Forest Decline and Greenhouse Effects have the Same Roots

1990

S. 271-282

3 Abb., 2 Tab., 17 Lit. Ang.

Unselbständiges Werk

200085626

Forest decline and green house effects are closely related. They have the same roots. Show interconnected results and require a similar curve to avoid those detrimental effects. Their connections are obvious at various levels. The driving chemical forces are gases, released into the atmosphere by man. Burning fossil fuels e.g. causes emissions of both the forest killers SO2 and NOx and the main green house gas CO2. Chemical emissions are only the by- products of economic forces which have changed our world. Our present economy is determined on one side by a growing need for energy and raw materials, on the other side by a decisive strategy of inventing and marketing new products. All activities are accelerated by the search for the most profitable use of the invested capital whereas no negative feed-back mechanism was developed in time to counteract environmental pollutio and deterioration. Economic growth certainly has psychological roots. The wish to live better than yesterday, better than other people or much better than our ancestors is a main stream concern. Phytotoxic air pollutants and climatic changes are causing overlapping effects on forest ecosystems, e.g. because already weakened associations have partly lost their ability to adapt to stress. Hence countermeasures are urgently needed. Forest decline and climatic hazards require the same medizine. The cure must begin in our heads. We habe to replace old-fashioned strategies as high stacks and end-of- the-pipe solutions by new strategies which reduce the demand itself. Energy conservation and the replacement of fossil fuels by renewable forms of energy or recycling may serve as examples. The scientific community of IUFRO has a great part in this dramatic play which decides on our future. Proper measures are explained in detail.