Improving district heating for industry involves using low-carbon alternatives, such as biomass, electric boilers, heat pumps, and waste heat from other industries, to provide heat to industries for their operations. Currently, most district heating for industry relies heavily on fossil fuels to generate heat. Low-carbon alternatives have the potential to make a significant dent in the global emissions from industry, but such projects are also challenging to implement due to their scale and complexity, and there is currently a lack of publicly available data that would allow for a deeper analysis. Based on our assessment, we will “Keep Watching” this potential solution.
Based on our analysis, improving district heating for industry by integrating low-carbon heat sources has the potential to significantly reduce the use of fossil fuels and the emissions they generate. However, the lack of data, combined with the complexity of such projects and the growing interest in alternative decarbonization pathways, makes this a potential solution to “Keep Watching”.
| Plausible | Could it work? | Yes |
|---|---|---|
| Ready | Is it ready? | Yes |
| Evidence | Are there data to evaluate it? | No |
| Effective | Does it consistently work? | Yes |
| Impact | Is it big enough to matter? | Yes |
| Risk | Is it risky or harmful? | No |
| Cost | Is it cheap? | No |
District heating systems consist of a network of underground pipes that distribute heat to a large number of buildings, including industrial buildings. In the industrial sector, district heating is used by light industries (e.g., for space heating in manufacturing facilities) and for processes such as drying, paper making, food processing, as well as space heating and even heat-driven chillers for refrigeration. Industry is well-suited to district heating because it typically has steady and predictable heat demand throughout the year. Current district heating systems rely heavily on coal and natural gas for heat generation, often as part of combined heat and power generation. Low-carbon alternatives for district heating can include burning biomass, electric heat pumps, solar thermal, deep geothermal, and even waste heat from other industries.
Shifting district heating for industry from conventional heat sources to low-carbon heat sources will significantly reduce emissions. Our analysis for district heating use by commercial and residential buildings shows that significant emissions can be avoided by shifting to electric boilers, heat pumps, biomass boilers, and the use of waste heat (see Improve District Heating: Buildings). Similar outcomes are likely possible for industrial district heating use, and emissions reductions will increase as more renewables are integrated into the electricity systems used to power electric boilers and heat pumps.
District heating for industry currently produces significant emissions. According to the International Energy Agency (IEA), district heating for all applications accounted for 4% of global emissions in 2022, and roughly 40% of the heat energy from district heating was delivered to industry. China is a major adopter of district heating for industries, with the combustion of coal supplying much of that heat. The shift to renewable heat sources is likely to increase because both China and the EU have policies targeting the adoption of renewables in district heating. Because district heating systems serve multiple buildings, a single project to replace fossil fuels with renewables can have a large impact. Such projects also have the benefit of reducing local air pollution.
Although simple on paper, replacing fossil fuel systems with lower-carbon alternatives in district heating systems can be an extended undertaking involving many stakeholders and years of planning. Some low-carbon options may not be suitable for industrial processes that require higher temperatures than those needed for space heating. There is also a significant lack of publicly available data about how industry currently uses district heating and the opportunities and challenges involved in shifting to renewables. In the meantime, industrial heat pumps with higher temperature outputs (100–200°C) are increasingly available and could become a low-carbon competitor to the use of a conventional district heating system.
Bellevrat, E., & West, K. (2018). Clean and efficient heat for industry. IEA. Link to source: https://www.iea.org/commentaries/clean-and-efficient-heat-for-industry
Difs, K., Danestig, M., & Trygg, L. (2009). Increased use of district heating in industrial processes – Impacts on heat load duration. Applied Energy, 86(11), 2327–2334. Link to source: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.apenergy.2009.03.011
European Commission. (2022). Implementing the repower EU action plan: Investment needs, hydrogen accelerator and achieving the bio-methane targets. Link to source: https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/PDF/?uri=CELEX:52022SC0230
Gouy, A., Mooney, E., & Voswinkel, F. (2023). Light Industry. IEA. Link to source: https://www.iea.org/energy-system/industry/light-industry
IEA. (2025). District heating. Link to source: https://www.iea.org/energy-system/buildings/district-heating#programmes
IRENA, IEA, & REN21. (2020). Renewable energy policies in a time of transition: Heating and cooling. Link to source: https://www.irena.org/-/media/Files/IRENA/Agency/Publication/2020/Nov/IRENA_IEA_REN21_Policies_Heating_Cooling_2020.pdf
Lake, A., Rezaie, B., & Beyerlein, S. (2017). Review of district heating and cooling systems for a sustainable future. Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, 67, 417–425. Link to source: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.rser.2016.09.061
Werner, S. (2017). International review of district heating and cooling. Energy, 137, 617–631. Link to source: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.energy.2017.04.045
Greenhouse gas quantity expressed relative to CO₂ with the same warming impact over 100 years, calculated by multiplying emissions by the 100-yr GWP for the emitted gases.
Greenhouse gas quantity expressed relative to CO₂ with the same warming impact over 20 years, calculated by multiplying emissions by the 20-yr GWP for the emitted gases.
8th World Congress on Conservation Agriculture
Reducing greenhouse gas concentrations in the atmosphere by preventing or reducing emissions.
The process of increasing acidity.
The extent to which emissions reduction or carbon removal is above and beyond what would have occurred without implementing a particular action or solution.
An upper limit on solution adoption based on physical or technical constraints, not including economic or policy barriers. This level is unlikely to be reached and will not be exceeded.
The quantity and metric to measure implementation for a particular solution that is used as the reference unit for calculations within that solution.
A composting method in which organic waste is processed in freestanding piles that can be aerated actively with forced air or passively by internal convection.
The interactions of aerodynamic forces and flexible structures, often including the stucture's control system.
A process in which microbes break down organic materials in the presence of oxygen. This process converts food and green waste into nutrient-rich compost.
Farming practices that work to create socially and ecologically sustainable food production.
Addition of trees and shrubs to crop or animal farming systems.
Spread out the cost of an asset over its useful lifetime.
A crop that live one year or less from planting to harvest; also called annual.
aerated static piles
black carbon
Made from material of biological origin, such as plants, animals, or other organisms.
A renewable energy source generated from organic matter from plants and/or algae.
An energy source composed primarily of methane and CO₂ that is produced by microorganisms when organic matter decomposes in the absence of oxygen.
Carbon stored in biological matter, including soil, plants, fungi, and plant products (e.g., wood, paper, biofuels). This carbon is sequestered from the atmosphere but can be released through decomposition or burning.
Living or dead renewable matter from plants or animals, not including organic material transformed into fossil fuels. Peat, in early decay stages, is partially renewable biomass.
Biogas refined to the same quality as natural gas. CO₂
and impurities are removed, and the biomethane can be distributed and used in existing natural gas technologies.
A type of carbon sequestration that captures carbon from CO₂ via photosynthesis and stores it in soils, sediments, and biomass, distinct from sequestration through chemical or industrial pathways.
A climate pollutant, also called soot, produced from incomplete combustion of organic matter, either naturally (wildfires) or from human activities (biomass or fossil fuel burning).
A secure, decentralized way of digitally tracking transactions that could be used to improve the transparency and efficiency of carbon markets.
High-latitude (>50°N or >50°S) climate regions characterized by short growing seasons and cold temperatures.
The components of a building that physically separate the indoors from the outdoor environment.
Businesses involved in the sale and/or distribution of solution-related equipment and technology, and businesses that want to support adoption of the solution.
A chemical reaction involving heating a solid to a high temperature; to make cement clinker, limestone is calcined into lime in a process that requires high heat and produces CO₂.
The ratio of the actual electricity an energy technology generates over a period of time to the maximum it could have produced if it operated at full capacity continuously.
A four-wheeled passenger vehicle.
Average number of people traveling in a car per trip.
Technologies that collect CO₂ before it enters the atmosphere, preventing emissions at their source. Collected CO₂ can be used onsite or in new products, or stored long term to prevent release.
A greenhouse gas that is naturally found in the atmosphere. Its atmospheric concentration has been increasing due to human activities, leading to warming and climate impacts.
Total GHG emissions resulting from a particular action, material, technology, or sector.
Amount of GHG emissions released per activity or unit of production.
A marketplace where carbon credits are purchased and sold. One carbon credit represents activities that avoid, reduce, or remove one metric ton of GHG emissions.
A colorless, odorless gas released during the incomplete combustion of fuels containing carbon. Carbon monoxide can harm health and be fatal at high concentrations.
The time it takes for the emissions reduction from a measure to equal the emissions invested in implementing the measure.
Activities or technologies that pull CO₂ out of the atmosphere, including enhancing natural carbon sinks and deploying engineered sinks.
Long-term storage of carbon in soils, sediment, biomass, oceans, and geologic formations after removal of CO₂ from the atmosphere or CO₂ capture from industrial and power generation processes.
carbon capture and storage
carbon capture, utilization, and storage
A binding ingredient in concrete responsible for most of concrete’s life-cycle emissions. Cement is made primarily of clinker mixed with other mineral components.
methane
Energy sources that have little to no negative environmental or climate impacts during operation relative to fossil fuel–based energy sources.
Gases or particles that have a planet-warming effect when released to the atmosphere. Some climate pollutants also cause other forms of environmental damage.
A binding ingredient in cement responsible for most of the life-cycle emissions from cement and concrete production.
A waste management process where waste is made into the same original product, preserving quality and value so materials can be reused multiple times while keeping resources in continuous use.
carbon monoxide
Neighbors, volunteer organizations, hobbyists and interest groups, online communities, early adopters, individuals sharing a home, and private citizens seeking to support the solution.
A solution that potentially lowers the benefit of another solution through reduced effectiveness, higher costs, reduced or delayed adoption, or diminished global climate impact.
A farming system that combines reduced tillage, cover crops, and crop rotations.
A risk-sharing financial agreement in which two parties (e.g., renewable generator, government) guarantee a fixed price (e.g., electricity price). If market prices fluctuate, one party pays the other the difference.
carbon dioxide
A measure standardizing the warming effects of greenhouse gases relative to CO₂. CO₂-eq is calculated as quantity (metric tons) of a particular gas multiplied by its GWP.
carbon dioxide equivalent
Plant materials left over after a harvest, such as stalks, leaves, and seed husks.
A granular material made by crushing broken or waste glass.
direct air capture
Financial agreements in which government creditors forgive a portion of debt in exchange for specific conservation commitments.
The process of cutting greenhouse gas emissions (primarily CO₂) from a particular sector or activity.
An industrial process that removes printing ink from used or waste paper fibers, creating clean pulp that can be turned into new paper products.
A solution that works slower than gradual solutions and is expected to take longer to reach its full potential.
Microbial conversion of nitrate into inert nitrogen gas under low-oxygen conditions, which produces the greenhouse gas nitrous oxide as an intermediate compound.
Greenhouse gas emissions produced as a direct result of the use of a technology or practice.
A window consisting of two glass panes separated by a sealed gap and typically filled with air or an inert gas to improve the heat flow resistance.
A waste management system that transforms waste into different products of lower quality and value, making materials harder to recycle again and limiting reuse.
Ability of a solution to reduce emissions or remove carbon, expressed in CO₂-eq per installed adoption unit. Effectiveness is quantified per year when the adoption unit is cumulative over time.
A process that uses electric current to drive a reaction, such as using electricity to split water molecules into hydrogen and oxygen.
Greenhouse gas emissions accrued over the lifetime of a material or product, including as it is produced, transported, used, and disposed of.
Solutions that work faster than gradual solutions, front-loading their impact in the near term.
Methane produced by microbes in the digestive tracts of ruminant livestock, such as cattle, sheep and goats.
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
expanded polystyrene
environmental, social, and governance
exchange-traded fund
A process triggered by an overabundance of nutrients in water, particularly nitrogen and phosphorus, that stimulates excessive plant and algae growth and can harm aquatic organisms.
Electric vehicle
An ecological process that releases water into the atmosphere as a gas from soil and ice (evaporation) and plants (transpiration).
The scientific literature that supports our assessment of a solution's effectiveness.
A group of human-made molecules that contain fluorine atoms. They are potent greenhouse gases with GWPs that can be hundreds to thousands times higher than CO₂.
Food, agriculture, land, and ocean
Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations
feed conversion ratio
The efficiency with which an animal converts feed into increased body mass, measured as the ratio of the weight of the feed given to weight gain. Lower FCR means less feed for the same growth.
Raw material inputs for manufacturing, processing, and managing waste.
Containing or consisting of iron.
A measure of fishing activity over time and area, commonly measured by number of trips, vessel time, or gear deployed.
food loss and waste
Food discarded during pre-consumer supply chain stages, including production, harvest, and processing.
Food discarded during pre-consumer supply chain stages, including production, harvest, and processing, along with food discarded wt the retail and consumer stages of the supply chain.
Food discarded at the retail and consumer stages of the supply chain.
Combustible materials found in Earth's crust that can be burned for energy, including oil, natural gas, and coal. They are formed from decayed organisms through prehistoric geological processes.
Unintentional leaks of gases or vapor into the atmosphere.
Unintentional leaks of gases or vapor into the atmosphere.
A group of countries representing the majority of the world's population, trade, and GDP. There are 19 member countries plus the European Union and the African Union
greenhouse gas
gigajoule or billion joules
The glass layers or panes in a window.
A measure of how effectively a gas traps heat in the atmosphere relative to CO₂. GWP converts greenhouse gases into CO₂-eq emissions based on their 20- or 100-year impacts.
A solution that has a steady impact on the atmosphere. Effectiveness is expected to be constant over time rather than having a higher impact in the near or long term.
Biomass discarded during landscaping and gardening.
A gas that traps heat in the atmosphere, contributing to climate change.
The makeup of electricity generation on a power grid, showing the share contributed by various energy sources (e.g., coal, natural gas, nuclear, wind, solar, hydro) relative to total electricity production.
metric gigatons or billion metric tons
global warming potential
hectare
household air pollution
Number of years a person is expected to live without disability or other limitations that restrict basic functioning and activity.
A unit of land area comprising 10,000 square meters, roughly equal to 2.5 acres.
Hybrid electric car
hydrofluorocarbon
hydrofluoroolefin
Particles and gases released from use of polluting fuels and technologies such as biomass cookstoves that cause poor air quality in and around the home.
heating, ventilation, air conditioning, and refrigeration
Organic compounds that contain hydrogen and carbon.
Human-made F-gases that contain hydrogen, fluorine, and carbon. They typically have short atmospheric lifetimes and GWPs hundreds or thousands times higher than CO₂.
Human-made F-gases that contain hydrogen, fluorine, and carbon, with at least one double bond. They have low GWPs and can be climate-friendly alternatives to HFC refrigerants.
Hydrogen is a gas that can be a fuel, feedstock, or means of storing energy. It generates water instead of GHG when burned, but the process of producing it can emit high levels of GHGs.
Hydrogen is a gas that can be a fuel, feedstock, or means of storing energy. It generates water instead of GHG when burned, but the process of producing it can emit high levels of GHGs.
A recycling process that separates fibers from contaminants for reuse. Paper or cardboard is mixed with water to break down fibrous materials into pulp.
internal combustion engine
Aerobic decomposition of organic waste in a sealed container or bin/bay system.
Greenhouse gas emissions produced as a result of a technology or practice but not directly from its use.
Device used to power vehicles by the intake, compression, combustion, and exhaust of fuel that drives moving parts.
The annual discount rate that balances net cash flows for a project over time. Also called IRR, internal rate of return is used to estimate profitability of potential investments.
Individuals or institutions willing to lend money in search of a return on their investment.
Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change
Indigenous People’s Land
Integrated pest management.
internal rate of return
International Union for Conservation of Nature
The most comprehensive global list of species threatened with extinction, maintained by the International Union for Conservation of Nature.
International agreement adopted in 2016 to phase down the use of high-GWP HFC F-gases over the time frame 2019–2047.
A measure of energy equivalent to the energy delivered by 1,000 watts of power over one hour.
kiloton or one thousand metric tons
kilowatt-hour
A land-holding system, e.g. ownership, leasing, or renting. Secure land tenure means farmers or other land users will maintain access to and use of the land in future years.
Gases, mainly methane and CO₂, created by the decomposition of organic matter in the absence of oxygen.
levelized cost of electricity
leak detection and repair
Regular monitoring for fugitive methane leaks throughout oil and gas, coal, and landfill sector infrastructure and the modification or replacement of leaking equipment.
Relocation of emissions-causing activities outside of a mitigation project area rather than a true reduction in emissions.
The rate at which solution costs decrease as adoption increases, based on production efficiencies, technological improvements, or other factors.
Percent decrease in costs per doubling of adoption.
A metric describing the expected break-even cost of generating electricity per megawatt-hour ($/MWh), combining costs related to capital, operation, and fuel (if used) and dividing by total output over the generator's lifetime.
landfill gas
Greenhouse gas emissions from the sourcing, production, use, and disposal of a technology or practice.
The total weight of an organism before any meat processing.
low- and middle-income countries
liquefied petroleum gas
land use change
A measure of the amount of light produced by a light source per energy input.
live weight
marginal abatement cost curve
Livestock grazing practices that strategically manage livestock density, grazing intensity, and timing. Also called improved grazing, these practices have environmental, soil health, and climate benefits, including enhanced soil carbon sequestration.
A tool to measure and compare the financial cost and abatement benefit of individual actions based on the initial and operating costs, revenue, and emission reduction potential.
Defined by the International Union for Conservation of Nature as: "A clearly defined geographical space, recognised, dedicated and managed, through legal or other effective means, to achieve the long-term conservation of nature with associated ecosystem services and cultural values." References to PAs here also include other effective area-based conservation measures defined by the IUCN.
A facility that receives recyclable waste from residential, commercial, and industrial sources; separates, processes, and prepares them; and then sells them to manufacturers for reuse in new products.
A measure of energy equivalent to the energy delivered by one million watts of power over one hour.
A greenhouse gas with a short lifetime and high GWP that can be produced through a variety of mechanisms including the breakdown of organic matter.
A measure of mass equivalent to 1,000 kilograms (~2,200 lbs).
million hectares
Soils mostly composed of inorganic materials formed through the breakdown of rocks. Most soils are mineral soils, and they generally have less than 20% organic matter by weight.
A localized electricity system that independently generates and distributes power. Typically serving limited geographic areas, mini-grids can operate in isolation or interconnected with the main grid.
Reducing the concentration of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere by cutting emissions or removing CO₂.
megajoule or one million joules
Percent of trips made by different passenger and freight transportation modes.
Marine Protected Area
materials recovery facility
Municipal solid waste
megaton or million metric tons
Materials discarded from residential and commercial sectors, including organic waste, glass, metals, plastics, paper, and cardboard.
Megawatt-hour
square meter kelvins per watt (a measure of thermal resistance, also called R-value)
The enclosed housing at the top of a wind turbine tower that contains the main mechanical and electrical components of the turbine.
A commitment from a country to reduce national emissions and/or sequester carbon in alignment with global climate goals under the Paris Agreement, including plans for adapting to climate impacts.
A gaseous form of hydrocarbons consisting mainly of methane.
Chemicals found in nature that are used for cooling and heating, such as CO₂, ammonia, and some hydrocarbons. They have low GWPs and are ozone friendly, making them climate-friendly refrigerants.
Microbial conversion of ammonia or ammonium to nitrite and then to nitrate under aerobic conditions.
A group of air pollutant molecules composed of nitrogen and oxygen, including NO and NO₂.
A greenhouse gas produced during fossil fuel combustion and agricultural and industrial processes. N₂O is hundreds of times more potent than CO₂ at trapping atmospheric heat, and it depletes stratospheric ozone.
Metals or alloys that do not contain significant amounts of iron.
Social welfare organizations, civic leagues, social clubs, labor organizations, business associations, and other not-for-profit organizations.
A material or energy source that relies on resources that are finite or not naturally replenished at the rate of consumption, including fossil fuels like coal, oil, and natural gas.
nitrogen oxides
nitrous oxide
The process of increasing the acidity of seawater, primarily caused by absorption of CO₂ from the atmosphere.
An agreement between a seller who will produce future goods and a purchaser who commits to buying them, often used as project financing for producers prior to manufacturing.
Waste made of plant or animal matter, including food waste and green waste.
organic waste
Protected Area
Productive use of wet or rewetted peatlands that does not disturb the peat layer, such as for hunting, gathering, and growing wetland-adapted crops for food, fiber, and energy.
A legally protected area that lacks effective enforcement or management, resulting in minimal to no conservation benefit.
Airborne particles composed of solids and liquids.
A measure of transporting one passenger over a distance of one kilometer.
Incentive payments to landowners or managers to conserve natural resources and promote healthy ecological functions or ecosystem services.
Small, hardened pieces of plastic made from cooled resin that can be melted to make new plastic products.
The longevity of any greenhouse gas emission reductions or removals. Solution impacts are considered permanent if the risk of reversing the positive climate impacts is low within 100 years.
Payments for ecosystem services
A mixture of hydrocarbons, small amounts of other organic compounds, and trace amounts of metals used to produce products such as fuels or plastics.
Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, a class of synthetic chemicals that do not degrade easily in the environment. They can pollute the environment and can have negative impacts on human health.
Reduce the use of a material or practice over time.
Eliminate the use of a material or practice over time.
Plug-in hybrid electric car
Private, national, or multilateral organizations dedicated to providing aid through in-kind or financial donations.
An atmospheric reaction among sunlight, VOCs, and nitrogen oxide that leads to ground-level ozone formation. Ground-level ozone, a component of smog, harms human health and the environment.
The process by which sunlight is converted into electricity. When light hits certain materials, such as those in solar panels, it mobilizes electrons, creating an electric current.
polyisocyanurate
The adjustment of turbine blade angles around their long axis in which a control system rotates blades slightly forward or backward to regulate wind capture and optimize electricity generation.
passenger kilometer
particulate matter
Particulate matter 2.5 micrometers or less in diameter that can harm human health when inhaled.
Elected officials and their staff, bureaucrats, civil servants, regulators, attorneys, and government affairs professionals.
System in a vehicle that generates power and delivers it to the wheels. It typically includes an engine and/or motor, transmission, driveshaft, and differential.
Purchase Power Agreement.
People who most directly interface with a solution and/or determine whether the solution is used and/or available.
A substance that is the starting material for a chemical reaction that forms a different substance.
Extraction of naturally occurring resources from the Earth, including mining, logging, and oil and gas refining. These resources can be used in raw or minimally processed forms to produce materials.
The process of converting inorganic matter, including carbon dioxide, into organic matter (biomass), primarily by photosynthetic organisms such as plants and algae.
Defined by the International Union for the Conservation of Nature as "A clearly defined geographical space, recognised, dedicated and managed, through legal or other effective means, to achieve the long-term conservation of nature with associated ecosystem services and cultural values". References to PAs here also include other effective area-based conservation measures defined by the IUCN.
A process that separates and breaks down wood and other raw materials into fibers that form pulp, the base ingredient for making paper products.
polyurethane
Long-term contract between a company (the buyer) and a renewable energy producer (the seller).
photovoltaic
research and development
A situation in which improvements in efficiency or savings lead to consumers increasing consumption, partially or fully offsetting or exceeding the emissions or cost benefits.
renewable energy certificate
Chemical or mixture used for cooling and heating in refrigeration, air conditioning, and heat pump equipment. Refrigerants absorb and release heat as they move between states under changing pressure.
The amount of refrigerant needed for a particular refrigeration, air conditioning, or heat pump system.
A group of approaches to farming and ranching that emphasizes enhancing the health of soil by restoring its carbon content and providing other benefits to the farm and surrounding ecosystem.
A solution that can increase the beneficial impact of another solution through increased effectiveness, lower costs, improved adoption, enhanced global climate impact, and/or other benefits to people and nature.
A material or energy source that relies on naturally occuring and replenishing resources such as plant matter, wind, or sunlight.
A market-based instrument that tracks ownership of renewable energy generation.
The moldable form of raw plastic material, created by melting down waste or virgin plastics and serving as the building block for creating new plastic goods.
A class of animals with complex stomachs that can digest grass. Most grazing livestock are ruminants including cows, sheep, and goats along with several other species.
A wetland ecosystem regularly flooded by tides and containing salt-tolerant plants, such as grasses and herbs.
Very large or small numbers are formatted in scientific notation. A positive exponent multiplies the number by powers of ten; a negative exponent divides the number by powers of ten.
Seasonal coefficient of performance
Sustainable Development Goals
Average units of heat energy released for every unit of electrical energy consumed, used to measure heat pump efficiency.
A practice in which multiple utility companies own and operate high-voltage power lines, sharing both costs and benefits.
A window consisting of one glass pane without any additional insulating layers.
Small-scale family farmers and other food producers, often with limited resources, usually in the tropics. The average size of a smallholder farm is two hectares (about five acres).
soil organic carbon
Carbon stored in soils, including both organic (from decomposing plants and microbes) and inorganic (from carbonate-containing minerals).
Carbon stored in soils in organic forms (from decomposing plants and microbes). Soil organic carbon makes up roughly half of soil organic matter by weight.
Biologically derived matter in soils, including living, dead, and decayed plant and microbial tissues. Soil organic matter is roughly half carbon on a dry-weight basis.
soil organic matter
A substance that takes up another liquid or gas substance, either by absorbtion or adsorption.
sulfur oxides
sulfur dioxide
The rate at which a climate solution physically affects the atmosphere after being deployed. At Project Drawdown, we use three categories: emergency brake (fastest impact), gradual, or delayed (slowest impact).
Climate regions between latitudes 23.4° to 35° above and below the equator characterized by warm summers and mild winters.
A polluting gas produced primarily from burning fossil fuels and industrial processes that directly harms the environment and human health.
A group of gases containing sulfur and oxygen that predominantly come from burning fossil fuels. They contribute to air pollution, acid rain, and respiratory health issues.
Processes, people, and resources involved in producing and delivering a product from supplier to end customer, including material acquisition.
Sport utility vehicle
metric ton
metric tons
Technology developers, including founders, designers, inventors, R&D staff, and creators seeking to overcome technical or practical challenges.
Climate regions between 35° to 50° above and below the equator characterized by moderate mean annual temperatures and distinct seasons, with warm summers and cold winters.
A measure of energy equivalent to the energy delivered by one trillion watts of power over one hour.
A measure of how well a material prevents heat flow, often called R-value or RSI-value for insulation. A higher R-value means better thermal performance.
Individuals with an established audience for their work, including public figures, experts, journalists, and educators.
Charges for disposal of materials paid to facility operators. Fees can be charged per ton of waste disposed or based on economic indicators such as the Consumer Price Index.
A window consisting of three panes of glass separated by two insulating inert gas-filled layers, providing more heat flow resistance than single or double glazing.
Low-latitude (23.4°S to 23.4°N) climate regions near the Equator characterized by year-round high temperatures and distinct wet and dry seasons.
Terawatt, equal to 1,000 gigawatts
terawatt-hour
United Nations
United Nations Environment Programme
Self-propelled machine for transporting passengers or freight on roads.
A measure of one vehicle traveling a distance of one kilometer.
Aerobic decomposition of organic waste by earthworms and microorganisms.
vehicle kilometer
volatile organic compound
Gases made of organic, carbon-based molecules that are readily released into the air from other solid or liquid materials. Some VOCs are greenhouse gases or can harm human health.
watt (a measure of power or energy transfer.)
Landscape waste, storm debris, wood processing residues, and recovered post-consumer wood.
A measure of power equal to one joule per second.
Aerobic decomposition of organic waste in long, narrow rows called windrows. Windrows are generally twice as long as they are wide.
A subset of forest ecosystems that may have sparser canopy cover, smaller-stature trees, and/or trees characterized by basal branching rather than a single main stem.
extruded polystyrene
The rotation of the nacelle (the enclosed housing at the top of a wind turbine tower that contains the main mechanical and electrical components of the turbine) so that the rotor blades are always facing directly into the wind.
year