What is deforestation – and is stopping it really possible?

As world leaders prepare to commit to halting the destruction of forests, here's everything you need to know about some of the planet's most biodiverse places

Forests and nature are centre stage at Cop26. On the second day of the Glasgow summit, world leaders are announcing a commitment to halting and reversing deforestation. As the second largest source of greenhouse gases after energy, the land sector accounts for 25% of global emissions, with deforestation and forest degradation contributing to half of this.

But why do forests matter to the climate, and how can we halt deforestation?