Due to climate change, extreme events are becoming a norm to our daily life and are more destructive. The heat and fires affect the ecosystems and humans that leaves a lasting impact on coral reefs, farmland and forests. The livelihoods that depend on these natural environments are socially and economically affected.
The World Economic Forum has given the following examples:
“Take, for example, recent forest fires in Siberia – one of the coldest regions in the world. The “unprecedented” blazes have not only destroyed more than 5,700 square kilometres of woodland but have also released more than 65 megatonnes of carbon and forced residents to stay indoors due to dangerous air quality."
"Another example: coral reefs. They’re home to about one-third of known ocean species, but are rapidly disappearing due to climate change. This is, of course, harmful to the species that live in them, but also to economies that depend on reefs for food, tourism and flood mitigation."
And we can’t forget the Amazon – once the “lungs of the world” but now emitting more carbon than it absorbs as deforestation has taken its toll.”
It has been noted that our impacts on the environment are the scars on the earth. This allows for innovative thinking regarding economic, social and environmental benefits in moving towards natural climate solutions. With having natural climate solutions in place, a country will be able to achieve their climate goals.
Natural climate solutions
Eliminating greenhouse gas emissions and increasing carbon storage in wetlands, forests and grasslands.
Companies such as Amazon, Nestle, Walmart and Apple are all into environmental initiatives that relate to natural climate solutions.
Why we have to act now?
In 2010 carbon credits were only 10% but now they are 40%.
Solutions
More investments need to be made in natural climate solutions. The World Economic Forum also has some initiatives in place such as the Tropical Forest Alliance, the Nation Action Agenda and 1t.org.
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