Nature-based solutions in the fight against climate change | Thomas Crowther | TEDxLausanne

Natural ecosystems are the best technology we have to help cool the planet, but doing so effectively requires an intricate knowledge of the organisms that regulate our climate.
By generating a holistic understanding of Earth’s ecosystems, we transform our ability to understand climate change, and identify the best strategies to address it.
With this in mind, Crowther and his team of 25 researchers are looking at ways to digitally explore the biosphere and reveal the true potential of nature-based solutions in the fight against climate change and biodiversity loss.
Advances in data collection and artificial intelligence are revealing more truths about our environment and the seriousness of climate change. At the same time, it’s also helping to find new solutions that harness the power of nature itself.
The Crowther Lab research is helping organizations understand the true value of nature, make more informed decisions, and start implementing nature-based solutions to climate change and biodiversity loss.
Get ready to discover a new approach to Climate Change. Thomas Crowther, professor of Global Ecosystem Ecology at ETH Zurich and founder of the Crowther Lab is different to most environmental scientists.
While most labs in the world focus on one field of research, Crowther firmly believes that to understand the ecological processes that influence climate change, predict its progression with high accuracy, and develop nature-based solutions to address it, we need to take a holistic approach.
Specialising in ecosystem ecology, Crowther is also the chief scientific advisor to the UN’s Trillion Tree Campaign. This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community. Learn more at www.ted.com/tedx

[@praveenbeecha]

Amazing Presentation Prof. Crowther, thank you! I hope we all come together for restoring our ecosystems.

[@giridharamatya8568]

Prof. Crowther, Thank you! A great eye opening presentation.

[@b_uppy]

Ag plowing creates a lot of the airborne carbon we see accumulate in fall, winter and spring. If we switch farming practices by using rainwater harvesting earthworks, planting more site appropriate, diverse trees and promoting healthy soil biota we can drastically cut airborne carbon that way. We can do it and grow more food simultaneously because we'd be reclaiming land for ag use. Walter Jehne does a video that points out with a similar, low cost, multiple problem solving approach that attacks it more logically from a *climate approach* (as compared to high tech approaches). He suggests that we start with rainwater harvesting earthworks and techniques. We then do diverse regreening especially with trees and lastly se adopt. Anybody says we 'need to cut emissions' is trying to sell expensive products.

[@benoitlambert8816]

Hi Thomas, this is Benoit in Québec. We had beer together at a FAO meeting in Rome. Congratulation for the amazing presentation and lab's work I follow. Just to give a reference from Canada (I have planted trees 16 years): British Colombia planted 266 million trees in 2017. I would estimate all provinces plant 800 millions. So a trillion is 1250 times yearly planting in Canada. It can be done, over 50 years, but that is lots of work, a big number. Holistic grazing management, no-till and cover crops, and, biochar I work on (biomass and industrial), will be needed too. I strongly believe in biotic sinks to take control of the carbon cycle, they give multiple co-benefits. Regards, Ben

[@mitchellbeer8487]

What a brilliant talk, Prof. Crowther, thank you! I've focused mostly on the energy transition side of climate work, largely by trying to amplify the same kind of positive, practical solutions you identify. But I've also been looking to learn more about natural climate solutions and carbon drawdown, and this is one of the best (and, absolutely, most hopeful) summaries I've seen.

[@khwajawalizada2197]

I am very much keen to listen to such an amazing presentation.

[@anjuphilip6517]

Great presentation. We need to act together combining all the possible solutions to fight climate change.

[@saranbhatia8809]

Great talk!

[@KeepthePlanet]

I loved this talk, really interesting :)

[@emilefarnier614]

Inspiring video, amazing speaker. Starting my last year thesis on the subject of Nbs and just thank you :) Go restore and protect the planet!

[@rizwanbalti8932]

What's the update now?

[@williammcduff6531]

Great presentation keep up the great work!

[@theodenlucio3223]

Thanks, great talk...

[@jontrimarco6205]

Great talk! Look to Farmer Managed Natural Regeneration (FMNR) as an effective start.

[@b_uppy]

That was a big omission on his part.

[@samsonmpueh6380]

Nice presentation, quite informative. We need to act quickly and responsively.

[@leonardneamtu_]

really inspiring!

[@shrutigoel23]

Brilliant talk and thanks for sharing positive actions for each one of us. Ability to engage each one of us, against this greatest threat is exactly what we need.

[@martinlagerlof6367]

Closing the fossile, bit by bit. Cultivating our crop, livestock and soils. Give more space to sponataneous ecosystem healing, be it grassland , forest, bog or waters. The healing is older than mankind and always working in your body and and the other parts of nature. Resilience.

[@reetikasrivastava1478]

It was great to listen you.

[@johnmoldavite1091]

Brilliant talk, thank you. But what did you miss? The rapidly warming Arctic. Decreasing the temperature differential from the equator to the north pole can create horrifically destabilized jet streams. I don't use the word "horrifically" lightly. This is something that can destroy every forest on Earth. As you say, there is a lot of carbon sequestered in the northern boreal forests. As jet streams progressively destabilize, there is an increase in the; frequency, intensity and duration of extreme weather events, all of which are detrimental to tree health. As soon as there is an ice free Arctic Ocean in a summer solstice, the sequence of warming events would be way too late to be stopped. When this would occur is open to speculation. But just acknowledging that this is the critical clock your racing against would give more urgency to your message.

[@Amir-sn6uk]

This guy does amazing work and cute. :)

[@jdwright]

5:17 Drawdown, 9:47 cut CO2 emission

[@andreashofmeyr9583]

This is an amazing talk and I will recommend it to everyone I know interested in NbSs.

[@deanfowles3707]

Drought and intense heatwaves will kill all these nature based solutions. Not convinced that it’s much of a strategy at all. At a certain temperature leaves stop being Able to photosynthesise and the tree starts dying.

[@markschuette3770]

we need a carbon tax and a wealth tax to bring in the funds and to motivate people to conserve all types of cleaner energy. we also need to do a carbon accounting to find out what alternatives ARE the cleanest- since no energy is without some carbon emissions.

[@b_uppy]

Carbon tax hurts the already stressed poor and middle classes and does nothing to curb the disproportionate waste of resources of the rich. Taxing the elitist rich has never been successful because they merely use it to quash unfavorable competition.

[@markschuette3770]

@@b_uppy yes i agree- so this tax (call it a pollution or an eco tax) needs to effect everyone- and the rich harder than the rest- thus it needs to be linked with a wealth tax. already biden has passed a "wealth" tax on certain sectors- but its not enough. and then use those funds it impliment mass transit, bicycle infrastucture, better urban design- some of that just passed in this biden bill. but everyone needs to feel the pressure otherwise they will not choose "green". in capitalism money rules and thank god they invented taxes to shape our economy.

[@b_uppy]

@@markschuette3770 And again you keep pushing it on everyone. The only way to keep the rich from further destroying the planet is to turn them into the middle class.

[@christineeckersley4505]

Can we highlight the importance of bacteria. We behave like it's bad for us but we are made of bacteria. We can't be us without it. If we upset our microbiom in our guts we suffer many chronic illnesses. We need bacteria. We are killing the microbiom of the earth. The result of this will be a chronically sick planet.... please help us to help bacteria to thrive. Educate us..... change bleaches and detergents etc. Thank you

[@b_uppy]

The soil biome also includes mycelium. We need plant diversity including trees because they encourage mycelium because mycelium are an important mover of nutrients and moisture...

[@davidkirk6249]

The climate is fine, and I certainly don't want it to be cooler.

[@karlwheatley1244]

"The climate is fine, and I certainly don't want it to be cooler." Humans are currently warming the planet 10-20 times faster then it usually warms when coming out of an ice age, and that is pushing Earth's ecosystems towards collapse.

[@davidkirk6249]

@@karlwheatley1244 1 degree over a hundred years, and that's a problem ? It's freezing where I live, so I'd prefer it to be hotter. Record cold temperatures and snow across much of Europe and the eastern US. Ice growing back at the poles. Evidence of "Earth's ecosystem collapse" ?

[@b_uppy]

What this guy proposes is going to mitigate drought and flooding as well as recharge the watertable. Additionally look at grand solar minimum...

[@P-A-X-]

Climate always changed along the history. Wake up to this scam. Who care this fake problem? UN, European Union, World Bank, Bill Gates, and so on. Wake up, useful i..ots.

[@P-A-X-]

Yes co2 is not the food of trees no, it accumulates in the atmosphere. What bs. Was better study more or play with your friends.