Summary
This comprehensive global assessment quantifies land-based climate mitigation opportunities across 20 measures in over 200 countries, identifying 8–13.8 GtCO₂ eq yr⁻¹ of cost-effective potential by 2050 aligned with a 1.5°C pathway. The analysis reveals substantial regional and country variation, with forests and ecosystems protection offering particularly high mitigation efficiency and co-benefits at lower cost. The study highlights that 80% of feasible potential lies in developing countries and least-developed countries, where governance, investment, and socio-cultural conditions present the greatest implementation barriers.
UK applicability
The UK represents one of the developed economies within the assessed regions; whilst the study's global focus and emphasis on developing-country feasibility may have limited direct application to UK policy, the identified measures (particularly forest protection and demand-side approaches) are relevant to UK climate strategy. The findings on governance and economic investment requirements inform UK international climate finance and land-use policy decisions.
Key measures
Cost-effective mitigation potential (GtCO₂ eq yr⁻¹), technical potential, mitigation efficiency, co-benefits provision, implementation costs ($/tCO₂ eq), feasibility barriers (governance, economic investment, socio-cultural factors)
Outcomes reported
The study quantified cost-effective land-based climate mitigation potential at 8–13.8 GtCO₂ eq yr⁻¹ between 2020 and 2050 across 20 measures in >200 countries, and assessed country-level implementation feasibility. It compared bottom-up sectoral estimates with integrated assessment models and evaluated the contribution of forests, agriculture, and demand-side measures.
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