Project Drawdown

Project Drawdown, led by Paul Hawken, details 100 ways we can take greenhouse gasses (as carbon dioxide (CO2) equivalents) out of the atmosphere. The solutions have potential to either reduce emissions or sequedrawdownster 1,052.04 gigatons (gigaton = 1 billion metric tons) of CO2 equivalents between 2020 and 2015. Drawdown is the point where globally we start to reduce atmospheric CO2.

The project groups 80 solutionss into 7 clusters, and the cluster that can generate the highest reduction – 31%, is food. Between 2020 and 2050, food initiatives that are already underway can reduce CO2 by 321.9 gigatonnes.

Drawdown sectors

The top twenty solutions contain some surprises. Note that refrigerant management is number one. The range of solutions provides lots of scope for action in Northland. The full list is here.

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The psychology of change

We have the technology and knowledge we need to reduce atmospheric CO2 either within our hands or within reach. What we don’t have, is the collective will to implement solutions. In addition to the sheer scope of Project Drawdown Paul Hawken and his team address the psychology of change.

For those that feel like climate change is too big for them to have impact, the solutions provide lots of options for action. That is encouraging! What is also encouraging is the optimistic tone of the book. Paul Hawken writes:



