Final Answer:
Forests support climate mitigation by acting as carbon sinks, absorbing CO2 from the atmosphere. Deforestation exacerbates climate change by releasing stored carbon and reducing the Earth's capacity to absorb CO2.
Step-by-step explanation:
Forests play a critical role in mitigating climate change due to their capacity to sequester carbon dioxide from the atmosphere. Trees absorb CO2 during photosynthesis, utilizing it to grow while releasing oxygen. This process acts as a carbon sink, storing significant amounts of carbon within the trees and forest ecosystems. Consequently, forests play a crucial role in regulating the balance of greenhouse gases, mitigating the impact of human activities that contribute to climate change.
Deforestation, however, disrupts this balance. When forests are cleared or degraded through human activities like logging, agriculture, or urban expansion, the stored carbon is released back into the atmosphere. Trees that were once sequestering carbon are removed, diminishing the Earth's natural ability to absorb CO2. Furthermore, deforestation contributes to increased greenhouse gas emissions, as burning or decomposing trees release stored carbon dioxide. This process significantly amplifies the concentration of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere, exacerbating the effects of climate change.
The impact of deforestation on climate change extends beyond carbon release. It disrupts ecosystems, leading to biodiversity loss, altered rainfall patterns, soil degradation, and increased vulnerability to extreme weather events. The loss of forests not only diminishes the planet's natural resilience but also intensifies the challenges posed by a changing climate.
In essence, forests act as vital allies in climate change mitigation by sequestering carbon, and deforestation significantly worsens climate change by releasing stored carbon and undermining the Earth's ability to absorb CO2, exacerbating the global climate crisis.