Terrestrial carbon (including trees, soil, and peat) could account for 40% of the near-term carbon mitigation required to prevent the most devastating effects of climate change. However, terrestrial carbon is still not coherently part of the international response to climate change – there is no single mechanism to address land-based emissions or mitigation potential.

CDKN has supported the development of two insightful reports on including land in the climate change solution, researched and written by the Terrestrial Carbon Group. This work responded to the expressed demand from the Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA) and a range of developing country officials for detailed information on the international and national policy contexts regarding land-based solutions for climate change.

By providing comprehensive yet accessible information to fill this knowledge gap, this work enables policy-makers to better understand global capacity for implementing land-based mitigation and identify priority areas for immediate and longer-term technical and policy development. It also facilitates sharing amongst countries of lessons, policies, measures and institutional frameworks to improve recognition of the implications of land-use decisions.

This work was used to inform the ‘Innovative Approaches to Land in the Climate Change Solution’ Workshop, hosted by the Terrestrial Carbon Group in collaboration with COMESA from 29-31 March 2011 in Lusaka,  Zambia.

Additional Resources:

• A ‘state of play’ assessment of land use in the international policy response to climate change
• A compendium of the current programmes and capacity in a range of developing countries in implementing land based mitigation
• An evaluation of innovative approaches to land as a solution to climate change

Timeframe: 3 months, Jan- Mar 2011