What if there were 1 trillion more trees? - Jean-François Bastin

How can trees help in the fight against climate change? Dig into the efforts to rebuild damaged ecosystems and reduce carbon emissions.

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Today humanity produces more than 1,400 tons of carbon every minute. To combat climate change, we need to reduce fossil fuel emissions, and draw down excess CO2 to restore the balance of greenhouse gases. Like all plants, trees consume atmospheric carbon through photosynthesis. So what can trees do to help in this fight? Jean-François Bastin digs into the efforts to restore depleted ecosystems.

Lesson by Jean-François Bastin, directed by Lobster Studio.

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[QuestionEverythingButWHY]

“The best time to plant a tree was twenty years ago. The second best time is now.”

[jasonbenavidez]

I’m proud to say I’ve planted 20 trees

[abrahammartin]

I bought an acre of land with a house, since then I have planted over 72 trees and bushes. Love my baby trees.

[anask]

I'm a 17 year old and proud to say that most of my pocket money goes into planting and gardening, I've planted many including my favorites portia trees, mexican plumeria, Neem, Ficus Amplissima, Moringa, Tamarind in my home, my grandma's, my cousins and at random places, I live in Pakistan and ppl here really don't know it's importance. I'm also on Inaturalist and I'm currently no.1 observer of wildlife from karachi, I love naturr

[.callistanathaniawiradin]

My mans really missed their chance to spell ‘treellion’

[JadeTrading]

Schools should play TED animation videos for students. I'm learning so much from them.

[AKFressh]

I have planted 86 mango tree, 4 coconut tree, 1 neem tree 2 lemon tree, 1 Christmastree and around 35 trees and plants such as banana, dlowering plants and trees.

[garrettord]

The video brings up an interesting point without actually saying it explicitly: No number of trees can ever restore Earth's previous carbon balance, because they don't destroy carbon or carbon dioxide, only store it while alive. The carbon in their remains can get stored deeper underground on geological timescales, but not on timescales that are meaningful for us as a civilization. Meanwhile, we are digging up coal and oil which has been storing carbon from life from hundreds of millions of years ago, and re-releasing it into the atmosphere. No number of natural trees could ever contain the collective carbon from eons of past life.

[johndavidbuell]

I really appreciate how they don't shy away from the complexity or controversy around an issue - and they still find a way to present ideas succinctly and clearly (and beautifully!). This is my favorite Youtube channel.

[annettesnyder]

“Society grows great when old men plant trees whose shade they know they shall never sit in.”
― Anonymous Greek Proverb

[Gkhub.]

my mom and i have planted 30 trees in an urban area and people dont like it somehow they try to cut it but they still stand firm due to our efforts, i think awareness is needed much

[Saganswrld]

Honestly, planting trees in the past year was one of the most beautiful moments in my life. To see them flourish, I do not regret that part.

[saswotlamichhane]

Imagine if Kurzgesaght and TED-ED collaborated!

[clarencedun]

Can we just appreciate how beautifully this was animated

[jeremiah-howden]

This animation is so fluid, it never stops moving.

[isaachenry]

My country is border by Brazil in south America. Connected to the Amazon rain forest. Guyana has 87% forest cover. High in biodiversity. Our government plans to maintain our rainforest for generations to come.

[augustingervasio]

Everyone: *Glorifies trees for producing oxygen*

Algae and plankton that produce 70% of the oxygen on earth: "Am I a joke to you?"

[TheCuriousGuyYT]

*Interesting Fact :*
Jadav Payeng is called the "Forest Man Of India". He has raised a 550 Hectares forest single handedly by planting trees everyday for more than 40 years in Assam, India !!

[sharkbrother]

"Planting all these trees could have unforseen consequences." Like it could be any worse than what we do already

[karlnikolasalcala]

This should be Ted-Ed's default animation, it's so satisfying to watch