Reasons to look after rainforests

‘Why should we look after rainforests? How does it effect me when I don’t live there?’

We’re sure you’ve thought about these questions before. They’re fair questions to think about!

So, let’s have a quick look at a few key reasons why we should look after rainforests. No matter where you live in the world, the rainforest has a direct impact on the climate around you and the air you breathe. There’s a reason the rainforest is known as the lungs of the Earth!

Houses on ocean front, with tall palm trees behind and rainforest behind them in Papua New Guinea

1. Rainforests cool the Earth

Tropical rainforests are vital carbon sinks that regulate our global climate. Keeping rainforests intact can provide 23% of climate mitigation urgently needed to cool our planet.

2. Indigenous peoples homes

Many Indigenous peoples have been living in harmony with the rainforest for thousands of years. By protecting the rainforest, we are also protecting homes, livelihoods, and cultures.

3. They maintain water cycles

Rainforests release water into the atmosphere, regulating rainfall patterns and preventing floods and droughts. Losing rainforests would disrupt water cycles, leading to more extreme weather events.

Jaime rinses his hands in the cool waters of the river near Tinkareni, Peru.

4. Biodiversity hotspots

Rainforests are the most biodiverse ecosystems on Earth and contain over 30 million species of plants and animals. Losing rainforests would mean losing an array of irreplaceable species and plants.

5. They clean the air

Trees and plants in the rainforest absorb carbon dioxide from the atmosphere and keep the air we breathe clean. Without rainforests, Earth is unable to mitigate excess greenhouse gas emissions.

6. A source for medicine

Over a quarter of the medicines we use today contain ingredients from the rainforest. Only 1% of rainforest plants have been examined for their medicinal properties too! Imagine what else is out there.

How can we look after rainforests?

For Cool Earth, we know that the best way to protect the rainforest is by supporting the Indigenous peoples who live there. They have protected the rainforest, nurtured it, and kept it healthy for thousands and thousands of years. We don’t know how to protect the rainforest but people in rainforest do.

That’s why we give cash to people and projects in rainforests. Simple. Learn more about our approach here.