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By Rubina Adhikari/Nepal Edited by Rashidah AbdulQuadri/Nigeria & Alemayehu Kefalew/Ethiopia  Graphic by J.C. Alonsagay/ATO - ClimatEducate Project This year, we are marking the fourth “World Rainforest Day”. Rainforests are undoubtedly vital for the survival of life on Earth. They do not only provide us fresh water to drink, but also absorb carbon dioxide, stabilize climate patterns, and provide a home for half the plant and animal species in the world. So, to acknowledge this beauty of nature and maintain its importance thoroughly, Rainforest partnership inaugurated the “World Rainforest Day” on June 22nd, 2017. Since then, it has managed to reach millions through many platforms, including NGOs, businesses, stakeholders, and individuals, all envisioning to save nature. The day has been exclusively set aside to help protect rainforests by raising awareness and encouraging action to protect them. Rainforests make about two percent of the world's surface area; they are magnanimous yet vulnerable. It is a tragic fact that at the current rate of deforestation, 28.000 species will become extinct by 2050. They're essential for life on Earth to thrive, however still face many challenges and threat to maintaining its sustainability. Deforestation has removed an area equal to Europe's population, whether 1 billion hectares from tropical rainforests over the last 40 years. Thus, the world rainforest day is taken as an opportunity to celebrate precious natural resources every year and take action to preserve them. Rainforests are abundant in nature and found everywhere except Antarctica. They can be a solution for both climate change and loss of biodiversity. A lot of conservation groups, organizations, environmental advocates are making the effort through advocacy and education worldwide. It is an opportunity to educate the world, celebrate, and come together to protect our rainforests. There are many obstacles and opportunities to protect rainforests, the impact of climate change on tropical rainforests has less certainty than on temperate forests because of a comparative lack of background data and also few large-scale experiments have been and are being conducted in tropical rainforests. Nevertheless, the effect of climatic changes on tropical vegetation is of global and regional concern because of the typically high biodiversity and the potential feedback to the carbon, water, and nutrient cycles. Therefore, action-based research should be highly encouraged to protect the rainforest from any adverse damage. What can we do in 2020? The world rainforest day in 2020 seems slightly different as we are abandoned inside our homes, and the activities that could be done are restricted. While nature is healing itself, the pattern to celebrate this day has shifted from real participation to virtual ones. However, the beauty, charisma, and the importance that the rainforests carry cannot be unseen, and the day should be cherished and celebrated unanimously. There are many organizations which are providing an opportunity to participate digitally in many activities. We can educate ourselves about the rainforests, if not anything! Donate to the organizations that are making efforts to save rainforests or plan your next vacation in one of the rainforests and have a surreal experience with your own eyes. REFERENCES:
THE AUTHORRubina Adhikari is currently one of our newest project members from Nepal. She is an undergraduate on Bsc. Forestry. She is very passionate about climate change and has already worked as a volunteer in Parvati.org and worked as an intern in YFEED. Her endmost motive is to create a safer planet and further carries a deep interest in wildlife, biodiversity, and youth empowerment.
Alemayehu
7/24/2020 09:04:00 pm
Good to see this post. However, it is too late to be posted. posts are thought to be source of information and learning; however, this post should have been posted a month ago. I don't think this is worthy anymore. posts are valuable when they are posted timely. Perhaps it is good to see than not to be posted. Hoping that the blog creator will take lesson to ;post reviewed articles timely Comments are closed.
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