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Our Policy by Issue
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Go Deeper
Helping Natural Areas Adapt to Climate Change
Find out how the Conservancy is helping people and nature adapt to climate change.
Reducing Emissions is Crucial
The Nature Conservancy believes that addressing deforestation must be a part of a comprehensive global climate change strategy
Stephanie Meeks' Letter to Senators
Read Nature Constervancy Acting President and CEO Stephanie Meeks' appeal for support of the Climate Security Act.
UN Conference on Biodiversity
Find out how the Conservancy is working to protect lands and waters around the world during this critical conference of international decision makers.The Bali Climate Change Conference
See how the Conservancy helped frame the global discussion that will lay the groundwork for the next international agreement to address climate change.
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?
The U.S. Senate has begun debate on The Climate Security Act — a historic and bipartisan climate change bill. Never before has the full Senate had the opportunity to vote on a climate change bill with provisions of this scale and scope in addressing the needs of people and nature in the face of climate change.
The Nature Conservancy believes the bill represents a sound framework for mitigating climate change and for helping people and nature adapt to increasing global temperatures and rising sea levels.
While we believe the bill must be strengthened and revised during debate, the Conservancy supports the Climate Security Act.
Protecting Forests is Key
The Conservancy is specifically heartened by a measure in the bill that would provide credits for restoring forests here in the United States and around the world. It could provide as much as $10 to $20 billion per year for this purpose.
This measure would help protect rainforests — the lungs of the world — and the tremendous biodiversity they hold. It would dramatically reduce deforestation and land-use change, which contribute approximately 20 percent of the carbon emissions that cause climate change.
This measure is in complete harmony with the Conservancy's core global mission to protect ecologically important lands and waters for nature and people.
Allowing Market Forces to Address Climate Change
The cornerstone of the Climate Security Act is a carbon emissions cap-and-trade system that will reduce global warming pollution produced by the largest U.S. sources — specifically power plants, industrial facilities and the fuel produced by petroleum refineries.
By mid-century, this cap-and-trade system will create a 70 percent reduction in greenhouse gases from these sources below 2005 levels.
The measure provides flexibility for companies, allowing them to comply with the cap through a broad range of measures, including:
- On- and off-site emission reductions,
- Strategies for increasing energy efficiency,
- Use of low-carbon energy sources, and
- Concrete incentives for innovation and the development of new technology.
The funds generated by this cap-and-trade system will be used to address pressing climate change threats.
The Climate Security Act also provides assistance to low-income families and others to ease the transition to a low-carbon economy and protects American industry as it moves to a cleaner future.
A cap-and-trade approach -- but not specific legislation -- has been embraced by the U.S. Climate Action Partnership, a non-partisan coalition of businesses and environmental organizations that is calling on the federal government to quickly enact strong national legislation to require significant reductions of greenhouse gas emissions.
Adapting to a Changing Future
The world is already experiencing the effects of climate change, and there is scientific consensus that current levels of atmospheric greenhouse gases will result in more changes in the future.
Recognizing this fundamental fact, the Climate Security Act provides funding to support states in helping communities and natural systems cope with the changes brought on by climate change — including funds to address the needs of coastal communities and water resources.
These provisions will ensure community needs are addressed, while at the same time taking into account the integration of cost-effective and environmentally sensitive solutions.
The Conservancy and Policy Work
The Conservancy’s support for the Climate Security Act and its work to make the bill an even stronger piece of legislation is an integral part of our overall policy work to protect nature around the world.
The Conservancy has worked on a non-partisan basis on state and regional, national, and international levels to achieve important funding and agreements for our conservation work:
- In the area of climate change, we have participated in international meetings — most recently the UN-sponsored meeting in Bali, Indonesia — that have framed international agreements on climate change.
- Conservancy staff also recently took part in the United Nations Convention on Biological Diversity, helping secure tens of millions of dollars in international commitments for conservation. This included a pledge from Caribbean nations to protect 20 percent of the regions marine coastal resources by 2020.
- In the United States, we have found common ground with business, labor, human welfare, and religions interests to address the threats facing our natural world.
Such common ground is particularly true with our current efforts on climate change. We have achieved this consensus because we all believe that taking action on climate change through the Climate Security Act will advance America along a new path to prosperity that is compatible with nature and a sustainable future.
Nature picture credits (top to bottom, left to right): Photo © Photographer/Org (prickly pear cactus); Photo © Photographer/Org (cheetah).
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