Conversion from coniferous to broadleaved trees can make European forests more climate-effective

Yi Yao (), Petra Sieber, Mathias Hauser, Jonas Schwaab, Felix Jäger, Fulden Batibeniz, Meri Räty, Julia Pongratz, Martin Wild, Andrey Lessa Derci Augustynczik, Steven J. Hertog, Verena C. Griess, Michael G. Windisch, Jun Ge, Alessio Collalti, Fulvio Fulvio, Peter Havlik and Sonia I. Seneviratne
Additional contact information
Yi Yao: ETH Zurich
Petra Sieber: ETH Zurich
Mathias Hauser: ETH Zurich
Jonas Schwaab: Leibniz Universität Hannover
Felix Jäger: ETH Zurich
Fulden Batibeniz: ETH Zurich
Meri Räty: Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München (LMU)
Julia Pongratz: Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München (LMU)
Martin Wild: ETH Zurich
Andrey Lessa Derci Augustynczik: International Institute for Applied Systems Analysis
Steven J. Hertog: Ghent University
Verena C. Griess: ETH Zurich
Michael G. Windisch: ETH Zurich
Jun Ge: Nanjing University
Alessio Collalti: Institute for Agriculture and Forestry Systems in the Mediterranean-National Research Council of Italy (CNR-ISAFOM)
Fulvio Fulvio: International Institute for Applied Systems Analysis
Sonia I. Seneviratne: ETH Zurich

Nature Communications, 2025, vol. 16, issue 1, 1-12

Abstract: Abstract The climate effectiveness of forestation in Europe is debated, as it may provide more warming via solar energy absorption than evaporative cooling. Since forests play an important role in European climate policy, it is necessary to explore potential solutions to this issue in a warmer world. Here, based on experiments conducted with a regional climate model under several forest change scenarios, we find that conversion from coniferous to broadleaved trees in currently forested areas can provide cooling for summer hot extremes (e.g., reducing the monthly mean daily maximum temperature in July over Continental Europe by 0.6 °C). The conversion can also mitigate the undesired warming impacts of forestation with present-day forest composition in most of Europe, e.g., reversing effects on the monthly mean daily maximum temperature in July over Continental Europe from +0.3 °C to −0.7 °C. This study highlights the importance of considering tree species in European forest policy development and suggests that the Northern and Central regions should be prioritised for forestation over the Western and Southern parts.

Date: 2025
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DOI: 10.1038/s41467-025-64580-y

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