Forests

Forests cover one third of the earth’s land mass, performing vital functions and supporting the livelihoods of 1.6 billion people.

Forests are home to more than half of the world’s land-based species of animals, plants and insects. They combat climate change because of their capacity to remove carbon from the atmosphere and store it, which is called forest mitigation.

This avoiding and reducing emissions of heat-trapping greenhouse gases into the atmosphere, which prevents the planet from warming to more extreme temperatures, is also called Climate change mitigation.

Forests also buffer the impacts of storms and floods. By feeding our rivers, forests supply drinking water for nearly half of the world’s largest cities. They also provide shelter, jobs and security for forest-dependent populations.

At UN Environment Programme, we are working towards a future with healthy and sustainably managed forests around the world – for people and planet.

Limiting the average global…