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“Planet’s ecosystems our best allies in the struggle against climate change" |
It is high time to invest much more in the conservation, rehabilitation and management of forests, peatlands, soils and other ecosystems. This can safeguard existing stores of carbon, reduce emissions and maximise the potential for removing carbon from the atmosphere, according to a new report from the UN Environment Programme.
 The new report “The Natural Fix? The Role of Ecosystems in Climate Mitigation” was released on the 5th of June to mark World Environment Day 2009, just under six months before the crucial UN climate convention meeting in Copenhagen, Denmark.
– Tens of billions of dollars are being earmarked for carbon capture and storage at power stations with the CO2 to be buried underground or under the sea. But perhaps the international community is overlooking a tried and tested method that has been working for millennia, the biosphere, says Achim Steiner, UNEP Executive Director, in a press release.
UNEP concludes that the Earth’s living systems might be capable of sequestering more than 50 gigatones (Gt) of carbon over the coming decades with the right market signals. This means not only that we are combating climate change, but potentially delivering a number of crucial ecosystem services, including improved water supplies, soil stabilization and reduced biodiversity loss. Not to mention a number of potential new “green” jobs in natural resource management and conservation.
Following this reasoning, UNEP now calls for the adoption of a comprehensive policy framework under the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) for addressing ecosystem carbon management. Tropical forests, peatlands and agriculture should be prioritised. As an example, the report mentions that a reduction of deforestation by 50 per cent by 2050 (and then maintaining them at this level until 2100) would avoid the direct release of up to 50 Gt C this century, equivalent to 12 % of the emissions reductions needed to keep atmospheric concentrations of carbon dioxide below 450 ppm (parts per million).
Local and indigenous peoples must not be disadvantaged
Interestingly, the report also comes to the conclusion that the agricultural sector could be broadly carbon neutral by 2030 if sustainable management practices are widely adopted. This is particularly true for agroforestry – where food production is combined with tree planting – which has a particularly high potential for carbon sequestration in tropical areas, UNEP says.
– Our planet’s living systems have developed ingenious, efficient and cost-effective ways to manage carbon. Sending the right price signals to those who make economic and development choices about the value of preserving and effectively managing our forests, grasslands, peatlands and agricultural lands is critical for the success of any climate change mitigation strategies, the report says.
It is also emphasised that that climate mitigation policies must be guided by the best available science concerning ecosystem carbon, and that it will be necessary to ensure that local and indigenous peoples are not disadvantaged.
More at:
http://www.grida.no/publications/rr/natural-fix/ |
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