Why does deforestation affect the climate?

Every tree that is removed from the forest will eventually rot or be burned, whether it is in the form of seven-times recycled paper or an heirloom piece of furniture. A carbon stock that has built up over thousands of years in the forest's biomass is thus released back into the atmosphere as carbon dioxide in a very short time.

Deforestation not only leads to a massive release of CO2 that accelerates global warming. Forests have many other important functions for our global climate, which are not only lost through deforestation, but also further negatively impact the climate.

The drought and heat that follow deforestation further negatively impact the forests themselves: Scientists estimate that a temperature increase of two to three degrees Celsius could cause the Amazon rainforest to desertify over large areas. Additionally, as a result of deforestation, nutrient-rich topsoil is eroded, and irreversibly displaces species. Therefore, even replanting can never fully restore the original conditions.

1/8 to 1/6 of all annual global emissions are caused by deforestation and the draining of forest bogs - meaning that the loss of forest area has a greater impact than the global transportation sector. And worst part: For every tree we cut down, we not only release more CO2 into the atmosphere, but also we destroy our greatest ally in the fight against climate change.