The forgotten solution to climate change
Dr. José Rubio and colleagues argue in a position paper that soil regulates climate, so degradation releases carbon and worsens drought, making sustainable soil management essential to climate action.
Field
Environment
Climate, pollution, agriculture, food systems and natural resources.
Coastal Villages’ Carbon Emissions and Reduction Strategies
Dr. Guanhua Qu's team found that building energy use and transport dominate carbon emissions in coastal Hebei villages, and that different village types need tailored reduction strategies.
Revealing Employee Commitment to Sustainability: A Cross-Cultural Perspective
Dr. Candida Manuel's team adapted and validated a questionnaire on employees' voluntary environmental behaviour at work, showing it gives reliable results in both Portugal and Slovakia.
Transforming Bangladesh’s Emission Standards with COPERT 5.5
Sakie Kawsar and colleagues found that the European COPERT emission model reliably estimates vehicle emissions in Bangladesh, closely matching World Bank figures and yielding updated emission factors.
Sustainable Tourism Rises with Eco-Friendly Czech Hotels
Dr. Pavla Vrabcová's team found that Czech hotels and guesthouses adopt a similar range of green measures regardless of star rating, with energy saving and waste sorting most common.
New Seedless Nagpur Mandarin Set to strengthen Citrus Industry
Dr. Vijayakumari Narukulla's team grew seedless triploid Nagpur mandarin plants from cultured fruit endosperm, and early trials showed their fruits were commercially seedless.
Safer Fresh Produce with Sulfur Dioxide Fumigation
Dr. Yong-Biao Liu found that low-temperature sulfur dioxide fumigation killed all western flower thrips and left bell peppers, oranges and yellow apples undamaged, though it discoloured broccoli.
Cutting Emissions: Autonomous Electric Tow Trucks Transform Aircraft Taxiing
Stefano Zaninotto and colleagues developed an algorithm that plans conflict-free routes and schedules for autonomous electric tow trucks moving aircraft, and simulations suggest it can cut taxiing fuel use.
Integrating Aesthetic Values in Nature-Based Ecological Designs
Professor Carsten Herrmann-Pillath's team proposes treating nature-based solutions as co-created art, in which other species help shape the designs rather than leaving design to human engineers alone.
How E-Bike Programs Are Revolutionizing Urban Commutes
Dr. Joost de Kruijf's team found that most commuters in a Dutch e-bike incentive programme followed through on their plans, and the programme encouraged continued e-cycling after it ended.
Transforming Plastic Trash into Energy Gold via Hydrothermal Carbonization
Dr. Clovis Che and Professor Philippe Heynderickx review how hydrothermal carbonization can turn mixed plastic waste into hydrochar for fuels, catalysts and energy storage, and the hurdles that remain.
The Invisible Threat: How Tiny Soil Changes Release Radon
Dr. Entesar El-Araby and Dr. Amal Azazi found that larger soil grains and larger containers increased radon release, while using more soil lowered the share of radon that escaped.