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Cited by 138Climate Change Policy and EconomicsLand Use and Ecosystem ServicesEnvironmental Conservation and Management

The principles of natural climate solutions

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Ellis, Peter Woods, Page, Aaron Marr, Wood, Stephen, Fargione, Joseph, Masuda, Yuta J., Carrasco Denney, Vanessa, Moore, Campbell, Kroeger, Timm +6 more·2024·Nature Communications
DOI 10.1038/s41467-023-44425-2PMC PMC10805724
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Abstract

Natural climate solutions can mitigate climate change in the near-term, during a climate-critical window. Yet, persistent misunderstandings about what constitutes a natural climate solution generate unnecessary confusion and controversy, thereby delaying critical mitigation action. Based on a review of scientific literature and best practices, we distill five foundational principles of natural climate solutions (nature-based, sustainable, climate-additional, measurable, and equitable) and fifteen operational principles for practical implementation. By adhering to these principles, practitioners can activate effective and durable natural climate solutions, enabling the rapid and wide-scale adoption necessary to meaningfully contribute to climate change mitigation.

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  • Following conservative accounting principles in natural climate solutions, and given high uncertainty associated with T0 sampling, we used the SALUS model to establish a more conservative T0 baseline through retrospective carbon-balance validation.

    “Following conservative accounting principles in natural climate solutions (Ellis et al., 2024), and given the high uncertainty associated with T 0 sampling, we used the process-based System Approach to Land Use Sustainability (SALUS) model to establish a more conservative T 0 baseline through retrospective carbon-balance validation (Section 2.4.4).”

    From Impact of 10 years of adaptive multi-paddock grazing on soil carbon and beef's greenhouse gas footprint in the US Upper Midwest (2026) · cites this paper as Ellis et al., 2024

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Cited by

Sorted by citations

Authors
Ellis, P. W., Page, A. M., Wood, S., Fargione, J., Masuda, Y. J., Carrasco Denney, V., Moore, C., Kroeger, T., Griscom, B., Sanderman, J., Atleo, T., Cortez, R., Leavitt, S., & Cook-Patton, S. C.
Affiliations
  • The Nature Conservancy (US)
  • Paul G. Allen Family Foundation (US)
  • Conservation International (US)
  • Woodwell Climate Research Center (US)
Corresponding author
Ellis, Peter Woods
ORCID
Venue
Nature Communications
Publisher
Springer Science and Business Media LLC
Published
2024-01-23
Volume
15
Issue
1
Pages
547-547
ISSN
2041-1723 (ISSN-L)
DOI
10.1038/s41467-023-44425-2
PMC
PMC10805724
OpenAlex
W4391168808
Cited by
138
References
3
Citations by year
2026: 47 · 2025: 67 · 2024: 23 · 2023: 1
FWCI
15.11
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Licence
Locations
  • Nature Communications (publishedVersion, cc-by)
  • PubMed Central (publishedVersion, cc-by)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
  • RePEc: Research Papers in Economics (submittedVersion)
  • DOAJ (DOAJ: Directory of Open Access Journals) (submittedVersion, cc-by-sa)
Funders
Bezos Earth Fund
Topics
  • Social Sciences › Economics, Econometrics and Finance › Economics and Econometrics › Climate Change Policy and Economics
  • Physical Sciences › Environmental Science › Global and Planetary Change › Land Use and Ecosystem Services
  • Physical Sciences › Environmental Science › Management, Monitoring, Policy and Law › Environmental Conservation and Management
Keywords
natural climate solutions, climate change mitigation, measurement and verification, equity, sustainable practices, working principle

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