If the world’s natural forests are allowed to grow and mature rather than being cut down, 226 billion tonnes of carbon could be taken out of the atmosphere, according to a major international study.
That would remove around 30 percent of carbon emissions from the atmosphere.
The scientists stress that allowing natural forest recovery would boost conservation, biodiversity and foster sustainable forestry management but to tackle climate change would still require countries to massively reduce emissions.
Undertaken by hundreds of scientists from around the world, the study gives a major insight into how natural ecosystems - if given the chance - can reduce the impact of climate change.
Professor Oliver Phillips, from the School of Geography at the University of Leeds and one of the scientists involved in the study, said teams of researchers from across the Amazon had been involved in "frontline assessments” of the health of the world’s largest rainforest as part of the investigation.
Read more at: University of Leeds
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