Forest Preservation, Tree Planting Could Actually Worsen Climate Change

image via New Scientist

June 6, 2025, 3:45 PM

• •Wildfires are turning forests into "massive carbon emitters."
• •Planting trees in some places could inadvertently increase carbon emissions.
• •Climate policies and carbon-mitigation activities fail to account for substantial emissions.

A new UN report suggests that planting trees to combat climate change might be backfiring due to increased wildfire risks. Forests are becoming significant carbon emitters, especially with the rise of record-breaking wildfires in recent years. The current climate policies and carbon markets often fail to account for these emissions, potentially worsening the problem. The report calls for reforming these systems to better assess forest conditions and prevent the unintended consequences of increasing wildfires.

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