
Nature-based solutions
The world needs to find a range of ways to reduce carbon dioxide emissions and one approach is to protect and restore natural ecosystems that can absorb carbon dioxide, such as forests, grasslands and wetlands. This is known as nature-based solutions.

Ecosystems like forests, grasslands or wetlands naturally remove carbon dioxide (CO2) from the atmosphere every year. And nature-based solutions, or natural climate solutions, are projects which protect, transform or restore these natural ecosystems so that they can absorb even more CO2 emissions from the atmosphere.
But these projects can also have extra benefits such as offering alternative sources of income to local communities, improving soil productivity, cleaning air and water, and maintaining biodiversity.
Nature-based solutions activities can also lead to the creation of carbon credits, where each credit represents the avoidance or removal of greenhouse gases equivalent to one tonne of CO2. These carbon credits can then be marketed, traded and bought. For example, they can be bought to help offset less avoidable carbon dioxide emissions that are produced elsewhere, such as the emissions released when driving a car.
But how does this actually work and how does Shell make sure that the carbon offset projects we support actually result in emissions reductions? Click here to find out more.
Shell is aiming to become a net-zero emissions energy business by 2050 or sooner, in step with society and our customers. Becoming a net-zero emissions energy business is a huge task. The business plans we have today will not get us there. So, our plans must change over time. Nature-based solutions has a role to play in helping Shell achieve this aim. To learn more about our ambition and the part nature-based solutions has to play, visit this page.
Shell and nature-based solutions in the UK by numbers
Title: Shell and nature-based solutions in the UK by numbers
Duration: 0:56 minutes
Description: A short video of Shell’s nature-based solutions activities in the UK
[Opening text over footage of a forest]
There’s no single solution to reducing carbon dioxide emissions
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But one approach is to protect and restore natural ecosystems
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that store carbon dioxide, such as forests, grasslands and wetlands.
[Text over footage of a Shell service station]
Since October 2019 Shell has offset
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over 2 million tonnes of CO2 emissions on behalf of Shell Go+ members
[Text over footage of cars driving along a road]
that's the equivalent of taking 750,000 cars off the road for a year
[Text over footage of a forest]
Or the carbon stored in trees spanning the area of 270,000 football pitches!
[Text over footage of a forest]
Also, in 2019 Shell started working with Forestry and Land Scotland
[Text over footage of a forest]
who manage 9% of Scotland’s total land area
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That’s 25 times the size of Edinburgh
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Through this partnership we aim to plant 1,000,000 trees over 5 years
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We will continue to invest in projects across the globe
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Read more at shell.co.uk/naturebasedsolutions
[Shell Pecten and text over footage of a forest]
#MakeTheFuture
[Shell Pecten and text over footage of a forest]
It is important to note that as of May 5, 2020, Shell’s operating plans and budgets do not reflect Shell’s net-zero emissions ambition. Shell’s aim is that, in the future, its operating plans and budgets will change to reflect this movement towards its new net-zero emissions ambition. However, these plans and budgets need to be in step with the movement towards a net-zero emissions economy within society and among Shell’s customers.
[End of video]

Shell’s approach to nature-based solutions
Shell recognises the role that nature-based solutions can play in the future of our planet and we will continue to invest in nature-based projects across the globe.
In the UK, members of the Shell Go+ rewards programme can opt-in to have the carbon emissions of their fuel purchases offset for them by Shell. In order to do this, Shell uses carbon credits sourced from nature-based projects around the world. One conservation project is the Cordillera Azul National Park project, between the Andes and the Amazon basin in Peru, and another is Katingan Mentaya project in Indonesia.

No single solution
Carbon offsetting is only part of the solution to reducing CO2 emissions. Where possible, we all need to avoid producing CO2 emissions altogether or choose solutions that help us to reduce them.
That is why Shell offers drivers a range of ways to lower their emissions: from providing charging for electric vehicles, to offering hydrogen as a fuel at Shell service stations, to giving guidance on efficient driving. Find out more information about these options here.
We also offer UK customers 100% certified renewable electricity for their homes through Shell Energy.

Forestry and Land Scotland
In 2019, Shell started working with the Forestry and Land Scotland team to establish around a million trees across the forest estate over the course of five years.
Forestry and Land Scotland manage and protect 640,000 hectares of Scotland’s national forest estate on behalf of the Scottish government. The estate makes up approximately 9% of Scotland’s total land area which is equivalent to 25 times the size of Edinburgh.
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