Grounded Podcast Episode 55: Putting Soil & Plants to Work
All around us, natural and working lands – from forests, to crops, to wetlands, and parks – are putting in work to benefit Oregonians.
Land can both emit carbon and remove carbon from the atmosphere through nature processes like photosynthesis. Removing carbon from the air can reduce greenhouse gas emissions, support the land, and benefit nearby people. Actions that protect natural and working lands and help meet climate goals are called natural climate solutions.
In this episode, we’re joined by Elizabeth Ruther and Jason Sauer of ODOE’s Natural Climate Solutions team to discuss natural and working lands, natural climate solutions, and two recent work products:
The Land-Based Net Carbon Inventory outlines the greenhouse gas emissions and carbon removals across Oregon lands, including forests, grasslands, croplands, developed lands, wetlands, and biomass burning, which includes wildfires and prescribed burns.
A complementary study on workforce development and training needs for natural climate solutions looked at the specific workforce skills, training and education, and resources Oregon needs to support the adoption of natural climate solutions n natural and working lands.
While the Inventory report focused on land-based emissions, the Oregon Energy Strategy focused on energy-based emissions. The Strategy’s clean Electricity policy 2A prioritizes mitigating effects on natural and working lands while expanding and enhancing infrastructure. Increasing the quantity of urban trees is an example of a natural climate solution that brings energy and carbon removal together, by improving energy efficiency, reducing temperatures, and more.
If you want to learn more about ODOE’s current work, the Natural and Working Lands Advisory Committee meets monthly to advise the Oregon Climate Action Commission on work to advance natural climate solutions in Oregon.