Reduce Burning
Put Carbon Back in Plants & Soil
Burning is a huge contributor to C0 2, caused mostly from humans deliberately destroying forests & grasslands.
Historical Damage to Plant and Soil Carbon Stocks BtC
Fossil fuels are plenty bad…
Coal still powers (and pollutes), esp. in the developing world.
Oil /petrol still fuel the internal combustion engines which run >95% of global transportation.
Natural gas is used for industrial energy and home heating.
… but mankind will rely on petroleum products for decades to come. (It’s not about fuel, it’s about irreplaceable petrochemicals, plastics and chemicals.).
Forest and grass fires are bad enough in nature, much worse when deliberately set.
Estimate range from 20- 100 tonnes of CO2 emitted every time one hectare burns.
10% of all forests, or 3-4% of the globe burns each year.
Over 90% of forest fires are caused by humans.
Grass fires are almost always man-made and are largely wasteful.
Often used to clear land for planting, but vital nutrients lost.
Lead to soil erosion, heat-radiating surfaces and water loss.
Best practitioners everywhere no longer burn: better ways exist.
Combined local & international action is required to combat forest & grassland fires.
Examples of things we can do to stop burning.
Educate & Train
Why burning is bad for landowners, local communities and the world as a whole
Alternative strategies: no-till planting, holistic/managed grazing, pay-for-preservation
Reward Alternative Clearing Means
Assistance with new equipment/livestock
Lower taxes
Seed subsidies, etc.
Rehydrate & Prevent
Thinning/pruning overgrown regrowth forests and grasslands mechanically or with livestock
Re-establishment of ground cover and bio-stimulants to accelerate soil regeneration and water retention
Adding shade tolerant under storey crops, e.g. berries
Enact Tough Penalties
Treaty-mandated firefighting required, int’l firefighting teams deployed, culprits billed, int’l courts awarded jurisdiction and “on-site clean up” sentences passed
Broader definition and tougher stance on arson: hold directors responsible if their companies are linked, and forbid insurers from covering such directors
