Rainforests have four major roles in climate changee: they currently contribute about one-sixth of global carbon emissions when cleared, overused or degraded; they react sensitively to a changing climate; when managed sustainably, they produce woodfuels as a benign alternative to fossil fuels; and finally, they have the potential to absorb about one-tenth of global carbon emissions projected for the first half of this century into their biomass, soils and products and store them – in principle in perpetuity.
In addition to supporting the livlihoods 1.6 billion people, tropical rainforests provide important ecosystem services to the world’s community. These forests store fresh water, regulate rainfall and contain over half the planet’s biodiversity. Most importantly, tropical forests play a crucial role in climate change .
Tackling the issue of tropical deforestation will be essential if the world is to achieve the goal of limiting global warming.
Even though climate change is directing more attention to the issues of deforestation, Rainforests are still being lost at an alarming rate, mostly due to destructive logging and agricultural conversion that provides compelling short-term profits.
Just a few centuries ago humid tropical Rainforests covered 12% of the planet’s surface; now they cover just 5%. Most of this forest loss occurred in the last 50 years.
Many researchers agree that the key to using rainforests to address climate change will be to reduce the amount of deforestation, close the canopies of areas that have been logged and reforest areas that have been logged and abandoned. The rainforests can withstand climate change and can help to mend the global climate as long as enough forest cover is protected and restored.
Significantly reducing tropical deforestation will be essential if we wish to stabilize atmospheric carbon and prevent catastrophic climate change. It will also ensure that the tropical forests go on providing other crucial ecosystem services such as regulating rainfall and harboring biodiversity. The world must take action now. Every day over 37,000 acres of rainforest are lost.
For more information about how we’re protecting and replanting Rainforests please visit Replanting the Rainforests.Org
