There are certain steps individuals can take in order to contribute to these efforts; some of these are:

• Reducing our use of paper products. In the age of digital technology, this should be easy!

• Paying attention to our eating habits. The production of certain foods - especially beef, soy, and palm oil - is one of the main drivers of deforestation. Reducing our consumption of these products can help tackle deforestation.

• Prioritize the purchase of products that are made of 100% post-consumer recycled content materials. (10)

Deforestation is defined as the clearing, destroying, or otherwise removal of trees through deliberate, natural, or accidental means. Most deforestation has been caused by humans on purpose in order to clear land for agriculture and farming and to obtain wood. (4) Scientists estimate that since the last great ice age - 10,000 years ago - we have lost one-third of the global forests. (5) Roughly, 420 million hectares (about half the size of Brazil) of forests have been lost worldwide through deforestation since 1990, primarily in Africa and South America. (FAO) Although the rate of forest loss has decreased considerably in the last few years, it still remains high - at 10 million hectares of forest lost every year. (1)

Photo source: ANP

The loss of forests is very problematic for many reasons. Deforestation removes vegetation that plays a crucial role in generating oxygen and trapping carbon dioxide (CO2). Additionally, the removal of trees itself produces significant greenhouse gas emissions. (6)

Forests are home to 80% of the world’s terrestrial species, so one of the most dramatic impacts of deforestation is the destruction of natural habitats and the loss of plant and animal species that this causes. Trees also play an essential role in the regulation of the water cycle - trees absorb water through their roots and release it back into the atmosphere through their leaves as water vapor (7).

In heavily deforested areas, less water is available in the air to be returned to the ground, which causes drier soils and decreases land fertility. (4) Without the water and the topsoil that trees help retain, the soil loses its nutrients, which are vital for the survival of all other organisms. The lack of tree roots weakens the soil’s structure and makes land much more susceptible to erosion. (4)

Photo source: Tim Glass

The main causes of deforestation include (a) the conversion of forests for industrial agriculture, infrastructure construction, and human expansion, (b) the logging of trees for wood and wood products such as charcoal or paper, (c) the mining of minerals, which frequently requires major infrastructure construction, such as roads, power stations or railway lines, and (d) natural disasters, such as wildfires, hurricanes, or floods, which are intensified as a consequence of climate change. (8)

Tackling deforestation is one of the main ways to address habitat and biodiversity loss and one of the quickest and most cost-effective solutions to curb global warming. (9) Efforts to reduce deforestation must be made primarily at the global and national levels, through agreements, laws and regulations that directly control the global logging business.

Learn more about deforestation here: WWF

There are certain steps individuals can take in order to contribute to these efforts; some of these are:

• Reducing our use of paper products. In the age of digital technology, this should be easy!

• Paying attention to our eating habits. The production of certain foods - especially beef, soy, and palm oil - is one of the main drivers of deforestation. Reducing our consumption of these products can help tackle deforestation.

• Prioritize the purchase of products that are made of 100% post-consumer recycled content materials. (10)