| Titre : |
The role of forests in affecting the Greenhouse gas composition of the atmosphere |
| Type de document : |
texte imprimé |
| Auteurs : |
Richard A. Houghton, Auteur |
| Editeur : |
Chapman and Hall |
| Année de publication : |
1991 |
| Importance : |
p 43-55 |
| Langues : |
Anglais (eng) |
| Catégories : |
SCIENCES DE L'ENVIRONNEMENT
|
| Mots-clés : |
CHANGEMENT CLIMATIQUE COMPOSITION DE L’ATMOSPHERE ROLE DES FORETS DEFORESTATION |
| Résumé : |
The atmospheric concentrations of CO2, CH4 and other greenhouse gases have increased during the last century from fossil fuel combustion, industrial activity, deforestation and probably from the global warming during this same period. Atmospheric CO2 has increased by 25% since the 18th century ; atmospheric CH4 has doubled. The rates of increase are accelerating . Approximately 70% of the total annual emissions of CO2 to the atmosphere is currently from combustion of coal, oil and gas ; 30% is from deforestation. Most of this deforestation is in tropics, and outside the tropics, smaller releases of carbon to the atmosphere are in balance with accumulations of carbon in regrowing forests. The reason for the release of carbon following deforestation is that forests hold 20 to 100 times more carbon per unit area than agricultural lands. With deforestation the carbon held in trees and in the organic matter of soil is oxidized by burning and decay and is released to the atmosphere as CO2.
Future policies can lead either to the complete elimination of tropical forests in the next century with a release of enough CO2 to increase atmospheric concentrations by another 50% or to an expansion of forest area and a withdrawal of CO2 from the atmosphere. The latter alternative would contribute to a stabilization of atmospheric greenhouse gases and would limit the extent of global warming but the contribution would be temporary. The substitution of sustainably managed wood fuels for nonrenewable fossil fuels could reduce the net emissions of CO2 to the atmosphere indefinitely and reverse the century-long accumulation of that greenhouse gas in the atmosphere.
|
| Numéro du document : |
A/MAC |
| Niveau Bibliographique : |
2 |
| Bull1 (Theme principale) : |
METEOROLOGIE ,ATMOSPHERE,CLIMATOLOGIE |
| Bull2 (Theme secondaire) : |
ATMOSPHERE,CLIMATOLOGIE-CONSIDERATION GENERALE |
The role of forests in affecting the Greenhouse gas composition of the atmosphere [texte imprimé] / Richard A. Houghton, Auteur . - Chapman and Hall, 1991 . - p 43-55. Langues : Anglais ( eng)
| Catégories : |
SCIENCES DE L'ENVIRONNEMENT
|
| Mots-clés : |
CHANGEMENT CLIMATIQUE COMPOSITION DE L’ATMOSPHERE ROLE DES FORETS DEFORESTATION |
| Résumé : |
The atmospheric concentrations of CO2, CH4 and other greenhouse gases have increased during the last century from fossil fuel combustion, industrial activity, deforestation and probably from the global warming during this same period. Atmospheric CO2 has increased by 25% since the 18th century ; atmospheric CH4 has doubled. The rates of increase are accelerating . Approximately 70% of the total annual emissions of CO2 to the atmosphere is currently from combustion of coal, oil and gas ; 30% is from deforestation. Most of this deforestation is in tropics, and outside the tropics, smaller releases of carbon to the atmosphere are in balance with accumulations of carbon in regrowing forests. The reason for the release of carbon following deforestation is that forests hold 20 to 100 times more carbon per unit area than agricultural lands. With deforestation the carbon held in trees and in the organic matter of soil is oxidized by burning and decay and is released to the atmosphere as CO2.
Future policies can lead either to the complete elimination of tropical forests in the next century with a release of enough CO2 to increase atmospheric concentrations by another 50% or to an expansion of forest area and a withdrawal of CO2 from the atmosphere. The latter alternative would contribute to a stabilization of atmospheric greenhouse gases and would limit the extent of global warming but the contribution would be temporary. The substitution of sustainably managed wood fuels for nonrenewable fossil fuels could reduce the net emissions of CO2 to the atmosphere indefinitely and reverse the century-long accumulation of that greenhouse gas in the atmosphere.
|
| Numéro du document : |
A/MAC |
| Niveau Bibliographique : |
2 |
| Bull1 (Theme principale) : |
METEOROLOGIE ,ATMOSPHERE,CLIMATOLOGIE |
| Bull2 (Theme secondaire) : |
ATMOSPHERE,CLIMATOLOGIE-CONSIDERATION GENERALE |
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