NBS References

• Extensive tree planting is widely promoted in Africa with the AFR100 targeting 100 million hectares of land for restoration, however this is based on erroneous assumptions that grassy biomes are deforested and degraded

• NETs may not actually be effective as there could be negative climate effects such as changed in albedo

• There needs to be a huge amount of money and work over a large scale for this to be effective

• Grassy biomes are often better at conserving forest and water resources than plantations, these schemes may distract from the real need to decrease fossil fuel reliance

Bond et al., 2019

• Better stewardship of land is needed to achieve the Paris Agreement, the use of NCS can provide around 37% of cost effective CO2 mitigation needed by 2030

• Around half of the maximum NCS potential is cost effective, but this should not delay action on reducing fossil fuel emissions

• Specifically important pathways are forest, reforestation, avoided forest conversion, improved forest management, agriculture and wetlands

• These do face challenges such as uncertainties, barriers to implementation, climate change feedbacks and unfocused policy

Griscom et al., 2017

• NBS works with and enhances nature to mitigate or adapt to climate change while simultaneously providing benefits to biodiversity and people; it has a huge range of co benefits

• We live in a time of environmental challenge but also opportunity, specifically the post-EU window allows for new policy to be developed that focuses on the importance of NBS

• NBS can stimulate green employment and boost human health and wellbeing but better assessment frameworks and evidence will be needed to ensure this

• Key NBS comes from peatlands, woodlands, salt marshes, arable landscapes and urban street trees

Stafford et al. (eds.), 2021

• The UK has one of the lowest levels of woodland cover of any European country, the England Tree Strategy hopes to expand trees and woods to tackle nature and climate crises

• Well located tree cover has the potential to reduce risks of flooding, filter pollutants, create jobs, provide sustainable timber and improve human health

• The scale of return on investment will require trees to be planted in the right places to maximise co-benefits

Mann, 2020

• Flood risk and associated impacts are major concerns following widespread flooding in the UK in December 2015, this saw attention turned from hard engineering solutions to soft engineering

• Tree cover could increase the storage capacity of catchments, increase lag time, reduce water discharge and reduce flood risk particularly in smaller catchments

• There is little direct evidence for this as well as unpredictability of the weather and potential for adverse effects justifying weak flood protection policy and action

Carrick et al., 2018

• Storms are no longer isolated events due to climatic change with relentless rainfall devastating lives and properties

• Climate change increases the likelihood of extreme rainfall to see flooding become a significant risk to the UK

• Trees can aid in reducing food risks due to canopy cover, roots, urban trees and deadwood and dams but we need more

Woodland Trust, 2024

• Climate change will alter long term provisions of goods and services people obtain from the land due to temperature rises, heavy rainfall and reduced water availability in summer

• Current policies and low-regret adaptation actions may not be sufficient, more transformative actions are needed accompanied by awareness and meaningful long-term planning 

• There will be short-term costs but also long term benefits, anticipatory land use changes are the most cost effective

Committee on Climate Change, 2018

• As urban populations grow and cities magnify the impacts of climate change, mitigating and adapting to climate change in urban areas becomes increasingly important 

• NBS are more flexible, multi-functional and adaptable than traditional approaches

• Cities face challenges such as sea-level rise, coastal storms, extreme heat, water security, inland storms and pluvial flooding that are exacerbated by the urban heat island effect and highly impervious surfaces

• NBS can aid in adapting to these issues, but more research is needed into its effectiveness, costs and benefits and equity in terms of distribution of these solutions

Hobbie & Grimm, 2020