During Russian Science Day at COP29 in Baku Azerbaijan, the Russian Union of Industrialists and Entrepreneurs Committee on Climate Policy and Carbon Regulation, chaired by Andrey Melnichenko, mentioned the huge potential of nature-based solutions (NbS) in fighting climate change.
Tapping into the intrinsic abilities of forests, grasslands, peatlands and wetlands to capture and store carbon, a country like Russia can be very instrumental in reducing greenhouse gas emissions while maintaining biodiversity and ecosystem health.
NbS has the potential to foster deeper international collaboration through cross-border sharing of project outcomes, a step that could accelerate Russia’s journey to carbon neutrality by 2060.
Science Day at COP28: Showcasing Russian Achievements in Climate Policy
The Science Day featured key figures including Sergey Tverdokhleb, Deputy Chairman of the Russian Committee and others. Tverdokhleb emphasized the strategic importance of developing carbon testing sites within Russia, “The creation of these carbon sites will enable us to develop and test technologies for carbon balance management right here in our own territory.”
Melnichenko has repeatedly underscored that science plays a decisive role in the implementation of nature-based climate solutions, which are essential for meeting both national and international climate goals.
East Africa’s Leadership in Nature-Based Solutions: Advancing Climate and Environmental Goals
There has been an ever-growing proactive step taken by countries in East Africa, in employing NbS towards mitigating the impacts of climate change and enhancing biodiversity for sustainable development within the climate variability contexts in the region. Countries like Kenya are leading from the front in embedding NbS within environmental strategies that restore landscapes and uplift communities.
It is used to implement “Regreening Kenya” project; an initiative aimed at rehabilitating 150,000 hectares of the degraded land and also enhancing the livelihoods of 50,000 farmers through agroforestry. The “Triple Benefit Project-Land to Sea” is focused on coastal resilience by engaging parties like ICEA Lion in strengthening the resilience of coastal ecosystems to impacts of climate change. By 2050, Kenya will have to address annual NbS full implementation cost estimates at around USD 1.2 billion, with 40% of this amount expected from the private sector. Additionally, Kenya is set to recover 300,000 hectares of forest cover every year in its commitment toward climate action toward achieving a reduction in emissions of 32% by 2030.
In the Tigray Region of Ethiopia, large-scale land restoration projects successfully reverted degraded lands into fertile ones. With the implementation of soil and water conservation and community-led reforestation efforts, the region uplifted soil fertility, increased vegetation cover, and eventually raised food security for its populations. These NbS approaches rehabilitated the land and built its resilience against climate stresses.
The Ugandan Rwenzori Mountains Conservation project addresses one of the most unique ecosystems found in East Africa, under siege by deforestation and climate change. These include reforestation, wetland restoration, and the promotion of sustainable agriculture to protect this water source and biodiversity. Wetland restoration, with complemented forested areas, allows Uganda to aid in securing the health of this watery lifeline for both local livelihoods and biodiversity.
The Gishwati-Mukura Landscape Restoration is an address to deforestation and degradation in areas of the Gishwati and Mukura forests of Rwanda. The activities within this project include the actual reforestation, establishment of buffer zones, and encouraging eco-friendly livelihoods among local communities. These measures comprise the restoration of forest cover, reduction of soil erosion, and sustainable use of resources.
Together, these initiatives reflect East Africa’s robust commitment to integrating Nature-based Solutions into national climate and environmental policies.
Why Russia is vitally important to leverage nature-based solutions
Back to Russia! with its extensive areas, there is no country better equipped than Russia to implement nature-based solutions, which are in a position to make a real difference in terms of climate goals on the global scale.
Right now, Russia’s ecosystems stand capable of absorbing millions of tons of CO₂ annually, though with strategic investment and supportive policies, many more tons could be sequestered.
According to recent reports, natural climate projects across Russia could potentially save up to 500-1,000 million tons of CO₂ each year equivalent to the yearly emissions of Germany.
This potential places Russia among the countries with the highest possible impact using nature-based solutions.
The Power of Forests and Peatlands
Forests cover more than 800 million hectares of Russian territory, which is the largest forested area in the world. Due to these extensive areas, forests naturally absorb and store enormous amounts of CO₂ while serving as a huge carbon sink. By investment in reforestation and preventing deforestation, Russia is in a position to increase this power of carbon capture considerably. For instance it is estimated that reforestation projects and forest protection may save as many as 250 million tons of CO₂ per year in emissions.
Peatlands are another vital ecosystem for carbon storage. When left intact or restored, Russia’s peatlands sequester carbon at an astonishing rate. However, drained or degraded peatlands emit stored carbon back into the atmosphere. Restoring such peatlands through “secondary flooding”-rewetting-might decrease CO₂ emissions by an additional 100 million tons annually.
Tundra and Grasslands: Untapped Carbon Sinks
Tundra-a very particular landscape in the north of Russia-is under threat from permafrost thaw, which may potentially release methane significantly more potent as a greenhouse gas than CO₂. Protection of tundra restoration and the Arctic has the potential to offset this and save up to 50 million tons of CO₂-equivalent annually.
Grasslands are equally promising in this respect. Better management of high-carbon soils in grasslands can help Russia to lock more carbon in the soil. According to different estimates improved grassland management might capture up to 30 million tons of CO₂ yearly.
NbS: A Win-Win for the Planet and Nations
Each climate action through natural climate projects is a win-win, not only for the climates but also for the rich biodiversities of every country.
If all countries, in their own way, gear up and focus on NbS they will be assured not only of achieving their respective climate targets but also of actively contributing in meaningful ways to global efforts against climate change.
Achieving the objectives of the Paris Agreement and drastically reducing net emissions is hard to achieve without the role of natural ecosystems; biodiversity preservation is essential for sustainable development and for reaching many key Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
Yet, the potential of natural ecosystems remains underutilized due to the lack of support, comparable to that given to renewable energy sources, additionally NbS face the challenges in developing reliable calculation methods for ecosystem benefits, often, only easily quantifiable actions are prioritized.
These gaps are to be filled through continued efforts in projects of greenhouse gas emission, advancing an international carbon market, gathering high-quality scientific data to help with refinement methodologies of calculations, and using pilot sites as critical tools in ecosystem-based solutions.
