A new report released by the Council of Canadian Academies says that if Canada protects and enhances its natural ecosystems, the country can cut an estimated 6 per cent of its current annual greenhouse gas emissions.
The report from The Council of Canadian Academies suggests that an estimated 6 per cent, or 40.3 megatonnes, of Canada’s current annual emissions, could be reduced by investing in natural landscapes and protecting ecosystems.
The report also notes that reducing climate emissions is the priority because if the environment continues to change, the disturbances to these ecosystems reduces the ability to absorb and store carbon. Managed forests, which are areas used for harvesting but undergo careful forest planning to ensure logging is done sustainably, make up 65 per cent of the total forests across the country. The CCA report notes that due to "large-scale" disturbances Canada's managed forests were estimated to be a net source of CO2.
The lands absorb and release carbon in response to certain factors, such as whether fertilizer is added. Because of this, the report says there are a range of opportunities to enhance carbon sequestration, which is when ecosystems absorb CO2 from the atmosphere and store itSimilarly, agricultural areas, which cover 47 million hectares, also absorb and release carbon. Both ecosystems store CO2 in the soil below.
"One of the solutions…is paying attention to how natural ecosystems really work, and try to reduce those emissions from agricultural processes," Ziegler said. " take advantage of the natural soil environment to supply the nutrients that are required to get the crop." Both rivers and lakes emit CO2 and methane as they transport organic matter, such as leaves and wood, as it decomposes.
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