What is the effect of deforestation on climate change?

Deforestation has a significant impact on climate change primarily because it exacerbates greenhouse gas emissions. Forests act as critical carbon sinks, absorbing carbon dioxide from the atmosphere and storing it in the form of biomass. When trees are cut down, not only is this carbon storage capacity reduced, but the carbon stored in the trees is often released back into the atmosphere when the wood is burned or decomposes.

This increase in carbon dioxide levels contributes to the greenhouse effect, leading to global warming and climate change. The removal of forests disrupts local and global climate patterns and can lead to increased temperatures, altered precipitation patterns, and more extreme weather events.

While it is also true that deforestation reduces biodiversity, which has various ecological impacts, the direct link to climate change is through the increase in greenhouse gas emissions due to the loss of trees. Thus, the primary concern regarding deforestation in the context of climate change is its role in elevating the levels of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere.