Letting Nature Lead the Way in Solving Two Environmental Crises
Natural climate solutions can be a cost-effective, long-term strategy to save endangered species, mitigate climate change, and stimulate the economy.
There are two environmental crises facing the planet: mass species extinction and climate change. While the causes of each are complex, human economic and industrial activity affecting forests, wetlands, and peatlands play a key role. Canada’s boreal forest soil, plants, and wetlands hold more than 12 percent of the world’s land-based carbon stock, the equivalent of more than 35 years of CO2 emissions from burning fossil fuels. This
diverse ecosystem also supports about two thirds of Canada’s known wildlife species and nesting and breeding habitat for half of Canada’s
bird species, including up to three million migrating birds each year. Since 1996, 28 million acres of Canadian boreal forest have been logged.
Similarly, other wetlands such as marshes, bogs, fens, swamps, and open water play an important role in reducing greenhouse gas emissions linked to climate change. One third of global peatlands are in Canada’s arctic and subarctic regions, and they store about 25 percent of the world’s peatland carbon. Like the boreal forests, these landscapes provide hundreds of species with safe places to eat, sleep, and rear their young. In settled areas, up to 70 percent of wetlands and peatlands have been destroyed, degraded, or drained for farming, new buildings and homes, mining, logging, and roads.
Natural climate solutions make a positive impact on wildlife and climate
Fortunately, Canadians can make a positive impact on these twin ecological challenges through simple and cost-effective actions and initiatives that harness the power of nature.
These initiatives are called natural climate solutions, and they involve protecting, restoring, and improving land management practices for the benefit of both people and nature.
Protecting and restoring forests and wetlands help to remove greenhouse gases like carbon dioxide from the environment and
to ensure continued survival of the diverse wildlife species that call these regions home. Improving land management practices through Indigenous-led protection of their territories, better municipal stewardship of environmentally-sensitive areas, and regenerative agriculture helps to reduce our carbon footprint while preserving natural habitat.
In urban settings, green infrastructure such as green roofs helps support biodiversity while also making cities more livable. In addition to building resilience against floods, heat waves, air pollution, fires, and storms, these rooftop gardens help to cool the air, absorb excess water, and reduce energy use.
Natural climate solutions are an investment in our future
A Nature United study conducted with 16 other research institutions, suggests that natural climate solutions could reduce Canada’s greenhouse carbon dioxide emissions by as much as 78 megatons a year in 2030 — more than 10 percent of Canada’s total emissions.
Accordingly, the Canadian federal government is committing $630 million over 10 years for nature-based climate solutions to reduce emissions and protect biodiversity, and more than $3 billion over the next five years to deliver on a commitment to protect 25 percent of Canada’s land, water, and ocean by 2025, and 30 percent by 2030.
Investing in nature-based climate solutions is a powerful way to help endangered species and reduce our collective carbon footprint — and can be an integral part of the bigger climate strategy.
Natural climate solutions can also benefit our economy by creating new jobs or new revenue streams for Canadian Indigenous communities, farmers, ranchers, and foresters.
For the nature community, natural climate solutions provide a unique opportunity to get involved and make a difference. Whether you want to make a change alone or work for an organization, you can learn about Nature Canada's upcoming work and how you can help by adding your name to Nature Canada’s Natural Climate Solutions list.