We’ll Always Have Paris: Climate Change Success Runs Through Forests

The landmark climate agreement signed last weekend in Paris is notable for many reasons, including recognition that renewable energy alone won’t solve the climate crisis. Carbon emissions will continue despite best efforts, as the agreement notes, and it says there should be new investment in “negative emissions technologies” to remove carbon from our air. While the phrase might call to mind giant vacuum cleaners or carbon-zapping lasers, the planet already has the perfect carbon scrubbing device in hand–our forests…There are four key steps the U.S. government can take to fully leverage American forests as a major part of the post-Paris climate solution:

1. Keep Forests as Forests
2. Plant More Forests
3. Invest in Science
4. Build With Wood