An international team of scientists has developed **new detailed maps** that identify the most suitable sites for **global reforestation**.
Developed with **conservative and technical criteria**, the maps aim to **maximize the [positive climate impact](https://noticiasambientales.com/medio-ambiente/reforestacion-urbana-en-ciudad-de-mexico-la-respuesta-ante-las-temperaturas-extremas/)** and avoid past mistakes, such as **planting in inappropriate or socially sensitive areas**.
Strategic Reforestation: Large-Scale Climate Benefits
According to the study, there are **195 million hectares viable for forest restoration projects**. If implemented, they could **capture up to 1.65 billion tons of CO₂ per year**, equivalent to almost **all annual emissions of the European Union**.
Reforestation is emerging as one of the **most cost-effective, scalable, and environmentally beneficial Natural Climate Solutions (NCS)**, leveraging natural evolutionary processes that allow for **[absorbing atmospheric carbon](https://noticiasambientales.com/ciencia/brasil-la-mineria-ilegal-de-oro-libera-carbono-a-la-atmosfera-y-contamina-el-suelo-con-mercurio/)** and storing it stably in the long term.
Three key criteria for selecting reforestation areas
Researchers defined priority reforestation areas based on three fundamental criteria:
- **Improvements in biodiversity and water quality**.
- **Prevention of social conflicts**, especially with indigenous peoples and rural communities.
- **Compatibility with existing government goals**, to ensure political feasibility.
This rigorous approach excluded regions of high institutional risk such as parts of **sub-Saharan Africa** and **Southeast Asia**, not completely ruling them out, but promoting **more participatory strategies with an environmental justice focus**.
Regions with the highest potential for effective reforestation
The zones with the most favorable conditions for restoring forests are:
- Western Canada and the northeastern U.S.
- The Amazon Basin, especially in Brazil and Colombia
- Central and Eastern Europe
- Eastern Australia
These regions have **suitable ecosystems, low population density, and political stability**, facilitating projects without displacing communities or altering valuable natural habitats like savannas or prairies.
A viable roadmap to address the climate crisis
Although reforestation **does not replace the need to reduce fossil emissions**, it represents a vital tool to **remove excess carbon from the atmosphere** and **contribute to global climate stabilization**.
This new mapping offers **a practical guide to implementing effective and socially responsible projects**, crucial for an environmental transition based on natural solutions, with tangible benefits for the planet and communities.
