Climate 1.5 by Winrock International Winrock International

“The private sector really must invest in the planet,” says Katie Goslee, acting director of Winrock’s Ecosystem Services Unit. “If the private sector recognizes there are finite resources, it’s very much necessary both for businesses themselves and their own longevity, but also…for humanity.” Goslee addresses the 2022 Earth Day theme, “Invest In Our Planet,” and explores why private sector investment in climate action is necessary for “the health and wellness, both physical and financial, of...

“We are increasingly having dry spells, floods, droughts across regions that haven’t experienced these,” says Aaron Sundsmo, Winrock’s senior director for Agriculture, Resilience, and Water (ARW). “This is where our team steps in to really think through both what does the science say to try to better predict when the rains will start but how do we also look for those climate-adapted agricultural practices.”Sundsmo explains that climate change exacerbates water security challenges, which threa...

“If we can restore those peatlands and protect the forests and peat that currently exists there, we can reduce one of the largest emission sources from the terrestrial land use sector in the world.” Winrock International's Michael Netzer, technical lead for Geographic Information Systems on Winrock’s Ecosystems Services team, explains why conservation and restoration of peatlands is so critical in the fight against climate change.

“Climate migration is right in front of us,” says Sarah Jakiel, Winrock’s senior director for Human Rights, Education and Empowerment. “The World Bank estimates that 143 million people will be displaced by the year 2050. This isn't a choice. This is a human and a national security emergency.” In this Climate 1.5 episode, Jakiel highlights the rising connection between climate driven natural disasters and spikes in human trafficking.

“The services that forests provide – in terms of reducing the impacts of climate change and sequestering carbon – those benefits start to expand beyond just the individuals in the households who are living in that forest. We all are actually benefiting from PFES all over the world.” Winrock’s Brian Bean explains how the Payment for Forest Environmental Services system in Vietnam allows beneficiaries of forest environmental services, like hydrological protection for watersheds and waterways, t...

“There’s enough evidence that a lack of resilience will lead to greater economic shock, and the ongoing pandemic has given us enough evidence on the value of resilience.” Winrock’s Director of Sustainable Finance, Anmol Vanamali, explains the parallels and approaches vital to protecting and securing a thriving future against global crises.