{"id":2351,"date":"2022-04-16T21:02:22","date_gmt":"2022-04-16T21:02:22","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/climatetransform.com\/?p=2351"},"modified":"2022-07-04T12:06:35","modified_gmt":"2022-07-04T12:06:35","slug":"european-deforestation","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/climatetransform.com\/european-deforestation\/","title":{"rendered":"European Deforestation"},"content":{"rendered":"
Unlike in many other areas of the world, European deforestation has been reduced in recent times.1<\/sup> Between 1990 and 2015, the area of Europe categorized as forested has actually increased by over 90,000 square kilometers (9 million hectares).1<\/sup> In contrast, globally, an average of 28 million hectares of forest are cut down every year.2<\/sup> One way European countries are countering deforestation is by adopting agroforestry, which involves planting large numbers of trees, and by doing so it protects the very soil itself. This is an environmentally beneficial method of farming that now occupies almost 20 million hectares in Europe.3<\/sup><\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n Whilst we must, of course, recognize that a reduction in deforestation is a huge win for the climate, we must not forget that success comes in the form of a puzzle – there are multiple tools and practices we must adopt in order to slow global warming and climate change.<\/p>\r\n Agroforestry is an ancient practice of combining agriculture with planting trees.4<\/sup> The benefits are manifold. For the farmers, agroforestry provides healthier soil, enriched by more nutrients, resulting in higher yields of crops.4<\/sup> Providing additional tree cover also creates much-needed habitats for wildlife. Meanwhile, the trees themselves sequester carbon dioxide (CO2) from the atmosphere.5<\/sup> This is therefore an extremely effective way of reducing the effects of climate change.5<\/sup> Unfortunately, present agroforestry practices occupy less than 10 percent of the potential European area.3<\/sup> There is therefore great scope for the enlargement of this beneficial practice, especially as a counter to European deforestation.<\/p>\r\nA Solution to European Deforestation<\/h4>\r\n