Deforestation emissions far higher than previously thought, study finds

Carbon emissions from felling of tropical forest doubled in just two decades and are accelerating, research says

Carbon emissions from tropical deforestation this century are far higher than previously thought, doubling in just two decades and continuing to accelerate, according to a study.

The world's forests form an enormous carbon store, holding an estimated 861 gigatons of carbon - equivalent to nearly a century's worth of annual fossil fuel emissions at the current rate. When trees are cut down, they release the carbon they store into the atmosphere. Since 2000, the world has lost about 10% of its tree cover, becoming a major driver of global heating.