{"id":2509,"date":"2022-04-20T15:18:17","date_gmt":"2022-04-20T15:18:17","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/climatetransform.com\/?p=2509"},"modified":"2022-06-11T16:33:09","modified_gmt":"2022-06-11T16:33:09","slug":"afforestation-and-deforestation","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/climatetransform.com\/afforestation-and-deforestation\/","title":{"rendered":"Afforestation and Deforestation"},"content":{"rendered":"\r\n<p>Afforestation and deforestation are polar opposites. Afforestation involves planting new trees on land that has not recently been forested.<span id='easy-footnote-1-2509' class='easy-footnote-margin-adjust'><\/span><span class='easy-footnote'><a href='https:\/\/climatetransform.com\/afforestation-and-deforestation\/#easy-footnote-bottom-1-2509' title='Archive.ipcc.ch. (n.d.). Land Use, Land-Use Change and Forestry. [online] Available at: https:\/\/archive.ipcc.ch\/ipccreports\/sres\/land_use\/index.php?idp=47 [Accessed 2 Feb. 2021].'><sup>1<\/sup><\/a><\/span>\u00a0Deforestation, in contrast, is the removal of a forest, typically for conversion to agriculture.<span id='easy-footnote-2-2509' class='easy-footnote-margin-adjust'><\/span><span class='easy-footnote'><a href='https:\/\/climatetransform.com\/afforestation-and-deforestation\/#easy-footnote-bottom-2-2509' title='Youmatter. (n.d.). What Is Deforestation? Definition, Causes, Effects and Solutions to Stop it. [online] Available at: https:\/\/youmatter.world\/en\/definition\/definitions-what-is-definition-deforestation-causes-effects\/#:~:text=Deforestation%20refers%20to%20the%20decrease.'><sup>2<\/sup><\/a><\/span><\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<p>Replacing the trees lost from deforestation can have a positive environmental impact.<span id='easy-footnote-3-2509' class='easy-footnote-margin-adjust'><\/span><span class='easy-footnote'><a href='https:\/\/climatetransform.com\/afforestation-and-deforestation\/#easy-footnote-bottom-3-2509' title='Earth Innovation Institute. (2019). Reforestation can help reverse the climate and extinction crises. It\u2019s cost-effective too. &amp;#8211; Earth Innovation Institute. [online] Available at: https:\/\/earthinnovation.org\/2019\/05\/reforestation-can-help-reverse-the-climate-and-extinction-crises\/.'><sup>3<\/sup><\/a><\/span> However, it can take decades for new trees to absorb the same carbon dioxide levels (CO2) as an old forest.<span id='easy-footnote-4-2509' class='easy-footnote-margin-adjust'><\/span><span class='easy-footnote'><a href='https:\/\/climatetransform.com\/afforestation-and-deforestation\/#easy-footnote-bottom-4-2509' title='Earth Innovation Institute. (2019). Reforestation can help reverse the climate and extinction crises. It\u2019s cost-effective too. &amp;#8211; Earth Innovation Institute. [online] Available at: https:\/\/earthinnovation.org\/2019\/05\/reforestation-can-help-reverse-the-climate-and-extinction-crises\/.'><sup>4<\/sup><\/a><\/span> Where afforestation takes place can also hugely affect trees\u2019 efficacy to sequester CO2.<span id='easy-footnote-5-2509' class='easy-footnote-margin-adjust'><\/span><span class='easy-footnote'><a href='https:\/\/climatetransform.com\/afforestation-and-deforestation\/#easy-footnote-bottom-5-2509' title='Umair Irfan (2019). Climate change solutions: forest restoration might be one of the best ways to fight climate change. [online] Vox. Available at: https:\/\/www.vox.com\/2019\/7\/4\/20681331\/climate-change-solutions-trees-deforestation-reforestation.'><sup>5<\/sup><\/a><\/span> It is, therefore, important to carefully manage afforestation efforts whilst reducing deforestation to combat climate change successfully.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<h2>How would deforestation and afforestation affect climate change?<\/h2>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<h3>Deforestation and climate change<\/h3>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<p>Deforestation has a significant impact on climate change. <a href=\"https:\/\/climatetransform.com\/deforestation-carbon-cycle\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Trees capture and store greenhouse gases<\/a>, including CO2 through photosynthesis.<span id='easy-footnote-6-2509' class='easy-footnote-margin-adjust'><\/span><span class='easy-footnote'><a href='https:\/\/climatetransform.com\/afforestation-and-deforestation\/#easy-footnote-bottom-6-2509' title='Rainforest Alliance. (2018). What is the Relationship Between Deforestation And Climate Change? [online] Available at: https:\/\/www.rainforest-alliance.org\/articles\/relationship-between-deforestation-climate-change.'><sup>6<\/sup><\/a><\/span> They remove these gases from the atmosphere and prevent them from trapping heat and contributing to global warming.<span id='easy-footnote-7-2509' class='easy-footnote-margin-adjust'><\/span><span class='easy-footnote'><a href='https:\/\/climatetransform.com\/afforestation-and-deforestation\/#easy-footnote-bottom-7-2509' title='Rainforest Alliance. (2018). What is the Relationship Between Deforestation And Climate Change? [online] Available at: https:\/\/www.rainforest-alliance.org\/articles\/relationship-between-deforestation-climate-change.'><sup>7<\/sup><\/a><\/span> Cutting down trees, and then either burning them or allowing them to rot, releases their stored carbon.<span id='easy-footnote-8-2509' class='easy-footnote-margin-adjust'><\/span><span class='easy-footnote'><a href='https:\/\/climatetransform.com\/afforestation-and-deforestation\/#easy-footnote-bottom-8-2509' title='Union of Concerned Scientists (2012). Tropical Deforestation and Global Warming | Union of Concerned Scientists. [online] www.ucsusa.org. Available at: https:\/\/www.ucsusa.org\/resources\/tropical-deforestation-and-global-warming#:~:text=When%20trees%20are%20cut%20down.'><sup>8<\/sup><\/a><\/span> In this way, deforestation accounts for at least 10 per cent of global emissions.<span id='easy-footnote-9-2509' class='easy-footnote-margin-adjust'><\/span><span class='easy-footnote'><a href='https:\/\/climatetransform.com\/afforestation-and-deforestation\/#easy-footnote-bottom-9-2509' title='Union of Concerned Scientists (2012). Tropical Deforestation and Global Warming | Union of Concerned Scientists. [online] www.ucsusa.org. Available at: https:\/\/www.ucsusa.org\/resources\/tropical-deforestation-and-global-warming#:~:text=When%20trees%20are%20cut%20down.'><sup>9<\/sup><\/a><\/span><\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<h3>Afforestation and climate change<\/h3>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<p>Afforestation can counter climate change. Planting additional trees can remove CO2 from the atmosphere, as they sequester it in their biomass and the soil.<span id='easy-footnote-10-2509' class='easy-footnote-margin-adjust'><\/span><span class='easy-footnote'><a href='https:\/\/climatetransform.com\/afforestation-and-deforestation\/#easy-footnote-bottom-10-2509' title='Sciencedirect.com. (2013). Afforestation &amp;#8211; an overview | ScienceDirect Topics. [online] Available at: https:\/\/www.sciencedirect.com\/topics\/earth-and-planetary-sciences\/afforestation.'><sup>10<\/sup><\/a><\/span> Many countries recognise this potential. For example, China aims to afforest an area four times the size of the UK to offset its carbon emissions.<span id='easy-footnote-11-2509' class='easy-footnote-margin-adjust'><\/span><span class='easy-footnote'><a href='https:\/\/climatetransform.com\/afforestation-and-deforestation\/#easy-footnote-bottom-11-2509' title='Macmillan (2019). How much can forests fight climate change? [online] Nature.com. Available at: https:\/\/www.nature.com\/articles\/d41586-019-00122-z.'><sup>11<\/sup><\/a><\/span><\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<p>One significant advantage of afforestation is that <a href=\"https:\/\/news.mongabay.com\/2019\/05\/tall-and-old-or-dense-and-young-which-kind-of-forest-is-better-for-the-climate\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">new forests can absorb more carbon,<\/a> as the trees can be planted close together.<span id='easy-footnote-12-2509' class='easy-footnote-margin-adjust'><\/span><span class='easy-footnote'><a href='https:\/\/climatetransform.com\/afforestation-and-deforestation\/#easy-footnote-bottom-12-2509' title='Erickson-Davis, M. (2019). Tall and old or dense and young: Which kind of forest is better for the climate? [online] Mongabay Environmental News. Available at: https:\/\/news.mongabay.com\/2019\/05\/tall-and-old-or-dense-and-young-which-kind-of-forest-is-better-for-the-climate\/.'><sup>12<\/sup><\/a><\/span> But, a tree\u2019s carbon absorption rate accelerates as it grows, meaning that tall old trees act as the best carbon sinks.<span id='easy-footnote-13-2509' class='easy-footnote-margin-adjust'><\/span><span class='easy-footnote'><a href='https:\/\/climatetransform.com\/afforestation-and-deforestation\/#easy-footnote-bottom-13-2509' title='Erickson-Davis, M. (2019). Tall and old or dense and young: Which kind of forest is better for the climate? [online] Mongabay Environmental News. Available at: https:\/\/news.mongabay.com\/2019\/05\/tall-and-old-or-dense-and-young-which-kind-of-forest-is-better-for-the-climate\/.'><sup>13<\/sup><\/a><\/span> Old-growth forests can continue to sequester carbon for centuries, locking it away and keeping it out of the atmosphere.<span id='easy-footnote-14-2509' class='easy-footnote-margin-adjust'><\/span><span class='easy-footnote'><a href='https:\/\/climatetransform.com\/afforestation-and-deforestation\/#easy-footnote-bottom-14-2509' title='mossy.earth. (n.d.). Carbon Sequestration Methodology. [online] Available at: https:\/\/www.mossy.earth\/methodologies\/carbon-sequestration-methodology.'><sup>14<\/sup><\/a><\/span> It is also important to leave forests alone. Intact primary forests store 30 to 70 per cent more carbon than logged and degraded forests.<span id='easy-footnote-15-2509' class='easy-footnote-margin-adjust'><\/span><span class='easy-footnote'><a href='https:\/\/climatetransform.com\/afforestation-and-deforestation\/#easy-footnote-bottom-15-2509' title='Primary Forests and Carbon. (n.d.). [online] . Available at: https:\/\/primaryforest.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/12\/ForestCarbonFactsheet_26112015.pdf.'><sup>15<\/sup><\/a><\/span><\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<p>There is no single solution to climate change. To prevent a disastrous global temperature increase above 1.5\u00b0C, a multifaceted approach must be taken.<span id='easy-footnote-16-2509' class='easy-footnote-margin-adjust'><\/span><span class='easy-footnote'><a href='https:\/\/climatetransform.com\/afforestation-and-deforestation\/#easy-footnote-bottom-16-2509' title='IPCC (2019). Global Warming of 1.5 oC. [online] Ipcc.ch. Available at: https:\/\/www.ipcc.ch\/sr15\/.'><sup>16<\/sup><\/a><\/span> A halt to the current rate of deforestation is crucial.<span id='easy-footnote-17-2509' class='easy-footnote-margin-adjust'><\/span><span class='easy-footnote'><a href='https:\/\/climatetransform.com\/afforestation-and-deforestation\/#easy-footnote-bottom-17-2509' title='Panda.org. (2017). Deforestation Fronts. [online] Available at: https:\/\/wwf.panda.org\/discover\/our_focus\/forests_practice\/deforestation_fronts_\/.'><sup>17<\/sup><\/a><\/span> Trees are the best, and most efficient, way to sequester CO2.<span id='easy-footnote-18-2509' class='easy-footnote-margin-adjust'><\/span><span class='easy-footnote'><a href='https:\/\/climatetransform.com\/afforestation-and-deforestation\/#easy-footnote-bottom-18-2509' title='Earth Innovation Institute. (2019). Reforestation can help reverse the climate and extinction crises. It\u2019s cost-effective too. &amp;#8211; Earth Innovation Institute. [online] Available at: https:\/\/earthinnovation.org\/2019\/05\/reforestation-can-help-reverse-the-climate-and-extinction-crises\/.'><sup>18<\/sup><\/a><\/span> We need to prevent them from being cut down and releasing CO2.<span id='easy-footnote-19-2509' class='easy-footnote-margin-adjust'><\/span><span class='easy-footnote'><a href='https:\/\/climatetransform.com\/afforestation-and-deforestation\/#easy-footnote-bottom-19-2509' title='Union of Concerned Scientists. (2016). What\u2019s Driving Deforestation? [online] Available at: https:\/\/www.ucsusa.org\/resources\/whats-driving-deforestation.'><sup>19<\/sup><\/a><\/span> Similarly, we need more afforestation to offset the CO2 already in our atmosphere.<span id='easy-footnote-20-2509' class='easy-footnote-margin-adjust'><\/span><span class='easy-footnote'><a href='https:\/\/climatetransform.com\/afforestation-and-deforestation\/#easy-footnote-bottom-20-2509' title='Planted, O.T. (n.d.). How Planting Trees Offsets Carbon. [online] One Tree Planted. Available at: https:\/\/onetreeplanted.org\/blogs\/stories\/planting-trees-offsets-carbon.'><sup>20<\/sup><\/a><\/span> Thirdly, we need to rapidly reduce our energy dependence on fossil fuels \u2013 the dominant cause of greenhouse gases.<span id='easy-footnote-21-2509' class='easy-footnote-margin-adjust'><\/span><span class='easy-footnote'><a href='https:\/\/climatetransform.com\/afforestation-and-deforestation\/#easy-footnote-bottom-21-2509' title='Union of Concerned Scientists. (2016). What\u2019s Driving Deforestation? [online] Available at: https:\/\/www.ucsusa.org\/resources\/whats-driving-deforestation.'><sup>21<\/sup><\/a><\/span><\/p>\r\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Afforestation and deforestation are polar opposites. Afforestation involves planting new trees on land that has not recently been forested.\u00a0Deforestation, in contrast, is the removal of a forest, typically for conversion to agriculture. Replacing the trees lost from deforestation can have a positive environmental impact. However, it can take decades for new trees to absorb the [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":17,"featured_media":3197,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[1,27],"tags":[],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v19.0 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/wordpress\/plugins\/seo\/ -->\n<title>Afforestation and Deforestation - Climate Transform<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Afforestation and deforestation are both important terms when it comes to climate change. 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