Climate Change: The Most Serious Problem to Tackle

As of 2020, Covid-19 is spreading globally. However, climate change is a more serious problem for all human beings. For example, floods caused by huge typhoons, hurricanes, and cyclones with heavy rain attacked many places in the world.

Droughts occurred in Africa, Australia, the U.S.A, and the Amazon, inducing wildfires.

The permafrost is thawing in Siberia, emitting strong greenhouse gases and methane to the atmosphere.  

To stop climate change, efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions are being made according to the Paris agreement of 2015. However, the reduction of CO2 is not enough. Another effort is also necessary. It is the RESTORATION of the NATURAL FOREST.  

Effects of Natural Forests on Climate Change

In the history of human beings, natural forests have continuously been destroyed and changed into towns, firms, and factories. This has been conducted solely for economic desire. However, historical cities along the Mediterranean Sea, such as Greece and Rome, came to a fall when they destroyed natural forests of the area.

Natural forests have played a particularly important role on keeping the global environment in good condition, such as by absorbing greenhouse gasses. Unfortunately, though, the existing areas of natural forests are decreasing drastically year by year. It is crucial to stop deforestation now.

Other Effects of the Natural Forest

1. Slope protection

The dense root system of the natural forest spreads deep into the ground, keeping steep slopes strong against heavy rains and earthquakes.

2. Fire prevention

Natural forests can stop spreading fires. In 1923, the Great Kanto Earthquake attacked Tokyo and many fires raged after the quake. People evacuated to large open spaces to save their lives from the fires. In a place surrounded by a dense natural forest, 20,000 people’s lives were saved. The rich forest formed by evergreen broadleaf trees saved many lives.

Unfortunately, 38,000 people of 40,000 evacuees were killed in an evacuation ground without any natural forest surrounding.

3. Tide barrier against tsunami

A huge earthquake hit eastern Japan in 2011. After the tremor, giant tsunamis attacked the Pacific coast, killing 20,000 people.

To save lives in the case of a big tsunami, concrete tide barriers had been constructed before 2011, but these were destroyed in some places by the strong force of the tsunami.

On the contrary, a natural forest planted 10 years ago flexibly received the tsunami energy and reduced the destructive power. Cars and debris brought with mud water were stopped in front of the forest, and only filtered water passed through the forest. The damage behind the forest was exceedingly small.