Carbon Dynamics of Forests as a Proactive Tool in the Hands of Developed Nations and World Conclaves

The forests contain all the resources for existence of life on Earth like food, water, materials for shelter, clothing, etc. We need forests for survival and we are destroying them. Forest cover is defined as an area of more than 1 ha with a density of 10 percent and above. A forest is a carbon sink because it absorbs more carbon than it releases and stores it for an indefinite period. Photosynthesis is sequestration of atmospheric carbon dioxide and an effective strategy for reducing global warming. Tropical rainforests play a vital role in regulating weather through rainfall. Since a forest can intercept rainfall, it will prevent soil loss. Flora and fauna form a major part of forest biodiversity and conservation of forests leads to preservation of the forest ecosystem. If the forests are disturbed, the sequestered carbon will move back to the atmosphere causing climate change. The Kyoto Protocol suggests that agroforestry is a means to achieve emission reduction but FERN strongly disagrees with this assumption. Protection of primary forest should be top priority to reduce carbon emission. Agroforestry and plantations can help provide the necessary wood products from forest land that has already been cleared.