More than 100 world leaders have pledged to end deforestation by 2030
More than 100 world leaders have pledged to end deforestation by 2030 in the first major deal at the Glasgow climate summit. Countries that supported the decision include Brazil, Russia, Canada, Colombia, the US, the UK and Indonesia. It is noted that in total these countries account for about 85% of the world’s forests. The agreement includes the allocation of $20 billion, part of which will be used to restore already damaged forest areas and fight forest fires. The governments of 28 countries also pledge to stop deforestation for agricultural production, in particular for the production of palm oil, cocoa and soybeans.
The oldest forests on Earth are over 32 million years old
Kelp forests arose on the floor of the Pacific Ocean at least 32 million years ago, not 14-15 million years ago as previously thought. This calls into question the prevailing ideas about the evolution of their inhabitants, the press service of the University of California at Berkeley reported. Researchers have found that these important oceanic ecosystems appeared in the Pacific Ocean at the beginning of the Oligocene era, over 32 million years ago. The largest kelp forests are found in cold seas (Arctic Ocean, North Atlantic Ocean, Nordic Seas), but in 2007 kelp forests were also discovered in tropical waters near Ecuador.
Scientists blame rotting trees for excess greenhouse gases
Rotting wood releases up to 10.9 gigatons of carbon, equivalent to 115% of fossil fuel emissions, an international research team reports.
In a hundred years, tropical forests may disappear completely
If we do not stop global deforestation, and not just tropical ones, stopping climate change will remain an elusive goal.