Plus, shedding light on the overlooked emissions from wood harvesting
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WRI DIGEST
How Blue Carbon Can Tackle the Climate, Biodiversity and Development Crises
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Mangroves, sea grass meadows and salt marshes all sustain local people’s diets and protect shorelines from erosion. But beyond their benefits to coastal communities, these “blue carbon ecosystems” are carbon removal powerhouses, storing 5 times more carbon per area than tropical forests while also absorbing it from the atmosphere 3 times faster. Yet today these ecosystems are under siege and could disappear completely in a century without swift action to protect them. Read more
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Farmers check on mangrove saplings in Situbondo, Indonesia. Expanding mangrove restoration efforts can help protect vulnerable island nations like Indonesia and the Philippines from storm damage and other climate-driven impacts. Photo by Sam Maulidna/Shutterstock
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Adamkaz/iStock
A Paradox in the U.S.’s New Renewable Fuel Standards
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On June 21, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) released its new Renewable Fuel Standards
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(RFS) for 2023-2025. But evidence shows these standards, originally intended to decarbonize transportation, will actually increase carbon emissions. The “renewable fuels” this policy requires are biofuels — produced by crops like corn — which require significant land use for their resource-intensive production, while occupying farmland that could be used for food during a global land squeeze. WRI U.S. Director Dan Lashof examines the consequences of relying on crop-based fuels. Read more
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Anthony Quintano/Flickr
Wildfires’ Impact on Cities Extends Beyond Poor Air Quality
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Smog from wildfires
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in Canada has blanketed cities across North America over the past several weeks, disrupting life for millions as far away as Chicago, New York City and Washington, D.C. These catastrophic wildfires make clear that the impacts of forests extend far beyond their borders. Beyond hazardous air, however, wildfires lead to significant carbon emissions, threaten water security and hurt economies. WRI experts offer five examples of how wildfires can disrupt city life hundreds to thousands of miles away. Read more
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ma li/iStock
The Overlooked Carbon Cost of Wood
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A new paper
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by WRI experts published in Nature sheds light on wood harvesting’s contribution to climate change, something research and policymakers have largely overlooked. The paper estimates that global wood harvests will add 3.2 to 4.2 billion metric tons of greenhouse gases to the atmosphere every year for the next 10 years. For perspective, that’s about 10% of the world’s recent annual CO2 emissions. WRI experts explain how changes in methods — or a reduction — in wood harvesting can help forests absorb more carbon and thus curb climate change. Read more
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Read More EXPERT INSIGHTS
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VITAL VISUALIZATIONS
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Graphic by WRI
Blue carbon ecosystems are so efficient at removing and storing carbon in part because the species of plants they house often grow rapidly, meaning they absorb CO2 from the atmosphere at a fast pace.
UPCOMING EVENTS
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