Project Drawdown presents multiple solutions for decreasing emissions from each category, explaining the cost, timeframe, economic effect, practical path, benefits, and drawbacks. You can find more details on Project Drawdown’s website.
Things that take greenhouse gasses out of the atmosphere are called “sinks.” Currently, around 59% of greenhouse gasses stay in the atmosphere, while sinks remove about 41%: 24% by land sinks & plants, and the ocean absorbs around 17%.
Sinks can’t keep up with the sources, so the atmosphere holds an ever-increasing amount of greenhouse gasses. Assisting the natural cycle of capturing and sequestering carbon while reducing our emissions will speed up the process and get us to Drawdown faster. For those of you who are space buffs, astronomers, or science-fiction fans, think of it as terraforming right here on terra – using science fact instead of science fiction.
Illustrating the sources and sinks together looks like this:
Project Drawdown has put together information and pathways to assist and enhance natural sinks as well as technology for creating “engineered sinks.” There are many ways to encourage and expand sinks available on the Project Drawdown website.
The Drawdown Review (2020) states, “Many solutions can be wisely designed and employed to meet near-term needs…while advancing the long-term aim of reaching Drawdown…. Other initiatives, designed primarily to ensure rights and foster equality, can also have cascading benefits to climate change.”
Climate-friendly technology and enhancing sinks can lead to social benefits like job creation and storm protection for coastlines. Similarly, social equality and advances in healthcare, education, and access to resources can also benefit the climate.
“Climate and social systems are profoundly connected, and those connections open up solutions that are often overlooked.” Find out more about Project Drawdown’s solutions for society and climate.
4 Things You Can Do
I’m convinced the more we know about our interaction with and impact upon climate, the more we will do the right things to make sure that impact is a positive one. Project Drawdown is an excellent source for climate information, and the links below are a great place to start.
Climate Solutions 101: an online video course covering the basics
The Drawdown Review: a PDF overview
Drawdown Insights: articles and news related to the project
Affect change at home
Of course, doing what you can at home to save energy and reduce emissions is important. Drawdown Insights has many resources for impactful climate actions for households and individuals.
Promote change at work
Climate Solutions at Work is a recent publication from Project Drawdown designed to help employees discover ways to “accelerate action in the workplace and where to begin.” And, even if your work is not in agriculture, you may find Farming Our Way Out of the Climate Crisis worth a read.
Support change in society
A good place to start investigating social equity in relation to climate change would be the Health and Education section of the Project Drawdown website.
We can and must do many things to address and reverse human-induced climate change, and I think Project Drawdown will play an important part. I hope I have inspired you to investigate further!