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.
Category: Nature-Based Carbon Removal
Remove Carbon:
– Restore & Manage Ecosystems
– Shift Agriculture Practices
– Use Degraded Land
– Manipulate Biogeochemical Cycles
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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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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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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
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The Role of Kelp Forests in Carbon Dioxide Removal and Climate Mitigation
Various studies have highlighted the importance of kelp forest ecosystems in terms of biodiversity, stability, resilience, and future prospects, with global estimates emphasizing their value in providing ecosystem services. The world map of laminarian kelp has been updated to include more Arctic data, solidifying its status as the largest marine biome. Research is being conducted on the potential use of seaweeds for carbon removal offsets to help address climate change, including the use of macroalgae for carbon sequestration and the potential of ocean afforestation using the Great Atlantic Sargassum Belt. The focus on blue carbon and the importance of human actions for carbon credit in kelp forest conservation are also highlighted, along with the method of aquatic eddy covariance for defining oxygen and carbon fluxes in marine environments.
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Kelp Restoration Guidebook
This chapter highlights the significance of incorporating social, cultural, and economic factors into kelp restoration projects, stressing the importance of collaboration with communities and partners for successful outcomes. It underscores the need to consider human elements in ecological restoration efforts, emphasizing the interconnectedness of environmental and societal factors in climate solutions.
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Inspiring Victory Against Big Ag and the GMO Giants
Soil carbon loss is a significant contributor to CO2 emissions, with over 100 Gt released annually. Implementing regenerative agriculture practices can help reverse climate change by capturing CO2 in the soil and enhancing soil organic matter. This can be achieved by stopping ecosystem destruction, restoring forests and pastures, and discontinuing synthetic nitrogen fertilizers. The Mexican Senate recently approved a constitutional reform to ban GMOs, prioritizing the protection of biodiversity and food sovereignty. Traditional grains like finger millet and sorghum are proving to be more resilient and sustainable in the face of climate variability. The FAO emphasizes the importance of diversifying staple crops in Southern Africa, particularly transitioning from maize to traditional grains like finger millet and sorghum. The impact of the 2024 El Niño on Zimbabwe and Southern Africa led to severe food insecurity, livestock deaths, and the worst hunger crisis in 4 decades. Mexico has banned the planting of genetically modified corn seeds to protect its native corn varieties. The section discusses the importance of regenerative agriculture and organic farming in addressing climate change, highlighting the efforts of organizations like IFOAM Organics International and Regeneration International in promoting sustainable farming practices. The article also mentions the need for African governments to implement agroecology policies to support smallholder food producers and address environmental issues. Overall, the focus is on empowering farmers and communities to take control of their local food systems for a more sustainable future. Stakeholders in Africa are urging states to prioritize agroecology to support farmers and sustainable food production. Glaciers are losing ice mass rapidly, with regional losses ranging from 2% to 39%. The climate crisis is already impacting smallholder farmers, leading to food insecurity and hunger. Industrial agriculture, a major contributor to greenhouse gas emissions, is unsustainable. Indigenous reserves in the Peruvian Amazon are facing setbacks, putting uncontacted tribes at risk. Supporting monarch populations by planting nectar-rich flowers and milkweed is crucial for their survival. Regeneration International is calling for support to build an international alliance to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, sequester carbon in soils, regenerate ecosystems, eliminate rural poverty, and revitalize communities. They emphasize the importance of regenerative agriculture in restoring farmer independence, promoting social justice, fair trade, and ecological health. The organization aims to build a global network to promote regenerative agriculture practices that provide abundant food, revitalize economies, restore soil fertility, nurture biodiversity, and reduce agricultural greenhouse gas emissions while sequestering carbon in the soil.
https://us.engagingnetworks.app/page/email/message/view?templateId=372973
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The Jewish Cemeteries Giving Life to Morocco’s Muslim Communities
The House of Life project in Morocco, facilitated by the High Atlas Foundation, is utilizing Jewish burial sites to establish organic fruit tree and medicinal plant nurseries for Muslim villagers, promoting interfaith bonds and poverty alleviation. Nearly 300,000 tree saplings have been distributed to farming families since 2012, crucial for Morocco's vulnerability to climate change and need for millions of trees to combat deforestation and food insecurity. This initiative benefits both Muslim villagers and Moroccan Jews by restoring deteriorated sites, promoting cultural integration, and supporting livelihood development in the region.
https://reasonstobecheerful.world/morocco-jewish-cemeteries-give-life-to-muslim-farms/
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Half the world’s food never feeds people — In America, it’s far worse
A recent study found that global croplands produce enough calories to feed twice the world's population, but only half of those calories are consumed as food, highlighting the impact of policy and priorities on land use. Researchers suggest producing food on existing farmland while protecting and restoring nature to balance nourishment with planetary health. Shifting excess beef consumption to chicken or plant-based proteins could free up enough calories to feed millions of people, while improving how cropland is allocated can help meet nutritional needs without expanding into natural ecosystems. Targeted shifts in commodity production and country policies could significantly increase food availability from existing croplands, offering a clear opportunity to address climate change, biodiversity loss, and food insecurity.
https://www.oneearth.org/half-the-worlds-food-never-feeds-people-in-america-its-far-worse/