UNCW Scientist Helps Advance Forest-Based Climate Solutions

Peng Gao, associate professor in the Department of Earth and Ocean Sciences at UNCW, is one of 19 global experts contributing to a new article published online July 30 in Nature, outlining how nature-based climate solutions (NbCS) can be more effective in fighting climate change. 

The review article, led by the University of Utah’s Wilkes Center for Climate Science & Policy, analyzes current shortcomings of forest-focused climate projects like carbon offsets and proposes reforms to increase their impact and credibility. UNCW is the only institution from North Carolina contributing to this effort. 

“Forests play a major role in fighting climate change, but not all forest projects are equally effective,” said Gao. “This paper shows how we can make forest-based climate solutions more credible, scientifically sound and impactful — so that every dollar invested actually helps the planet.” 

Gao’s contribution centers on the concept of durability — ensuring that carbon stored in forests remains locked away over time. Drawing on his wildfire modeling expertise, Gao emphasized the importance of “buffer pools,” which serve as insurance to account for carbon losses caused by climate-related threats such as wildfires, droughts or disease. 

“As someone who studies wildfire risk, I know how vulnerable forests are to climate change. This research matters because it helps ensure that we’re not just planting trees — we’re protecting long-term carbon storage and designing forest programs that really work,” said Gao, who joined UNCW in 2020. 

This work aligns closely with a project Gao led that developed methods to better estimate risks to carbon storage from wildfire, drought and insect outbreaks and evaluated risk-reduction strategies. Gao’s broader work in wildfire risk modeling informed his contributions to the paper. 

Read the article published in Nature here.