Amsterdam, Netherlands – Natural forests are an absolute necessity if we are to keep global warming beneath 1.5 degrees, according to the new Greenpeace report: The Impacts of Industrial Logging in The Great Northern Forest. [1] The report shows the latest scientific evidence against industry myths about logging and replanting. A forest living its natural cycle is a more effective tool to help reaching the Paris Climate Agreement goals.
The trees and soils of the Great Northern Forest are the single largest carbon store on Earth’s land surface.[2] Although carbon is taken up during tree regrowth, regular industrial logging reduces carbon storage in the forest ecosystem by lowering average carbon stocks, as well as increasing losses of soil carbon. Further, contrary to industry myths, unlogged forests can take up carbon for centuries.
The main uses of wood from boreal forests are short-lived products, such as fuelwood and paper, which release most of their carbon back to the atmosphere in a just a few years.
“The forestry industry wants consumers to believe that boreal forests are entirely renewable over a short time frame, but this is not true. Contrary to the myths perpetuated by the industry, industrial logging fundamentally damages old growth forests; carving intact nature up into ever smaller fragments and destroying the results of centuries of complex natural interactions. Many aspects of the original forest may recover over time, but only do so over time spans of up to 200 years or more”, says Greenpeace Nordic forest campaigner, Ethan Gilbert.
“Protecting natural forests is important in terms of both carbon storage and carbon uptake, as well as biodiversity and people. The Great Northern Forest is a powerful ally in our fight against climate change”, Gilbert continues.
Greenpeace wants to see a Great Northern Forest that is diverse and resilient, where the rights of Indigenous Peoples are respected and with much greater protected areas. Saving the Great Northern Forest – the evergreen crown of the Earth – is critical for the future of our planet.
Greenpeace also launched today an augmented reality app and is inviting people all over the world to ‘walk’ into the Great Northern Forest themselves.[3] When entering the forest the user of the application is able to find information on how the forest is crucial in saving the climate and join a global movement to support its protection. [4]
ENDS
Notes:
[1] Read the report here.
[2] Read about the Great Northern Forest here.
[3] Download the Arilyn app here.
[4] Scannable image for entering the Great Northern Forest AR and its trailer here.
Contact
Ethan Gilbert, Lead Campaigner for the Great Northern Forest campaign, Greenpeace Nordic, +358 40 630 4577, [email protected]
Juuso Janhunen, Communications Lead for the Great Northern Forest campaign, Greenpeace Nordic, +358 40 482 5541, [email protected]
Greenpeace International Press Desk: +31 (0) 20 718 2470 (available 24 hours), [email protected]