New research finds that nature-based solutions are essential for Brazil to meet its 2050 net zero pledge

The research team projected Brazil's greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions up to 2050 under different policy scenarios through an integrated modelling approach. This compared the potential emissions reductions resulting from nature-based solutions (including large-scale restoration) against engineered solutions, such as bioenergy with carbon capture and storage (BECCS), besides their relative economic costs. The results indicated that nature-based solutions could mitigate nearly 80% of Brazil's net zero pledge and reduce 781 million tons of carbon dioxide (CO 2 ) on average per year in Brazil during the next 30 years. The country's energy sector already has a significant share of renewables and its contribution to Brazil's net zero ambition would heavily rely on BECCS. The study ‘Nature-based solutions are critical for putting Brazil on track towards net zero emissions by 2050’ has been published in Global Change Biology.