Tree Planting Carbon Offsets
Neutral Existence Gift Certificate
Price: Starting @ $25
Posted on Jan 01, 2008 - 05:50 PM
By: Adam Beazley
Tree planting offsets are one of the most controversial types of carbon offsets, and for good reason. Tree planting offsets include planting new forest and re-planting forest. Although these types of offsets sound good, they are vulnerable to allot of criticism.
The overall principle of tree planting offsets hinge on the idea that trees sequester carbon through photosynthesis, where they intake carbon dioxide and water and turn them into oxygen. Unfortunately the supporters of tree planting offsets fail to mention that when a tree dies or if the forest is cleared in the future, all of that stored carbon would be returned to the atmosphere. This actually makes tree planting offsets more of a carbon storage plan or carbon postponing plan as opposed to an actual carbon sequestration offset.
As long as the forest stay alive then it would effectively be making the buyer of the offset,carbon neutral. This can be good as it postpones the effects long enough for our ingenuity to kick in and actually start making some changes in the way we generate and harness energy. Unfortunately according to the IPCC the estimated potential of bio-mitigation options can only offset approximately 10% to 20% of the projected fossil fuel emissions by 2050.
Another interesting fact about tree planting offsets, is that the planting of new forests may initially release some of the terrain’s existing carbon stores into the atmosphere. Specifically, the conversion of peat bogs into oil palm plantations has allegedly made Indonesia the world’s third largest producer of greenhouse gases. You will not see this type of information on any tree planting carbon offset company website as most tree planting offset strategies to date have taken only the first effect into account.
Trees which are planted outside of tropical zones grow three times slower than those planted in tropic zones. Also, because the trees grow so fast in tropical zones, they release more water vapor into the air causing more clouds thereby creating a measurable net cooling effect. unfortunately, trees planted in temperate zones have little or no net global cooling and very little carbon sequestration. This means that any tree planting offset programs which plant trees outside of tropical zones are not very effective in global cooling or carbon sequestration.
According to Ken Caldeira, a study co-author from the Carnegie Institution, “To plant forests outside of the tropics to mitigate climate change is a waste of time. It is only by transforming our energy system and preserving natural habitat, such as forests, that we can maintain a healthy environment. To prevent climate change, we must focus on effective strategies and not just ‘feel-good’ strategies.”
It is with all of this information that Neutral Existence can NOT recommend any type of tree planting carbon offsets. Instead, we do recommend and buy renewable energy carbon offsets, as they have a much more value and very little, if any, negatives.
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