Deforestation and Climate Change
Carbon levels are at their highest concentration levels in more than 650,000 years… Severe storms are on the rise globally… Glaciers melting at unprecedented levels… It is undeniable: aggressive and immediate action to fight global warming is necessary for the survival of our planet.

There is now evidence to indicate that deforestation is the main cause of global warming. Every year, the loss of 15-25 million acres of tropical rainforests adds between 0.9 and 2.2 billion metric tons of carbon to the atmosphere, equivalent to 15% to 30% of global annual emissions from fossil fuels.

This is more than road, air, rail and sea transportation combined.

If current trends continue, tropical deforestation will release about 50% as much carbon into the atmosphere as has been emitted from worldwide combustion of fossil fuels since the start of the industrial revolution.

Fires in the Selva Maya

As indicated by the fire map to the right, outside of the protected areas, slash and burn agriculture is destroying the Selva Maya at an alarming rate. If planned development projects are carried out, experts predict that more than 750,000 acres of the Selva Maya will be lost and roughly 225 million tons of carbon will be released into the atmosphere in the next 30 years (Conde et al, 2007. Analisis ambiental y economico de proyectos carreteros en la Selva Maya, un studio a escala regional, p. 16-18.)

Protecting Standing Forests

To fight the increasingly severe threats of global warming, Rainforest2Reef is fighting climate change by protecting the standing forests of the Selva Maya. In just seven years, Rainforest2Reef has signed agreements to permanently protect more than 300,000 acres of previously threatened rainforest. By preventing logging and burning of these forests, Rainforest2Reef has prevented millions of tons of carbon stored in these trees, from entering the atmosphere.

We are in the process of quantifying and verifying our carbon to sell carbon offsets using the most rigorous standards available to evaluate land-based carbon mitigation projects: with the Environmental Resources Trust and the Climate, Community and Biodiversity Alliance. If you are interested in supporting the development of this program, please click here:

Click here to learn more about the multiple benefits to businesses participating in the Selva Maya Carbon Offset Project.