Worldwide Tree Planting as a “Solution” Against Climate Change Also Threatens Grassland Ecosystems: A Review

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Climate change is considered one of the most pressing environmental issue confronting mankind today. This is caused mainly by greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions which have been the leading driving force behind global warming. To change this scenario strict policies are being adopted to reduce GHG emissions and achieve the Paris Agreement climate target. The need for GHG reduction also emphasizes the importance of land-use in terms of mitigation, as it plays a critical role in carbon absorption. Thus, tree planting is becoming more common as a method for combating climate change at a moderate cost. However, based on the existing scientific evidence, the benefits of afforestation for climate and biodiversity are highly context-dependent, and the result of afforestation is often debatable. Afforestation can cause major modification in the environment, resulting in greenhouse emissions and habitat depletion. Low-intensity grasslands also contribute significantly to both habitat restoration and carbon capture. Nonetheless, many of these grasslands have been lost as a result of abandonment and subsequent afforestation. Therefore, the UNFCCC should reconsider forest expansion policies, as other ecosystems also maintain a large amount of stored carbon and are of great ecological importance.

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Grasslands, afforestation, climate change, land-use change, environmental policy
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