Global forest destruction continues despite COP26 deforestation pledge
New ScientistMAR 17 2022
We're headed in the wrong direction. The world's tropical rainforests are in jeopardy from logging due to agricultural expansion and cattle grazing. The rainforests must be protected because they are a vast terrestrial carbon sink, and if they disappear, they will have an enormous negative impact on climate change and biodiversity. Clearly, voluntary commitments aren't sufficient to keep rainforests intact; we must take legislative action to protect them.
Although deforestation indeed contributes to climate change, some scientists have argued that there are two factors that aren't being acknowledged: the significance of location and something known as 'the albedo effect,' which is the process in which forests retain heat. Depending on the area, deforestation could either warm the planet or potentially cause a cooling effect. More research is undoubtedly required.