Most effective way to fight global warming? Plant trees
An area of 900 million hectares could be planted with at least one trillion trees around the world to effectively combat global warming, researchers at the Federal Institute of Technology in Zurich (ETH Zurich) have calculated.
This content was published on
2 minutes
Keystone-SDA/sb
Once they have grown, the trees could store 205 billion tonnes of carbon, according to a study by Jean-François Bastin and Tom Crowther from ETH ZurichExternal link, which has been published in the latest edition of the journal Science.
This represents about two-thirds of the 300 billion tonnes of carbon that has been released into the atmosphere as a result of human activity since the Industrial Revolution.
The researchers say most of the benefit will come early on because trees remove more carbon from the air when they are younger. The potential for removing the most carbon is in the tropics.
Six countries with the most space for new trees are Russia, the United States, Canada, Australia, Brazil and China.
The researchers used Google Earth and artificial intelligence to see what areas could support more trees, while leaving room for people and crops. Bastin estimated there’s space for at least 1 trillion more trees, but it could be 1.5 trillion.
“We all knew that restoring forests could play a part in tackling climate change, but we didn’t really know how big the impact would be. Our study shows clearly that forest restoration is the best climate change solution available today,” said Crowther. “But we must act quickly, as new forests will take decades to mature and achieve their full potential as a source of natural carbon storage.”
Swiss climate activists block vehicles near Gotthard tunnel
This content was published on
Around ten climate activists briefly blocked the A2 motorway near the northern entrance of the Gotthard tunnel on Thursday.
Watches belonging to Michael Schumacher up for auction
This content was published on
Schumacher's family is auctioning off eight rare watches from his collection in Geneva. The Christie's auction will take place on Monday.
Joya Marleen and Baschi named best solo acts at Swiss Music Awards
This content was published on
St. Gallen singer Joya Marleen and Baschi from Basel were named artists of the year at the Swiss Music Awards 2024 on Wednesday night.
Swiss authorities announce cost-cutting in asylum sector
This content was published on
The government notably wants to improve integration into the labour force, particularly for people with protection status S.
Various leaders confirm participation at Ukraine peace conference
This content was published on
The presidents of Poland, Finland, and Latvia and the prime ministers of Spain and Belgium will be at the Swiss-hosted talks in mid-June.
This content was published on
In the winter season up to April 2024, railway and cable car operators ferried 3% more visitors compared to the previous winter, and 5% more than the five-year average.
Rhine flooding: Swiss to invest CHF1 billion with Austria
This content was published on
As part of an international agreement with Austria, the Swiss government wants to pump CHF1 billion ($1.1 billion) into flood protection measures along the Rhine over the next three decades.
Swiss government proposes CHF10 million UNRWA donation
This content was published on
After months of debate, Switzerland plans to give CHF10 million ($11 million) to the UN agency this year, rather than the CHF20 million initially foreseen.
An Alpine village on the frontline of climate change
This content was published on
Guttannen is a small and rustic village up in the Swiss Alps that exudes serenity. But this tranquil idyll is threatened by an unstable mountain.
Swiss climate policy: praised abroad, attacked at home
This content was published on
According to an international ranking, Switzerland is one of the best-performing nations in the fight against global warming.
You can find an overview of ongoing debates with our journalists here . Please join us!
If you want to start a conversation about a topic raised in this article or want to report factual errors, email us at english@swissinfo.ch.