Neglected secondary forests offer untapped carbon removal boost

New research highlights that naturally-regenerating forests, often overlooked in climate policies, could remove carbon up to eight times faster than newly planted trees.

Scientists say secondary forests, which regrow naturally after land clearing, hold huge potential for absorbing planet-warming carbon dioxide. A study published in the journal Nature Climate Change finds these forests, typically between 20 and 40 years old, can sequester carbon far more rapidly than new plantations.

Yet, across tropical regions, only 6% of such forests survive beyond two decades, often cleared again for agriculture or lost to fires and pests.

Researchers warn that current conservation policies like Brazil's Amazon Soy Moratorium ignore these young forests, making them vulnerable to further destruction.

Experts say tapping into this overlooked resource could help countries meet net-zero targets faster and cheaper.

Scientists are urging governments to revise land-use and deforestation policies to protect secondary forests long enough to deliver climate benefits.

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