Why the answer to climate change lies in data

[OKIsItJustMe]

https://www.ethz.ch/en/news-and-events/eth-news/news/2019/02/crowther-answer-to-climate-change-lies-in-data.html

Why the answer to climate change lies in data

14.02.2019 | Zukunftsblog | Sustainability

By: Prof. Tom Crowther

We still know very little about how global ecosystems influence our climate. Tom Crowther thinks that the answer to climate change could lie in global ecological datasets.

Do you know how many trees there are on our planet? Besides being a headline figure, this number proved to be transformational in the fight against climate change. How?

Climate change and biodiversity loss are among the two greatest threats facing society. While there is plenty of informed dialogue about the need to enhance natural carbon capture and decrease the rate of human carbon emissions, we are yet to see any meaningful change on either front. Why?

The answer is quite simple: The sheer scale of our planet means that we still have a very limited understanding of global ecosystems and their potential for cooling the planet. For example, we currently have no idea, whether forest restoration – an activity repeatedly advocated by environmental organisations – could capture 10 or 110 gigatons of carbon from the atmosphere (see also this blog post).

Current tree density of the earth's surface. (Image: Crowther Lab / ETH Zurich)

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1. I was surprised to see recently

I was surprised to see recently (in some article online) someone arguing that planting trees would do nothing - to help with climate change.

That doesn't feel right to me. I would like to think, at least, that millions of trees would make a difference.

[OKIsItJustMe]

2. It depends on how soon you want to make a difference

If we stopped all emissions tomorrow, warming would continue for a time.
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