EARTH FRIENDLY THE EXCHANGE SPRING 2020 To understand the science around reforestation, Salesforce caught up with ecosystem ecologist Crowther Lab research Thomas Crowther, whose team at ETH Zürich helped write the original study that set the target of 1 trillion trees. ONE TRILLION SEEMS LIKE AN ALMOST INCONCEIVABLE NUMBER. HOW DID YOU ARRIVE AT THAT? Before the Agricultural Revolution there were almost 6 trillion trees on the planet. Today, we estimate there are about 3 trillion. We made a map to evaluate where trees would naturally exist. Obviously, we can’t plant in agricultural or urban areas, so when you eliminate those, you’re left with about 3.5 million square miles where there could be trees. ONE TRILLION TREES YOU ARGUE THIS ISN’T SO MUCH ABOUT PLANTING Understanding the reforestation battle against climate change TREES — IN MANY CASES, IT’S ABOUT LETTING NATURE TAKE ITS COURSE. Totally. Planting is great, because it gets people engaged. But most of this is natural. If we can allow forests to regenerate, they’ll do so much quicker than we can plant. HOW DO YOU INFLUENCE A FOREST The World Economic Forum has announced an audacious TO REGENERATE? In many cases, deforestation has occurred because humans have degraded the soil. Composting or spraying some fertilizer can really spur on natural regeneration. Sometimes, you can simply goal to combat climate change, the 1t.org initiative manage livestock differently. There are so many ways that all vary around the world. . By conserving, restoring, and planting 1 trillion trees by YOU’VE MENTIONED THAT REFORESTATION ALONE 2030, we can slow the planet’s rising temperatures, as well ISN’T ENOUGH TO COMBAT CLIMATE CHANGE, THAT IT’S JUST ONE PIECE OF THE PUZZLE. BUT WHAT IMPACT as stimulate biodiversity and restore some of the planet’s DOES IT HAVE? To address climate change, we need to cut emissions and draw down the carbon in the atmosphere. We need thousands of solutions working together. But in terms of carbon drawdown, forests are ecosystem. The vision of 1t.org is to create a platform to the largest tool we’ve got at the moment. bring together stakeholders who, collectively, have the SO IN ADDITION TO HELPING JUMPSTART NATURE TO capabilities to organize reforestation at a huge scale and TAKE ITS COURSE AGAIN, WHAT NEEDS TO HAPPEN TO GET TO THAT 1 The first step is to prevent deforestation which, at the moment, is still outweighing restoration. empower entrepreneurs and NGOs on the ground. TRILLION GOAL? Old forests store the most carbon and biodiversity. That can be done by incentivizing governments. The next step is mass engagement from corporations and people who can fund this. That’s starting to come. WHAT SORT OF ACTION IS REQUIRED FROM SALESFORCE IS PROUD TO SUPPORT 1T.ORG IN TWO WAYS: THE CORPORATE Building the tech backbone and enabling a restoration movement. It cannot be greenwashing. COMMUNITY? We need companies who can enable change, who can supply technology, who can rally others, who We will contribute our technology in We have set a goal to support and can influence policymakers. That’s what many are doing now, and it’s good. 1 the form of WEF’s UpLink, a new digital 2 mobilize the conservation and THE 2018 UN-COMMISSIONED STUDY SAYS IF THE TEMPERATURE GOES UP platform built to do just that: bring restoration of 100 million trees over AN AVERAGE OF 1.5 DEGREES CELSIUS BY 2030, together stakeholders of all sizes to the next decade. achieve the WE’LL BE PAST A POINT OF NO RETURN. IS THAT URGENCY United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals, which include RESONATING WITH Totally. I keep saying it’s like a bubbling energy. People are getting engaged. Even if the scale is an taking on climate change. PEOPLE? enormous number, you say, “I can do my part towards the global goal.” In addition, when you plant a tree with the idea of climate in mind, you recycle more, even though that’s not necessarily a climate thing. When people physically engage with the earth, you often see a real mindset change, and that is exciting. 13