Pulse Brain · Growing Health Evidence Index
Tier 3 — Observational / field trialPeer-reviewed

National mitigation potential from natural climate solutions in the tropics

Bronson W. Griscom, Jonah Busch, Susan C. Cook‐Patton, Peter W. Ellis, Jason Funk, Sara M. Leavitt, Guy Lomax, Will R. Turner, Melissa Chapman, Jens Engelmann, Noel Gurwick, Emily Landis, Deborah Lawrence, Yadvinder Malhi, Lisa Schindler Murray, Diego Navarrete, Stephanie Roe, Sabrina Scull, Pete Smith, Charlotte Streck, Wayne Walker, Thomas A. Worthington

Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society B Biological Sciences · 2020

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Summary

This analysis quantifies the nationally significant climate mitigation potential of natural climate solutions—ecosystem protection, improved management, and restoration—across tropical countries. The authors identify that cost-effective NCS could deliver 6.56 Pg CO2e yr−1 globally, with over half of tropical nations able to mitigate more than 50% of national emissions through such approaches. The work demonstrates that with appropriate financing and political commitment, many tropical countries can achieve substantial contributions to enhanced NDCs whilst simultaneously advancing sustainable development goals.

UK applicability

Whilst focused on tropical contexts where ecosystem carbon storage potential is greatest, the methodological framework for assessing cost-effective land stewardship and linking climate mitigation to sustainable development could inform UK land-use policy and nature-based solutions strategies. UK applicability is limited given different biomes and governance contexts, though the principles of ecosystem-based mitigation remain relevant to temperate restoration efforts.

Key measures

Cost-effective tropical NCS potential measured in Pg CO2e per year at less than 100 US$ per Mg CO2e; proportion of national emissions mitigable through NCS by country; governance and financial capacity factors influencing feasibility

Outcomes reported

The study quantified cost-effective natural climate solutions (NCS) potential across tropical countries, measuring greenhouse gas mitigation from ecosystem protection, improved management, and restoration. It assessed how NCS contribution could meet national emissions reduction targets and support sustainable development goals.

Theme
Climate & resilience
Subject
Climate & greenhouse gas mitigation
Study type
Research
Study design
Policy report
Source type
Peer-reviewed study
Status
Published
Geography
Global
System type
Mixed farming
DOI
10.1098/rstb.2019.0126
Catalogue ID
BFmor3g9dg-sbbzmn

Topic tags

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