Nature-based solutions (NBS) offer countries a way to tackle climate challenges through resilience and disaster risk reduction (DRR), with traditional conservation and restoration practices falling under this umbrella if they prioritize human well-being. NBS can serve as a cost-effective alternative to gray infrastructure, offering multiple benefits and job opportunities. To successfully implement NBS, supportive policy frameworks are crucial, emphasizing ecosystem-based approaches that align with broader development objectives.
Category: FALO & Nature-Based Carbon Removal
Cut Emissions & Remove Carbon:
– Shift Agriculture Practices
– Protect & Manage Ecosystems
– Biomass Carbon Removal & Storage
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Forests are more than a resource: How Belarus protects its vital ecosystem
The UNDP, in collaboration with the Ministry of Forestry in Belarus, is implementing projects supported by China and Russia to address threats facing forest ecosystems in Belarus. These projects focus on developing ecotourism, protecting forests, and strengthening preparedness for fire prevention and response. Efforts include introducing modern approaches to forest management, utilizing digital technologies, creating new sources of income for local communities, and raising environmental awareness among young people. By prioritizing innovation, partnerships, and community engagement, these initiatives aim to safeguard Belarus' forests and the benefits they provide for climate change mitigation, biodiversity preservation, and economic development.
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Solar-to-X could redefine Iran’s energy future
Iran has the potential to transition to a fully renewable energy system by 2050, with solar PV playing a key role. A recent study by LUT University shows that such a transition is technically possible and economically attractive. Solar PV could become the backbone of Iran's energy system, driving change across power, heat, transport, industry, and desalination sectors. In the most ambitious scenario, solar PV would dominate the power sector, accounting for 81% of installed capacity and 93% of electricity generation by 2050. Solar PV electricity is becoming the central energy platform in Iran, with direct electrification and heat pumps meeting 80% of heat demand by 2050. In transport, direct electrification is preferred, while Solar-to-X fuels are used for aviation and shipping. The industrial sector in Iran could benefit from transitioning to renewable electricity, hydrogen, and Power-to-X products. Solar PV can support cleaner production in energy-intensive industries and help address water scarcity issues by avoiding water consumption in thermal power plants. System integration of renewable energy can also support defossilisation and water security in the country. The section discusses the importance of storage in Iran's energy transition, with a focus on renewable energy sources like solar PV. By 2050, electricity storage output and capacity are expected to increase significantly. The transition to renewables is not just about reducing greenhouse gas emissions, but also about creating a cost-effective and efficient energy system. Iran has the opportunity to use its energy strengths to build a sustainable future, including the export of e-fuels and e-materials. The country can follow Norway's example of transitioning from fossil fuels to renewable energy sources to shape its long-term economic model. Research at LUT University focuses on power-to-X technologies, including solar energy, as a key aspect of their work in various sectors such as power, heat, transport, industry, desalination, and carbon dioxide removal. This article highlights the importance of connecting renewable electricity with industrial strategy, export potential, energy security, and water solutions in a single framework for Iran's future energy development.
https://www.pv-magazine.com/2026/03/18/solar-to-x-could-redefine-irans-energy-future/
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GM Pivots Tennessee Battery Plant to Tap Energy Storage Boom
The article highlights key climate solutions experts need to know, including the importance of renewable energy sources, carbon sequestration technologies, and sustainable agriculture practices. It emphasizes the urgent need for global cooperation and policy changes to address climate change effectively. Additionally, the article discusses the role of innovation and investment in developing new technologies to combat climate change. Overall, the focus is on actionable solutions to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and mitigate the impacts of climate change on a global scale.
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The Native Seed Farm Safeguarding California’s Future
Heritage Growers, in partnership with the Yurok Tribe and others, is contributing native plants and seeds to help restore damaged ecosystems along the Klamath River. They work with government agencies to ensure enough of the right seeds are available for restoration projects, sharing knowledge on native seed production and collaborating with tribal communities to integrate traditional ecological knowledge into restoration planning. These efforts are helping California progress towards its 30×30 conservation goal, one seed at a time.
https://reasonstobecheerful.world/heritage-growers-california-future/
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Increased spacing between solar module rows boosts agrivoltaics viability
U.S. researchers from Colorado University, National Laboratory of the Rockies, Colorado State University, and the Colorado Department of Agriculture have developed a framework showing that wider spacing between solar PV rows can make agrivoltaic systems economically viable for large-scale mechanized farming. Their simulations in Colorado demonstrated that optimized row spacing maintains crop production while improving combined agricultural and energy revenues. The study found that wider-row agrivoltaic solutions can provide economic benefits over traditional utility-scale PV systems, with $200/acre in agricultural profit justifying spacing panels at least 9.662 m apart. The framework defines different PV row-spacing scenarios, determines installed PV capacity, incorporates agricultural equipment constraints, calculates crop revenues, estimates electricity generation and revenue, and calculates metrics such as net present value and levelized cost of energy. The team simulated a 160-acre project in Colorado with different crop scenarios and PPA prices, highlighting the sensitivity of results to equipment size.
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Research shows conventional solar arrays can support livestock grazing
A new research report by the Federal Association for New Energy Industry (bne) in Germany found that conventional solar parks can support sheep and cattle grazing, as the vegetation under and between PV modules provides adequate feed quality. The study concluded that agricultural use is possible without dedicated agrivoltaic systems, with researchers analyzing vegetation, biomass, and animal behavior in five solar parks across different regions. They found higher species diversity and protein content in plants growing under modules, suggesting that solar parks should be considered agricultural land that can generate electricity while enabling agricultural use.
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Japan establishes national benchmarks for agrivoltaics as sites expand
The Japanese government has set new standards for agrivoltaics in response to reports of reduced crop yields under solar panels. By the end of fiscal 2023, 6,137 agrivoltaic sites covering 1,361.6 hectares of farmland had been approved. The Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries convened a meeting in May 2025 to define "desirable" installations, tightening rules and requiring developers to submit cultivation plans, financial projections, and evidence that crops can grow beneath panels. Advanced solar-agricultural designs like dual-axis tracking can optimize panel angles seasonally for better crop growth and power production, with companies like Idemitsu Kosan leading commercial agrivoltaic projects.
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Technology for Good
Wetlands International has been training rangers, forest managers, and decision-makers in Kenya on the Global Mangrove Watch platform to use satellite alerts for timely protection of mangroves. The training focused on tools like Kobo Collect and Survey123, GIS basics, mobile GIS, and data visualization to empower participants to detect and respond to disturbance alerts effectively. Efforts to monitor and restore mangroves in Lamu have been made, with a mangrove alert command center opened as part of the Save Our Mangroves Now! Programme. Despite degradation from urban development, Kenya has potential for mangrove restoration, and the Global Mangrove Watch platform offers high-resolution imagery for monitoring mangrove changes in near-real time, enabling rapid response to threats like illegal logging. The training aims to support faster action and protection of mangroves through digital monitoring.
https://www.mangrovealliance.org/news/technology-for-good-global-mangrove-watch-training-in-kenya