The effects of climate change have been drastically seen and felt, especially in recent years – from extreme weather changes and patterns, to melting ice caps at an extremely alarming rate. However, people may not realize just how much climate change affect forests. Climate change and other commercial agricultural projects are among the factors that threaten the stability of forests.
Not everyone may live around rainforests, but the truth is, everyone on this planet benefits from these. So, how does climate change affect forests? Droughts, forest fires, pests, and tree migration (which could lead to the extinction of some tree species), all are results of climate change and have continued to wreak havoc in the earth’s forests.
A recent report by the UN revealed that climate change is expected to worsen in the next century. But just how much of the Earth’s forests have already been damaged and which forests from all over the world have been gravely affected and face threats from urbanization?
Congo Basin
In terms of size, the Congo Basin Forest is only second to the Amazon. However, the forest is considered to be one of the most important ecosystems in the world. The forest continues to face threats from environmental changes, as well as political instability and poor governance. Mining and logging had lead to major deforestation, as well as plantations and other mining operations that put the forests at risks.
The Amazon Rainforest
The world’s largest forest which stretches from different countries such as Brazil, Peru, Venezuela, and Ecuador, is expected to have the biggest loss and be the most affected among other forests. It’s predicted that the Amazon will lose at least a quarter of its forests in the next 20 years.
Atlantic Forest
The Atlantic Forest is one of the richest and most bio-diverse in the world. The forest is under a lot of pressure due to the region being home to at least 75% of the population of Brazil. A report has revealed that the Atlantic Forest has lost at least 85% of its areas, and the others are already being used for commercial agriculture.
Sumatra
The Indonesian Island of Sumatra is a unique tropical rainforest that houses different animals such as elephants, tigers, and orangutans together. These animals face uncertainty when it comes to their habitat because of massive deforestation done for commercial purposes. The changing climate is also beginning to affect the greens of the rich tropical rainforest.
The world continues its effort to slowing down climate change. Trees inevitably hold a huge responsibility in this. Now that a huge portion of the world’s forests are facing risks, it’s time to start taking better care of them!
