A new study confirms what we have feared for a long time — deforestation is diminishing the ability of tropical forests to absorb carbon dioxide, a critical function of forests in mitigating climate change. It also brings some surprising news, that boreal forests are serving an increasingly important role as a carbon sink, absorbing emissions at a faster rate.
The study comes on the heels of another paper that tells us that embracing nature-based climate solutions would be enough for 20 countries to achieve carbon neutrality before 2030. These two studies combined make an even stronger case for avoided deforestation and for protecting stable forests, including intact forest landscapes, which make up a large portion of total global carbon storage in forests. The role of forest restoration and tree planting gained the attention of businesses and political leaders at Davos, which is important, but only part of the solution. These studies are two timely reminders of why our trillion trees vision encompasses and emphasizes halting loss of forests and maintaining their integrity.
The science is clear — safeguarding forests and halting deforestation can help achieve targets set out under the Paris Agreement and help keep global temperature rise below 1.5 degrees Celsius. What’s not clear is whether enough will be done to achieve this.
This is an opportune moment for clear action, including:
1. For countries to show leadership and include — with clear and quantifiable metrics — targets for forest protection, restoration and avoided deforestation in their Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs). This is important for all countries but particularly tropical countries, where deforestation is rising, and also for countries that are home to boreal forests. Much more can be done to reduce risks to stable forests and the important carbon sink function they provide, both within the NDC framework and in national policies that recognize the value of intact…
