FOREST AREA (% OF LAND AREA) IN WORLD
30.825 % in 2015
30.88% in 2011
31.1% in 2010
31.4% in 1990
How do you think? Would it be enough to stop adverse effects for Earth ecology?
Country 2015 (needed difference):
Australia 16.2 (+18.8)
China 22.2 (+12.8)
France 31 (+4)
India 23.8 (+11.2)
Mexico 34 (+1)
Poland 30.8 (+4.2)
USA 33.9 (+1.1)
http://data.worldbank.org/indicator/AG.LND.FRST.ZS
I agree that it is sad to see a decline in the global forest. While it is great to achieve any increase in forest cover, the biggest threat to rapid loss in some countries. Preventing such loss and allowing forests to recover will be a good goal for sustaining earth system. The 35% goal assumes similar benefits and costs (from the loss in ecosystem services) of forest loss. I recommend having variable forest area goals to match the extent of damage to a country's ecosystem and contribution to global loss. For example, forest in urban areas have a greater benefit to the country (reduced stormwater loss, energy savings) and highly urbanizing countries should try to achieve a higher percent of forest cover. Another criterion is C-sequestration. Reducing emissions through reducing deforestation while matching forest sequestration to capture the emissions should be another goal of such forest programs.
I agree with the previous answer suggesting REDD as well as forest restoration where it will be most useful. However, it's important to be careful about pushing to achieve arbitrary targets. As restoration plans are unrolled around the developing world, there is a very good chance that landscapes where people are poorer and more vulnerable will be targeted first because opportunity costs are lower there. Healthy, biodiverse and productive mosaic agricultural lands are vulnerable to conversion to monocultural tree plantations and counted as "restoration." Local approaches and informed adoption are key.
What ecology you want to rescue, dear Barbara? Once in a time there has been a planet wit an ecology without any trees! Why was this not rescued???
Dear Prof. Schnug,
It's true. Once there was no life on Earth, as well.
Does it mean that we have to look indifferently as all the traces of life will gradually, one by one, vanish here?
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