Scaling carbon reduction with nature-based solutions

The UK National Parks hold immense potential for carbon capture and sequestration, offering businesses a credible route to achieving sustainability goals.

Covering approximately 10 per cent of the UK land area and storing millions of tonnes of carbon, these landscapes provide a unique opportunity to invest in nature-based solutions that go beyond traditional offsetting.

"There are opportunities right now for businesses to buy the carbon credits that National Parks projects are generating," says William Hawes, Nature Finance Adviser at National Parks Partnerships. Woodland creation and peatland restoration not only offset emissions but also enhance biodiversity and water quality. By committing to a forward purchase of carbon credits, businesses can secure credits at current prices, helping to support long-term sustainability initiatives while providing financial stability to conservation projects.

Unlike some offset schemes, National Parks' projects are certified under the Woodland Carbon Code and Peatland Code, ensuring independent verification and long-term impact. Beyond offsetting, they also deliver wider ecological and community benefits. "Our model does not include land acquisition, instead we know the communities within these landscapes and engage with them over land-use decisions and potential benefits – some revenue from these projects is then channelled back into these communities," adds Hawes.

For businesses, the opportunity is clear. "Right now, we don't price nature into the cost of doing business," says Hawes. "But if companies could see, in financial terms, how much they depend on healthy ecosystems, investment in nature restoration would follow."

By working with National Parks, businesses can invest in long-term, verifiable solutions that contribute to net zero while strengthening their sustainability credentials.

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