The Land Gap Report

This report from the Climate Resource can help you understand how national net zero climate commitments rely on unrealistic amounts of land-based carbon removal. While it focuses on the climate mitigation approach of national governments, these insights are also relevant to business. It shows that there is generally a misguided emphasis on offsetting climate impacts, primarily through tree planting, while the irreplaceable value of primary forest ecosystems is neglected. Alternatively, it emphasises that protecting and restoring primary forests is the most effective land-based mitigation action. It also highlights that mitigation activities lack attention to the power relations between Indigenous Peoples and local communities living on the lands involved. Finally, it demonstrates that transitioning from emissions-intensive industrial agriculture to agroecology is essential to advancing climate change adaptation and mitigation. These insights will be useful to anyone involved in climate mitigation activities, such as sustainability, finance, and strategy teams.