A news study, combining satellite imagery and field study, dramatically increases the estimated trees in the world. What has not changed: how quickly humans are killing those trees off.
Chris Mooney shares news of a study called a "blockbuster," which "finds that the planet is home to 3.04 trillion trees, blowing away the previously estimate of 400 billion." Put another way, there are 422 trees for every person.
But wait, there's a catch: "The study also finds that there are 46 percent fewer trees on Earth than there were before humans started the lengthy, but recently accelerating, process of deforestation." There are, in fact, fewer trees than at any point in human civilization.
According to Mooney, the research pins the blame for the loss of 15.3 billion trees a year on humans and other human-related effects like wildfire and pest outbreaks.
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