Research articles

In East Africa the emergence of the potato cyst nematode (PCN) Globodera rostochiensis threatens potato production. Wrapping seed potatoes with a lignocellulose banana-paper matrix reduces the impact of PCN and leads to improved yields, suggesting a sustainable solution to crop root pests.

Using different high-resolution satellite datasets, this study analyses gross forest carbon loss associated with forest removal over the tropics during the twenty-first century focusing on regional fluxes and trends, as well as drivers of loss, both aspects rarely studied in previous work.

There is considerable debate on the effect that humans have on streamflow. While annual streamflow trends are driven predominantly by climate, human activity works to both amplify and dampen the seasonal trends of managed streamflows across North America.

People living in Bangladesh’s coastal zone face multiple water-related risks. This modelling study finds that rising salinity and waterlogging negate the benefits of rehabilitating embankments for reducing crop loss, with impacts being greatest for the poor. Drainage was found to reduce negative impacts.

Carbon inequality mirrors extreme wealth and income inequalities globally, with a high level of consumption-based carbon emissions in rich nations. This study shows that lifting people out of poverty does not impact much emissions globally, though in poorer countries emissions could more than double.

Forest conservation contributes to climate change mitigation and delivers a host of other benefits to society, but such benefits are usually assessed qualitatively at the project level. This study provides a quantitative assessment of multiple benefits from forest carbon projects across Southeast Asia.

China has pledged to achieve carbon neutrality by 2060 but policies favouring urbanization could slow down progress. This study tests the hypothesis that urbanization and carbon neutrality are not mutually exclusive and that sustainably managed urbanization could increase carbon sequestration, especially in rural areas.

Land conservation remains one of the biggest tools to try to maintain biodiversity targets. This study examines how strict conservation goals of 30% and 50% of global land area could impact human health and food security.

Greater photovoltaic deployment is critical to reducing global greenhouse gas emissions, but the associated aluminium (Al) demand could pose a substantial global warming threat. Decarbonizing the electricity used for Al production and using less primary Al are the best ways to mitigate emissions.

The production of organic esters forms a basis for relevant chemical and pharmaceutical industries, but its yield rate cannot exceed the equilibrium limit. Here the authors apply photothermal energy to catalyse an esterification reaction, achieving higher conversion efficiency.