Deforestation: Causes and Effects

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Deforestation happens when forests are destroyed permanently and the land is used for other purposes such as agriculture, mining, or infrastructure building. Forests cover about 30% of the planet and the ecosystem they create play an essential role in supporting life on earth but deforestation is clearing earth's forest at a massive scale and at the current and at the current rate of destruction, the world's rainforest can completely disappear within a 100 years.

Importance of Forests

The importance can't be underestimated. Forests are essential for our survival, from the air we breathe to the wood we use.

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Forests also offer protection from soil erosion, watershed protection, and reduce climate change. Forests also provide protection from Storms. In addition to helping regulate the earth's climate, forests provide habitats for over 80% of the plants and animals that live on land.

Forests are vital to our health and forests act as a guardian of terrestrial biodiversity. Around 75% of the most commonly prescribed medicines source their ingredients from forests.

Forests are a natural cooling system of the planet which means the temperature is noticeably lower than in open areas or in the city, as trees use solar energy to evaporate moisture, which has a cooling effect on the environment.

Forests also contribute to slowing down global warming as forests are the world's largest carbon sink after oceans. The more forests there are the less CO2 there will be in the atmosphere. Less woods implies bigger measures of ozone-harming substances entering the climate, and sped up and seriousness of an Earth-wide temperature boost.