Forest list archive: msg00006

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CO2 sequestration



Dear FOREST-readers,

>From the recent contribution copied below to the list, it seems to me as
some foresters thinks it's a solution to global warming to make distubances
in natural forests to keep up CO2 sequestrations? I am shocked! Earlier I
have also seen arguments on the benefits of making large scale plantations
to squestrate CO2. Plantations have even been made in the South by electric
companies in the North to compensate for establishment of new power plants.
By promoting such practise plantations will in the end occupy territorry
that could otherwise be used by poor farmers.

I find such solutions unethical from a biological and social view point.

If you look at sequestration rates, trees are not very efficient for this
purpose. As an example, sea water have a much higher CO2 binding capacity.
Thus, enlarging the contactsurface between sea water and the atmosphere
would very likely be much more efficient. This could be done by just
breaking down some dams. This is ofcorse a joke since this solution is just
as unacceptable to human societies.

A much more rational and far sighted approach will be to direct activities
and investments into a Global attempt of reducing the EMISSIONS. This could
be done by development and introduction of cleaner technology and putting
constraints on use of products which causes relatively high contribution to
the atmospheric CO2 pool.

To make plantations or "disturbe" natural forests with the purpose of
removing CO2 will not deal with the problems but only the  symptoms.

...I probably entered a mine field ;-)              - but look forward to a
debate on this subject

Best regards,

Thor Hjarsen
Centre for Tropical Biodiversity
University of Copenhagen
Universitetsparken 15, 2100 Copenhagen
Fax: + 45 35 32 10 10
E-mail: THjarsen@zmuc.ku.dk
 ----------
From: owner-forest
To: Multiple recipients of list FOREST
Subject: Natural Steady State Carbon Storage [Fwd]
Date: DD May YYYY 10:23

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From: Jonathan Adams <jonathan@elvis.esd.ornl.gov>
Subject: Re: Fgdc veg standards
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By the way, in case you're interested, I'm putting together an inventory on
the web of 'natural steady state' carbon storage in world ecosystems. This
is
a
really neglected area; how long will carbon keep accumulating in forests if
we leave them to revert to a natural state? I'm putting forward some fugures
here for
discussion.

The introductory URL to this set of pages is;

http://www.esd.ornl.gov/ern/qen/carbon1.html


   I'd be grateful if you could forward this to the folks on the list.


   Thanks,

   Jonathan Adams



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