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Combined with cutting fossil fuels and accelerating renewable energy, natural climate solutions offer immediate and cost-effective ways to tackle the climate crisis. These solutions for climate change also address biodiversity loss and support human health and livelihoods.
What are Natural Climate Solutions?
© Arif Rifqi
Natural Climate Solutions
are actions to protect, better manage and restore nature to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and store carbon.
Science led by TNC shows that—combined with cutting fossil-fuel use and accelerating renewable energy— these solutions for climate change can help us avoid the worst impacts of the climate crisis.
TNC helps expand these critical efforts through science and partnership. We work with governments, businesses and communities to implement on-the-ground projects that show how nature can make the people and the planet safer. And we conduct cutting-edge science to further our understanding of nature as a climate solution to ensure we’re making the best investments in the most effective strategies.
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5-Minute Climate Solutions
Come along each month as we explore the latest real-world solutions to the most complex challenges facing people and the planet today, all in 5 minutes or less.
Holmes River
Aerial view of the Holmes River, British Columbia, Canada.
© Shane Kalyn
Natural Climate Solutions include practices like:
Planting trees in agricultural lands
See how farmers in Brazil are planting native trees on agricultural lands in a practice called agroforestry, which provides food security and economic opportunity.
Rewetting dried out peatlands
Meet the farmers and scientists in Indonesia and Minnesota, U.S. who are rewetting peatlands to help bring back essential biodiversity and provide clean water.
Restoring coastal mangroves
Learn about a project in Papua New Guinea that empowers local women to restore mangrove forests, ensuring food sustainability and making coastlines more resilient.
Avoided Grassland Conversion
Protection
In western Minnesota, protecting their land and managing it with grass-fed, Angus cattle keeps the prairie in good shape and a ranching operation financially stable.
Improved Forest Management
Better Management
The Family Forest Carbon Program opens up a pathway for small forest owners to improve forest health and help climate change while earning an income to cover costs.
Urban Reforestation
Restoration
The Boise National Forest has one of the largest sustained reforestation programs in the U.S. Restoration-style planting focuses on planting long-lived tree species.
No-burn Agriculture
Better management
TNC is working with partners including the Borlaug Institute for South Asia to eliminate the practice of burning crop residue in northwest India.
Emerald Edge
Protection
To optimize the region’s carbon mitigation potential and ensure a sustainable future for local communities, TNC is working closely with key government and Indigenous partners.
Sustainable Dairy
Better management
TNC teamed up with the Innovation Center for U.S. Dairy and other partners to identify, research, and implement regenerative practices that benefit dairy farmers and nature.
Blue Carbon in Virginia Coast Reserve
Restoration
Since 2008, TNC and partners have broadcast more than 72 million seeds into 600 acres to help accelerate the natural spread of eelgrass, which now covers more than 9,500 acres.
Soil Health
Better management
TNC and partners, including two Natural Resources Districts in the region, will collaborate with farmers in central Nebraska in the adoption of soil health practices.
Mangrove Restoration
Restoration
We support and strengthen the capacity of Lamu communities to protect, manage, and restore priority mangrove habitat and deepen connections with Community Forest Associations.
Restoring the Rainforest with Cocoa Trees
Restoration
To help restore the Amazon while providing better livelihoods, TNC has pioneered an initiative to work with farmers to plant sustainable agro-forests of cocoa in Brazil
Reduced-Impact Logging for Climate (RIL-C)
Better management
The Congo Basin is the world’s largest carbon sink, and lower-impact forestry methods used here can have a significant impact on global climate outcomes.
Environment-Friendly Shrimp Farming
Better management
YKAN, TNC's Indonesian affiliate, is supporting environment-friendly shrimp farming in mangrove ecosystems through the Shrimp-Carbon Aquaculture (SECURE) approach in East Kaliman.
Restoring Peat Swamps
Restoration
YKAN, TNC's Indonesian affiliate, is working with provincial governments and communities to protect and measure the restoration of, peat swamp forests in East and North Kalimantan.
Restoring Coastal Wetlands
Restoration
TNC and partners are restoring coastal wetlands in South Australia and building a model of conservation and sustainable financing to protect a million blue carbon hectares.
Protecting and restoring Peatlands
Protection
Instead of paying for expensive industrial filtration, TNC supports financing upstream landowners to use sustainable farming practices and conserve and restore natural areas.
Reef Restoration
Restoration
The Nature Conservancy in the Dominican Republic has implemented a Water Funds strategy for the ecosystems that provide the cities of Santiago and Santo Domingo with freshwater.
Sustainable Forestry
Better management
Measuring the climate impact of conservation, sustainable forest management and regenerative ranching and agriculture in Guatemala’s 2.5 million hectare Maya Biosphere Reserve.
Mangrove Protection
Protection
Supporting conservation efforts in Marismas Nacionales, the largest mangrove wetland of the northern pacific coast of Mexico.
Mangrove Protection
Protection
TNC is protecting Papua New Guinea's mangroves through a unique partnership with Mangoro Market Meri (meaning Mangroves, Women, and Markets).
Protecting Peatlands
Protection
TNC works with traditional nomadic livestock herding communities to protect peatlands.
Ancestral Agroforestry Systems
Restoration
This project encompasses 117,000 hectares and will show how chakra management practices can improve carbon sequestration and living conditions in Indigenous communities.
Reforesting for People and Nature
Restoration
In China, communities are paid to plant seedlings during the rainy season, helping to connect fragmented forests that provide habitat for the endangered Golden Monkey.
Africa Carbon Catalyst
Protection
TNC and partners established an incubator designed to accelerate the growth of promising, community-led carbon projects.
More NCS Examples
What is the science behind natural climate solutions?
In 2017, The Nature Conservancy led a landmark study that showed how natural solutions for climate change designed to protect, better manage and restore forests, grasslands and wetlands could contribute up to a third of the emissions reductions we need to avoid the worst impacts of climate change. The authors developed a framework to distill the evidence into natural climate solutions pathways that demonstrate the full climate potential of nature.
Quote: Explore NCS Research
Protect, Manage, Restore A graphic illustrating the framework of natural climate solutions - protect, manage, restore. © Nature United
Globally, natural solutions for climate change could deliver up to a third of the emission reductions the world needs by 2030.
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Our groundbreaking study found that natural climate solutions can provide up to one-third of the mitigation needed by 2030 to keep global temperatures livable.
Since then, TNC scientists and partners have continued investigating how, when and where to invest in natural climate solutions to deliver on the world's most urgent climate goals. Our experts have published more than 50 studies that demonstrate the power of natural climate solutions in the United States, Canada, Indonesia and around the world.
Principles of Natural Climate Solutions
Defining what constitutes real, high-integrity natural climate solutions is critical so we can implement them effectively. These principles provide practical guidance on what constitutes a natural climate solution so that investments can be made with confidence. NCS must be nature-based, sustainable, climate-additional, measurable and equitable.
Natural climate solutions are nature-based.
Principle 1.1: Natural climate solutions result from the human stewardship of ecosystems.
Principle 1.2: Natural climate solutions do not move ecosystems further from their natural state.
Natural climate solutions are sustainable.
Principle 2.1: Natural climate solutions sustain biodiversity.
Principle 2.2: Natural climate solutions sustain food production.
Principle 2.3: Natural climate solutions sustain fiber and wood production.
Principle 2.4: Natural climate solutions sustain climate adaptation services.
Natural climate solutions are additional.
Principle 3.1: Natural climate solutions provide additional climate mitigation that would not happen without intervention.
Principle 3.2: Natural climate solutions provide durable mitigation.
Principle 3.3: Natural climate solutions are not used to compensate for emissions that need to be avoided to avoid climate crisis.
Natural climate solutions are measurable.
Principle 4.1: Natural climate solutions must quantify their climate benefit as consistently and completely as possible.
Principle 4.2: Natural climate solutions accounting is conservative.
Principle 4.3: Natural climate solutions with uncertainty ranges greater than the estimated climate mitigation should be flagged as emerging.
Principle 4.4: Natural climate solutions accounting avoids double counting.
Natural climate solutions are equitable.
Principle 5.1: Natural climate solutions respect human rights.
Principle 5.2: Natural climate solutions respect Indigenous self-determination.
Explore the principles and tenets
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See the Peer-Reviewed Scientific Studies
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Natural Climate Solutions (Griscom et al.)
Groundbreaking research by TNC and 15 other institutions, published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. Read key takeaways from the study
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More NCS Research
Explore our Natural Climate Solutions Resource Center to see the latest science, research and case studies demonstrating how nature can help increase carbon storage and avoid greenhouse gas emissions around the world. See a list of studies about NCS
What are the other benefits of natural climate solutions?
Co-Benefits of Natural Climate Solutions
Natural climate solutions are good for people and nature. Strategies to protect, better manage and restore ecosystems not only reduce greenhouse gas emissions, they can also promote biodiversity, provide clean air and water, and make communities more resilient to the impacts of climate change.
Biodiversity
Biodiversity benefits can include: improved or sustained diversity in animal species via available habitat, food sources, or connectivity between patches of habitat that allow species to move across landscapes for food and water, to seek shelter, or to procreate. Plant species diversity, which is also supported by protection, natural restoration, agroforestry or other NCS pathways, ensures the overall health and resilience of ecosystems.
Human Wellbeing
Human wellbeing benefits can include: human health via improved air or water quality or heat regulation; improved economic and material living standards; security and stability; improved social relations; upholding of cultural and spiritual values and practices.
Environment
Ecosystem services can include: natural habitat improving the pollination of insect-pollinated crops; roots of trees and vegetation stabilizing soil, encouraging rainwater infiltration, decreasing erosion and improving the retention of nitrogen and other nutrients in the soil that can be harmful if released via run-off into waterways; tree coverage providing heat regulation and shade for people and wildlife; or coastal vegetation such as mangroves reducing flood risk and coastal hazards from storm surges.
Climate
Globally, natural climate solutions could deliver up to a third of the emission reductions needed by 2030 to avoid the worst impacts of climate change.
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Supporting biodiversity
Nature provides sources of food and shelter for mammals, birds, and insects. It also creates ecosystem connectivity, or wildlife corridors—stretches of habitat that allow species to move around safely.
See this example from Belize
Making communities more resilient
Natural disasters are getting worse but natural climate solutions can help ease the danger. For example, coral reefs will reduce the impacts of damaging storm surges, protecting infrastructure and people.
Making stronger coastlines
Promoting clean air and water
It protects the air we breathe and the water we (and other species) need to survive. For example, healthy peatlands and wetlands can remove aquatic nutrients, sediments and pollutant metals from the water.
See this example from Africa
Helping economies thrive
Actions like improved forest management and regenerative farming practices can create new jobs, supporting rural economies and local communities while also protecting nature.
See Brazil's planReports and Tools
Reports and Tools
More about Natural Climate Solutions
TNC is a leader in NCS science with decades of experience working in partnership with stakeholders and rightsholders around the world.
