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Forests And Climate Change | Earth Wise

June 17, 2021 By EarthWise Leave a Comment

A carbon sink is anything that absorbs more carbon from the atmosphere than it releases. Examples of carbon sinks include the ocean, soil, and plants. In contrast, a carbon source is anything that releases more carbon into the atmosphere than it absorbs. Volcanic eruptions and burning fossil fuels are two examples.

Forests are among the most important carbon sinks. Trees remove carbon from the air and store it in their trunks, branches, and leaves, and transfer some of it into the soil. But in many regions, deforestation, forest degradation, and the impacts of climate change are weakening these carbon sinks. As a result, some climate activists advocate for large-scale tree-planting campaigns as a way to remove heat-trapping CO2 from the atmosphere and help mitigate climate change.

But according to a new study recently published in the journal Science, planting new trees as a substitute for the direct reduction of greenhouse gas emissions could be a pipe dream. While planting trees is easy, inexpensive, and can help slow climate warming, the ongoing warming would be simultaneously causing the loss of other trees. Instead, the research team says it makes more sense to focus on keeping existing forests healthy so they can continue to act as carbon sinks, and to reduce emissions as much as possible and as quickly as possible.

But keeping forests healthy will require a paradigm shift in forest management. Instead of trying to maintain forests as they were in the 20th century, the research team says forests need to be managed proactively for the changes that can be anticipated.

One thing is clear: We cannot plant our way out of the climate crisis.

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Forests and climate change: ‘We can’t plant our way out of the climate crisis’

Photo, posted August 9, 2015, courtesy of Nicholas A. Tonelli via Flickr.

Earth Wise is a production of WAMC Northeast Public Radio.

30 Million Solar Homes | Earth Wise

March 29, 2021 By EarthWise Leave a Comment

A national coalition made up of more than 230 organizations has launched an initiative called the 30 Million Solar Homes campaign. The goal is to add enough rooftop and community solar energy to power 30 million homes across the U.S. over the next five years. That would be the equivalent of one in four American households.

The major focus of the 30 Million Solar Homes initiative is to rapidly and massively scale programs that help low-income families benefit from solar power. The coalition lists 15 federal policy initiatives including making solar tax incentives more equitable, providing more reliable low-income energy assistance through solar energy, supplementing low-income weatherization assistance with solar energy, and specifically funding solar projects in marginalized communities.

The federal government spends billions of dollars every year to help families to pay their energy costs, but these efforts only serve less than a fifth of the eligible population. Funding rooftop and community solar access for these households would provide long-term financial relief and reduce the need for annual energy bill assistance.

The more than 230 organizations in the coalition represent organizations focused on energy equity, climate, business, environment, faith, and public health. The coalition estimates that executing the plan would create three million good-paying jobs, lower energy bills by at least $20 billion a year, and reduce total annual greenhouse gas emissions by 1.5%.

Over the coming months, the campaign will seek to educate lawmakers and the Biden-Harris Administration about the benefits of distributed solar energy. The vision outlined by the coalition is an ambitious one to say the least.

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