Countdown for the Environment: Climate Action to Advance the SDGs

Humanity is in the midst of a switch of energy sources to power the world, moving to renewables while phasing out fossil fuels. Yet, this process requires many decades and a set of temporary mitigation measures for processes that are required to continue. In this chapter, we explore decarbonization strategies like carbon capture and storage/utilization (CCS/CCU), their role in the current energy picture, and the roadmaps toward net-zero emissions operations in the medium term. Analyzing the strengths and weaknesses of methods like pre- and postcombustion, as well as oxy-fuel combustion and membrane separation, provides us with a framework for action and a list of best practices to implement these techniques across different contexts. Applications vary in their levels of maturity, and some of them have suffered setbacks, yet we are only at the beginning stages of a promising path to achieving net-zero emissions across many different sectors. In this sense, the success of CCS/CCU projects is also dependent on the participation of other actors such as citizens, policymakers, governments, and international organizations. Because of this, the right regulatory frameworks need to be provided, and a joint effort that spans different disciplines is required for decarbonization efforts to come to fruition. A global transformation is, in the end, a challenge that can only be tackled by the best minds coming together and developing synergistic associations.

This chapter supports SDG 7 and 12 explores the relation of energy security to national security and regional stability.

The development and promotion of climate-smart livestock systems (CSLSs) are crucial for ensuring sustainable food security. Climate change poses significant challenges to livestock production systems, which are crucial for food security and support various sociocultural, economic, and environmental aspects of human life. To overcome these challenges and ensure sustainable food security, the development of CSLSs is essential. CSLSs aim to maintain livestock productivity, reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, and promote locally adapted animal genetic resources. Opportunities exist along the livestock production chain to minimize GHG emissions associated with enteric fermentation, manure management, and feed management. Strategies for CSLS include improving fodder quality, utilizing adapted animal breeds, providing nutritional supplements, and diversifying livestock herds. Diet manipulation, such as using feed resources with high nutritional content and digestibility, can potentially reduce CH4 emissions while increasing livestock productivity. Mixed crop–livestock systems and agroforestry (silvopastoral systems) are key components of CSLS, offering diverse adaptation benefits and multiple roles in livestock systems. The effective utilization of local animal genetic resources and the integration of indigenous knowledge systems with scientific knowledge can enhance adaptation measures and resilience in livestock systems. Addressing animal health issues is also crucial for ensuring CSLS and sustained food security. The development and implementation of CSLS are essential for mitigating the adverse impacts of climate change on livestock production systems and meeting the growing global demand for animal products. Indigenous knowledge is crucial for CSLSs, as it has been a long-standing aspect of livestock production. Women are natural change-agents in livestock production, and equal opportunities for men and women across generations should be promoted through climate-smart livestock technologies. Community-based breeding initiatives, particularly for women, can empower local small-scale farmers and enhance sustainability in livestock production systems. Therefore ignoring indigenous knowledge is counterproductive for the success of CSLSs. The adoption of CSLSs can ensure sustainable food security and contribute to a more resilient and sustainable agriculture sector. The chapter explores the development and promotion of CSLSs for sustainable food security.

Renewable energy changeover is essential for achieving a low-carbon and sustainable future. This chapter explores the vast potential of sources of renewable energy, such as geothermal, biomass, wind, hydropower, and solar, in addressing global energy needs while mitigating the environmental impacts of fossil fuels. It highlights the key innovations driving efficiency and cost reductions in clean energy technologies, such as advanced solar cells, offshore wind turbines, energy storage solutions, and smart grid systems. The chapter also examines the barriers to widespread adoption, including financial, regulatory, and infrastructural challenges, and discusses policy frameworks and investment strategies necessary to accelerate the deployment of renewable energy on a global scale. By unlocking the potential of clean energy, we can foster economic growth, reduce greenhouse gas emissions, and create a sustainable energy future for generations to come.

This cutting-edge engineering study proposes innovative symbiosis between data centers and wastewater treatment plants (using treated effluent for cooling and heat recovery), demonstrating how emerging AI infrastructure can dramatically lower its carbon footprint (estimated annual reduction of ~84 Mt CO? eq) while addressing water stress—providing a practical technological solution for climate mitigation in a rapidly growing sector.

Analysing over one million primary care appointments across 13 clinics in Philadelphia, this study finds that missed appointment rates rise with both extreme cold (below 39°F) and extreme heat (above 89°F), with the strongest effects among adults aged 65+ and those with chronic conditions. This quantifies a concrete pathway by which climate change erodes preventive healthcare access – a critical and often overlooked dimension of the climate-health crisis. This illustrate why climate and health cannot be addressed in isolation, and underscore the disproportionate burden borne by vulnerable populations.

This scoping review synthesises evidence on the carbon footprint of clinical trials, identifying trial-related travel, meetings, facilities, and laboratory activities as the most carbon-intensive components. With health research itself generating substantial emissions, and reducing those emissions a stated strategic priority for health systems in multiple countries, this review identifies research gaps and emphasizes the need for standardized approaches to measuring and reducing trial carbon footprints.

This scoping review examined how environmental outcomes are incorporated into health randomized controlled trials (RCTs). The review concludes that including environmental outcomes in RCTs is gaining prominence but requires better integration with clinical decision-making and stakeholder involvement.

The study investigates the interplay between environmental awareness, education, and sustainability across both formal and informal learning contexts; It aims to identify theoretical frameworks and educational practices that effectively promote sustainability-oriented attitudes and actions .

Introduction: Climate change poses a growing global health threat, disproportionately affecting low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) with fragile health systems and limited adaptive capacity. The health workforce plays a critical role in managing climate-sensitive health risks but often lacks adequate training. Building climate-resilient health systems therefore requires equipping health workers with the relevant knowledge, skills, and adaptive capacities.

As the latest annual flagship report in the series, it details synergistic pathways for simultaneous pollution control and carbon reduction to drive green economic growth in China, offering highly actionable policy insights and real-world experience for advancing national climate goals.

By incorporating evidence-based strategies into clinical practice, NPs can address the increasing concerns of microplastic exposure and lead in preventive environmental health. By implementing these strategies in their practice, NPs can proactively address the emerging issues related to microplastic exposure and enhance their patients' overall well-being.

This article proposes a paradigm shift in urban planning, empowering planners with digital tools for designing "climate-positive" cities by improving the synergy of renewable energy generation, building efficiency, and heat mitigation rather than approaching them as isolated challenges.

The paper finds that managed aquifer recharge (MAR) is a promising strategy for sustainable groundwater management but is not clearly addressed within existing EU water policies, creating legal and administrative barriers. It recommends policy reforms to explicitly recognize MAR, harmonize regulations, and improve monitoring, licensing, and the use of reclaimed water across Member States.

As the global community continues to grapple with the health impacts of climate change and increasingly frequent disasters, the future of resilient healthcare systems in SIDS depends on elevating the leadership of nurses and midwives. Recognizing their contributions, strengthening their capacity, and ensuring their visibility on the world stage are not only matters of equity; they are strategic imperatives for building sustainable, adaptive, and inclusive health systems in the face of an uncertain climate future.

The researchers found that patients with poorly controlled severe asthma generated significantly higher CO2 emissions (5.2% to 23.0% more) due to increased hospitalizations and overuse of rescue inhalers, particularly short-acting bronchodilators. However, when patients were referred to specialist asthma care, their carbon emissions decreased by 12.1% to 23.9%, demonstrating that better asthma management not only improves patient health but also reduces environmental impact