Deforestation and its disastrous consequences
for climate change and food security
Shiva S. Makki*
This note prepared for posting on Youthink website [ http://youthink ]. The World Bank maintains this
website to reach and educate youth around the world on developmental issues, as well as hear their
perspectives on development.
* Shiva S. Makki is a Senior Economist in Development Economics Operations and Strategy Group. Author thanks Kavita
Watsa, Roger Morier, Michael Toman, Claire Markgraf, Rachel Block, and Hrishikesh Patel for their comments and
suggestions to improve the presentation.
 20% of global CO2 emissions are caused by deforestation
Global
Warming
 Human encroachment and
logging destroys forests
Loss of
Biodiversity
 Trees cool the atmosphere
and “store” greenhouse gases
Deforestation
Loss of Natural
Resources
30 million acres
lost every year
 Forests are home to over 70% of
animals, plants, and other organisms
 Flooding and soil erosion
result from deforestation
 Billions of pollinator bees have
lost their habitat
Food Insecurity
 1.6 billion people living in poverty depend on forests for
their food, fuel, and livelihoods
The World Bank
Created by Shiva S. Makki
Deforestation, Climate Change, and Food Insecurity
Every living thing on earth needs forests. Forests are not only one of the most valuable natural resources but also crucial to
ensure decent living conditions for all plants, animals, and humans. The rate at which our planet is being stripped of its
forest cover, however, is alarming. According to the U.N.’s Food and Agriculture Organization, over 30 million acres (or 13
million hectares) of forests are destroyed by human activity every year. Population growth, the expansion of agricultural land
use, and indiscriminate logging, are all combining to push many forests to the brink of extinction. If deforestation continues
at the current rate, mature natural forests in Papua New Guinea will be gone in 15 years or less and Indonesia and Myanmar,
in about 10 years. The Philippines and Thailand have already logged most of their natural forests.
Deforestation devastates biodiversity and natural habitats. Tropical rainforests are home to over 70% of all organisms on
Earth. Beyond the devastation of many species of flora and fauna, the loss of these rainforests would deprive humans of the
main source of genetic material used to develop new and improved crop varieties, as well as to protect existing food crops
from pests and diseases. As an example, deforestation is detrimental to bees that play a crucial role in pollinating crops. In
the last three years, billions of bees have vanished from their hives, leaving billions of dollars of crops at risk and potentially
threatening our food supply. Rainforests have also been the source of about 25% of medicines essential for human and
animal health. If forests disappear at their current rate, we not only create more global warming, we may also be deprived of
fruits and vegetables as well as our ability to find cures to human, animal, and plant diseases.
Deforestation degrades natural resources. Flooding and soil erosion are among other serious consequences of
deforestation. Cutting down forests dramatically increases the surface run-off from rainfall, mainly because a greater
proportion of the rain reaches the ground because there are fewer trees and plants to absorb the excess rainfall. This
flooding and soil erosion also makes soils acidic and unsuitable for crop production.
Deforestation speeds up global warming. One of the most serious consequences of deforestation is global warming.
Almost 20 percent of all global carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions are caused by deforestation. Earth has an atmosphere
which contains a variety of gases, all in a delicate balance, to ensure life. One of these gases in the atmosphere is carbon
dioxide; a gas which keeps heat in the atmosphere. Trees and plants help remove this heat-trapping carbon dioxide gas
from the air by storing it in their leaves, wood, roots, and soils. When trees and plants are destroyed, this stored carbon
dioxide is released into the atmosphere. Ultimately, the amount of carbon dioxide will increase due to a lack of sufficient
forest cover to keep the carbon dioxide levels in check. Such increases in carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gas levels
in the atmosphere lead to an increase in temperature, and eventually a change in climate and weather. Recent findings
have shown that preventing deforestation in the tropics is more important than in northern latitudes: lush tropical forests
store more carbon than sparser northern forests (see UN Panel on Climate Change). Another scientific study published
recently shows that cloud cover is critical for stable climate. Trees play a critical role in maintaining cloud cover, which
blocks out much of the sun’s heat.
Deforestation increases food insecurity. 1.6 billion people in the developing world depend on forests for their food, fuel,
and livelihoods. The real economic value of forests is much greater than the short-term benefits of logging or clearing land
for agriculture. In the longer-run, the loss of biodiversity, habitat, and natural resources will affect food production in both
developed and developing countries. Honey bees, for example, pollinate over 100 flowering food crops. Without these
bees and other pollinators, our ability to produce food and maintain a healthy society will be at risk.
Global warming itself has disastrous consequences for forests, biodiversity, native habitats, and natural resources. This
harmful reinforcing sequence of deforestation and climate change puts the global food production system at risk. Many
scientists and policy makers are advocating increased incentives to preserve forests, as well as new guidelines for logging
and forest management. Only a concerted effort involving scientists, policy makers, and civil society will avoid this
dangerous trend.
References:
Cline, W. (2008). “Global Warming and Agriculture.” Finance and Development, pp. 23-28.
Fischer, G., M. Shah, and H. van Velthuizen (2002). “Climate Change and Agricultural Vulnerability.” A special report,
prepared by the International Institute for Applied Systems Analysis under United Nations Institutional Contract
agreement No. 1113 on “Climate Change and Agricultural Vulnerability” as a contribution to the World Summit on
Sustainable Development, Johannesburg 2002.
Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (2006). “Global Forest Resources Assessment 2005: Progress
towards sustainable forest management.” Rome, 2006. http://www.fao.org/forestry/fra2005
Kerr, R. (2009). “Climate Change: Clouds Appear to Be Big, Bad Player in Global Warming.” Science, Volume 325, pp. 376.
Moutinho, P. and S. Schwartzman (2005). “Tropical Deforestation and Climate Change.” Amazon Institute for
Environmental Research, Brazil.
Smith, P., D. Martino, Z. Cai, D. Gwary, H. Janzen, P. Kumar, B. McCarl, S. Ogle, F. O’Mara, C. Rice, B. Scholes, O. Sirotenko,
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University Press, Cambridge, United Kingdom and New York, NY, USA.
United States Department of Agriculture (2009). National Report on Sustainable Forests – 2010 (draft). Washington, D.C.
United States Department of Agriculture (2009). “Forest Service Global Change Research Strategy 2009–2019 .” Forest
Service Research and Development, Washington, D.C.