What is Deforestation?
01/03/2020
Deforestation is the clearing of significant amounts of trees and forest area for other uses. Once these areas are cleared, factories are often built there to be used for the manufacturing of fossil fuels, construction, etc. Forests cover 30% of the Earth's surface, but that percentage is decreasing rapidly due to the increase in deforestation. Trees benefit the Earth since they take in carbon dioxide and release oxygen during photosynthesis. But within the past 30 years, the increasing amount of deforestation has had many negative affects on Earth and is advancing climate change.
deforestation
How Deforestation Affects Climate Change?
Deforestation is a widespread issue, as it has impacting affects worldwide. Trees absorb CO2 that humans exhale, and heat trapping greenhouse gases, so by deforesting there is an abundant amount of CO2 and other gases left in the atmosphere. With these heat trapping gases left in the atmosphere, heat is staying in the atmophere aiding in global warming. CNN explains how the Amazon rainforest has lost the equivalent of 10.3 million American football fields over the last decade. This is the same as losing Connecticut, Hawaii, Massachusetts, and New Jersey. Therefore, this shows the significant amount of CO2 and heat trapping gases left without being absorbed due to the diminishing of the forests, causing temperatures to rise.