Aiming Higher : Harnessing Nature-Based Solutions for Climate Change and Biodiversity Conservation in China

Overview & Synopsis

This report aims to quantitatively assess potential opportunities for China to manage its limited land resources to achieve multiple ecosystem services, including climate and biodiversity co-benefits, without compromising its food production. The efficient use of limited land resources plays a key role in balancing these competing demands. The simple yet powerful concept of the production possibility frontier is used. Empirical measures based on spatially explicit estimates of ecosystem services and food production values (current and potential) are used to assess China’s current situation and possible future scenarios. The report demonstrates the likely outcomes (quantitative costs and benefits) of alternative land-use configurations representing NbS for climate and biodiversity co-benefits. It helps decision-makers evaluate the current landscape policies and their potential evolution over time. The scope of this report is restricted to examining four selected ecosystem services: carbon sequestration, biodiversity habitat, water retention, soil retention, and food production from land use. Although land use can yield various other socioeconomic benefits, this assessment does not include them.