Articles | Volume 23, issue 21
https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-23-13713-2023
https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-23-13713-2023
Research article
 | 
03 Nov 2023
Research article |  | 03 Nov 2023

Simulating impacts on UK air quality from net-zero forest planting scenarios

Gemma Purser, Mathew R. Heal, Edward J. Carnell, Stephen Bathgate, Julia Drewer, James I. L. Morison, and Massimo Vieno

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Cited articles

Albanito, F., Hastings, A., Fitton, N., Richards, M., Martin, M., Mac Dowell, N., Bell, D., Taylor, S. C., Butnar, I., Li, P. H., Slade, R., and Smith, P.: Mitigation potential and environmental impact of centralized versus distributed BECCS with domestic biomass production in Great Britain, GCB Bioenergy, 11, 1234–1252, https://doi.org/10.1111/gcbb.12630, 2019. 
AQEG: Fine Particulate Matter (PM2.5) in the United Kingdom, edited by: Air Quality Expert Group, UK Dartment for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, London, 191 pp., https://uk-air.defra.gov.uk/assets/documents/reports/cat11/1212141150_AQEG_Fine_Particulate_Matter_in_the_UK.pdf (last access: 17 October 2023), 2012. 
AQEG: Mitigation of United Kingdom PM2.5 Concentrations, edited by: Air Quality Expert Group, UK Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, London, https://uk-air.defra.gov.uk/assets/documents/reports/cat11/1508060903_DEF-PB14161_Mitigation_of_UK_PM25.pdf (last access: 17 October 2023), 2013. 
AQEG: Report: Ozone in the UK – Recent Trends and Future Projections, edited by: Group, A. Q. E., UK Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, London, 143 pp., https://uk-air.defra.gov.uk/assets/documents/reports/cat09/2112200932_Ozone_in_the_UK_Recent_Trends_and_Future_Projections.pdf (last access: 17 October 2023), 2021. 
Arneth, A., Monson, R. K., Schurgers, G., Niinemets, Ü., and Palmer, P. I.: Why are estimates of global terrestrial isoprene emissions so similar (and why is this not so for monoterpenes)?, Atmos. Chem. Phys., 8, 4605–4620, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-8-4605-2008, 2008. 
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Short summary
Forest expansion is a ″net-zero“ pathway, but change in land cover alters air quality in many ways. This study combines tree planting suitability data with UK measured emissions of biogenic volatile organic compounds to simulate spatial and temporal changes in atmospheric composition for planting scenarios of four species. Decreases in fine particulate matter are relatively larger than increases in ozone, which may indicate a net benefit of tree planting on human health aspects of air quality.
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