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. 2021 Jun 4;7(23):eabd6034.
doi: 10.1126/sciadv.abd6034. Print 2021 Jun.

Natural climate solutions for Canada

C Ronnie Drever  1 , Susan C Cook-Patton  2   3 , Fardausi Akhter  4 , Pascal H Badiou  5 , Gail L Chmura  6 , Scott J Davidson  7 , Raymond L Desjardins  8 , Andrew Dyk  9 , Joseph E Fargione  10 , Max Fellows  9 , Ben Filewod  11 , Margot Hessing-Lewis  12 , Susantha Jayasundara  13 , William S Keeton  14 , Timm Kroeger  2 , Tyler J Lark  15 , Edward Le  16 , Sara M Leavitt  2 , Marie-Eve LeClerc  9 , Tony C Lemprière  17 , Juha Metsaranta  18 , Brian McConkey  19 , Eric Neilson  9 , Guillaume Peterson St-Laurent  20 , Danijela Puric-Mladenovic  11 , Sebastien Rodrigue  18 , Raju Y Soolanayakanahally  4 , Seth A Spawn  15 , Maria Strack  7 , Carolyn Smyth  9 , Naresh Thevathasan  13 , Mihai Voicu  18 , Christopher A Williams  21 , Peter B Woodbury  22 , Devon E Worth  8 , Zhen Xu  16 , Samantha Yeo  2 , Werner A Kurz  9
Affiliations

Natural climate solutions for Canada

C Ronnie Drever et al. Sci Adv. .

Abstract

Alongside the steep reductions needed in fossil fuel emissions, natural climate solutions (NCS) represent readily deployable options that can contribute to Canada's goals for emission reductions. We estimate the mitigation potential of 24 NCS related to the protection, management, and restoration of natural systems that can also deliver numerous co-benefits, such as enhanced soil productivity, clean air and water, and biodiversity conservation. NCS can provide up to 78.2 (41.0 to 115.1) Tg CO2e/year (95% CI) of mitigation annually in 2030 and 394.4 (173.2 to 612.4) Tg CO2e cumulatively between 2021 and 2030, with 34% available at ≤CAD 50/Mg CO2e. Avoided conversion of grassland, avoided peatland disturbance, cover crops, and improved forest management offer the largest mitigation opportunities. The mitigation identified here represents an important potential contribution to the Paris Agreement, such that NCS combined with existing mitigation plans could help Canada to meet or exceed its climate goals.

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Figures

Fig. 1
Fig. 1. Potential annual mitigation in 2030 from 24 NCS for Canada.
We indicate the mitigation potential at each price point, with lower-cost options in darker gray. Black lines indicate the 95% CI; the line with an arrow indicates where uncertainty extends beyond the graph pane (see table S2 for values). Co-benefits of each natural climate solution (table S1) are indicated by colored bars for air, biodiversity, soil, water, and social benefits. FWM wetland, freshwater mineral wetland.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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