Natural climate solutions for Canada

Area of Science:

• Environmental Science
• Climate Change Mitigation
• Ecology

Background:

• Achieving climate targets requires substantial reductions in fossil fuel emissions.
• Natural Climate Solutions (NCS) are recognized as crucial, readily deployable options for climate mitigation.
• NCS offer multiple environmental and economic co-benefits beyond carbon sequestration.

Purpose of the Study:

• To quantify the mitigation potential of 24 distinct Natural Climate Solutions in Canada.
• To assess the economic viability of NCS, particularly the cost per megagram of CO2 equivalent.
• To evaluate the contribution of NCS to Canada's national and international climate commitments.

Main Methods:

• Estimation of mitigation potential for 24 NCS categories, including protection, management, and restoration of natural systems.
• Analysis of co-benefits such as soil productivity, air and water quality, and biodiversity.
• Economic assessment of mitigation potential, identifying options available at or below CAD 50/Mg CO2e.

Main Results:

• NCS can provide up to 78.2 Tg CO2e/year mitigation by 2030, with a cumulative potential of 394.4 Tg CO2e between 2021-2030.
• 34% of the identified mitigation potential is available at a cost of ≤CAD 50/Mg CO2e.
• Key NCS opportunities include avoided grassland conversion, peatland protection, cover crops, and improved forest management.

Conclusions:

• Natural Climate Solutions represent a significant and cost-effective pathway for Canada to achieve its emission reduction targets.
• Integrating NCS with existing mitigation strategies can enable Canada to meet or surpass its commitments under the Paris Agreement.
• NCS provide a suite of environmental co-benefits, enhancing overall ecosystem health and societal well-being.