{"id":2971,"date":"2022-04-26T19:03:45","date_gmt":"2022-04-26T19:03:45","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/climatetransform.com\/?p=2971"},"modified":"2022-07-05T08:17:05","modified_gmt":"2022-07-05T08:17:05","slug":"why-is-deforestation-bad","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/climatetransform.com\/why-is-deforestation-bad\/","title":{"rendered":"Why is Deforestation Bad?"},"content":{"rendered":"
In August 2019, after an alarming surge of forest wildfires in Brazil, a global outcry prompted world leaders to grapple with why deforestation is bad for our planet.<\/span>1<\/sup><\/a><\/span> It is a trend that we rapidly need to reverse.<\/span><\/p>\n Deforestation refers to<\/a> the clearing of large numbers of trees to make way for other uses for the land.<\/span>2<\/sup><\/a><\/span> Put simply, deforestation is bad for people, bad for animals, and bad for the environment. Here\u2019s why.<\/p>\n Forests absorb large amounts of carbon dioxide and turn it into oxygen through photosynthesis.<\/span>3<\/sup><\/a><\/span> This is why Brazil\u2019s Amazon rainforests are frequently referred to as the \u2018lungs of the earth\u2019.<\/span>4<\/sup><\/a><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n Without this process, the CO2 levels in the air would rise exponentially. In 2018, air pollution inside and outside the home killed an estimated 8.7 million people worldwide. This set a new record. There is a clear link between air pollution from fossil fuels and a rise in heart disease, respiratory ailments, and even loss of eyesight, according to scientists.<\/span>5<\/sup><\/a><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n The Amazon rainforest basin is home to one of the largest collections of wild animal and plant species in the world. It is home to one in 10 of all species on Earth. While rainforests make up only six percent of the world\u2019s surface area, they are home to over half of the planet’s species<\/a>.<\/span>6<\/sup><\/a><\/span> The warm tropical climate makes it a haven for animals to thrive and feed on each other.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n But Amazonian animals are utterly unprepared for forest fires, which is the method frequently used to clear land for cattle ranching. Over the last few decades, most of the forest cleared in the Amazon has been to create space for cattle.<\/span>7<\/sup><\/a><\/span> Deforestation through forest fires kills animals directly. Even worse, it leaves less space for animals to feed on leaves or for larger animals to feed on smaller species that need leaves. It can have a devastating impact on animal populations.<\/span><\/p>\n Deforestation is destructive for the broader environment<\/a> too. Trees attract clouds and rain, which in turn feeds the soil and the wider ecosystem.<\/span>8<\/sup><\/a><\/span> Deforestation can result in more extreme climate conditions, such as flash flooding, as trees are an excellent natural defense against floods and droughts.<\/span>9<\/sup><\/a><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n3 reasons why deforestation is bad<\/h2>\n
Deforestation contributes to air pollution<\/h3>\n
Deforestation is bad for animals<\/h3>\n
Deforestation is harmful to the environment<\/h3>\n