Sammanfattning

In this Perspective, the authors argue that the restoration of wild animals and their functional roles can enhance natural carbon capture and storage. They call for the scope of natural climate solutions to be broadened to include animals.Natural climate solutions are being advanced to arrest climate warming by protecting and enhancing carbon capture and storage in plants, soils and sediments in ecosystems. These solutions are viewed as having the ancillary benefit of protecting habitats and landscapes to conserve animal species diversity. However, this reasoning undervalues the role animals play in controlling the carbon cycle. We present scientific evidence showing that protecting and restoring wild animals and their functional roles can enhance natural carbon capture and storage. We call for new thinking that includes the restoration and conservation of wild animals and their ecosystem roles as a key component of natural climate solutions that can enhance the ability to prevent climate warming beyond 1.5 degrees C.

Publicerad i

Nature Climate Change
2023, Volym: 13, nummer: 4, sidor: 324-333
Utgivare: NATURE PORTFOLIO

SLU författare

• Cromsigt, Joris

  • Institutionen för vilt, fisk och miljö, Sveriges lantbruksuniversitet
    
  • Nelson Mandela University

Globala målen

SDG15 Skydda, återställa och främja ett hållbart nyttjande av landbaserade ekosystem, hållbart bruka skogar, bekämpa ökenspridning, hejda och vrida tillbaka markförstöringen samt hejda förlusten av biologisk mångfald
SDG13 Vidta omedelbara åtgärder för att bekämpa klimatförändringarna och dess konsekvenser


UKÄ forskningsämne

Ekologi
Klimatforskning


Publikationens identifierare

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41558-023-01631-6

Permanent länk till denna sida (URI)

https://res.slu.se/id/publ/122076