Current Research in Environmental Sustainability最新文献

{"title":"Code ecologies: Integrating cultural legitimacy analysis in sustainability transitions","authors":"Laura Santamaria","doi":"10.1016/j.crsust.2026.100340","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.crsust.2026.100340","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>A persistent challenge in sustainability transitions is the uneven uptake of interventions such as renewable energy projects, conservation measures and rewilding initiatives. These often encounter resistance that cannot be explained by economics, technical feasibility or governance arrangements alone. Instead, they hinge on questions of legitimacy and cultural alignment. Existing frameworks, including socio-ecological systems (SES) and cultural ecosystem services (CES), recognise human dimensions yet miss the symbolic dynamics through which interventions are interpreted, accepted or contested. Symbolic codes are patterned systems of meaning expressed through aesthetics, aspirational values and common practices in a particular context, which influence whether interventions are embraced, negotiated or resisted. This paper advances the Symbolic Ecology Framework (SEF), a conceptual framework for integrating symbolic codes as cultural variables in socio-ecological analysis. This conceptual contribution: (1) establishes theoretical premises for treating symbolic codes as cultural variables in socio-ecological analysis; (2) specifies six attributes (salience, valence, resonance, legitimacy, diachronic status, place-binding) drawn from cultural analysis and environmental research for systematic code assessment; and (3) proposes their aggregation into a Symbolic Alignment Index (SAI) for legitimacy alignment diagnostic purposes. An illustrative case study application to renewable energy siting demonstrates the framework's analytical logic. Finally, the empirical research agenda required to operationalise SEF is outlined, including protocol standardisation, validation studies and cross-context calibration.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":34472,"journal":{"name":"Current Research in Environmental Sustainability","volume":"11 ","pages":"Article 100340"},"PeriodicalIF":3.8,"publicationDate":"2026-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147421259","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Rethinking climate change and disasters from and within community-led perspectives: Wisdom and experience of Woodland Cree First Nation, Canada","authors":"C. Emdad Haque,&nbsp;Ranjan Datta,&nbsp;Colleen Charles,&nbsp;Jebunnesa Chapola","doi":"10.1016/j.crsust.2026.100372","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.crsust.2026.100372","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>This paper centers Indigenous community knowledge in rethinking climate change and disaster through decolonial, land-based story sharing. Unlike previous studies that primarily document Indigenous ecological observations or TEK, this study demonstrates how climate change is simultaneously experienced as environmental disruption, cultural impacts, emotional trauma, and responsibility through community-led decolonial story-sharing. The study draws on decolonial story-sharing with 15 Elders, Knowledge-Keepers, land-based educators, and youth across two land-based camps (2023 and 2025). Analyzed through collaborative thematic analysis in which themes were iteratively identified, refined, and validated with community participants. Findings demonstrate that Woodland Cree understand climate change not only as ecological disruption but also as language loss, ecological grief, altered relationships with land, and renewed community-led adaptation through food sovereignty, Indigenous women's leadership, and intergenerational learning. Methodologically, the study was informed by decolonial conversations, reciprocal relationships, and thematic analysis to showcase land-based, climate-adaptive knowledge systems. Our collaborative team of Indigenous and non-Indigenous researchers shared transformative approaches to decolonize disaster research and shift paradigms in climate scholarship. The findings offer critical insights into community-led climate adaptations and call for a fundamental restructuring of how climate impacts and adaptation are conceptualized in both climate research and policy. Centering Woodland Cree perspectives on the climate crisis, this study contributes to Indigenous climate scholarship by demonstrating that effective climate adaptation must simultaneously address environmental change, well-being, and Indigenous self-determination through land-based governance.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":34472,"journal":{"name":"Current Research in Environmental Sustainability","volume":"12 ","pages":"Article 100372"},"PeriodicalIF":4.8,"publicationDate":"2026-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148731330","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Co-producing gender knowledge in energy transitions: A grey literature perspective","authors":"Paulina Sekuła ,&nbsp;Marta Warat ,&nbsp;Aleksandra Wagner ,&nbsp;Tadeusz Rudek ,&nbsp;Vittoria Maria Peri","doi":"10.1016/j.crsust.2026.100344","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.crsust.2026.100344","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>This paper explores how the issue of gender is co-produced within the context of energy transitions, and how gendered framings in grey literature actively shape both policy and research directions in the energy field. Drawing on Sheila Jasanoff's concept of co-production and building on critical examinations of energy and sustainability transitions within capitalist and Western frameworks, we analyse how gender is not simply added onto existing energy systems, but is entangled with the epistemic, institutional, and technological configurations that underpin those systems. Based on a purposive sample of 138 grey literature documents published between 2018 and 2023, we examine how gender is framed across energy subsystems (political, economic, socio-ecological, and technological) and across multiple levels of analysis—from household to global. Our findings show that while economic and socio-ecological concerns are commonly addressed, technological domains remain largely gender-blind. Gender is often reduced to “women”, with limited intersectional analysis. Nevertheless, grey literature plays a key role in stabilizing certain visions of gender equality, contributing to the co-production of policy logics, intervention strategies, and research] agendas that define the contemporary energy transition.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":34472,"journal":{"name":"Current Research in Environmental Sustainability","volume":"11 ","pages":"Article 100344"},"PeriodicalIF":3.8,"publicationDate":"2026-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147650033","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Future reef island habitability under climate change and the role of governance","authors":"Chris T. Perry,&nbsp;Rohan Arthur,&nbsp;Tom Spencer,&nbsp;Johann Bell,&nbsp;Mayukh Dey,&nbsp;Liam Saddington,&nbsp;Arthur Webb,&nbsp;Ian White,&nbsp;Teresa Alcoverro,&nbsp;Virginie K.E. Duvat,&nbsp;Jagdish Krishnaswamy,&nbsp;Alexandre K. Magnan","doi":"10.1016/j.crsust.2026.100379","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.crsust.2026.100379","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Reef island habitability is increasingly threatened by climate change through amplified risks to land, freshwater and food resources. While reef islands share common biophysical vulnerabilities, the capacity of their communities to effectively adapt to climate change is strongly influenced by governance arrangements, including through national institutions and external cooperative frameworks. This study identifies four broad governance types across Indo-Pacific reef island polities, based on sovereign status and island and territorial geography. These types vary in their autonomy, the degree and strength of cross-governance linkages, and local and external cooperation. Eight in-depth case studies representing the four types are analysed and demonstrate that no single governance type can ensure effective adaptation outcomes for land, water and food futures. Instead, the nuances of specific governance systems - often shaped by colonial legacies – shape their ability to mobilise awareness, resources, and authority to address climate risks. National climate change instruments alone also rarely translate into actionable adaptation plans due to limited baseline data and/or short-term priorities overshadowing long-term planning. The most effective adaptation is associated with robust institutions, strong cross-scale governance linkages, and the meaningful inclusion of local and traditional authorities in decision-making. Regional cooperation, particularly in the Pacific, has enhanced access to data, finance, and shared learning, while international partnerships support implementation. Ensuring the future habitability of reef islands requires a shift from project-based interventions to forward-looking governance that prioritizes equity, cooperation, and long-term institutional continuity, with adaptation efforts commensurate with the scale and urgency of climate change impacts.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":34472,"journal":{"name":"Current Research in Environmental Sustainability","volume":"12 ","pages":"Article 100379"},"PeriodicalIF":4.8,"publicationDate":"2026-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149153321","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Research landscape and emerging pathways of sewage sludge application for soil carbon sequestration","authors":"Haotian Chen ,&nbsp;Hao Yang ,&nbsp;Xiaoyu Shi ,&nbsp;Xuan Wang ,&nbsp;Shuxian Dou ,&nbsp;Xinyi Wang ,&nbsp;Yang Su ,&nbsp;Xin Huang ,&nbsp;Aixing Deng ,&nbsp;Zhenwei Song ,&nbsp;Weijian Zhang","doi":"10.1016/j.crsust.2026.100333","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.crsust.2026.100333","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The agricultural application of sewage sludge offers potential for enhancing soil fertility and promoting soil organic carbon (SOC) sequestration, but also poses environmental risks due to the presence of pollutants. Given the growing volume of research and the complexity of its environmental implications, a systematic understanding of how this field has evolved is urgently needed. To clarify the evolution, research priorities, and knowledge gaps in this domain, this study conducted a systematic bibliometric analysis of 3794 articles published from 1991 to 2024. Results revealed exponential growth in publications, with a marked shift in research focus after 2010. China, the United States, and Spain were identified as leading contributors. Keyword co-occurrence and citation analyses revealed three dominant thematic clusters: 1) sludge stabilization and soil property improvement, 2) contaminant risk and remediation strategies, and 3) SOC dynamics and sequestration mechanisms. Highly cited studies highlighted the potential of composted and pyrolyzed sludge in enhancing SOC while mitigating ecological risks. However, most evidence remains limited to laboratory conditions, with a paucity of long-term field trials under realistic agronomic scenarios. Future research should address methodological limitations and strengthen interdisciplinary integration for balancing SOC sequestration goals with environmental safety in sludge-based agricultural practices.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":34472,"journal":{"name":"Current Research in Environmental Sustainability","volume":"11 ","pages":"Article 100333"},"PeriodicalIF":3.8,"publicationDate":"2026-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145928660","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Using GAM and DLNM to assess the impact of outdoor air quality on respiratory diseases in Nakhon Ratchasima municipality, Thailand","authors":"Abhishek Dutta ,&nbsp;Pasicha Chaikaew ,&nbsp;Manoj Gupta","doi":"10.1016/j.crsust.2026.100339","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.crsust.2026.100339","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Thailand provinces have been experiencing rising air pollution, though few studies have explored their association with respiratory morbidity and mortality. This study aimed to examine the association between respiratory morbidity and mortality and short-term exposure to ambient air pollution in Nakhon Ratchasima Municipality (NRM), Thailand. Data on daily respiratory morbidity and mortality, criterion air pollutants, and meteorological variables were collected for the period 2019–2021. Associations were assessed using Generalized additive models (GAMs) and distributed lag nonlinear models (DLNMs). The results confirmed a significant association between short-term air pollution exposure and respiratory mortality and morbidity in NRM. Multi-pollutant GAMs indicated that a 10 μg/m³ increase in PM_2.5, was associated with a 2% increase in respiratory morbidity at lag 0 and lag 0–1. Also, a 10 μg/m³ increase in PM₁₀ was associated with 3% and 2% increases in respiratory morbidity at lag5 and lag 0–6, respectively. Both SO₂ and CO exhibited prolonged effects on respiratory morbidity. Results from single-pollutant models incorporating PM_2.5 and PM₁₀ were consistent with the findings. DLNM analyses further showed that PM_2.5 exerted both immediate and delayed cumulative effects, whereas the effects of PM₁₀ predominantly emerge after a short delay and accumulated over subsequent lag days. The study demonstrated that air pollution control measures could substantially reduce the economic burden of respiratory diseases in NRM, yielding potential economic benefits of up to 222 million THB.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":34472,"journal":{"name":"Current Research in Environmental Sustainability","volume":"11 ","pages":"Article 100339"},"PeriodicalIF":3.8,"publicationDate":"2026-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147421258","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Exploring cereal-legume synergies for enhanced soil organic carbon dynamics and biological functioning in the semi-arid region","authors":"Aastika Pandey,&nbsp;Subhash Babu,&nbsp;Sanjay Singh Rathore,&nbsp;Kapila Shekhawat,&nbsp;P.K. Upadhyay,&nbsp;Rajiv K. Singh,&nbsp;Md Yeasin,&nbsp;Rishi Raj,&nbsp;Khushboo Devi,&nbsp;Vipin Kumar,&nbsp;Ananya Gairola,&nbsp;Raghavendra Singh,&nbsp;Devideen Yadav,&nbsp;Vikas Sharma,&nbsp;V.K. Singh","doi":"10.1016/j.crsust.2026.100365","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.crsust.2026.100365","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Land degradation, declining productivity, and environmental quality has questioned the sustainability of conventional production systems. Thus, the current study evaluates the sustainability of maize-based production systems for improving soil organic carbon dynamics and biological functioning during 2020–2024. The experiment was conducted in three times replicated split-plot design involving two land configurations, flatbed (FB) and raised bed and furrow (RBF) in the main plots, and four cereal-legume integrations in the sub-plots. These included maize-wheat (M-W), maize + black gram + soybean-wheat + chickpea (M + Bg + Sb-W + Chp), maize + cowpea + soybean-wheat + lentil (M + Cp + Sb-W + L), and maize + cowpea + soybean-wheat + mustard (M + Cp + Sb-W + Mus). The soil organic carbon content was considerably higher in the RBF compared to FB, and the legume integrated systems, especially M + Cp + Sb-W + L over the M-W system. The cereal-legume integration, viz., maize + cowpea+ soybean–wheat + lentil (0.46 Mg ha⁻¹ year⁻¹) recorded ∼1.6-fold high carbon sequestration over the M-W system. Cultivation of M + Cp + Sb-W + L on RBF allocates more C in the active and passive pools over FB. The highest carbon depletion rate was noticed under M-W, whereas carbon recovery (0.011 Mg ha⁻¹y⁻¹) and resilience index were the highest in M + Cp + Sb-W + L. The C sensitivity index was the lowest in M + Cp + Sb-W + Mus. The soil microbial biomass carbon, dehydrogenase, alkaline phosphatase, and urease activity significantly improved under RBF and legume integration compared with FB and M-W. Thus, the study concludes that legume integration in a cereal-based system under RBF is a promising strategy for sustainable agriculture in the semiarid regions.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":34472,"journal":{"name":"Current Research in Environmental Sustainability","volume":"12 ","pages":"Article 100365"},"PeriodicalIF":4.8,"publicationDate":"2026-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148501499","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Farmers' perceptions of agrochemical impacts on the environment, ecology, and human health in North-Western Bangladesh","authors":"Md. Khairul Islam,&nbsp;Md. Elias Hossain,&nbsp;Md. Abdur Rashid Sarker,&nbsp;Jeff Gow","doi":"10.1016/j.crsust.2026.100377","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.crsust.2026.100377","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Agrochemicals are crucial to enhancing agricultural output, but pose distinct hazards to the environment, ecology, and human health. This study examines the effects of these hazards using primary data collected from 200 crop farmers in north-western Bangladesh. A perception-based composite index was utilized to estimate the detrimental impacts of agrochemicals, whilst a Tobit regression model was employed to assess the factors affecting farmers' perceptions of the same impacts.</div><div>The results show that ecological indicators rank highest in perceived impact, followed by environmental impact, while health indicators rank lowest. The composite results reveal that farmers' perceived impact of agrochemicals on the environment is moderate (mean index value: 8.9), ecological impact is also moderate (mean index value: 9.5), human health impact is low (mean index value: 8.3).</div><div>Environmental domain indicators provide comparatively higher average scores, such as ‘increased water contamination’ (index: 1.41, rank 5), ‘decreases soil fertility’ (index: 1.29, rank 7), ‘increase soil alkalinity’ (1.18, rank 8). These results indicate moderate environmental impacts.</div><div>Ecological indicators included ‘increases pest tolerance’ (2.24, rank 1), increases pest attack’ (1.99, rank 2), increases crop diseases' (1.97, rank 3). Both the environmental and ecological indicators reflect farmers' perceptions of the impacts of agrochemicals as moderate.</div><div>However, health-related impact indicators provide lower index values, such as ‘asthma’ (0.7), ‘skin redness’ (0.67), ‘vomiting’ (0.64), ‘diarrhea’ (0.33), and ‘causes cancer’ (0.29). These results imply that ecological interruptions and environmental degradation are more obvious, and that the direct health impact may not be perceived to be as severe.</div><div>The Tobit model confirms that farmers' perceptions of the adverse impacts of using agrochemicals are significantly influenced by their years of education and access to extension services. This emphasizes the importance of formal education and frequent contact with extension services in mitigating potential adverse risks.</div><div>Some policy initiatives should include promoting farmers' field schools, and regular extension visits to improve farmers' knowledge on the safe application of agrochemicals. Policy implications should also include redesigning extension and field school programs to emphasize the external impacts of agrochemicals use.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":34472,"journal":{"name":"Current Research in Environmental Sustainability","volume":"12 ","pages":"Article 100377"},"PeriodicalIF":4.8,"publicationDate":"2026-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148994945","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Having fun and raising awareness: Italian students monitor airborne microplastic in school environments","authors":"E. Bergami ,&nbsp;V. Ferrari ,&nbsp;M. Scaramelli ,&nbsp;S. Righi ,&nbsp;D. Prevedelli","doi":"10.1016/j.crsust.2025.100309","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.crsust.2025.100309","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Although microplastics (MP, &lt; 5 mm) are pervasive in the atmosphere and soil, with most of their sources concentrated in urban areas, public perception on MP as an environmental issue is still confined mostly to seas and oceans. Outreach activities are thus necessary to instil individual consciousness about our role in spreading such contamination, fostering pro-environmental behaviours particularly in young people. The environmental education project «Taking microplastics into the class», carried out with Italian high school students, aimed at: (i) collecting data on MP passive deposition in school environments and (ii) raising awareness about MP contamination. First, a group of 20 students was engaged with different hands-on field-, laboratory-, and computer-based activities (i.e., clean-up, MP sampling and analysis, dataset assembly, bench-scale toxicity tests), using interactive learning methods. The outcomes of each activity were then presented through peer-to-peer learning and questionnaire surveys, assessing perception, knowledge and behaviour in 163 high school students. Our findings show how scientifically driven and well-structured educational projects are very effective in stimulating students' knowledge acquisition, environmental awareness but also self-efficacy and transdisciplinary skills. Peer-to-peer learning was proven as a valid method to encourage sustainable and pro-environmental behaviour in young citizens. All the methodologies are detailed to help developing future targeted outreach activities about MP sources and their transport in urban environments.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":34472,"journal":{"name":"Current Research in Environmental Sustainability","volume":"10 ","pages":"Article 100309"},"PeriodicalIF":3.8,"publicationDate":"2025-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145361055","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Understanding farmers' trust in stakeholders of carbon credit projects: A perception-based analysis","authors":"Vinaya Kumar Hebsale Mallappa ,&nbsp;Sriharsha Gadde ,&nbsp;Adeeth A.G. Cariappa","doi":"10.1016/j.crsust.2025.100317","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.crsust.2025.100317","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Carbon credit projects (CCPs) are promoted to finance the adoption of carbon farming practices, yet their success depends on farmers' confidence in the organizations that recruit, train, and pay them. We investigated how farmers perceive the main actors in CCPs and which of those actors are most likely to motivate uptake of sustainable technologies. We used a perception matrix survey with 500 rice- and livestock-based farmers (the two most significant sources of agricultural emissions) in southern India to identify which actors they trust most across eight functions – participation, information, training, inclusiveness, payment transparency, understanding of farmer realities, and overall trust. State Departments of Agriculture, Horticulture, and Animal Husbandry received the highest composite score (&gt;3.9/5), reflecting strong confidence in their technical advice, inclusive training, and fair handling of carbon credit payments. Progressive farmers and agricultural universities, including Krishi Vigyan Kendras (KVK - agricultural extension centers), formed the next tier, valued for peer demonstration and science-based support. Private companies, input dealers, and farmer-producer organizations were considered moderately reliable, while international organizations and non-governmental organizations ranked lowest due to limited village-level engagement and unclear benefits. Financial transparency emerged as the weakest function across all actors. The study underscores that public extension agencies, KVKs, and progressive farmers together constitute the trust infrastructure for credible and transparent carbon credit implementation. These findings indicate where credibility already exists and where it must be built. Embedding State Departments as nodal agencies and mandating transparent, Direct Benefit Transfer payments would institutionalize trust and accountability in future carbon projects. Project proponents can use the perception matrix framework at the design stage – and later as a diagnostic – to decide whether to deliver services through trusted public agencies and farmer networks or invest in correcting misperceptions when they stem from information gaps. Aligning CCP implementation with high-trust actors locally and publishing auditable payment schedules could accelerate the adoption of carbon farming practices, reduce disadoption, and enhance the effectiveness of India's forthcoming voluntary carbon market.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":34472,"journal":{"name":"Current Research in Environmental Sustainability","volume":"10 ","pages":"Article 100317"},"PeriodicalIF":3.8,"publicationDate":"2025-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145519711","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}