Carbon and nitrogen inequities on a changing Earth

Background/Question/Methods Natural lands and oceans have and continue to offset the climate impact of human generated greenhouse gas emissions, including the carbon containing gases carbon dioxide, methane, and some halogens, like methyl bromide and nitrogen containing gases, nitrous oxide and precursor to ozone formation like NOx and volatile organic carbon compounds. The atmospheric concentrations of greenhouse gases is the key quantity for understanding the impact on climate change.. I will address the following questions: What is the capacity for the natural world to continue to offset human emissions and how long is this capacity likely to persist? How do we ensure that those cultures that honor and preserve the natural lands, the sky, water and the earth and are already part of the solution have a voice in determining the solutions for the planet? How do we ensure that the policies and infrastructure reward these same people and cultures for climate change solutions? Results/Conclusions I will examine the contributions of different regions of the world to current day emissions of carbon and nitrogen containing greenhouse gases and the role of corresponding natural systems for removing those gases from the atmosphere. I will talk about the process of assembling western data to form a synthesis like the IPCC and the progress in building the necessary bridges to further incorporate indigenous perspectives into the process. Finding solutions to climate change requires solutions that look at the issue from a breadth of perspectives and scales, and must incorporate traditional knowledge and respect for ALL of life on this planet we call home.