We are going through a “modern” age in which the fallacy of measuring development by industrialization exposes our green spaces to the side effects of industrialization and we experience this effect through desertification. We are now aware that melting glaciers affect not only polar bears but all of us. This awareness and, of course, the nature of global warming, which cannot be confined to a certain geography, push humanity to find an answer to a common question with the call “this is a problem for all of us”. Although the questions are multiple, the common denominator is what can be done to sustain the earth and the life on it. The second stop this question usually takes us to is whether the measures that can be taken against global warming require large investments and technology-based projects. The answer is yes and no. In other words, these projects are of course necessary, but it is also possible to minimize the magnitude of the danger by taking advantage of what nature offers us, or by approaching nature with a sense of humility. Because walking with nature, taking refuge in nature is one of the cleanest, easiest and most necessary solutions.

So, what can be done then? Of course, restoring the green back to nature is an effective starting point. According to studies, greening and planting plants can have a cooling effect of up to 1 degree in daytime air temperature. Vegetation encourages rainfall, which provides water for plant life and agriculture and also feeds groundwater. In this cycle, the shading effect of plants also prevents the soil from overheating. So instead of evaporating, the water is absorbed by the soil and can reach groundwater sources, which means an increased supply of clean water available to living things, including us. Moreover, the moisture retained in the soil makes the land more suitable for agriculture. In all its generosity, the soil is stabilized to keep us not only hydrated but also nourished.

Green spaces also provide a favorable environment for wildlife. They create habitats for species and contribute to biodiversity. In addition to all this magnificence, the preservation or restoration of vegetation also provides natural resilience against major natural events such as floods, landslides or erosion that may occur as a result of climate change.

Not only that, plants are also hopeful carbon benders, holding a very cool field of activity in their hands. They serve as “carbon sequestrants” against carbon, one of the main contributors to atmospheric warming, and can also act as an ecological mediator. As a matter of fact, research suggests that about 37%[1] of carbon emissions can be sequestered by vegetation. In other words, although plants cannot completely take the burden of the emissions of the modern age off the world's shoulders, they perform quite well. For the remaining 63%, it makes a silent call to humanity: Don't expect everything from me!

Of course, support from nature is not limited to increasing greenery. Just like forests, the protection of wetlands, meadows and agricultural lands is of critical importance. In fact, while protecting agricultural areas, it is also important to use appropriate agricultural methods, to manage agricultural lands, pastures and meadows in a sustainable perspective, and to make proper use of areas designated for timber needs. Although increasing, protecting, reconstructing and managing greenery is a summary of what needs to be done, we should remember that nature does not need man, but man needs nature, and we should review the meaning we attribute to our civilization. Because we can succeed not against nature, not without nature, but with nature and to the extent that nature permits.

[1] Bk. https://www.nature.org/en-us/what-we-do/our-insights/perspectives/natural-climate-solutions/

Emel Guner

30.11.2022