Natural climate solutions are important not only for the climate but for the rural economy. In Australia, soil erosion has damaged about 70% of farmland, for example. If that soil is restored to full health, it can capture more carbon dioxide, and increase the amount of economically productive farmland. Similarly, forests are going to become hugely valuable as people become more aware of their vital role in absorbing carbon dioxide. That forests can, when well-managed, produce food and construction materials, and reduce flood risk also generates economic opportunities. This is why natural climate solutions are not about expensive government intervention against climate change. They are about jobs and investment opportunities in rural areas in every country on the planet.

As developed countries put more emphasis on mitigation, developing countries try to adapt their agriculture to a changing world. This study underlines the importance of nature, and especially trees and soils, as support for carbon sequestration through the cycle of plants based on photosynthesis. Promoting carbon sequestration in soils, with adapted agricultural and forestry practices, could lead to win-win solutions on mitigation, adaptation and increase of food security. We know what to do, now it’s time to act!

More productive and sustainable use of agricultural lands, in Brazil and across the world, can contribute substantially to a decrease of global warming gases as well as increasing food supply for a growing population. Both emerging and developed countries aiming to consolidate themselves as global leaders must act based on this new reality.

For many years natural climate solutions have moved up the agenda. We have seen some good leadership from tropical countries on avoiding deforestation. And the private sector is making progress in removing deforestation from commodity supply chains. Unfortunately this is not enough, and global deforestation continues at alarming rates. The climate opportunities in land use go beyond tropical countries. Deforestation has occurred all over the world, and degraded lands can be restored to support rural development. New approaches to farming can also cut emissions from that sector. We have the knowledge, and can achieve great things if we work across the public and private sectors, together with civil society.

Land use is a key sector where we can both reduce emissions and absorb carbon from the atmosphere. We can massively increase action on land use – in tandem with increased action on energy, transport, finance, industry and infrastructure – to put emissions on their downward trajectory by 2020. Natural climate solutions are vital to ensuring we achieve our ultimate objective of full decarbonisation and can simultaneously boost jobs and protect communities in developed and developing countries.

Climate change threatens the production of food staples like corn, wheat, rice and soy by as much as a quarter – but a global population of nine billion by 2050 will need up to 50% more food. Fortunately, we have a huge opportunity to reshape our food and land use systems, putting them at the heart of delivering both the Paris Agreement on Climate Change and the Sustainable Development Goals.