FOREST for CLIMATE

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The environmentally sustainable and economically viable way to remove greenhouse gases fro...
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The environmentally sustainable and economically viable way to remove greenhouse gases from the atmosphere

Forest Consultant
Andresa Speich
fermo posta 5
CH-6614 Brissago

speich [at] mail.archi.it

TIF               The environmentally sustainable and economically viable way to remove greenhouse gases from the atmosphere       FOREST for CLIMATE                                            Proposal  to International FUNDING AGENCIES               by The SWISS FIRE-FIGHTER ASSOCIATION  Author: Andreas Speich, Conservator of Forest+Nature 2014  Eingestellt über www.PDF-ins-Internet.de. Haftung für Inhalt und Inhaber aller Rechte ist der Puplisher.
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Cover pictures:   Top: Oil painting by the Russian artist Ivan Shiskin (1880).  Centre: Forest Fire Drama in Greece 2010.  Bottom: Carmanah Walbran Provincial Park, British Columbia, Canada More than 2000 tonnes of biomass per hectare  Top and bottom:  Natural Forests with very high Carbon Storage.    STOP KILLING OUR PLANET    STOP THE GLOBAL WARMING    STOP EMISSION OF GREENHOUSEGASES   REMOVE THEM FROM THE ATMOSPHERE  Picture from: http://www.spaulforrest.com/2011/03/why-climate-change-is-so-threatening-to.html http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/

FOREST for CLIMATE                                                                  Project Outline     The environmentally sustainable and economically viable way to remove greenhouse gases from the atmosphere:   100 gigatonne CO2 in 95 years  Directorate of the SWISS FIRE FIGHTER ASSOCIATION (SWISSFIRE) www.swissfire.ch  CH-3073 Guemligen (Switzerland) +41 31 958 81 18  Author: Andreas Speich ©, dipl. Ing. ETH/SIA/IUCN,  Conservator of Forest and Nature speich@mail.archi.it           www.andreas-speich.ch I-28822 Cannobio (Italy) +39 0323 739 077  /  +41 79 405 61 46   Consultant: Daniele Ryser, dipl. Ing. ETH danieleryser@bluewin.ch    CH-6986 Novaggio (Switzerland)  +41 79 478 31 21  update 25th February 2015

4	   Forests precede mankind  -  deserts follow Chateaubriand  Table of content Main text                          page • Long-term aim  5 • Scientific basis  5 • General concept and strategies  6 • Fundamental ideas and project rationale  7 • Summary results of scenarios  8 • First project phase (2014 - 2017)  11  -    Program for the first phase 12 • Second phase 3 years (2017-2019)  12 • Third phase, 4 years (2020-2023)  14 • Fourth phase, from 2023 + permanent 14 • Fifth phase, from 2024 + permanent 14 • Concluding comments 15  Annexes o Example Scenario C Effect and Budget (.xls) 16 o Forest and Wildfire Fighting, photos 17 o Continuous Cover Forest System, profiles  18 o Continuous Cover Forest System examples, photos 19 o Examples of Natural and Virgin Forest Reserves 20 o Tree planting for Climate Mitigation?  21 o Hypothetical Forest Volume Model C3, Continuous Cover Forest 23 o 48 hour NASA fire maps of 23 - 25 July 2014 24 o Global Vegetation Fire Emissions 1997-2011 25 o Environmental Laureates' Declaration on Climate Change of 01 July, 2014  26 o A Message on Climate Change to World Leaders by many thousands of  27   Signatory's http://unsdsn.org/climate-letter/

5	  FOREST for CLIMATE   FOREST for the PRESERVATION of the WORLD CLIMATE and TASK FORCE for FOREST FIRE SUPPRESSION  Long-term aim: The reduction of the CO2 content of the atmosphere by 100 gigatonne1 over the  next 95 years2, in accordance with the VIRGIN EARTH CHALLENGE (UK) target  http://www.virginearth.com Scientific basis: • Report by  G. R. van der Werf et al. 2010 "Global fire emissions and the contribution of deforestation, savannah forest, agricultural and peat fires". ACPD 10, 16153-16230, Global fire emissions (1997-2009) and new data (2010-2011) from the same authors. http://www.falw.vu/~gwerf/publications.html  http://www.atmos-chem-phys.net/10/11707/2010/acp-10-11707-2010.html 	http://www.falw.vu/~gwerf/GFED/GFED3/tables/emis_C_absolute.txt  • Dangerous Climate Change: Required Reduction of Carbon Emissions to Protect Young People, Future Generations and Nature, James Hansen et al. (+ 17 key authors), December 2013, http://www.plosone.org/article/info:doi/10.1371/journal.pone.0081648  • IPCC3, 2013: Summary for Policymakers: www.ipcc.ch IPCC Climate Change, Synthesis Report (November 2014): www.ipcc.ch  • Relevant expertise and many years of professional experience of the initiators,   Ing. ETH Andreas Speich and Ing. ETH Daniele Ryser.       																																																													
	Symbol for gigatonne (109 tonne): Gt as used in this document.  	It would not be impossible, with the help of a much larger number of Task Forces (for example 29 units world-wide) as well as improved forest fire prevention and improved terrestrial forest fire brigade performance, for the CO2 content of the atmosphere to be reduced by 150 Gt within 95 years, that means the avoidance of considerably more than 50% of current forest fire emissions annually, with an estimated overall cost of 260 billion EURO (scenario E).	 	IPCC, 2013: Summary for Policymakers, in: Climate Change 2013: The Physical Science Basis. Contribution of Working Group I to the Fifth Assessment Report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change [T.F. Stocker., D. Qin, G.-K. Plattner, M. Tignor, S.K. Allen, J. Boschung, A. Nauels, Y. Xia, V. Bex and P.M. Midgley (eds.)]. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, U.K. and New York USA.

6	The general concept is based on the following strategies: • The timber volume in at least 0.5 billion hectares of forest, (about 13% of global forests, those forests with strong growth and high timber production) should be increased by e.g. 41 m3/ha to 122 m3/ha within the next 95 years, with the aim of CO2 sequestration and maintaining this timber reserve as a carbon-storing biomass for another 50 - 150 years. 1 m3 timber/biomass in the forest ≈ 1 Tonne of CO2 taken out of the atmosphere for the long-term. In the world's forests the possibility of increasing the reserves will vary considerably (i.e. between 30 and 250 m3/ha). • Prevention and control of forest fires. Step-by-step development of the global forest fire control capacity, with the aim of preventing 10% to 25% of today's forest fires4 within 95 years, as 9% of global CO2 emissions5 are caused by forest fires which could be controlled. Forest fire suppression enables the protected forests to continue sequestrating CO2 and storing carbon. • The dissemination of new professional strategies for the synergistic combination of FOREST for CLIMATE, i.e. timber production + biomass storage. This requires improved know how concerning the partial conversion of the one-age-cohort forests with low timber reserves into naturally structured uneven-aged forests6 and high volume timber reserves. Examples: commercial and protection forests in Switzerland7, Slovenia, Germany8, virgin forest reserves worldwide. This since over 120 years well experienced silviculture system is also known as Continuous Cover Silviculture, see: http://www.ccfg.org.uk/events/downloads/2008/Silv_Systems.pdf "Continuous cover is an approach to forest management that seeks to create more diverse forests, both structurally and in terms of species composition, by avoiding clear felling. The development of more diverse forests is a sensible way to reduce the risks posed by future changes in the climate and biotic threats."  http://www.forestry.gov.uk/fr/ccf  Gary Kerr, citation, Silviculture systems for tomorrow, 2009. See also: Timo Pukkala, Klaus von Gadow, Editors; Continuous Cover Forestry, 2012,  2nd ed., Springer, ISBN 978-94-007-2201-9:  "Although the majority of the world's [natural] forest ecosystems are dominated by uneven-sized multi-species stands, forest management practice and theory has focused on the development of plantation monocultures to maximize the supply of timber at low cost. Societal expectations are changing, however, and uneven-aged multi-species ecosystems, selectively managed as Continuous Cover Forestry (CCF), are often believed to be superior to monocultures in addressing a wide range of expectations. This book presents methods which are relevant to CCF management and planning: analysing forest structures, silvicultural and planning, economic evaluation, based on examples in Europe, Asia, Africa and North and South America."  • Much attention is paid to this system in many parts of the world, e.g. especially in Germany, UK, Finland, Switzerland and Slovenia. • In boreal forests, soil carbon pool is probably 2-4 times greater than the carbon pool of living biomass9. Clear felling and site preparation may have an adverse effect on soil carbon pool, accelerating the decomposition of this otherwise very durable carbon store. Continuous Cover Forestry with natural regeneration is imperative under such conditions.   																																																													4	Depending on scenario assumptions, see table on page 8.	5	July 2014: DRI research team discovers new type of soot particle from wildfire emissions: Enhanced warming effects could change current estimates of climate forcing by 90%.    http://www.dri.edu/das-news/4689-dri-research-team-discovers-new-type-of-soot-particle-from-wildfire-emissions 6	Continuous Cover Forest.  German: 
	7	• Overall cost10 of the project over 95 years: Depending on the scenario, approx. 95 - 140 billion EURO11, i.e. 0.99 - 1.47 EURO / tonne sequestered CO2. At present carbon credit certificates are being traded for 6 to 36 EURO per tonne of CO2, i.e. 6 to 25 times more than the project suggests. The data given here is initially based on rough estimates only. One of the initial tasks of this project will be to improve this database.  Fundamental ideas and project rationale: • The Fire Fighter Association of Switzerland SWISSFIRE (Schweizerischer Feuerwehrverband SFV) applies to FUNDING AGENCIES for funding and general support of phase 1 of the project, as presented below, as well as for subsequent phases, if needed. • VIRGIN EARTH CHALLENGE's goal of 100 Gt of CO2 is a supporting measure towards the imperative global strategy of ZERO EMISSION from 2045 onwards, at the latest. This means full substitution of all types of Carbon-Fuels by Clean and Permanent Energy Sources (CPES). • The potential of forests with regard to sequestration of CO2 (Carbon Offset) is generally underestimated or not taken into consideration by forestry experts, worldwide. • Commercial forests worldwide only contain per hectare approx. 30% - 80% of the biomass of natural forests (virgin forest). Thanks to natural growth potential, forest biomass can be increased considerably, if the forestry experts know how to use this gift of nature. • Until now, timber production and timber harvesting have been based on optimal sustainable timber yields with minimum standing timber volume in the forest. • The goal, from now on, must be to achieve optimal sustainable timber yields with maximum standing timber volume in the forest. This requires an increase of standing timber reserves (biomass) in the forest of e.g. 41-122 m3/ha, on approx. 0.5 billion hectares of forest by 2110. The remaining 3.4 billion hectares of global forest are less suitable for Carbon Offset because they show small biomass growth rates (for example northernmost boreal forest), are to a large extent primeval or not supervised by a qualified forestry organisation. • Regarding global climate objectives, it is irrelevant where on the earth CO2 is sequestered. The atmosphere intermixes very quickly. • About 9 % of the global CO2 - Emissions12 originate today from suppressable forest fires (see annexe page 25). • The present global capacity for terrestrial and airborne forest fire fighting is totally inadequate, primarily because the industrial market value of the timber resources to be protected is far too low to cover the costs of forest fire fighting. • So far, it has hardly been possible to employ fire-fighting aircraft at night. Until now, forest fire fighting from the air has often resembled a "Sisyphean task". • The project offers concrete action as deemed necessary in the context of REDD+ (Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and forest Degradation, UNO). See for example: http://www.un-redd.org/aboutredd/tabid/102614/default.aspx. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Reducing_emissions_from_deforestation_and_forest_degradation      																																																													
0	Depending on the scenario, A, B, C, D, the overall cost would be between 95 and 140 billion EURO, see  page 9, annually average 1 to 1.5 billion EURO. NB: Every year, 14 million new motorcars are manufactured  in Europe worth about 350 billion EURO!

Scenarios A, B, C, D but not E.	
 	The global transport sector (air, road, rail, sea) emits total about 13 %.

8	 At present, REDD+ essentially comprises a large number of valuable recommendations. REDD+ is, in principle, a strategic framework, but as yet seemingly without any visible, concrete project realisation or operational action on a worldwide basis. Apparently, REDD+ does not as yet contain application-oriented concepts for physical forest fire suppression and preventing worldwide forest fires13. Nevertheless, REDD+ is a useful orientation basis for the SWISSFIRE project. • If the efforts of REDD+ are successful, the Carbon Offset achieved by REDD+ can be taken into account in the context of the objectives of VIRGIN EARTH CHALLENGE. The measures concerning commercial forests could then be reduced. • Increasing the biomass in forests requires innovative methods of silviculture and forest management based on the well-proven principles of co-natural, continuous cover forestry (uneven-aged forest with permanent high timber volume), combined with effective forest fire protection. This changeover demands a differently conducted harvesting of timber with 5% to 19% less timber extraction in commercial forests worldwide during the forthcoming decades. • Carbon offset can also been achieved in later years through the promotion of e.g. very durable wooden house architecture, the use of wooden railway sleepers and the later durable utilisation of such recycled wood components in ground work and terrain fixation. However such a contribution to global carbon offset shall not be overestimated.                       • Example scenario A: 250 m3/ha of standing timber volume in a 2015 forest should grow at least to 372 m3 in the forthcoming 95 years (2110), i.e. at least 122 m3/ha more than today. This means that on average approximately 1.3 m3/ha of the annual growth will not be harvested, but contribute to the structural development of the forest.   																																																													
 	The WORLD BANK's current project "Russia Forest Fire Response Project" (40 million US$) can be considered marginal in the face of global urgency. The same applies to the "ITTO guidelines on fire management in tropical forests".  	Summary results of all 5 scenarios which are based on differing assumptions A detailed calculation of scenario C is outlined in the annex, page 16 Scenario model A  B  C  D  E Maximum number of Air Task Forces / from year 25/2095  25/2095  20/2105  8/2040  29/2050 Task Forces (TF), operating days per year  36  48  72  96  60 1 TF, on more ha fire prevented than extinguished  5 x  6 x  7 x  8 x  6 x Million tonnes of CO2 prevented per TF/year  27  44  76  116  54 Operating of one TF/year million EURO  82  92  113  134  122 Current forest timber reserves m3/ha  250  295  330  350  295 Current growth rate m3/ha per 5 years  25  30  35  40  30 Results: CO2 sequestered in 95 years Gt  100  100  100  100  150 Overall cost, billion EURO in 95 years  126  140  126  95  260 Average reduction of timber harvest  19 %  11 %  5 %  5 %  11 % Increase in forest timber reserves m3/ha  122  76  41  52  76 Cost per tonne of sequestered CO2 EURO  1.3  1.5  1.3 
	9	 • Example scenario14 C: A forest with around 330 m3/ha standing timber volume in 2015 should have at least 371 m3/ha in the year 2110, i.e. at least 41 m3/ha more than today. This means that on average approximately 0.45 m3/ha of the annual growth will not be harvested, but contribute to the structural development of the forest. • Annual growth can vary considerably depending on the location: 2 - 30 m3/ha. The data given for m3 timber stock and growth are based on forestry statistics of temperate regions. • The effective overall biomass content of the forests is around 20% to 60% higher if, in addition to trunk wood, branches, deadwood, roots and humus are also taken into consideration. • Year 2110: The accumulated timber stocks and the avoided forest fire emissions correspond to 100 Gt of sequestered CO2 over 0.5 billion hectares of forestland, i.e. in 13% of global forests. Furthermore the bulk of these prevented CO2-emmissions from wildfires result from fire-fighting on the remaining 87% of the global forest, as well as of tundra areas. •  The timber volume accumulated by 2110 and after constitutes an enormous economic asset, which in later decades can be harvested and sold. • Natural forests "Continuous Cover Forest / Dauerwald " are characterised by growth rates and timber reserves which are greater than those of other forms of commercial forest. However, co-natural types of forest place higher professional demands on the forestry experts. Higher standing timber stocks are also possible under certain circumstances in even-aged monoculture (one-age-cohort forests). However, natural, uneven-aged "Continuous Cover Forest / Dauerwald" has additional advantages; it is biologically more valuable, more stable and more resistant to natural hazards. • In order to facilitate reorientation in silviculture and forestry, the project will offer, over a period of decades, on-going further education to the foremost young elite in the area of forestry and resource economics world-wide (200 participants per year). • A moderate price increase for raw timber ex forest of around 0.1 - 0.5% per year should be aimed for. • Regardless of a slight reduction of timber volume, thanks to the price increase, forestry companies' profits can increase and even nominally double within 95 years. The price of paper will rise gradually, due to the raw material becoming more expensive and less available. Nevertheless, companies will be able to maintain their income from forestry, wood industry and paper production at the necessary level. The small, annual, quantitative changes must be co-ordinated regionally and be in accordance with the limited ability of those companies concerned to make structural changes. • Forestry companies (mostly state-owned and large private industrial) shall be requested to invest the increased financial returns (thanks to higher timber prices) in the transformation and development of forest resources, in accordance with the new function of the forest, Timber+Climate. •  Ultimately it are the end consumers of the wood products (e.g. paper) who economically enable the success of the project. They buy less biomass out of the forest and this at a higher price.  																																																													
4	See details in annex C, page 16. Complex cost calculation for one Task Force  (detailed document Kalkulation 6.xls"), available on request:  speich@mail.archi.it       The calculation in the scenarios is based on the use of new Russian amphibious Water bomber Be-200 RR. However the majority of the Task Force squadron could actually be composed of second hand BAe146 / AVRO RJ 100, converted as water bombers. The operating cost per year of the entire fleet + crew would be reduced by about 30% when using  BAe146 / AVRO RJ 100

0	 •  On the basis of model estimations, it seems reasonable to assume that increasing biomass in existing forests will be considerably more effective than the afforestation of areas which have up until now been unforested. Planting forests is expensive, slow to take effect and exposed to many different hazards15. Nevertheless, extensive afforestation should be discussed (i.e. Central Asia, agricultural marginal land in Europe and the USA), however, not in the sense of extensive even-aged cultures but as the initial stocking of an uneven-aged co-natural forest. Suitable areas of land, not claimed for other purposes, are scarce worldwide. •  Increasing timber stocks in forests requires a transformation of the forest structure: Numerous, intensive thinning operations with the aim of increasing the mass portion of larger, older trees and their vitality. Due to the typical growth rhythms of the forest, growth of timber reserves takes place very slowly, so that the goal will only be reached in approximately 100 years. Therefore, measures must now be implemented rapidly and patience is needed. •  Wood mass accumulated during thinning must be removed (high fire risk). It can be used in the paper industry, for example, or be made into biochar (charcoal) by means of pyrolysis. Used as a soil improver, biochar can make a further contribution to Carbon Offset.   • The successful application of the respected principle of sustainable timber production over a long period of time, world-wide, leads one to expect that a synergistic, sustainable combination of timber and climate-protecting biomass could, in future, be anchored in national and international forestry policy concepts as well in the appropriate forestry laws. There will be a growing acceptance of the measures proposed, due to the rapidly increasing awareness in recent years, worldwide, of the danger to the climate through greenhouse gases. • The conservation of a high percentage of living (and dead) biomass can only be guaranteed if considerably improved systems against forest fire are realised. Fire resistant types of forest, more efficient terrestrial fire brigades, airborne support, and fire breaks in forests, water reservoirs, informing the population etc. • However in some cases natural forest fires have a quite positive ecological effect and burnt areas recover by natural succession within decades. But "fire ecology" or the "let-it-burn" strategy is in terms of quantitative carbon offset minimal or negative compared to the present concept of FOREST for CLIMATE. • Today, state-of-the-art technology, IT and logistics of the highest quality are available, enabling a good, quantitative assessment of forest development as well as rapid and substantial measures against forest fires. • The Air Task Forces for forest fire suppression are by far the most expensive but at the same an essential element of the whole concept. • The Air Task Forces must have, permanent (hourly, 365 days) satellite information monitoring16 and an efficient alarm concept at their disposal. At least 80% of the fire fighting aircraft's must be held in permanent standby. • Forest fire fighting must be carried out from the air in large-scale, quick and offensive actions, which up until now have not been common. Performance goal: 100 - 300 tonnes of water per hour on the fire front during up to 48 hours of continuous action. This requires the simultaneous employment of fleets of 12 to 18 aircraft (e.g. BAe146/AVRO RJ 100 and/or Be-200 RR and/or many helicopters), as well as additional transport facilities and logistic support. The size of the fleets is limited by the probably restricted capacities on some of the available air bases near the location of the fire. 																																																													
5	See annex page 21	
6	See annex page 24 https://earthdata.nasa.gov/data/near-real-time-data/firms/fire-email-alerts https://firms.modaps.eosdis.nasa.gov/firemap

• The goal is not only to be able to extinguish forest fires in the event, but to quickly stop them spreading at an early stage:  -  Initial effects at the fire location within a matter of hours.  -  Parallel instead of sequential procedure (take off from the home base before    co-ordination with the local fire brigade at the target area has been completed).  -    Prior, bilateral, detailed contracts and planning for the emergency operations,     in particular for supplying the Task Force with fuel, airspace priority and     for taking large quantities of water on board etc.  -  Transfer to remote regions of the world within 48 hours at the most (e.g. the         south of New Zealand).  -  Part of the Task Force should be flexible in its stationing. For example during          winter in the northern hemisphere, part of the Task Force could be dislocated   in the southern hemisphere as a precautionary measure.  • The service and assistance provided by the fire-fighting Task Force should be offered on preferential terms to those regions and countries that align their synergistic forestry policies successfully with FOREST for CLIMATE and observe the REDD+ recommendations. • Assistance from the Task Force provides the target countries with a major incentive to implement the FOREST for CLIMATE concept. • Ultimately, the global Association of Forest Fire Task Forces could, within the foreseeable future, be seen as a small supplementary institution to the International Red Cross / Red Crescent.     1. First project phase, approx. 18 - 30 months (2014 - 2017)  Basic studies and project development planning. Budget 1.3 million EURO, funding still pending. Project management: Central Directorate of the Fire-fighter Association of Switzerland "SWISSFIRE" www.swissfire.ch • Personnel:  -  Senior Project Manager, lawyer with experience in international and diplomatic circles or engineer with experience as a CEO in an internationally active company. The Senior Project Manager is subject to the authority of the director of the SWISSFIRE.  -  Assistant Project Manager with an academic, scientific, forestry or resource economy background. • Public relations work, political networking, secretariat and financial administration supported by the administrative office of SWISSFIRE, but with costs to be borne by the project. • Advisory committee:  -   One expert in international forest fire fighting as direct partner of the Senior     Project Manager,  -   Two experts in international forest-related issues,  -   One representative of the FUNDING AGENCIY,  -   Two members of the Swiss Federal Parliament,  -   One representative of the Disaster Risk Management of the Swiss Agency for         Development and Co-operation (SDC), Swiss Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Program for the first phase (18 - 30 months):   • Investigation of the interest of countries and regions in co-operating with the Task Force for the purpose of combating forest fires, primarily in the Mediterranean area, Central Europe and in Eurasia (Archangelsk - Tenerife - Baku). • External allocation of various short feasibility and fact-finding study mandates to specialists, academic institutions (world-wide), insurance companies (e.g. SwissRe), technology and aviation companies (e.g. RUAG, SWISS, BAE Systems) administrative bodies and institutions of national governments. • Generation of goodwill for the FOREST for CLIMATE concept amongst the most important players of the already innumerable climate protection institutions all over the world. • Finding further sponsors and co-operation partners. • Clarification of essential operation modalities of the Air Task Force. • Development of the curriculum for the elite training course FOREST for CLIMATE as well as exploration of the interest of young postgraduates (world-wide) in the elite training courses. Goal: 200 participants per year in courses lasting four weeks each, annually until 2110. First two courses to be given in 2016. • Summary clarification and refinement of the estimates of biomass storage potential in the forests of different regions of the world.  • Study of the economic effect (neutral?) of the reduction of timber harvesting (≈ 5% to 19 % per year based on 2014, depending on the scenario) with the effect of a boom in raw wood prices, paper, and other wood product prices. • Development of the technical specifications of the future Task Force, e.g. aircraft type (e.g. BAe146 / AVRO RJ 100 / Be-200 RR), night-time operations, use and effects of special extinguishing agents e.g. serpentinite slurry, concentrated discharge of water (e.g. in biologically decomposable 10 litre plastic bags, which are ripped open in the branches of the burning trees). Concentrated discharge of water and nocturnal operations can greatly increase the effectiveness of the fire-fighting aircraft's. • Evaluation and alignment of satellite supported, global forest fire information. • Planning of intervention tactics. • Planning of complementary terrestrial forest fire fighting and prevention.  • Planning the next three-year phase (2017-2019 experimental phase). • Designing the project structure for phase 2. • Securing funding for phase 2. • Decision to carry out phase 2.   2. Second phase 3 years (2017-2019) • Experimental implementation and intervention. • Budget: 120 million EURO (40 million per year). Funding in co-operation with philanthropic FUNDING AGENCIES on an international basis. • Project management will possibly continue to be secured by SWISSFIRE, with institutional partners. • FOREST for CLIMATE elite training courses per year within a structure which can be maintained on a long-term bases, in co-operation e.g. with ETH Zurich (Department Environment Systems Science http://www.usys.ethz.ch/ and Department Management, Technology and Economics  http://www.mtec.ethz.ch/).

• In-depth consultation with, for example:  -    Continuous Cover Forestry Group UK http://www.ccfg.org.uk/  -    Georg-August-Universität Göttingen, Fakultät für Forstwissenschaften    und Waldökologie http://www.uni-goettingen.de/de/fakultät-für-forstwissenschaften-und-waldökologie/19852.html  (Prof. em. Dr. Dr. h. c. Klaus von Gadow)  -    University of Easter Finland - School of Forest Sciences, Joensuu     Finland www.uef.fi/en/metsa/yhteystiedot (Prof. Dr. Timo Pukkala)     -   Swiss Federal Institute for Forest, Snow and Landscape Research WSL  http://www.wsl.ch/index_EN  -   The SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT SOLUTIONS NETWORK of the UN    http://unsdsn.org    -  World Forestry Centre http://www.worldforestry.org/  -  Forest Climate Working Group, Policy Platform (USA)            http://www.nacdnet.org/policy/naturalresources/energy/forest_climate_        working_group_policy_platform.pdf   -    CTIF http://www.ctif.org/ Comité Technique International de prévention et          d'extinction du Feu (50 member countries)   -    The Forest Climate Fund of the Federal Republic of Germany   http://www.waldklimafonds.de/  -    C.O.Z. (Centre Opérationnel de Zone) in Valabre South of France, Ecole       d'application de sécurité civile (ECASC) http://www.valabre.com/joo2012/  -  Protezione Civile Italiana: http://www.protezionecivile.gov.it/  -  Dipartimento di Scienze della Natura e del Territorio (DIPNET), Sassari           Sardinia Italy  http://www.uniss.it/php/dipnet.php/  -    Dipartimento di Scienze Agrarie, Forestali e Alimentari (DISAFA) Universita         di Torino, Italy  http://www.distafa.unirc.it/  -  Department of Land and Agroforest Environments, University of Padova,           Italy http://www.unipd.it/international-area/node/82  -  REDD+ • Improvements to the efficiency of the fire-fighting aircrafts:  -  Experimental night-time operations with special avionics and terrestrial  navigation aids. Experimental and emergency operations with at least three hired aircraft (BAe146 / AVRO RJ and/or Be-200RR), including complimentary terrestrial interventions. A second hand17 BAe146/AVRO including conversion costs approx. 9 -12 million EURO per unit. A new amphibian Be-200RR costs approx. 30 million EURO.  -   Tests with concentrated discharge of water e.g. in biologically          degradable plastic bags. • Consultation with and evaluation of those countries and regions with the best result potential. • World wide, creative public relations and media campaigns for FOREST for CLIMATE, spreading of information concerning danger to the climate due to forest fires, as well as the changeover to the new forestry policies of timber and climate-protecting biomass, motivating the Forest Stewardship Council to develop a FSC+ strategy etc.     																																																													
7	As in service by Neptune Aviation Services USA http://www.neptuneaviation.com/index2.php#/home/

4	 • Priority: Editing and wide diffusion of a professional textbook on FOREST for CLIMATE, including chapters about CLIMATE DANGER, CARBON OFFSET,  CONTINUOUS COVER FORESTRY and FIRE MANAGEMENT. The book must be published in about 8 main languages, with regional editions focussing of the  concerned area. Total edition over 200'000 copies, to be offered or sold at an affordable price to professionals. Revisions and new editions every 10 years. • Evaluation of progress. • Planning phase 3 (post experimental, four years). • Securing funding for phase 3. • Decision to carry out phase 3.  3. Third phase, four years (2020-2023) • Post experimental phase, development of a permanent infrastructure. • Overall budget for the third phase: 250 million EURO. Securing funding on an international basis in co-operation with various FUNDING AGENCIES. • Transformation of the legal project structure into an independent public trust controlled by Swiss Ministry of Interior Affairs, SWISSFIRE and the FUNDING AGENCIES. • Continuation and actualisation of the elite training courses: Timber+Climate. • Build-up of the staff corps to 100 persons, acquisition of the first tranche of eight fire-fighting aircraft and of the further equipment pool. • Securing of long-term funding, e.g. with insurance companies, national governments, philanthropic FUNDING AGENCIES, UNO, WORLD BANK etc. • Long-term organisation and work concept plans for the Swiss Task Force (SWISS AIR FIRE EAGLES) with approximately 250 staff members, reserves from fire brigades and flight companies. • Ordering a further seven fire-fighting aircraft (12 tonnes of water each) two helicopters (3 tonnes of water each) one large transport aircraft (Antonov 124) for logistics and effective terrestrial support. NB: The Task Force will not donate any material to local forest fire brigades. SWISS AIR FIRE EAGLES will operate the aircraft's and only lend out terrestrial material temporarily.  • Preparation and support of avant-garde forestry and timber industry policies, widespread information and awareness-raising campaigns on the theme of FOREST for CLIMATE. • Implementation of other air transport aid to disaster areas in time windows in which there are no forest fire operations, amongst other things, food aid, evacuation from flood areas (e.g. with the amphibious Be-200RR), and drinking water supplies by air etc.  4. Fourth phase, from 2023 +, permanent • Founding of the SWISS AIR FIRE EAGLES, consolidation of the permanent institution. • Annual budget 100 million EURO. Securing funding on an international basis. 250 staff members, 18 aircraft, logistics and operation programmes for fighting forest fires from the air and on the ground. The Task Force SWISS AIR FIRE EAGLES will initially be mainly active within a radius of 3000 km around Switzerland, however longer distance operations shall not be excluded. • Emergency air operations on approximately 36-96 days per year. • Support of terrestrial fire brigades in the target countries. • Perfection and geographical expansion of operations. • Modernisation and equipment additions. • Continuation and actualisation of the elite training course Timber+Climate.

5	 • Support of the alignment of forestry concepts in the target countries. • Evaluation of success and widespread media presence.  5. Fifth phase, from 2024+ permanent, overlapping with phase four  • Appropriate independence of the operative Task Force SWISS AIR FIRE EAGLES with regard to organisation and financing.  • Model and advisory function with regard to the global dissemination of the concept FOREST for CLIMATE, as well as for other Task Force operational units worldwide.  • Overall financial requirements for the 95 years from 2015 to 2110: 100 to 140 billion EURO. Phase 5 shall, in co-operation with other partners and institutions, assist securing the financial resources for the worldwide establishment of Task Forces and for the concept of FOREST for CLIMATE. • The initial programme and the results of phases 1-4 provide the experience basis for qualified advisory and training offers made to interested partner countries and institutions.  • Goal: Depending on the scenario, 8 - 25 national or regional Task Forces with 12 to 18 aircrafts per unit within the next 95 years, worldwide. • Diversified international funding. • Continuation of efforts to promote the anchoring of synergistic, sustainable forestry and timber industry policies of FOREST for CLIMATE in selected forest areas in diverse parts of the world. • Evaluation regarding the progress made in reaching the increased biomass reserve goals in the most important commercial forests. In 2110, depending on the scenario, these forests should contain 112 % - 149% of the present biomass of 2015. • Wood grows on wood, biomass on biomass, so that after 2060 the biomass will increase more quickly and by 2110 have reached the goal: 100 Gt of CO2-sequestration in 0.5 billion hectares of forest.   Concluding comments  • In the scenario C (page 16) are estimations presented which are based on specific assumptions (summary of all 5 scenarios on page 8 above. The scenarios differ in their capacities. The calculated estimates are based on the presumption that many of the target countries would not be in a position to make more than a minimal contribution towards costs.  • The benefits of Carbon Offset and the climate change slowdown would be mostly felt by industrial centres, which produce very high emission levels. It is not primarily the forest regions and forestry that would benefit. Therefore, only a small part of the costs should be passed on to the forest owners.  • The expected reduction of CO2 emissions due to improved fire prevention has not been taken into account in the estimates for this project. On the other hand, with rising temperatures, forest fire emissions will increase. • The fact cannot be ignored, that those economic operators interested in the timber of the sub boreal and boreal regions of the northern hemisphere are expecting an expansion of timber production northwards, due to the global increase in temperatures, and want to make use of this long-term advantage. Positive use can be made of this expectation. It can be used as an argument for accepting the reduction of timber harvesting in the temperate zones as suggested in this project.  • A long-term continental shift northwards of forestry production areas is to be expected, even with the greatest possible reduction of greenhouse gases.

6	 ANNEXES SCENARIO C, detailed estimations Summery of scenarios A, B, C, D, E see page 8  Details of scenarios A. B. C. D, E are available on request in format .xls from speich@mail.archi.it           Forest Fire and Wildfire Fightin

7	 FOREST FIRE FIGHTING A well concerted combined operation of water bombing and ground work Be-200RR, new Russian amphibious water   BAe146 / AVRO RJ 100 second hand, former  bomber, 12 ton water, very low stall speed,  passenger jet, very low stall speed,  cruise speed 560 km/h, world best water bomber cruise speed 800 km/h

8	Continuous Cover Forest System Typical profile of an uneven-aged forest (Plenterwald, J.-Ph. Schütz 1997) Source: http://www.pro-silva-helvetica.ch/pdf/Portrait01.pdf Very high standing volume, relatively fire resistant   Forest worked under the selection system (Continuous Cover Forest)  Source: Troup18, R.S. 1928 Silviculture Systems. Clarendon Press, Oxford and Silviculture systems for tomorrow, 2009: by Gary Kerr,  Forest Research, Alice Holt Lodge, Farnham, Surrey, GU10 4LH      http://www.ccfg.org.uk/events/downloads/2008/Silv_Systems.pdf http://www.google.ch/search?q=Continuous+cover+forest+foto&cad=h http://www.slu.se/en/collaborative-centres-and-projects/trees-and-crops-for-the-future/research-themes/sustainable-and-adaptive-forest-management/continuous-cover-forestry/  http://www.eoearth.org/view/article/51cbeeaa7896bb431f699788/?topic=51cbfc77f702fc2ba8129ab9 http://www.wsl.ch/fe/waldressourcen/dossiers/ukraine/index_EN  																																																													
8	Robert Scott Troup CMG CIE FRS  (*1874 - †1939) was a British forestry expert. He spent the first part of his career in Colonial India, returning to England in 1920 to head Oxford's School of Forestry. His unique three-volume oeuvre, The Silviculture of Indian Trees, was published in 1921. It is more than likely, that he was convinced of Continuous Cover Forest Management under tropical and temperate conditions as well. However later tropical forestry has been reduced at many places to mere timber farming.

9	Continuous Cover Forest examples As opposed to climate-negative even-aged clear felling forest (picture centre right) Flerskiktad Continuous cover forest, Sweden                   Forêt de Soignes (futaie irregulière), Belgium  Young Hallormsstadur National Forest, Iceland                Climate-negative clear-felling, Oregon USA       New Zealand farm forest: Continuous cover                     Continuous cover forest, Germany

0	 Examples of natural and virgin forest reserves  With very high standing volume of likely far more than 1'000 ton carbon/hectare, preserved for ever. Although virgin forest reserves do not much continue to contribute to additional Carbon Offset, because they are already in balance between growth and decay. But such forest relicts provide an excellent indication about the capability for Carbon Offset of managed low volume forests, and about how much managed forests could contribute to Carbon Offset.   The three sisters: Sitka spruce (Picea sitchensis) 78 - 79 meters high. Carmanah Walbran Provincial Park, Canada, 16,450 hectares. Likely more than 2000 tons of biomass per hectare. Picture by Marine Recker   Virgin Forest Reserve Perućica, Bosnia-Herzegovina (BiH). One of the most famous primeval forest reserves of Europe. 43°20′N 18°41′E. Left: Silver fir (Abies alba) height, 52 m; girth 526 cm (Picture by Jeroen Philippona). Perućica Forest Reserve, located within the Sutjeska National Park (175 km²), is 6 km long, 1-3 km wide, and has an area of 1,400 hectares. It is a UNESCO recognized site. The forest has many trees that are 300 years old.    Bosnia-Herzegovina (BiH).                        Sutjeska National Park (BiH), 175 km²

Tree planting for Climate Mitigation? The above outlined concept-proposal FOREST for CLIMATE mentions only marginally the effect of afforestation. The main focus and by large the most substantial climate mitigation effect is supposed to be from the increment of the standing timber volume of mature or semi mature, already existing and highly productive commercial forests and from new, developing natural forest reserves. Yet afforestation is definitely an additional, most welcome contribution to climate mitigation. Many initiatives focusing on Carbon Offset have selected afforestation activities as their primordial mission. Confucius (551-479 BC), the famous Chinese Philosopher apparently said: "Who begets children and plants trees will win the heaven" and the French Poet Baudelaire (1821 -1867) repeated in his poem "The Warning Voice": "... beget children, plant trees ...."   Both is easy and does not take much effort or time. However raising children and looking after trees until they can stand drought and strong storms is a very different, difficult and long-lasting task. Probably only those who have spent and accompanied during their lifetime true forests, young and old trees, know how ephemeral a tree planting enthusiasm may sometimes unfortunately prove to be. Tree planting is nevertheless a quite positive option. There are globally vast barren land surfaces that at a first glance could bear trees and forests according to climate and soil conditions. But there are always strong prevailing reasons why there is actually no forest. These reasons must be analyzed and be sustainably overcome before starting tree planting. In many cases conflicting interests between national policy, industrial economy and local people's whishes remain unsolved. Traditional land use patterns, disputed land ownership, occasional meteorological disasters, wildfires, wild or domestic animal browsing and other reasons may be adverse for sustainable tree growth. On the other hand, with the climate change, new land surfaces may become promising for forest development. The upper timberline in the high mountain ranges may climb up to 10 meters annually due to global warming. Grassland in Iceland starts its metamorphosis into forest. Boreal forests may "wander" northwards. When looking at the CARBON OFFSET potential through timber growth we must admit, that the future forests on marginal lands will only substantially contribute to global climate mitigation after several decades or centuries, because growth rates are slow.  It has been sufficiently experienced that the art and technique of planting may strongly affect the chance of long-term survival of a tree. Usually young trees of 0.3 up to 1.5 m height are planted with naked roots or rooted in a container of 1 to 5 kg of soil, after having grown in a nursery. The fragile roots are likely to intertwine, especially when having developed in circular direction along the inner surface of a container. They are likely to forming knots and loops whilst buried in the soil during the planting operation. The mechanical strength and anchoring of the tree does later not materialize in an optimal way. It opens the door for root infections and increases the danger for the tree being nocked down by strong winds. Young forest should preferably be established by seeding, wherever possible, not by planting, for allowing the tiny roots to geometrical spread in a natural way in all directions from the seed center. The establishment of a new forest should if possible comprise a variety of different, locally adapted species. Furthermore planting a large surface at once with young trees initiates a monoculture with little natural character and resistance. The initiating and tending process of a new forest must be continuous over several decades. At the beginning the afforestation should be restricted to patches at a distance of ten to fifty meters only. The space in between will be seeded in later years, thus creating an un-even-aged forest structure. This is one of the several methods or preconditions for the most favoured Continuous Cover Forest Management System.  The above outlined precautions and conditions for a successful establishment of a forest should never be underestimated  -  but they are neglected worldwide in too many cases. Really successful, excellent and sustainable afforestation is a long-term endeavor as well as a costly operation, full of unexpected risks. A less problematic aspect of tree planting for climate mitigation is the vast range of agroforestry, silvopastoral management, fruit tree horticulture, windbreaks, dune stabilization, date palm orchards on salinized former irrigation schemes, fodder trees and tree fodder production, ornamental, and road- and river-side tree planting, among many others of combined synergetic land uses with trees and other woody plants in well established, century old traditional or in modern form. An excellent example is the Chagga culture in Tanzania (Kihamba system). 
	  	 surrounding Mt. Kilimanjaro critically depend on this. Its sustainable management of soils prevents erosion on the mountain steep slopes. Finally, the Kihamba family plots remain central to the social cohesion and cultural identity of the Chagga tribe." © FAO/David Boerma http://www.fao.org/fileadmin/templates/giahs_assets/case_study_annexes/Kihamba_Agroforestry_TZ.pdf                                Furthermore it was found, that: " The albedo RF increases with increasing altitude, which offsets the CO2 RF at high elevations with long snow-covered periods, high global radiation and low carbon sequestration. Albedo RF is particularly relevant during transitions from open land to open forest but not in later stages of forest development. Between 1985 and 1997, when overall forest expansion in Switzerland was approximately 4%, the albedo RF offset the CO2 RF by an average of 40%. We conclude that the albedo RF should be considered at an appropriately high resolution when estimating the climatic effect of forestation in temperate mountainous regions."		J. Schwaab1,5, M. Bavay1, E. Davin4, F. Hagedorn2, F. Hüsler3, M. Lehning1,6, M. Schneebeli1, E. Thürig2, and P. Bebi1, Biogeosciences, 12, 467-487, 2015 http://www.biogeosciences.net/12/467/2015/bg-12-467-2015 1 WSL - Institute for Snow and Avalanche Research SLF, 7260 Davos, Switzerland 2 Swiss Federal Institute for Forest, Snow and Landscape Research WSL, 8903 Birmensdorf, Switzerland 3 Institute of Geography and Oeschger Center for Climate Change Research, University of Bern, 3012 Bern, Switzerland 4 Institute for Atmospheric and Climate Sciences, ETH Zürich, 8092 Zürich, Switzerland 5 Institute for Spatial and Landscape Planning, ETH Zürich, 8093 Zürich, Switzerland 6 CRYOS, School of Architecture, Civil and Environmental Engineering, EPFL, 1015 Lausanne, Switzerland  A misleading opinion: "To Save the Planet, Don't Plant Trees: Climate scientists have calculated the effect of increasing forest cover on surface temperature. Their conclusion is that planting trees in the tropics would lead to cooling, but in colder regions, it would cause warming. The dark colour of trees means that they absorb more of the sun's energy and raise the planet's surface temperature." By NADINE UNGER  SEPT. 19, 2014 The Opinion Pages   http://www.nytimes.com/2014/09/20/opinion/to-save-the-planet-dont-plant-trees.html?src=me&module=Ribbon &version=origin®ion=Header&action=click&contentCollection=Most%20Emailed&pgtype=article  Woods Hole Research Center responds to misleading NY Times op-ed on climate change: http://newswatch.nationalgeographic.com/2014/09/23/woods-hole-research-center-responds-to-reckless-misleading-ny-times-op-ed/ See also: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UobbcrYomg0  "Big Trees Fight Global Warming" https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wnXToHGldxo "Trees Cause Global Warming"

2-55-2525-5050-7575-100100-125125-150150-175175-200
Minimum classical forestry timber 
sustainability e.g. 
± 320 m
3
/ha, ± constant 
biomass volume, green arrows: 
heavy harvest intervention 
(remaining remaining timber 
volume per diameter class in small 
green boxes)
cm tree stem diameter classes measured at 1.3 m above ground
number / ha of standing 
live timber trees per stem 
diameter class
1000
30
10
3
100
300
Maximum new synergistic sustainability carbon offset + timber, e.g. 
± 600 m
3
/ha, ± constant biomass volume (remaining timber volume per diameter 
class in small blue boxes, moderate harvest interventions, including ± 12% biomass 
naturally dead stem-wood), blue arrows: harvest + natural mortality.
The graphs represent the number of life trees/hectare in models and in measured quasi natural 
forest reserves, stratified in diameter-classes: uneven-aged forest: with ± constant biomass 
volume. In reality not discrete curves, since variable according to annual climate, natural hazards, thinning 
and harvest interventions.
Forest management research did achieve increment measurements of forests only since about 120 years, yet not much in 
virgin/natural forests and not in intentionally harvest-reduced forests. However a few data and empirical observations allow to 
draw a graph. The above hypothetical graphs are based on adaptation of measurements and observations in Couvet 
Neuchâtel/Switzerland (http://www.pro-silva-helvetica.ch/pdf/Portrait01.pdf), and in natural forest reserves of Czechia, Slovakia, 
Bosnia, as well as in Poland, Rwanda and Pakistan. See also:
http://www.mendelu.cz/dok_server/slozka.pl?id=57763;download=80025            and                  http://mofep.mdc.mo.gov        and 
http://scholar.google.ch/scholar?q=uneven-aged+management&hl=de&as_sdt=0&as_vis=1&oi=scholart&sa=X&ei=0FuUU5C3Gu2S7AaR-
oGQBQ&ved=0CCMQgQMwAA
The forest economists stick to the minimum timber sustainability (green). However the overriding aim of forests must become 
CARBON OFFSET (blue). Carbon offset does not compromise timber production in the long run. That is however not yet part and 
parcel of forest economists thinking. Some forest economists still believe, that the above green optimum is ideal. Although 
VIRGIN FOREST observation and measurement suggest a new strategy. One m
3
 timber volume growth  ≈  one ton CO
2
 
sequestered.
Andreas Speich, Conservator of Forests + Nature, dipl. Forsting. ETH/SIA                    
member of WCPA / IUCN       www.andreas-speich.ch                                                                                        
Hypothetical Forest Volume Model C3 for fertile Temperate Climate 
Zone, 
2
/
3
 conifer, 
1
/
3
 broadleaf mixed uneven-aged forest  (co-natural)
Continuous Cover Forest System
Empirical forest statistic sources:
≈ well known from up to 120 years of harvest by uneven-
aged forest management (Couvet CH)
Low harvest management (estimation)
≈ known from some natural virgin forest reserves in 
Central & Eastern Europe
1
Natural forest reserve, "virgin forest" never harvested, up to e.g. ± 1000 
m
3
/ha, ± constant biomass volume, average of e.g. > 20 hectares, 
including 17 % dead stem-wood biomass,  lila arrows: natural mortality 
(timber volume per diameter class in small lila boxes). This constant 
biomass model of a uneven-aged virgin forest model does not apply to ± 
even aged boreal forests.
	 4	                           https://firms.modaps.eosdis.nasa.gov/firemap/    World days 23 - 25 July 2014     Mediterranean and Black Sea Region days 23 - 25 July 2014

5	 GLOBAL VEGETATION FIRE EMISSIONS   Technically suppressable,        Technically barely suppressable,    mostly unintentional fires         mostly intentional fires    Peat fire                                       Agricultural waste burning     Closed forest fires                      Deforestation fires     Woodland fires       Savannah + grassland fires Tera grams Carbon  per year Tg C yr-1          14 year mean 1997 -  2011   Tg C yr-1      CO2 Gt yr-1 Emission only from closed forest, woodland and peat fires,      694 2.5 likely to be technically suppressable (generally unintentional,  man made or natural hazard fires). % of total all global CO2 emissions, inclusive all fossil fuel consumption.     9%       9% Emission from all 6 categories of vegetation fires, including  deforestation, agriculture waste and savannah+grassland fires.   1999           7.3 (These 3 latter categories are technically hardly suppressable, because intentional)  % of total all global CO2 emissions, inclusive all fossil fuel consumptions.   26%  26%  Data about vegetation fires:  ACPD 10, 16153-16230, 2010 Global fire emissions (1997-2009)  G. R. van der Werf et al. and unpublished newer information from the same authors (2013) http://www.atmos-chem-phys.net/10/11707/2010/acp-10-11707-2010.html

6	   published on Monday, 15 September 2014, page 7       Environmental Laureates' Declaration on Climate Change, 01 July, 2014  "Aghast that the Earth is heading for 4 to 6 degrees Celsius of global warming, given current policies on the burning of coal, oil and gas.  Terrified that we will lose our ability to feed ourselves, run out of potable water, increase the scope for war, and cause the very fabric of civilization to crash as a consequence of the climate change this global overheating will bring about.  Devastated that our governments have not succeeded yet in slowing, much less stopping, the flow of greenhouse gases into our thin atmosphere, in the full knowledge of these risks, despite a quarter century of trying.  Aware that the December 2015 Paris Climate Summit may be the last chance to agree a treaty capable of saving civilization.  Believing that the world's philanthropic foundations, given the scale of their endowments, hold the power to trigger a survival reflex in society, so greatly helping those negotiating the climate treaty.  Recognizing that all the good works of philanthropy, in all their varied forms, will be devalued or even destroyed in a world en route to six degrees of global warming or more, and that endowments that could have saved the day will end up effectively as stranded assets.  We, 160 winners of the world's major environmental prizes call on foundations and philanthropists everywhere to deploy their endowments immediately in the effort to save civilization."  Prof. Dr. Eicke R. Weber                              Dr. Bernd Dallmann Chairman Board of Trustees                        Chairman European Environment Foundation             European Environment Foundation  Info@european-environment-foundation.eu goerlitz@european-environment-foundation.eu http://www.european-environment-foundation.eu   co-signed together with many other laureates by the author of the proposal FOREST for CLIMATE  Andreas Speich  Zurich (Switzerland) / Cannobio (Italy), 05 July 2014

7	  Please join this urgent message for delivery at the United Nations Climate Summit on September 23, 2014, by signing it online at http://unsdsn.org/climate-letter/ Please also share this message widely with your own networks of friends, colleagues, students, and other associates so that they too add their names to this urgent appeal. A Message on Climate Change to World Leaders   Initiated by Sustainable Development Solutions Network ( http://unsdsn.org/ )   Put into circulation among others by  Julia Marton-Lefèvre IUCN Director General on 24 July 2014 (International Union for Conservation of Nature ( http://www.iucn.org/ ) Human-induced climate change is an issue beyond politics. It transcends parties, nations, and even generations. For the first time in human history, the very health of the planet, and therefore the bases for future economic development, the end of poverty, and human wellbeing, are in the balance. If we were facing an imminent threat from beyond Earth, there is no doubt that humanity would immediately unite in common cause. The fact that the threat comes from within - indeed from ourselves - and that it develops over an extended period of time does not alter the urgency of cooperation and decisive action. The world has agreed to limit the mean temperature increase to less than 2-degrees Centigrade (2°C). Even a 2°C increase will carry us to dangerous and unprecedented conditions not seen on Earth during the entire period of human civilization. Various physical feedbacks - in the Arctic, the oceans, the rainforests, and the tundra - could multiply a 2°C temperature increase into vastly higher temperatures and climate disruption. For this reason many scientists and some countries advocate for 1.5°C or even stricter targets. To give up on the 2°C limit, on the other hand, would be reckless and foolish. We would abandon our remaining chance to stay within a safe operating space for humanity and that of millions of other species. By holding the 2°C limit, we would retain the global option to adopt an even more stringent emission reduction limit in line with evolving scientific knowledge and technological capacities. The 2°C limit, or an even stronger target, can be met through long-term national strategies and concerted global cooperation. All countries must commit to a deep decarbonization of their energy systems, shifting from high-carbon energy (coal, oil, and natural gas) to low-carbon energy of various kinds (e.g. wind, solar, nuclear, carbon capture and sequestration, known as CCS). Low-carbon electricity plus massive gains in energy efficiency and the electrification of vehicles, heating and cooling systems of commercial as well as residential buildings can lead to a dramatic reduction of carbon-dioxide emissions alongside a growing economy. Changes in lifestyle patterns and urban planning can make another important contribution. The many co-benefits of decarbonization with the deployment of sustainable energy, information and communication technologies will include cleaner air and water, enhanced biodiversity, and security of domestic renewable energy resources. Targeted efforts are also required to decarbonize key industries.

8	 Finally, countries need to curb greenhouse gas emissions resulting from agriculture, livestock, and land-use change, such as deforestation. They must also manage and restore ecosystems to ensure they can serve as a significant net sink for greenhouse gas emissions. The technological transition during the first half of the 21st century is within reach, especially in light of massive advances in knowhow in recent years. In many parts of the world and in some contexts, solar and wind power are already at "grid parity."  Large-scale deployment of electric vehicles, carbon-capture and sequestration, next- generation nuclear power plants for those countries deploying nuclear power, and other low-carbon energy technologies are all within reach. They can be pushed to commercial readiness and large-scale deployment through concerted public and private programs of research, development, demonstration, and diffusion (RDD&D) on a global scale. We have nearly exhausted the Earth's carbon budget, which measures the cumulative emissions of CO2 that will likely keep the planet within the 2°C limit. Only through a drastic reduction of carbon emissions between now and 2050, en route to a zero-net emission economy in the second half of the century, can we meet the challenge of remaining below 2°C. Yet, deep decarbonization can be accomplished. As President John F. Kennedy said a half-century ago, "We choose to go to the moon in this decade and do the other things, not because they are easy, but because they are hard, because that goal will serve to organize and measure the best of our energies and skills..." In our time, humanity again must choose, this time to save our planet from short-sightedness, greed, and apathy to avoid catastrophic climate change. This time too, we must organize and measure the best of our energies and skills to stay within 2°C. We call upon you, world leaders, to recognize the gravity of the situation, and to call upon all of us to rise to the occasion. We owe nothing less to ourselves, to future generations, and to Earth itself. Founding Signatories See http://unsdsn.org/climate-letter/ Total signatories today, 3. September 2014,  6,626 Co-signed as IUCN/WCPA Member: Andreas Speich on 26 July 2014     Proposal to international FUNDING AGENCIES  SWISS FIRE-FIGHTER ASSOCIATION  Author: Andreas Speich, Conservator 2014