Europe’s shift to dark green forests stokes global warming—study

Reuters ^ | Thu Feb 4, 2016 2:25pm EST | Alister Doyle

[Olog-hai]

An expansion of Europe's forests towards dark green conifers has stoked global warming, according to a study on Thursday at odds with a widespread view that planting more trees helps human efforts to slow rising temperatures.

Forest changes have nudged Europe's summer temperatures up by 0.12 degree Celsius (0.2 Fahrenheit) since 1750, largely because many nations have planted conifers such as pines and spruce whose dark color traps the sun's heat, the scientists said.

Lighter-colored broad-leafed trees, such as oak or birch, reflect more sunlight back into space, but have lost ground to fast-growing conifers, used for everything from building materials to pulp.

Overall, the area of Europe's forests has expanded by 10 percent since 1750. ...

[Sacajaweau]

And solar panels reflect light to where?

[Olog-hai]

Photovoltaic panels are supposed to absorb rather than reflect; but their surfaces are still partially reflective.

Of course, the Ivanpah solar steam plant reflects its heat energy into the bodies of lots of birds . . .

[ProtectOurFreedom]

Norther Europe heated up 0.2 F? I fail to see the problem when you consider the situation only a few thousand years ago...

[r_barton]

You would think that 0.12 degree Celsius (0.2 Fahrenheit) would be well within a margin of error. Thermometers were not even digital until the past 20 years. How can they even pretend to be so precise? Junk madeup voodo “science”. More likely political science.

[anoldafvet]

I am not even sure these “scientists” rely on thermometers for measurement, I think they are using tree rings this year.