I found it surprising and worrying that tropical forests, which have helped fight climate change for so long, might soon start adding to the problem. You explained the positive feedback loop really well—it’s scary how one problem like warming temperatures can lead to even more CO₂ in the air, making things worse.
I agree with you that engineering C3 plants to act like C4 or CAM plants is interesting, but not something we can rely on right now. It’s very complex and still in early stages. Maybe in the future, it could help crops grow better in dry, hot places, but we can’t count on it alone.
Like you said, protecting forests and stopping deforestation is a more realistic and urgent solution. I’d also add that supporting the people who live in and care for these forests—like indigenous communities—is really important. In many places, when locals have strong land rights, deforestation drops a lot.
One real-world idea could be paying countries to keep their forests standing, like through programs that give money for conservation. That way, forests stay healthy, and everyone benefits.
I agree with you that engineering C3 plants to act like C4 or CAM plants is interesting, but not something we can rely on right now. It’s very complex and still in early stages. Maybe in the future, it could help crops grow better in dry, hot places, but we can’t count on it alone.
Like you said, protecting forests and stopping deforestation is a more realistic and urgent solution. I’d also add that supporting the people who live in and care for these forests—like indigenous communities—is really important. In many places, when locals have strong land rights, deforestation drops a lot.
One real-world idea could be paying countries to keep their forests standing, like through programs that give money for conservation. That way, forests stay healthy, and everyone benefits.