The Need for Fast Near-Term Climate Mitigation to Slow Feedbacks and Tipping Points
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The Role of Reforestation in Carbon Sequestration
New Forests (2019) 50:115–137 https://doi.org/10.1007/s11056-018-9655-3 The role of reforestation in carbon sequestration L. E. Nave1,2 · B. F. Walters3 · K. L. Hofmeister4 · C. H. Perry3 · U. Mishra5 · G. M. Domke3 · C. W. Swanston6 Received: 12 October 2017 / Accepted: 24 June 2018 / Published online: 9 July 2018 © Springer Nature B.V. 2018 Abstract In the United States (U.S.), the maintenance of forest cover is a legal mandate for federally managed forest lands. More broadly, reforestation following harvesting, recent or historic disturbances can enhance numerous carbon (C)-based ecosystem services and functions. These include production of woody biomass for forest products, and mitigation of atmos- pheric CO2 pollution and climate change by sequestering C into ecosystem pools where it can be stored for long timescales. Nonetheless, a range of assessments and analyses indicate that reforestation in the U.S. lags behind its potential, with the continuation of ecosystem services and functions at risk if reforestation is not increased. In this context, there is need for multiple independent analyses that quantify the role of reforestation in C sequestration, from ecosystems up to regional and national levels. Here, we describe the methods and report the fndings of a large-scale data synthesis aimed at four objectives: (1) estimate C storage in major ecosystem pools in forest and other land cover types; (2) quan- tify sources of variation in ecosystem C pools; (3) compare the impacts of reforestation and aforestation on C pools; (4) assess whether these results hold or diverge across ecore- gions. -
Ecological Consequences of Sea-Ice Decline Eric Post Et Al
SPECIALSECTION 31. K. B. Ritchie, Mar. Ecol. Prog. Ser. 322,1–14 (2006). 52. C. Moritz, R. Agudo, Science 341, 504–508 (2013). 71. A. J. McMichael, Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A. 109, 32. B. Humair et al., ISME J. 3, 955–965 (2009). 53. C. D. Thomas et al., Nature 427, 145–148 4730–4737 (2012). 33. D. Corsaro, G. Greub, Clin. Microbiol. Rev. 19,283–297 (2006). (2004). 72. T. Wheeler, J. von Braun, Science 341, 508–513 34. W. Jetz et al., PLoS Biol. 5, e157 (2007). 54. Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, Summary (2013). 35. B. J. Cardinale et al., Nature 486,59–67 (2012). for Policymakers. Climate Change 2007: The Physical 73. S. S. Myers, J. A. Patz, Annu. Rev. Environ. Resour. 34, 36. P. T. J. Johnson, J. T. Hoverman, Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A. Science Basis. Contribution of Working Group I to the Fourth 223–252 (2009). 109,9006–9011 (2012). Assessment Report of the Intergovernmental Panel on 74. C. A. Deutsch et al., Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A. 105, 37. F. Keesing et al., Nature 468, 647–652 (2010). Climate Change (Cambridge Univ. Press, New York, 2007). 6668–6672 (2008). 38. P. H. Hobbelen, M. D. Samuel, D. Foote, L. Tango, 55. S. Laaksonen et al., EcoHealth 7,7–13 (2010). D. A. LaPointe, Theor. Ecol. 6,31–44 (2013). 56. O. Gilg et al., Ann. N. Y. Acad. Sci. 1249, 166–190 (2012). Acknowledgments: This work was supported in part by an NSF 39. T. -
Long-Term Carbon Sink in Borneo's Forests Halted by Drought
Corrected: Publisher correction ARTICLE DOI: 10.1038/s41467-017-01997-0 OPEN Long-term carbon sink in Borneo’s forests halted by drought and vulnerable to edge effects Lan Qie et al. Less than half of anthropogenic carbon dioxide emissions remain in the atmosphere. While carbon balance models imply large carbon uptake in tropical forests, direct on-the-ground observations are still lacking in Southeast Asia. Here, using long-term plot monitoring records fi −1 1234567890 of up to half a century, we nd that intact forests in Borneo gained 0.43 Mg C ha per year (95% CI 0.14–0.72, mean period 1988–2010) in above-ground live biomass carbon. These results closely match those from African and Amazonian plot networks, suggesting that the world’s remaining intact tropical forests are now en masse out-of-equilibrium. Although both pan-tropical and long-term, the sink in remaining intact forests appears vulnerable to climate and land use changes. Across Borneo the 1997–1998 El Niño drought temporarily halted the carbon sink by increasing tree mortality, while fragmentation persistently offset the sink and turned many edge-affected forests into a carbon source to the atmosphere. Correspondence and requests for materials should be addressed to L.Q. (email: [email protected]) #A full list of authors and their affliations appears at the end of the paper NATURE COMMUNICATIONS | 8: 1966 | DOI: 10.1038/s41467-017-01997-0 | www.nature.com/naturecommunications 1 ARTICLE NATURE COMMUNICATIONS | DOI: 10.1038/s41467-017-01997-0 ver the past half-century land and ocean carbon sinks Nevertheless, crucial evidence required to establish whether the have removed ~55% of anthropogenic CO2 emissions to forest sink is pan-tropical remains missing. -
The Risks of Large-Scale Biosequestration in the Context of Carbon Dioxide Removal Globalforestcoalition.Org/Risks-Of-Large-Scale-Biosequestration
Read the full working paper: The risks of large-scale biosequestration in the context of Carbon Dioxide Removal globalforestcoalition.org/risks-of-large-scale-biosequestration Background photo: Ben Beiske/Flickr The Paris Agreement and support for The negative ecological and social Governance is key! bioenergy and monoculture tree Plantations often impacts of monoculture tree In principle, addressing climate change through biosequestration requires multi-scale replace natural forests, such as governance options that succeed in translating a global environmental policy objective into local plantations this palm oil plantation in Peru. plantations action. But global actors like transnational corporations, international financial institutions and Mathias Rittgerott/Rainforest Rescue powerful, hegemonic governments have far more political and economic power than local The Paris Agreement has set an ambitious target If implemented at the scales envisaged, both BECCS and afforestation rightsholder groups like women and Indigenous Peoples. These global actors have an economic of limiting global temperature rise to 1.5°C. will require vast areas of land for the establishment of industrial interest in relatively cheap or even commercially profitable forms of biosequestration, and large- But the explicit reference to achieving "a monoculture tree plantations. One estimate suggests that using scale monocultures of trees and other crops tend to qualify well in that respect. These actors will balance between anthropogenic emissions BECCS to limit the global temperature rise to 2°C would require crops subsequently be inclined to use arguments that align their economic interests with a discourse of by sources and removals by sinks of to be planted solely for the purpose of CO2 removal on up to 580 global biosphere stewardship, claiming large-scale biosequestration is one of the few remaining greenhouse gases" has put a strong focus million hectares of land, equivalent to around one-third of the current options to effectively address climate change. -
1,1,1,2-Tetrafluoroethane
This report contains the collective views of an international group of experts and does not necessarily represent the decisions or the stated policy of the United Nations Environment Programme, the International Labour Organisation, or the World Health Organization. Concise International Chemical Assessment Document 11 1,1,1,2-Tetrafluoroethane First draft prepared by Mrs P. Barker and Mr R. Cary, Health and Safety Executive, Liverpool, United Kingdom, and Dr S. Dobson, Institute of Terrestrial Ecology, Huntingdon, United Kingdom Please not that the layout and pagination of this pdf file are not identical to the printed CICAD Published under the joint sponsorship of the United Nations Environment Programme, the International Labour Organisation, and the World Health Organization, and produced within the framework of the Inter-Organization Programme for the Sound Management of Chemicals. World Health Organization Geneva, 1998 The International Programme on Chemical Safety (IPCS), established in 1980, is a joint venture of the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), the International Labour Organisation (ILO), and the World Health Organization (WHO). The overall objectives of the IPCS are to establish the scientific basis for assessment of the risk to human health and the environment from exposure to chemicals, through international peer review processes, as a prerequisite for the promotion of chemical safety, and to provide technical assistance in strengthening national capacities for the sound management of chemicals. The Inter-Organization -
New Facts and Additional Information Supporting the Cop16
NOVEMBER 2012 NRDC ISSUE PAPER IP:12-11-A New Facts and Additional Information Supporting the CoP16 Polar Bear Proposal Submitted by the United States of America About NRDC NRDC (Natural Resources Defense Council) is a national nonprofit environmental organization with more than 1.3 million members and online activists. Since 1970, our lawyers, scientists, and other environmental specialists have worked to protect the world’s natural resources, public health, and the environment. NRDC has offices in New York City, Washington, D.C., Los Angeles, San Francisco, Chicago, Montana, and Beijing. Visit us at www.nrdc.org. NRDC’s policy publications aim to inform and influence solutions to the world’s most pressing environmental and public health issues. For additional policy content, visit our online policy portal at www.nrdc.org/policy. NRDC Director of Communications: Phil Gutis NRDC Deputy Director of Communications: Lisa Goffredi NRDC Policy Publications Director: Alex Kennaugh Lead Editor: Design and Production: www.suerossi.com Cover photo © Paul Shoul: paulshoulphotography.com © Natural Resources Defense Council 2012 n October 4, 2012, the United States, supported by the Russian Federation, submitted a proposal to transfer the polar bear, Ursus maritimus, from OAppendix II to Appendix I of the Convention in accordance with Article II and Resolution Conf. 9.24 (Rev. CoP15) on the basis that the polar bear is affected by trade and shows a marked decline in the population size in the wild, which has been inferred or projected on the basis of a decrease in area of habitat and a decrease in quality of habitat. Pursuant to the Convention, “Appendix I shall include all species threatened with extinction which are or may be affected by trade.” CITES Article II, paragraph 1. -
Protect Us from Climate Change
INTRODUCTION This project documents both the existing value and potential of New England’s working forest lands: Value – not only in terms of business opportunities, jobs and income – but also nonfinancial values, such as enhanced wildlife populations, recreation opportunities and a healthful environment. This project of the New England Forestry Foundation (NEFF) is aimed at enhancing the contribution the region’s forests can make to sustainability, and is intended to complement other efforts aimed at not only conserving New England’s forests, but also enhancing New England’s agriculture and fisheries. New England’s forests have sustained the six-state region since colonial settlement. They have provided the wood for buildings, fuel to heat them, the fiber for papermaking, the lumber for ships, furniture, boxes and barrels and so much more. As Arizona is defined by its desert landscapes and Iowa by its farms, New England is defined by its forests. These forests provide a wide range of products beyond timber, including maple syrup; balsam fir tips for holiday decorations; paper birch bark for crafts; edibles such as berries, mushrooms and fiddleheads; and curatives made from medicinal plants. They are the home to diverse and abundant wildlife. They are the backdrop for hunting, fishing, hiking, skiing and camping. They also provide other important benefits that we take for granted, including clean air, potable water and carbon storage. In addition to tangible benefits that can be measured in board feet or cords, or miles of hiking trails, forests have been shown to be important to both physical and mental health. Beyond their existing contributions, New England’s forests have unrealized potential. -
Carbon Dynamics of Subtropical Wetland Communities in South Florida DISSERTATION Presented in Partial Fulfillment of the Require
Carbon Dynamics of Subtropical Wetland Communities in South Florida DISSERTATION Presented in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree Doctor of Philosophy in the Graduate School of The Ohio State University By Jorge Andres Villa Betancur Graduate Program in Environmental Science The Ohio State University 2014 Dissertation Committee: William J. Mitsch, Co-advisor Gil Bohrer, Co-advisor James Bauer Jay Martin Copyrighted by Jorge Andres Villa Betancur 2014 Abstract Emission and uptake of greenhouse gases and the production and transport of dissolved organic matter in different wetland plant communities are key wetland functions determining two important ecosystem services, climate regulation and nutrient cycling. The objective of this dissertation was to study the variation of methane emissions, carbon sequestration and exports of dissolved organic carbon in wetland plant communities of a subtropical climate in south Florida. The plant communities selected for the study of methane emissions and carbon sequestration were located in a natural wetland landscape and corresponded to a gradient of inundation duration. Going from the wettest to the driest conditions, the communities were designated as: deep slough, bald cypress, wet prairie, pond cypress and hydric pine flatwood. In the first methane emissions study, non-steady-state rigid chambers were deployed at each community sequentially at three different times of the day during a 24- month period. Methane fluxes from the different communities did not show a discernible daily pattern, in contrast to a marked increase in seasonal emissions during inundation. All communities acted at times as temporary sinks for methane, but overall were net -2 -1 sources. Median and mean + standard error fluxes in g CH4-C.m .d were higher in the deep slough (11 and 56.2 + 22.1), followed by the wet prairie (9.01 and 53.3 + 26.6), bald cypress (3.31 and 5.54 + 2.51) and pond cypress (1.49, 4.55 + 3.35) communities. -
Recent Declines in Warming and Vegetation Greening Trends Over Pan-Arctic Tundra
Remote Sens. 2013, 5, 4229-4254; doi:10.3390/rs5094229 OPEN ACCESS Remote Sensing ISSN 2072-4292 www.mdpi.com/journal/remotesensing Article Recent Declines in Warming and Vegetation Greening Trends over Pan-Arctic Tundra Uma S. Bhatt 1,*, Donald A. Walker 2, Martha K. Raynolds 2, Peter A. Bieniek 1,3, Howard E. Epstein 4, Josefino C. Comiso 5, Jorge E. Pinzon 6, Compton J. Tucker 6 and Igor V. Polyakov 3 1 Geophysical Institute, Department of Atmospheric Sciences, College of Natural Science and Mathematics, University of Alaska Fairbanks, 903 Koyukuk Dr., Fairbanks, AK 99775, USA; E-Mail: [email protected] 2 Institute of Arctic Biology, Department of Biology and Wildlife, College of Natural Science and Mathematics, University of Alaska, Fairbanks, P.O. Box 757000, Fairbanks, AK 99775, USA; E-Mails: [email protected] (D.A.W.); [email protected] (M.K.R.) 3 International Arctic Research Center, Department of Atmospheric Sciences, College of Natural Science and Mathematics, 930 Koyukuk Dr., Fairbanks, AK 99775, USA; E-Mail: [email protected] 4 Department of Environmental Sciences, University of Virginia, 291 McCormick Rd., Charlottesville, VA 22904, USA; E-Mail: [email protected] 5 Cryospheric Sciences Branch, NASA Goddard Space Flight Center, Code 614.1, Greenbelt, MD 20771, USA; E-Mail: [email protected] 6 Biospheric Science Branch, NASA Goddard Space Flight Center, Code 614.1, Greenbelt, MD 20771, USA; E-Mails: [email protected] (J.E.P.); [email protected] (C.J.T.) * Author to whom correspondence should be addressed; E-Mail: [email protected]; Tel.: +1-907-474-2662; Fax: +1-907-474-2473. -
Key Figures on Climate France and Worldwide 2016 Edition
Highlights Key figures on climate France and worldwide 2016 Edition Service de l’observation et des statistiques www.statistiques.developpement-durable.gouv.fr www.i4ce.org Key figures on climate France and worldwide Part 1 Climate change 1.1 Global warming .......................................................................................................................................................................................................................... 2 1.2 Consequences of climate change .....................................................................................................................................................................3 1.3 Climate scenarios and carbon budgets ....................................................................................................................................................5 1.4 Climate forecasts .......................................................................................................................................................................................................................7 1.5 Greenhouse effect ....................................................................................................................................................................................................................9 1.6 Greenhouse gases ...............................................................................................................................................................................................................10 -
Compilation of Abstracts
International Workshop on Cultural Heritage Facing Climate Change: Experiences and Ideas for Resilience and Adaptation 18-19 May 2017, Ravello Italy Compilation of abstracts BIANCONI Patrizia, Rome. JPI on Cultural Heritage (JPIH), Italy The joint programming initiative on cultural heritage and global change (JPI CH) is one of the 10 initiatives launched in 2009 by the Council of the European Union with the scope of promoting all actions that can foster research and research planning both in academics and business domains. The aim is to face global challenges by defining a European common research area where R&D activities are channelled through innovation knowledge transfer. In particular, JPI CH is been working on developing this common area of research on Cultural Heritage that is to be intended as comprehensive field including three main dimensions: tangible, intangible and digital. The main objective of JPI CH is to promote the safeguarding of Cultural Heritage in its broader meaning: climate change, protection and security, uses of cultural heritage by society. The strong relationship between Cultural Heritage, technological innovation and economic development allows for further considerations within the European framework of challenges and competitiveness. BRATASZ Lucas, New York. Institute for the Preservation of Cultural Heritage, Yale University, USA. Impact of climate change on clay and organic materials Global climate change impact on cultural heritage objects has been much researched in recent years. Several risks leading to the degradation of objects in outdoor and indoor exposure have been considered encompassing chemical, biological, physical, structural and mechanical processes. However, there is no consensus between professionals how to assess risk of mechanical damage to heritage objects caused by the environmental fluctuation. -
AMAP Update on Selected Climate Issues of Concern: Observations, Short-Lived Climate Forcers, Arctic Carbon Cycle, and Predictive Capability
DRAFT: FOR RESTRICTED CIRCULATION FOR REVIEW PURPOSES ONLY. DO NO CITE, COPY OR DISTRIBUTE Version approved by AMAP WG, 14 January 2009 AMAP Update on Selected Climate Issues of Concern: Observations, Short-lived Climate Forcers, Arctic Carbon Cycle, and Predictive Capability EXECUTIVE SUMMARY C1. The Arctic Climate Impact Assessment and the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change have established the importance of climate change in the Arctic both regionally and globally. Following those reports, emphasis has been placed on continued observations, a new assessment of the Arctic carbon cycle, the role of short lived climate forcers in the Arctic, and the need for improved predictive capacity at the regional level in the Arctic. C2. The Arctic continues to warm. Since publication of the Arctic Climate Impact Assessment in 2005, several indicators show further and extensive climate change at rates faster than previously anticipated. Air temperatures are increasing in the Arctic. Sea ice extent has decreased sharply, with a record low in 2007 and ice-free conditions in both the Northeast and Northwest sea passages for first time in recorded history in 2008. As ice that persists for several years (multi- year ice) is replaced by newly formed (first-year) ice, the Arctic sea-ice is becoming increasingly vulnerable to melting. Surface waters in the Arctic Ocean are warming. Permafrost is warming and, at its margins, thawing. Snow cover in the Northern Hemisphere is decreasing by 1-2% per year. Glaciers are shrinking and the melt area of the Greenland Ice Cap is increasing. The treeline is moving northwards in some areas up to 3-10 meters per year, and there is increased shrub growth north of the treeline.