Climate change is happening and it’s going to accelerate. Although we can still prevent the most severe impacts, we can’t stop climate change. Even if we eliminated all climate-changing emissions tomorrow, the greenhouse gases already in our atmosphere would continue to change the climate.
Forests, prairies, farmland and other natural habitats absorb approximately 15% of the U.S.’s carbon dioxide emissions. That’s a huge benefit — but one that we stand to lose it if we keep converting open land for development.
Since we can’t stop climate change, we need to prepare for it. Land conservation offers a double benefit for the climate. It not only helps absorb greenhouse gases, it also prevents significant greenhouse gas emissions that would result from development — including deforestation, construction and the additional driving required by poorly planned growth.
Because of these major benefits, the Land Trust Alliance advocates for climate change policies that will promote and fund land conservation. The Alliance also helps to educate land trusts about adaptation methods and opportunities to finance conservation through growing carbon markets.