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Environmental economic professor warns against ‘indiscriminate’ tree planting by the Welsh Government

13 Jul 2022 4 minute read
Elan Valley, Wales. Photo by Thomas Tucker on Unsplash

A Professor of Environmental and Ecological Economics has warned against “indiscriminate” tree planting by the Welsh Government as part of the drive to combat climate change.

The Welsh Government intend to plant 86 million trees over the next decade, massively increasing the amount currently being planted.

Projects include offering every household in Wales a free tree to plant and the creation of a National Forest for Wales.

Prof Michael Christie of Aberystwyth, who has chaired a new global report on how governments view the natural world, said that the Welsh Government should focus its tree-planting efforts on areas that would have the greatest benefit.

“There are more sustainable outcomes when decisions account for the full diversity of nature’s values rather than focusing on one aspect of it,” he said.

“For example, governments around the world have bold reforestation plans in place as part of their plans to reach Net Zero by 2050.

“This includes the Welsh Government, which has ambitious plans to plant 86 million trees by the end of the decade.

“If a government was to take a narrowly focused approach to this policy, it could lead to indiscriminate planting and result in loss of important habitats and productive farmland.

“However, by taking the approach recommended by the Values Assessment, governments would instead explore the full range of benefits associated with different afforestation policies.

“This could result in more natural forests that not only capture carbon, but also provide homes for wildlife, help reduce flood risks and create opportunities for outdoor recreation. It would also ensure the values of local peoples and cultures are respected.”

The Welsh Government has previously been criticised by the Countryside Alliance for planting trees on what the Alliance say is productive agricultural land, and campaigners have also raised concerns about companies buying farms for tree planting.

The Welsh Affairs Committee of MPs has also raised concerns that farmers could be priced out of their own land by those who want to plant trees to offset carbon emissions.

The Welsh Government, however, has said that any tree planting will need their permission and be closely regulated.

‘Lost biodiversity’

The Values Assessment, co-chaired by Prof Michael Christie, found that the natural world’s real value is often ignored in favour of short-term profits and economic growth.

The landmark report published this week was four years in the making and involved 82 scientists across 47 countries, arguing there should be a shift in how governments view the natural world.

Political decision-making is complex and must handle competing tensions. A development project can create jobs and boost GDP, but it can also lead to species loss and destroy heritage sites, it says.

It says governments predominantly prioritise market-based aspects of nature, such as intensive agriculture, but overlook its contributions to people, such as climate and cultural identity.

Ana María Hernández Salgar, Chair of IPBES, said: “Biodiversity is being lost and nature’s contributions to people are being degraded faster now that at any other point in human history.

“This is largely because our current approach to political and economic decisions does not sufficiently account for the diversity of nature’s values.

“The information, analysis and tools offered by the Values Assessment make an invaluable contribution to that process, to the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals and to shifting all decisions towards better values-centred outcomes for people and the rest of nature.”

Policymakers need to recognise and respect the worldviews, values and knowledge of indigenous peoples and local communities to ensure governance is fairer for citizens and nature, the report authors argue.

By changing decision-making to value the varied aspects of nature, governments can make the systemic changes required to address the global biodiversity crisis.

The organisation behind the report, IPBES, is an independent intergovernmental body comprising 139 member governments.


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Richard 1
Richard 1
2 years ago

Welsh Labour’s enthusiasm for Land Value Taxation offers some hope of controlling the use of farmland for offsetting CO2 emissions, but only if LVT is applied to agricultural land (it’s often seen as a purely urban policy instrument) and only if an appropriate valuation is applied to land used for offsetting. After all, the real driver should be to reduce and prevent the use of fossil fuel; offsetting is a sticking plaster and far worse than a sticking plaster if low grade land and third world countries have to be used to feed people in Wales.

hdavies15
hdavies15
2 years ago
Reply to  Richard 1

That comment is far too sensible. You are likely to get some seriously wound up extremists chucking copies of their latest green gospels at you.

Richard 1
Richard 1
2 years ago
Reply to  hdavies15

Bring it on!

GW Atkinson
GW Atkinson
2 years ago

Hasn’t the farming industry done enough damage to our countryside by stripping it bare of trees in the first place?

Mab Meirion
Mab Meirion
2 years ago

Much of what I see coming out of the Bay are gimmicks thought up by dilettantes…

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