Rainforests are forests with a humid climate and high levels of precipitation. Although they mainly occur in tropical and subtropical regions of the world near the equator, they can be found in various climate zones all over the world. Roughly speaking, rainforests are one of the five most important types of forest worldwide, alongside dry forests, deciduous and mixed forests and hard-leaf forests.
Tropical rainforests only occur in the tropics, i.e. in the area between the Tropic of Cancer and the Tropic of Capricorn. A warm and humid climate, nutrient-poor soils, canopy construction and highly specialized organisms are just some of the many characteristics of tropical rainforests. As you may have guessed, many of our exotic houseplants also originate from this area. By far the largest tropical rainforest is the Amazon rainforest, followed by rainforest areas in the Central African Congo Basin and Southeast Asia.
“Hot spots” of biodiversity
Tropical rainforests are usually associated with an incredible diversity of species. In the Amazon rainforest, for example, more than 40,000 plant species, over 400 mammal species and countless bird and fish species have been identified. In general, around half of all animal and plant species are found in rainforests.
The green lungs of the earth
Tropical rainforests are often referred to as the green lungs of the earth, as they absorb CO2 and produce oxygen. So it is not only the biodiversity that is fascinating, but also the quantities of CO2 that tropical rainforests absorb and thus help to regulate the global climate. According to a report by Global2000 on current FAO figures, “forests have the incredible potential to store up to a tenth of the world’s projected CO₂ emissions by 2050 in their biomass and soils.” Tropical rainforests absorb moisture, generate at least half of the rain themselves through evaporation and store greenhouse gases for photosynthesis. They use the rain they produce to supply huge areas with water. Tropical rainforests are therefore extremely important for local and global ecosystems.
The clearing of the rainforest - an end in sight?
Millions of hectares of rainforest have been destroyed every year since the 1950s. To be precise, an average of 3 million hectares of rainforest are currently being cleared every year. This means that more than 20% of the total rainforest area has already been destroyed between 1970 and 2018. Large corporations from the agrochemical and timber industries are primarily responsible for the destruction of forest areas. The food industry is clearing forests in order to produce soy, coffee, oil palms for palm oil or animal feed on the new areas. Other large-scale projects such as the construction of dams or the extraction of mineral resources such as iron ore or gold are also becoming increasingly important in rainforest areas. In general, many forests, including tropical rainforests, are currently heavily affected by illegal logging.
Consequences of the destruction of the rainforest
Deforestation of the rainforest influences the global climate. Rainforest clearance is also partly responsible for the increase in extreme weather, as we have already reported here. The destruction leads to the drying out of the soil, soil erosion, changes in precipitation and a rise in temperatures. The destruction of forests, and in particular the disappearance of peat bog forests, releases huge amounts of CO2 – a process that further exacerbates global warming. If deforestation continues, more and more animals and plants will lose their habitat and will be severely endangered as a result. Whether through palm oil plantations in Indonesia or soy plantations in the Amazon region – the destruction of the rainforest is having a negative impact on biodiversity. The livelihoods of millions of people who live in and around rainforest areas are also severely threatened by illegal logging, plantations and mining.
The future of the rainforest - There is (still) a little hope
Numerous efforts are currently being made at international level to reduce rainforest destruction: designated protected areas in affected regions, quality seals for sustainable timber products, the EU ban on illegal timber and the EU deforestation regulation. According to a recent report by Der Standard, rainforest clearing in the Amazon region actually decreased in 2024.