To combat climate change, trees and forests are vital. Absorbing CO2 through photosynthesis helps us reduce the amount of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere and, consequently, to be able to contribute to preventing temperatures from rising.
Following the Climate Summit and the Paris Agreement, a greenhouse gas emission limit has been established to reduce the effects of climate change. Spain's forest cover, which covers more than half of the country's surface, it is key to being able to fulfill these commitments.
The importance of the forest mass
Since climate change targets were established, forests have become an essential element and have taken on a leading role in sustainability. They are a very useful tool in the fight against climate change, as they are important carbon sinks.
Every year, the great forests they set more than 24% of the total CO2 emissions produced in Spain. Hence the importance of increasing forested areas and improving the quality of existing forests. A decline in forests due to recurrent fires or a severe rise in temperatures would have a fatal impact on greenhouse gas emissions, reducing or even nullifying the mitigating capacity of forest stands. Therefore, taking good care of them is synonymous with good environmental management. Furthermore, it is crucial to consider the effects of deforestation on global warming and how this phenomenon affects the health of forests.
Objectives of the Paris Agreement
The objectives of the Paris Agreement that Spain ratified on November 30 reach a reduction in greenhouse gas emissions by 26% by 2030 of those sectors that are diffuse (such as transport, agriculture, waste or buildings) and 43% of those emissions corresponding to the industrial sector. Emissions must be reduced with respect to the polluting levels that existed in 2005.
In order to achieve the goals set by the Paris Agreement, trees play a vital role as carbon sinks. Thanks to them, we are able to reduce the amount of CO2 in the atmosphere. However, due to a lack of management or income, forests are increasingly abandoned and are not adequately cared for to prevent forest fires, promote ecological balance, and contribute to biodiversity conservation. We must remember that forests are sustainable only through their environmental, social, and economic management. The need for investing in green infrastructure It is essential to better adapt to climate change and to ensure the conservation of our forests.
Forest conservation
According to the Spanish Association for Forest Sustainability (PEFC), trees can improve the life of cities, since their strategic placement It is capable of cooling the air between 2 and 8 degrees centigrade. In addition, forests provide wood that gives us a greater amount of energy than the sun, water or wind does, constituting 40% of the current renewable energy supply in the world.
According to the environmental organization WWF, two-thirds of the planet's forests have been lost in the last 10.000 years. This trend persists due to illegal logging and their conversion for intensive agriculture. The environmental organization recommends taking a thorough inventory of forest resources, their biodiversity, and their social implications so that actions in the forest do not jeopardize their future, "taking into account the environmental, social, and economic dimensions." It is also important to be aware of how the forests with the greatest biodiversity They are more resilient to drought and can play a crucial role in the fight against climate change.
However, the panorama in Spain is another story. Here there is no profitable forest management, since there is no market for products extracted from the forest; it is either very marginal or has very low prices. In addition, one must take into account how Climate change negatively affects conifers, putting the health of our forests at risk.
Also, WWF considers as fundamental the creation of advisory bodies and the equitable public participation of all agents interested in forests from an environmental, social and economic perspective.
As you can see, the fight against climate change has a great ally, which, even in Spain, is not widely taken into account. Furthermore, it is vital that efforts be made to ensure that the country does not continue in a situation where do not address climate change and where forests continue to be forgotten on the environmental agenda.