The Nature 4 Climate Initiative is a London-based program of the Nature Conservancy that collaborates with international left-of-center environmentalist groups and the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) to promote left-of-center environmental policies.

The project also operates a U.S. chapter called U.S. Nature 4 Climate, with both organizations being operated by the Nature Conservancy, a left-of-center environmental advocacy organization that is among the largest nonprofits in the United States. Nature 4 Climate is described as a coalition of 20 international environmental organizations that promote what it calls “Natural Climate Solutions.” Member organizations of Nature 4 Climate include the World Wildlife Fund, the Environmental Defense Fund, BirdLife International, World Resources Institute, the Food and Land Use Coalition, and several United Nations programs. ^{1 2}

Background

Nature 4 Climate was launched in 2017 to push international organizations such as the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) to incorporate what the organization calls “Natural Climate Solutions” in response to worldwide efforts to slow global warming. ^{3 4}

The organization defines natural climate solutions as “conservation, restoration and improved land management practices that reduce greenhouse gas emissions and help remove carbon from the atmosphere.” ⁵ The group further claims that “Natural climate solutions can provide up to one-third of the cost-effective climate mitigation needed by 2030 to meet the goals of the Paris climate agreement while also safeguarding livelihoods, natural ecosystems and biodiversity.” ⁶

Much of the organization’s focus centers around adopting policies included within the Paris Climate Agreement, with the goal of shifting natural resources from “net carbon emitters to carbon sinks.” The group’s focus is on policies surrounding forests, grasslands, and wetlands, stating “the urgency of climate change means we will likely need to deploy all available options to constrain the climate crisis. However, when selecting what to do in a specific location, this hierarchy can help decision makers think through the most cost-effective, climate-effective, and biodiversity-effective options.” ⁷

Parent Organization

Both U.S. Nature 4 Climate and Nature 4 Climate are projects of the Nature Conservancy, the world’s largest conservation organization that consistently ranks on the Forbes list of the 100 largest U.S.-based charities. The Nature Conservancy (TNC) has affiliates in all 50 U.S. states and 72 countries, with 3,600 worldwide employees. TNC’s primary agenda is to promote conservation practices and left-of-center environmental policies. The tools it uses to accomplish this objective are similar to the tools promoted by Nature 4 Climate and include conservation easements and debt-for-nature swaps, which it claims to have used to protect 119 million acres of land, “thousands of river miles” and “more than 100 marine projects.” ^{8 9 10}

Member Organizations

Members organizations of Nature 4 Climate include the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), the United Nations Development Program (UNDP), the United Nations collaborative initiative on Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and forest Degradation (UN-REDD), Birdlife International, Clean Cooking Alliance, Conservation International, Environmental Defense Fund, the Food and Land Use Coalition, the Global Mangrove Alliance, International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), Convention on Biological Diversity, the Woodwell Climate Research Center, the World Wildlife Fund, the World Resources Institute, and Youth for Nature. ¹¹

1. “About.” U.S. Nature 4 Climate. Accessed May 19, 2023. https://usnature4climate.org/about/
2. “About.” Nature 4 Climate. Accessed May 19, 2023. https://nature4climate.org/about/
3. “U.S. Nature4Climate Launches to Highlight Role of Natural Climate Solutions to Slow Climate Change.” U.S. Nature 4 Climate. Accessed May 18, 2023. https://usnature4climate.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/Final-USN4C-Launch-Press-Release.pdf
4. “About.” Nature 4 Climate. Accessed May 19, 2023. https://nature4climate.org/about/
5. “U.S. Nature4Climate Launches to Highlight Role of Natural Climate Solutions to Slow Climate Change.” U.S. Nature 4 Climate. Accessed May 18, 2023. https://usnature4climate.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/Final-USN4C-Launch-Press-Release.pdf
6. “Nature’s Solutions.” Nature 4 Climate. Accessed May 19, 2023. https://nature4climate.org/natures-solutions/
7. “Nature’s Pathways.” Nature 4 Climate. Accessed May 19, 2023. https://nature4climate.org/natures-solutions/natures-pathways/
8. “The Nature Conservancy.” Forbes. Accessed May 18, 2023 https://www.forbes.com/companies/nature-conservancy/#7d2d76c541d2
9. “How We Work: Private Lands Conservation.” The Nature Conservancy. Accessed April 10, 2019. https://www.nature.org/en-us/about-us/who-we-are/how-we-work/private-lands-conservation/?tab_q=tab_container-tab_element_670
10. “Who We Are.” Nature Conservancy. Accessed May 19, 2023. https://www.nature.org/en-us/about-us/who-we-are/
11. “About.” Nature 4 Climate. Accessed May 19, 2023. https://nature4climate.org/about/