Saving biodiversity and the climate with “natural climate solutions”?
Channel: Heinrich-Böll-Stiftung
Date: 23/11/2020

Recording of the tourth event of our online series Contested Nature: Land use, climate protection and new genetic technologies in the context of the debate on the protection of biological diversity

Land use is increasingly becoming a source of hope for the future in international climate policy. The expectations are huge: According to estimates, up to 37% of the emission savings needed to remain below the 2°C mark could come from “natural climate solutions” such as reduced deforestation, reforestation and agriculture. Even though the food vs. fuel conflict as a result of increased biofuel production has already highlighted the trade-offs with land-based climate action, there are new dimensions that move land even more into the focus of global climate policy. “Climate neutrality” has become the new goal in the fight against global warming. This would entail states, cities and companies only emitting as much CO2 as can be removed from the atmosphere elsewhere. Nature-based solutions are thus directly linked to the perspective of global compensation mechanisms, and climate policy is coming further into the focus of existing conflicts over land-use. Food security, preservation of ecosystems and biodiversity – all of this must be achieved on the very same land, which is now also to be used to achieve climate goals to an increasing degree.

What contribution can natural carbon sinks actually make? How can the protection of biodiversity and food security, as well as the land and human rights of local populations be reconciled? What course must be set for this at the UN climate negotiations and the UN biodiversity summit next year?

Guests:

Dr. Kate Dooley (Research Fellow, Climate & Energy College, University of Melbourne)

Coraina de la Plaza (Global Forest Coalition)

Norbert Gorißen (Head of the International Cooperation sub-department, German Federal Ministry for the Environment, Nature Conservation and Nuclear Safety)

Jutta Kill (Biologist)

Presenter: Christiane Grefe (Author, Global Gardening: Bioökonomie - Neuer Raubbau oder Wirtschaftsform der Zukunft? [Bioeconomy - New Overexploitation or Economic Form of the Future?] and editor, Die ZEIT)