Welcome to Energy 101! In this series, we bring you nuanced and concise perspectives on significant energy and climate topics around the world. Today, we are featuring the topic of Nature-based Solutions! Now, let’s feel the earth between our fingers and dig in…

Nature-based Solutions and Earth Month

April is Earth Month, a time to pay special attention to the constantly evolving needs of our planet, and to reflect on how human activity is irrevocably altering the Earth’s natural systems. Considering the always-increasing awareness of human intervention in nature, nature-based solutions (NbS) are poised to become a dominant topic in the global energy discussion as at-risk communities continue to struggle with the worsening effects of climate change. 

It’s important that we understand how major polluters and other interested groups can take advantage of the language of NbS through ‘greenwashing’. This term refers to the use of the aesthetics, language, or trends of nature-based solutions, and its associated positive reputation, to promote projects that lack transparency, or could even have direct negative effects on local communities. 

Let’s dive in!

In this post, we’ll  introduce you to Nature-based Solutions as defined by the International Union for Conservation of Nature, the world’s foremost voice on NbS, explain why human rights are an essential component of the NbS philosophy, and finally study a very negative case of what can go wrong when “greenwashing” goes too far.

What are Nature-based Solutions?

The International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN) defines a Nature-based Solution as:

Nature-based Solutions address societal challenges through actions to protect, sustainably manage, and restore natural and modified ecosystems, benefiting people and nature at the same time.  

They target major challenges like climate change, disaster risk reduction, food and water security, biodiversity loss and human health, and are critical to sustainable development.

The IUCN outlines five major approaches to Nature-based Solutions: Protection, Restoration, Management, Infrastructure, and Issue-Specific NbS. Earlier in April, we shared a summary of each of these types of projects with a relevant case study example from the Nature-based Solutions Initiative’s NbS Case Study platform. Check out the post here and get to know the different forms a NbS project can take! 

You may find that there seems to be a lot of overlap between the various approaches – this is true! An ecosystem restoration project will undoubtedly transition into a management or protection project at some point in its life-cycle. In addition, nature-based solutions are often lauded for their versatility, a core component of the NbS philosophy. In order to be a true Nature-based Solution, according to the IUCN’s “Global Standard for Nature-based Solutions,” a project must benefit the socio-economic wellbeing of local communities as well as the natural environment. Here’s why…

Rooted in Human Rights

In a recent blog article for the IUCN, International Law and Human Rights Expert Dr. Sener Dalyan outlines the importance of a human rights-centred approach to NbS. As part of this process, Dalyan explores the IUCN Global Standard’s 8 criteria which “provides a robust framework for designing, implementing, evaluating, adapting and improving NbS.” 

Five of the eight criteria is directly related to human rights, as well as over half of the Standard’s 28 indicators used to gauge the success and sustainability of Nbs. We have collected a summary of each criteria below so you can form a quick idea of what should be required of any NbS project. All of this to say that human rights are an essential component of what makes a project a true NbS.

“Criterion 5 requires NbS to be based on inclusive, transparent, and empowering governance processes. It is only through such a process that the concerns of a wide range of stakeholders, in particular rights holders, can be heard and addressed. A well-functioning feedback and grievance mechanism with robust rules and procedures is an important means in ensuring that NbS provides expected human well-being and biodiversity benefits, and the rights are respected.” Dr. Sener Dalyan, 2024

Now that we know what it takes to build a successful nature-based solution, what does it look like when a nature-based solutions project does not centre the needs and rights of local human populations?

Greenwashing and “Blood Carbon”

In late 2023, CounterPunch reporter Alexandria Shaner published an article titled “Blood Carbon: Kenyans are Being Erased so the UAE can Greenwash.” She begins by drawing a comparison between the historically well-publicized phenomenon of “blood diamonds” or “conflict diamonds.” The metaphor is apt and striking!

Shaner understands that this process is occurring anew as an unintended consequence of the rapidly expanding Carbon Market. Through the Carbon Market, governments and corporations are incentivized to engage in carbon capture, removal, and sequestration projects with the reward of huge profits and positive PR for acting “sustainably.” The ongoing eviction and expulsion of Indigenous Kenyan’s from their country’s forests is a clear example of how chasing carbon metrics for profit, without considering the impact on human rights, can have disastrous consequences.

In summary, the government of the United Arab Emirates (a global petrostate) recently invested over $450 million USD with the help of a US consultancy firm, into African emissions mitigation projects. By investing in carbon projects like these, the UAE is able to “greenwash” the negative effects of its massive investment in crude oil. “Greenwashing” is a well-discussed term referring to the use of creative accounting and marketing techniques to obscure the negative ecological impacts of a certain corporation, organization, or government by over-amplifying the positive effects of various eco-investments that a group may be involved in. Many of the IUCN’s criteria for NbS are designed to make sure this doesn’t happen!

One stipulation of the UAE’s deal with Kenya’s government is a reduction of emissions from the country’s forested areas. As a result, Kenya’s President Ruto ordered the mass eviction of tens of thousands of Indigenous Kenyans from these regions thinking it could protect their forests from encroachment. 

Shaner also points out that several of the organizations behind these types of projects, like the UAE-based Blue Carbon, are often run by people with connections to the government or the oil industry who lack vital experience in managing ecosystem projects and exhibit little genuine interest in protecting local ecosystems and consulting with local communities where these projects will take place. The treatment of Indigenous Kenyans at the behest of UAE petrocorps, in the name of “sustainability” should keenly illustrate why preserving human rights is an essential component of any successful nature-based solution.

What’s Next?

Now that we have a better understanding of what makes a successful (and unsuccessful) nature-based solution, where do we go from here? With all of this month’s focus on our planet Earth, we thought it might also be useful to look outwards for an even greater insight into the relationship between humans, their land, and the energy we all need to survive. For this, we have to take a little trip… to the planet of Arrakis!

Next up: Energy 101’s pop-culture connection to nature-based solutions, energy, and DUNE!

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Cities are also home to the world’s richest and poorest communities, with vastly unequal ecological and carbon footprints. As the world continues to urbanize, it becomes increasingly important to consider exactly what impact cities have on the planet and why they may have the unique ability to catalyze bold climate action. 

Carbon emission and energy use in cities can be divided into two categories – direct emissions and embedded emissions: [3,4]  

Direct emissions:
A city’s direct emissions are largely a result of energy use in the city and fall into one of three activities:

1. Electricity and fuel use in residential and commercial buildings
2. Road transportation, particularly cars and trucks
3. Electricity used for heating and cooling – this will be particularly important as rising global temperatures are expected to increase use of air conditioning systems

However, direct emissions produced within cities is not just a climate problem but also carries a significant health burden. With nine in ten people in urban areas breathing in polluted air, the World Health Organization estimates over 6 million premature deaths per year are attributable to air pollution. This is more than the deaths from malaria, HIV/AIDS and tuberculosis combined. [4]

There also exists an economic case for reducing direct urban emissions. Multiple studies have found that investing in low-carbon energy policies like retrofits, clean energy, and sustainable buildings would result in lower energy bills for both households and commercial buildings. [6,7]

Embedded emissions:
While it’s critical to look at a city’s direct energy consumption and carbon emissions, a large portion of cities emissions are embedded in the food and products that urban dwellers consume. Oftentimes, these products are imported from all over the world, resulting in higher carbon emissions needed to transport the goods.

Building upon the ecological footprint concept developed by researchers William Rees and Mathis Wackernagel, research indicates most cities have an ecological footprint multiple times the size of the actual city boundaries. With increasing city demand for carbon intensive products like meat and dairy, or bigger cars,  we will see increases in the amounts of land, water, energy, and other natural resources be required to sustain the upward trajectory of consumption.

Solutions
To address the climate crisis, cities will have to reduce their overall consumption of energy and of natural resources, while ensuring its residents maintain or gain access to basic needs and achieve good quality of life. Here are some ways cities can pilot innovative climate solutions that reduce emissions that also benefit their citizens: 

1. Greening electricity use: 
   1. Energy conservation is a key strategy to reducing emissions from electricity use. Designing more sustainable buildings, incentivizing retrofits, updating building codes, and enforcing energy efficiency standards in cities can reduce demand for electricity.
   2. Cities also have a power in phasing out fossil fuels on a large scale
      1. Representing over a billion people, over 1300 cities have set targets to boost renewable energy
      2. Additionally, nearly 50 cities have enforced complete or partial bans on fossil fuels. [5]
2. Dense, walkable communities with public transportation:
   1. Density can act as one of the strongest methods that a city can employ to fight climate change. By building dense, walkable communities with affordable public transportation and grocery stores, schools, and businesses close to people’s homes, cities can reduce the number of cars on the road, reduce urban sprawl, and promote urban planning for people and green spaces. 
   2. Fewer fossil fuel burning cars will also have the added benefit of reducing air pollution, while increasing urban green space provides essential natural cooling that counters the urban heat island effect.
3. Shifting consumption patterns and becoming more self-reliant:
   1. Cities have unique potential to shift consumption patterns to reduce their overall carbon and ecological footprints. Here’s one reason why: They tend to have closer relationships with the small businesses, community groups, and grassroots organizations in the city, who are some of the most important players in helping to advocate for and shape the culture and lifestyle of a city’s residents. For example, climate policies that support a shift to plant-based diets and reduced food waste would be more equitable and more effectively implemented when bolstered by policies and community-level initiatives that increase food access for low-income residents, investments in community-led food justice initiatives, and opportunities for small businesses and community organizations to participate in the transition. 

Although making these shifts to transportation systems, food systems, and energy systems will be a big challenge – they pay off for the environment and for city residents will be invaluable. Just investing in energy efficiency and building upgrades alone could generate anywhere from 2 to 16 million jobs annually, depending on the city, while investing in public transport and vehicle efficiency could bring in even more millions of jobs [8].

Conclusion
Direct and embedded consumption and carbon emissions within cities has caused the ecological footprint of many urban areas to extend far beyond their own internal operations and energy use. As a result, cities have a responsibility to decarbonize buildings, transportation, and businesses, as well as consider how their actions can reduce negative impacts on natural ecosystems, rural communities, and Indigenous lands outside of their political boundaries. 

However, cities also have the unique opportunity to kickstart decarbonization and accelerate the sustainable energy transition with potential to lead the way to a greener future – even when national climate commitments and international negotiations are progressing slowly. The large concentration of people in cities, particularly young people, also means climate activities can organize more effectively and in large numbers to take decisive action and build more sustainable, equitable communities.

References:

[1] United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs. World Urbanization Prospects – The 2018 Revision. New York: United Nations; 2015 [cited 2022 April 12]. 126 p. Available from:  https://population.un.org/wup/Publications/Files/WUP2018-Report.pdf

[2] United Nations [Internet]. New York: United Nations; n.d. Goal 11: Make cities inclusive, safe, resilient and sustainable. [cited 2022 April 12]. Available from: https://www.un.org/sustainabledevelopment/cities/

[3] de Coninck H, Revi A, Babiker M, Bertoldi P, Buckeridge M, Cartwright A, Dong W, Ford J, Fuss S, Hourcade JC, Ley D, Mechler R, Newman P, Revokatova A, Schultz S, Steg L, Sugiyama T. Strengthening and Implementing the Global Response. In: Masson Delmotte V, Zhai P, Pörtner HO, Roberts D, Skea J, Shukla PR, Pirani A, Moufouma-Okia W, Péan C, Pidcock R, Connors S, Matthews JBR, Chen Y, Zhou X, Gomis MI, Lonnoy E, Maycock T, Tignor M, Waterfield, T, editors. Global Warming of 1.5°C. An IPCC Special Report on the impacts of global warming of 1.5°C above pre-industrial levels and related global greenhouse gas emission pathways, in the context of strengthening the global response to the threat of climate change, sustainable development, and efforts to eradicate poverty. Geneva: Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change; 2018.

[4] The World Bank [Internet]. Washington: The World Bank; n.d. Electricity production from oil, gas and coal sources (% of total). [cited 22 April 12]. Available from:  https://data.worldbank.org/indicator/EG.ELC.FOSL.ZS?end=2015&start=1970&view=chart

[5] Graham, J [Internet]. London: Reuters; 2021 Mar 21. One billion people live in cities shifting away from fossil fuels. [cited 2022 April 12]. Available from:  https://www.reuters.com/article/us-climate-change-cities-energy-idUSKBN2BA0RW

[6] Goldstein B, Gounaridis D, Newell JP. The carbon footprint of household energy use in the United States. PNAS. 2020, 117(32):19122-19130.
[7] Gouldson A, Colenbrander S, Sudmant A, McAnulla F, Kerr N, Sakai P, Hall S, Papargyropoulou E,  Kuylenstierna J. Exploring the economic case for climate action in cities. Global Environmental Change. 2015, 35: 93-105. 

[8] Sudmant A, Gouldson A [Internet]. Washington: The City Fix; 2018 June 8. Cleaner Air, New Jobs, Reduced Inequality: The Benefits of Low-Carbon. [cited 2022 April 12]. Available from: https://thecityfix.com/blog/cleaner-air-new-jobs-reduced-inequality-benefits-low-carbon-cities-andrew-sudmant-andy-gouldson/

During the COVID-19 pandemic, dwindling demand for oil resulted in drastic decreases in production. As a result, oil companies began shutting down wells and laying off employees. However, as the pandemic entered a new stage with the introduction of vaccines, demand for oil across the globe surged – but with a decreased labor force and inactive wells, oil companies have been slow to catch up with the rapid demand for gasoline. Combined with the attack on Ukraine, interruptions of Russian oil shipments, and US import bans on Russia (who supplies 12% of the world’s oil) global oil prices have risen nearly 65% since the beginning of 2022.

Amongst the current situation, two sides of discussion have emerged within the energy sector:

“Energy security should take precedence over clean energy transitions”

Fossil fuel proponents, including many oil and gas producing countries, argue that now is the time for greater investment in oil and gas. Supporters are highlighting several reasons for expansion of the fossil fuel industry, including:

• Transition away from fossil-fuel energy would cause energy prices to become too high for millions around the world
• The energy transition will take time and in that period, the world will need more oil and gas – the world needs to be pragmatic about ‘near term goals’
• Oil and gas and climate action are not mutually exclusive. Oil and gas will remain as part of the overall energy mix, and investments must continue in the oil and gas front

“Without energy security, countries will lose the means to tackle climate change,”
– Prince Abdulaziz bin Salman, Saudi Arabia’s Energy Minister

“We cannot and  we must not unplug the current energy system before we have built the new one”
– Sultan al-Jaber, UAE’s special envoy for climate change and managing director of Abu Dhab’s  state-owned oil company

“We cannot afford to continue using fossil fuels” 

Climate scientists and activists are calling the current global crisis an opportunity to ignite true reform within the energy sector, and push back against increased investments in fossil fuels to stay within the 1.5°C limit set to mitigate catastrophic climate consequences. With Russia being the world’s second top producer of crude oil and supplier of approximately ⅓ of  Europe’s oil, European governments have been prompted to reappraise their energy supplies, and consider clean energy sources and increased efficiency to decrease dependence on fossil fuels for environmental and geopolitical reasons

“There is now significant evidence to show that hydrocarbons are not just environmentally unsustainable, but that they weaken the social, political and economic fabric of our world too,” 

• David Blood, Co-Chair, World Resources Institute Global Board of Directors.

Without transition to clean energy, the devastating impacts of climate change such as increased frequency of extreme weather events and forest fires, rising global food insecurity, and biodiversity extinction will continue to have vast impacts on society and the planet. According to the Unextractable Fossil Fuels in a 1.5°C World, released in September 2021, 60% of oil and gas and 90% of coal reserves around the worst must remain underground and unutilized to have a 50% chance of preventing the worst impacts of climate change. Additionally, the report also estimates that global oil and gas production must decline by 3% annually until 2050.

What’s happening now?
Indeed, some countries may be placing greater priority on energy security over clean energy goals due to the Russian invasion. For instance, China plans to recover and stabilize oil output to 200 million tons a year by 2025, a 5% increase from 2018 and is targeting production of 230 billion cubic meters of gas by 2025, a 19% increase from 2020. In Australia, emission reduction efforts such as early closure of coal plants, may be decreasingly prioritized as the government emphasizes the country’s need for energy security and lower energy costs.  

In Europe, Germany plans on building two liquefied natural gas (LNG) terminals supplied by Qatar to replace imports from Russia. Government in Munich has also decided to extend the life of one of the city’s coal-fired power plants, which was previously planned for conversion to burn natural gas in spring 2023. Additionally, UK prime minister Boris Johnson made headlines for hinting at potential UK reliance on Saudi Arabia to speed up oil production for the country – a move criticized for feigning ignorance to Saudi Arabia’s record of human rights abuse. 

At the same time, the European Commission has announced an ambitious plan to reduce reliance on Russian gas by two-thirds by the end of 2022 and abolish all Russian fossil fields by 2030. The EC’s plan would prioritize installation of solar panels as well as divert LNG supplies from non-Russian sources. Despite the plan to build two LNG terminals, Germany has also set out an agenda to generate 100% of its energy production from renewable sources by 2035. Moreover, the Netherlands aims to double its planned offshore wind capacity by 2030, while France is increasing its support for renewable energy heating. 

The Bottom line

The current shift in oil and gas demand has led to arguments and action towards short-term solutions that address pressing energy security challenges. Although these challenges are of real concern and cause significant disadvantages for large portions of the global population, continued reliance on fossil fuels is an unsustainable strategy – especially with its well-known environmental, and rising geopolitical and ethical concerns.  With renewable energy technology becoming increasingly inexpensive, clean energy methods can serve as a protector against the multifaceted concerns and consequences of the fossil fuel industry; and the pressure of the climate emergency intertwined with recent energy crises only demonstrates how transitions to clean energy systems are critical now more than ever before.