Land plays a significant role in addressing climate change. Depending on how it is used and managed, land can help reduce emissions (mitigation) and adapt to its effects (climate adaptation) at both global and local levels.

Different land uses, such as reforestation, deforestation, farming, and the restoration of wetlands, can either capture carbon from the atmosphere, acting as a carbon sink and thereby mitigating climate change, or release carbon dioxide, contributing to climate change.

On average, changes in land use release about 0.7 tons (700 kilograms) of CO2 per person each year worldwide. This is equivalent to driving a typical gasoline car for approximately 2,800 kilometres (1,740 miles).

It is essential to inform and engage stakeholders in the land sector to strengthen its role in combating climate change, increasing its capacity as a carbon sink, and enhancing climate resilience. This includes landowners, managers, researchers, policymakers, and the public. They must know the best sustainable land-based solutions and the required behavioural changes.

In January 2025, a paper published in Scientific Data by Nature introduced a first-of-its-kind catalogue that provides ready-to-use information on implementing Land-based Adaptation and Mitigation Solutions (LAMS).

The catalogue features 60 relevant Land-based Adaptation and Mitigation Solutions (LAMS) across Europe. These solutions are compiled in an Excel workbook, which can be downloaded from Figshare.

They encompass a variety of approaches, including agroforestry, improved cropland management, precision farming, artificial intelligence, dietary shifts, renewable energy projects, food loss and waste reduction, water-use efficiency, and strategies to limit urban sprawl.

The 60 LAMS covers all major policy areas, including:

Agriculture (15 solutions)
Biodiversity and ecosystems (2 solutions)
Buildings (3 solutions)
Energy (15 solutions)
Forestry (7 solutions)
Industry (1 solution)
Society (5 solutions)
Tourism (1 solution)
Transport (2 solutions)
Urban areas (3 solutions)
Water management (6 solutions).

Additionally, these solutions have been identified in policy documents at the EU, global, national, and local levels, as well as in case studies from Europe. Each solution is thoroughly analysed and described, including key details such as the type of solution, related policy sectors, potential for climate adaptation and mitigation, suitability conditions, drivers and barriers to implementation, possible synergies and trade-offs, and other essential aspects like identifying the involved stakeholders, institutional support, and implementation costs.

The catalogue is a trustworthy, science-based resource designed to meet the needs of different users. It provides valuable information that can help generate data tailored to specific situations. Data can then be used to test and assess how these solutions perform over time using modelling tools like Integrated Assessment Models at any scale.

Read the study: A catalogue of land-based adaptation and mitigation solutions to tackle climate change.

Download the LAMS catalogue.

Sources:

Chiriacò, M. V., Dămătîrcă, C., Abd Alla, S., Barilari, S., Biancardi Aleu, R., Brazzini, T., Capela Lourenço, T., Annamaria, C., Durand, S., Di Lallo, G., Encarnação Coelho, R., Espin, O., Galluccio, G., Ganszky, D., Hellsten, S., Ihrfors, J., Keramitsoglou, I., Kiranoudis, C. T., Nemethy, A., . . . De Notaris, C. (2025). A catalogue of land-based adaptation and mitigation solutions to tackle climate change. Scientific Data, 12(1), 1-11. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41597-025-04484-0