Afforestation, reforestation and sustainable forest management for climate change mitigation: Afforestation, reforestation, and sustainable forest management are considered accepted negative emission technologies (NET) with great potential for climate change mitigation. However, future forest development is highly dependent on changing environmental conditions as well as adapted forest management. For example, the increase and intensification of disturbances and extreme weather conditions (e.g., windthrow, insect infestations, fires, and drought) can greatly reduce forest productivity, especially in monocultures; at the same time, rising atmospheric CO2 concentrations and forest productivity extended into boreal latitudes can favor the NET potential. In addition, the way wood products are used affects the future NET potential. For example, long-term usage as construction timber is particularly effective, especially if it replaces fossil building materials. Similarly, the usage of wood for energy can mitigate climate change, provided that wood extraction does not exceed regrowth. Biogeophysical effects can also influence local and non-local climate, for example through changes in albedo, roughness, and transpiration. This occurs depending on local conditions as well as forestry adaptation and underscores the need to weigh the various effects of an action that affect climate. In addition, a variety of potentially positive as well as negative side effects on other ecosystem services must be considered - most importantly, biodiversity, water availability, and the need for land for food production.
