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Not long ago, the idea that nature could be humanity\u2019s ally<\/a> against climate change was not widely known, to say the least.\u00a0<\/p>\n Research has shown that nature is already \u201cmopping up\u201d about half of human-caused greenhouse-gas emissions every year<\/a>, despite our impacts on ecosystems. And there\u2019s more: If we protect and restore ecosystems, nature can reverse climate change \u2014 providing more than a third of the global action needed to avoid a climate crisis, according to a landmark 2017 study.<\/span><\/p>\n Since that study was released, \u201cnatural climate solutions\u201d have increasingly moved into the mainstream. Many governments<\/a> and businesses<\/a> are now including nature in their climate commitments, and the wider world is taking notice: Between 2019 and 2021, media stories mentioning natural climate solutions grew a staggering 263 percent<\/a>.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cPerhaps unsurprisingly, this rise in recognition has been accompanied by some confusion about what natural climate solutions are and how they work,\u201d said Conservation International climate scientist Bronson Griscom, who led the 2017 study. \u201cWe felt it was important to unpack that.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n Griscom sat down with Conservation News to explain what natural climate solutions are (measurable, restorative) and what they aren\u2019t (greenwashing).\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Conservation News: Why was it important to develop a shared understanding of what natural climate solutions are?<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n At the same time, we\u2019ve noticed there are misconceptions about what natural climate solutions actually are \u2014 which is a barrier to fully realizing their potential. So, we published a new paper<\/a> to clarify what makes for an effective natural climate solution.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n You mentioned misconceptions \u2014 like what?<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n A recent report<\/a> looked into how companies are confronting climate change in their operations. It found that companies that buy carbon credits \u2014 some of which pay for the protection of forests that remove carbon from the atmosphere \u2014 are doing more to reduce<\/a> their own climate footprints than companies that don\u2019t. They\u2019re outperforming their competitors in addressing climate change in their supply and value chains.<\/span><\/p>\n Can you give me an example?<\/strong><\/p>\n BG:<\/strong> Yes. Conservation International\u2019s carbon project in the bay of Cispat\u00e1<\/a>, on Colombia’s Caribbean coast, reflects these principles.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Left standing, mangroves are climate superstars \u2014 a single square mile of mangroves can lock away as much climate-warming carbon as the annual emissions of 90,000 cars. However, despite protections from the Colombian government, mangroves in Cispat\u00e1 Bay continued to be cleared for cattle and agriculture. Essentially, they were more valuable dead than alive. This project flipped that economic script. It was the first to accurately measure the carbon stored in the mud mangroves hold between their roots. That opened the door to financial incentives to protect them. In addition, the local community is actively engaged in the project\u2019s governance and in carrying out monitoring, data and species conservation.<\/span><\/p>\n This speaks directly to the need for natural climate solutions to be measurable and have a positive impact on local people. Over the project\u2019s 30-year lifespan, the mangrove forest is expected to prevent the release of approximately 1 million metric tons of carbon \u2014 equivalent to taking 184,000 cars off the road for one year \u2014 and support the livelihoods of 12,000 people who live in or near the project.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n What do you hope this paper accomplishes?\u00a0<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n <\/strong>BG: <\/strong>My hope is that this paper reduces the friction that has arisen around misunderstandings about natural climate solutions so that we can focus squarely on expanding them. Time is not on our side. In order to avoid catastrophic climate change, the land sector \u2014 including agriculture and forestry \u2014 must reach net-zero emissions<\/a> by 2030. It is critical that we have a shared understanding of natural climate solutions so we can deliver them quickly and effectively.<\/span><\/p>\n\n