Can we plant our way out of the climate crisis? In this TBLI Radical Truth Podcast, host Robert Rubinstein sits down with Thomas Crowther, Professor at ETH Zurich and founder of the Crowther Lab and Restor.

Thomas shares the "Radical Truth" about large-scale restoration—moving beyond tree planting hype toward the complex science of ecosystem regeneration. We explore how biodiversity acts as the ultimate climate stabilizer, the power of open-source data via Restor, and Thomas's role as Chief Scientific Advisor to the UN's Trillion Trees Campaign.

What You'll Learn:

• The Trillion Trees Story - What media got right (and wrong) about the science behind global tree planting campaigns, and why headlines oversimplified complex ecosystem restoration
• Beyond Tree Planting - Why protecting existing ecosystems is the first priority before planting new trees, and how poorly planned tree planting can harm biodiversity and carbon storage
• Restor: Open-Source Transparency - Using open-source technology to bring radical transparency to nature-based solutions, enabling communities and investors to track real restoration outcomes versus greenwashing
• Biodiversity vs. Carbon - Why we must measure ecosystem health, species diversity, and ecological function—not just CO2 sequestration—and how biodiversity loss undermines climate stability
• UN Decade on Ecosystem Restoration - Roadmap for meeting 2030 targets, including how to scale restoration finance, coordinate global efforts, and ensure ecological integrity

Key Timestamps:

• 12:20 – The Trillion Trees Story: What media got right and wrong
• 25:45 – Beyond Tree Planting: Protecting existing ecosystems first
• 38:10 – Restor: Open-source tech for transparency
• 49:30 – Biodiversity vs. Carbon: Measuring more than CO2
• 1:05:15 – UN Decade on Ecosystem Restoration: 2030 roadmap

Why This Matters:

Tree planting has become the climate solution everyone loves: tangible, photogenic, marketable. Corporations plant millions for carbon offsets, governments announce restoration targets, media celebrates reforestation as climate salvation.

But Thomas Crowther, whose research inspired the UN's Trillion Trees Campaign, brings scientific rigor to the hype. Most tree planting projects fail ecologically—wrong species, wrong locations, no biodiversity, no community involvement. Protecting existing forests delivers far more climate benefit than planting new ones.

Through Restor, an open-source platform, Crowther enables transparent tracking of restoration projects globally, separating genuine ecosystem regeneration from corporate greenwashing. His work demonstrates nature-based climate solutions must prioritize biodiversity, ecosystem function, and scientific integrity—not just carbon credits.

For impact investors, climate finance practitioners, and ESG professionals evaluating nature-based solutions, this conversation provides essential science-based frameworks for distinguishing real restoration from marketing.

About Thomas Crowther:Professor of Ecology, ETH Zurich. Founder, Crowther Lab and Restor. Chair, Advisory Board for UN Decade on Ecosystem Restoration. Chief Scientific Advisor, UN Trillion Trees Campaign. Expert in global ecosystem restoration and biodiversity science.

About TBLI Radical Truth Podcast:TBLI Radical Truth Podcast explores the science behind nature-based climate solutions and ecosystem restoration finance.

Part of TBLI Group—the world's leading ESG and impact investing network for 25 years.

Learn more: https://www.tbligroup.comRestor: https://restor.eco

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