A trillion trees

Submitted by Suanne Z. Thamm

Reporter - News Analyst

July 5, 2019 - 10:30 a.m.

A recent study by Swiss scientists reported in the journal Science  suggests that the best way to combat the negative effects of global warming might just be to plant trees — lots of them.

AP reporter Seth Borenstein wrote on July 4 for Time Magazine  that scientists suggest there are already 3 trillion trees on earth, and 1-1.5 trillion more could be added.

The study suggests that adding nearly 2.5 billion additional acres of forest — roughly the size of the United States — could remove two-thirds of the roughly 300 gigatons of carbon humans have added to the atmosphere since the 1800s.

The nations with the most room for new trees are Russia, the United States, Canada, Australia, Brazil, and China.