LAND
WATER
PEOPLE
GLOBAL
CLIMATE
Meramec River Overlook © Bill Duncan
Changing the Climate Trajectory Harnessing nature to make a difference W e tend to talk about the challenges of a changing climate as a global problem. They certainly are, but it is important to remember there is plenty we can do in Missouri. In fact, we have already started.
harmful greenhouse gases from the air. What we do to improve their health and enhance their natural abilities contributes to The Nature Conservancy’s global goal of avoiding or sequestering 3 billion metric tons of carbon dioxide each year by 2030, the equivalent of taking 650 million cars’ worth of emissions out of the air. We also work with state decision-makers and stakeholders to integrate natural solutions and climate action into policy planning efforts. Planning is crucial as Missouri and its neighbors in the central corridor of the United States play a bigger and bigger role in the shift to cleaner and diversified sources of energy. We are developing tools to speed that shift while also protecting prime farmland and vital natural habitats.
Our basic strategy is simple and effective: Harness nature to build climate resilience. When we do that, our landscapes and communities are more sustainable and better prepared to combat the effects of warming temperatures and shifting weather patterns. Fortunately, nature provides lots of opportunities. For example, restoring and managing lands and watersheds helps capture tons of carbon in Missouri plants and soil. Wetlands, grasslands and forests—we have them all, and they all help pull
8
Made with FlippingBook interactive PDF creator