Linking deforestation and climate change

Written by: Caroline Kim

Interview from: Professor Deborah Lawrence (UVA)

January 29, 2022

As you know, two major concerns in the environmental science field are climate change and deforestation. But how do the two forces work in conjunction and what’s important to consider. Last week, I had the privilege of interviewing Professor Deborah Lawrence from the University of Virginia; all the information can be credited to her. For reference, deforestation is the clearing of trees and forests either on purpose by humans or by other natural causes such as forest fires; climate change is the prolonged fluctuations in temperature and weather commonly because of the burning of fossil fuels and greenhouse gasses. Climate change and deforestation can cause enormous damage to the environment, but the way they work together can also be a part of the solution.

Deforestation at a large enough scale can influence energy balance in the atmosphere- both near and far. Depending on the varying ecosystems, climate change can vary among different regions on earth; for comparison, ice melting below glaciers would cause more intense changes in ocean levels whereas rising sea levels in Virginia would be much less distinct due to already warmer oceans. On a smaller scale, climate change can also influence forests differently. For example, plants in the rainforest may be more accustomed to warm weather, so they would be closer to the extreme conditions that plant life can reach. On the topic of rainforests, rainfall is a consequence of climate change, and therefore when the climate changes, so do the rainfall patterns. For example, stronger, more intense storms are a result of warmer climate because the atmosphere contains more moisture. Here’s a quick idea of climate change on a molecular level: greenhouse gasses such as carbon dioxide, methane, and nitrous oxide absorb heat very well, and its bonds trap the heat instead of releasing it. As a result, radiated heat is sent back into the environment, but there isn’t a way to really send that heat back out. But what about the answer to the big question: what exactly is the relationship between climate change and deforestation? Because trees contain so much carbon, if you were to deforest all forests, extreme amounts of fossil fuels would be accessed, resulting in climate change. And here is where this relationship can come in handy: forests can take up carbon dioxide and store it for hundreds of years. Though reforestation is a candidate, it would at most only be 20% of the solution; it also would be beneficial to put a price on carbon and rethink the energy systems as a whole. Though the issue of climate change has not been solved yet, with new technology and advancements, we hope that sometime soon alternatives and solutions can be created.