Forests and oceans remove and trap carbon as part of their natural processes

Forests and oceans remove and trap carbon as part of their natural processes, In turn, they can reduce the amount of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere and limit the power of the greenhouse effect. By damaging forests, polluting oceans, and burning fossil fuels, humans have upset Earth’s natural balance. This is why we must work together to protect our precious trees and seas.

State of the world’s forests

The world’s forests are not spread evenly across the globe. Most are found in the Northern Hemisphere—in Russia and North America—where they are gradually being eaten away by logging. Rain forests cover parts of South America and Southeast Asia, where trees are burned to create farmland.

Original forest Current forest Untouched forest

The map above shows the extent to which forests have declined across the world. The chart to the right shows the countries with the largest forest area.

Reforestation Tree-planting projects like the United Nations Billion Tree Campaign are global initiatives that aim to replace lost forestsifcy planting new ones

In the last 40 years more than half of our planet’s original forests have been lost.

Brazil The rain forest in Brazil is being destroyed to make room for cattle ranches and farms. Since 2000, an area larger than Greece has been cleared.

Studying sea life   Scientists are carefully monitoring the effects of global warming on sea life. Some countries have created marine reserves to protect threatened species. 

Keeping the balance

Forests and oceans help to control carbon dioxide levels in the atmosphere by storing carbon. This is why they are sometimes called carbon sinks. Together, forests and oceans provide a balance to the natural and man-made sources that release greenhouse gases.

Phytoplankton Phytoplanktonare tiny ocean plants that remove more carbon dioxide from the atmosphere than all other trees and plants put together. But as carbon builds up in the oceans, the seawater may become too acidic for phytoplankton to survive.