Hyderabad: The World Rainforest Day is celebrated every year on June 22. Started by a foundation called Rainforest Partnership, the occasion got recognition in 2017.
The rainforests are keeping our planet alive. They’re home to half the world’s animal species, they provide us with freshwater and are essential for keeping our climate stable. Yet every second, one and a half hectares are lost, while each year, 78 million hectares of precious rainforest are destroyed. That’s why World Rainforest Day has been created to take decisive action to combat deforestation, reduce the effects of climate change, and protect our rainforests for future generations.
World Rainforest Day History: The first World Rainforest Day was celebrated on June 22, 2017, when the Rainforest Partnership, a non-profit environmental organisation based in Austin, Texas, launched the global event. This initiative was aimed at raising awareness about the importance of rainforests and their invaluable contributions to the planet. In 2021, the World Rainforest Day Summit was launched with the aim of bringing together people and organisations from all sectors.
World Rainforest Day has gained support from over 70 global partners, including environmental advocates and media outlets. It has become an annual event held on June 22, endorsed by diverse organisations striving for positive action in preserving rainforests. The Rainforest Partnership is an affiliated member of the United Nations Economic and Social Council, further amplifying its mission.
Importance of Rainforests:
Climate: Forests are critical ecosystems, providing habitats for most of the planet's species and livelihoods for nearly one billion people. Healthy forests play a crucial role in mitigating climate change by acting as carbon sinks, absorbing billions of metric tonnes of CO2 annually.
Water Cycle: Rainforests play a significant role in the global water cycle. They absorb rainfall and release it back into the atmosphere in the form of moisture. This process helps regulate rainfall patterns and climate both locally and around the world.
Pharmacy: More than 25 per cent of our modern medicines originate from tropical forest plants. Even so, we have only learned how to use 1 per cent of these amazing plants, so imagine the possibilities if we could experiment with the other 99 per cent. According to the U.S. National Cancer Institute, more than two-thirds of all medicines found to have cancer-fighting properties come from rainforest plants.
Livelihoods: Millions of people live in and around rainforests and depend on them for their livelihoods. They rely on the forest for food, shelter, and resources. Moreover, rainforests also support jobs and economies through sectors like tourism and sustainable forestry.
Global Deforestation: Time is running out to protect the world’s forests as countries that have promised to halt deforestation by 2030 have not implemented necessary actions, a United Nations report released on June 10, 2024, warned. According to the FAO, the global rate of deforestation between 2015 and 2020 was 7.51 Mha per year. As per the Global Forest Watch Report From 2002 to 2023, there was a total of 76.3 Mha humid primary forest lost globally, making up 16 per cent of its total tree cover loss in the same time period. The total area of humid primary forests decreased globally by 7.4 per cent in this time period.
Top Rain Forests In India:
- Andaman And Nicobar Islands – Tropical Evergreen Forest
- Assam – Unspoiled Escapes
- North Western Ghats Moist Deciduous Forests – Rich in Flora and Fauna
- South Western Ghats Moist Deciduous Forests – Species-rich Regions of Deccan
- Brahmaputra Valley Semi-Evergreen Forests – Home to the Most Alluvial Soil
- Odisha Semi-Evergreen Forests – Treat to the Eyes
The 10 largest rainforests in the world:
- The Amazon
- The Congo Rainforest
- Bosawas Biosphere Reserve
- Daintree Rainforest
- Southeast Asian Rainforest
- Tongass National Forest
- Kinabalu National Park
- Monteverde Cloud Forest Reserve
- Sinharaja Forest Reserve
- Valdivian temperate Rain Forest
