Ecologist Thomas Crowther's research sparked global interest in tree planting as a way to offset carbon dioxide emissions. Now, Crowther has called on world leaders to stop the obsession with reforestation, claiming that this practice may cause more harm than good.
In 2019, Thomas Crowther and his team presented a study claiming that there is space on Earth to plant another 1.2 trillion trees. These trees could help remove about two-thirds of the carbon emitted by humans into the atmosphere.
This study sparked global interest from companies and world leaders in tree planting.
However, shortly after the publication, some scientists began to express criticism. They argued that Crowther significantly overestimated both the amount of carbon that trees can absorb and the areas that can be effectively planted.
Other scientific research revealed two major drawbacks of mass tree planting: many of the planted saplings will not survive, and those that do will take several decades to start capturing carbon. These concerns began to be confirmed: for example, in Turkey, 11 million new saplings were planted, but most of them died within the first few months due to lack of rainfall.
At the UN Climate Change Conference in 2023, Crowther stated that his work had been misinterpreted and urged world leaders and companies to stop tree planting.
According to the ecologist, planting trees in unsuitable locations can lead to catastrophic loss of biodiversity. This is due to the destruction of natural habitats and an increased risk of wildfires.
Additionally, planting trees in places where they have never existed can darken the planet's surface and raise global temperatures.
Most concerning is that his idea is being used as a justification for maintaining high levels of carbon dioxide emissions. Instead of reducing emissions, many companies have simply started planting trees.
