By Mary Kate McCoy
December 17, 2024
2024 in review: Amid hottest year on record, nature takes center stage
5 min
Yet amid this backdrop, new research consistently shows nature is a powerful climate ally.
In the final weeks of the year, Conservation News is reflecting on some of our most noteworthy stories about how nature helps combat climate change — from new research into climate-fighting farms, to ambitious restoration projects that capture carbon and support livelihoods. Here are some highlights:
A long line of Maasai pastoralists thrived for generations in Kenya’s Chyulu Hills — until an increase in unsustainable agriculture and climate-driven droughts pushed the region to the brink.
In response, Conservation International and partners launched a forest carbon project to generate funds to prevent deforestation and support the livelihoods and well-being of local communities. Today, that project prevents the release of 580,000 metric tons of carbon emissions annually — that’s the equivalent of taking 830,000 gas-powered cars off the road over the past six years.
“This is a project for local people, by local people,” said Seif Hamisi, who leads Conservation International’s initiatives in Kenya. “It’s producing measurable benefits for nature and the climate, but perhaps most strikingly for the health and well-being of families that are facing the impacts of a changing climate.”
Around the world, planting crops and grazing livestock often means cutting down trees — with disastrous impacts on the climate. But are forests and farms really at odds?
A groundbreaking new study from Conservation International says no. The world’s agricultural lands hold vast, previously untapped potential for storing potentially climate-warming carbon — in fact, they could trap as much carbon as the global emissions of all cars combined.
“Even adding just a few trees per hectare could have a massive impact when applied across the 2.6 billion hectares identified in our study,” said Starry Sprenkle-Hyppolite, who heads Conservation International’s forest restoration science.
It’s easy to understand why people want to plant trees. Earth’s forests are absolutely vital to staving off a climate crisis and protecting nature. But what about grasslands? Stretching across 40 percent of the planet, grasslands hold more than a third of the world’s land-based carbon. Yet, in some cases, grasslands are disappearing faster than forests.
“Ironically, some grasslands are being threatened by inappropriate climate actions, like planting trees where they don't belong,” said Conservation International scientist Heidi-Jayne Hawkins. “That’s a problem for all grassy ecosystems. (Our study) asked, what can we do that's really a win for people, biodiversity and climate?”
Years-long droughts, extreme floods, devastating wildfires: Extreme weather is just one example of the grim toll climate change is taking in some countries. Around the world, more than 3 billion people have been affected by it over the past 20 years — but those impacts are very unevenly distributed, a Conservation International study says.
“People living in developing countries are suffering far more from the effects of climate change,” said Camila Donatti, the study’s lead author. “It’s not because they face a greater number of extreme events — it’s because they have fewer resources to prevent or recover from them.”
The Eastern Himalayas are home to roughly 12 percent of the world’s biodiversity and 1 billion people. The region is also one of the fastest-warming places on Earth due to climate change. For the people who live there, these changes are devastating — threatening their farms, fisheries and access to clean water.
Conservation International and local partners are aiming to build the largest conservation effort in South Asia — one that will plant 1 billion trees and protect 1 million hectares across India, Bhutan, Bangladesh and Nepal.
“I believe in the power and resilience of the local communities in the Eastern Himalayas,” said Saurav Malhotra, Conservation International’s lead in the region. “By blending modern conservation with time-honored traditions, we can help rebuild a landscape where both nature and communities can flourish once again.”
Sadly, when humans and elephants come into contact, the results can be deadly — for both sides. In India alone, one report found that 400 people — and 100 elephants — die from such encounters every year. Unfortunately for both species, these run-ins are increasingly common. So a new study that finds that climate change could lead to even greater human-elephant conflict in the future is even more troubling. Yet that future is not set in stone, the study authors say. By better understanding where conflict is likely to occur, we can better prepare for it.
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