Projects inspired by, and delivered by, nature to tackle the climate emergency in the UK will be showcased to a global audience today, as world leaders gather at COP26 to discuss taking ambitious action on climate change.
Recognising the critical role and urgency for addressing both the biodiversity and climate crises in unison, the UK’s nature conservation, environmental protection and forestry agencies will come together at the UN Climate Change Conference in Glasgow, through the UK Inter-Agency Climate Change Group (IACCG), to highlight how Nature-based Solutions can play a leading role in delivering a net zero future.
The Inter-Agency Climate Change Group (IACCG) will showcase 12 projects on Nature-based Solutions from across the UK at its stand in the Green Zone, hosted in the Glasgow Science Centre today (Tuesday 2 November).
From peatland restoration and wildfire mitigation projects in England and Northern Ireland, to the greening of urban neighbourhoods in Scotland and Wales, the projects on show demonstrate cost-effective, natural approaches to addressing some of the UK’s biggest environmental, societal and economic challenges. This includes how climate change adaptation and mitigation can be delivered by building resilience into natural resources and ecosystems.
The ambition is to spark strong domestic and international interest in the adoption of Nature-based Solutions as part of a mosaic of approaches to tackle the climate emergency on a global scale.
Clive Walmsley, Chair of the Inter-agency Climate Change Group said:
"By harnessing the power of nature, we can make great strides in tackling the twin crises of biodiversity loss and climate change together. Our ambition at COP26 is to showcase the very best examples of nature-based solution projects from across the UK, highlighting to new audiences how nature can provide important solutions to climate change and help achieve environmental improvements for the benefit of current and future generations.”
JNCC is hosting further information on each of the projects on behalf of the Inter-Agency Climate Change Group at jncc.gov.uk/iaccg-nbs-case-studies/.
In September this year, the five UK statutory nature agencies (JNCC, Natural England, Natural Resources Wales, NatureScot and the Northern Ireland Environment Agency) also launched a new report – Nature Positive 2030 – which emphasised the importance of utilising Nature-based Solutions to tackle climate change, and the essential role of nature in helping us survive our uncertain future. The key findings from the joint report, including the need to go high nature and low carbon, to tackle the twin crises of biodiversity loss and climate change together, will be highlighted throughout COP26.
For more information about COP26, visit the COP26 website.
The UK Inter-Agency Climate Change Group (IACCG) brings together representatives from the UK environmental agencies to update on climate change policy and evidence developments across the four UK nations, identifying common areas of interest and sharing experience. Its membership includes: Natural England, Natural Resources Wales, NatureScot, Northern Ireland Environment Agency, JNCC, Environment Agency, Scottish Forestry, Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA), Forestry Commission, and Forestry England.