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The transition to renewable energy requires notable quantities of technology metals and materials, the production of which causes substantial environmental damage. This Review discusses raw material extraction approaches that optimize technical performance and reduce environmental impacts. See Pell et al.
Image: Opla/Getty Images. Cover design: Carl Conway.
The COVID-19 pandemic is exacerbating plastic pollution. A shift in waste management practices is thus urgently needed to close the plastic loop, requiring governments, researchers and industries working towards intelligent design and sustainable upcycling.
The transition to renewable energy will require a notable quantity of technology metals and materials; however, production of technology materials causes substantial environmental damage. This Review discusses the raw material extraction approaches that optimize technical performance and reduce environmental impact.
Tropical teleconnections can influence polar climates through the generation of stationary Rossby waves. This Review outlines the dynamics and impacts of long-term tropical–polar connections on the Antarctic climate, which include warming trends and ice mass loss in West Antarctica.
The use of isotopes has provided key insights into the Earth system, but their use can be fraught with experimental and theoretical pitfalls. This Technical Review explains the use of and fractionation factors associated with hydrogen, carbon and oxygen isotopes in water cycle and CO2–carbonate–water system studies.
Grasslands provide key ecosystem services, but their protection is often ignored in sustainable policy. This Perspective describes grassland degradation and sets out the steps needed to protect these systems and promote their restoration.