Advancing Natural Climate Solutions in China

Natural Climate Solutions

Research shows that natural climate solutions (NCS) can deliver up to one-third of the global greenhouse gas (GHG) emission reductions needed to stabilize our climate. China plays an essential role. While the country has become a global leader in renewable energy—contributing about one-third of the world’s renewable electric output—scaling up NCS is essential to achieving China’s net-zero goals and meeting its Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) under the Paris Agreement.

Our Role

The Nature Conservancy (TNC) works closely with partners to address climate challenges through science-based, on-the-ground pilot projects and policy advocacy, while strengthening the resilience of both natural and socioeconomic systems. In China, TNC advances an NCS strategy to reduce emissions and enhance carbon sequestration across key ecosystems such as forests, grasslands, wetlands, oceans and farmlands.

Through demonstration pilots, TNC provides practical, replicable and scalable approaches to NCS from a practitioner's perspective. At the same time, TNC supports the integration of NCS into climate policies, ecosystem management and restoration efforts. TNC also helps accelerate the scaling of nature-based emissions reductions and carbon removal projects by participating in carbon markets, advocating for policy support and guiding the engagement of social capital.

Over the next few years, we will focus on:

• Equipping national policymakers with cutting-edge science that demonstrates how NCS can strengthen climate mitigation.
• Advancing effective and scalable pilot projects that translate science into real-world action on the ground.
• Providing comprehensive training and technical guidelines to governments, communities and partners to promote the widespread adoption of high-quality NCS.
• Innovating and refining methodologies and incentives to attract investors and drive growth in the NCS carbon market.

Our Work

Scaling Climate Action Through Policy in China

The impacts of climate change are being felt across China. Given the country's large size and diverse geographies, these impacts vary widely from region to region. What is increasingly clear, however, is that NCS—strategies that protect, restore and sustainably manage critical ecosystems—are essential to helping China reach its goal of net-zero carbon emissions by 2060.

Through field-tested best practices and knowledge exchange, TNC is advancing science-based, scalable and equitable NCS that avoid emissions and enhance carbon sequestration. Working closely with local partners, we have conducted a series of NCS mitigation pathway analyses to identify the greatest opportunities for impact in China, including reforestation, improved forest management, regenerative cropland management and wetland restoration.

TNC anticipates that the results will provide a strong scientific basis for the government to set clear, quantifiable NCS targets in the next update of China’s Nationally Determined Contributions, while also helping to inform policies that guide investment and funding for NCS.

Supporting the Development of China's Certified Emission Reduction Trading Market

Over the past few years, TNC and its partners have launched two key initiatives: Research on Improving China’s Ecosystem Carbon Sink Market Mechanism and Capacity Building on China’s Certified Emission Reduction Trading Market.

These initiatives systematically examine China’s efforts to develop forest, grassland and marine ecosystem carbon sink projects through market-based mechanisms. They also conduct in-depth analyses of the risks associated with the development and regulation of ecosystem carbon projects; design targeted joint regulatory mechanisms; strengthen relevant systems; and deliver capacity-building activities.

Collectively, these efforts help mitigate management risks, ensure the quality and integrity of ecosystem carbon projects and support the healthy operation of China’s ecosystem carbon market.

Advancing NCS Pilot Practice

By strengthening the protection, management and restoration of nature, NCS is one of our most effective pathways for achieving emissions reductions in an efficient, inclusive and competitive way. These solutions encompass a range of terrestrial conservation and restoration measures that can effectively reduce or prevent greenhouse gas emissions, including protecting wetlands at risk of development, optimizing grassland management and restoring forests.

Reforestation Carbon Projects

By the numbers:

• TNC in China has developed a total of 11 forestry carbon projects, six of which have completed registration.
• 130,000 hectares of forested land restored or under improved management.
• 30 million tons of greenhouse gas removals are projected over the next 60 years.

TNC in China is committed to developing high-quality, high-integrity forest carbon projects that deliver multiple benefits. These projects focus on reforestation using native tree species and forest restoration. Grounded in rigorous scientific planning and management, they enhance forest management practices, increase forest carbon sequestration and contribute to climate change mitigation while delivering ecological and social co-benefits.

Since 2005, TNC in China has served as a technical assistance provider for forest carbon projects, working with partners in ecologically significant regions and highly vulnerable regions. These include biodiversity hotspots in China’s southwest mountainous areas, golden snub-nosed monkey habitats in Yunnan, giant panda habitat in Sichuan and semi-arid landscapes in Inner Mongolia.

TNC’s forest carbon projects in China adhere to international standards such as the Clean Development Mechanism (CDM) and Climate, Community & Biodiversity (CCB) Standards, as well as domestic standards including the Panda Standard and China Certified Emission Reduction (CCER) standards. As NCS practice has evolved over recent decades, TNC has contributed its expertise to developing and improving carbon methodologies and continues to align its projects with emerging best practices and standards.

NCS Sustainable Grassland Management Project

Inner Mongolia, in northern China, is a rural autonomous region home to millions of Indigenous people, including herders whose culture, well-being and livelihoods are deeply connected to the health of the grasslands their livestock depend on. Healthy, resilient grasslands underpin key components of Inner Mongolia’s economy and cultural heritage. They also provide critical habitat for wildlife, retain water, reduce dust storms and capture and store carbon—contributing to global climate mitigation efforts.

When managed sustainably and adapted to climate change impacts, grasslands are a renewable resource that herders have relied on for thousands of years. However, nearly 90% of Inner Mongolia’s grasslands have been degraded, threatening both livelihoods and ecological function. By 2030, TNC aims to improve the health of 20 million hectares of grassland, sequester 14 million tons of carbon each year and enable nearly 200,000 farmers and herders in Inner Mongolia to benefit from Grassland Smart Management.

TNC has worked on ecological restoration and sustainable land management in Inner Mongolia since 2010. Drawing on years of on-the-ground field experience and science-based research, TNC developed the Grassland Smart Management (GSM) as a foundational tool to promote sustainable grazing and land-use practices. To date, GSM has been successfully introduced at three sites in Inner Mongolia: Xilingol, Hulunbuir and Ulanqab.