Nature’s Solutions as National Policy
Biodiversity for a Livable Climate has been hosting a series of mini-conferences exploring how we can leverage nature’s solutions to shape policy on climate action and resilience.
Thousands of projects on six continents are endeavoring to cool our overheated planet and restore biodiversity loss by harnessing the power of photosynthesis, carbon sequestration and regeneration of degraded landscapes. Most of these efforts are not by governments or corporations, but by coalitions of researchers, farmers, fishermen, forest-dwellers, and village cooperatives. What would happen if this “Blessed Unrest” working to improve soils and fight climate warming were integrated into government policy on agriculture, fishing, water, and forests?
In each of our installments, we address aspects of the challenges to bridge research, policy, and practice and to accelerate the spread of community driven regenerative initiatives. Read more below and check out the recordings on each conference page.
Nature’s Solutions as National Policy
In June of 2021, we kicked off the Nature’s Solutions as National Policy series. We were thrilled to welcome Walter Jehne, Vijay Kumar, and Congresswoman Chellie Pingree to present on and discuss how citizens and governments can collaborate to realize the goals of ecosystem restoration and meaningful climate action. They brought their insights on the soil carbon sponge, the implementation of large-scale community-managed natural farming, and agricultural policy and coalition-building to articulate a vision of widespread regenerative practice.
Read more on the speakers and view the recording here.
How Animals Shape Ecosystems
In September of 2021, we hosted our second installment, focusing on animals and their crucial role in shaping ecosystems and supporting healthy functioning carbon, water, nutrient, and energy cycles. We welcomed Carl Safina, Fred Provenza and Tania Roa to discuss how scientists and policymakers interested in ecosystem restoration and meaningful climate action must understand the important role of creatures all across the web of life, big and small.
Read more on the speakers and view the recording here.
Code Red At Glasgow: What did they miss?
In November of 2021, we turned our attention to the Glasgow COP26 summit, debriefing the action (or inaction) that took place. How much are leaders paying attention to, investing in, and supporting the many community led solutions fighting climate change by protecting and restoring ecosystems? We gathered Joseph Michael Hunt, Dee Woods, and Andrew Revkin in a panel to address the urgent question of how to make such grassroots movements toward nature’s solutions the focus of climate action and close the gap between policy and practice.
Read more on the speakers and view the recording here.
Code Red Water: Two Global Perspectives
On March 19, 2022, we welcomed Atossa Soltani and Michal Kravčík to our fourth installment of the Nature’s Solutions as National Policy mini-conference series. They will discussed the challenges, opportunities, and vital importance of restoring water cycles to support living systems and cool the planet.