Why cutting down rainforests may be driving 28,000 heat deaths a year
Why it matters: Deforestation exposes over 300 million people to amplified warming, potentially causing 28,000 heat deaths annually.
- Gaby Clark and Robert Egan's research in Nature Climate Change indicates that clearing tropical forests exposes hundreds of millions to higher temperatures, increasing heat stress and contributing to death.
- Deforestation may be driving 28,000 heat-related deaths each year across the tropics, according to the new research.
- Tropical trees cool their surroundings through shade and evapotranspiration, with a single large tree providing as much cooling as several air conditioners.
- Satellite data shows that deforested tropical regions warmed by 0.7°C over the past 20 years, more than three times faster than nearby forested areas which warmed by 0.2°C.
- Over 300 million people across Central and South America (67 million), Africa (148 million), and Southeast Asia (122 million) are exposed to higher temperatures caused by deforestation.
- Villagers in Kalimantan, Indonesia recognize the cooling benefits of tropical forests, citing it as the most common benefit when interviewed.
- More than 6 million hectares of primary tropical forests were destroyed in 2024, the fastest rate on record, exacerbating the regional warming effect.
New research published in Nature Climate Change reveals that extensive tropical deforestation is significantly amplifying regional warming, exposing hundreds of millions to dangerous heat stress and potentially contributing to 28,000 heat-related deaths annually. This warming, three times faster in deforested areas compared to forested ones, is driven by the loss of shade and the crucial cooling effect of evapotranspiration provided by trees.
