Macro-climate mitigation

Abstract

The drylands of the world are considered to hold significant climate change mitiga - tion potential through sequestration of carbon and avoidance of emissions. Yet, climate change mitigation in drylands is complex for a variety of reasons. This section reviews the potential for climate change mitigation, the conditions required to make this hap - pen and ongoing initiatives in the drylands of the Eastern African region to implement mitigation projects. The world’s drylands store a significant amount of carbon. Thirty-six per cent of the global terrestrial carbon stock and 59% of the African carbon stock is in drylands (253). Drylands are also considered to have potential for climate change mitigation through sequestration of carbon and avoidance of emissions (254, 255). This potential emerges first from the large extent of rangeland systems, which comprise the majority of the African continent. A second reason is the carbon under-saturation of many drylands 93 systems, which is due to land degradation, land use change and burning and this un - der-saturation offers opportunity for sequestration. A third reason why drylands hold mitigation potential is the potential to avoid emissions from burning and erosion (255)