What We Support: Recognizing the Value of Forest Carbon

 

tree planting in Chiapas, Mexico

Our Policy by Issue


Our Policy Engagement

planet, change, nature, people, solutions

Go Deeper

The Forest Carbon Partnership Facility
Read more on why The Nature Conservancy helped launch the Forest Carbon Partnership Facility. Visit The Forest Carbon Partnership Facility online.

Holding Forests to a Higher Standard
The Nature Conservancy is demonstrating that forest projects designed to mitigate climate change can represent real, parmanent and verifiable emissions reductions.

Projects that Make a Difference
From Belize to China, the Conservancy is conducting research around the world to measure the amount of carbon captured by forests. 

We Want to Hear from You

Tell us what you think about our climate change work. What national or international policies should be implemented to fight climate change?

 

What’s Your Impact?

Get an estimate of your carbon footprint using the Conservancy’s carbon footprint calculator and see how you compare to U.S. and global averages.

cloud forest


Forest conservation offers global solutions and benefits to nature, communities and economies.

Forest carbon provisions will play a critical role in reducing emissions cost-effectively and sequestering carbon. U.S. legislation should

  • support the role of carbon markets under a U.S. cap-and-trade system to reduce the roughly 20 percent of total emissions caused by deforestation;
  • support forest and ecosystem restoration to maximize natural lands’ ability to absorb carbon from the atmosphere; and
  • provide funding for market readiness, so that developing countries can participate in carbon markets.

Reforestation can absorb up to 3.5 billion tons of global CO2 emissions annually through 2030. Credits from reforestation projects that have been independently verified as being real, permanent, and measurable should be allowed into U.S. and international carbon markets.

Linking Emerging Markets

By including strong provisions to allow participants in a U.S. cap-and-trade system to access international forest carbon credits, U.S. climate policy will create incentives for developing countries to limit their greenhouse gas emissions.

Access to U.S. greenhouse gas markets is strong motivation for participation by emerging economies. Linking our carbon markets to developing nations through policies to reduce emissions from deforestation and degradation is a triple-win proposition. It has the potential to

  • unleash tens of billions of dollars to save the world’s forests and their biodiversity;
  • help contain the costs of U.S. climate policy for U.S. companies; and
  • improve the quality of life for local communities around the world.

However, developing countries will need to put in place key building blocks — such as monitoring systems, and capable enforcement institutions — that will enable them to participate successfully in carbon market activities.

Global Solutions

With conservation projects around the world informing our decisions and policy positions, The Nature Conservancy believes that international action is essential to meet the climate challenge and U.S. leadership is integral to motivating other countries to engage in solutions.

International engagement and linkages increase economic efficiency by increasing the capacity for emission reductions from a diversity of sectors and nations, further encouraging broad political engagement.

 

Donate now to help stop climate change and global warming

With your help, we can reduce the impacts of climate change on our lives, on our environment and on future generations.

Nature picture credits (top to bottom, left to right): Photo ©  Mark Godfrey © The Nature Conservancy (cloud forest); Photo ©  Mark Godfrey © The Nature Conservancy (tree planting in Chiapas, Mexico).