Scientists estimate that by managing the world's land more sustainably, such as by protecting forests and investing in reforestation, we could achieve up to 37 percent of emissions reductions necessary to limit the global rise in temperature to 2 degrees Celsius by 2030. Protecting Indigenous Peoples' and Local Communities' rights to their lands and forests has the potential to make a significant contribution to that solution. A new report from the Rights and Resources Initiative, Woods Hole Research Center, WRI and Environmental Defense Fund shows that Indigenous Peoples and local communities worldwide manage massive amounts of carbon in the trees and soil of their forests—at least 293,061 million metric tons. That's 17 percent of the total carbon stored in the world's forestlands. If this carbon was released at once, it would equal 33 times the total global energy emissions of 2017.