Natural Climate Solutions
Natural climate solutions offer immediate and cost-effective ways to tackle the climate crisis—while also supporting healthy, thriving communities and ecosystems.
Redwood Exploring
Taken in the Northern California redwood groves.
©
Kyle McCubbin/TNC Photo Contest 2019
Perspectives
The Polls Are In and It’s Nature for the Win
Around the world, there is broad public support to invest in natural climate solutions.
The Nature Conservancy's lead scientist, Katherine Hayhoe, likes to say that one of the simplest and most important things everyone can do to fight climate change is talk about the issue with friends and family. Her advice underlines a truism: When it comes to climate solutions, public perception and support matters.
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Sign UpIn 2024, TNC led polls in three countries with a critical role to play in addressing climate change. These surveys in Brazil, Canada, and the United States revealed insights about how natural climate solutions can gain broader acceptance and drive meaningful action.
Polling serves as a vital tool in gauging public awareness, understanding, and support for climate action, including natural climate solutions. It provides a snapshot of public opinion, helping policymakers, businesses, and NGOs tailor their strategies to meet the needs and concerns of the community. By identifying gaps in awareness and areas of strong support, polling can guide effective communication campaigns and policy decisions.
Broad Support for Natural Climate Solutions
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94%
of US voters support expanding strategies to protect, better manage and restore forests, grasslands, and wetlands to store more carbon and fight climate change.
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84%
of Canadian voters support expanding natural climate solutions once they were informed about how these strategies can contribute to sustainable economies and create jobs.
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66%
of Brazilians support spending public money on strategies to protect, better manage and restore forests, fields, savannas, agricultural lands, wetlands for climate.
Climate and nature
In Brazil, people understand that the climate change crisis and the nature crisis are linked and affect the health and well-being of all life on Earth.
© Felipe Fittipaldi
Living in Harmony
Nature-based solutions can not only help us address the climate crisis, they can also protect and restore the places our plants and animals need to survive.
© Ricardo Martins/TNC Photo Contest 2019
Climate and nature
In Brazil, people understand that the climate change crisis and the nature crisis are linked and affect the health and well-being of all life on Earth.
© Felipe Fittipaldi
Living in Harmony
Nature-based solutions can not only help us address the climate crisis, they can also protect and restore the places our plants and animals need to survive.
© Ricardo Martins/TNC Photo Contest 2019
Connecting natural climate solutions and quality of life in Brazil
In Brazil, support for public spending on nature-based solutions to climate change is overwhelming and broad. Sixty-six percent of Brazilians said they supported spending public money on strategies protect, better manage and restore forests, fields, savannas, agricultural lands, wetlands, and other natural ecosystems in a way that reduces greenhouse gas emissions and stores more carbon.
Our poll showed that Brazilians across the country care about how natural climate solutions are connected to quality of life. Nature-based solutions can not only help us address the climate crisis, they can also protect and restore the places our plants and animals need to survive—an important connection that 84% of respondents found convincing when deciding whether to support NCS.
Bridging the awareness gap in Canada
Sustainable Agriculture
Healthy soil is an integral part of sustainable farming and conservation.
© iStock
The Economic Case for NCS
Research by our Canadian affiliate shows how NCS can create wide-ranging economic returns, from jobs and increased profits, to returns for investors, through both traditional and innovative funding mechanisms, such as bonds, funds, and carbon credits. Learn more.
Economic considerations play a significant role in Canadian public opinion. Given the current economic climate, 71% of Canadians prefer that public funds be used to address immediate cost-of-living concerns. However, once Canadians were informed about how NCS can contribute to sustainable economies and create jobs, 84% supported expanding the strategies.
This dual focus on immediate economic relief and long-term environmental benefits can help bridge the gap between public awareness and support for NCS in Canada where regenerative agriculture and reforestation are priority pathways.
Forests
In the U.S., voters value the role forests can play in addressing climate change.
© ULLMANPHOTO.com 2024
Protection
One of our most important Natural Climate Solutions is protecting the forests, coastal wetlands, and grasslands we already have.
© Sydney Bezanson/TNC
Forests
In the U.S., voters value the role forests can play in addressing climate change.
© ULLMANPHOTO.com 2024
Protection
One of our most important Natural Climate Solutions is protecting the forests, coastal wetlands, and grasslands we already have.
© Sydney Bezanson/TNC
Bipartisan support for natural climate solutions in the United States
When asked if they support NCS, a significant majority of Americans responded positively: 94% of voters across the country support expanding strategies to protect, better manage and restore forests, grasslands, and wetlands to store more carbon and fight climate change.
This bipartisan backing is a crucial finding, indicating that natural climate solutions like tree planting and restoring coastal wetlands can be a unifying issue in a highly polarized political landscape.
Moreover, the polling data shows that public support remains strong even when potential drawbacks are highlighted. In other words, the benefits of natural climate solutions—clean air and water, fewer fires, more resilient shorelines—are extremely important when people think about the potential cost of implementing these strategies.
Understanding what matters most to people
By understanding the specific concerns and values of different audiences, strategic communication can effectively drive action for NCS. Educational campaigns, economic framing, and collaborative efforts are key strategies to build public support and trust.
As the world faces the urgent challenge of climate change, leveraging public opinion through strategic polling and communication can play a pivotal role in promoting natural climate solutions. The insights from these polls highlight the potential for NCS to gain widespread acceptance and drive meaningful action across different regions. By continuing to engage and educate the public, we can build a stronger foundation for a sustainable future.
Global Insights
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More about Natural Climate Solutions
Combined with cutting fossil fuels and accelerating renewable energy, natural climate solutions offer immediate and cost-effective ways to tackle the climate crisis—while also addressing biodiversity loss and supporting human health and livelihoods.
