As the world moves toward net-zero emissions, carbon capture, utilization and storage (CCUS) especially geologic CO₂ sequestration has emerged as a critical climate mitigation strategy. This review examines the current scientific and technical landscape of geologic CO₂ storage, highlighting key challenges and strategic considerations essential for its large-scale deployment. Also, it explores viable storage formations, including depleted hydrocarbon reservoirs, deep saline aquifers and unmineable coal seams. It outlines essential site selection criteria, with a focus on geological characterization, structural integrity and risk mitigation to ensure long-term containment and safety. Technical aspects such as CO₂ injection methods and monitoring systems are assessed in depth. Advances in seismic imaging, geochemical tracers and real-time monitoring technologies are discussed for their role in tracking CO₂ behaviour in the subsurface. Beyond technical feasibility, the review evaluates the socio-economic and regulatory dimensions shaping the global scalability of geologic CO₂ sequestration. It emphasizes the importance of public perception, stakeholder engagement and evolving policy frameworks in enabling broad acceptance and implementation. The study also explores synergies and trade-offs between CO₂ storage and enhanced methane recovery from coal seams with stable mineral trapping mechanism. A life cycle assessment is presented, analyzing emissions, cost-effectiveness and scalability to position geologic sequestration within a broader energy transition context. In India, while policy interest in CCUS is rising, deployment readiness remains low due to technical, regulatory, financial and institutional barriers. The review calls for integrating CCUS into India’s net-zero strategy through sectoral roadmaps and the NDC framework. By offering a multidisciplinary perspective, this review informs policymakers, researchers and industry stakeholders, contributing to the advancement of sustainable, low-carbon pathways needed to address the global climate crisis.

China’s ambitious plan to peak its carbon emissions by 2030 and achieve carbon neutrality by 2060 requires careful assessment of regional disparities in emission trajectories and zero-carbon pathways. On the basis of provincial bottom-up emission inventories and near-real-time datasets, this study shed light on the emission dynamics in 2000–2024 and emission scenarios in 2025–2060 for China’s regions. Results show pronounced spatial and sectoral heterogeneity: by 2024, national net emissions exceeded 10.6 GtCO₂, with the West and East contributing near 7.5 Gt, the Central region around 2.3 Gt, and the Northeast stabilizing around 0.8 Gt. Non-fossil energy plays an essential role in emission mitigation, contributing to Scope 4 avoided emissions that grew from 0.3 Gt in 2000 to 2.9 Gt by 2024, with the West as the fastest-growing contributors. This study further investigates the dynamics of the emissions in 2025–2060, two scenarios are developed: a Carbon Neutrality pathway, peaking around 2030 and declining to ~ 0.8 Gt residual emissions by 2060, and a Business-as-Usual pathway, with slower efficiency gains and residuals above 10 Gt. Findings underscore that achieving China’s dual-carbon goals requires regionally differentiated strategies, rapid expansion of renewables, and stronger mechanisms linking developed and underdeveloped provinces to prevent carbon lock-in and ensure an equitable zero-carbon transition.

Achieving “carbon peaking by 2030 and carbon neutrality by 2060” is pivotal to China’s sustainable development and requires rigorous, comprehensive assessments of carbon budget magnitudes and trajectories. Leveraging advanced datasets and a coupled ecological–energy–environmental–economic modeling framework, this study quantifies China’s dynamic carbon budget and delineates energy transition pathways for 2018–2060. Results show that the SSP1-2.6 pathway substantially curbs anthropogenic CO₂ emissions and fosters a more balanced regional carbon budget. Under the RES scenario, wind and solar emerge as the dominant energy sources, while carbon tax–funded subsidies yield short-term GDP gains of 0.01%–0.03%. We further find that coordinating ecosystem carbon sequestration with a combined policy package—“wind and solar power substitution + carbon tax reinvestment”—produces synergistic benefits: strengthening terrestrial carbon sinks, reducing anthropogenic emissions, and advancing integrated solutions for ecological restoration and climate governance across China’s territorial space.

Effective solid waste management is essential for China’s sustainable development. This study examines the evolution of national solid waste management policies from 1995 to 2022 using text mining and policy content analysis. By analyzing 1043 policy documents, this study traces institutional changes and the evolving characteristics of governance models. The results show that China’s solid waste governance has evolved through four distinct stages: defensive governance (1995–2000), regulatory governance (2001–2010), orientative governance (2011–2022), and an emerging phase of collaborative governance after 2022. Each stage exhibits different policy priorities, but administrative regulation and punishment remain prominent throughout. Second, the hotspot policy topics shifted from problem-oriented measures addressing imported waste and end-of-life vehicles, to technology-supported industrial waste treatment and resource recycling, and then to goal-oriented strategies such as the “zero-waste city” initiative. Third, weak market mechanisms and limited public participation remain persistent challenges. Strengthening market incentives and public engagement will be crucial for promoting integrated governance and accelerating progress toward a “zero-waste society.”

The microalgae Botryococcus braunii holds significant promise for biofuel generation. This study delves into an innovative B. braunii biofilm cultivation approach to trim energy consumption as well as harvesting costs. The investigation encompassed two distinct processes, i.e., algae turf scrubber (ATS) biofilm and open raceway pond (ORP) systems. The simulation of integrated cultivation, harvesting, and lipid extraction processes was conducted using SuperPro Designer. Furthermore, capital and operational expenses were calculated to be further discussed in terms of techno-economics and profitability. The ATS biofilm reached a notably high biomass productivity of 38 g m^− 2 d^− 1 when compared to the ORP system (7.5 g m^− 2 d^− 1). Likewise, the ATS biofilm cultivation demonstrated lesser water consumption by up to 6-fold and facilitated a remarkable 77.3% reduction in total OPEX. Besides, the microalgae cultivation plant using the ATS biofilm system with a lifetime of 12 years leads to an IRR of up to 26.43% with a DPBP of 5.9 y if the biofuel product is sold at 3.7 USD L^− 1. Given this potential, biofuel production from B. braunii in the ATS biofilm system can be an attractive option in terms of process reliance and feasibility for future large- and commercial-scale microalgae industries.