scholarly journals Afforestation for climate change mitigation: Potentials, risks and trade‐offs

2019 ◽  
Vol 26 (3) ◽  
pp. 1576-1591 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jonathan C. Doelman ◽  
Elke Stehfest ◽  
Detlef P. Vuuren ◽  
Andrzej Tabeau ◽  
Andries F. Hof ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Climate Change ◽  
Climate Change Mitigation ◽  
Trade Offs ◽  
Mitigation Potentials ◽  
Change Mitigation

scholarly journals Afforestation for climate change mitigation: Potentials, risks and trade-offs, and the role of biophysical climate effects

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jonathan Doelman ◽  
Elke Stehfest ◽  
Detlef van Vuuren ◽  
Andrzej Tabeau ◽  
Andries Hof ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Climate Change ◽  
Land Use ◽  
Climate Change Mitigation ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
Mitigation Potential ◽  
Trade Offs ◽  
Effects Of Land Use ◽  
Mitigation Potentials ◽  
Change Mitigation

<p>Afforestation is considered a cost-effective and readily available climate change mitigation option. In recent studies afforestation is presented as a major solution to limit climate change. However, estimates of afforestation potential vary widely. Moreover, the risks in global mitigation policy and the negative trade-offs with food security are often not considered. Here, we present a new approach to assess the economic potential of afforestation with the IMAGE 3.0 integrated assessment model framework (Doelman et al., 2019). In addition, we discuss the role of afforestation in mitigation pathways and the effects of afforestation on the food system under increasingly ambitious climate targets. We show that afforestation has a mitigation potential of 4.9 GtCO<sub>2</sub>/yr at 200 US$/tCO<sub>2</sub> in 2050 leading to large-scale application in an SSP2 scenario aiming for 2°C (410 GtCO<sub>2 </sub>cumulative up to 2100). Afforestation reduces the overall costs of mitigation policy. However, it may lead to lower mitigation ambition and lock-in situations in other sectors. Moreover, it bears risks to implementation and permanence as the negative emissions are increasingly located in regions with high investment risks and weak governance, for example in Sub-Saharan Africa. Our results confirm that afforestation has substantial potential for mitigation. At the same time, we highlight that major risks and trade-offs are involved. Pathways aiming to limit climate change to 2°C or even 1.5°C need to minimize these risks and trade-offs in order to achieve mitigation sustainably.</p><p>The afforestation study published as Doelman et al. (2019) excluded biophysical climate effects of land use and land cover change on climate, even though this is shown to have a substantial effect especially locally (Alkama & Cescatti, 2016). As a follow-up to this study we implement the grid-specific temperature effects as derived by Duveiller et al. (2020) to the mitigation scenarios with large-scale afforestation to assess the effectiveness of afforestation for climate change mitigation as increased or reduced effectiveness may change cost-optimal climate policy. Notably in the boreal regions this can have a major effect, as transitions from agricultural land to forest are shown to have a substantial warming effect due to reduced albedo limiting the mitigation potential in these regions. Conversely, in the tropical areas the already high mitigation potential of afforestation could be even more efficient, as increased evapotranspiration from forests leads to additional cooling. However, it is uncertain whether the high efficiency of afforestation in tropical regions can be utilized as these are also the regions with high risks to implementation and permanence.</p><p> </p><p>References</p><p>Alkama, R., & Cescatti, A. (2016). Biophysical climate impacts of recent changes in global forest cover. Science, 351(6273), 600-604.</p><p>Doelman, J. C., Stehfest, E., van Vuuren, D. P., Tabeau, A., Hof, A. F., Braakhekke, M. C., . . . Lucas, P. L. (2019). Afforestation for climate change mitigation: Potentials, risks and trade-offs. Global Change Biology</p><p>Duveiller, G., Caporaso, L., Abad-Viñas, R., Perugini, L., Grassi, G., Arneth, A., & Cescatti, A. (2020). Local biophysical effects of land use and land cover change: towards an assessment tool for policy makers. Land Use Policy, 91, 104382. </p>

scholarly journals Identifying integrated options for agricultural climate change mitigation

2014 ◽  
Vol 6 (2) ◽  
pp. 192-211 ◽  
Author(s):  
John Tzilivakis ◽  
Kathleen Lewis ◽  
Andrew Green ◽  
Douglas Warner
Keyword(s):  
Climate Change ◽  
Climate Change Mitigation ◽  
Effective Means ◽  
Integrated Approach ◽  
Management Options ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Mitigation Options ◽  
Trade Offs ◽  
Environmental Objectives ◽  
Change Mitigation

Purpose – In order to achieve reductions in greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, it is essential that all industry sectors have the appropriate knowledge and tools to contribute. This includes agriculture, which is considered to contribute about a third of emissions globally. This paper reports on one such tool: IMPACCT: Integrated Management oPtions for Agricultural Climate Change miTigation. The paper aims to discuss these issues. Design/methodology/approach – IMPACCT focuses on GHGs, carbon sequestration and associated mitigation options. However, it also attempts to include information on economic and other environmental impacts in order to provide a more holistic perspective. The model identifies mitigation options, likely economic impacts and any synergies and trade-offs with other environmental objectives. The model has been applied on 22 case study farms in seven Member States. Findings – The tool presents some useful concepts for developing carbon calculators in the future. It has highlighted that calculators need to evolve from simply calculating emissions to identifying cost-effective and integrated emissions reduction options. Practical implications – IMPACCT has potential to become an effective means of provided targeted guidance, as part of a broader knowledge transfer programme based on an integrated suite of guidance, tools and advice delivered via different media. Originality/value – IMPACCT is a new model that demonstrates how to take a more integrated approach to mitigating GHGs on farms across Europe. It is a holistic carbon calculator that presents mitigation options in the context other environmental and economic objectives in the search for more sustainable methods of food production.

scholarly journals Can Nature-Based Solutions Deliver a Win-Win for Biodiversity and Climate Change Adaptation?

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Isabel Key ◽  
Alison Smith ◽  
Beth Turner ◽  
Alexandre Chausson ◽  
Cécile Girardin ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Climate Change ◽  
Climate Change Adaptation ◽  
Native Species ◽  
Ecosystem Health ◽  
Climate Change Mitigation ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Local Species Richness ◽  
Mitigation And Adaptation ◽  
Trade Offs ◽  
Change Mitigation

Nature-based solutions (NbS) are increasingly recognised for their potential to address both the climate and biodiversity crises. These outcomes are interdependent, and both rely on the capacity of NbS to support and enhance the health of an ecosystem: its biodiversity, the condition of its abiotic and biotic elements, and its capacity to function normally despite environmental change. However, while understanding of ecosystem health outcomes of nature-based interventions for climate change mitigation is growing, the outcomes of those implemented for adaptation remain poorly understood with evidence scattered across multiple disciplines. To address this, we conducted a systematic review of the outcomes of 109 nature-based interventions for climate change adaptation using 33 indicators of ecosystem health across eight broad categories (e.g. diversity, biomass, ecosystem functioning and population dynamics). We showed that 88% of interventions with positive outcomes for climate change adaptation also reported measurable benefits for ecosystem health. We also showed that interventions were associated with a 67% average increase in local species richness. All eight studies that reported benefits in terms of both climate change mitigation and adaptation also supported ecosystem health, leading to a triple win. However, there were also trade-offs, mainly for forest management and creation of novel ecosystems such as monoculture plantations of non-native species. Our review highlights two major limitations of research to date. First, only a limited selection of metrics are used to assess ecosystem health and these rarely include key aspects such as functional diversity and habitat connectivity. Second, taxonomic coverage is poor: 67% of outcomes assessed only plants and 57% did not distinguish between native and non-native species. Future research addressing these issues will allow the design and adaptive management of NbS to support healthy and resilient ecosystems, and thereby enhance their effectiveness for meeting both climate and biodiversity targets.

scholarly journals Restoration of degraded grasslands, but not invasion by Prosopis juliflora, avoids trade-offs between climate change mitigation and other ecosystem services

2020 ◽  
Vol 10 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Purity Rima Mbaabu ◽  
Daniel Olago ◽  
Maina Gichaba ◽  
Sandra Eckert ◽  
René Eschen ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Climate Change ◽  
Ecosystem Services ◽  
Organic Carbon ◽  
Soil Organic Carbon ◽  
Climate Change Mitigation ◽  
Arid Regions ◽  
Prosopis Juliflora ◽  
Trade Offs ◽  
Change Mitigation ◽  
Semi Arid

AbstractGrassland degradation and the concomitant loss of soil organic carbon is widespread in tropical arid and semi-arid regions of the world. Afforestation of degraded grassland, sometimes by using invasive alien trees, has been put forward as a legitimate climate change mitigation strategy. However, even in cases where tree encroachment of degraded grasslands leads to increased soil organic carbon, it may come at a high cost since the restoration of grassland-characteristic biodiversity and ecosystem services will be blocked. We assessed how invasion by Prosopis juliflora and restoration of degraded grasslands in a semi-arid region in Baringo, Kenya affected soil organic carbon, biodiversity and fodder availability. Thirty years of grassland restoration replenished soil organic carbon to 1 m depth at a rate of 1.4% per year and restored herbaceous biomass to levels of pristine grasslands, while plant biodiversity remained low. Invasion of degraded grasslands by P. juliflora increased soil organic carbon primarily in the upper 30 cm and suppressed herbaceous vegetation. We argue that, in contrast to encroachment by invasive alien trees, restoration of grasslands in tropical semi-arid regions can both serve as a measure for climate change mitigation and help restore key ecosystem services important for pastoralists and agro-pastoralist communities.

Synergies and Trade-offs in Spatially Targeted Water Quality and Climate Change Mitigation Policies

2017 ◽  
Vol 93 (2) ◽  
pp. 309-327 ◽  
Author(s):  
Maria Theresia Konrad ◽  
Hans Estrup Andersen ◽  
Steen Gyldenkœrne ◽  
Mette Termansen
Keyword(s):  
Climate Change ◽  
Water Quality ◽  
Climate Change Mitigation ◽  
Trade Offs ◽  
Change Mitigation ◽  
Mitigation Policies

Climate change-food security nexus in Burkina Faso.

2021 ◽  
Vol 16 (009) ◽  
Author(s):  
Hamid El-Bilali
Keyword(s):  
Climate Change ◽  
Food Security ◽  
Burkina Faso ◽  
Food Availability ◽  
Climate Change Mitigation ◽  
Crop Yields ◽  
Negative Effects ◽  
Four Dimensions ◽  
Trade Offs ◽  
Change Mitigation

Abstract Climate change is expected to have far-reaching impacts on food security. Such impacts are likely to be higher in developing countries. This paper analyses the state of research on the nexus between climate change and food security in Burkina Faso. In particular, it sheds light on whether and how the scholarly literature addresses the impacts of climate change on the four dimensions of food security (i.e. food availability, food access, food utilisation and stability). It also explores the synergies and trade-offs between climate change mitigation/adaptation and food security. A search performed in April 2020 on the Web of Science yielded 243 records and 62 of them, which resulted eligible, were included in the systematic review. The literature shows that climate change will affect all the four dimensions of food security. However, most of the analysed literature addresses its effects on food availability. Indeed, it focuses on impacts on crop yields and climate suitability for crops (e.g. maize, millet, sorghum). Moreover, most of the impacts on the remaining food security dimensions stem from the negative effects on food production and supply (cf. food availability). The review also shows that, on the one hand, climate change mitigation can undermine food security and, on the other hand, agriculture intensification and some adaptation strategies, which aim to enhance food security, might increase emissions from agriculture. The dual climate change-food security relationship calls for integrated policies that address trade-offs and optimise co-benefits between 'climate action' and 'zero hunger' in Burkina Faso.

Water, land and climate nexus of electricity from biomass

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nariê Souza ◽  
Thayse Hernandes ◽  
Karina M. B. Bruno ◽  
Daniele S. Henzler ◽  
Otávio Cavalett
Keyword(s):  
Climate Change ◽  
Sustainable Development ◽  
Life Cycle Assessment ◽  
Life Cycle ◽  
Climate Change Mitigation ◽  
Energy Systems ◽  
Electricity Production ◽  
Renewable Energy Systems ◽  
Trade Offs ◽  
Change Mitigation

<p>Driven by the expected population growth, the world faces now the challenge of meeting energy demands of about 9 billion people on the next decades and avoid dangerous climate change effects. In this context, Renewable Energy Systems (RES) are a key strategy to decarbonize the power sector and contribute to the climate change mitigation targets. In the Special Report on Climate Change and Land, IPCC calls attention to possible trade-offs, adverse side-effects and implications to sustainable development that the large-scale deployment of bioenergy may cause. A comprehensive understanding of the sustainability profile along the entire life-cycle of electricity production is fundamental if we want to realize the transition to cleaner technologies in the energy sector. In this study we analyze the water, land and climate impacts of electricity production systems in the context of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). We focus our analysis in the electricity production from sugarcane straw in Brazil, since there is a great opportunity for better using this lignocellulosic material for bioenergy applications. We relate appropriate Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) indicators to multiple SDGs, considering attainable and potential sugarcane yields, derived from agroclimatic modeling. When discussing the sustainability of bioenergy production, a broader sustainability analysis, as provided by the SDGs, can help to identify water, land and climate nexus and suggest possible technological solutions for minimizing possible trade-offs among the different impacts. Our analysis demonstrates the nexus implications of electricity production from sugarcane biomass to the context of the SDGs, as well as the spatially explicit environmental implications of electricity production form sugarcane biomass.</p><p>Keywords: renewable energy systems, life cycle assessment, climate change mitigation, sustainable development</p>

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