The local and global costs of rain forest destruction

Local Costs

Disruption of Livelihoods of locals- Deforestation of forests directly affects and reduces the forest
natural resources and ecosystem services. Cutting down rainforests can damage habitat, diminish levels
of biodiversity and food sources, degrade the soil, pollute rivers and lands, and cause areas to dry out
affecting the overall productivity for the peoples and animals that live there.

Less Rain and Moisture and more fires – The trees in the Amazon make their own rainfall as weather
patterns move from East to West. On a normal day the Amazon releases 20 billion tons of moisture into
the atmosphere seeding the clouds with rain. Deforestation causes the forest to dry out and can cause
drought and wildfires.

Reduction of Biodiversity – The destruction of forests destroys the homes, habitat and food sources for
the species that live there. It is estimated that 100,000 species become extinct in tropical forests yearly.
The loss of one species in an ecosystem can affect others who rely on it. The more biodiversity in a
system the healthier and more resilient the system.

Higher Temperatures – The Amazon is already extremely hot. Removing trees allows more sunlight to
penetrate the forest floor, causing it to dry out and the ground surface to heat up. Also trees are made
of carbon- a greenhouse gas. When trees are burned the carbon held in their trunks, roots, branches
and leaves is released into the atmosphere, adding to the thermal layer that traps and absorbs heat on
earth. Approximately 30% of all carbon emitted yearly is from the burning of trees. We are burning the
very things that are protecting us.

Pollution – Increased human activities often bring degradation to the ecosystem, through destruction of
trees which are a natural filter for pollutants, through improper use and treatment of water and soil,
and

Disruption of Migratory Corridors – Destruction of the forests can in many cases leave fragmented
patches of habitat. These scattered portions of forest can cause issues for the animals who need
connected contiguous forests to travel or migrate from one area to the next. Animals are unable to
travel their normal paths for food which makes them vulnerable. Erosion and degradation of the soil-
The soil of the Amazon is thin and devoid of nutrients, with most of the nutrients found in the plants and
animals. The trees of the Amazon not only keep the soil from eroding by holding the topsoil in place, but
trees drop decaying matter that helps fertilize and feed the organisms that live in the soil. The forest
canopy also shields the soil from the intense heat which can dry out the soil, kill off the organisms, and
release the carbon that is stored there. through the release of unregulated chemical and waste
products. Unregulated small-scale gold mining (ASGM)is one example of a human activity that pollutes
the environment by releasing 30-100 tons of mercury into the Amazon yearly.

Global

INCREASED GREENHOUSE GAS EMISSIONS- Forests are carbon sinks and, therefore, help to mitigate the
emission of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases. Tropical forests alone hold more than 228 to
247 gigatons of carbon, which is more than seven times the amount emitted each year by human
activities. But when forests are cut, burned or otherwise removed they emit carbon instead of absorb
carbon. Deforestation and forest degradation are responsible for around 15% of all greenhouse gas
emissions. These greenhouse gas emissions contribute to rising temperatures, changes in patterns of
weather and water, and an increased frequency of extreme weather events. For example, in Sumatra,
rainforests on deep peatlands are being cleared, drained and converted to pulp plantations, contributing
to Indonesia’s high greenhouse gas emissions. Changes in climate can affect forest-dwelling creatures by
altering their habitats and decreasing availability of food and water. Some will be able to adapt by
moving to higher elevations or latitudes, but species losses may occur.

DISRUPTION OF WATER CYCLES -Trees play a key role in the local water cycle by helping to keep a
balance between the water on land and water in the atmosphere. But when deforestation or
degradation occurs, that balance can be thrown off, resulting in changes in precipitation and river flow.

INCREASED SOIL EROSION -Soil erosion in Central African Republic Soil erosion in Africa. Without trees
to anchor fertile soil, erosion can occur and sweep the land into rivers. The agricultural plants that often
replace the trees cannot hold onto the soil. Many of these plants—such as coffee, cotton, palm oil,
soybean and wheat—can actually exacerbate soil erosion. Scientists have estimated that a third of the
world’s arable land has been lost through soil erosion and other types of degradation since 1960. And as
fertile soil washes away, agricultural producers move on, clearing more forest and continuing the cycle
of soil loss.

DISRUPTED LIVELIHOODS- 1.25 billion people around the world rely on forests for shelter, livelihoods,
water, fuel, and food security. And 750 million people (approximately one-fifth of total rural population)
live in forests. This includes 60 million indigenous people. But deforestation disrupts the lives of these
people, sometimes with devastating consequences. In the Greater Mekong in Southeast Asia, where
land tenure systems are weak, deforestation has contributed to social conflict and migration. In Brazil,
poor people have been lured from their villages to remote soy plantations where they may be abused
and forced, at gunpoint, to work under inhumane conditions.

Policy options in developed and developing countries

Strengthening State capacity to steer structural transformation and its financing

Policy Options

a. Enhance development policymaking capacity in the least developed countries