3 ways we can help nature store carbon

2024 was the hottest year on record. News of heatwaves in India, floods in Spain and drought in Syria brings home the urgency of reaching net-zero – removing at least as much carbon as we emit – to slow climate change.

With AKDN’s own net-zero deadline only five years away, we’re finding that nature-based solutions (NbS) not only combat carbon emissions but also deliver lasting benefits to both people and ecosystems.

Trees absorb carbon dioxide (CO₂) from the atmosphere and use water to transform it into oxygen and glucose. As their leaves and branches decompose, they transfer carbon into the soil. But how much?

“Within a single tree species, growth rates, susceptibility to diseases, crop yield and carbon storage can vary significantly,” says Mariam Matti, AKDN’s Global Lead for Environmental Assessment and Sustainability.

The differences are greater across species, regions and climates. Mangroves store five times more CO₂ than tropical rainforests. And the density and biodiversity of microforests make them extra efficient at carbon storage.

AKDN’s NbS platform, to be launched this year, will plug the information gap. Geographical mapping and analysis technology will provide detailed information about the locations, species and plants that we establish, whether a few apricot saplings in a village or for large-scale landscape restoration.

Tracking growth and survival rates will help plan future projects – and analysis of satellite imagery, biomass, soil, climate and more will calculate how much carbon is being stored.

Unfortunately, disturbances like fire or logging release much of this carbon back into the atmosphere. But again, nature-based solutions can help. Letting goats and sheep graze in forests keeps bushes under control, reducing the amount of dry fuel that could cause a fire.

Beyond carbon storage

With alternative sources of fuel, communities can make a living from forests rather than cutting them down. See how Mozambican women are using mangroves for beekeeping.

Growing trees pays off in food, income and protection from sun, wind, rain and waves, as well as carbon storage: trees are impressive multitaskers.

Regenerative farming covers crops, livestock, aquaculture and agroforestry, using methods that actively restore the ecosystem. It uses natural rather than synthetic inputs, adds biodiverse plants that restore the soil, and integrates animals and trees into the farming system – all of which boosts carbon capture.

Land is covered with plants year round. They prevent erosion and decompose into the soil as carbon that can be stored for centuries. Using diverse, high-yield and nutrient-rich crops also creates good fodder for livestock, reducing feed costs.

Soil is left as undisturbed as possible. This preserves the fungal networks that store and distribute carbon; keeps the soil structure intact; and stops carbon from escaping into the air. It also creates a good environment for worms, which move the soil naturally, reducing the need for carbon-releasing tillage.

Animals follow their natural patterns by grazing small areas intensively, soon moving on. This encourages plants to regrow, spreads manure across the land as an alternative to C0₂-emitting fertilisers, breaks the soil crust and tramples uneaten grass into the soil to enrich it naturally. The animals stay healthier, getting fresh plants every few days and leaving parasitic larvae behind.

Beyond carbon storage

Adding trees to farmland lets the ground retain more water, offers a home for pollinators, improves soil and reduces erosion. Smallholders can diversify their incomes with fruit, honey or timber.

AKF has helped farmers develop low-emission local recipes for fertiliser, pesticide and fungal disease treatments. Those shifting to completely natural local inputs reported saving up to 95 percent of their input costs and significantly improving their health. Bioinput manufacturing enterprises also produce income for women's groups.

In Kenya, AKF is training youth to teach farmers about sustainable farming practices. One of these Green Champions, Dorothy Mwende, lists the social benefits:

“I can train a group of farmers without fear and demonstrate the practical parts to them. The teamwork in my daily projects is fostering unity. I’m working with different communities and able to advise the older community members too.”

Dorothy notes the gender implications: “I see women farming, harvesting, taking produce to market – and making decisions on the money they’ve got from their produce."

To help nature store carbon in urban areas, we can create parks and gardens, grow microforests and add vegetation to roofs. As we’ve seen, the trees, plants and soil sequester carbon.

Beyond carbon storage

Urban greenery reduces emissions in other ways. Cities can be five degrees warmer than surrounding areas. Green roofs lower temperatures inside buildings, and trees can cool the air by up to 5°C, reducing air conditioning needs by 25 percent. They absorb pollutants from the busy surrounding roads, reducing respiratory disease and therefore the need for propellant-powered inhalers, which in the UK are responsible for three percent of the National Health Service’s carbon emissions.

Learn more about how AKDN is helping communities thrive in the face of climate change.