The Earth is Getting Greener

Australian scientists have analysed 20 years of satellite data and found that the world’s trees and plants now store four billion more tonnes of carbon than they did in 2003.

The report found despite vast amounts of deforestation, making way for agricultural land, the earth is still getting greener. There are a combination of factors contributing to this growth, such as China’s huge planting programme; increased rainfall in Australia, Africa and South America; forest growth in large areas of abandoned former soviet farming lands and increased carbon in the atmosphere improving growing conditions for plants.

Although they may be new forests growing around the world, it does not make the abundance of forest clearances in the Amazon and South East Asia any less damaging. The new plant cover may be storing more of the earth’s carbon, but it does not have the diverse species or quality which the ancient forests have nurtured for millennia.

The report found new forest growth is only half of forest loss.
http://www.twosides.info/UK/The-Earth-is-Getting-Greener

Related Posts

Global forestry and paper industry lowers emissions

The global sustainability performance of the forest product industry is improving, with all aggregate indicators for reporting associations showing progress: •Greenhouse gas emissions intensity was reduced by 17% between 2005 and 2013. •The share of bio-energy in the industry’s fuel mix increased by 8 percentage points, to 61%, since 2005. •The number of hectares certified to a third-party sustainable forest management certification system increased by 41 percentage points, to 52% of wood supply, since 2000. •The global paper recycling rate increased by 11 percentage points, to 58%, between 2001 and 2013.

Misinformation in Mailings and Annual Reports

Two Sides’ efforts to combat misleading claims related to print and paper has resulted in over 400 companies worldwide, including 118 in North America, removing unsubstantiated ‘green’ claims in their marketing materials. Despite our repeated efforts to contact TIAA and BlackRock, they continue to ignore consumer preferences and fact-based research to make unsupported environmental claims in their literature and mailings. Common consumer misconceptions about print and paper are reinforced by service providers as they increasingly encourage their customers to switch to electronic bills, statements, and correspondence to reduce costs. The incentive to switch is often based on unfounded environmental claims such as ‘Go Green – Go Paperless’ and ‘Choose e-billing and help save a tree.’ Not only are these claims misleading, but the drive to digital is not without environmental impacts and not welcomed by many consumers. Click "read more" below for additional information.

Making New Products: Paper Recycling

Every October is an exciting time for the industry as we celebrate National Forest Products Week and get to remind the world of the many benefits of choosing paper and paper packaging. At home, school, the workplace and all points in between, paper, packaging, tissue and wood products provide undeniable value to consumers and communities across the country. And the best part of using forest products for everyday use is they are made from a renewable and recyclable resource. In 2015, the industry recovered 66.8 percent of paper and paperboard in the U.S. And we achieve continuously high recovery rates through the voluntary, market-driven recovery system. Compared to other recyclable commodities, the recovery rate of paper and paper-based packaging from municipal solid waste streams is very high. Promoting increased paper recycling is an integral part of our industry’s sustainable practices. Since AF&PA instituted the first paper recovery goal, the industry has worked with partners to promote increased paper recovery in communities, on college campuses, in schools, and businesses. click Read More below for more of the story
Back To Top
×Close search
Search