How rainforests, Earth’s oldest ecosystems, are critical to climate goals

However, this financial support will be provided only to those TFCs that have a deforestation rate at or below 0.5%. It intends to achieve a capital base of $125 billion, and TFCs will receive an annual fixed payment of $4 per hectare for the existing forest after discounting for the deforestation and degradation. 

At least 20 per cent of the total payments received will be spent on Indigenous Peoples and Local Communities (IPLCs) who are protecting and restoring these forests. These communities hold more than half (54 per cent) of the world’s remaining intact forests. They manage or have tenure rights over 28 per cent of the world’s land, which accounts for approximately 40 per cent of Earth’s terrestrial protected areas with good ecological conditions. 

Tropical forests as carbon sink

Tropical rainforests are located between the latitudes of 23.5°N (the Tropic of Cancer) and 23.5°S (the Tropic of Capricorn). Globally, they are found in Central and South America, western and central Africa, Southeast Asia, the island of New Guinea, and Australia. 

In India, tropical rainforests are found in areas of the Western Ghats, Lakshadweep, the Andaman and Nicobar Island groups, the upper parts of Assam, and the Tamil Nadu coast. Trees in these forests can be up to 60 meters high or sometimes even longer. Since the region is warm and wet, the vegetation has a multilayered structure including trees, shrubs and creepers. 

Notably, tropical forests are among the major biodiversity regions of the world. They provide various ecosystem services that sustain people’s livelihoods. They are particularly important for carbon sequestration via photosynthesis, the protection of watersheds and the regulation of regional climates. Tropical forests can act as long-term reservoirs for carbon, storing it for decades, even centuries. 

Amazon rainforests 

The Amazon rainforests (6.7 million sq km) of South America contain about 40 per cent of all the tropical rainforests of the world and 25 per cent of its terrestrial biodiversity. It is home to nearly 47 million people, including around 2.2 million Indigenous people who speak around 300 different languages. 

Moreover, it is estimated that about 150-200 billion tons of carbon are stored in the Amazon rainforests. Trees here release 20 billion tonnes of water into the atmosphere every day through evapotranspiration, playing a critical role in sustaining regional and global carbon and water cycles. 

Congo basin or the ‘lungs of Africa’

Similarly, the Congo Basin has the world’s second-largest tropical rainforest, also known as the ‘lungs of Africa’. The basin is the world’s largest and most critical natural carbon sink, with its annual net-carbon dioxide absorption even higher than the Amazon rainforest. 

Forests of the Congo basin have stored over 90.9 billion tons of carbon, which is ten times the annual global CO₂ emissions from the energy sector. The monetary value of the ecosystem services provided by the basin’s forests was estimated at  $1.15 trillion per annum in 2020.

Western Ghats of India

The tropical rainforests of the Western Ghats of India are recognized as one of the world’s eight ‘hottest hotspots’ for biodiversity. It is home to at least 325 globally threatened (IUCN Red Data List) species. The region is also globally crucial due to its endemicity, i.e., home to species which are found nowhere else on Earth. 

A UNESCO report suggests that among nearly 650 tree species found in the Western Ghats, 352 (54%) are endemic, amphibians (up to 179 species, 65% endemic), reptiles (157 species, 62% endemic), and fishes (219 species, 53% endemic). The Western Ghats also regulate the Indian monsoon and affect rainfall patterns by acting as a barrier and intercepting rain-laden south-west monsoonal winds. 

These forests also support the nation’s economy as many communities are dependent on them for their livelihoods. Apart from ecological functions, they provide fuelwood, timber, enhance soil fertility and check soil erosion.  

Deforestation plummets where indigenous peoples protect land

About 23 per cent of the Amazon region is indigenous territory, much of it covered with old-growth rainforests that store very significant quantities of carbon dioxide. The Brazilian Amazon is losing more than 5,000 sq. km. of its area every year, largely due to unregulated deforestation. However, studies suggest deforestation in the areas protected by indigenous populations is more than 80 per cent lower compared to unprotected areas.  

For example, in the Amonia territory of the Ashaninka tribe, only about 0.03 per cent area has been deforested, which is a model for other regions. Tribes such as the Kayapo and Yanomami got legal rights over their lands from governments by fighting against illegal loggers, miners, farmers, and land grabbers. When looking at satellite images, these indigenous lands look like green islands as they act as a significant barrier to the large-scale deforestation prevalent in their surrounding regions.

The Gond community is one of India’s largest groups (more than 12 million) of indigenous people, mainly residing in the states of Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Chhattisgarh, Odisha, Telangana and Jharkhand. They are dependent on forests for their survival. Recently, they decided to stop the age-old practice of cremating their dead and instead chose to bury them in order to save trees and protect their sacred environment.

As climate talks emphasise adaptation strategies, the successful conservation practices of Indigenous people – gathered over thousands of years – offer valuable models that can be replicated elsewhere.  

Containing forest loss 

The Global Forest Watch report (2024) says that forest fires caused about 50 per cent of total tropical forest loss, destroying 6.7 million hectares of forests. The year 2024 was also the hottest year on record globally, and the presence of El Niño further intensified these forest fires, making it even difficult to control. 

Other major reasons for forest loss are agricultural practices, both commercial and shifting cultivation. At COP26 (2021) in Glasgow, leaders from over 140 countries pledged to halt and reverse forest loss by 2030. However, recent assessments indicate that the world is off track to meet this goal in time. 

Therefore, shared global efforts are needed for the conservation of these forests in view of their vital role in mitigating climate change impacts and providing us with crucial ecosystem services. Strengthening initiatives such as the TFFF will be key to protecting global forest resources. 

Furthermore, focussing on redesigning future agricultural policies, promoting sustainable agroforestry, reducing anthropogenic factors behind forest fires, and incentivising conservation efforts would be crucial. 

Post read questions

Analyse the contribution of tropical forests in mitigating climate change. How should global and national policies strengthen their protection?

Discuss how empowering indigenous communities can serve as an effective strategy against deforestation in tropical forest regions.

Evaluate the contribution of India’s indigenous communities to biodiversity conservation and environmental protection, with suitable examples.

Analyse the role of initiatives like the TFFF in safeguarding global forest resources and strengthening climate mitigation efforts.

How can reducing anthropogenic forest fires enhance global conservation efforts and climate resilience? Discuss the importance of incentivising conservation efforts in achieving long-term forest protection.

(Abhinav Rai is a Doctoral candidate at the Department of Geography, Delhi School of Economics, University of Delhi.)

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