Irreplaceable Rainforests Face Mounting Threats from Deforestation

The world’s oldest rainforests are under unprecedented threat. Deforestation for large-scale projects is accelerating in critical biodiversity hotspots. These ancient ecosystems, vital for global climate stability, cannot be easily replaced.

This crisis is a central theme at the ongoing UN Climate Conference. According to Reuters, world leaders are emphasizing the urgent need for conservation. The focus is on the Amazon, Congo Basin, and Southeast Asia.

Global Canopy Loss and the Challenge of Compensation

Satellite data reveals the extent of the world’s tallest forests. The Global Forest Canopy Height tool identifies dense rainforests in the Amazon, Congo, and parts of Indonesia. In India, similar ecosystems exist in the Northeast, Western Ghats, and Andaman and Nicobar Islands.

These areas have canopy heights exceeding 25 meters. A study in Nature Ecology & Evolution notes that only 5% of global land has trees this tall. The loss of such old-growth forest is ecologically devastating.

Irreversible Damage from Large-Scale Projects

Major infrastructure projects pose a direct threat. In Great Nicobar, a strategic development plan requires clearing over 130 square kilometers of forest. Tree felling is planned for nearly 48 square kilometers of this biodiverse region.

Similar pressures exist in the Amazon and India’s Northeast. Mining, hydropower, and road construction are primary drivers. The Etalin Hydropower Project in Arunachal Pradesh alone would require felling 270,000 trees.

The scientific consensus is clear. Primary rainforests are irreplaceable for sustaining tropical biodiversity. Compensatory planting cannot replicate the complex ecosystems lost to deforestation.

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Why are rainforests called ‘irreplaceable’?

Old-growth rainforests host immense biodiversity and complex ecosystems developed over millennia. According to research cited by Nature, plantation forests with few species cannot replicate their ecological function or support the same wildlife.

What is the main threat to the Amazon rainforest?

Climate change is a major threat to the most intact western areas. Planned road paving and localized mining operations also contribute significantly to deforestation and degradation.

How does deforestation affect indigenous communities?

Indigenous groups rely on rainforests for food, medicine, and cultural survival. Deforestation destroys their foraging grounds and threatens their traditional way of life and food security.

What is the Tropical Forest Forever Facility (TFFF)?

It is a Brazilian-led initiative that pays tropical forest countries to conserve standing forests. Over 50 countries have endorsed the scheme, which aims to create a financial incentive for preservation.

Can lost rainforests be compensated for with new trees?

Ecologists argue there is no scenario where compensatory afforestation can match diverted rainforest land. The scale of ecological dissonance, especially across different geographies, is too great.