Deforestation refers to the - mainly human-caused - global decline of forests to an extent that negatively impacts our climate, natural ecosystems and biodiversity. Usually deforestation takes place to free up land for something that otherwise provides economic value. However, deforestation can also be caused by natural disasters such as forest fires. Most (95% to be exact) of global deforestation takes place in tropical rainforests, which is of particular concern since these forests are home to the most biodiversity in the world. Unfortunately, an estimated 17% of the Amazon rainforest has been cleared in the past 50 years and, according to the UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), an average of 10 million hectares of forest is cleared each year (Hamlett, 2022).
The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations says deforestation is the second largest cause of climate change (the largest being the burning of fossil fuels). In fact, deforestation is responsible for nearly 20% of greenhouse gas emissions (S. Derouin, 2022)
Why are forests so important?
According to the World Wildlife Fund (WWF), 30% of the Earth’s surface is covered by forests. They provide us with oxygen, absorb carbon dioxide (CO2) from the atmosphere, are home to more than three-quarters of world’s life on land and provide jobs to more than 54 million people across the world. They work as a gigantic carbon store. However, when the trees are being cut down, they release the carbon they’ve stored back into the atmosphere and thereby accelerate global warming. Simply put – forests make the planet livable for all life on this earth. Needlessly to say, forests play a vital role in the fight against climate change.
The main causes of deforestation
The reason for deforestation at such a dramatic rate is mainly caused by the expanding industrial agriculture, which is in turn caused by the increase of our population as well as shifts in diet. It leads to the commercial production of commodities such as cattle, soy, palm oil and timber (Heimpel, 2021). Large-scale commercial agriculture is accountable for 40% of tropical deforestation (E. Heimpel, 2021). The cleared land is being used for livestock ranching, mainly cattle, and to produce the above-mentioned commodities - soy, palm oil and timber. The list of agriculture products and its rising demand continues to grow.
- Soy
Soy production increased over 50% within the past 20 years. Often, we don’t realize how much soy we consume because we don’t consume it directly. Soy oil for example is being used for cooking or other products, such as chocolate, ice cream, margarine or bakery stuff as well as in cosmetics or soaps (WWF, 2022). Furthermore, more than 80% of all the soy that is being grown worldwide serves to feed animals such as beef, chicken and dairy production (WWF, 2022), which we eventually consume.
- Palm oil
no other oil in the food industry is being used as much as palm oil, due to the fact that it is cheaper than other vegetable oils. Aside from the food ibdustry, you can also find palm oil in cosmetic products, detergents and biofuel.
- Timber
The increasing demand for timber worldwide can’t be met sustainably, which supports a multi-billion-dollar business of illegal logging in forests and therefore plays a significant role in tropical deforestation (WWF, 2022).
Effects of deforestation
- Destruction of complex ecosystems and biodiversity
If we continue deforestation, many species in the rainforests will become extinct, some plant species at least endangered.
- Humans’ health
When the habitats of animals and insects are being distraught, they have to migrate somewhere else and seek shelter in new areas (animal migration into human territory). This leads to unnatural contact between animals/insects and humans which can lead to so-called zoonotic diseases (= “Disease Transmitted from Animals to Humans”) (THL, 2021).
- Climate Change
Forests are carbon sinks and therefore help mitigating the emission of greenhouse gasses produced by human activity. They capture and store huge amounts of carbon dioxide, that otherwise would be emitted into the atmosphere, driving global warming. Hence, trees play an important role in carbon sequestration. If trees are being cut down, not only do they lose their ability to absorb carbon, but they also emit carbon instead. 15% of all greenhouse gas emissions are caused by forest degradation. If you're interested in understanding how trees play a remarkable role, explore our blog dedicated to mangroves. (WorldWildLifeFund, 2022).
- Destruction of homelands for species and local people
Often forgotten about in developed countries are those who call forests their home, which can be deeply impacted by deforestation. The WWF says that an astonishing “1.25 billion people around the world rely on forests for shelter, livelihoods, water, fuel, and food security.” (WorldWildLifeFund, 2022).
- Environmental effects such as soil erosion and floods
In order to sustain a forest, the land has to be rich with nutrients, water and topsoil. Trees help to enable just that. Without trees the land eventually dries out, making it unsuitable for growing crops (C. Hamlett, 2022).
How can we stop deforestation?
Even though everyone can do their part to curb deforestation, it remains a global problem that needs to be tackled at a large scale through efforts by nations and politics. We need regulations that ensure sustainable farming as well as the adoption of new farming technologies and crops. Moreover, we need to stop deforestation to allow the forest ecosystems and give them time to regenerate itself over time. Luckily, a study found that tropical forests are way more resilient than we thought and largely capable of regenerating themselves over just a few decades (L Patriani, 2022).
Nevertheless, by adjusting your consumption habits in a certain way you can take away the financial support from the industrial agriculture operations that clear forested land at large scale for their own interest. Here are some examples:
Buy verified wood products (made from wood that has been sustainably harvested) Limit consumption of meat, dairy products and products that contain palm oil Spread awareness about the topic and advocate sustainable solutions Restoration of forests by planting new trees. At Regreener we enable businesses as well as individuals to support exactly that.
Finally, it should have become clear that forests are critically important to life on this earth, and it is our responsibility to dramatically decrease deforestation and instead focus on planting new ones and adjust our consumption habits.
Explore how Regreener helps businesses in their goal to become more climate-neutral in our guest blog from ESET.
