The science is clear about two things. First, climate change poses a significant threat to human well-being, with developing societies and poor households most vulnerable to harm. The effects of extreme weather events, rising sea levels, food insecurity, water scarcity, and displacement will be felt disproportionately by poor communities who tend to lack essential infrastructure, rely more on natural resources for food and income, and with fewer assets, have a harder time coping with shocks. Second, protecting the world’s remaining tropical forests is an essential component of any strategy to stabilize the climate. Deforestation accounts for 11% of annual global greenhouse gas emissions, and the mitigation potential of forests is even greater due to the potential to reduce forest loss as well as to increase the carbon sequestered by forest regrowth.

Year: 2015

From collection: State of the Rainforest

Cartographer: GRID-Arendal