Oxford Type 4
Removal & short-lived storage
This category typically consists of nature-based projects that remove existing carbon and store it in new plants, trees, or soil–for example, planting trees in an area that has previously been clear cut or restoring plant life to tidal wetlands.
Sample projects
Delta Blue Mangrove Restoration
TIST: Afforestation in Uganda
Benefits
Plants and ecosystems more generally are the most scalable mechanism for removing carbon from the atmosphere that we currently have. By investing in restoring the millions of acres of degraded ecosystems around the world, we can remove millions of tons of carbon using the tools already provided by mother nature.
Challenges
- Difficulty of Implementation:
Put simply, implementing an effective restoration or afforestation project is hard. Projects can face setbacks if new trees don’t survive and need to be replanted. What’s more, new plantings can take years to start removing carbon at scale. - Durability:
Nature-based projects are susceptible to risks like fire and infestations. They also run the risk of having their benefit reversed after the project ends.