Plant trees to achieve carbon neutrality? It's not that simple, say environmentalists

Research in a moorland region of England shows that reforestation is insufficient to address the climate pressures facing forests. Photo: AFP

Research in a moorland region of England shows that reforestation is insufficient to address the climate pressures facing forests. However, informed livestock management and strategic tree planting could limit losses, the study suggests.

The United Kingdom, as well as China, Saudi Arabia, Japan and South Korea, have set themselves the goal of becoming carbon-neutral in the coming decades. In other words, these countries aim to store as much carbon as they emit.

This is an ambitious goal, which often relies on financing large-scale projects to create carbon sinks, such as planting trees.Indispensable in the fight against climate change, forests represent (along with oceans) one of the most powerful carbon sinks in the world.

The solution therefore seems simple and within reach. But it is actually much more complicated, as several environmental specialists have already pointed out.