Deforestation in the United Kingdom - Essay Example

Deforestation in the United Kingdom Introduction Deforestation is the process in which natural forests are cleared through the processes of burning or burning to create land for human activities such as farming or putting up structures (Adams and Attiwill, 2011). Deforestation causes permanent destruction to forests. Deforestation around the world has mainly targeted rainforests. The level of deforestation has been high with predictions indicating that rainforests in the world would be completely cleared in a period of hundred years. In a research by GRID-Arendal, countries, which are much prone to deforestation, include Democratic Republic of Congo, Brazil, Indonesia and Thailand (Adams and Attiwill, 2011). The study focuses on the main causes of deforestation and the negative effect of the practice to the environment. the study focuses mainly on United Kingdom and EU and to explain the importance of finding the best sustainable way of extracting this resource for the future all while detailing the current flaws and methods used (Andersen, 2002).  Causes of deforestation The main cause of deforestation in United Kingdom is through harvesting of forest resources through logging. Wood in the country is a valuable raw material that is used in manufacturing and construction companies (Ang, 2006). Logging has reduced a large percentage of forests in the area. Statistics collected from construction and manufacturing industries in UK indicates that in 2009, the country produced approximately 2,818,000 cubic metres, 2,565,000 cubic metres, 4,983,000 cubic metres of saw wood, wood based panels and paper and paperboard respectively (Bjornlund, 2010). In the year, the production by the industry was not enough to satisfy the demand of the consumers leading to more exploitation of forest resources in the country to meet the demands. Since the country is the net exporter of wood and paper products, deforestation has increased to maintain the export. Logging has been the main cause of deforestation in the country (Bjornlund, 2010). Forests have been cleared for wood products but the areas in one way or the other was used for other purposes after harvesting. This factor has occurred in all parts of the world but mostly in the tropics. In United Kingdom, some places where woods have been harvested have been used for other activities such as farming and settlement (Carreiro, Song and Wu, 2008). Consequences of deforestation Major consequences arise for plant and animal species because of deforestation. All forms of disturbance displace animals from part or all of their territories. The more extensive the disturbance, the more likely animals in an area will become overcrowded and their populations will decline due to social pressures (Dubé and Schmithüsen, 2007). Many animals in the tropical forests of United Kingdom have been displaced from their habitat because of logging. Even by just removing a few plants, the complex of food sources could be disrupted. These annual food source schedules enable many rainforest animals, like the orang-utan, to manage the low concentration and production of flowers and fruits, which has become irregular of the plants that the animals consume. Furthermore, plants in the forests are affected since animals on which they depend on for pollination or dispersal of their seeds are not in the forest as they leave the forests to look for food and shelter in other habitat. Besides, genetic variety of individual species is also being interfered with. This is a main concern to farmers as several species of these crops are valuable commercially. Their degradation will threaten the ability of the country ability to continue planting new varieties to keep ahead of pests and diseases that threaten products. It is vital to retain a wide genetic diversity of wild plants so that plant breeders can counter threats to crop productivity caused by new pests and diseases and changing climate (Folmer and Van Kooten, 2006). In an example, large amounts of money have been spent in finding a solution to the crop productivity on groundnuts, which was caused through degradation of the environment through deforestation. The money has been used to money are in breeding new groundnut variations resistant to diseases. Deforestation also has significantly contributed to greenhouse effect, which has in turn contributed to global warming. The greenhouse effect describes how atmosphere of the earth functions. To begin, the sun emits short wave radiation through the atmosphere to the Earth. In return, the Earth radiates some of the energy from the sun back into the atmosphere in a different form of long-wave infrared energy (Folmer and Van Kooten, 2006). Some elements of gases such as methane, ozone, carbon dioxide, and nitrous oxide keep heat by take in some of the infrared radiation. The gases are important as they increase heat on earth and without the greenhouse, gases there would be a decrease in temperature of the earth. Burning and clearing rainforests leads to emission of considerable amounts of greenhouse gases into the air (Gasparatos and Strömberg, 2012). It has been approximated that annually, deforestation brings about 23-30% of all carbon dioxide that is released into the atmosphere as compared to other elements that release carbon to the atmosphere. This brings about global warming since there is loss on a way in which the gases in the atmosphere can be absorbed by the trees. Global warming comes due to increase in carbon into the atmosphere. By the means of photosynthesis, the forests are able to absorb the carbon dioxide, which is emitted to the atmosphere, and give out oxygen (Kellomäki and Leinonen, 2005). Yet, with deforestation there is more and more carbon released into the atmosphere due to the burning of the plants, and less and less forests to remove the carbon from the atmosphere. Rapid warming of the atmosphere can have tremendous consequences. Tropical deforestation has many significant environmental impacts. As a result of deforestation, there has been the threat of biodiversity of the earth, discourages in medicinal discoveries on plant species may suggest and lead to potential global warming resulting from the greenhouse effect. Some forest plant species are sources of medicinal drugs (Kreike, 2010). Deforestation reduces the research that is made on forests to come up with advancement in medicine industry. In conclusion, conservation of the tropical rainforests is imperative in order to preserve one of the Earth’s oldest, most rich and valuable ecosystems Reduction of deforestation in UK and through EU It is vital to manage deforestation as it has contributed to nearly 20% of global carbon emissions. This is approximated as being more that emissions which comes from the whole transport sector. In UK, there has been sustainable management of woods and forests. Management that has been put forward is through growing of new trees to reabsorb carbon, which is released from other sources. Public forests, which are managed by the government and Forest Commissions, are independently certified as being sustainably managed (Speight and Wylie, 2001). In the country, many types of woodland managed by Forest Stewardship Council and Programme for Endorsement of Forests Certification Scheme have been assured of sustainable management such that in exploitation of forest products, there is conservation of the environment. Management has not been the same in other parts of the world, when this is implemented in other parts of the world there can be a reverse in the trend (Speight and Wylie, 2001). International community and organizations have developed initiatives to help developing countries to reduce the problem of deforestation. The initiative that has been put into place by EU is the Forest Law Enforcement, Governance and Trade Action Plan, which started operation in 2003. The plans that have been implemented include measures to discourage cutting of timber in countries that are under European Union. The measures also have been placed to enforce the legislations, which exist in countries that produce timber (Wolf-Crowther, Mozes and Laczko, 2011). The initiatives developed by European union also allows for licensing schemes through which countries which are involved in trading in timber to be guaranteed that the timber that they produced is done through legal means. National Convention on Climate Change was implemented in 2008 with the aim of acknowledgment of contribution of emissions from deforestation and degradation of forests to global man made gas emissions from greenhouses. An agreement was reached to Reduce Emissions from Deforestation and Degradation. Through the initiative, several key facts have been brought out key facts in management of forests. The facts that have been brought out include half of the forest in the world disappearing through deforestation and average cover of forest across European Union being 36%. REDD intends to develop a workable global scheme. The scheme that is intended to be developed are those which aim to big carbon saving and to benefit those that rely on forests for their livehoood and biodiversity. The initiative aims also in working on international policies through support on the ground in developing countries like Brazil and Columbia. The initiative helps the countries policies and implementations that help in reducing the emissions from forest degradation and deforestation. There has been development of five main principles to guide REED in its operation in the countries. There is the principle of climate where implementations are to contribute to reduction in omission of greenhouse gases with national goals working towards a global goal. Biodiversity is a factor considered in maintaining and enhancing forest ecosystem services. Other factors that have also been considered include livelihood, rights and fair and effective funding. The European Commission has offered a message on deforestation, which brings out the EU's answer climate change and the challenges that has come up due to the changes. It suggests that at the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change agreements on the forthcoming climate management, the European Union calls for uncertain area covered by global forest loss by 2030 at the latest and decreasing overall tropical deforestation by at least half the percentage by 2020 from the levels that currently exist. This objective would provide major climate change and biodiversity benefits by 2020. The Commission proposes to work in the international negotiations on climate change towards the development of a Global Forest Carbon Mechanism; a financial mechanism was created where developing countries would be financially rewarded for emissions decreases obtained by taking initiatives and actions to decrease in the areas under forests and forest degradation. Simultaneously, the message identifies likely ways for the EU to contribute to such a mechanism. It also addresses rules that need to be reinforced in trade sector, energy sector, agriculture sector, food security, and development cooperation in order to ensure a coherent policy response to address deforestation and forest degradation. The Communication also indicates that at EU level an appropriate level of funding is required from 2013 to 2020 to fight deforestation. The total amount of funding will depend on the level of mitigation actions undertaken by developing countries. As part of its strategy to address climate change and global biodiversity loss, also responding to the request of the European Parliament, the European Commission (EC) launched a comprehensive study in 2011 to assess the impact of EU consumption on forest loss at a global scale. The study has now been completed and provides an in-depth assessment of the impact of EU consumption on deforestation and provides general indications and options for possible policy responses (Wolf-Crowther, Mozes, and Laczko, 2011). The study results contribute to the implementation of a number of on-going policy initiatives in the area of Resource Efficiency and Sustainable Development. Some of the issues raised in the study may also be the basis for the consideration of options for future actions or proposals by the Commission. Conclusion Deforestation causes permanent destruction to forests. Deforestation around the world has mainly targeted rainforests. The level of deforestation has been high with predictions indicating that rainforests in the world would be completely cleared in a period of hundred years. The initiatives developed by European Union also allows for licensing schemes through which countries which are involved in trading in timber to be guaranteed that the timber that they produced is done through legal means. National Convention on Climate Change was implemented in 2008 with the aim of acknowledgment of contribution of emissions from deforestation and degradation of forests to global man made gas emissions from greenhouses. This has increased areas that have been under forest through discouraging deforestation. References Adams, M. and Attiwill, P. (2011). Burning issues in forestry. Collingwood, Vic.: CSIRO Publishing. Andersen, L. (2002). The dynamics of deforestation and economic growth in the Brazilian Amazon. Cambridge: Press Syndicate of the University of Cambridge. Ang, A. (2006). Deforestation. [Manila]: SCR. Bjornlund, L. (2010). Deforestation. San Diego, CA: Reference Point Press. Brasnett, N. (2003). Planned management of forests. London: Allen & Unwin. 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