The Most Cost-Effective Climate Solution Available: Keep Forests Where They Are

Earthjustice urges the Biden administration to permanently protect all mature and old-growth trees in U.S. federal forests, arguing that these carbon sinks are more efficient per acre than tropical rainforests and essential for meeting Paris Agreement goals and the 30x30 conservation target.

• Earthjustice is calling on the Biden administration to implement administrative action to conserve all mature and old-growth trees across all federal forests in the United States. This is presented as a necessary step for the U.S. to lead internationally in addressing climate and biodiversity crises and to meet commitments under the Paris Agreement.
• The protection of carbon sinks, specifically the Tongass and the Amazon, is described as the largest and most cost-effective natural climate solution available. Mature and old-growth forest ecosystems within the U.S. National Forest System are noted to store more carbon per acre than tropical rainforests.
• Conserving older forests provides benefits beyond carbon storage, including the protection of cultural heritage for Indigenous communities, the provision of clean water, and the creation of vital habitats for imperiled species such as salmon to buffer them from extreme climate impacts.
• Establishing permanent protections for mature and old-growth federal forests and trees nationwide via the Bureau of Land Management and the United States Forest Service aligns with the Biden administration's objective to protect 30 percent of lands and waters by 2030.

APA

Miller-McFeeley, B. (2021). The Most Cost-Effective Climate Solution Available: Keep Forests Where They Are. Earthjustice. https://earthjustice.org/experts/blaine-miller-mcfeeley/the-most-cost-effective-climate-solution-available-keep-forests-where-they-are

Chicago

Miller-McFeeley, Blaine. The Most Cost-Effective Climate Solution Available: Keep Forests Where They Are. Earthjustice, 2021. https://earthjustice.org/experts/blaine-miller-mcfeeley/the-most-cost-effective-climate-solution-available-keep-forests-where-they-are.

Wikipedia

{{cite press release |last1=Miller-McFeeley |first1=Blaine |title=The Most Cost-Effective Climate Solution Available: Keep Forests Where They Are |publisher=Earthjustice |date=20 September 2021 |url=https://earthjustice.org/experts/blaine-miller-mcfeeley/the-most-cost-effective-climate-solution-available-keep-forests-where-they-are |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@misc{millermcfeeley2021most, author = {Miller-McFeeley, Blaine}, title = {{The Most Cost-Effective Climate Solution Available: Keep Forests Where They Are}}, publisher = {Earthjustice}, year = {2021}, month = sep, url = {https://earthjustice.org/experts/blaine-miller-mcfeeley/the-most-cost-effective-climate-solution-available-keep-forests-where-they-are}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }