The principles of natural climate solutions

BACKGROUND:

Natural Climate Solutions (NCS) were consolidated as a holistic concept in 2017, leveraging human interventions in land management to mitigate climate change by adapting existing conservation knowledge for climate action. Over the past six years, the implementation of NCS has seen a rapid increase in attention, as indicated by a significant rise in social media discussions and funding commitments, though these efforts still fall short of the levels required to meet global climate mitigation goals. The authors use a comprehensive review of scientific literature and best practices to distill foundational and operational 

CONCLUSIONS AND TAKEAWAYS:

The paper concludes that Natural Climate Solutions (NCS) must be implemented rapidly and equitably to meet climate mitigation needs, emphasizing the importance of adhering to foundational principles such as sustainability, measurability, and equity. The authors highlight the ongoing challenges and controversies surrounding NCS but suggest that clearly defined normative criteria can help guide effective and acceptable practices. Ultimately, the paper calls for a collective effort to refine and promote NCS practices globally, ensuring they contribute significantly to climate change mitigation while addressing socio-economic and environmental concerns.