June 26th 2020 – The International Day for the Conservation of Tropical Forests established in 1999 by the United Nations Environment Program (UNEP), the World Conservation Organization and the United Nations. It is essential to reflect on the importance of preserving tropical forests as it is a critical factor that has an effect on climate change.
By and large, tropical forests are the lungs of our planet, made up of millions of trees that absorb formidable amounts of carbon dioxide from the atmosphere and that produce much of the oxygen on which humans and animals depend. We can find these tropical forests in Africa, Asia, Australia and Central America and in their largest dimension in the Amazon of South America.Tropical forests are also a source of food, medicine and fuel for more than a billion people. They hold more than three-quarters of the world’s terrestrial biodiversity, and provide for an estimated 1.6 billion forest-dependent people, or 25% of the world’s population.[1] These people heavily rely on forests for their livelihood, livelihood, employment and income generation, to provide numerous products and services that contribute to socioeconomic development for a population that is predominantly poor. Forests also act as a natural element to respond to climate change. Forests are an important ally to protect soils and water according to the Food and Agricultural Organization’s report, “The State of the World’s Forests – Forest Pathways to Sustainable Development” (2018). The traditional knowledge about forests does not only reevaluate how people use forests, but also how they perceive and regulate forests in their livelihoods and communities.
Tropical forests are also a source of food, medicine and fuel for more than a billion people. They hold more than three-quarters of the world’s terrestrial biodiversity, and provide for an estimated 1.6 billion forest-dependent people, or 25% of the world’s population. These people heavily rely on forests for their livelihood, livelihood, employment and income generation, to provide numerous products and services that contribute to socioeconomic development for a population that is predominantly poor. Forests also act as a natural element to respond to climate change. Forests are an important ally to protect soils and water accroding to the Food and Agricultural Organization’s report, “The State of the World’s Forests – Forest Pathways to Sustainable Development” (2018). The traditional knowledge about forests does not only reevaluate how people use forests, but also how they perceive and regulate forests in their livelihoods and communities.
Accroding to NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory, tropical forests absorb 1.4 billion metric tons of CO2, however, the combined effects of human action and climate change have led to changes in land use and decreased forest cover. As a result, the tropical forests of South America, particularly those of the Amazon, are increasingly sensitive to fire due to drought, deforestation, selective logging and fragmentation.
The United Nations proposes a vision of «a world where all types of forests and trees are sustainably managed, contributes to sustainable development and provides economic, social, environmental and cultural benefits for present and future generations». Forests contribute between 15 and 20 percent of the reduction of CO2 emissions globally, making them true green lungs or carbon sinks that absorb CO2.
Finally, it is important to highlight the vital role that forests play in the balance of human life and ecosystems. Achieving and developing their preservation is of special importance and needs to be a commitment by all of us.
Written by Martin Vásquez – Equitable Origin’s Program Coordinator in Peru.