Accounting for albedo change to identify climate-positive tree cover restoration

Natalia Hasler, Christopher A. Williams (), Vanessa Carrasco Denney, Peter W. Ellis, Surendra Shrestha, Drew E. Terasaki Hart, Nicholas H. Wolff, Samantha Yeo, Thomas W. Crowther, Leland K. Werden and Susan C. Cook-Patton ()
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Natalia Hasler: Clark University
Christopher A. Williams: Clark University
Vanessa Carrasco Denney: The Nature Conservancy
Peter W. Ellis: The Nature Conservancy
Surendra Shrestha: Clark University
Drew E. Terasaki Hart: The Nature Conservancy
Nicholas H. Wolff: The Nature Conservancy
Samantha Yeo: The Nature Conservancy
Thomas W. Crowther: ETH Zurich
Leland K. Werden: ETH Zurich
Susan C. Cook-Patton: The Nature Conservancy

Nature Communications, 2024, vol. 15, issue 1, 1-11

Abstract: Abstract Restoring tree cover changes albedo, which is the fraction of sunlight reflected from the Earth’s surface. In most locations, these changes in albedo offset or even negate the carbon removal benefits with the latter leading to global warming. Previous efforts to quantify the global climate mitigation benefit of restoring tree cover have not accounted robustly for albedo given a lack of spatially explicit data. Here we produce maps that show that carbon-only estimates may be up to 81% too high. While dryland and boreal settings have especially severe albedo offsets, it is possible to find places that provide net-positive climate mitigation benefits in all biomes. We further find that on-the-ground projects are concentrated in these more climate-positive locations, but that the majority still face at least a 20% albedo offset. Thus, strategically deploying restoration of tree cover for maximum climate benefit requires accounting for albedo change and we provide the tools to do so.

Date: 2024
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DOI: 10.1038/s41467-024-46577-1

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