WS-Deforestation

Deforestation 

            The rainforests have often been described as the lungs of the Earth, but they are in fact, much more than that. They play a vital role in the production of oxygen and also serve as homes to an incredible amount of various plant and wildlife species. Perhaps the most pressing concern in relation to the degradation of the rainforests is the carbon dioxide buildup that will occur if no solution is agreed upon. Global warming, which is caused by a dramatic increase in greenhouse gases, mainly carbon dioxide, is a problem with no easy solution, but protecting the rainforests would be a great place to start. Unfortunately, it is a lot easier to talk about fixing the problem than it is to actually do something. There are a lot of factors that come into play such as international compliance and the effects of forest preservation on local economy and infrastructure. Plans are being developed, but arriving at a consensus will be difficult.

            According to the World Resource Institute, over eighty percent of the Earth’s natural forests have already been destroyed. Throughout the past quarter century, the rates have risen at a staggering rate. In 1980, rainforests were destroyed at almost thirty-four million acres a year. This number has risen to seventy-eight million acres per year, as determined by the Rainforest Action Network.  It is predicted that nearly all of the Earth’s unprotected forests will be gone by year 2050, along with everything that depends on them. If the practice of unregulated deforestation is continued at its current pace, there will be awful implications. The most obvious issue in relation to deforestation, of global warming, is a major concern and will most likely be the cause for change, but there are many other problems that also call for this change.

It is estimated that over half of the world’s plant and animal species occupy the Earth’s forests. The majority of these species have not yet been discovered, and it might stay that way. Other than the obvious ethical reasons, there are numerous incentives to preserve these species. An enormous number of plant and animal species are negatively impacted each day. The effects on the animal species involve the disruption of the delicate ecosystems. As the ecosystems to which the animals belong are destroyed, the balance of the food chain is disrupted and the habitats of these creatures are destroyed. The gene pools of these impacted animals are greatly diminished, which reduces the ability for adaptation in the future. The plant species in the rainforest are used for numerous medicinal purposes, and it is likely that many species of plants with healing effects are being destroyed. This is purely speculation, but the possibility is quickly disappearing along with the forests.

Indigenous people have been living in the rainforests for centuries, and depend on them heavily. The lifestyle’s of these people are being threatened, along with all of the knowledge that they possess. The indigenous inhabitants of the forests rely on their surroundings for food, water, medicine, and all of the necessities of life. They have lived in relative solitude for years, but their homes are being encroached upon. They are being exposed to diseases, pollutants, and disruptions that they have never seen before. The destruction of these forests could result in the extinction of a human population.

Plans for solving the problem of deforestation have been developed and instituted for years, but with relatively little success. In the past few years, deforestation rates have been declining, mainly due to increased environmental awareness and the threat of global warming, but the numbers are still incredible. The most prominent issue that would result from a forest preservation plan in the developing countries is the economic impact that would occur. In many of these countries, wood exportation is the largest economic influence. If this portion of the economy were diminished, there would be incredible job loss. This would result in a number of economical and infrastructural problems on a local and national scale. These factors must be accounted for when developing a plan. Many countries are implementing plans of their own such as Peru, which has created a plan to reforest over ten thousand hectares.  A conference concerning climate change was recently held in Bali, and was hosted by the Indonesian government. This meeting brought together representatives from over 180 countries, and was intended to develop a plan to combat climate change. Much progress was made, however a lot of work still remains. This was most certainly a step in the right direction. The World Bank introduced the Forest Carbon Fund, a proposal that could solve the deforestation issue. This plan puts a certain price on carbon emissions. Countries that reduce carbon emissions will be compensated appropriately by some of the more prosperous countries. This plan has incredible potential if it is handled properly. Some side effects of this plan would include job loss and negative economic impacts. These issues would need to be carefully handled. A lot of time and money would need to be invested into the training of those who will lose jobs. Money will have to be invested into the economies of these countries that have been impacted. There will have to be a worldwide effort to maintain the economies affected, and to help those whose jobs will be lost. With careful regulation, this plan could work very well. It is imperative that the people impacted must be taken care of. The input of the people who will be most influenced by this plan must weigh heavily into how the plan is implemented.

Deforestation is problem that can be fixed, but time is running out. With the continued efforts of environmentalists, and the monetary backing by certain prosperous nations, deforestation can be stopped, and eventually reversed. The preservation of the forests, and everything that depends on them is an important issue and is necessary for the future of the Earth. Plans such as the Forest Carbon Fund have great potential and are likely to be very successful, but only if they are carried out in a tactful manner that is sensitive to the countries and people that are impacted the most.