Forests and climate change

Abstract

Forests are biological communities (ecosystems) of plants and animals, dominated by trees and other woody plants. They are important natural assets that cover about 30 per cent of the Earth's land surface. Forests are defined as land with trees capable of reaching a minimum height (2-5 metres) and a minimum canopy cover (10%-30%). These thresholds vary between countries. Some countries also include a requirement for land to be under forest "use", which excludes agricultural or urban land uses. Forests are dynamic and are affected by natural events such as wildfire, storms, volcanic eruptions, insects or diseases and by human activities such as clearing, burning and timber harvesting. They us..