Wilder rangelands as a natural climate opportunity: Linking climate action to biodiversity conservation and social transformation

Abstract

Rangelands face threats from climate and land-use change, including inappropriate climate change mitigation initiatives such as tree planting in grassy ecosystems. The marginalization and impoverishment of rangeland communities and their indigenous knowledge systems, and the loss of biodiversity and ecosystem services, are additional major challenges. To address these issues, we propose the wilder rangelands integrated framework, co-developed by South African and European scientists from diverse disciplines, as an opportunity to address the climate, livelihood, and biodiversity challenges in the world's rangelands. More specifically, we present a Theory of Change to guide the design, monitoring, and evaluation of wilder rangelands. Through this, we aim to promote rangeland restoration, where local communities collaborate with regional and international actors to co-create new rangeland use models that simultaneously mitigate the impacts of climate change, restore biodiversity, and improve both ecosystem functioning and livelihoods.

Keywords

Albedo; Biodiversity; Carbon sequestration; Methane; Natural disturbance; Nature-based solutions

Published in

AMBIO: A Journal of the Human Environment
2024, volume: 53, number: 5, pages: 678–696
Publisher: SPRINGER

SLU Authors

• Cromsigt, Joris

  • Department of Wildlife, Fish and Environmental Studies, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences
    
  • Nelson Mandela University

Global goals (SDG)

SDG13 Climate action
SDG15 Life on land

UKÄ Subject classification

Environmental Sciences

Publication identifier

• DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s13280-023-01976-4

Permanent link to this page (URI)

https://res.slu.se/id/publ/128727