How does deforestation contribute to climate change?

Deforestation contributes to climate change by releasing stored carbon dioxide and reducing the planet's capacity to absorb greenhouse gases.

Trees play a crucial role in the global carbon cycle. They absorb carbon dioxide from the atmosphere during photosynthesis and store it in their biomass. This process is known as carbon sequestration. When trees are cut down and burned or left to decompose, the stored carbon is released back into the atmosphere as carbon dioxide, a greenhouse gas that contributes to global warming.

Deforestation also reduces the planet's capacity to absorb carbon dioxide. Forests act as carbon sinks, absorbing more carbon dioxide than they release. When these forests are destroyed, not only is the stored carbon released, but the planet's ability to absorb carbon dioxide is also diminished. This double impact accelerates the increase in atmospheric carbon dioxide levels, contributing to the greenhouse effect and climate change.

Furthermore, deforestation often leads to a change in land use, typically from forest to agricultural land. This change can result in the soil losing its carbon content, further increasing the amount of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere. Additionally, the replacement of forests with agricultural land can lead to an increase in methane emissions, another potent greenhouse gas, particularly if the land is used for rice cultivation or livestock farming.

Lastly, forests have a cooling effect on the Earth's surface. They regulate the local and global climate by increasing humidity and precipitation and reducing temperatures. When forests are removed, this cooling effect is lost, leading to increased surface temperatures and further contributing to global warming.

In summary, deforestation contributes to climate change in several ways: by releasing stored carbon dioxide, reducing the planet's capacity to absorb greenhouse gases, increasing methane emissions through changes in land use, and eliminating the cooling effect that forests have on the Earth's surface.