A new study finds that Canada could remove at least five times its annual carbon emissions with strategic planting of more than six million hectares of trees along the northern edge of the boreal forest.
A new study finds that Canada could remove at least five times its annual carbon emissions with strategic planting of more than six million hectares of trees along the northern edge of the boreal forest.
Researchers at the University of Waterloo factored in satellite data, fire probabilities, loss of vegetation, and climate variables to estimate how much carbon the forests would remove. They found that planting about 6.4 million hectares of trees in that region could remove roughly 3.9 gigatonnes of CO₂ by 2100. Scaling up to the most suitable areas increased the potential to around 19 gigatonnes.
Reducing greenhouse gases is key to minimizing the worst effects of climate change. These results represent a significant step towards Canada’s goal of being carbon neutral by 2050 and meeting its commitments under the Paris Climate Agreement.
Read More: University of Waterloo
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