How can a more strategic approach to land use be developed through aligning climate change objectives (adaptation and mitigation) with objectives for biodiversity and ecosystem services? How can the environmental co-benefits of mitigation actions be identified and quantified?
Background
To limit future warming requires rapid reduction of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and achieving net zero by 2050, as required by UK legislation. Climate mitigation is led in government by the Department of Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS). But Defra is responsible for efforts to reduce GHG emissions from four sectors: agriculture, waste and wastewater, land-use, and fluorinated gases (F-gases). Defra also has responsibility to promote forestry, which acts as a carbon sink. Together, the four Defra sectors represent 15% of the total net UK GHGs, with agriculture being the biggest contributor (about 10% of UK emissions).
Defra has research interests in reduction of emissions, the removal of GHG from the atmosphere, and in understanding the impacts of mitigation activities on other environmental outcomes.
Next steps
Get in touch with Research.Interests@defra.gov.uk
Source
This question was published as part of the set of ARIs in this document:
Topics
Related UKRI funded projects
-
Landscape Regeneration Solutions to the Interlinked Extinction and Climate Crises that support Sustainable Development
Nature-based solutions (NbS*) are responses to societal challenges that involve working with nature to deliver benefits for both people and biodiversity. They include protecting existing ecosystems, restoring degraded ec...
Funded by: NERC
Why might this be relevant?
The project addresses the question fully and the authors have the necessary expertise.
-
OpenCLIM_LANDS: Open Evaluation of Climate-resilient Interventions for Land Management, Soil Health and Net Zero
OpenCLIM-LANDS will provide decision makers with the insights urgently needed to put the UK on a path to deliver net zero emissions by 2050, while also delivering climate resilient soil health, food security, and biodive...
Funded by: BBSRC
Why might this be relevant?
The project specifically focuses on developing strategic approaches to land use aligned with climate change objectives and biodiversity, quantifying environmental co-benefits of mitigation actions, and involves relevant stakeholders and organizations like DEFRA.
-
Co-desIgning Robust natural Capital LandscapEs (CIRCLE)
Research Translation Fellowship The UK Government is designing a new Environmental Land Management (ELM) policy for England which will change how our rural landscape looks, and what it does, for centuries to come. It wi...
Funded by: UKRI
Why might this be relevant?
The project partially addresses the question and the authors have the necessary expertise.