Letting Forests Regrow Naturally Is a Simple yet Effective Way to Fight Climate Change
- The potential rates of carbon capture from natural forest regrowth are far higher than previously estimated.
- Letting forests regrow naturally has the potential to absorb up to 8.9 billion metric tons of carbon dioxide from the atmosphere each year through 2050.
- This is the equivalent of 23% of global CO2 emissions and will be on top of the 30% currently absorbed by existing forests.
There’s increasing recognition of how nature can help tackle the climate crisis. From protecting standing forests to planting new trees, forests offer significant climate mitigation benefits. Now, new research shows that letting forests regrow on their own could be a secret weapon to fighting climate change.
Experts at WRI, The Nature Conservancy and other institutions mapped potential rates of carbon capture from “natural forest regrowth,” a restoration method distinct from active tree-planting, where trees are allowed to grow back on lands previously cleared for agriculture and other purposes.