I started this blog as a big believer in nature’s power to solve the climate crisis. I remain a strong believer in nature. But, my belief in global leaders to lay the groundwork for these natural climate solutions (NCS) has wavered. Throughout my blog, I have explored the opportunities and barriers for NCS implementation. For the most part, these barriers are the world’s most powerful governments and companies.
Using NCS to solve the climate crisis is akin to treating a broken foot with paracetamol: it can numb the pain for a while, but if you continue to walk, the problem remains. Here, the broken foot is the burning of fossil fuels; the root cause of the climate crisis. Until societies decarbonise their economies - NCS alone, cannot fix the problem.
In the U.K.’s first Climate debate, Dr Natalie Seddon warned politicians of heralding tree planting initiatives as a silver bullet (Video 1).
Video 1 - Dr Natalie Seddon of The Nature-based Solutions initiative at The University of Oxford advising UK political party leaders in Channel 4's Climate Debate. A clip taken from Channel 4
Dr Seddon’s concern with the politician’s attitudes to tree planting initiatives resonated with me. The fact NCS are being discussed is positive. But, generic tree-planting commitments are not enough. As explored in my blogs on forests and peatlands, conservation of carbon-storing landscapes is as important as tree planting. But, this is less well known. NCS need to be carefully tailored. Scientists must work with governments to consider NCS - the most effective ecosystems to restore and their resilience to climate change.
Another concern is that natural regeneration projects have become a poster child for solving climate change. Leading companies are choosing to offset their emissions rather than decarbonise.
One example is Easyjet’s announcement to offset all European flight emissions. One Easyjet offset project invests in forest regeneration in South America. Although offset schemes can show an acknowledgement of responsibility, sequester carbon and bring benefits to communities, they are not without problems:
The company is not changing its polluting behaviour. They are paying another party to deal with their pollution while business-as-usual continues.
Carbon sequestration can take years to impact global carbon dioxide levels. An offset payment does not equal immediate drawdown and storage of carbon dioxide.
Many offset schemes enable polluting companies in the global north to pay for carbon-offset schemes in the global south. In climate justice terms, is it fair to ask the least polluting developing nations to instil green practices to sustain companies in the most-polluting nations?
In short, my answer is no. Companies need to take action to decarbonise their operations first, offset second.
Learning about emerging NCS technologies, such as marine permaculture and regenerative agriculture has been exciting. But, I have had to remind myself not to get carried away. Even if all agriculture were carbon neutral, business-as-usual emissions from the energy sector would still dominate global emissions (Figure 1). NCS can help to sequester carbon, but ultimately, are an accessory to enhance decarbonisation.
Figure 1 - the left-hand graph shows the extent of energy sector carbon dioxide emissions in a business as usual scenario, compared to the 2 degrees scenario - taken from Climate interactive
While governments and companies have given me cause for concern, scientists, grass-roots initiatives and communities have brought me optimism. I have learnt about new innovations to help societies develop in harmony with nature. From ocean seaweed farms to coastal mangrove fisheries, rural agroforestry to conservation tourism. Scientific ingenuity and the scaling up of local initiatives are a reason to hope.
Every country has the ability to use nature to help tackle climate change without breaking the bank. In partnership with decarbonisation, NCS can avert climate catastrophe. Not to mention improve freshwater availability; provide habitats for biodiversity and support local livelihoods. NCS can also boost economic growth through job provision, food production and tourism opportunities. The phrase “win-win” has never seemed more appropriate.
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