Climate change continues to be one of the most serious social, economic, and environmental challenges of our time. This is true globally, nationally, and in Wisconsin. Here at the Wisconsin Academy, our ongoing pursuit of  innovative, Wisconsin-focused climate and clean energy solutions leads us to the promise and potential of natural climate solutions and a special interest in climate-critical lands.   

On Wednesday, June 30th, we presented an online briefing on our Climate-Critical Lands Report. The report reflects our efforts with numerous stakeholders to reveal broad general agreement on what characterizes high-quality land carbon sinks; the value of incorporating co-benefits (such as biodiversity, water quality, and flood prevention) in prioritizing sites for protection; and the importance of centering equity in decision-making.

The work detailed in our report and briefing is the effort of numerous individuals representing a wide range of organizations, which  include state agencies, tribal organizations, nonprofits, and academia.  Their  collective synthesis  has allowed for a diverse and  more comprehensive  consideration. 

Read the report: Climate-Critical Lands Report

Presentation Slides: Climate-Critical Lands Briefing Slides