NFUS president brands tree planting schemes a ‘distraction’ in climate change mitigation

He told the union’s annual conference in Glasgow today (February 6) that recently aired targets of planting 100m trees a year globally by 2030 would have unintended consequences.

“We are being told that trees are the solution yet Ben Fogle goes out to Siberia and discovers that the tree canopy is protecting the land surface, heating the permafrost and creating warming,” said Mr McCornick.

“There is no scientific agreement on whether trees will warm or cool the planet. Trees have darker canopies than grassy vegetation absorbing more sunlight and heating the land surface. This is a problem not yet included in the calculations of afforestation by advocates.”