Scientists Show Reforestation Helps Cool the Planet Even More Than Thought (msn.com) 15
"Replanting forests can help cool the planet even more than some scientists once believed, especially in the tropics," according to a recent announcement from the University of California, Riverside.
In a new modeling study published in Communications Earth & Environment, researchers at the University of California, Riverside, showed that restoring forests to their preindustrial extent could lower global average temperatures by 0.34 degrees Celsius. That is roughly one-quarter of the warming the Earth has already experienced. The study is based on an increase in tree area of about 12 million square kilometers, which is 135% of the area of the United States, and similar to estimates of the global tree restoration potential of 1 trillion trees. It is believed the planet has lost nearly half of its trees (about 3 trillion) since the onset of industrialized society.
The Washington Post noted that the researchers factored in how tree emissions interacted with molecules in the atmosphere, "encouraging cloud production, reflecting sunlight and cooling Earth's surface." In a news release, the researchers acknowledge that full reforestation is not feasible... "Reforestation is not a silver bullet," Bob Allen, a professor of climatology at the University of California at Riverside and the paper's lead author, said in a news release. "It's a powerful strategy, but it has to be paired with serious emissions reductions."
The Washington Post noted that the researchers factored in how tree emissions interacted with molecules in the atmosphere, "encouraging cloud production, reflecting sunlight and cooling Earth's surface." In a news release, the researchers acknowledge that full reforestation is not feasible... "Reforestation is not a silver bullet," Bob Allen, a professor of climatology at the University of California at Riverside and the paper's lead author, said in a news release. "It's a powerful strategy, but it has to be paired with serious emissions reductions."
What about the trees that fall over? (Score:1)
Re: (Score:3, Informative)
the study is comparing climate models with given amounts of forestation. It's not simulating the mechanics of replanting, it's just showing what happens if different levels of forestation are achieved.
Did you read the summary?
What if they fall and there's no one to hear them? (Score:2)
Do they still contribute to cooling?
Re: (Score:2)
Fallen trees are an important part of the forest ecosystem, so I'm pretty sure they assume some trees fall over.
I didn't know (Score:4, Funny)
Thought could cool anything, let alone a planet.
Sounds good (Score:3, Funny)
Replace all of the fields currently being used for corn-to-ethanol (often heavily subsidized) with forests.
And maybe replace Capitol Hill with enough trees to hang the lot.
Re: (Score:2)
Corn-to-ethanol is dumb but ethanol is not dumb. I actually never knew a farmer who grew corn to make ethanol, they would make ethanol from the husks and parts of the plant which aren't edible and most farmers don't grow sweet corn that a human would eat in any case... they grow feed corn for livestock.
Grow feed grain [not corn], grow fowl [quail are more efficient than chickens but whatever], most of the feed is now tainted by bird poop, rinse the poop away and use it for fertilizer to grow feed... use the
I'm up for living in a forest .. (Score:1)
.. speaking as an ape man.
I'm an apeman, I'm an ape, apeman, oh I'm an apeman
I'm a King Kong man, I'm a voodoo man, oh I'm an apeman
'Cause compared to the sun that sits in the sky
Compared to the clouds as they roll by
Compared to the bugs and the spiders and flies I am an apeman
(The Kinks)
Re: (Score:2)
You, Sir, make no sense.
Plant trees, not solar panels (Score:2)
Re: (Score:2)
If you cover about 10% of the roofs of an average city, Solar can generate enough electricity on average to cover the energy needs of that city. And it does not take away any areas from agriculture. Imagine covering 10% of a city with nuclear power plants!
Oh lord, here we go with MrBeast again (Score:2)
More trees, fewer people (Score:1)
If you reduce the number of people while increasing the number of trees, the amount of cooling will be even more substantial. Fewer people means less pollution and less need to cut down trees to make space for people. With more trees able to grow, as the study suggests, cooling will increase and the people will have better lives.
There's a reason places with parks, where there's large expanses of grass and trees, have happier people [spring.org.uk].