What are the solutions?

Project Drawdown identified 100 climate change solutions and ranked them based on their potential to reduce greenhouse gases.

All of the solutions should be implemented, as no single solution will be enough.

Swipe and tap the solutions to explore.

#5 Tropical Forests

Land Use

Tropical forests have suffered extensive clearing, fragmentation, degradation, and depletion of biodiversity. Restoring them may sequester as much as six gigatons of carbon dioxide per year.

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Tropical Forests

Land Use

Rank and results by 2050 #5

Reduced CO2: 61 gigatons
What do these numbers mean?

TOTAL CO2-EQ REDUCTION (GT)

Total CO2-equivalent reduction in atmospheric greenhouse gases by 2050 (gigatons)

NET COST (billions US $)

Net cost to implement

SAVINGS (billions US $)

Net savings by 2050

Impact:

In theory, 751 million acres of degraded land in the tropics could be restored to continuous, intact forest. Using current and estimated commitments from the Bonn Challenge and New York Declaration on Forests, our model assumes that restoration could occur on 435 million acres. Through natural regrowth, committed land could sequester 1.4 tons of carbon dioxide per acre annually, for a total of 61.2 gigatons of carbon dioxide by 2050. Only carbon stored in soil organic matter and aboveground biomass is accounted for; below-ground biomass is not included.

#12 Temperate Forests

Land Use

Ninety-nine percent of temperate forests have been altered in some way — timbered, converted to agriculture, disrupted by development. Restoring them sequesters carbon and revives ecosystems.

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Temperate Forests

Land Use

Rank and results by 2050 #12

Reduced CO2: 23 gigatons
What do these numbers mean?

TOTAL CO2-EQ REDUCTION (GT)

Total CO2-equivalent reduction in atmospheric greenhouse gases by 2050 (gigatons)

NET COST (billions US $)

Net cost to implement

SAVINGS (billions US $)

Net savings by 2050

Impact:

We project that temperate forest restoration will expand to an additional 235 million acres through natural regeneration. Though this is much lower than the available area for tropical forest restoration, it still sequesters 22.6 gigatons of carbon dioxide by 2050.

#13 Peatlands

Land Use

Although peatlands cover just 3 percent of the earth's land area, they are second only to oceans in the amount of carbon they store.

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Peatlands

Land Use

Rank and results by 2050 #13

Reduced CO2: 22 gigatons
What do these numbers mean?

TOTAL CO2-EQ REDUCTION (GT)

Total CO2-equivalent reduction in atmospheric greenhouse gases by 2050 (gigatons)

NET COST (billions US $)

Net cost to implement

SAVINGS (billions US $)

Net savings by 2050

Impact:

If the total protected area of peatlands increases from 7.9 million acres to 608 million acres by 2050, or 67 percent of all currently intact peatlands, 21.6 gigatons of carbon dioxide emissions can be avoided. At 608 million acres, peatlands would hold a protected stock of 336 gigatons of carbon, or roughly 1,230 gigtons of carbon dioxide if released into the atmosphere. Though peatlands comprise only 3 percent of global land area, they are the most organic-rich soils; their degradation would release an enormous amount of carbon. Financials are not projected as they are not incurred at the landholder level.

#15 Afforestation

Land Use

Afforestation — creating forests where there were none before — creates a carbon sink, drawing in and holding on to carbon and distributing it into the soil.

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Afforestation

Land Use

Rank and results by 2050 #15

Reduced CO2: 18 gigatons
Net cost (Billions US$): $29.44
Net operational savings: $392.33 billion
What do these numbers mean?

TOTAL CO2-EQ REDUCTION (GT)

Total CO2-equivalent reduction in atmospheric greenhouse gases by 2050 (gigatons)

NET COST (billions US $)

Net cost to implement

SAVINGS (billions US $)

Net savings by 2050

Impact:

As of 2014, 709 million acres of land were used for afforestation. Establishing timber plantations on an additional 204 million acres of marginal lands can sequester 18.1 gigatons of carbon dioxide by 2050. The use of marginal lands for afforestation also indirectly avoids deforestation that otherwise would be done in the conventional system. At a cost of $29 billion to implement, this additional area of timber plantations could produce a net profit for landowners of over $392 billion by 2050.

#35 Bamboo

Land Use

Bamboo rapidly sequesters carbon in biomass and soil and can thrive on degraded lands. It has more than 1,000 uses, from buildings to food to paper.

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Bamboo

Land Use

Rank and results by 2050 #35

Reduced CO2: 7 gigatons
Net cost (Billions US$): $23.79
Net operational savings: $264.80 billion
What do these numbers mean?

TOTAL CO2-EQ REDUCTION (GT)

Total CO2-equivalent reduction in atmospheric greenhouse gases by 2050 (gigatons)

NET COST (billions US $)

Net cost to implement

SAVINGS (billions US $)

Net savings by 2050

Impact:

Bamboo is planted on 77 million acres today. We assume that it will be grown on an additional 37 million acres of degraded or abandoned lands. Our carbon sequestration calculations include both living biomass and long-lived bamboo products, with an annual rate of 2.9 tons of carbon per acre. Where bamboo is substituted for aluminum, concrete, plastic, or steel, there can be avoided emissions as well, which are not included in the total of 7.2 gigatons of carbon dioxide sequestered by 2050. An initial investment of $24 billion could yield a thirty-year financial return of $265 billion.

#38 Forest Protection

Land Use

With mature canopy trees and complex understories, forests contain 300 billion tons of carbon and are the greatest repositories of biodiversity on the planet.

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Forest Protection

Land Use

Rank and results by 2050 #38

Reduced CO2: 6 gigatons
What do these numbers mean?

TOTAL CO2-EQ REDUCTION (GT)

Total CO2-equivalent reduction in atmospheric greenhouse gases by 2050 (gigatons)

NET COST (billions US $)

Net cost to implement

SAVINGS (billions US $)

Net savings by 2050

Impact:

For each acre of forest protected, the threat of deforestation and degradation is removed. By protecting an additional 687 million acres of forest, this solution could avoid carbon dioxide emissions totaling 6.2 gigatons by 2050. Perhaps more importantly, this solution could bring the total protected forest area to almost 2.3 billion acres, securing an estimated protected stock of 245 gigatons of carbon, roughly equivalent to over 895 gigatons of carbon dioxide if released into the atmosphere. Financials are not projected, as they are not incurred at the landholder level.

#39 Indigenous Peoples’ Land Management

Land Use

Growing the acreage under secure indigenous land tenure can increase above- and belowground carbon stocks and reduce greenhouse gas emissions from deforestation.

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Indigenous Peoples’ Land Management

Land Use

Rank and results by 2050 #39

Reduced CO2: 6 gigatons
What do these numbers mean?

TOTAL CO2-EQ REDUCTION (GT)

Total CO2-equivalent reduction in atmospheric greenhouse gases by 2050 (gigatons)

NET COST (billions US $)

Net cost to implement

SAVINGS (billions US $)

Net savings by 2050

Impact:

Indigenous peoples have secure land tenure on 1.3 billion acres globally, though they live on and manage much more. Our analysis assumes higher rates of carbon sequestration and lower rates of deforestation on lands managed by indigenous peoples. If forestland under secure tenure grows by 909 million acres by 2050, reduced deforestation could result in 6.1 gigatons of carbon dioxide emissions avoided. This solution could bring the total forest area under indigenous management to 2.2 billion acres, securing an estimated protected stock of 232 gigatons of carbon, roughly equivalent to over 850 gigatons of carbon dioxide if released into the atmosphere.

#51 Perennial Biomass

Land Use

Using perennial bioenergy crops (e.g., switchgrass, silver grass, willow, eucalyptus) rather than annuals (e.g., corn) reduces emissions and raises carbon sequestration in soil.

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Perennial Biomass

Land Use

Rank and results by 2050 #51

Reduced CO2: 3 gigatons
Net cost (Billions US$): $77.94
Net operational savings: $541.89 billion
What do these numbers mean?

TOTAL CO2-EQ REDUCTION (GT)

Total CO2-equivalent reduction in atmospheric greenhouse gases by 2050 (gigatons)

NET COST (billions US $)

Net cost to implement

SAVINGS (billions US $)

Net savings by 2050

Impact:

Perennial bioenergy crops provide the feedstock for biomass energy generation, making those emissions reductions possible. They also can generate their own climate impact of 3.3 gigatons of carbon dioxide by 2050, as they replace annual feedstocks and sequester more soil carbon. Our analysis assumes a rise from .5 million acres currently to 143 million acres by 2050. The cultivation of perennials is costlier than annuals, but returns over thirty years could be $542 billion.

#52 Coastal Wetlands

Land Use

The world's salt marshes, mangroves, and sea grasses provide vital habitat, flood protection, and water filtration, and sequester huge amounts of carbon in plants and soil.

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Coastal Wetlands

Land Use

Rank and results by 2050 #52

Reduced CO2: 3 gigatons
What do these numbers mean?

TOTAL CO2-EQ REDUCTION (GT)

Total CO2-equivalent reduction in atmospheric greenhouse gases by 2050 (gigatons)

NET COST (billions US $)

Net cost to implement

SAVINGS (billions US $)

Net savings by 2050

Impact:

Of the 121 million acres of coastal wetlands globally, 18 million acres are protected today. If an additional 57 million acres are protected by 2050, the resulting avoided emissions and continued sequestration could total 3.2 gigatons of carbon dioxide. While limited in area, coastal wetlands contain large carbon sinks; protecting them would secure an estimated 15 gigatons of carbon, equivalent to over 53 gigatons of carbon dioxide if released into the atmosphere.

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