Abstract The increasing global industrialization and over-exploitation of fossil fuels has induced the release of greenhouse gases, leading to an increase in global temperature and causing environmental issues. There is therefore an urgent necessity to reach net-zero carbon emissions. Only 4.5% of countries have achieved carbon neutrality, and most countries are still planning to do so by 2050–2070. Moreover, synergies between different countries have hampered synergies between adaptation and mitigation policies, as well as their co-benefits. Here, we present a strategy to reach a carbon neutral economy by examining the outcome goals of the 26th summit of the United Nations Climate Change Conference of the Parties (COP 26). Methods have been designed for mapping carbon emissions, such as input–output models, spatial systems, geographic information system maps, light detection and ranging techniques, and logarithmic mean divisia. We present decarbonization technologies and initiatives, and negative emissions technologies, and we discuss carbon trading and carbon tax. We propose plans for carbon neutrality such as shifting away from fossil fuels toward renewable energy, and the development of low-carbon technologies, low-carbon agriculture, changing dietary habits and increasing the value of food and agricultural waste. Developing resilient buildings and cities, introducing decentralized energy systems, and the electrification of the transportation sector is also necessary. We also review the life cycle analysis of carbon neutral systems. 

/pdf/strategies-to-achieve-a-carbon-neutral-society-a-review-1o6d47wd.pdf

Strategies to achieve a carbon neutral society: a review

The Longest 2020 Meiyu Season Over the Past 60 Years: Subseasonal Perspective and Its Predictions

Due to large energy consumption and carbon emissions (ECCE) in the building sector, there is huge potential for carbon emission reduction, and this will strongly influence peak carbon emissions and carbon neutrality in the future. To get a better sense of the current research situation and future trends and to provide a valuable reference and guidance for subsequent research, this study presents a summary of carbon peak and carbon neutrality (CPCN) in buildings using a bibliometric approach. Three areas are addressed in the review through the analysis of 364 articles published from 1990–2021: (1) Which countries, institutions, and individuals have conducted extensive and in-depth research on CPCN in buildings, and what is the status quo of their collaboration and contributions? (2) What subjects and topics have aroused wide interest and enthusiasm among scholars, and what are their time trajectories? (3) What journals and authors have grabbed the attention of many scholars, and what are the research directions related to them? Moreover, we propose future research directions. Filling these gaps will enrich the research body of CPCN and overcome current limitations by developing more methods and exploring other practical applications.

/pdf/carbon-peak-and-carbon-neutrality-in-the-building-sector-a-1n5jk696.pdf

Carbon Peak and Carbon Neutrality in the Building Sector: A Bibliometric Review

Drought is one of the most complex and least-understood environmental disasters that can trigger environmental, societal, and economic problems. To accurately assess the drought conditions in the Yellow River Basin, this study reconstructed the Land Surface Temperature (LST) using the Annual Temperature Cycle (ATC) model and the Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI). The Temperature Condition Index (TCI), Vegetation Condition Index (VCI), Vegetation Health Index (VHI), and Temperature-Vegetation Drought Index (TVDI), which are four typical remote sensing drought indices, were calculated. Then, the air temperature, precipitation, and soil moisture data were used to evaluate the applicability of each drought index to different land types. Finally, this study characterized the spatial and temporal patterns of drought in the Yellow River Basin from 2003 to 2019. The results show that: (1) Using the LST reconstructed by the ATC model to calculate the drought index can effectively improve the accuracy of drought monitoring. In most areas, the reconstructed TCI, VHI, and TVDI are more reliable for monitoring drought conditions than the unreconstructed VCI. (2) The four drought indices (TCI, VCI, VH, TVDI) represent the same temporal and spatial patterns throughout the study area. However, in some small areas, the temporal and spatial patterns represented by different drought indices are different. (3) In the Yellow River Basin, the drought level is highest in the northwest and lowest in the southwest and southeast. The dry conditions in the Yellow River Basin were stable from 2003 to 2019. The results in this paper provide a basis for better understanding and evaluating the drought conditions in the Yellow River Basin and can guide water resources management, agricultural production, and ecological protection of this area.

Drought Monitoring over Yellow River Basin from 2003–2019 Using Reconstructed MODIS Land Surface Temperature in Google Earth Engine

Holocene lake-level fluctuations of Selin Co on the central Tibetan plateau: Regulated by monsoonal precipitation or meltwater?

Global development has been heavily reliant on the overexploitation of natural resources since the Industrial Revolution. With the extensive use of fossil fuels, deforestation, and other forms of land-use change, anthropogenic activities have contributed to the ever-increasing concentrations of greenhouse gases (GHGs) in the atmosphere, causing global climate change. In response to the worsening global climate change, achieving carbon neutrality by 2050 is the most pressing task on the planet. To this end, it is of utmost importance and a significant challenge to reform the current production systems to reduce GHG emissions and promote the capture of CO2 from the atmosphere. Herein, we review innovative technologies that offer solutions achieving carbon (C) neutrality and sustainable development, including those for renewable energy production, food system transformation, waste valorization, C sink conservation, and C-negative manufacturing. The wealth of knowledge disseminated in this review could inspire the global community and drive the further development of innovative technologies to mitigate climate change and sustainably support human activities.

Technologies and perspectives for achieving carbon neutrality

Ke Wei,1,7 Chaojun Ouyang,2,6,7,* Hongtao Duan,3,4,6 Yunliang Li,3,6 Mingxing Chen,5,6 Jiao Ma,1,6 Huicong An,2,6 and Shu Zhou2,6 1Center for Monsoon System Research, Institute of Atmospheric Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100190, China 2Key Laboratory of Mountain Hazards and Surface Process, Institute of Mountain Hazards and Environment, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Chengdu 610041, China 3Key Laboratory of Watershed Geographic Sciences, Nanjing Institute of Geography and Limnology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Nanjing 210008, China 4College of Urban and Environmental Sciences, Northwest University, Xi'an 710127, China 5Key Laboratory of Regional Sustainable Development Modeling, Institute of Geographic Sciences and Natural Resources Research, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China 6University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China These authors contributed equally *Correspondence: cjouyang@imde.ac.cn https://doi.org/10.1016/j.xinn.2020.100038 a 2020 The Authors. This is an open access article under the CC BY-NC-ND license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/).

Ke Wei

Papers

Technologies and perspectives for achieving carbon neutrality

Reflections on the Catastrophic 2020 Yangtze River Basin Flooding in Southern China.