 84.1%. Economically, ‘Agrosavia La 22’ demonstrated significant input cost savings, reducing costs by USD 347 per hectare by 2023 and enhancing producer surplus from USD 30.95 to USD 651.16 per hectare. Yield comparisons show higher median yields for ‘Agrosavia La 22’ (20 t ha−1 in 2023) compared to traditional varieties (12.5 t ha−1). Socially, there was a marked improvement in farmers’ income perceptions, and environmentally, there was a reduction in greenhouse gas emissions (324.05 kg CO2-eq ha−1) due to optimized fertilizer and pesticide applications. Eco-efficiency (EE) analysis shows that ‘Agrosavia La 22’ consistently demonstrated positive EE values, indicating economic viability alongside lower GHG emissions. In 2021, its EE stood at 2.2 USD/kg CO2-eq, increasing to 27.75 USD/kg CO2-eq by 2023, reflecting substantial economic gains relative to environmental impact. Conversely, the traditional variety initially exhibited lower EE due to high GHG emissions. Challenges such as soil quality decline and market price volatility were noted. Overall, the findings underscore the economic, social, and environmental benefits of ‘Agrosavia La 22’. Furthermore, the methodology used in this study can be applied to the evaluation of other varietal innovations in developing countries with limited resources for assessing agricultural technology impacts.

Mechanical investigation of alkali-activated prefabricated sustainable wall panels using ashes and stone dust

There is an increasing trend for the development of sustainable structural elements. Because of the massive scale, sustainable materials, methods, and practices can make a significant difference in the construction industry. This research uses locally available wastes like bagasse ash, fly ash, and stone dust along with silty clay for the development of versatile prefabricated wall panels. The goal is to find an optimized design of wall panels based on strength, weight, and cost. 20 panels were cast by varying three material compositions and two Na2SiO3/NaOH (SS/SH) ratios. The results show that wall panels have adequate strength to take care of the flexural and axial loading for houses. Based on weight /density clay-based panels are 5.7 % and stone dust-based panels are 5 % lighter than cement-based panels. The stone dust-based ferrocement geopolymer panel with a 1.5 SS/SH ratio has attained an ultimate load of 125 kN, which is close to the cement-based ferrocement panel load of 136 kN. The material cost of GPC wall panels is nearly similar to a brick masonry wall. However, in the case of cement panels, the cost is 47 % less than that of the brick masonry wall. At the same time, cement panels can have an adverse impact on the environment, firstly by reduction of greenhouse gas emissions and secondly by utilization of waste ashes damaging the environment.

The relationship between pro-environmental behavior, subjective well-being, and environmental impact: a meta-analysis

Abstract A substantial change towards more pro-environmental behavior (PEB) is essential to reach the required reduction in greenhouse gas emissions and mitigate climate change. These behavior changes will have consequences on people’s daily lives and thus might affect their well-being. Previous research generally finds positive correlations between PEB and well-being. This meta-analysis explores whether the relationship between PEB and well-being depends on the environmental impact of the performed PEB. Overall, the paper finds a small but significant positive relation between PEB and well-being. When accounting for the environmental impact of the PEB, however, the positive relationship only remains for low-impact PEB. The meta-analysis does not provide any evidence that engaging in high-impact PEB relates to well-being. Consequently, these findings demonstrate that there is more ambiguity in the relationship between PEB and well-being than previously described in the literature and that the environmental impact of PEB matters when evaluating its relationship with well-being. These findings have important implications for policy-making trying to facilitate mitigation efforts that ultimately aim to balance the well-being of the current and future generations.

Research on the Impact of Digital Transformation on Corporate ESG - A Case Study of Jingdong Logistics

The purpose of this research is to analyze the impact that digital transformation has on the environmental, social, and governance (ESG) elements of businesses by using Jingdong Logistics as a case study. Jingdong Logistics' environmental, social, and governance (ESG) indicators have been impacted both directly and indirectly by the digital transformation that the company has undergone, as indicated by the study of data changes and measures taken both before and after the transition. This digital transition has led to huge reductions in greenhouse gas emissions, which is good news for the environment; but, it also creates challenges in terms of energy consumption requirements. Although there has been an increase in the number of training hours and a drop in the number of workplace injuries, there has been an increase in the number of full-time employees, while there has been an increase in employee turnover. Even though there was an increase in the number of vendors, anti-corruption incidents decreased. Regarding the governance side of things, improvements were made to data security and transparency. According to the findings of the inquiry, digital transformation had a positive impact on the environmental, social, and governance (ESG) of Jingdong Logistics; nevertheless, it also brought up new challenges that call for continued attention and growth.

ESTUDIO DE DIFERENTES ALTERNATIVAS DE FUNCIONAMIENTO DE LOS GRUPOS EN LAS CENTRALES ELÉCTRICAS DE CANARIAS

Island electricity systems aim to adapt to the environmental expectations established by the European framework. For this reason, it is necessary to increase efforts to increase the penetration of renewables and optimize energy production. An extensive preliminary research study has been carried out on the current production system, its variables and its conditioning factors, with which a series of operating alternatives have been obtained that will optimize the energy production system through combustion technology (non-renewables) and combine them with the production of energy through renewable sources. renewables, complying both in dynamic response, security, scaling and integration with such systems, in terms of efficiency and power. The reduction of greenhouse gas emissions and the penetration of these renewable energies in the island's electricity systems will be increased. As has been proven in the research background, the usually established combination of power producing equipment is not the best to reduce pollution, and there are other possible combinations with better results. The study methodology followed leads to take measures based on: a) changing the type of fuel in the equipment that allows it, b) using the combination of less pollutant producing equipment with response capacity and c) considering the integration and incorporation of the pumped hydroelectric electric storage plant (PHES) "Chira-Soria" into Gran Canaria's electrical system. The different measures contribute to the improvement in the reduction of greenhouse gases (GHG) in a convincing way. Keywords: Isolated power system, Generation expansion planning, Energy transition, Insular electrical systems (IES), Energy policy, Canary Islands, Renewable energy, Pumped hydroelectric storage plant (PHES).

Exploring the synergy of enhanced weathering and Bacillus subtilis: A promising strategy for sustainable agriculture.

Climate change is one of the most urgent environmental challenges that humanity faces. In addition to the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions, safe and robust carbon dioxide removal (CDR) technologies that capture atmospheric CO2 and ensure long-term sequestration are required. Among CDR technologies, enhanced silicate weathering (ESW) has been suggested as a promising option. While ESW has been demonstrated to depend strongly on pH, water, and temperature, recent studies suggest that biota may accelerate mineral weathering rates. Bacillus subtilis is a plant growth-promoting rhizobacterium that can facilitate weathering to obtain mineral nutrients. It is a promising agricultural biofertilizer, as it helps plants acquire nutrients and protects them from environmental stresses. Given that croplands are optimal implementation fields for ESW, any synergy between ESW and B. subtilis can hold great potential for further practice. B. subtilis was reported to enhance weathering under laboratory conditions, but there is a lack of data for soil applications. In a soil-mesocosm experiment, we examined the effect of B. subtilis on basalt weathering. B. subtilis-basalt interaction stimulated basalt weathering and increased soil extractable Fe. The combined application displayed higher CDR potential compared to basalt-only application (3.7 vs. 2.3 tons CO2 ha-1) taking solid and liquid cation pools into account. However, the cumulative CO2 efflux decreased by approximately 2 tons CO2 ha-1 with basalt-only treatment, while the combined application did not affect the CO2 efflux. We found limited mobilization of cations to the liquid phase as most were retained in the soil. Additionally, we found substantial mobilization of basalt-originated Mg, Fe, and Al to oxide- and organic-bound soil fractions. We, therefore, conclude that basalt addition showed relatively low inorganic CDR potential but a high capacity for SOM stabilization. The outcomes indicated the importance of weathering rate-GHG emission integration and the high potential of SOM stabilization in ESW studies.

The Current Development and Outlook of China Certified Emission Reduction Trading Scheme

China’s trading scheme for voluntary greenhouse gas (GHG) emission reductions, i.e. China Certified Emission Reduction (CCER), is an important policy tool to promote GHG emission reduction through market mechanisms and help achieve carbon peaking and carbon neutrality goals (the “dual carbon” goals). The CCER trading scheme was initiated in 2012, and after five years of practical exploration, it has provided an effective channel for the whole society to actively participate in carbon emission reductions. Since 2023, the relevant state departments have issued the Measures for the Administration of Voluntary Greenhouse Gas Emission Reduction Trading (Trial) and released the first batch of four project-specific methodologies and five verification institutions, marking the basic completion of the institutional framework of the CCER trading market. In January 2024, the CCER trading market was officially launched, and has been operated in a stable and orderly way, with its policy role of low-cost emission reduction through market mechanisms gradually coming into play. It should be also noted that, in the early stage of its start-up, the market still faces problems such as insufficient market supply, uncertain integration with international schemes, and relatively lagging behind in capacity building, which need to be gradually addressed in the development process. On that basis, this paper gives an outlook.