British Ecological Society report focuses on the power of nature to fight climate change
Bournemouth University (BU) experts have contributed to a comprehensive environmental report, which details how nature has enormous potential to fight climate change and biodiversity loss in the UK.
The report, by the British Ecological Society, gives a complete assessment of nature-based solutions (NbS) to mitigate climate change and biodiversity loss, with contributions from over 100 experts, including those from BU.
The report details mitigations in the UK’s freshwater, heathlands, arable, built environment, woodlands, marine, peatlands and grasslands and details the strengths, limitations and trade-offs of NbS in different habitats across the UK.
BU’s Professor Rick Stafford was a lead author on the report, and the marine section of the work, and contributed to other chapters in the report while Lu Esteves provided a case study on saltmarsh creation, based on her extensive research into this area. BU’s Phillipa Gillingham worked on the steering group for the report, reviewing both the woodlands and heathlands sections, while BU’s Professor Adrian Newton acted as reviewer on the woodland section.
Professor Stafford said, “In marine environments nature-based solutions changes are nearly always win-win. Investment in nature-based solutions that restore or protect coastal environments is an effective mechanism of achieving greater biodiversity, storm mitigation and carbon capture with few trade-offs.”
Professor Jane Memmott, President of the British Ecological Society, said: “The Nature-based Solutions report offers a real basis for setting effective policies and incentives that will maximise the benefits of nature-based solutions in the UK for the climate and biodiversity.”
It is hoped the report will provide a framework for action and policy change in order to combat climate change and biodiversity loss in the UK.
The implementation of NbS to help achieve net-zero commitments and tackle biodiversity loss will require shared knowledge resources and effective partnerships across different policy areas. Long-term policies, goals and government commitments will be necessary to support long-term investment, research and monitoring of of NbS.
To read the British Ecological Society report, visit the BES website.
