Brazil must protect and restore its dry forests and savannas to achieve its climate goals, new research shows.
Attention in Brazil and worldwide often focuses on the Amazon rainforest—ignoring damage and destruction of these seasonally dry biomes, which contain vast biodiversity and carbon stores.
The new study, led by the universities of Exeter and Campinas, says cost-effective restoration of dry biomes could lock in almost 10 billion tons of carbon by 2050-80.
But restoration takes time, and the researchers say protecting existing ecosystems is the best option for Brazil to reach its 2030 climate goals.
"Ongoing land-use change—especially the destruction of ecosystems to create agricultural land—makes Brazil the world's fifth-biggest greenhouse gas emitting country," said Dr. Lucy Rowland, from Global Systems Institute at the University of Exeter.
"But Brazil also has huge potential for…
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