The first layer of Hold Our Breath 2040 resources will be developed through an Irish lens, with a view toward considering the rapidly changing situation in Ireland. The least forested nation of Europe, Ireland has less than 2 percent native coverage, despite having been fully forested previous to colonisation. Currently, commercial afforestation efforts surge due to government incentives using tree-planting to offset carbon emissions, with short-term monoculture undermining the native ecosystems and biodiversity necessary for long-range regeneration. The rapid state of change due to government policies puts Ireland in a uniquely urgent position, as the complex sociological, historical, and economic relationship of Ireland to the woodlands calls for reimagining.
Planting trees against climate change: Ireland is reforesting its territory by growing spruces. But it's not just about being green, it's about profit. Wood is a big business... much to the displeasure of local environmental activists who want Ireland's forestry policy changed.