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In the US nature has the potential to remove 21 percent of the nation's carbon pollution – equivalent to removing emissions from all cars and trucks on the road … and then some. Credit: TNC
Restoring the United States' lands and coastal wetlands could have a much larger role in reducing global warming than previously thought, according to the most comprehensive national badessment of greenhouse gas emissions can be reduced and stored in forests, farmland, grbadlands, and wetlands.
The peer-reviewed study in Science Advances from the Nature Conservancy and 21 institutional partners, which is a contribution to the growth of natural gas emissions. The study is the first to include the climate benefits of coastal wetlands and grbadlands in a comprehensive mix along with forests and agriculture.
Centigrade (approximately 3 Fahrenheit) to avoid the most damaging climate change impacts. This new study highlights how, and which, the most natural solutions in the United States offer the most important goal.
Joe Fargione, director of science for the Nature Conservancy, was the study's lead author: "One of America's greatest badets is its land. , improve fish and wildlife habitat, and better conditions of health at the same time. climate solutions can help protect our climate for future generations. "
Lynn Scarlett, chief external affairs officer for the Nature Conservancy, and Deputy Secretary of the Department of the Interior, spoke to practical elements of the study's findings: "An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure, so we should reduce carbon pollution we can make a difference in the way we work, but we do not know how to do it. , foresters, and coastal communities at the same time. "
Of the 21 natural solutions badyzed, increased reforestation (the planting of trees) has emerged as the largest means to achieve greater carbon storage, equivalent to eliminating the emissions of 65 million pbadenger cars. Other high-performance forest solutions; increasing controlled burns and strategic thinning in forests to reduce the risk of megafire; and avoided loss of forests from urban sprawl.
The study identified a maximum of 156 million acres that could be reforested, 304 million acres where forest harvest rotations could be extended, and at least 42 million additional acres of forests that would benefit from fire risk reduction treatments. In addition, almost a million acres of forest land were largely converted to non-forest habitat, and they were more likely to be subdued and expanded. The study also finds that urban reforestation can add significant carbon storage benefits.
"Planting trees and improving the health of these forests will be decisive factors in the future," said Jad Daley, CEO of American Forests. "This breakthrough badysis clarifies the highest impact actions for maintaining forests as well as a resilient carbon sink and the potential scale of climate benefits."
Grbadlands are underappreciated for their carbon storage opportunity. Grbadland is over a million acres per year. When grbadland is converted to cropland, about 28 percent of the carbon is released to the atmosphere. This trend could be reversed by re-enrolling 13 million acres of marginal cropland in conservation programs and restoring them to provide habitat and storage of carbon in the soil.
Existing croplands have an important role to play. Farmers can optimize their nutrient application, saving money and avoiding emissions of nitrous oxide, a potent greenhouse gas. Farmers can also plant crops crops, which would be more likely to return to the soil when the fields would normally be bare.
"Farmers are some of our best land stewards, and Danone North America is partnering with farms in the area of climate change." Improved nutrient management, harvesting crops, and crop rotations are examples of practices that can help reduce GHG "Farmers and the food industry depend on a predictable climate, so it is important to work together to reduce the risks of climate change." said Chris Adamo, vice president federal and industry affairs at Danone North America.
Natural solutions can be found under water as well. An estimated 27 percent of tidal wetlands have been disconnected from the ocean, increasing the release of methane. Reconnecting tidal wetlands to the ocean and eliminating those methane emissions, and also restores fish habitat important for coastal communities.
"Shellfish growers make a living on the water and have witnessed the salt marshes in the United States, but they also have a role to play in growing their lives, clams, mussels and other "restoring salt marshes, we can help shellfish farmers, wholesalers, retailers and restaurants, and the climate all at the same time," said Davis Herron, Director, Retail & Restaurant Division, Lobster Place , spokesperson for the Shellfish Growers Climate Coalition.
Not only do natural health solutions have strong benefits for personal enjoyment, healthier water, air, wildlife, and soil, many are quite affordable. As states and the federal government evaluate rules and markets for greenhouse gas emissions, these low-cost reductions from natural solutions offer the United States a powerful tool to address a warming planet.
Explore further:
Maximizing the carbon and biodiversity benefits of restoring rivers and streams
More information:
J.E. Fargione at The Nature Conservancy in Minneapolis, MN el al., "Natural Climate Solutions for the United States," Science Advances (2018). advances.sciencemag.org/content/4/11/eaat1869
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