Negative-emissions technology portfolios to meet the 1.5 °C target

Our carbon-intensive economy has led to an average temperature rise of 1 °C since pre-industrial times. As a consequence, the world has seen increasing droughts, significant shrinking of the polar ice caps, and steady sea-level rise. To stall these issues’ worsening further, we must limit global warming to 1.5 °C. In addition to the economy’s decarbonization, this endeavour requires the use of negative-emissions technologies (NETs) that remove the main greenhouse gas, carbon dioxide, from the atmosphere. While techno-economic feasibility alone has driven the definition of negative-emissions solutions, NETs’ diverse, far-reaching implications demand a more holistic assessment. Here, we present a comprehensive framework, integrating NETs’ critical performance aspects of feasibility, effectiveness, and side impacts, to define the optimal technology mix within realistic outlooks. The resulting technology portfolios provide a useful new benchmark to compare carbon avoidance and removal measures and deliberately choose the best path to solve the climate emergency.     

碳纤维布加固钢筋混凝土梁的现场实荷加载试验

通过对某工程中的钢筋混凝土梁采取粘贴碳纤维布的方式进行加固,并现场抽取试验梁进行了现场堆载实荷加载试验,对试验梁的挠度、裂缝开展情况和承载能力进行了全面分析,对该加固工程的效果进行了评价,供同行参考。     

A comprehensive survey of lignin geochemistry in the sedimentary organic matter along the Kapuas River (West Kalimantan, Indonesia)

In this first study of lignin geochemistry in the world’s longest river on an island, surface sediments were collected along the Kapuas River, three lakes in the upper river, a tributary in the lower river and a separate river during June-July 2007 and December 2007-January 2008. The samples were analyzed for lignin-derived phenols and bulk elemental and stable carbon isotope compositions. Λ values (the sum of eight lignin phenols, expressed as mg/100 mg organic carbon (OC)) ranged from 0.13 to 3.70. Ratios of syringyl/vanillyl (S/V) and cinnamyl/vanillyl (C/V) ranged from 0.34 to 1.18 and 0.28 to 1.40, respectively, indicating the presence of non-woody angiosperm tissues. The high vanillic acid to vanillin (Ad/Al)v (0.71-2.01) and syringic acid to syringaldehyde (Ad/Al)s (0.72-2.12) ratios indicate highly degraded lignin materials. In the upper Kapuas River, highly degraded soil materials discharged from lands that were barren as a result of deforestation activities were detected in the locations directly in those vicinities. The middle Kapuas River showed rapid organic matter degradation, probably due to the presence of fresh terrestrial and phytoplankton organic matter fueling the biogeochemical cycling. The Kapuas Kecil River, one of the two branches in the lower reach of the Kapuas River, showed higher levels and diagenesis of sedimentary organic matter due to input from anthropogenic sources and increased marine organic matter near the mouth. This study shows that different stretches along the river exhibit different levels and composition of sedimentary organic matter, as well as different carbon dynamics, which is directly attributable to the varying landscapes and quality of organic matter.     

Soil Organic Carbon mapping of partially vegetated agricultural fields with imaging spectroscopy

Soil Organic Carbon (SOC) is one of the key soil properties, but the large spatial variation makes continuous mapping a complex task. Imaging spectroscopy has proven to be an useful technique for mapping of soil properties, but the applicability decreases rapidly when fields are partially covered with vegetation. In this paper we show that with only a few percent fractional maize cover the accuracy of a Partial Least Square Regression (PLSR) based SOC prediction model drops dramatically. However, this problem can be solved with the use of spectral unmixing techniques. First, the fractional maize cover is determined with linear spectral unmixing, taking the illumination and observation angles into account. In a next step the influence of maize is filtered out from the spectral signal by a new procedure termed Residual Spectral Unmixing (RSU). The residual soil spectra resulting from this procedure are used for mapping of SOC using PLSR, which could be done with accuracies comparable to studies performed on bare soil surfaces (Root Mean Standard Error of Calibration = 1.34 g/kg and Root Mean Standard Error of Prediction = 1.65 g/kg). With the presented RSU approach it is possible to filter out the influence of maize from the mixed spectra, and the residual soil spectra contain enough information for mapping of the SOC distribution within agricultural fields. This can improve the applicability of airborne imaging spectroscopy for soil studies in temperate climates, since the use of the RSU approach can extend the flight-window which is often constrained by the presence of vegetation.     

The social and political complexities of learning in carbon capture and storage demonstration projects

Demonstration of a fully integrated power plant with carbon capture and storage (CCS) at scale has not yet been achieved, despite growing international political interest in the potential of the technology to contribute to climate change mitigation and calls from multiple constituents for more demonstration projects. Acknowledging the scale of learning that still must occur for the technology to advance towards deployment, multiple CCS demonstration projects of various scales are emerging globally. Current plans for learning and knowledge sharing associated with demonstration projects, however, seem to be limited and narrowly conceived, raising questions about whether the projects will deliver on the expectations raised. Through a comparison of the structure, framing and socio-political context of three very different CCS demonstration projects in different places and contexts, this paper explores the complexity of social learning associated with demonstration projects. Variety in expectations of the demonstration projects’ objectives, learning processes, information sharing mechanisms, public engagement initiatives, financing and collaborative partnerships are highlighted. The comparison shows that multiple factors including the process of building support for the project, the governance context and the framing of the project matter for the learning in demonstration projects. This analysis supports a broader conceptualization of learning than that currently found in CCS demonstration plans - a result with implications for both future research and practice.     

Toward policy integration: Assessing carbon capture and storage policies in Japan and Norway

The objective of this paper is to develop independent and systematic criteria for assessing CCS policy in terms of its level of policy integration. We believe that we should assess CCS policy in terms of the distance to an ideal integrated CCS policy in order to keep track of its trajectory toward sustainable development. After reviewing the existing literature of environmental policy integration, an assessment framework for integrated CCS policy is developed based on Arild Underdal's notion of ‘integrated policy’ then, its usefulness is demonstrated by applying it to CCS policies in Japan and Norway. In the final part, we summarize the findings of the cases and conclude with some observations regarding explanatory factors of the difference in terms of the achieved level of policy integration between Japan and Norway's CCS policies, and some policy implications derived from the analysis based on the framework.     

Multi-proxy approach (H/H, O/O, C/C and Sr/Sr) for the evolution of carbonate-rich groundwater in basalt dominated aquifer of Axum area, northern Ethiopia

Isotopic and chemical composition of groundwater from wells and springs, and surface water from the basalt-dominated Axum area (northern Ethiopia) provides evidence for the origin of water and dissolved species. Shallow (depth < 40 m) and deep groundwater are distinguished by both chemical and isotopic composition. Deep groundwater is significantly enriched in dissolved inorganic carbon up to 40 mmol l⁻¹ and in concentrations of Ca²⁺, Mg²⁺, Na⁺ and Si(OH)₄ compared to the shallow type.The δ²H and δ¹⁸O values of all solutions clearly indicate meteoric origin. Shifts from the local meteoric water line are attributed to evaporation of surface and spring water, and to strong water–rock interaction. The δ¹³C_DIC values of shallow groundwater between −12 and −7‰ (VPDB) display the uptake of CO₂ from local soil horizons, whereas δ¹³C_DIC of deep groundwater ranges from −5 to +1‰. Considering open system conditions with respect to gaseous CO₂, δ¹³C_DIC = +1‰ of the deep groundwater with highest PCO₂ = 10^−0.9 atm yields δ¹³C_CO2(gas) ≈ −5‰, which is close to the stable carbon isotopic composition of magmatic CO₂. Accordingly, stable carbon isotope ratios within the above range are referred to individual proportions of CO₂ from soil and magmatic origin. The uptake of magmatic CO₂ results in elevated cations and Si(OH)₄ concentrations. Weathering of local basalts is documented by ⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr ratios of the groundwater from 0.7038 to 0.7059. Highest values indicate Sr release from the basement rocks. Besides weathering of silicates, neoformation of solids has to be considered, which results in the formation of, e.g., kaolinite and montmorillonite. In several solutions supersaturation with respect to calcite is reached by outgassing of CO₂ from the solution leading to secondary calcite formation.     

Phytoplankton biomass and primary production responses to physico-chemical forcing across the northeastern New Zealand continental shelf

Phytoplankton biomass and primary production were monitored in the Hauraki Gulf and on the northeastern continental shelf, New Zealand - using ship surveys, moored instruments and satellite observations (1998-2001) - capturing variability across a range of space and time scales. A depth-integrated primary production model (DIM) was used to predict integrated productivity from surface parameters, enabling regional-specific estimates from satellite data. The shelf site was dominated by pico-phytoplankton, with low chlorophyll-a (<1 mg m⁻³) and annual production (136 g C m⁻² yr⁻¹). In contrast, the gulf contained a micro/nano-phytoplankton-dominated community, with relatively high chlorophyll-a (>1 mg m⁻³) and annual production (178 g C m⁻² yr⁻¹). Biomass and productivity responded to physico-chemical factors; a combination of light, critical mixing depths and/or nutrient limitation—particularly new nitrate-N. Relatively low biomass and production was observed during 1999. This coincided with inter-annual variability in the timing and extent of upwelling- and downwelling-favourable along-shelf wind-stress, influencing the fluxes of new nitrate-N to the shelf and gulf. Relationships with the Southern Oscillation Index are also discussed. Our multi-scaled sampling highlighted details associated with stratification and de-stratification events, and deep sub-surface chlorophyll-a not visible to satellite sensors. This study demonstrates the importance of multi-scaled sampling in gaining estimates of regional production and its responses to physico-chemical forcing.     

Air-sea CO2 exchange of beach and near-coastal waters of the Chukchi Sea near Barrow, Alaska

Partial pressure of CO₂ in equilibrium with sample water (pCO₂) for the coastal water in the Chukchi Sea was continuously observed in summer, 2008. Average daily CO₂ flux calculated from the pCO₂ and gas transfer coefficients ranged from −0.144 to −0.0701 g C m⁻² day⁻¹ depending on which gas transfer coefficient was used. The pCO₂ before the landfast ice sheets melted appeared to be highly biologically controlled based on the following information: (1) the diurnal pattern of pCO₂ was strongly correlated with Photosynthetic Photon Flux Density (PPFD); (2) high chlorophyll density was observed during periods of peak uptake; and (3) the day-to-day variation in the pCO₂ strongly correlated with the presence or absence of near-shore ice sheets. The lowest pCO₂ of 35 ppm together with the highest PPFD of 1362 μmol E m⁻² s⁻¹ were observed in the afternoon on June 28 in the presence of sea ice. The very low pCO₂ observed in late June was likely caused by high photosynthetic rates related to high phytoplankton densities typically observed from spring to early summer near the ice edge, and by water low in salinity and CO₂ released by melting sea ice early in the season.