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TreeDuty Q & A

What is TreeDuty?
What is global warming?
What is climate change?
Climate change - whose fault is it anyway?
What is offsetting?
Why has tree planting been criticised as an offsetting solution?
Why plant trees in Africa?
What impact do trees have on climate change in Africa?
Why do you not fund projects in the UK?
Where do CO₂ emissions come from?
Why are airline companies being targeted?
When flying from the UK I pay a departure tax, so why should I pay again?
How do you calculate TreeDuty donations for one-off flights?
How do you calculate TreeDuty donations for annual CO₂ emissions?
What is the money spent on?
Why does the air-flight map look odd?

What is TreeDuty?
TreeDuty is a registered trademark of the UK charity Excellent Development, which we use to promote 'CO₂ offsetting' products and services to raise awareness and funds for our work.

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What is global warming?
Greenhouse gases are emitted to the atmoshere when we burn fossil fuels such as oil, gas, coal and wood to generate electricity or heat, or to power engines for travel. The gases are principally carbon dioxide (CO₂) but also include methane and nitrous oxide. These gases trap some of the sun's energy within our atmosphere - like a greenhouse roof - increasing the earth's average temperature and hence influencing the climate.

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What is climate change?
The climate of the Earth is always changing as a result of natural causes. The term climate change has more recently been used to refer to changes in our climate since the early part of the 1900's.  Average surface temperatures of the Earth have increased by 0.6^oC since 1900 - 0.4^oC since 1975 - they had only risen by 1^oC since the dawn of civiliisation. It is estimated that temperatures will rise by between 1.5^oC and 6^oC by 2100. Sea levels are predicted to rise by up to 1 metre by 2100. The Greenland ice cap may even melt within 15 years with dramatic economic and social consequences - if it happens. The most commonly held view is that human activity in increasing CO₂ emissions is the cause of climate change - rather than the natural changes in the atmosphere. There is no categorical proof of this suggestion - although it is true that human driven CO₂ emissions have risen dramatically.  Whilst many are still sceptical about the cause and effect of CO₂ emissions on climate change - one this is for certain: the planet is warming and the socio-economic consequences are stark.

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Climate change - whose fault is it anyway?

Do the Scientists agree whose fault it is?
In 2004 the respected journal Science analysed 928 randomly selected scientific papers containing the words "global climate change".  None of them disagreed with the view that global warming is caused to a significant degree by burning fossil fuels.  Moreover, on the 2nd February 2007, the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, comprising 2500 scientists from over 130 nations, concluded that they were more than 90% certain that global warming was caused by human activity, and stated that the evidence for the "warming of the climate system is unequivocal".
Is it the Sun's fault?
In 1991, the Danish scientists Lassen and Friis-Christensen found a correlation between temperature changes on Earth since 1850 and sunspot activity - a usual indicator of increases in solar radiation.  In fact 40% of the planet's warming is attributable to the sun - but sunspot activity has declined since 1980 when temperatures have risen the most.
Is it not just part of the Earth's natural cycle?
According the the Hadley Centre for Climate Prediction and Research it is the last 35 years that shows the most proof that we are contributing to climate change.  They have modelled actual temperature changes since 1850 with those expected by the natural climatic variability driven by events such as earthquakes etc.  They closely mirror each other until 1970 when actuals rise even higher, a rise that mirrors the increased human-induced CO₂ emissions.  Studies taking ice cores from great depths have enabled the correlation between CO₂ atmospheric levels and temperature to be demonstrated over the last 650,000 years - levels are significantly higher now than at any time over this period.

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What is offsetting?
'Offsetting' means reducing the CO₂ in the atmosphere by the same amount that your activities add.  In this way you can 'neutralise' or 'balance' the CO₂ added by your activities. The term 'carbon' is often used as shorthand for carbon dioxide, as in 'carbon offsetting', 'carbon footprint' and the 'carbon market'. However, it is fossil fuels or timber that are burnt or decomposed to transform carbon into carbon dioxide. Therefore it is CO₂ emissions that are being offset by absorbing CO₂ or by reducing CO₂ emissions elsewhere.

Offsets can be achieved by investing in renewable energy such as wind and solar power to avoid fossil fuels being used - although offsets can also be achieved by increasing the efficiency of energy use or production. Although disapproved of by many environmentalists because of concerns about the impacts of nuclear waste, nuclear power stations have virtually zero carbon dioxide emissions and are by far the most efficient way to support the National Grid. Thirdly, planting trees absorbs CO₂ from the atmosphere by converting it to carbon compounds (contained in timber and leaves) and oxygen.

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Why has tree planting been criticised as an offsetting solution?
Tree planting is not the solution to global warming and climate change - reducing or offsetting carbon dioxide emissions requires initiatives to make energy use more efficient and reducing the amount of energy produced from non-renewable sources. Tree planting is specifically criticised because eventually, whether in the short or long term, trees or their timber will decompose and release the absorbed carbon back into the atmosphere. However, many scientists believe that the 'temporary sequestration of carbon' does play a useful role in CO₂ reduction strategies. Furthermore, trees are underestimated in their benefits. When trees are used as producers or products rather than remaining in forests untouched, they can contribute to energy efficiency. Timber is a more energy efficient building and furniture material than most other alternatives. If farmers in Africa grow trees to fertilise their farms, feed their animals and grow their own fruits - they massively reduce the CO₂ emissions compared to the manufacture and transportation of animal feeds and fertilisers - or importing fruits from other areas.

More significantly though, The Carnegie Insitution of Washington have concluded that trees planted outside the tropics don't help to reduce the Earth's temperature. This is because whilst trees reduce temperatures by reducing CO₂ emissions, they increase temperatures by trapping the heat from the sunlight that they absorb. At greater than 50 degrees latitude (e.g. in the UK) forests warm the Earth by an average 0.8^oC. However, in the tropics (e.g. most of Africa) forests help to cool the planet by an average of 0.7^oC - more than the rise in temperatures since 1900.

Whilst, as we have said, trees are not the answer to global warming - we find it incongruous that trees are being criticised so much - with environmentalists at the front of the queue and failing to acknowledge their benefits.

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Why plant trees in Africa?
Whilst planting trees is not the solution to global warming - planting trees in Africa does help to reduce it. Also, 20% of carbon emissions worldwide are due to fires, logging, fuel wood and agriculture - so planting trees is important to maintain ecological balance as a whole - not just in terms of CO₂.  Currently reforestation only replaces 2% of the 20% lost.  In countries like Kenya, 70% of total energy use is provided by fuel wood - 90% in rural Kenya. Planting trees, particularly in Africa, is an imperative. Rural Africa will depend on trees to stay alive for many decades to come - net deforestation will exacerbate climate change and impact the world's poorest people the most. Suggesting farmers should prevent this by stopping using fuel wood is even more stupid than suggesting we should stop using cars and trucks in the UK - or expecting the Prime Minister to stop taking overseas holidays.  Africans produce 8% of the CO₂ emissions produced by UK citizens - 2.5% of the total world's contribution.

Excellent Development supports farmers to become self-sufficient in fuel wood but also to invest in long-term tree planting of fruit, medicinal and endangered trees. In terms of our carbon offset offering, TreeDuty funds go towards the planting of protected forests that act as living seed banks and conserve indigenous medicinal and endangered trees.

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What impact do trees have on climate change in Africa?
Africa is set to suffer most from the impacts of climate change through increased droughts and floods. Variability of rainfall will increase making it more difficult to grow enough food to eat and to access clean water. Increases in temperatures will increase soil erosion and water evaporation exacerbating this situation even further. Many predict that large swathes of Africa will become uninhabitable over the coming decades.  The Independent reported that, according to the Hadley Centre for Climate Prediction and Research, "one third of the planet will be desert by the year 2100".

Those criticising trees as a 'climate change solution' by pointing out the temporary nature of the carbon capture choose to ignore the benefits of trees in the wider holistic sense. People are only trying to offset CO₂ emissions because they are convinced by scientists that by not doing so the resulting climate changes will have catastrophic social, environmental and economic consequences across the globe. But what of the impacts of climate change? How can those impacts be mitigated in rural Africa?

The Working Group on Climate Change and Development have acknowledged that mitigating the impacts of droughts and floods, combating desertification and diversification of agriculture are critical to overcoming the impacts of climate change. The key to avoiding the negative impacts of severe droughts and floods is soil and water conservation. A farmer's field can lose 250 metric tonnes of its most fertile topsoil in just one season. 80% of rainwater will end up in the Ocean without effective soil conservation. This is where trees come into the equation. Trees can achieve so much in changing people's lives and transforming environments. Trees absorb carbon dioxide, fertilise soil, prevent erosion and help to absorb rainwater, whilst at the same time providing fuel, food, fodder, compost, building materials and even medicines from their wood, leaves and fruit. The terracing of land and planting of trees can reduce average water run-off from 45% to 5%. Soil losses can be reduced even more dramatically - by up to 97%. All of our tree-planting in Africa is supported by the terracing of land and building of sand dams that both enable trees to be propagated and planted, as well as improving soil and water conservation in their own right.

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Why do you not fund projects in the UK?
Our charitable work in the UK is restricted solely to Development Education, whilst we also promote development awareness and of course raise funds for our overseas work. We do therefore fund education and awareness of the issues of global warming and climate change - but do so in the context of where we believe it matters most - Africa. Furthermore, the UK government has a legally binding Kyoto target to reduce CO₂ emissions.  If we made CO₂ reductions in the UK, these would be double-counted meaning we'd only be helping to make reductions that had already been promised by the government.  By supporting initiatives in Africa, TreeDuty donors are achieving more than would have been achieved without them.

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Where do CO₂ emissions come from?
25% of world greenhouse gas emissions come from fossil fuel power stations; 12% comes from land transportation for people and goods.  1.6% is caused by air traffic, whilst heating and lighting our homes causes 10%.  20% is due to deforestation or harvesting - with reforestation only offsetting this by 2%.

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Why are airline companies being targeted?
Airline CO₂ emissions are the fastest growing of all sectors - predicted to rise significantly over the next few years - althought whether we can build that many airports is another matter.  Airline emissions, beyond just CO₂, are of course emitted directly into the upper atmosphere.  It is not fully understood what additional global warming impacts, if any, airline emissions have.  Airlines like BA are investing in this research.  Many airlines are taking steps to reduce CO₂ emissions by investing in modern aircraft engines.  Airlines are also committing to carbon trading to offset CO₂ emissions - although currently are only committing to do this for EU flights.

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When flying from the UK I pay a departure tax, so why should I pay again?
Air Passenger Duty is a passenger tax levied by the UK Government on all departure from the UK and generates almost £1 billion annually.  However, the money isn't spent directly on mitigating the impacts of your flight.  The only alternative for individuals is to pay directly for offset schemes such as TreeDuty.  The UK departure tax - possibly used as a discinventive to fly - will only have an impact if it persuades enough people to stop flying to reduce the number of flights - as partially filled planes will do little if anything to reduce emissions.

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How do you calculate TreeDuty donations for one-off flights?
The amount of carbon dioxide emitted from an airflight depends on the distance travelled, and the rate also varies depending on whether it is a short or long haul flight.  We have calculated the distance limites for which whole trees would need to be planted to offset the emissions.  We then drew the distance limits on a map to define different 'flight zones' which require between one and nine trees to be planted to offset the associated carbon emissions.  (On average, it takes one tree grown to maturity to absorb one tonne of CO₂).

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How do you calculate TreeDuty donations for annual CO₂ emissions?
The carbon dioxide emissions associated with different everyday activities in the UK are published by DEFRA (the UK Government department responsible for addressing climate change).  This allowed us to create three different levels of TreeDuty based around the UK average: Global Warrior (lower than average emissions); Global Citizen (average); and Global Consumer (higher than average).

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What is the money spent on?
TreeDuty donations are used to plant endangered and medicinal trees in our protected forests in Africa.  Read more about the forests here.

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Why does the air-flight map look odd?
The map we have used for our TreeDuty air-flight map is known as the Peters Projection, which is an area accurate map.  This means we can easily draw contours of equal distance on it to illustrate the number of trees needed to offset flying that distance.

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Written by: Simon Maddrell

Sources: Oxfam, Christian Aid, New Economics Foundation, Carbon Neutral, Climate Care, The Guardian, The Independent, BBC, BA, British Energy, The International Centre for Trade and Sustainable Development, www.petersmap.com .  The author, however, is responsible for all the views and interpretations expressed in this article.