Deforestation and Climate Change Essay Example
Deforestation and Climate Change Essay Example

Deforestation and Climate Change Essay Example

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  • Pages: 5 (1200 words)
  • Published: November 17, 2021
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Cutting down of trees has become a major course to climate change. It is the main human activity leading to air pollution and greenhouse gasses. Forests are home hundreds and millions of species. They are vital for human and animal lives. They are responsible for the generation of oxygen, control of soil erosion, absorption of carbon IV oxide as well as controlling climate. They provide shelter, herbs, and food among other important things. Forests purify the water and air that are required for survival. Deforestation leads to all these beneficial factors to be lessened and therefore, leading to damaging of weather. On the other hand, climate change is a major concern as it affects everything on the planet. It is one of the main threats the world is facing today. With deforestation, a minor adjustment in temperature can lead to a disaster su

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ch as famine, rising of sea levels, water shortages and unpredictable weather patterns. Does deforestation contribute to climate change? Should anthropogenic be blamed for these changes?

Change of climate is one of the main effects of cutting trees. The nature that covers the globe is removed when trees are cut. This natural cover is the one that controls the temperature and protects the animals from the scotching sun during the day. Conversely, the cover takes care of the animals from the freezing temperatures during the night (Lippok, Denis, Isabell Hensen. Helge Bruelheide, & Karen Holl, 2014) With poor cover, wildlife and plants get exposed to extreme and harmful temperatures which pose an ideal condition for fire leading to degradation of forests.

Forests are cleared for the benefit of human survival. Most people clear them to

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have large areas for rearing livestock and planting crops to sustain their families. This cultivation of large areas also allows them to harvest a lot and thus having a surplus to sell and earn income. Also, clearing of forests creates a space for developing infrastructure such as houses, roads as well as commercial places and shopping malls and thus creating more jobs (Spray, Sharon, & Matthew Moran, 2006)

Cutting down of trees leads to global warming and contributes to fifteen percent of all gas emitted in greenhouses. Trees are responsible for absorbing gasses such as carbon IV oxide and other greenhouse gasses. More harmful gasses would be released to the atmosphere if trees are cut down and thus making the earth unsuitable for living things (Bosetti, Valentina & Ruben Lubowski, 2010).

When trees are cut, they give out wood as well as paper products that are more useful in under the world. It is clear that people experience shortages of these products daily leading to increasing in their costs. Logging is a day to day livelihood for people who depend on industries to earn a living for their families (Pearce, David & Katrina Brown, 1994). However, they are cursed since it is irresponsible and illegal to cut down trees.

Deforestation inhibits the water cycle leading to soil erosion. If the cover provided by the trees is erased, the soil dries and thus prone to erosion. Trees help to convert water from the moist soil back to the atmosphere. Deforestation accelerates soil erosion leading to barren lands(Bosetti, Valentina & Ruben Lubowski, 2010).

Forests compose some valuable resources such as iron ore, diamonds, gold, manganese, and bauxite. To mine these natural

resources, there is the need to cut down the trees. This has created more jobs to the jobless people as well as revenue after the resources have been sold (Pearce, David & Katrina Brown, 1994)

Deforestation poses numerous negative effects on the earth. It exposes species that depend on forests as a habitat. More than eighty percent of the earth’s plants and animals live in the forests. By cutting down the trees, therefore, denies them a habitat forcing them to relocate and even dying. Also, they are exposed to poachers, hunters, and preys which kill them for food. Human beings who are termed to be the main contributors are also affected by the same. They rely on them for food as well as other products like rubber (Lippok, Denis, Isabell Hensen. Helge Bruelheide, & Karen Holl, 2014).

To a consensus, deforestation should be stopped. Cutting down trees has led to extinction of habitats on planet earth. It is also creating a great dent on climate and therefore people are living in the era of the extinction. Also, forests give out the ecosystem, economic as well as cultural functions that are no longer be replaced. Some of them are known to people while others have not yet been discovered. To the areas that deforestation has already taken place, people should consider planting the trees again. This is a very important environmental solution to re-establish and restores the global forest. It will help to reduce the concentration of carbon IV oxide from the atmosphere. With reforestation, species will be protected, and erosion along the watersheds will be controlled (Chapman, Simon, 1998)

From the above arguments, it is evident that cutting

of trees is used by human beings for the purpose of surviving. Forests are cleared at large to plant crops and rear domestic livestock. Also, they cut trees to create a space for constructing roads, houses, and exploration. They are also cleared to create a space for shopping malls, highways and industrial practices such as logging which give paper and wood products. It is, therefore; clear that deforestation has been a trend for centuries. On the other hand, cutting down of trees leads to threatening of living things that fully rely on forests. This forces them to seek alternatives where they die in the process. Most people who rely on the trees for survival will also suffer as they seek for alternatives. The climate will be negatively affected as well. The temperatures will not be regulated anymore, and the animals will not be protected from the scotching sun or freezing temperatures. It is clear that deforestation has led to forest fires leading to forest degradation. Water resources have been interrupted leading to soil erosion, hunger and greenhouse problems as well as a global warming effect. However, the dangers of deforestation outweigh its advantages, so it is essential to stop clearing the forests to avoid the worst. Strict laws should be enacted and enforced to control destruction of forests. Reforestation should be put in place to replace trees. In case a tree is cut down, there is a need to plant another one for replacement. This reversing of deforestation creates a key element for an effective strategy to fight against climate change.

References

  1. Bosetti, Valentina. & Ruben N. Lubowski, (2010). Deforestation and Climate Change: Reducing Carbon Emissions

from Deforestation and Forest Degradation. Cheltenham, UK: Edward Elgar. Internet resource.

  • Chapman, Simon, (1998). Complete Geography. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1998. Lippok. Denis. Isabell Hensen.
  • Helge Bruelheide. & Karen Holl, (2014). Effects of Deforestation and Climate Change on Tropical Montane Forests: A Case Study from the Bolivian
    Andes;kumulative Dissertation. Print.
  • Pearce, David W, & Katrina Brown, (1994). The Causes of Tropical Deforestation: The Economic and Statistical Analysis of Factors Giving Rise to the Loss of the Tropical Forests. Vancouver B.C.: UBC Press. Internet resource.
  • Spray, Sharon L, and Matthew D. Moran, (2006). Tropical Deforestation. Lanham, Md: Rowman & Littlefield. Print.
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