Resilience in tomorrow’s climate

By Camilla Marangon, Horacio Lafer Piva, Paulo Hartung and José Carlos da Fonseca Jr.*

The sector that plants trees for industrial purposes and restoration is well positioned within a world that needs to advance with respect to climate security, technological innovation and economic development. A global reference for the bioeconomy, the tree plantation industry is the source of bioproducts that can replace items from fossil sources. Production goes hand in hand with sustainability, biodiversity conservation, conservation of water resources and removing carbon from the atmosphere.

Today, the question is how to ensure that the trees we plant now will be able to prosper in tomorrow’s climate, which is uncertain and rapidly changing.

The impacts of the climate are clearly visible in the sectors that depend on nature. These impacts are related to drought, heat stress, and pests and disease, which could reduce market supply. Climate events can also interrupt industrial and logistical operations, narrow harvest windows, raise the costs of prevention, and pose risks to workers. Confidence in long-term investments also falls.

Adapting to these changes is not just a question of competitiveness, but also business continuity. For this, is it essential for us to cultivate more resilient trees.

In large part, the history of this sector is a history of applied science. There have been decades of research and development in genetic improvement, mechanization and enhancement  of forestry and silviculture practices.

The next leap will require research to advance at the same speed as the changes in our climate. In this context, time is our enemy. Tree breeding and improvement programs involve long cycles, while the climate is changing rapidly.

In this sense, biotechnologies including gene editing and modification can help, making it possible to develop resilient traits that are more difficult or impossible to achieve using conventional methods. For example, genetically modified trees with greater resistance to caterpillars, which are now approved for use, reducing the need for pesticides.

Taking advantage of this potential involves engagement with large-scale certification systems. These frameworks set benchmarks, provide transparency in management practices, and help build confidence between producers, consumers and society.

But today, their rules restrict the use of biotechnology, based on the precautionary principle. These directives were diligently constructed within the context of that time, during the 2000s, but are now out of step with the current state of art in science.

Since then, science has expanded our understanding of biosecurity mechanisms. Literature reviews published in journals like Nature Biotechnology have presented findings from decades of field trials involving genetically modified trees in various parts of the world.

For certification systems, debating the role of biotechnology in climate adaptation should not mean a breach of reputation, but rather an opportunity to subject these technologies to stakeholder scrutiny and construct what is needed for innovation to strengthen environmental, social and economic outcomes.

It is in this spirit that Ibá is holding the Executive Roundtable on Biotechnology for Climate-Resilient Forests in São Paulo, an international meeting that will bring together leaders in the tree plantation sector and researchers. The program includes discussions on the impacts of climate in forests, genetic engineering tools and their potential, regulatory landmarks and certification policies, as well as society’s perceptions of these technologies.

The debate starts from a consensus: we must ensure that forest production areas remain healthy and capable of providing environmental services for a planet that is in upheaval. The tree plantation sector stands face-to-face with a problematic equation: climate pressure and growing global demand for wood, not to mention the country’s ambitious restoration goals. Resolving this question will challenge the industry, not only in the field of technology but also in the regulatory and institutional arenas. Inaction is not a response, considering the current situation.

*Camilla Marangon, Sustainability Manager, Ibá

Horacio Lafer Piva, Chairman of the Ibá Council

Paulo Hartung, Economist

Ambassador José Carlos da Fonseca Jr.