Deforestation Agreement Signed: What Does It Mean?
The first deal in COP26 has finally been reached – to end and reverse the effects of deforestation. So what does this mean?
Amazon Rainforest, NEIL PALMER PHOTOGRAPHY
Let’s start with the biggest of them all. The Amazon Rainforest is the world’s largest rainforest and is home to hundreds of tribes and millions of different insects and other species. This, however, also means that whenever humans want to cut down these trees, we end up hurting these species in an process called “deforestation”. Deforestation is exactly what it sounds like – when we reduce the number of trees in an area.
But what effect does it have on the planet?
But it’s not just animals that are affected by deforestation. Trees take in carbon dioxide and in exchange give out oxygen, which we rely on too. Therefore, cutting down trees limits our supply of clean air which in time will be detrimental (bad) for our eco-systems. Over time, areas that used to be forest can actually end up becoming deserts!
Trees are so important for our fight against climate change. They do an amazing job of removing lots of carbon dioxide from the air. Less trees means less help to prevent damaging climate change.
Why do we cut trees down?
Trees are our main source for paper which we use in our daily lives. Therefore, to mass supply paper we must cut down a substantial amount of trees. But, it’s not just paper we get from trees.
Trees are also cleared for farmland, for firewood or for use in other industries. Wood is a useful commodity (something that can be bought and sold) and is important to countries, especially countries with lots of forests and developing economies (getting richer).
“Deforestation” – Wikimedia Commons
What does this deal mean for deforestation?
The deal included £14 billion to try to stop and reverse the damaging deforestation that has already taken place.
Many countries have signed the deal, including Brazil (where most of the Amazon Rainforest can be found), Canada, Russia and Indonesia. By 2030, they will end and reverse deforestation. This deal is even more impressive because it includes almost all of the world’s forests.
The UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson has said, “We have to stop the devastating loss of our forests”. But experts warned that a deal made in 2014 to end deforestation failed to slow it at all.
Maybe this time round will be different.
UK PM ‘Boris Johnson’ with President of the United States ‘Joe Biden’ – Simon Dawson
Over 30 of the worlds biggest businesses have promised to stop investing in activities that have a link to deforestation, wiith a £1.1 billion fund to protect the world’s second largest tropical rainforest in the Congo Basin.
