Land-based sequestration involves practices that enhance the Earth’s capacity to absorb carbon dioxide, in other words, they enhance the natural sink. Typical examples of land sequestration practices include soil carbon sequestration or planting trees on abandoned or degraded land.

These forms of carbon storage are vulnerable as they are dependent on ongoing sustainable land practices and are at risk of releasing sequestered carbon into the atmosphere following natural or human disturbances, such as harvests, land use change, pests, droughts or floods. Many of these natural disturbances are likely to become more severe due to the impact of climate change, with higher temperatures increasing the chances of carbon storage reversal. As vulnerable storage mediums, land-based sequestration practices are sometimes referred to as temporary CDR.   

If done well, such practices provide valuable co-benefits, such as protecting ecosystems, enhancing biodiversity and soil health. They play a crucial role both in restoring nature and reversing the decline of the land sink.