Welcome to the US Carbon Mapper

Here you can see how we visualize the amazing potential of what we call 'Natural Climate Solution Pathways.' This mapper is built around 11 approaches, which have been broken down at the State level. See FAQ for Pathway descriptions and more information.

Natural climate solutions (or NCS) are proven ways of storing and reducing carbon emissions in the world's forests, grasslands and wetlands.

The mapper uses three different price points, as well as the maximum mitigation potential that each pathway could achieve. Click the lock icon to set all the pathways to the same level. (See marginal abatement costs in FAQ). We encourage you to discover the many ways that nature and working lands can reduce emissions depending on the cost and our level of ambition.

The table ranks US States by mitigation potential, and also that State's contribution to the US National level, including the land area available for implementation. Click on a pathway name for more information.

At a more detailed level, you can click on an individual State and see the ranked contribution of each pathway. This information is indicative of the US States' potential for NCS, and we encourage more detailed analysis at the State level for policy and planning purposes.

Natural Climate Solutions for the U.S.

299
Mitigation potential
Million tons CO2e per year
5,795
2016 net emissions (U.S.)
Million tons CO2e per year
299
Mitigation Potential
(Million tons CO2e per year)
358
2014 net emissions
Million tons CO2e per year
0
NCA Potential

Mitigation Pathways

Marginal Abatement Cost
$ per ton of CO2e
Unlock selections Unlock selections
$10
$50
$100
Max
Reforestation
Additional carbon sequestration in above and belowground biomass and soils gained by converting non-forest to forest.
Avoided Forest Conversion
Reduced emissions of CO2 by avoiding human-caused forest conversion.
Fire Management
Use of prescribed fire to reduce the risk of high-intensity wildfire.
Urban Reforestation
Carbon sequestration in aboveground and belowground biomass gained by increasing urban tree cover.
Avoided Grassland Conversion
Reduced emissions of CO2 from soils and root biomass avoiding conversion of grassland and shrubland to cropland.
Grassland Restoration
Additional carbon sequestration in soils and root biomass gained by restoring cropland to grassland.
Alley Cropping
Additional carbon sequestration gained by planting widely-spaced rows of trees within fields of annual crops.
Cover Crops
Soil carbon sequestration gained by growing a cover crop in the fallow season between main crops.
Cropland Nutrient Management
Avoided nitrous oxide emissions from more efficient use of nitrogen fertilizers and fertilizer production.
Improved Manure Management
Avoided methane emissions from dairy and hog manure.
Improved Rice Cultivation
Avoided emissions of methane and nitrous oxide through improved practices in flooded rice cultivation.
State NCS Mitigation
(Mt CO2 per year)		 Area Available
(million acres)
Full Extent
Click map to select state
Pathway NCS Mitigation
(Mt CO2 per year)		 Area Available
(million acres)