CLIMATE ACTION
Trees and other plants, like all living things, are made up of carbon. But when forests are cleared or burned, much of that carbon ends up in the atmosphere — similar to burning fossil fuels. This carbon changes the planet’s climate and contributes to rising temperatures, stronger storms, more severe droughts and rising sea levels.
Tropical deforestation accounts for up to 15% of net global carbon emissions each year.
Deforestation is a significant contributor of climate change-causing greenhouse gases. Studies indicate that tropical deforestation accounts for up to 15% of net global carbon emissions each year.1 That’s about the same as every car, truck, bus, plane, ship and train on the planet combined.2 That’s because nearly 70,000 acres of tropical forest are lost every day.3 But if you prevent deforestation, all that carbon remains safely stored away in the forests. So by protecting forests, Rainforest Trust prevents deforestation — and by doing so, prevents emissions.
You can have an impact.
You can have an impact by helping to fund current projects storing vast amounts of carbon. Just $10 donated towards Rainforest Trust’s Saving Indigenous Lands in the Amazon project in Peru can protect 5 acres and approximately 931 metric tons of CO2 equivalents. If released into the atmosphere, that would be equal to the yearly carbon dioxide released by 201 U.S. cars.
All those emissions, prevented through a $10 donation.
Millions and millions of tons of carbon are stored in our projects around the world. Imagine the impact you could have on this world by ensuring that critical habitat for endangered species is protected and the carbon held within rainforests is kept there forever — all for little more than a morning latte. Please consider a donation today to our Conservation Action Fund, which helps to support our most urgent projects around the world.
- 1 Houghton, R.A. et. al. Nature Climate Change 5 1022-1023 (2015)
- 2 IPCC Climate Change 2014: Mitigation of Climate Change.
- 3 Global Forest Watch
- 4 Vehicle emissions data from US EPA