Nature-based solutions to address climate change

Description

Climate change combines with other stressors that impact biodiversity, such as degradation and fragmentation of natural habitats, overexploitation, pollution, and invasive alien species. It also increases the frequency and severity of natural hazards such as floods, droughts, heat waves, and storms, with significant negative impacts on human populations.

To address climate change, we urgently need to curb the emission of greenhouse gases produced by human activities. Given the inertia of the climate system, it is also necessary to engage in adaptation measures to anticipate and better prepare for the consequences of climate imbalance.

Among the range of proposed solutions (energy savings, technology improvements, development of renewable energies, public transport, circular economy/recycling, etc.), those provided by nature are often overlooked or underestimated. Yet, they are natural solutions for carbon capture and storage, and they provide real and beneficial opportunities to mitigate the impacts of climate change and reduce exposure of human populations to natural hazards.

Reference information