Buffering Climate Change with Nature

Abstract It is increasingly evident that climate sustainability depends not only on societal actions and responses, but also ecosystem functioning responses. The capacity of global ecosystems to provide services such as sequestering carbon regulating hydrology being strongly reduced both by change itself unprecedented rates degradation. These rely functional aspects are causally linked—the same components efficiently sequester store regulate storing water. This means adaptation mitigation must involve preparing for a future with temperature precipitation anomalies, actively minimizing hazards risks conserving managing their fundamental supporting services. We summarize general climate–nature feedback processes relating water cycling broad scale before focusing Norway exemplify the crucial role regulatory sequestration hydrological common neglect this ecosystem–climate link in policy landscape management. argue key instrument take advantage buffering regulative abilities well-functioning natural ecosystem. will enable shared benefits nature, climate, human well-being. To meet nature crises, we capitalize importance effects, combat short-term perspectives discounting costs, maintain or even strengthen whole-ecosystem at level. Significance Statement Natural forests, wetlands, heaths storage carbon. Preserving these systems essential secure biodiversity associated Systematic failure recognize links between well-being underlies current trend accelerating loss thereby nature’s ability buffer changes impacts. Society needs new perspective spatial planning values sink regulator processes, well its biodiversity. need policies fully encompass preventing climate-induced disasters, along many other