Tesco
The Global Tree Restoration Potential
Article

The Global Tree Restoration Potential

Jean-Francois Bastin, Yelena Finegold, Claude Garcia, Danilo Mollicone, Devin Routh, Constantin M. Zohner, Thomas W. Crowther and Marcelo Rezende
Science, 2019
Read the article

Read or listen offline

  • 0.5×
  • 0.75×
  • 1×
  • 1.25×
  • 1.5×
  • 1.75×
1×

Editorial Rating

8

Qualities

  • Analytical
  • Scientific
  • Applicable

Recommendation

Planting trees remains one of humanity’s most promising strategies for reversing the effects of climate change. This report, compiled by a group of leading environmental scientists, delineates a global map of regions where almost a billion hectares of tree canopy could be strategically established. The experts warn that if such a plan is not initiated immediately, CO2 levels could continue to negatively affect worldwide climate. Their map offers a hopeful plan, along with an urgent call to action.

Take-Aways

  • International groups are focusing on reforestation as a means to combat rising global CO2 levels.
  • The study found that tree cover in the world’s protected regions ranges from 0% in desert areas to 100% in equatorial forests.
  • Better forest accounting methods are critical to developing restoration strategies.

About the Authors

Jean-Francois Bastin is an ecologist and a geographer using remote sensing to study the relationship between global change and terrestrial ecosystems. Other authors include Yelena Finegold, Claude Garcia, Danilo Mollicone, Marcelo Rezende, Devin Routh, Constantin M. Zohner and Thomas W. Crowther.

Comment on this summary or Начать обсуждение