Pub Date : 2024-10-24DOI: 10.1038/s41893-024-01445-0
Our study provides real-world evidence that disruptive climate protests can increase support for more moderate climate organizations, referred to as a positive radical flank effect. A widely publicized protest campaign by Just Stop Oil increased support for Friends of the Earth, a moderate climate organization that was not involved in the protests.
我们的研究提供了现实世界的证据，证明破坏性的气候抗议活动可以增加对更温和的气候组织的支持，这被称为积极的激进侧面效应。“Just Stop Oil”组织广泛宣传的抗议活动增加了对“地球之友”（Friends of the Earth）的支持，这是一个温和的气候组织，没有参与抗议活动。
{"title":"How disruptive climate protests can benefit the broader climate movement","authors":"","doi":"10.1038/s41893-024-01445-0","DOIUrl":"10.1038/s41893-024-01445-0","url":null,"abstract":"Our study provides real-world evidence that disruptive climate protests can increase support for more moderate climate organizations, referred to as a positive radical flank effect. A widely publicized protest campaign by Just Stop Oil increased support for Friends of the Earth, a moderate climate organization that was not involved in the protests.","PeriodicalId":19056,"journal":{"name":"Nature Sustainability","volume":"7 12","pages":"1564-1565"},"PeriodicalIF":25.7,"publicationDate":"2024-10-24","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142845250","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 : 2024-10-22DOI: 10.1038/s41893-024-01453-0
Meng Liao, Yaobin Xu, Muhammad Mominur Rahman, Sha Tan, Daiwei Wang, Ke Wang, Naveen K. Dandu, Qian Lu, Guoxing Li, Linh Le, Rong Kou, Heng Jiang, Au Nguyen, Pei Shi, Lei Ye, Anh T. Ngo, Enyuan Hu, Chongmin Wang, Donghai Wang
Among the emerging ‘beyond lithium-ion’ technologies for maximized sustainability, lithium–sulfur (Li–S) is a favoured chemistry because of its exceptional energy density from the conversion of sulfur, an element in abundant supply. However, the dissolution of several intermediate polysulfides formed during conversion leads to rapid performance degradation over cycling. Here we address this issue by sulfurizing a hybrid polymer network with polyphosphazene and carbon as a cathode for Li–S batteries. With rich sites to re-bond and adsorb dissociative sulfur species, this hybrid polymer network circumvents the formation of soluble polysulfides and enables a unique, reversible inserting conversion reaction. Thus, our cathode delivers both high capacity (~900 mAh g−1cathode) and excellent cycling stability in Li–S coin cells, with a pouch cell demonstration of projected energy density of ~300 Wh kg−1 and 84.9% capacity retention after 150 cycles. The strategy can be extended to other cost-effective, recyclable polymers, advancing sulfur-based batteries towards practical energy storage application. The combination of high energy density and sustainability makes the lithium–sulfur battery a technology of growing importance. Here the authors show a polymeric cathode design that enables impressive performance in practical pouch cells.
在新兴的“超越锂离子”技术中，为了最大限度地实现可持续性，锂硫（Li-S）是一种受欢迎的化学物质，因为它从硫的转化中获得了特殊的能量密度，硫是一种供应充足的元素。然而，在转化过程中形成的几种中间多硫化物的溶解导致循环过程中性能的快速下降。在这里，我们通过硫化聚磷腈和碳的混合聚合物网络作为锂- s电池的阴极来解决这个问题。由于具有丰富的重键和吸附解离硫的位点，这种杂化聚合物网络避免了可溶性多硫化物的形成，并实现了独特的可逆插入转化反应。因此，我们的阴极在Li-S硬币电池中提供高容量（~900 mAh g - 1阴极）和出色的循环稳定性，袋状电池的预计能量密度为~300 Wh kg - 1，循环150次后容量保持率为84.9%。该策略可以扩展到其他具有成本效益，可回收的聚合物，推进硫基电池向实际储能应用。高能量密度和可持续性的结合使得锂硫电池成为一项越来越重要的技术。在这里，作者展示了一种聚合物阴极设计，可以在实用的袋状电池中实现令人印象深刻的性能。
{"title":"Hybrid polymer network cathode-enabled soluble-polysulfide-free lithium–sulfur batteries","authors":"Meng Liao, Yaobin Xu, Muhammad Mominur Rahman, Sha Tan, Daiwei Wang, Ke Wang, Naveen K. Dandu, Qian Lu, Guoxing Li, Linh Le, Rong Kou, Heng Jiang, Au Nguyen, Pei Shi, Lei Ye, Anh T. Ngo, Enyuan Hu, Chongmin Wang, Donghai Wang","doi":"10.1038/s41893-024-01453-0","DOIUrl":"10.1038/s41893-024-01453-0","url":null,"abstract":"Among the emerging ‘beyond lithium-ion’ technologies for maximized sustainability, lithium–sulfur (Li–S) is a favoured chemistry because of its exceptional energy density from the conversion of sulfur, an element in abundant supply. However, the dissolution of several intermediate polysulfides formed during conversion leads to rapid performance degradation over cycling. Here we address this issue by sulfurizing a hybrid polymer network with polyphosphazene and carbon as a cathode for Li–S batteries. With rich sites to re-bond and adsorb dissociative sulfur species, this hybrid polymer network circumvents the formation of soluble polysulfides and enables a unique, reversible inserting conversion reaction. Thus, our cathode delivers both high capacity (~900 mAh g−1cathode) and excellent cycling stability in Li–S coin cells, with a pouch cell demonstration of projected energy density of ~300 Wh kg−1 and 84.9% capacity retention after 150 cycles. The strategy can be extended to other cost-effective, recyclable polymers, advancing sulfur-based batteries towards practical energy storage application. The combination of high energy density and sustainability makes the lithium–sulfur battery a technology of growing importance. Here the authors show a polymeric cathode design that enables impressive performance in practical pouch cells.","PeriodicalId":19056,"journal":{"name":"Nature Sustainability","volume":"7 12","pages":"1709-1718"},"PeriodicalIF":25.7,"publicationDate":"2024-10-22","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142845182","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 : 2024-10-22DOI: 10.1038/s41893-024-01451-2
Yasaman Boroumand, Shayan Abrishami, Amir Razmjou
The increasing demand for lithium has exposed the challenges of current extraction technologies in meeting sustainability goals. Now, a nanofiltration technique enables direct lithium extraction from salt-lake brines with high efficiency, effective magnesium/lithium separation, and reduced environmental impact.
{"title":"Lithium recovery from brines","authors":"Yasaman Boroumand, Shayan Abrishami, Amir Razmjou","doi":"10.1038/s41893-024-01451-2","DOIUrl":"10.1038/s41893-024-01451-2","url":null,"abstract":"The increasing demand for lithium has exposed the challenges of current extraction technologies in meeting sustainability goals. Now, a nanofiltration technique enables direct lithium extraction from salt-lake brines with high efficiency, effective magnesium/lithium separation, and reduced environmental impact.","PeriodicalId":19056,"journal":{"name":"Nature Sustainability","volume":"7 12","pages":"1550-1551"},"PeriodicalIF":25.7,"publicationDate":"2024-10-22","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142845229","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 : 2024-10-22DOI: 10.1038/s41893-024-01435-2
Ming Yong, Meng Tang, Liangliang Sun, Fei Xiong, Lei Xie, Gaofeng Zeng, Xiaoqiong Ren, Ke Wang, Yuan Cheng, Zhikao Li, Enchao Li, Xiwang Zhang, Huanting Wang
In recent years, the demand for lithium (Li) has been on the rise as Li-ion batteries are playing an increasingly important role in powering the global transition to a low-carbon society. In contrast to the predominant production of lithium from hard rock, lithium extraction from brine sources has proven more economical and sustainable. However, substantial challenges remain, including the low efficiency of the extraction process, especially for brines of high salinity, complex composition and poor selectivity against magnesium, the major competing species. Here we show a loose nanofiltration process involving ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid (EDTA) for direct and efficient Li+ extraction as well as effective Mg2+ utilization from salt-lake brines. Taking advantage of selective binding between EDTA4− and Mg2+, our process achieves ultrahigh Mg2+ rejection of 99.85%, ultrafast Li+ flux of ~4.34 mol m−2 h−1 and unprecedented Li+/Mg2+ separation factor (~679) under industrial conditions (127.06 g l−1). More importantly, the Li+ recovery rate reaches 89.90% through a two-stage filtration process, while Mg2+ waste is converted to nanostructured Mg(OH)2 and 98.87% of EDTA4− can be regenerated. Our scalable process minimizes environmental impact while maximizing resource utilization, thereby catalysing the shift toward a more sustainable future. The global race to a net-zero economy depends heavily on lithium—to power electric vehicles and to store renewable energy. Here the authors show a selective lithium extraction process from salt-lake brines, together with magnesium utilization.
近年来，随着锂离子电池在推动全球向低碳社会转型中发挥越来越重要的作用，对锂（Li）的需求一直在上升。与主要从硬岩中提取锂相比，从盐水中提取锂已被证明更具经济性和可持续性。然而，仍然存在重大挑战，包括提取过程效率低，特别是对于高盐度，复杂成分和对镁（主要竞争物种）选择性差的盐水。在这里，我们展示了一个涉及乙二胺四乙酸（EDTA）的松散纳滤过程，用于直接和有效地从盐湖盐水中提取Li+以及有效地利用Mg2+。利用EDTA4−与Mg2+的选择性结合，该工艺实现了99.85%的Mg2+截留率、~4.34 mol m−2 h−1的超快Li+通量和前所未有的工业条件下Li+/Mg2+分离因子（~679）（127.06 g l−1）。更重要的是，通过两级过滤工艺，Li+回收率达到89.90%，Mg2+废物转化为纳米结构的Mg(OH)2, 98.87%的EDTA4−可再生。我们的可扩展流程最大限度地减少对环境的影响，同时最大限度地利用资源，从而促进向更可持续的未来转变。全球实现净零经济的竞赛在很大程度上依赖于锂来为电动汽车提供动力和储存可再生能源。本文介绍了一种从盐湖盐水中选择性提取锂的工艺，以及镁的利用。
{"title":"Sustainable lithium extraction and magnesium hydroxide co-production from salt-lake brines","authors":"Ming Yong, Meng Tang, Liangliang Sun, Fei Xiong, Lei Xie, Gaofeng Zeng, Xiaoqiong Ren, Ke Wang, Yuan Cheng, Zhikao Li, Enchao Li, Xiwang Zhang, Huanting Wang","doi":"10.1038/s41893-024-01435-2","DOIUrl":"10.1038/s41893-024-01435-2","url":null,"abstract":"In recent years, the demand for lithium (Li) has been on the rise as Li-ion batteries are playing an increasingly important role in powering the global transition to a low-carbon society. In contrast to the predominant production of lithium from hard rock, lithium extraction from brine sources has proven more economical and sustainable. However, substantial challenges remain, including the low efficiency of the extraction process, especially for brines of high salinity, complex composition and poor selectivity against magnesium, the major competing species. Here we show a loose nanofiltration process involving ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid (EDTA) for direct and efficient Li+ extraction as well as effective Mg2+ utilization from salt-lake brines. Taking advantage of selective binding between EDTA4− and Mg2+, our process achieves ultrahigh Mg2+ rejection of 99.85%, ultrafast Li+ flux of ~4.34 mol m−2 h−1 and unprecedented Li+/Mg2+ separation factor (~679) under industrial conditions (127.06 g l−1). More importantly, the Li+ recovery rate reaches 89.90% through a two-stage filtration process, while Mg2+ waste is converted to nanostructured Mg(OH)2 and 98.87% of EDTA4− can be regenerated. Our scalable process minimizes environmental impact while maximizing resource utilization, thereby catalysing the shift toward a more sustainable future. The global race to a net-zero economy depends heavily on lithium—to power electric vehicles and to store renewable energy. Here the authors show a selective lithium extraction process from salt-lake brines, together with magnesium utilization.","PeriodicalId":19056,"journal":{"name":"Nature Sustainability","volume":"7 12","pages":"1662-1671"},"PeriodicalIF":25.7,"publicationDate":"2024-10-22","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142845085","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 : 2024-10-21DOI: 10.1038/s41893-024-01444-1
Markus Ostarek, Brent Simpson, Cathy Rogers, James Ozden
Social movements have the power to drive large-scale social change but the effectiveness of disruptive tactics in achieving this change is uncertain. To shed light on this debate, we conducted nationally representative surveys before and after a week-long disruptive campaign to block London’s M25 motorway (November 2022) by the protest group Just Stop Oil (n = 1,415). Our results suggest that increased awareness of a radical group as a result of a highly publicized non-violent disruptive protest can increase identification with and support for more moderate climate groups (here, Friends of the Earth) in the span of only 2 weeks. Our study provides new insights into the dynamics of social movements and the role of radical protest in driving change. The positive radical flank effect observed here suggests that non-violent radical actions may constitute a largely untapped strategic resource for moderate groups within the broader climate movement. Disruptive protests by environmental organizations have made news headlines in recent years, with attendant conversations about their efficacy. This study finds evidence that such actions increase support for moderate climate groups on climate policy.
{"title":"Radical climate protests linked to increases in public support for moderate organizations","authors":"Markus Ostarek, Brent Simpson, Cathy Rogers, James Ozden","doi":"10.1038/s41893-024-01444-1","DOIUrl":"10.1038/s41893-024-01444-1","url":null,"abstract":"Social movements have the power to drive large-scale social change but the effectiveness of disruptive tactics in achieving this change is uncertain. To shed light on this debate, we conducted nationally representative surveys before and after a week-long disruptive campaign to block London’s M25 motorway (November 2022) by the protest group Just Stop Oil (n = 1,415). Our results suggest that increased awareness of a radical group as a result of a highly publicized non-violent disruptive protest can increase identification with and support for more moderate climate groups (here, Friends of the Earth) in the span of only 2 weeks. Our study provides new insights into the dynamics of social movements and the role of radical protest in driving change. The positive radical flank effect observed here suggests that non-violent radical actions may constitute a largely untapped strategic resource for moderate groups within the broader climate movement. Disruptive protests by environmental organizations have made news headlines in recent years, with attendant conversations about their efficacy. This study finds evidence that such actions increase support for moderate climate groups on climate policy.","PeriodicalId":19056,"journal":{"name":"Nature Sustainability","volume":"7 12","pages":"1626-1632"},"PeriodicalIF":25.7,"publicationDate":"2024-10-21","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142845084","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 : 2024-10-21DOI: 10.1038/s41893-024-01462-z
Technological advances alone will be insufficient to mitigate the global environmental footprint by 2050. This study introduces an integrative model that considers demographic trends, technological developments and behavioural changes and examines their potential contributions to future carbon, land and water footprints using Israel as a case study. The results are relevant for both Israel and the rest of the world.
{"title":"Demographics, technology and the battle for sustainability","authors":"","doi":"10.1038/s41893-024-01462-z","DOIUrl":"10.1038/s41893-024-01462-z","url":null,"abstract":"Technological advances alone will be insufficient to mitigate the global environmental footprint by 2050. This study introduces an integrative model that considers demographic trends, technological developments and behavioural changes and examines their potential contributions to future carbon, land and water footprints using Israel as a case study. The results are relevant for both Israel and the rest of the world.","PeriodicalId":19056,"journal":{"name":"Nature Sustainability","volume":"7 12","pages":"1562-1563"},"PeriodicalIF":25.7,"publicationDate":"2024-10-21","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142845202","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 : 2024-10-18DOI: 10.1038/s41893-024-01447-y
Finn Danielsen, Natasha Ali, Herizo T. Andrianandrasana, Andrea Baquero, Umai Basilius, Pedro de Araujo Lima Constantino, Katherine Despot-Belmonte, Per Ole Frederiksen, Maxim Isaac, PâviâraK Jakobsen, Helen Klimmek, Abisha Mapendembe, Han Meng, Dietrich Schmidt-Vogt, Seak Sophat, Rodion Sulyandziga, Anne L. S. Virnig, Di Zhang, Neil D. Burgess
The Kunming–Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework (GBF) and its monitoring framework aims to reverse the decline of nature. The GBF tasks governments to report progress towards 23 targets and four goals but also “invites Parties and relevant organizations to support community-based monitoring and information systems and citizen science” to improve information for decision-making and build support for conservation efforts throughout society. We assessed how Indigenous Peoples, local communities and citizen scientists and professional scientists can help monitor the GBF. Of the 365 indicators of the GBF monitoring framework, 110 (30%) can involve Indigenous Peoples, local communities and citizen scientists in community-based monitoring programmes, 185 (51%) could benefit from citizen involvement in data collection and 180 (49%) require scientists and governmental statistical organizations. A smaller proportion of indicators for GBF targets are amenable to citizen monitoring than for the previous Aichi targets or other multilateral environment agreements—largely because 196 GBF indicators are analytically complex (54%) and 175 require legislative overview (48%). Greater involvement of citizens in the GBF would increase societal engagement in international agreements, harness knowledge from those living close to nature to fill data gaps and enhance local to national decision-making based on improved information, leading to better conservation actions. How can citizen science impact large-scale outcomes? This study looks at hundreds of Global Biodiversity Framework indicators to examine which ones benefit from input from local communities and non-scientists.
{"title":"Involving citizens in monitoring the Kunming–Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework","authors":"Finn Danielsen, Natasha Ali, Herizo T. Andrianandrasana, Andrea Baquero, Umai Basilius, Pedro de Araujo Lima Constantino, Katherine Despot-Belmonte, Per Ole Frederiksen, Maxim Isaac, PâviâraK Jakobsen, Helen Klimmek, Abisha Mapendembe, Han Meng, Dietrich Schmidt-Vogt, Seak Sophat, Rodion Sulyandziga, Anne L. S. Virnig, Di Zhang, Neil D. Burgess","doi":"10.1038/s41893-024-01447-y","DOIUrl":"10.1038/s41893-024-01447-y","url":null,"abstract":"The Kunming–Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework (GBF) and its monitoring framework aims to reverse the decline of nature. The GBF tasks governments to report progress towards 23 targets and four goals but also “invites Parties and relevant organizations to support community-based monitoring and information systems and citizen science” to improve information for decision-making and build support for conservation efforts throughout society. We assessed how Indigenous Peoples, local communities and citizen scientists and professional scientists can help monitor the GBF. Of the 365 indicators of the GBF monitoring framework, 110 (30%) can involve Indigenous Peoples, local communities and citizen scientists in community-based monitoring programmes, 185 (51%) could benefit from citizen involvement in data collection and 180 (49%) require scientists and governmental statistical organizations. A smaller proportion of indicators for GBF targets are amenable to citizen monitoring than for the previous Aichi targets or other multilateral environment agreements—largely because 196 GBF indicators are analytically complex (54%) and 175 require legislative overview (48%). Greater involvement of citizens in the GBF would increase societal engagement in international agreements, harness knowledge from those living close to nature to fill data gaps and enhance local to national decision-making based on improved information, leading to better conservation actions. How can citizen science impact large-scale outcomes? This study looks at hundreds of Global Biodiversity Framework indicators to examine which ones benefit from input from local communities and non-scientists.","PeriodicalId":19056,"journal":{"name":"Nature Sustainability","volume":"7 12","pages":"1730-1739"},"PeriodicalIF":25.7,"publicationDate":"2024-10-18","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.nature.com/articles/s41893-024-01447-y.pdf","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142845186","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 : 2024-10-11DOI: 10.1038/s41893-024-01442-3
Guillermo Valenzuela-Venegas, Maria Luisa Lode, Isabelle Viole, Alex Felice, Ander Martinez Alonso, Luis Ramirez Camargo, Sabrina Sartori, Marianne Zeyringer
Remote astronomical telescopes without access to the national electricity grid are usually designed to rely on fossil fuels without considering the social and energy needs of the surrounding communities. Concurrently, climate change concerns and fuel price vulnerability are driving the transition to renewable energy sources. Here we propose a socially accepted renewable energy system for a future telescope in the Atacama Desert, combining an energy system model with a participatory multi-criteria analysis. Our findings highlight the fact that various stakeholders, including local residents, the municipality, the existing local utility and observatories, prioritize emissions reduction, security of supply and reduced electricity costs. The results reveal that a system supplying renewable energy to the telescope could also cover 66% of a nearby community’s energy needs without additional capacity. Stakeholder inputs show that this is the most attractive solution by developing an energy system in which all the actors benefit. Replicating similar energy systems at nearby telescopes could reduce fossil fuel-based energy generation by 30 GWh annually, cutting emissions by 18–24 ktCO2e while contributing to energy justice. The proposed approach aims to promote social acceptance of renewable energy systems by involving stakeholders in the decision-making process, integrating benefit sharing among them and contributing to the region’s emissions reduction efforts. Telescopes around the world are usually built in remote areas to maximize observational effectiveness, usually relying on fossil fuel-based energy generators for their operations. This Article analyses community involvement in designing an energy system for a telescope in the Atacama Desert that is both environmentally sustainable and inclusive.
{"title":"A renewable and socially accepted energy system for astronomical telescopes","authors":"Guillermo Valenzuela-Venegas, Maria Luisa Lode, Isabelle Viole, Alex Felice, Ander Martinez Alonso, Luis Ramirez Camargo, Sabrina Sartori, Marianne Zeyringer","doi":"10.1038/s41893-024-01442-3","DOIUrl":"10.1038/s41893-024-01442-3","url":null,"abstract":"Remote astronomical telescopes without access to the national electricity grid are usually designed to rely on fossil fuels without considering the social and energy needs of the surrounding communities. Concurrently, climate change concerns and fuel price vulnerability are driving the transition to renewable energy sources. Here we propose a socially accepted renewable energy system for a future telescope in the Atacama Desert, combining an energy system model with a participatory multi-criteria analysis. Our findings highlight the fact that various stakeholders, including local residents, the municipality, the existing local utility and observatories, prioritize emissions reduction, security of supply and reduced electricity costs. The results reveal that a system supplying renewable energy to the telescope could also cover 66% of a nearby community’s energy needs without additional capacity. Stakeholder inputs show that this is the most attractive solution by developing an energy system in which all the actors benefit. Replicating similar energy systems at nearby telescopes could reduce fossil fuel-based energy generation by 30 GWh annually, cutting emissions by 18–24 ktCO2e while contributing to energy justice. The proposed approach aims to promote social acceptance of renewable energy systems by involving stakeholders in the decision-making process, integrating benefit sharing among them and contributing to the region’s emissions reduction efforts. Telescopes around the world are usually built in remote areas to maximize observational effectiveness, usually relying on fossil fuel-based energy generators for their operations. This Article analyses community involvement in designing an energy system for a telescope in the Atacama Desert that is both environmentally sustainable and inclusive.","PeriodicalId":19056,"journal":{"name":"Nature Sustainability","volume":"7 12","pages":"1642-1650"},"PeriodicalIF":25.7,"publicationDate":"2024-10-11","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142845167","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 : 2024-10-11DOI: 10.1038/s41893-024-01440-5
Tal Cordova, Meidad Kissinger, Na’ama Teschner, Dor Chen, Zeev Stossel, Oren Goldfischer, Shiri Nitzan-Tzahor, Raziel Riemer
Nations worldwide are implementing greenhouse gas mitigation measures and promoting the efficient use of natural resources to reduce human pressure on the environment and to increase sustainability. Most of these efforts focus on technological advancement and emphasize the need for economic growth, which will enable further development. However, the impact of demographic trends on sustainability and potential response measures has so far received little attention. Here we develop a model to explore a nation’s potential for environmental footprint mitigation over time given existing and expected demographic trends, consumption patterns and technological advancements. The model is used to test the effects of different scenarios (combinations of mitigation factors) on Israel’s land, water and carbon footprints by 2050 as a case study. The analysis reveals that even when implementing an advanced scenario that combines major technological and behavioural changes, the nation’s mitigation goals will not be achieved given the current demographic trend. Our findings emphasize the need for models that test the effects of combinations of factors on natural resources and the environment. Such models could be valuable tools for decision makers when considering alternative pathways that better support the sustainability and decarbonization of nations. Assumptions of technological and social adaptations to mitigate environmental impacts may be overstating potential gains in the face of population growth, according to this analysis of Israeli national data.
{"title":"Effects of demographic and technological trends on the mitigation of Israel’s environmental footprint","authors":"Tal Cordova, Meidad Kissinger, Na’ama Teschner, Dor Chen, Zeev Stossel, Oren Goldfischer, Shiri Nitzan-Tzahor, Raziel Riemer","doi":"10.1038/s41893-024-01440-5","DOIUrl":"10.1038/s41893-024-01440-5","url":null,"abstract":"Nations worldwide are implementing greenhouse gas mitigation measures and promoting the efficient use of natural resources to reduce human pressure on the environment and to increase sustainability. Most of these efforts focus on technological advancement and emphasize the need for economic growth, which will enable further development. However, the impact of demographic trends on sustainability and potential response measures has so far received little attention. Here we develop a model to explore a nation’s potential for environmental footprint mitigation over time given existing and expected demographic trends, consumption patterns and technological advancements. The model is used to test the effects of different scenarios (combinations of mitigation factors) on Israel’s land, water and carbon footprints by 2050 as a case study. The analysis reveals that even when implementing an advanced scenario that combines major technological and behavioural changes, the nation’s mitigation goals will not be achieved given the current demographic trend. Our findings emphasize the need for models that test the effects of combinations of factors on natural resources and the environment. Such models could be valuable tools for decision makers when considering alternative pathways that better support the sustainability and decarbonization of nations. Assumptions of technological and social adaptations to mitigate environmental impacts may be overstating potential gains in the face of population growth, according to this analysis of Israeli national data.","PeriodicalId":19056,"journal":{"name":"Nature Sustainability","volume":"7 12","pages":"1616-1625"},"PeriodicalIF":25.7,"publicationDate":"2024-10-11","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142845160","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 : 2024-10-11DOI: 10.1038/s41893-024-01429-0
Peter Dietsch
Given available technologies, current consumption behaviour is incompatible with the goal of keeping global warming below 2 °C. Economists present carbon pricing as the most efficient tool to induce people to adjust their consumption behaviour. This Perspective critically analyses the ethics, economics and politics of one key form of carbon pricing: carbon taxes are levied to discourage fossil-fuel-intensive consumption. The core claim of this Perspective is that progressive individual carbon taxes (that is, taxes whose rate increases the more emissions an individual generates) are not only more effective but also more just than the flat-rate carbon taxes prevalent today. Carbon taxes face several challenges in practice. This Perspective identifies three such challenges and suggests that, to meet them, carbon taxes should be designed like income taxes. The tax rate of a person should increase with the greenhouse gases the person emits through their consumption.
{"title":"A fairer and more effective carbon tax","authors":"Peter Dietsch","doi":"10.1038/s41893-024-01429-0","DOIUrl":"10.1038/s41893-024-01429-0","url":null,"abstract":"Given available technologies, current consumption behaviour is incompatible with the goal of keeping global warming below 2 °C. Economists present carbon pricing as the most efficient tool to induce people to adjust their consumption behaviour. This Perspective critically analyses the ethics, economics and politics of one key form of carbon pricing: carbon taxes are levied to discourage fossil-fuel-intensive consumption. The core claim of this Perspective is that progressive individual carbon taxes (that is, taxes whose rate increases the more emissions an individual generates) are not only more effective but also more just than the flat-rate carbon taxes prevalent today. Carbon taxes face several challenges in practice. This Perspective identifies three such challenges and suggests that, to meet them, carbon taxes should be designed like income taxes. The tax rate of a person should increase with the greenhouse gases the person emits through their consumption.","PeriodicalId":19056,"journal":{"name":"Nature Sustainability","volume":"7 12","pages":"1584-1591"},"PeriodicalIF":25.7,"publicationDate":"2024-10-11","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142845232","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}
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