Sounds like problem solved then.
Many more trees could be planted without encroaching on crop land or urban areas
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Re: Many more trees could be planted without encroaching on crop land or urban areas
#12Interesting – we need more of such studies. Check out Drawdown [0] for other interventions with quantified costs/benefits. Economists widely agree that carbon pricing is the most effective way to fix climate change [1], and fee-and-dividend implementations are the most viable politically (there's a bill before Congress now [2]). [0] https://www.drawdown.org/ [1] https://www.nytimes.com/2018/10/08/business/economic-sc…
> Economists widely agree that carbon pricing is the most effective way to fix climate change
That is true, and does not conflict with the findings of the article.
I think the difference here is that we can start planting trees right now. Carbon taxation is something people still pretend doesn't have to be done.
It's also worth noting, that given the accelerating pace of the climate crisis, the time to start planting those forests is NOW. Not in a year, not in two years, NOW.
Re: Many more trees could be planted without encroaching on crop land or urban areas
#13I wonder if anyone is researching genetically modified trees that specialize in carbon sequestration. Sort of like Golden Rice but for climate change.
Re: Many more trees could be planted without encroaching on crop land or urban areas
#14Interesting – we need more of such studies. Check out Drawdown [0] for other interventions with quantified costs/benefits. Economists widely agree that carbon pricing is the most effective way to fix climate change [1], and fee-and-dividend implementations are the most viable politically (there's a bill before Congress now [2]). [0] https://www.drawdown.org/ [1] https://www.nytimes.com/2018/10/08/business/economic-sc…
> Economists widely agree that carbon pricing is the most effective way to fix climate change That is true, and does not conflict with the findings of the article. I think the difference here is that we can start planting trees right now. Carbon taxation is something people still pretend doesn't have to be done. It's also worth noting, that given the accelerating pace of the climate crisis, the time to start planting…
Absolutely true. And tree planting appears (to me) to be an underappreciated philanthropic cause area. This study could help change that.
Re: Many more trees could be planted without encroaching on crop land or urban areas
#15From the article:
“Crowther emphasised that it remains vital to reverse the current trends of rising greenhouse gas emissions from fossil fuel burning and forest destruction, and bring them down to zero. He said this is needed to stop the climate crisis becoming even worse and because the forest restoration envisaged would take 50-100 years to have its full effect of removing 200bn tonnes of carbon”
200bn tonnes? Apparently humanity releases at the moment almost 40bn CO2 tonnes per year (1). All that trees then replace only 5 years.
1) https://iopscience.iop.org/article/10.1088/1748-9326/aaf303
"CO2 emissions grew by 1.6% in 2017 to 36.2 Gt (billion tonnes), and are expected to grow a further 2.7% in 2018 (range: 1.8%–3.7%) to a record 37.1 ± 2 Gt CO2 (Le Quéré et al 2018b)."
Re: Many more trees could be planted without encroaching on crop land or urban areas
#16Related: A Toyota engineer grows forests: https://fellowsblog.ted.com/how-to-grow-a-forest-really-real...
Re: Many more trees could be planted without encroaching on crop land or urban areas
#17That means a global / multinational movement against governments cutting trees (eg for lucrative construction deals) is needed.
Cutting for wood doesn't hurt since the carbon is still trapped in the wood. In fact it helps since they regrow new trees that sequester carbon faster in their early years than mature trees.
Re: Many more trees could be planted without encroaching on crop land or urban areas
#18It's about time this was noticed.
Consider that coal comes from dead trees - growing trees will be a big part of the solution.
Re: Many more trees could be planted without encroaching on crop land or urban areas
#19totally agree!
Re: Many more trees could be planted without encroaching on crop land or urban areas
#20 “We still have a net loss of about 10bn trees a year,” Crowther said.