* Climate, Deforestation & Wildfires
.
Canada and US Wildfires, Photos, Maps;
Deforestation Stats, Images and Maps
Deforestation:
Experts predict we’ll only have 10% of the earth’s original forests left by 2030 with massive habitat destruction, species extinction, water shortages, and global warming. Forests are natural carbon sinks that absorb carbon dioxide, so the more trees we cut down for wood and their products, the more of this dangerous greenhouse gas ends up in the atmosphere. Wood is biodegradable, but takes longer to decompose in a landfill and releases more methane, the worst greenhouse gas. Painted and treated wood releases a range of toxic chemicals into the air, soil, and water system as it breaks down.
Lumber is a multi-billion dollar global commodity, and 8% to 10% of new wood is forested illegally, according to the World Wildlife Fund.2 The construction industry is the world’s greatest consumer of natural resources, and 80% to 93% of its CO2 emissions come from the production of raw materials.
Canada passes Brazil as largest contributor to global deforestation, breaking records for wildfires, logging and timber sales in 2023.
|
Record wildfires in Canada burn over 5 million hectares – more than the combined 2016, 2019, 2020 and 2022 seasons. Smoke sickens, kills many across the US. |
|---|---|
 .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  |
|
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.