Climate change is one of the most discussed and worrying problems of our time. This phenomenon causes long-term consequences, primarily an increase in the average global temperature. The effects of climate change are already evident and will continue to worsen without urgent action. The main cause of these changes is the increasing concentration of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere. These gases, such as carbon dioxide (CO2), methane (CH4) and nitrous oxide (N2O), trap heat in the atmosphere and cause global warming. Scientific studies are trying to find effective ways to combat this warming and thus climate change. One of these discoveries is being made by the University of Birmingham and focuses on the role of trees.

A new scientific study shows that trees play a key role in the fight against global warming because they can absorb methane, a very dangerous greenhouse gas. Until now, research has focused mainly on the absorption of CO2 by leaves, but scientists have discovered that tree bark plays an equally important role in absorbing methane. Methane is up to 25 times more effective than CO2 in trapping heat in the atmosphere, and a large part (60 %) of its emissions are caused by human activities such as intensive agriculture, fossil fuel extraction, landfills, rice cultivation and biomass burning.

In this study, the research teams examined bark from three types of forests: tropical, temperate and boreal. The analyses were conducted in a variety of geographic locations, including the Amazon, Panama, Oxfordshire in the UK and coniferous forests in Sweden. To measure methane absorption, the researchers decided to encase the bark in plastic chambers connected to methane detectors using laser scanning.

The results made a surprising discovery: measurements taken higher up the trunk indicated that tree bark absorbs methane from the atmosphere. This process was more intense as the tree grew taller, with the most pronounced effect seen in tropical forests.

This discovery has significant implications. Forests are proving to be powerful tools for mitigating climate change, precisely through their ability to absorb methane. It is estimated that tree bark could store between 25 and 50 tons of methane per year. If we consider the total area of tree bark on Earth, we get an area comparable to the entire planet, which represents a valuable resource for combating climate change. It is clear that forests are essential for our future and should be considered a key element in global strategies. Therefore, it is of utmost importance to stop deforestation and promote large-scale afforestation, while selecting plants that are effective at absorbing methane, which could be a fundamental step in the fight against global warming. (Co2AI)