Deforestation now seen as major contributor to global warming

The slashing and burning of tropical forests is a major source of greenhouses gases according to a report just published by the Oxford-based Global Canopy Programme, an alliance of leading rainforest scientists. Their figures show that deforestation accounts for up to 25% of global emissions of heat-trapping gases, right behind transport and industry that together total 28%.

In the next 24 hours, deforestation will release as much CO2 into the atmosphere as 8 million people flying from London to New York. Stopping the loggers is the fastest and cheapest solution to climate change. So why are global leaders turning a blind eye to this crisis?

From Deforestation: The hidden cause of global warming.

Forests soak up huge amounts of CO2, which is released again when the land is cleared and burned.

Reuters also reports findings published in the international journal Science from a study by Canadell, of Australia's government-backed Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organization, plus an international team of experts from the U.S., Britain, Brazil and France. See Slowing deforestation key to climate fight.