Abstract:
Tropical forests play a significant role in our climate systems, as well as in human-induced climate change. Deforestation in the tropics has turned out to be one of the largest sources of current emissions of carbon dioxide, which is the most important green house gas, Destruction of tropical forests is second only to combustion of fossil fuels in contributing to global warming (IPCC 2001). Deforestation accounts for up to 20% of global co2 emissions and for up to 25% of all global green house gas emissions. Almost all this is attributable to forest conversion in the tropics (FAO, 2006). The MCC, 2000 estimates that about 270 Giga tones of Carbon have been emitted from the burning of fossil fuels and the production of cement, whereas 136 Gt C come from land use change, mainly through forest conversion