Impact of Global Forest Loss, Deforestation and Renewable Energy

Introduction

Global forest loss is also known as 'tree cover loss'. It refers to the removal of trees that either exists as natural trees or tree plantations and is not synonymous with deforestation since it can occur due to reasons such as mechanical harvesting, fire, disease or storm damage. Tree cover loss can also be defined as the continuous loss of global forest cover or the total or complete removal of tree cover due to natural or human factors. Tree cover canopy is cleared thereby paving the way for tree mortality. This phenomenon is rampant in areas where there is a steep and persistent decline in vegetation cover. By 2016, tree cover loss was reported to have reached 29.7 million hectares. The global forest loss is estimated to be 51% more as compared to 2014 and 2015 and has reached the size of New Zealand. The World Resources Institute (WRI) estimates that 80% of the global forest cover is diminishing at the rate of 20,000 hectares per day. The Global Forest Resources Evaluation (GFRE) 2010 estimates that this trend is likely to worsen.

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According to GFR, global forest cover loss reached 73.4 million acres in 2016. Tree cover loss is a critical global problem as it affects the health of people, animals and plant species. Forests are an important ecosystem as it affects almost every animal species. A reduction in forest cover is responsible for a chain of devastating effects both locally and globally. Still, the negative effects of global forest loss include loss of species. Loss of forest cover occurs due to ecological interruption and causes species extinction. Besides, it results from medicinal extraction done by communities that live in the forests. Secondly, global forest loss interferes with the water cycle since trees absorb rainwater and in the process, reduce water pollution. Besides stopping surface runoff, tree roots firmly hold the soil thus preventing soil loss and pollution. According to scientists, a third of the worlds productive land is rendered unusable due to deforestation. Forest cover loss is also responsible for soil erosion that causes siltation. Siltation is responsible for poor quality water and harms human health. Furthermore, forest loss is responsible for the disturbance of communities that live in forests.

Source: World Resources Institute

Man-Made and Natural Pollution Sources

Burning trees is one man-made pollution source that causes loss of forest cover. Traditional farming practices such as forest clearance and burning cause air and environmental pollution. Besides, the ecological impact of clear-cutting is phenomenal since it makes arable land completely barren and unproductive. According to the Natural Resources Defense Council, clear-cutting is an ecological trauma that has unprecedented effects on the ecological environment. Forest burning is a common farming practice among communities that inhabit forests. Usually, they use 'slash and burn' to clear forest cover and also as a means of preparing agricultural land in readiness for farming. The ash that results from the burning falls in the ground thereby causing depletion of soil nourishment.

Still, communities living in forests cut trees to extract firewood while others cut trees to create land for habitation. All these human-made activities are known to reduce forest cover. A reduction in forest cover leads to loss of species and water cycle interference. Still, soil erosion also results from human-made activities that involve clearing of forest cover for medicinal research. Clearcutting is responsible for forest cover loss. The global forest cover is also reduced by the clearing of forests to create space for housing and urbanization. Furthermore, forest harvesting for timber is purposely meant for the creation of consumer items and other consumer products such as palm oil.

A lot of human pollution result from fossil fuel burning that causes acid rain. Acidic rain results from acid decomposition due to carbon dioxide dissolution in water. Still, natural sources such as sulfur and nitrogen emissions lead to acidification of rainwater. On the other hand, natural sources of pollution include sulfur dioxide that is released from volcanoes as well as biological decay. Research shows that quantities of sulfur released into the atmosphere are difficult to determine. Other natural sources of pollution include nitrogen oxide that is produced from volcanoes., biological decay and lightning strike. It is estimated that almost 20-90 million tonnes of nitrogen oxide are annually released into the atmosphere. Acid rain that results from natural sources of pollution leads to the degradation of the natural ecosystem.

Deforestation, Products, Materials and Cost-Benefit Analysis

Deforestation is defined as the clearance or removal of forest cover, or trees to create room for agricultural or non-forest use or the clearcutting of trees for purposes of converting forest land into other uses such as urbanization or human habitation. The most known deforestation happens in tropical rainforests where population growth pushes populations into forestland. Illegal deforestation results from the high demand for various tree products and materials. Common products that drive deforestation includes palm oil, soya, cattle, and wood. Still, international business involving rare wood is driving the trade. Materials that are derived from trees include timber, paper, charcoal and firewood among others. Timber products are the most common cause of deforestation. Still, deforestation is the leading cause of global climate change.

Tree harvesting for timber and other products contribute to global warming. However, given the devastating effects of global warming such as climate change, there is a contention on whether the benefits of deforestation outweigh its negative impacts. A cost-benefit analysis suggests that deforestation causes more harm than good. The demerits of deforestation by far outweigh the benefits. For example, clearing of forest cover for timber products cannot match the devastating effects of global warming such as climate change. Trees help in the maintenance of greenhouse gas balance since a large concentration of greenhouse emission can cause thermal radiation to reach the planet. The costs that are associated with deforestation are enormous. For example, the effects of climate change cannot be quantified or even compared to its benefits. Deforestation decreases the amount of carbon dioxide that is released into the atmosphere since when trees field, the stored carbon escapes into the atmosphere. Deforestation accounts for over a billion tones of carbon emissions annually. Still, it is the leading source of anthropogenic carbon dioxide ranked behind fossil fuel. Since carbon is the only compound that is adversely affected by deforestation, the impact extends beyond the atmosphere as it affects water bodies and other ecological systems. Climate change is responsible for the erratic and unpredictable weather patterns caused by a disruption in global vapor system.

Alternative Solutions for Combatting Deforestation

Numerous alternative energy solutions can be used to combat the effects of deforestation and forest loss. These alternative strategies include finding alternative sources of energy to replace wood, fossil fuel. It also involves finding alternatives to wood products such as papers. The use of ecologically friendly energy sources can help maintain global forest cover. Still, global forest loss can be minimized through the use of renewable energy sources and abandoning traditional sources such as wood, fossil fuel. Promotion of renewable energy sources that do not damage the environment can go along way in minimizing the effect of deforestation. Another benefit of using renewable energy is that it is not only eco-friendly, but technologies used in harvesting this energy also does not adversely impact the environment.

Alternative, renewable energy solutions include geothermal power which is generated from the earth's internal heat. Geothermal energy is eco-friendly and safe. Furthermore, the processes that generate geothermal power are cost-effective and environmentally friendly. The second alternative energy source is solar since it has a low ecological footprint. Solar energy is eco-friendly and environmentally friendly as it converts solar radiations into electricity. Thirdly, wind energy is also a viable alternative to fossil fuel and wood energy. Wind turbines are used to generate electricity from wind and does not emit hazardous wastes. Lastly, but not least, hydropower can be harnessed since it is clean, renewable energy. It is the most widely used eco-friendly source of energy. These renewable sources of energy are eco-friendly, cost-effective and reliable. Furthermore, do not cause environmental pollution and as such reduce the global carbon footprint.

Actions for Restoring Forestland and Global Forest Loss Reduction

The society can take several actions to restore forestland. The environmental impact of deforestation can be reduced through actions such as encouraging and promoting the use of renewable energy sources. The government can promote green energy through incentives and tax rebates on renewable energy equipment. A reduction in the cost of solar panels, wind power turbines, and windmills and geothermal power generation equipment can help encourage investments in renewable energy. Besides tax reduction and other financial rebates, forestland can be restored by educating the public on the importance of using clean energy sources. Information can play a critical role in reducing carbon footprint and the adverse effects of deforestation such as global warming. The government should also provide financial capital to investors who choose to invest in renewable energy production. Doing so will attract more investors and hence increase renewable energy supply into the national grid. Alongside the removal of taxes on renewable energy generation, the government should increase the tax levy on fossil fuel.

The high cost of fossil fuel will act as a deterrent and encourage more people to use eco-friendly energy sources. Restoration of forestland can be reclaimed through biodiversity-ecosystem functioning (BEF) which involves pursuing strategies that incorporate biodiversity and ecosystem functioning. However, the restoration of different forestland functions calls for the use of multiple species. Multiple species ensures restoration of stable forest functions using a functional approach that entails selecting a mix of tree species. Another restoration strategy is to use plant genetic diversity approach that considers above and below the ground linkages in the ecological restoration.

Summary and Conclusion

These alternative strategies include finding alternative renewable sources of energy that are eco-friendly. Deforestation accounts for over a billion tones of carbon emissions annually, and hence it is the leading source of anthropogenic carbon dioxide. Climate change is responsible for the erratic and unpredictable weather patterns caused by global warming and disruption in global vapor system. Besides, deforestation hurts medicinal research for communities that rely on forests for their medicinal solutions. Secondly, global forest loss interferes with the water cycle. Trees absorb rainwater, and in the process, reduce water pollution besides stopping polluted surface runoff. Thirdly, tree roots are known to hold the soil thereby preventing pollution. Human beings have a responsibility of protecting the environment through the use of green energy sources given their minimal impact on the environment. Last but not least, renewable energy sources are not only eco-frien...