Research report 2016 - Max Planck Institute for Meteorology

Forest and climate – potentials and side-effects of future afforestation

Authors
Pongratz, J.; Sonntag, S.
Departments
Abteilung "Land im Erdsystem", Selbstständige Forschungsgruppe "Forstwirtschaft im Erdsystem"
Summary
Reforestation is a widely discussed measure to combat the increase of atmospheric CO2 concentrations. Earlier studies inferred from the effects of past land use changes to those of future reforestation. The global model simulations presented here show however that the potential of reforestation to sequester CO2 in a warm, CO2-rich world may be larger than anticipated. Adaptation to climate change continues to be necessary, but climate extremes may be dampened by reforestation.

For the full text, see the German version.

Go to Editor View