Impacts of climate change on greenhouse gas emissions from wastewater: a critical review
Abstract
As a key component of environmental protection, wastewater treatment is also a source of global greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. Climate change is exacerbating GHG emissions from the wastewater sector, threatening global decarbonization efforts. Most current studies focus on the impact of climate change on wastewater, but ignore the changes in GHG emissions during this process. Notably, climate change and wastewater GHG emissions form a vicious cycle. Climate change intensifies GHG emissions from wastewater, while increased emissions accelerate climate change. To promote the understanding of the interaction between climate change and wastewater decarbonization, this review systematically analyzed the specific impacts of climate change on GHG emissions from wastewater and the related mechanisms. Rising temperatures enhance microbial production of CH4 and N2O and reduce oxygen transfer efficiency. Changing rainfall patterns alter wastewater volume and pollutant concentrations, increasing energy consumption and treatment uncertainty. Sea-level rise threatens coastal infrastructure and introduces salinity that disrupts biological processes. Extreme weather events impair operational stability and hinder the use of renewable energy. We recommend climate-adaptive infrastructure design, enhanced resource recovery, and artificial intelligence-driven GHG prediction tools to support resilient, low-carbon wastewater management under future climate scenarios. It is hoped that this review…
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