1 Trillion More Trees is not the Answer
Nayomie Prasad
Nayomie is a climate and animal rights activist based in Mumbai.
Follow on Twitter @PNayomie
In a widely televised speech at the United Nations, Greta Thunberg said, "The Climate Crisis has already been solved, we already have all the facts and solutions, all we have to do is wake up and change."
To achieve this we need to plant 1 trillion more trees, according to Thomas Crowther, of Crowther Lab. Scientists and environmentalists understand that 'One trillion more trees' refers to an increase in mature wild forest cover. Sadly in some cases, the message delivered via catchy headlines, and 1-minute reads appears to dilute to 1 trillion more trees planted anywhere.
In an effort to fight climate change and protect riverbanks, Governments of developing nations, like Ethiopia and India, have recently enacted record-breaking reforestation, and afforestation drives. Ethiopia recently planted 350 million trees in twelve hours. According to Yared Abera, Co-Executive Director of The Youth Negotiation on Climate Change Convention, the plantation, "Wasn't just an event, it was a reforestation process. Ethiopia is already putting in place a climate-resilient green economy strategy; tree plantation is one of its pillars." Whether or not these drives result in the desired level of carbon sequestration remains to be seen but that developing nations are leading the charge is positive news in itself.
The map shows where afforestation was attempted along the banks of Narmada
In 2017, India conducted an afforestation drive and planted 66 million fruit-bearing tree saplings along the banks of the river Narmada, “Less than 2% of the saplings planted survived”, says Environmentalist Dr. Subash C. Pandey of the GSEED foundation. Afforestation presents challenges because it is an attempt to establish a forest in an area that was previously not a forest or did not support a specific species of tree. Conversely, reforestation is comparatively more straightforward, since it merely requires restoration. At a time when climate change is accelerating faster than was previously predicted, frenetic plantation drives have inspired the general public and corporate houses to follow suite. However, unless trees are planted in a manner that mimics nature, they will do little to solve Climate Change.
It takes years for trees to mature and acquire the kind of ecological support system that promotes carbon sequestration at peak capacity. Climate change mitigation involves working with all of the Earth’s natural systems holistically. Inexpert politicians and government officials are learning what needs to be done in an ad-hoc manner whilst on the job. One wonders how much further along we would be with meaningful climate change mitigation, if the experts were creating and enforcing environmental policy globally, instead of politicians.
Yes, mitigation is possibly as simple as cutting emissions and reforesting land that was previously forest. If only growing a forest was as easy as seed bombing a barren piece of land and coming back years later to find trees in bloom. Although that is how nature does it, she’s had several millennia to perfect her technique. Humans are only beginning to understand how dependent eco-systems are on biodiversity, along with other environmental factors. According to Dr. Pandey, “What one chooses to plant can differ every 50 kilometers (31.06 Miles) because soil composition, precipitation, and climate, change based on geographic location.”
We all know that trees photosynthesize the carbon they absorb from the atmosphere. What many of us fail to retain from high-school Biology, is that it takes a lot more than water, sunlight, and carbon to develop plant health. All plant and tree life require nutrients, depending on a plant’s specific needs, minerals and Nitrogen are absorbed from the soil and environment. In some cases, fungal colonies living inside the ground provide nutrients that the plant's roots cannot access. It’s because of this dependency on specific nutrients that some plant-based foods when consumed, provide us with a hefty dose of Iron, while others are rich in Potassium, Phosphorus, or Magnesium.
“One wonders how much further along we would be with meaningful climate change mitigation, if the experts were creating and enforcing environmental policy globally, instead of politicians. ”
Most minerals present in the soil are a result of weathered mineral rock formations that have broken down into particles over several millennia. Since plants don't extract minerals directly from weathered rock particles, they depend on ideal levels of water in the soil to soak the powdered debris. The minerals when soaked, leach into the water the plants then absorb via their roots. Minerals like Phosphorous and Nitrogen are made available to roots by bio-fertilizers. Fungi decompose and feed on the organic matter within soil, they digest the nutrients and convert them into something a plant can process. Nitrogen fixers like, Rhizobia and Actinobacteria convert atmospheric Nitrogen into forms that trees can absorb. Plant roots form a barter system with these fungi, the roots provide the fungi with carbon-based food, in exchange for water, essential nutrients and protection from unwanted pathogens. The relationship between plants and fungi is referred to as a Mycorrhizal Symbiosis.
Plantlife would never have conquered land to the extent it has if it wasn’t for the symbiotic relationship they share with these organisms. Any chance we have at successful reforestation hinges on a healthy abundance of these collaborations.
Not only do they offer plants an improved nutritional supply, but they also help plants become drought tolerant and disease resistant. Although these relationships exist in several states, 80% of land plant species form a symbiosis with Arbuscular Mycorrhizae fungi while 60% of tree stems on Earth associated with Ectomycorrhizal fungi. “Ectomycorrhizal symbiosis dominate forests in which seasonally cold and dry climates inhibit decomposition,” 80% of tree species outside of the tropics rely on this form of symbiosis, primarily “at high latitudes and elevation”. “By contrast, Arbuscular Mycorrhizal trees dominate in, warm tropical forests with consistent weather and occur with Ectomycorrhizal trees in temperate biomes in which seasonally warm-and-wet climates enhance decomposition.”
An abundance of Mychorrizal activity leads to healthier plants and trees. Plant health correlates with an increase in photosynthetic activity which, when coupled with a decrease of carbon loss from soil, results in less CO2 in the atmosphere. Newly planted saplings lack root and Mycorrhizal length. Hence will never possess the ability to sequester as much carbon as mature trees that have had the time to grow undisturbed.
1.5 million volunteers in India plant a record-breaking 66 million trees in 12 hours along the river Narmada
Human mono-cropping farming practices, along with the use of synthetic fertilizers, have had a detrimental effect on soil health. Compared with human-made emissions, roughly nine times more carbon releases into the atmosphere due to poor soil health. An increase in temperatures at the Northern latitudes is likely to compound carbon loss from soils. Promoting greater organic Mycorrhizal symbiosis and soil health is as essential to climate change mitigation as increasing forest cover by 1 trillion trees. In fact, it is impossible to achieve one without the other.
Crowther Lab has used machine learning tools to synthesize NASA’s satellite images of global forest cover, along with individual measurements of microbial life from 1.1 million forest inventory plots. They’ve created a model that predicts where on Earth various states of Mycorrhizae are likely to exist and how one can leverage this knowledge to increase carbon sequestration. Their website offers a feature that plots the outcome of their various research undertakings onto a world map. One can click on any part of the world and receive recommendations on what kinds of trees they should grow at that location. Since their data on India is limited, it will take several updates before they can make suggestions for what flora would flourish in Indian soils.
Crowther Lab endeavour to anticipate how soil ecology and plant life is likely to cope as climate change proceeds, and temperatures increase. Predictive information will prove priceless before launching into full-scale mitigation strategies funded by taxpayers. By their admission, Crowther Lab (CL) are only in the Alpha Stage and several updates away from being able to exercise the tools on their site without reserve. So far, the bulk of their data arises from North and South America with very little from India and other Asian countries.
In the context of India, Crowther Lab provides constructive insights, in that the ‘Fungal Biomass’ layer on their map feature shows Indian Mycorrhizal health in a state of severe degradation. It benefits India's mitigation strategists to understand they need to focus on regaining soil health before they can embark on reforestation missions. Crowther Lab also provides definitive insight on why attempts at afforestation fail.
Prior to India's population explosion, its landmass was once dense savannas and forests. It's no wonder why the ‘Forest Potential’ layer on the Crowther Lab website paints a promising picture for India's reforestation potential. Conclusions on reforestation potential can not be drawn based on any one piece of information viewed in isolation. India’s ever-growing population makes land available for reforestation very scarce. The Indian government is continually struggling between maintaining and improving environmental integrity vs. the economy. India's minister for transport Mr. Nitin Gadkari, recently went on record to ask if citizens wanted their limited funds spent on strengthening the economy, or on protecting the environment. This is a clear indication that the ministry does not appreciate the economic and social destruction climate change will cause.
Indian environmental advocates believe prioritising development over environmental protection is equivalent to moving one step forward and ten steps backward. They insist that scientists with relevant expertise are introduced to all developmental policy panels and are given voting rights that equal those of bureaucrats and politicians.