The world’s forests are disappearing.
They make up an estimated 30% of the world’s land surface coverage, but every year nearly 60,000 square kilometres of forests aew lost to make way for agriculture, pastures, mining, or illegal logging.
As forests disappear so do the vital services they provide.
Forests act as a source of food and fuel to many of the world’s poorest communities, enhance water supplies, act as a sponge for rainfall and act as a buffer to climate shocks.
Plans to mitigate the world’s output of Co2 and avoid dangerous climate change are also dependent on keeping the world’s forests intact.
Some scientists believe deforestation must be reduced by 50% to ensure temperatures rises are kept below the 2 degrees target agreed by Parties to the UN climate talks.
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