A new study led by Singapore researchers has mapped out land available for reforestation in South-east Asia after accounting for trade-offs. By considering factors such as costs incurred from reforestation, land use constraints and operational concerns, they found that land available for reforestation could be reduced drastically.

Lands biophysically suitable for reforestation. These include degraded natural habitats such as forests, peat swamps and mangroves that could have been deforested for activities such as agriculture.

AREA

CLIMATE MITIGATION POTENTIAL

Reforesting South-east Asia

Sources: ZENG YIWEN, TASYA VADYA SARIKA, KOH LIAN PINPHOTOS: SARAWAK CONSERVATION ALLIANCE FOR NATURAL ENVIRONMENT, ST FILE, AP STRAITS TIMES GRAPHICS

Removal of 3.43 petagrams of emissions a year. This is equivalent to about 10% of global carbon dioxide emissions from fossil fuel and industries.

121 million ha of land – an area almost �ve times the size of Britain.

The most limiting scenario which accounts for all three constraints – �nancial, social and operational.

South-east Asia may have large areas suitable for reforestation, but it is also a region where there are many competing interests for the land. Many communities in South-east Asia live off their lands by planting crops for sustenance, as well as cash crops, such as oil palm, to sell to larger companies.

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LAND SUITABLE FOR REFORESTATION LAND AVAILABLE AFTER ACCOUNTING FOR CONSTRAINTS

CLIMATE MITIGATION POTENTIAL

Removal of between 0.02 and 0.25 petagrams of emissions a year.

Just 0.4% - 6% of the 121 million ha of land can be reforested.

Biophysical Biophysical

Land useLess permissive

Operational

FinancialHigh cost estimate

NOTE: 1 petagram = 1 trillion kg