What does Wilderness International mean by CO2 compensation?
Emissions – whether avoidable or not – can be offset by, for example, preserving intact natural areas. In these areas, large amountsof CO2 are bound in living biomass. TheCO2 storage capacity of areas in ecosystems can be calculated. This makes it possible to establish a direct link between the volume ofCO2 offsetting and the natural area to be protected. For example, the temperate rainforest of western Canada is the world champion ofCO2 sequestration. Wilderness International has researched how muchCO2 is sequestered by the giant jungle trees there: on an area of 128 m², the temperate rainforest in our protected areas sequesters 13 tonsof CO₂. This corresponds roughly to the annualcarbon footprint of a European.
TheCO2 emitted worldwideis also reabsorbed in the intact forests of our protected areas, although the amount is still unknown as we have not yet been able to measure the growth satisfactorily. Therefore, we can only quantify how much carbon is already bound and will remain bound thanks to the protection of these areas.
More importantly, the goal is not only to offsetCO2 and thus stop global warming, but to halt climate change as a whole and preserve life on Earth itself. Forests and trees are our most important allies in this endeavor. We can only achieve this with the help of the many important functions that forests perform for a stable climate, the biodiversity they harbor, and the basis of life they represent, which we can only preserve by protecting existing, intact forests. You can read more about this under the question: How does the rainforest offset my CO2 emissions?