Forests are often described as the lungs of the planet, absorbing carbon dioxide and helping regulate global temperatures. But they are increasingly under pressure from the very climate changes they help to mitigate.
Rising temperatures, prolonged droughts and more frequent wildfires are damaging forest ecosystems across continents. In some regions, forests that once absorbed carbon are now releasing it back into the atmosphere.
This creates a feedback loop: as forests weaken, their ability to stabilise the climate declines, potentially accelerating environmental change.
Scientists warn that protecting forests is no longer only about conservation — it is about maintaining a critical part of the Earth’s climate system.
Efforts are expanding to restore degraded forests and manage land more sustainably, but the scale of the challenge remains significant.
The future of forests may determine not only biodiversity, but the pace of climate change itself.
