Why trees really matter in the race to decarbonization

Companies around the globe are working to reduce and offset carbon emissions. It’s a critical move to help curb the devastating impacts of climate change, but, as has been said time and time again, there is no silver-bullet solution to this problem.

In all the different strategies being implemented, however, natural climate solutions should consistently be part of these sustainability portfolios. For many organizations, the most effective natural climate solution is planting trees.

In addition to rapidly avoiding and reducing emissions, carbon removal and storage are what will ultimately begin to stabilize a changing climate. Natural climate solutions — reforestation in particular — have lately gained tremendous momentum and awareness for this reason. A proliferation of new global, regional and local tree planting and forest restoration initiatives including the UN Decade on Ecosystem Restoration, the World Economic Forum’s Trillion Trees Platform 1t.org, the Time for Trees initiative and others have been announced in the last few years. When implemented correctly, trees are currently the most cost-effective and best technology for carbon removal and storage.

Beyond that, planting trees provides myriad additional benefits for our planet that other carbon credit strategies cannot. Healthy forests improve air and water quality, provide wildlife habitat, stabilize soils, provide opportunities for recreation, stimulate local economies and more.

Research clearly shows the importance of trees as part of a well-rounded approach to decarbonization, yet forest restoration is getting the least amount of investment. In fact, the National Academy of Sciences states that natural climate solutions have been overlooked by many investors, corporations, and governments even though they are the most cost-effective and scalable technologies to help slow and reverse climate change.

It’s time to change that and more effectively tap into the use of trees as an important part of the climate change solution.

Forestry carbon credits offer more than a means to reach corporate sustainability goals. They help us protect, manage and restore forests which are our carbon sinks with the highest potential.

Our vision is that together with corporations, we can expedite a climate-positive economy that restores forests and communities, while simultaneously empowering people.

There are tangible steps companies can take right now:

The time for trees is now. Trees provide the necessities of life. They clean our air and water while improving biodiversity, soil, health, food production and economies. Trees connect us all. We at the Arbor Day Foundation challenge leaders in the climate-positive movement to take this transformational opportunity to not only work toward carbon neutrality and net-zero, but to also utilize forests and natural climate solutions to stabilize our changing climate.