Millions of devotees of Dera Sacha Sauda celebrated the birthday of Saint Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh Ji Insan by carrying out mega plantation drive.
The drive was inaugurated at 10.51 am on 15th August, as Guruji planted an ‘Amla’ (Indian Gooseberry) sapling.
He was accompanied by his mother, Mata Naseeb Kaur Ji and his children, who were at the forefront of the campaign. As the images were webcast, followers in over 25 countries simultaneously, started the plantation drive.
Pushpa Insan, the Dera Spokesperson said that because of time zone constraints, the entire international program could not be made simultaneously. The overall plantation effort was made in 50 plus countries, she added.
Speaking to media persons, Guruji said that the saplings need to be nurtured and nourished like our children. He said that the cultivation of less water intensive species like Khejri was particularly suitable for the dried states. Apart from that, fruit bearing trees, herbals and ‘Triveni’ clusters could be planted in other areas.
Only Trees Can Save Us
Human emissions are 26 GT (billion tons) / year, about half of which is absorbed and the other half is accumulating.
Calculations below suggest that the missing forest and grassland that has become desert might have absorbed 21.5 GT / year, which is more than the 13 GT / year which is accumulating.
It has been estimated that about half of the earth’s mature tropical forests – between 7.5 million and 8 million sq km (2.9 million to 3 million sq mi/, that is 750 million hectares) of the original 15 million to 16 million sq km (5.8 million to 6.2 million sq mi) that until 1947 covered the planet – have now been cleared.
This is only considering mature tropical forests, not other forests, grasslands, etc. Scientific estimates suggest that forests 200 years old and above sequester on average 2.4+-0.8 tC / ha / yr (tC, tons of carbon).This means that the 750 million hectares of missing mature tropical forest would have sequestered 1.8 GT of carbon each year.
1 ton of carbon corresponds to (12 + 2 * 16)/ 12 or 3.667 tons of CO2, so the missing forests would have sequestered 6.6 GT of CO2.
In fact, this is an underestimate. Tropical forests sequester at least 50% more CO
2. We can therefore increase the estimate to 10 GT / year. Let’s consider all of the forests, instead of just mature tropical forest.
The total land area of the earth is 149 million sq km, the area of the polar regions is approximately 26 million sq km. This leaves 123 million sq km of land, one quarter of which is still covered by forest.
This tells us that about 31 million sq. km of land is currently covered by forests, and about 31 million sq km of forest has been cleared by people (assuming half has been cleared). The previous calculation was for 7.5 million sq km of missing tropical forests, we calculated at least 6.6 GT of CO2 would be absorbed.
For the whole 31 million sq km of missing forests, 27 GT of CO2 would be sequestered per year, or perhaps 31 GT / year if we consider that tropical forests absorb more CO2.Global emissions of CO2 due to industry are 26 GT of CO2 per year; therefore the missing forests if restored would be able to absorb all of our CO2 emissions.
If we also include the forests that remain, forests can sequester 62 GT of CO2 per year, which is more than twice the human emissions.
Let’s also consider desertification. 1035 million hectares (ha) are affected by human-induced soil degradation. That is 10 million sq km, a somewhat larger area than our missing tropical forests. This area might have sequestered perhaps 4.5 GT of CO2 per year.
Accounting for these factors, human land use and abuse has led to perhaps a 21.5 GT / year reduction in the CO2 sink. We know that about half of the 26 GT / year human emissions are currently sequestered. The 21.5 GT / year which missing forests and grasslands could have sequestered is 1.65 times greater than the remaining 13 GT of emissions.
It is known that forests and any photosynthesis will absorb CO2 more quickly as the CO2 concentration in the atmosphere increases, and more slowly as the CO2 concentration decreases. Obviously the forests cannot continue extracting CO2 at the same rate forever if little remains in the atmosphere to extract.
An equilibrium would be reached. In conclusion, calculations have shown that the forest destroyed by people and the grassland that has become desert might have absorbed 21.5 GT / year of CO2 (in addition to what is absorbed by that land now). This is more than the 13 GT / year of CO2 that is accumulating due to human emissions.
The remaining forests are able to absorb 1/2 of current human CO2 emissions. The forests and other lands we have destroyed, if restored, would be able to absorb all our emissions and an additional 30% more.
If we stopped 50% or more of our emissions, the remaining forests would cope. The forests are able to absorb and fix CO2 more rapidly as CO2 concentration increases in the atmosphere, at least up to a point. Sammy is an Australian programmer with a deep interest in math and a passion for trees.
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