The Panelists Will Discuss the Forgotten Greenhouse Gas and Biodiversity at COP 28. The Water Holistic Founder will be there.
How can we empower local solid partners to take action for nature conservation and against the climate and biodiversity crises? We partner with the IUCN (International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources) and the Nature and Biodiversity Conservation Union (NABU) at COP 28 to share our message of the ultimate renewable resource: small water cycles.
Rainwater is a gift. Keep rainwater on the ground where it falls. Slow it, let it sink, infiltrate the ground, refill our aquifers, and allow the soil sponge to benefit and nourish the plant life. Rehydrate the land, regenerate the plant life, and heal the climate. Fill the aquifers and feed the world! The Water-Energy-Food-Ecosystem (WEFE) nexus approach provides many answers to the climate crisis. We allow our watersheds and plants to do their job when we renew the small water cycles and moisture recycling.
We need to keep rainwater on the land. The existing modern infrastructure designs our landscape for drainage and convenience. The bare land and land degradation strongly increase the heat dome effect and droughts. In addition, the excessive drainage in urban infrastructure increases flood risks. On the contrary, nature-based solutions support biodiversity and life!
So, what is the good news?
The blue-AND-green infrastructure projects and the rainwater retention promote:
Blue carbon storage: Soil-based carbon sequestration is a nature-devised method to remove carbon dioxide from the air and store it.
Return on your investment: Our nature-based solutions have a high benefit-to-cost ratio. Our 1998 project, the Blue Alternative, has proven that nature solutions can be 20 times cheaper and more cost-effective. We appreciate the Goldman prize we received for these solutions.
Biodiversity: It is evident that nature-based solutions benefit nature. Rainwater is the key to photosynthesis. Rainwater catchments revitalize soil biology and landscape, encouraging plant growth and vegetation. And where there is water, there is life (a.k.a. biodiversity)
Meeting 1.5º C temperature benchmark. Nature can decrease the regional temperature. Plants are water reservoirs. Plants cool the Earth naturally by evapotranspiration. Small water cycles, renewed soil sponge, wetlands, and plants cool the Earth. Our modeling shows that rehydrating continents, instead of the traditional drainage solutions, can cool the land surface by 0.5 – 1.3 ºC, depending on the land use and cover.
A new water paradigm shift is needed. To learn more, please join us at our discussion with other stakeholders, farmers, and soil experts. Local action can have a global impact! We need all hands on deck to heal our climate!
We are honored to share this important COP28 panel featuring Michal Kravčík a founder of our Voices of Water program. https://iucn.org/cop28live
Author: The Water Holistic team