Transformations to regenerative food systems—An outline of the FixOurFood project
Nutrition Bulletin Wiley 47:1 (2022) 106-114
Indicate separate contributions of long-lived and short-lived greenhouse gases in emission targets
npj Climate and Atmospheric Science Springer Nature 5:1 (2022) 5
Carbon Storage Units and Carbon Storage Obligations: A Review of Policy Approaches
(2022)
The meaning of net zero and how to get it right
Nature Climate Change Springer Nature 12:2021 (2021) 15-21
Abstract:
The concept of net-zero carbon emissions has emerged from physical climate science. However, it is operationalized through social, political and economic systems. We identify seven attributes of net zero, which are important to make it a successful framework for climate action. The seven attributes highlight the urgency of emission reductions, which need to be front-loaded, and of coverage of all emission sources, including currently difficult ones. The attributes emphasize the need for social and environmental integrity. This means carbon dioxide removals should be used cautiously and the use of carbon offsets should be regulated effectively. Net zero must be aligned with broader sustainable development objectives, which implies an equitable net-zero transition, socio-ecological sustainability and the pursuit of broad economic opportunities.Methane and the Paris Agreement temperature goals
Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society A: Mathematical, Physical and Engineering Sciences Royal Society 380:2215 (2021)
Abstract:
Meeting the Paris Agreement temperature goal necessitates limiting methane (CH4)-induced warming, in addition to achieving net-zero or (net-negative) carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions. In our model, for the median 1.5°C scenario between 2020 and 2050, CH4 mitigation lowers temperatures by 0.1°C; CO2 increases it by 0.2°C. CO2 emissions continue increasing global mean temperature until net-zero emissions are reached, with potential for lowering temperatures with net-negative emissions. By contrast, reducing CH4 emissions starts to reverse CH4-induced warming within a few decades. These differences are hidden when framing climate mitigation using annual ‘CO2-equivalent’ emissions, including targets based on aggregated annual emission rates. We show how the different warming responses to CO2 and CH4 emissions can be accurately aggregated to estimate warming by using ‘warming-equivalent emissions', which provide a transparent and convenient method to inform policies and measures for mitigation, or demonstrate progress towards a temperature goal. The method presented (GWP*) uses well-established climate science concepts to relate GWP100 to temperature, as a simple proxy for a climate model. The use of warming-equivalent emissions for nationally determined contributions and long-term strategies would enhance the transparency of stocktakes of progress towards a long-term temperature goal, compared to the use of standard equivalence methods.This article is part of a discussion meeting issue ‘Rising methane: is warming feeding warming? (part 2)’.