Despite the fact that deforestation is the second leading contributor of carbon emissions worldwide after the burning of fossil fuels, countries currently have few incentives for preserving their forests. However, deforestation is finally gaining attention in international discussions on climate change.

The Nature Conservancy believes that addressing deforestation must be a part of a comprehensive global climate change solution that addresses all major sources of carbon emissions. We are encouraging the world’s governments to create a flexible framework that incorporates the actions of developing countries with meaningful incentives to encourage the preservation and restoration of forests.

Visit the links below to discover how forest conservation and restoration can help stem the tide of climate change, while preserving critical habitats for nature and people.

Deforestation and land-use change contributes approximately 20 percent of the carbon emissions that cause climate change.

Go Deeper

Forests: A Powerful Tool Against Climate Change
Read more about why it’s so important to include the protection of our world’s forests in climate and energy legislation.

The Forest Carbon Partnership Facility
Read more on why The Nature Conservancy helped launch the Forest Carbon Partnership Facility. Visit The Forest Carbon Partnership Facility online.

For Conservationists
Visit our climate change workspace and online library on ConserveOnline, a portal for the conservation community.

We Want to Hear from You

Tell us what you think about our climate change work.

You can also submit a climate change question to The Nature Conservancy’s “Ask the Conservationist" column.

What’s Your Impact?

Get an estimate of your carbon footprint using the Conservancy’s carbon footprint calculator and see how you compare to U.S. and global averages.