Natural climate solutions for the United States.
Joseph E FargioneSteven BassettTimothy BoucherScott D BridghamRichard T ConantSusan C Cook-PattonPeter W EllisAlessandra FalcucciJames W FourqureanTrisha GopalakrishnaHuan GuBenjamin HendersonMatthew D HurteauKevin D KroegerTimm KroegerTyler J LarkSara M LeavittGuy LomaxRobert I McDonaldJames Patrick MegonigalDaniela A MitevaCurtis J RichardsonJonathan SandermanDavid ShochSeth A SpawnJoseph W VeldmanChristopher A WilliamsPeter B WoodburyChris ZganjarMarci BaranskiPatricia EliasRichard A HoughtonEmily LandisEmily McGlynnWilliam H SchlesingerJuha V SiikamakiAriana E Sutton-GrierBronson W GriscomPublished in: Science advances (2018)
Limiting climate warming to <2°C requires increased mitigation efforts, including land stewardship, whose potential in the United States is poorly understood. We quantified the potential of natural climate solutions (NCS)-21 conservation, restoration, and improved land management interventions on natural and agricultural lands-to increase carbon storage and avoid greenhouse gas emissions in the United States. We found a maximum potential of 1.2 (0.9 to 1.6) Pg CO2e year-1, the equivalent of 21% of current net annual emissions of the United States. At current carbon market prices (USD 10 per Mg CO2e), 299 Tg CO2e year-1 could be achieved. NCS would also provide air and water filtration, flood control, soil health, wildlife habitat, and climate resilience benefits.