The destruction of the rainforest means not only loss of biodiversity, but also high social costs due to the release of greenhouse gases. Tropical forests sequester carbon from the atmosphere, helping to regulate the global climate. Loss of tree cover to agricultural activities releases CO2, accelerating climate change. An international research team led by the Technical University of Munich (TUM) and with participation from the University of Göttingen has used a new approach to quantify changes in forest loss and determine their economic impact. The conclusion: previous rainforest protection measures have a great economic value and save the global community billions of euros. ...
