Climate Change Solutions Update

Category: Nature-Based Carbon Removal

Remove Carbon:
– Restore & Manage Ecosystems
– Shift Agriculture Practices
– Use Degraded Land
– Manipulate Biogeochemical Cycles

  • A Giant Solar Power Plant In Texas Is Getting A New Neighbor

    Texas, particularly Swisher County, is leading the way in renewable energy with the expansion of solar power plants to offset the negative impact of federal energy policy shifts on the wind industry. The upcoming 201-megawatt Nazareth array in Swisher County will further contribute to its success in renewable energy. Organizations like Texas Solar Shepherds are promoting solar grazing with sheep to reduce maintenance costs and support local economies, while also optimizing racking systems for cattle grazing in solar fields. The article highlights the opportunity to combine clean power with food systems through solar power plants, such as the Hornet solar power plant, as a solution to farmland loss due to rural development.

    https://cleantechnica.com/2026/06/02/texas-solar-power-vesper-energy-sustainable/

  • Funding Carbon Removal Beyond Deployment

    Transformative investment in carbon removal interventions is essential for addressing challenges related to community trust, tangible value, and long-term alignment. This approach supports community relationships, value creation, stewardship, and durability, aiming to ensure the success of carbon removal projects. By focusing on restorative capital strategies, community engagement, and equitable governance, transformative investment seeks to regenerate resources, create local wealth, and strengthen social, economic, and ecological systems alongside carbon removal efforts. This approach not only addresses barriers to deployment, such as delays and opposition but also enhances public legitimacy and long-term durability of interventions. Ultimately, transformative investment is becoming a core indicator of intervention design for sustainable and effective climate solutions.

    https://carbon180.org/blog/funding-carbon-removal-beyond-deployment/

  • Agricultural subsidies can be repurposed for a just and sustainable rural transition

    Orhan Solak, deputy director of Türkiye's Directorate of Climate Change, emphasizes the need to repurpose agricultural subsidies to support a just rural transition and achieve climate goals. There is a call for stronger consensus and rapid implementation of sustainable practices in agriculture to address current challenges, aligning agricultural transformation with environmental integrity and social equity. The importance of supporting sustainable and climate-resilient agricultural systems through targeted investments, capacity-building, and innovation is highlighted, with a focus on inclusive rural development and intergenerational equity. Countries are recognizing the need for climate action to not come at the cost of food security, livelihoods, and equality, with examples of redirecting farm subsidies towards more climate-positive practices for long-term resilience. The Bonn Climate Conference is set to discuss a Just Transition Mechanism for a fair transition to a climate-neutral economy, placing agrifood systems and rural communities at the heart of the climate agenda, with COP31 Presidency priorities in Turkey expected to prioritize climate equity and inclusive action for climate justice.

    https://www.climatechangenews.com/2026/06/01/agricultural-subsidies-can-be-repurposed-for-a-just-and-sustainable-rural-transition/

  • Beyond Washington: Nine examples of local governments taking climate action

    State and city governments across the United States are taking bold climate action, leading the way in renewable energy expansion, ecosystem protection, and regenerative agriculture promotion as federal leadership falters. California and Vermont have set ambitious goals for renewable energy sourcing, while Chicago is transitioning to clean energy and carbon neutrality by 2050. States like Oregon and Massachusetts are implementing innovative conservation and food waste reduction policies, aligning with the One Earth Solutions Framework to combat climate change. These local efforts demonstrate the tangible results of determined action and serve as a blueprint for national and global climate solutions, emphasizing the importance of starting meaningful change at the local level.

    https://www.oneearth.org/nine-examples-of-local-governments-taking-climate-action/

  • Encoding Resilience: A vision for climate action

    The Techonomy Climate Conference emphasized the importance of integrating nature into climate change strategies, highlighting the One Earth Solutions Framework and Climate Model as tools for sustainable solutions. The framework focuses on renewable energy, nature conservation, and regenerative agriculture, supported by global climate science. The need for strategic thinking, education, and holistic approaches in developing climate tech solutions was discussed, along with the importance of protecting natural areas with deep biodiversity. Embracing Indigenous knowledge, community-led solutions, and grassroots efforts are key to achieving sustainable outcomes and addressing climate change effectively.

    https://www.oneearth.org/techonomy-climate-encoding-resilience-2024/

  • A Company Funded by Bill Gates Wants to Capture BC’s Carbon

    A Bill Gates-backed American startup, Graphyte, plans to build a carbon-storage facility in Valemount, B.C., which could start operating as early as next January. The facility aims to capture carbon from forestry and agriculture industries by compressing unusable organic matter into bricks that do not decompose and burying them underground. Graphyte has sold carbon credits to companies like Microsoft and J.P. Morgan to offset their emissions. The company's initiative, called "Project Red Cedar," is expected to bring 20 jobs to the community and repurpose the local industrial park. Enkon consulting firm is ensuring compliance with environmental regulations for the project, which has garnered support from the Simpcw First Nation and the Valemount Community Forest.

    https://thetyee.ca/News/2026/05/28/Company-Funded-Bill-Gates-Wants-Capture-BC-Carbon/

  • New Mexico jump-starts massive tree planting after wildfires

    New Mexico is launching a large-scale reforestation initiative to address wildfire damage, with a goal of producing 5 million seedlings annually by 2030. The state plans to plant 390 million trees across 1.5 million acres affected by fires, as climate change exacerbates wildfires in arid Western states like New Mexico. The urgency of these efforts is heightened by the federal government's decreased involvement in fire mitigation and disaster recovery. Reforestation is seen as a crucial climate solution to combat the increasing threat of wildfires in the region.

    https://www.eenews.net/articles/new-mexico-jump-starts-massive-tree-planting-after-wildfires/

  • From Alerts to Action

    Efforts are being made in the Casamance region of Senegal to restore mangrove forests that are under threat from various factors such as dikes blocking water flow and natural phenomena like shifting sand dunes. Global Mangrove Watch provides remote sensing data to monitor mangroves and track restoration progress, with training for stakeholders to use this platform for better conservation efforts and sustainable livelihoods. In protected areas like the KBK Marine Protected Area and MPA Niamone-Kalounayes, mangroves are facing degradation from different causes, prompting regular patrols and a combination of satellite technology, community engagement, and government partnerships to restore these vital ecosystems for future generations.

    https://www.mangrovealliance.org/news/from-alerts-to-action-senegal

  • The French City That Champions Its Trees

    The city of Sceaux, south of Paris, has adopted a Tree Charter in 2019 to protect and expand its urban canopy, focusing on deepening knowledge of the city's trees, implementing specific commitments, and involving both individual and collective action to safeguard the green giants of Sceaux. The charter promotes planting species adapted to the local soil and climate, incentivizes residents and landowners to plant and protect trees, and offers compensation for damaged or felled trees. Comprehensive policies like Sceaux's Tree Charter are crucial for urban resilience, as urban trees provide a wide range of benefits and sustainable systems are needed to protect and fortify them in cities. Other cities are also investing in urban trees through Local Urban Forestry Action Plans to improve the urban environment and combat heat islands, highlighting the value of trees for a more livable city in the future.

    https://reasonstobecheerful.world/sceaux-tree-charter/

  • Great Koala National Park tests whether protected forests can stay connected

    Australia is planning a new Great Koala National Park in New South Wales to address the decline of koalas due to habitat fragmentation, deforestation, and climate change impacts. The park aims to provide connected habitat for koalas and other threatened species, emphasizing the importance of managing whole landscapes to ensure ecological connections and habitat functionality. Conservationists support the park proposal but warn of challenges such as logging pressure and weak enforcement, highlighting the crucial need for connectivity between forest remnants for species to move and adapt to changing conditions.

    https://news.mongabay.com/short-article/2026/05/great-koala-national-park-tests-whether-protected-forests-can-stay-connected/