The CO₂ emissions from deforestation are second only to the burning of fossil fuels for the production of electricity and heat as the largest source of global warming pollution on the planet.

This frenzied destruction of forests has a double impact on the climate crisis: first, most of the carbon contained in the trees is emitted into the atmosphere; and second, the planet loses part of its ability to reabsorb CO₂ because the forests, once destroyed, no longer pull CO₂ from the air.

The good news is that governments throughout the world have now tentatively agreed to efforts aimed at sharply reducing deforestation. However, they have found that, in order to be successful, the world will have to address the underlying causes of deforestation.

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