Pub Date : 2025-12-05DOI: 10.1038/s41893-025-01689-4
Daniel Chrisendo, Venla Niva, Roman Hoffmann, Sina Masoumzadeh Sayyar, Juan Rocha, Vilma Sandström, Frederick Solt, Matti Kummu
Income inequality is one of the most important measures to indicate socioeconomic welfare and quality of life, and has implications for the environment. Yet, especially at the subnational level, comprehensive global data on income distribution are widely missing. Such data are essential for assessing patterns of inequality within countries and their development over time. Here we created seamless global subnational Gini coefficient and gross national income purchasing power parity per capita datasets for the period 1990–2023 and used these to assess the status and trends of income inequality and income, as well as their interplay. We show that while gross national income has increased for most people globally (94%), inequality has also increased for around 46–59% (depending on the national dataset used) of the global population, while it has decreased for 31–36% and has not shown a significant trend for 10–18%. We illustrate heterogeneities in inequality trends between and within countries, analyse plausible confounding factors related to inequality, and highlight the broad utility of the datasets through a case study that investigates correlations with terrestrial ecological diversity. Our dataset and analyses provide valuable insights for relevant stakeholders to direct future research and make informed decisions at the global, national and subnational levels, addressing societal, economic and environmental challenges caused by inequality. The lack of income distribution data hinders the study of income inequality, which is critical for sustainable development. This study now provides subnational global datasets to assess the problem and shows rising income levels worldwide and rising inequality for many over the past 30 years.
{"title":"Rising income inequality across half of global population and socioecological implications","authors":"Daniel Chrisendo, Venla Niva, Roman Hoffmann, Sina Masoumzadeh Sayyar, Juan Rocha, Vilma Sandström, Frederick Solt, Matti Kummu","doi":"10.1038/s41893-025-01689-4","DOIUrl":"10.1038/s41893-025-01689-4","url":null,"abstract":"Income inequality is one of the most important measures to indicate socioeconomic welfare and quality of life, and has implications for the environment. Yet, especially at the subnational level, comprehensive global data on income distribution are widely missing. Such data are essential for assessing patterns of inequality within countries and their development over time. Here we created seamless global subnational Gini coefficient and gross national income purchasing power parity per capita datasets for the period 1990–2023 and used these to assess the status and trends of income inequality and income, as well as their interplay. We show that while gross national income has increased for most people globally (94%), inequality has also increased for around 46–59% (depending on the national dataset used) of the global population, while it has decreased for 31–36% and has not shown a significant trend for 10–18%. We illustrate heterogeneities in inequality trends between and within countries, analyse plausible confounding factors related to inequality, and highlight the broad utility of the datasets through a case study that investigates correlations with terrestrial ecological diversity. Our dataset and analyses provide valuable insights for relevant stakeholders to direct future research and make informed decisions at the global, national and subnational levels, addressing societal, economic and environmental challenges caused by inequality. The lack of income distribution data hinders the study of income inequality, which is critical for sustainable development. This study now provides subnational global datasets to assess the problem and shows rising income levels worldwide and rising inequality for many over the past 30 years.","PeriodicalId":19056,"journal":{"name":"Nature Sustainability","volume":"8 12","pages":"1601-1613"},"PeriodicalIF":27.1,"publicationDate":"2025-12-05","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.nature.comhttps://www.nature.com/articles/s41893-025-01689-4.pdf","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145772777","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2025-12-04DOI: 10.1038/s41893-025-01685-8
Terrence J. Collins, J. Peterson Myers, Frederick S. vom Saal
Bisphenol A, a widely used polymer building block and product additive, activates oestrogen receptors to elicit adverse effects in humans and animals with profound negative impacts on human and environmental welfare. Now, by following the Safe and Sustainable by Design framework, renewable, non-oestrogenic bisphenol A analogues have been identified.
{"title":"Non-oestrogenic bisphenols based on lignocellulosics","authors":"Terrence J. Collins, J. Peterson Myers, Frederick S. vom Saal","doi":"10.1038/s41893-025-01685-8","DOIUrl":"10.1038/s41893-025-01685-8","url":null,"abstract":"Bisphenol A, a widely used polymer building block and product additive, activates oestrogen receptors to elicit adverse effects in humans and animals with profound negative impacts on human and environmental welfare. Now, by following the Safe and Sustainable by Design framework, renewable, non-oestrogenic bisphenol A analogues have been identified.","PeriodicalId":19056,"journal":{"name":"Nature Sustainability","volume":"9 1","pages":"14-15"},"PeriodicalIF":27.1,"publicationDate":"2025-12-04","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146049425","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
The electrochemical co-reduction of abundant carbon dioxide (CO2) and nitrates (NO3−) offers a more sustainable strategy for synthesizing urea, which is a critical nitrogen source for fertilizers. However, constrained proton-coupled electron transfer and limited opportunity for C–N coupling lead to a low urea production rate. In this work, we incorporated ionic liquid and copper [Cu(II)] into the zeolitic imidazolate framework-8 to create the IL@Cu-ZIF-8 catalyst. The as-prepared catalyst demonstrates excellent performance for the co-reduction of CO2 and NO3− to urea. At −0.5 V versus the reversible hydrogen electrode, the production rate of urea can reach 140 μmol h−1 cm−2 (~42,000 mg h−1 gcat−1), with a Faradaic efficiency toward urea of 55.3%. A total of 0.53 g of pure urea was generated over a 25-cm2 IL@Cu-ZIF-8 electrode after 5 h of electrolysis. Mechanism studies show that ionic liquid within the catalyst acts as a molecular bridge, linking the active centres of the catalyst and reactants through versatile interactions, which increases the concentration of surface reactants and reduces the proton-coupled electron transfer barrier, thereby promoting C–N coupling for urea synthesis. This work introduces an efficient strategy for urea electrosynthesis with a high production rate, representing a significant step toward scalable electrochemical synthesis of nitrogen-containing compounds. Synthesis of urea through the electrochemical co-reduction of abundant CO2 and nitrates offers an eco-friendly alternative to existing technologies. The authors use ionic liquids to construct molecular bridges between the catalyst’s active sites and the reactants, thereby enhancing urea production.
{"title":"Efficient urea electrosynthesis from CO2 and nitrate mediated by an ionic liquid bridge","authors":"Yaoyu Yin, Zhongnan Ling, Shiqiang Liu, Yiyong Wang, Wenling Zhao, Hengan Wang, Jiahao Yang, Rongjuan Feng, Shipeng Zhang, Xueqing Xing, Lihong Jing, Qinggong Zhu, Xiaofu Sun, Jianling Zhang, Xinchen Kang, Buxing Han","doi":"10.1038/s41893-025-01703-9","DOIUrl":"10.1038/s41893-025-01703-9","url":null,"abstract":"The electrochemical co-reduction of abundant carbon dioxide (CO2) and nitrates (NO3−) offers a more sustainable strategy for synthesizing urea, which is a critical nitrogen source for fertilizers. However, constrained proton-coupled electron transfer and limited opportunity for C–N coupling lead to a low urea production rate. In this work, we incorporated ionic liquid and copper [Cu(II)] into the zeolitic imidazolate framework-8 to create the IL@Cu-ZIF-8 catalyst. The as-prepared catalyst demonstrates excellent performance for the co-reduction of CO2 and NO3− to urea. At −0.5 V versus the reversible hydrogen electrode, the production rate of urea can reach 140 μmol h−1 cm−2 (~42,000 mg h−1 gcat−1), with a Faradaic efficiency toward urea of 55.3%. A total of 0.53 g of pure urea was generated over a 25-cm2 IL@Cu-ZIF-8 electrode after 5 h of electrolysis. Mechanism studies show that ionic liquid within the catalyst acts as a molecular bridge, linking the active centres of the catalyst and reactants through versatile interactions, which increases the concentration of surface reactants and reduces the proton-coupled electron transfer barrier, thereby promoting C–N coupling for urea synthesis. This work introduces an efficient strategy for urea electrosynthesis with a high production rate, representing a significant step toward scalable electrochemical synthesis of nitrogen-containing compounds. Synthesis of urea through the electrochemical co-reduction of abundant CO2 and nitrates offers an eco-friendly alternative to existing technologies. The authors use ionic liquids to construct molecular bridges between the catalyst’s active sites and the reactants, thereby enhancing urea production.","PeriodicalId":19056,"journal":{"name":"Nature Sustainability","volume":"9 1","pages":"108-116"},"PeriodicalIF":27.1,"publicationDate":"2025-12-04","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146049464","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2025-12-04DOI: 10.1038/s41893-025-01672-z
Cristiana Margarita, Paula Pierozan, Sathiyaraj Subramaniyan, Andrey Shatskiy, Darius Pakarinen, Annabelle Fritz, Emma Lundqvist, Victoria Chu, Hampus Hagelin, Ulf Norinder, Minna Hakkarainen, Oskar Karlsson, Helena Lundberg
Most contemporary chemical processes rely on non-renewable resources and reagents associated with negative impact on environment and human health. As a result, the safe-and-sustainable-by-design (SSbD) framework is launched to guide the innovation towards safe and sustainable materials and chemical products. Bisphenol A (BPA) is a widely used chemical in the production of plastics but known to activate oestrogen receptors and linked by numerous studies to adverse effects on both human health and the environment. Here we demonstrate how SSbD can lead a multidisciplinary study for the identification of non-oestrogenic BPA analogues suitable for incorporation into high-performance polymeric materials. Toxicological evaluation of a library of 172 bisphenols using an in silico model identified 20 promising candidates that are synthesized from renewable lignin-sourced feedstocks via benign dehydrative catalytic routes. Subsequent in vitro assessment of their oestrogen receptor activity identifies bisguaiacol F as optimal BPA analogue, which is incorporated into a polyester with attractive thermal stability and flexibility. This work demonstrates an effective workflow for the discovery of renewable and non-oestrogenic bisphenols by taking advantage of the synergy of synthetic chemistry, toxicology and computational modelling. ‘Safe and sustainable by design’ is a framework to guide innovations for chemicals and materials. Here the authors apply this approach for the synthesis of a polyester with desirable mechanical and thermal properties from a non-oestrogenic bisphenol.
{"title":"Safe-and-sustainable-by-design approach to polyesters from non-oestrogenic bisphenols","authors":"Cristiana Margarita, Paula Pierozan, Sathiyaraj Subramaniyan, Andrey Shatskiy, Darius Pakarinen, Annabelle Fritz, Emma Lundqvist, Victoria Chu, Hampus Hagelin, Ulf Norinder, Minna Hakkarainen, Oskar Karlsson, Helena Lundberg","doi":"10.1038/s41893-025-01672-z","DOIUrl":"10.1038/s41893-025-01672-z","url":null,"abstract":"Most contemporary chemical processes rely on non-renewable resources and reagents associated with negative impact on environment and human health. As a result, the safe-and-sustainable-by-design (SSbD) framework is launched to guide the innovation towards safe and sustainable materials and chemical products. Bisphenol A (BPA) is a widely used chemical in the production of plastics but known to activate oestrogen receptors and linked by numerous studies to adverse effects on both human health and the environment. Here we demonstrate how SSbD can lead a multidisciplinary study for the identification of non-oestrogenic BPA analogues suitable for incorporation into high-performance polymeric materials. Toxicological evaluation of a library of 172 bisphenols using an in silico model identified 20 promising candidates that are synthesized from renewable lignin-sourced feedstocks via benign dehydrative catalytic routes. Subsequent in vitro assessment of their oestrogen receptor activity identifies bisguaiacol F as optimal BPA analogue, which is incorporated into a polyester with attractive thermal stability and flexibility. This work demonstrates an effective workflow for the discovery of renewable and non-oestrogenic bisphenols by taking advantage of the synergy of synthetic chemistry, toxicology and computational modelling. ‘Safe and sustainable by design’ is a framework to guide innovations for chemicals and materials. Here the authors apply this approach for the synthesis of a polyester with desirable mechanical and thermal properties from a non-oestrogenic bisphenol.","PeriodicalId":19056,"journal":{"name":"Nature Sustainability","volume":"9 1","pages":"86-95"},"PeriodicalIF":27.1,"publicationDate":"2025-12-04","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.nature.comhttps://www.nature.com/articles/s41893-025-01672-z.pdf","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146049467","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2025-12-03DOI: 10.1038/s41893-025-01690-x
Ninad Avinash Mungi, Yadvendradev V. Jhala, Jens-Christian Svenning, Qamar Qureshi
Invasive plants, alongside other global changes, are transforming ecosystems globally. Strategic responses depend on monitoring invasions and arising socioecological risks particularly in the biodiverse and socioeconomically vulnerable regions. Using 16 years (2006–2022) of systematic monitoring over 277,000 km2 in India, we analyse the nexus between plant invasions and global changes, including propagule pressure, forest warming and drying, altered fire and herbivory dynamics and rapid land-use transformation. Annually, ~15,500 km2 of natural areas are invaded by at least one new species, exposing ~11,200 km2 of herbivore occupancy to forage loss. These invasions potentially limit resources for tiger food chains across ~5,950 km2 annually. Invasions have exposed 144 million people, 2.79 million livestock and 0.2 million km2 of smallholder agriculture to cascading impacts. By identifying socioecological risk hotspots for prioritizing investments, our findings offer critical insights to guide targeted restoration and safeguard biodiversity and vulnerable livelihoods. Biological invasions can have detrimental ecological and social impacts, especially in regions where human populations depend on natural systems for their livelihoods. This study examines the socioecological impacts and global change drivers associated with plant invasions in India from 2006 to 2022.
{"title":"Socioecological risks amplified by rising plant invasions in India","authors":"Ninad Avinash Mungi, Yadvendradev V. Jhala, Jens-Christian Svenning, Qamar Qureshi","doi":"10.1038/s41893-025-01690-x","DOIUrl":"10.1038/s41893-025-01690-x","url":null,"abstract":"Invasive plants, alongside other global changes, are transforming ecosystems globally. Strategic responses depend on monitoring invasions and arising socioecological risks particularly in the biodiverse and socioeconomically vulnerable regions. Using 16 years (2006–2022) of systematic monitoring over 277,000 km2 in India, we analyse the nexus between plant invasions and global changes, including propagule pressure, forest warming and drying, altered fire and herbivory dynamics and rapid land-use transformation. Annually, ~15,500 km2 of natural areas are invaded by at least one new species, exposing ~11,200 km2 of herbivore occupancy to forage loss. These invasions potentially limit resources for tiger food chains across ~5,950 km2 annually. Invasions have exposed 144 million people, 2.79 million livestock and 0.2 million km2 of smallholder agriculture to cascading impacts. By identifying socioecological risk hotspots for prioritizing investments, our findings offer critical insights to guide targeted restoration and safeguard biodiversity and vulnerable livelihoods. Biological invasions can have detrimental ecological and social impacts, especially in regions where human populations depend on natural systems for their livelihoods. This study examines the socioecological impacts and global change drivers associated with plant invasions in India from 2006 to 2022.","PeriodicalId":19056,"journal":{"name":"Nature Sustainability","volume":"9 1","pages":"130-141"},"PeriodicalIF":27.1,"publicationDate":"2025-12-03","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146049465","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2025-12-03DOI: 10.1038/s41893-025-01691-w
Henry Chi Hang Yeung, Tamlin M. Pavelsky, Chao Wang, Nate G. McDowell, Ryan E. Emanuel, Emily S. Bernhardt, Xi Yang
Rising sea levels have driven widespread coastal tree die-off, forming large swaths of standing dead trees known as ‘ghost forests’. While reports of coastal forest loss are accumulating, its true severity and factors determining the underlying mortality risks remain poorly understood. Here we mapped over 10 million individual dead trees across the US Atlantic region, a sea level rise hotspot, using deep learning and sub-metre aerial imagery. Our analysis reveals disproportionate and pervasive tree mortality in many previously unrecognized ghost forest hotspots, with over 6 million dead trees concentrated in low-lying (<5 m) forests, primarily driven by salinization rather than flooding alone. Notably, man-made flood obstructions (roads and levees), when present, have reduced forest loss by 40% and 79% respectively, but they can only provide temporary protection against rising seas. These findings highlight the alarming decline in coastal forests and the need for strategic long-term planning to preserve the critical services that coastal ecosystems provide. Large swathes of standing dead trees or ‘ghost forests’ can form owing to rising sea levels in coastal areas, but the extent to which this occurs is unclear. This study maps ghost forests at the individual tree level along the US Atlantic coastal region.
{"title":"Overlooked and extensive ghost forest formation across the US Atlantic coast","authors":"Henry Chi Hang Yeung, Tamlin M. Pavelsky, Chao Wang, Nate G. McDowell, Ryan E. Emanuel, Emily S. Bernhardt, Xi Yang","doi":"10.1038/s41893-025-01691-w","DOIUrl":"10.1038/s41893-025-01691-w","url":null,"abstract":"Rising sea levels have driven widespread coastal tree die-off, forming large swaths of standing dead trees known as ‘ghost forests’. While reports of coastal forest loss are accumulating, its true severity and factors determining the underlying mortality risks remain poorly understood. Here we mapped over 10 million individual dead trees across the US Atlantic region, a sea level rise hotspot, using deep learning and sub-metre aerial imagery. Our analysis reveals disproportionate and pervasive tree mortality in many previously unrecognized ghost forest hotspots, with over 6 million dead trees concentrated in low-lying (<5 m) forests, primarily driven by salinization rather than flooding alone. Notably, man-made flood obstructions (roads and levees), when present, have reduced forest loss by 40% and 79% respectively, but they can only provide temporary protection against rising seas. These findings highlight the alarming decline in coastal forests and the need for strategic long-term planning to preserve the critical services that coastal ecosystems provide. Large swathes of standing dead trees or ‘ghost forests’ can form owing to rising sea levels in coastal areas, but the extent to which this occurs is unclear. This study maps ghost forests at the individual tree level along the US Atlantic coastal region.","PeriodicalId":19056,"journal":{"name":"Nature Sustainability","volume":"8 12","pages":"1445-1454"},"PeriodicalIF":27.1,"publicationDate":"2025-12-03","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145772832","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2025-12-02DOI: 10.1038/s41893-025-01697-4
Dyes in textile waste streams pose a major barrier to textile-to-textile recycling. Our research has developed an upstream platform that effectively removes dyes from polyester and other textiles using sustainable, biologically derived solvents, and enables the recycling of both fibres and dyes.
{"title":"Dye removal from polyester fibres unlocks textile recycling","authors":"","doi":"10.1038/s41893-025-01697-4","DOIUrl":"10.1038/s41893-025-01697-4","url":null,"abstract":"Dyes in textile waste streams pose a major barrier to textile-to-textile recycling. Our research has developed an upstream platform that effectively removes dyes from polyester and other textiles using sustainable, biologically derived solvents, and enables the recycling of both fibres and dyes.","PeriodicalId":19056,"journal":{"name":"Nature Sustainability","volume":"9 1","pages":"20-21"},"PeriodicalIF":27.1,"publicationDate":"2025-12-02","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146049461","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2025-12-02DOI: 10.1038/s41893-025-01714-6
Jacob E. Hill, Kenneth F. Kellner, Jerrold L. Belant
Here we analysed use and trade data for terrestrial mammal species worldwide and found that sport hunted species were more likely to have stable or increasing populations and less likely to be listed as threatened compared with non-sport hunted species. Species hunted for food were not more likely to have decreasing populations or be listed as threatened compared with those not hunted for food. These results suggest that sport hunting is linked with more favourable conservation status of mammal species and can be a component of sustainable wildlife management. While controversial, the practice of sport hunting has been argued to incentivize the conservation of various animal species. This study provides evidence that can facilitate further discussion for multifunctional land use in traditional societies.
{"title":"Sport hunting associated with favourable conservation status of mammals","authors":"Jacob E. Hill, Kenneth F. Kellner, Jerrold L. Belant","doi":"10.1038/s41893-025-01714-6","DOIUrl":"10.1038/s41893-025-01714-6","url":null,"abstract":"Here we analysed use and trade data for terrestrial mammal species worldwide and found that sport hunted species were more likely to have stable or increasing populations and less likely to be listed as threatened compared with non-sport hunted species. Species hunted for food were not more likely to have decreasing populations or be listed as threatened compared with those not hunted for food. These results suggest that sport hunting is linked with more favourable conservation status of mammal species and can be a component of sustainable wildlife management. While controversial, the practice of sport hunting has been argued to incentivize the conservation of various animal species. This study provides evidence that can facilitate further discussion for multifunctional land use in traditional societies.","PeriodicalId":19056,"journal":{"name":"Nature Sustainability","volume":"9 1","pages":"46-50"},"PeriodicalIF":27.1,"publicationDate":"2025-12-02","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146049463","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2025-11-26DOI: 10.1038/s41893-025-01683-w
Claudia Wieners, Francesco Lamperti, Giovanni Dosi, Andrea Roventini
A large number of countries have by now pledged to undertake policies aimed at reducing greenhouse gas emissions and achieving carbon neutrality. However, evidence for a suitable policy package to induce an effective and orderly transition is scarce. Recent studies suggest that abrupt and aggressive climate policies may trigger significant transition risks, potentially leading to macroeconomic imbalances. Here we extend a macro-financial agent-based integrated assessment model grounded in evolutionary economics and complex systems science to test a variety of policy packages aimed at rapidly decarbonizing the global economy and study how they affect job creation and economic stability. We show that carbon taxation alone is self-defeating: its role at internalizing environmental costs while triggering rapid decarbonization finds little support. However, an ensemble of industrial regulations and public subsidies coupled with a mild carbon tax is the most promising policy toolkit to support a rapid and orderly transition. Such a policy mix can be designed to have a neutral impact on public finances and to boost job creation during the transition process. Carbon taxation serves primarily as a tool for raising public revenues to support government spending, rather than as a direct driver of rapid decarbonization. Guidance on how to decarbonize the economy while limiting impacts on jobs and ensuring stability is scarce. Now a study finds that relying on a carbon tax alone falls short, whereas combining industrial regulations, subsidies and a modest tax is the most promising approach to achieve sustainable growth with green jobs.
{"title":"Policies for rapid decarbonization with steady economic transition and employment creation","authors":"Claudia Wieners, Francesco Lamperti, Giovanni Dosi, Andrea Roventini","doi":"10.1038/s41893-025-01683-w","DOIUrl":"10.1038/s41893-025-01683-w","url":null,"abstract":"A large number of countries have by now pledged to undertake policies aimed at reducing greenhouse gas emissions and achieving carbon neutrality. However, evidence for a suitable policy package to induce an effective and orderly transition is scarce. Recent studies suggest that abrupt and aggressive climate policies may trigger significant transition risks, potentially leading to macroeconomic imbalances. Here we extend a macro-financial agent-based integrated assessment model grounded in evolutionary economics and complex systems science to test a variety of policy packages aimed at rapidly decarbonizing the global economy and study how they affect job creation and economic stability. We show that carbon taxation alone is self-defeating: its role at internalizing environmental costs while triggering rapid decarbonization finds little support. However, an ensemble of industrial regulations and public subsidies coupled with a mild carbon tax is the most promising policy toolkit to support a rapid and orderly transition. Such a policy mix can be designed to have a neutral impact on public finances and to boost job creation during the transition process. Carbon taxation serves primarily as a tool for raising public revenues to support government spending, rather than as a direct driver of rapid decarbonization. Guidance on how to decarbonize the economy while limiting impacts on jobs and ensuring stability is scarce. Now a study finds that relying on a carbon tax alone falls short, whereas combining industrial regulations, subsidies and a modest tax is the most promising approach to achieve sustainable growth with green jobs.","PeriodicalId":19056,"journal":{"name":"Nature Sustainability","volume":"9 1","pages":"117-129"},"PeriodicalIF":27.1,"publicationDate":"2025-11-26","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146049438","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2025-11-26DOI: 10.1038/s41893-025-01679-6
Francesco Lamperti, Claudia Wieners, Giovanni Dosi, Andrea Roventini
An ensemble of green industrial policies and targeted subsidies, coupled with a mild carbon tax, is the most promising strategy to support an orderly transition towards achieving the Paris Agreement targets. Such a policy package can be designed to have a neutral effect on public finances and boost job creation, while preserving economic stability and income growth.
{"title":"Decarbonization with economic growth and job creation","authors":"Francesco Lamperti, Claudia Wieners, Giovanni Dosi, Andrea Roventini","doi":"10.1038/s41893-025-01679-6","DOIUrl":"10.1038/s41893-025-01679-6","url":null,"abstract":"An ensemble of green industrial policies and targeted subsidies, coupled with a mild carbon tax, is the most promising strategy to support an orderly transition towards achieving the Paris Agreement targets. Such a policy package can be designed to have a neutral effect on public finances and boost job creation, while preserving economic stability and income growth.","PeriodicalId":19056,"journal":{"name":"Nature Sustainability","volume":"9 1","pages":"18-19"},"PeriodicalIF":27.1,"publicationDate":"2025-11-26","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.nature.comhttps://www.nature.com/articles/s41893-025-01679-6.pdf","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146049426","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
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