New Map Reveals Natural Forest Regeneration in Tropical Regions Could Absorb 23 Years of Global Emissions.
Researchers published cost-benefit maps for natural forest regeneration across the tropics, identifying Indonesia, Madagascar, the Philippines, Mexico and Malaysia as having the largest areas with high carbon and biodiversity benefits at low cost.
Researchers have produced cost-benefit maps for the natural regeneration of tropical forests, according to a study published in a Nature Portfolio journal. The analysis covers 7.49 million square kilometers of tropical land that has the biophysical potential for natural forest regeneration, meaning forest that regrows without being planted.
The authors describe natural regeneration as a cost-effective alternative to tree planting for restoring degraded and converted tropical forests, with benefits for climate mitigation and biodiversity recovery. They write that how its costs and benefits vary around the world had been poorly quantified, which limited the ability of restoration programs to use it strategically. To address this, the team integrated data on costs and ecological benefits across the tropics.
The researchers report that, if this area were completely regenerated, it could accumulate about 9.57 gigatons of carbon over 30 years. They also estimate that it could reduce the overall extinction risk of forest-dependent species by about 31% relative to a baseline. These figures describe a full-regeneration scenario, not a forecast of what will happen.
The study names Indonesia, Madagascar, the Philippines, Mexico and Malaysia as having the largest areas that combine high carbon benefits, high biodiversity benefits and low costs. The authors call these places "holistic hotspots" for natural regeneration.
Areas that are cost-effective for high carbon benefits alone, or for high biodiversity benefits alone, show different spatial patterns from the holistic hotspots. Because of these tradeoffs, holistic hotspots make up 9.67% of the entire study region. The authors say the maps can help decision-makers improve spatial planning and investment to reach their forest restoration goals. Only the abstract was available for this brief, so the methods and underlying data were not reviewed.
Note: The headline's comparison to 23 years of global emissions does not appear on the page. The page gives about 9.57 Gt of carbon over 30 years, and only if the whole area were completely regenerated.
At a Glance
- The study covers 7.49 million square kilometers of tropical land with biophysical potential for natural forest regeneration.
- Complete regeneration could accumulate about 9.57 Gt of carbon over 30 years, the researchers report.
- The authors estimate extinction risk for forest-dependent species could fall by about 31% relative to a baseline.
- Holistic hotspots cover 9.67% of the study region, with the largest areas in Indonesia, Madagascar, the Philippines, Mexico and Malaysia.
Sources
This brief was written by Brightside Report from the reporting linked above. Spot an error? Request a correction.