The principles of natural climate solutions
Clarifies natural climate solutions by outlining five core and fifteen operational principles to reduce confusion and guide effective, equitable, scalable actions that deliver measurable, durable climate mitigation.
Subject Tags
- Climate mitigation
- Climate impacts
- Natural climate solutions
Abstract
Natural climate solutions can mitigate climate change in the near-term, during a climate-critical window. Yet, persistent misunderstandings about what constitutes a natural climate solution generate unnecessary confusion and controversy, thereby delaying critical mitigation action. Based on a review of scientific literature and best practices, we distill five foundational principles of natural climate solutions (nature-based, sustainable, climate-additional, measurable, and equitable) and fifteen operational principles for practical implementation. By adhering to these principles, practitioners can activate effective and durable natural climate solutions, enabling the rapid and wide-scale adoption necessary to meaningfully contribute to climate change mitigation.
Citation
Ellis, P.W., Page, A.M., Wood, S., Fargione, J., Masuda, Y.J., Carrasco Denney, V., Moore, C., Kroeger, T., Griscom, B., Sanderman, J. and Atleo, T., 2024. The principles of natural climate solutions. Nature Communications, 15(1), p.547. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-023-44425-2
Media Contacts
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Peter Ellis
Director, Global Natural Climate Solutions Science
The Nature Conservancy
Email: pellis@tnc.org -
Stephen A. Wood
Senior Scientist Agriculture and Food Systems
The Nature Conservancy
Email: stephen.wood@tnc.org -
Joseph Fargione
Director of Science, North America Region
The Nature Conservancy
Email: jfargione@tnc.org -
Vanessa Carrasco Denney
Climate Science Program Manager
The Nature Conservancy
Email: v.cararrascodenney@tnc.org