We need to reduce emissions now, as we are already committed to a warmer climate and extreme events from past and current emissions. Terrestrial ecosystems, mostly forests, remove about 30% of the annual carbon emissions from all sources

There are proposals for technological solutions to reduce emissions, but they are costly and a long way from being implemented, and some have unintended consequences.

We need both climate adaptation and mitigation with respect to forests. For example, the recent large fires on the west coast US were driven by extreme drought, heat and wind. Adaptation strategies in terms of wildfire first require us to acknowledge that reducing fire fuels does not prevent fire occurrence and will not change wildfire trends. We need to focus fuels reduction around residences and to harden homes to make them more resistant to fire, and prevent new developments in fire prone areas. This means shifting resources and management.

Most scientists agree we need to focus mitigation efforts on natural climate solutions. Although technological advances have been suggested, they are costly, some have negative consequences, and are not yet ready for implementation. Whereas, we need to let forests to continue the good job they are doing by removing 30% of the emissions from the atmosphere. It is the low hanging fruit. Letting forests grow and establishing forest carbon preserves, and reforesting areas that have experienced stand replacing disturbances are the most effective means. Beverly Law is Emeritus Professor of Global Change Biology & Terrestrial Systems Science at Oregon State University. She is a terrestrial ecosystems ecologist with expertise in the role of forests in climate change mitigation and adaptation, and the effects of climate, natural disturbances and management activities on forest carbon and water.

She has an undergraduate degree in forest management, and PhD in forest science. She is a fellow of the American Geophysical Union and the Leopold Leadership Program.

She has published more than 200 refereed journal articles, including publication of the year award from the World Meteorological Organization, and awarded highly cited researcher for production of multiple highly cited papers that rank in the top 1% across fields globally. She was a co-author of the National Climate Assessment and the National Research Council’s report, “Verifying Greenhouse Gas Emissions: Methods to Support International Climate Agreements.” She was Science Chair of the AmeriFlux research network of over 100 sites in the Americas, and Chair of the UN programme Global Terrestrial Observation System – Terrestrial Carbon Observations (GTOS-TCO). Her 30 years of research includes the effects of climate, wildfire and management on forest carbon processes, and related emissions to the atmosphere at multiple scales from ecosystems to regional and global. This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community. Learn more at https://www.ted.com/tedx