LANDMARC

The LANDMARC research project (Land-use based Mitigation for Resilient Climate pathways) seeks to deepen understanding of land-based mitigation technologies.

Context

Land-based negative emission solutions are expected to play a pivotal role in future climate actions and policy scenarios. To date most climate actions have focussed on phasing out fossil fuels and reducing greenhouse gas emissions in, for example, industry, electricity, and transport. While zero emission trajectories in these sectors will remain a priority for decades to come, it is expected that some residual Greenhouse Gas emissions will remain. To be able to fulfil the Paris Agreement and meet the world’s climate goals, researchers, policymakers and markets are increasingly looking at land-based negative emission solutions. However, there are still significant uncertainties in their effectiveness to deliver negative emissions.

The LANDMARC research project seeks to deepen understanding of land-based mitigation technologies (LMTs) by providing better estimates of the realistic potential for agriculture, forestry, and other land use sectors to enhance the uptake of CO2 from the atmosphere.

The project will:

  • Estimate the climate impact of land-based negative emission solutions, for example in agriculture, forestry, and other land-use sectors
  • Assess the potential for regional and global upscaling of negative emission solutions
  • Map their potential environmental, economic, and social co-benefits and trade-offs

Methodology

The LANDMARC project aims to better understand the impacts of LMTs mitigation potential as net sinks for greenhouse gases and their associated co-benefits by applying a unique mixed-methods approach that includes:

  • A mix of earth observation technologies, to be able to (better) monitor and estimate the effectiveness of land-based negative emission solutions
  • A suite of climate, land-use, and economic simulation models, to better estimate the true (scaling) potential of land-based negative emission solutions, both from an earth systems and human systems perspective
  • A social sciences-based approach for effective impact assessment and engagement with local and regional stakeholders – across 14 countries and 5 continents – that are already working on implementing negative emission solutions.

Impact and Outreach

LANDMARC will offer concrete assessment of the potential of climate change mitigation via scaling up LMTs continental and globally. Thereby, it contributes directly to meeting Paris Agreement targets, for which negative emissions, including via LMTs, are indispensable.

The knowledge created within LANDMARC will be shared with policy makers, practitioners, and the public at the local/national level, as well as the regional/continental and global level. Scientific advancements will be shared through relevant journals, conferences and workshops, and disseminated within relevant scientific and policy platforms.

Further Details

LANDMARC is a consortium of 19 project partners.

Dr Rocio Alvarez Tinoco and Lokendra Karki, both Research Fellows at the Science Policy Research Unit (SPRU), will lead a case study in Nepal and support regional evaluation of LMTs in The Americas.

The project will run until June 2024, with funding from Horizon 2020.