Planting trees is no substitute for natural forests

The role that trees can play in solving the climate crisis is receiving growing attention. 

Now is a good time to prioritise the protection and
 recovery of primary ecosystems before planting trees. 

This will be highlighted as the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) meets in Geneva to approve the final summary of a Special Report on Climate Change and Land, to be released on 8th August. 

The Report will outline the current status and projections on land degradation including deforestation and desertification (when fertile land becomes desert), as well as sustainability options for agriculture and food security.

Two years ago, a study reported that these natural climate solutions can provide approximately 37 per cent of the carbon dioxide reduction needed to keep the rise in global temperature below 2°C degrees – as outlined in the Paris Agreement. 

Read the story from Pursuit by Dr Kate Dooley from the University of Melbourne and Professor Brendan Mackey from Griffith University -  “Planting trees is no substitute for natural forests.”