Forests matter. They are the Earth’s lungs, inhaling and storing carbon, exhaling oxygen. They provide fuel and livelihoods, sustain a great diversity of species, and yield countless critical environmental services, such as protecting watersheds and preventing soil erosion. Without forests, life as we know it would be fundamentally threatened.
Deforestation
Each year over 13 million hectares of forests are lost. Deforestation in tropical countries is now a major contributor to climate change, representing about 15 percent of global carbon emissions.
Impact on Poverty
The loss of forests and changing land use are both a driver and a result of poverty in developing countries. Improving land use practices is one of the most effective ways to reduce poverty and build resilience in poor, rural communities – and is one of the fastest and cheapest ways to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Our goal therefore is twofold: to protect and manage forests to mitigate climate change, and to make this be viable economically for national governments and local communities.
Projects
We currently work in India, Nepal, and Argentina. Each of these partner countries is small enough to be nimble, yet big enough to be meaningful in the global effort on this issue. We also are developing a portfolio of projects in Indonesia, one of the world’s largest emitters of greenhouse gases associated with land use changes and deforestation. Working principally with national governments, but also with NGOs and local communities, we have forged good relationships and high-level commitment in each country, allowing us to move swiftly and effectively to achieve mutual goals.
Climate Factors
In general, forests are sensitive to climatic variability and change. Climatic factors that influence forest health-temperature, rainfall, atmospheric levels of carbon dioxide (CO2) and other greenhouse gases and extreme weather and fire events—are changing and are expected to continue changing due to human activities.
The following climate factors are likely to play an important role in determining future forest conditions:
- Air temperature
- Precipitation amount and seasonal distribution
- Atmospheric CO2 concentrations
- Frequency and severity of wildfire events
- Climatic variability and the frequency and severity of extreme events
- Indirect effects on pollution levels such as tropospheric ozone
