Deforestation significantly affects climate change primarily through the release of stored carbon dioxide (CO₂) and disruption of natural carbon cycles. Here are the key ways deforestation impacts climate change:
- Carbon Release and Greenhouse Gas Emissions : Trees act as carbon sinks by absorbing CO₂ from the atmosphere during photosynthesis and storing it in their biomass (trunks, branches, roots, and leaves). When forests are cut down or burned, this stored carbon is released back into the atmosphere as CO₂, a major greenhouse gas that traps heat and warms the Earth. Deforestation contributes approximately 11-20% of global greenhouse gas emissions, making it a significant driver of climate change
- Loss of Carbon Sequestration Capacity : Besides releasing carbon, deforestation reduces the number of trees available to absorb CO₂, weakening the Earth's ability to regulate atmospheric carbon levels. Some tropical forests, like parts of the Amazon, have shifted from being carbon sinks to carbon sources due to deforestation and degradation
- Disruption of Climate Regulation : Forests influence local and global climate by regulating rainfall patterns, stabilizing temperatures, and maintaining moisture through evapotranspiration. Deforestation reduces these effects, leading to hotter, drier climates, altered rainfall, and increased frequency of extreme weather events such as droughts, floods, and storms
- Positive Climate Feedback Loop : The loss of forests can accelerate climate change, which in turn causes more forest degradation through increased wildfires, droughts, and pest outbreaks. This feedback loop amplifies both deforestation and climate impacts
- Changes in Surface Reflectivity (Albedo) : Deforestation alters the Earth's surface reflectivity, often decreasing albedo (reflectiveness), which causes more solar energy to be absorbed as heat, further contributing to warming
In summary, deforestation exacerbates climate change by releasing large amounts of CO₂, reducing natural carbon absorption, disrupting climate regulation mechanisms, and creating feedback loops that intensify warming and forest loss. Protecting and restoring forests is considered a crucial strategy for mitigating climate change
