The
emissions coming from deforestation play significant role in climate change
phenomenon though not as much as previously predicted. According to a latest
NASA study the previous estimates about the contribution of emissions from deforestation
in total worldwide man-made carbon emissions need to be significantly reduced
to get the real picture.
The NASA
used satellite data in order to determine the actual contribution of deforestation
in global emissions in period from 2000-2005. Their conclusion was that deforestation
accounted for approximately 10 percent of the total worldwide man-made carbon
emissions in the period from 2000-2005.
This
percentage is roughly one third of previously published estimates. It also has
to be said that is the first study that used satellite data while previous
studies mostly used tabular bookkeeping models to obtain the numbers.
Though this
is a significantly smaller percentage than previously thought this doesn't
change the fact that deforestation is still one of the top climate change
contributors.
Deforestation
is primarily connected with tropical rainforests. These ancient forests are
huge carbon sinkers and absorb large quantities of CO2 from the atmosphere.
This means that the destruction of these forests not only creates new emissions
but also reduces the total forests cover, doubling the negative impact on
climate change.
We are
still talking about the losses of millions of hectares of forest per year which
represents a major environmental issue, not only because of the climate change
issue, but also because tropical forests are areas with the richest
biodiversity on our planet, meaning that many plant and animal species will
lose their homes if we continue this path of destruction.
The
scientists soon plan to update this study with information whether the carbon
emissions from deforestation increased or decreased in the second half of the
2000s.
Yea, just think about all of those loggers and their carbon emitting chainsaws, they spew nothing but CO2 death.
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