CLIMATE CHANGE ADAPTATION

Nature-based Approaches

Nature-based approaches to climate change include protection, improved management, and restoration actions in forests, grasslands, agricultural areas, and wetlands that provide both climate mitigation and adaptation benefits. Approaches focused on restoring and protecting natural areas can pay dividends in mitigating and adapting to climate change. Forests, wetlands, dunes, and other natural ecosystems help increase communities’ resilience to climate change. These approaches are largely inexpensive, do not require large engineering approaches, and have side benefits of increasing biodiversity and drawing down carbon.

Text reads "Key Findings. 78 Mt: By protecting, better managing and restoring nature, Canada can reduce its greenhouse gas emissions by up to 78 Mt CO2e annually in 2030. 3 years: Natural Climate Solutions can reduce Canada's annual greenhouse gas emissions by an amount equal to emissions from powering every single home in Canada for about 3 years. 11%: The annual potential for Natural Climate Solutions in 2030 is equal to 11% of Canada's current annual carbon emissions."

(Drever, C. R. et al., 2021)

Further Readings:

Drever, C. Ronnie, et al. “Natural climate solutions for Canada.” Science Advances 7.23 (2021): eabd6034. Retrieved from https://www.natureunited.ca/what-we-do/our-priorities/innovating-for-climate-change/natural-climate-solutions/

Federal Emergency Management Agency, Nature-Based Solutions https://www.fema.gov/emergency-managers/risk-management/nature-based-solutions

Maritime Natural Infrastructure Collaborative, Planning for Nature http://planwithnature.ca/planning-for-nature/

Nelson, Erin. “Assessing the suitability of living shoreline techniques for coastal erosion in Prince Edward Island, Canada” (2022). Retrieved from https://library2.smu.ca/bitstream/handle/01/30892/Nelson_Erin_Honours_2022.pdf?sequence=1&isAllowed=y

United Nations Environmental Programme, Ecosystem-Based Adaptation https://www.unep.org/explore-topics/climate-action/what-we-do/climate-adaptation/ecosystem-based-adaptation