Sustainable Management of Banked Fluorocarbons as a Cost-Effective Climate Action.

Fluorocarbon banks present a substantial yet largely untapped opportunity for climate change mitigation within current regulatory frameworks. This potential can be effectively addressed through fluorocarbon lifecycle management (FLM), a strategy grounded in circular economy principles. This study quantifies the mitigation potential of FLM in China from 2025 to 2060, employing a tailored emission modeling framework and country-specific cost analysis.

Development and validation of a gridded emissions inventory for HFC-134a in China.

1,1,1,2-Tetrafluoroethane (HFC-134a), a potent greenhouse gas, breaks down to form trifluoroacetic acid (TFA). Lack of its gridded emissions inventories makes it difficult to analyze the spatial distribution of emissions. This study developed a framework for national and gridded HFC-134a bank and emission calculations, validation and environmental impact assessments.

Pathways for India to Reduce Ambient Air Pollution Health Burden and Achieve the Sustainable Development Goal (SDG-3.4).

Sustainable Development Goal 3.4 (SDG-3.4) aims to reduce non-communicable disease (NCD) mortality by one-third by 2030, compared to 2015 levels.

Multisectoral Emission Impacts of Electric Vehicle Transition in China and India.

Transitioning to electric vehicles (EVs) is a central strategy for reducing carbon dioxide and air pollutant emissions. Although the emission impacts of reduced gasoline combustion and increased power generation are well recognized, the impacts of growing EV manufacturing activities remain understudied. Here, we focus on China and India, two of the fastest-growing EV markets.

Air Pollution and Mortality in India: Investigating the Nexus of Ambient and Household Pollution Across Life Stages.

Air pollution in India is a foremost environmental risk factor that affects human health. This study first investigates the geographical distribution of ambient and household air pollution (HAP) and then examines the associated mortality risk. Data on fine particulate matter (PM) concentration has been extracted from the Greenhouse Gas Air Pollution Interactions and Synergies (GAINS) model.

Black carbon emissions inventory and scenario analysis for Pakistan.

Black carbon (BC) emissions, resulting from the incomplete combustion of carbonaceous fuels, have been extensively linked to adverse impacts on air quality, climate change, and public health. Nevertheless, there is currently a lack of a comprehensive analysis that integrates activity-based BC emissions inventory and scenario analysis at the national/regional, sectoral, and sub-sectoral levels in Pakistan. This study aims to fill this gap by conducting a comprehensive evaluation of Pakistan's BC emissions inventory for 2021 along projecting emissions until 2050 under the reference emission scenario (RES) and the accelerated reduction scenario (ARS) using the GAINS modeling framework to assess the potential impact of mitigation measures.

Uncertainty in non-CO greenhouse gas mitigation contributes to ambiguity in global climate policy feasibility.

Despite its projected crucial role in stringent, future global climate policy, non-CO greenhouse gas (NCGG) mitigation remains a large uncertain factor in climate research. A revision of the estimated mitigation potential has implications for the feasibility of global climate policy to reach the Paris Agreement climate goals. Here, we provide a systematic bottom-up estimate of the total uncertainty in NCGG mitigation, by developing 'optimistic', 'default' and 'pessimistic' long-term NCGG marginal abatement cost (MAC) curves, based on a comprehensive literature review of mitigation options.

Transitioning to low-GWP alternatives with enhanced energy efficiency in cooling non-residential buildings of China.

Unlabelled: The electricity demand for space cooling in the non-residential building (NRB) sector of China is growing significantly and is becoming increasingly critical with rapid economic development and mounting impacts of climate change. The growing demand for space cooling will increase global warming due to emissions of hydrofluorocarbons used in cooling equipment and carbon dioxide emissions from the mostly fossil fuel-based electricity currently powering space cooling. This study uses the Greenhouse Gas and Air Pollution Interaction and Synergies (GAINS) model framework to estimate current and future emissions of hydrofluorocarbons and their abatement potentials for space cooling in the NRB sector of China and assess the co-benefits in the form of savings in electricity and associated reductions in greenhouse gas (GHG), air pollution, and short-lived climate pollutant emissions.

The key role of propane in a sustainable cooling sector.

Split air conditioners (ACs) are the most used appliance for space cooling worldwide. The phase-down of refrigerants with high global warming potential (GWP) prescribed by the Kigali Amendment to the Montreal Protocol has triggered a major effort to find less harmful alternative refrigerants. HFC-32 is currently the most common refrigerant to replace HFC-410A in split ACs.

The public health implications of the Paris Agreement: a modelling study.

Background: nationally determined contributions (NDCs) serve to meet the goals of the Paris Agreement of staying "well below 2°C", which could also yield substantial health co-benefits in the process. However, existing NDC commitments are inadequate to achieve this goal. Placing health as a key focus of the NDCs could present an opportunity to increase ambition and realise health co-benefits.

Reducing global air pollution: the scope for further policy interventions.

Over the last decades, energy and pollution control policies combined with structural changes in the economy decoupled emission trends from economic growth, increasingly also in the developing world. It is found that effective implementation of the presently decided national pollution control regulations should allow further economic growth without major deterioration of ambient air quality, but will not be enough to reduce pollution levels in many world regions. A combination of ambitious policies focusing on pollution controls, energy and climate, agricultural production systems and addressing human consumption habits could drastically improve air quality throughout the world.

Co-benefits of Energy-Efficient Air Conditioners in the Residential Building Sector of China.

Electricity demand for room air conditioners (ACs) has been growing significantly in China in response to rapid economic development and mounting impacts of climate change. In this study, we use the bottom-up model approach to predict the penetration rate of room ACs in the residential building sector of China at the provincial level, with the consideration of the urban-rural heterogeneity. In addition, we assess co-benefits associated with enhanced energy efficiency improvement of AC systems and the adoption of low-global-warming-potential (low-GWP) refrigerants in AC systems.

The Critical Role of Policy Enforcement in Achieving Health, Air Quality, and Climate Benefits from India's Clean Electricity Transition.

The coal-dominated electricity system poses major challenges for India to tackle air pollution and climate change. Although the government has issued a series of clean air policies and low-carbon energy targets, a key barrier remains enforcement. Here, we quantify the importance of policy implementation in India's electricity sector using an integrated assessment method based on emissions scenarios, air quality simulations, and health impact assessments.

Mitigation pathways towards national ambient air quality standards in India.

Exposure to ambient particulate matter is a leading risk factor for environmental public health in India. While Indian authorities implemented several measures to reduce emissions from the power, industry and transportation sectors over the last years, such strategies appear to be insufficient to reduce the ambient fine particulate matter (PM) concentration below the Indian National Ambient Air Quality Standard (NAAQS) of 40 μg/m across the country. This study explores pathways towards achieving the NAAQS in India in the context of the dynamics of social and economic development.

Biomass pellets for power generation in India: a techno-economic evaluation.

Modern bioenergy is being recognized as an increasingly important low-carbon resource by policy-makers around the world to meet climate policy targets. In India also, there is a clear recognition of the significant role of bioenergy in electricity generation as well as in other applications. In this study, a preliminary attempt has been made to assess the techno-economic feasibility of biomass pellets-based power (BPBP) generation in India.

Sectoral assessment of greenhouse gas emissions in Pakistan.

In this study, an attempt has been made to develop inventory of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions for Pakistan at the national and sectoral level. The emission profile includes carbon dioxide (CO), methane (CH), and nitrous oxide (NO). In 2012, GHG emissions from different sectors of economy are estimated at 367 Tg COeq.

Analysis of baseline and alternative air quality scenarios for Pakistan: an integrated approach.

This study aims to assess the current and future air pollution and associated health impacts in Pakistan. In this study, the Pakistan Integrated Energy Model (Pak-IEM) is used to assess current and future energy consumption in Pakistan. To assess air pollution levels and associated health impacts, we used the Greenhouse gas and Air pollution INteractions and Synergies (GAINS) model.

Potential of wind power projects under the Clean Development Mechanism in India.

Background: So far, the cumulative installed capacity of wind power projects in India is far below their gross potential ( View Article and Find Full Text PDF