Global forestation and deforestation affect remote climate via adjusted atmosphere and ocean circulation

This study investigates the impact of global-scale forestation and deforestation on Earth's energy balance, atmospheric circulation, and ocean circulation using multicentury coupled climate model simulations. The findings reveal that global forestation leads to a weakening and poleward shift of the Northern mid-latitude circulation, slows the Atlantic meridional overturning circulation (AMOC), and affects the Hadley cell strength. Deforestation causes the opposite effects. Both land surface changes significantly affect regional precipitation, temperature, clouds, and surface wind patterns worldwide. The study emphasizes the need to consider global circulation adjustments and their influence on remote climate when designing large-scale forestation projects.

Raphael Portmann, Urs Beyerle, Edouard Davin, Erich M. Fischer, Steven De Hertog, Sebastian Schemm