The Toll of Deforestation: 500K Dead Humans

Deforestation in the world's tropical rainforests has claimed over half a million human lives due to heat-related illnesses in the past 20 years, a new study reveals. Researchers found that as rainforests are cleared in areas like the Amazon, Congo, and Southeast Asia, local temperatures rise. The loss of tree cover means less shade, lower rainfall, and higher fire risks, adding to the warming already caused by global climate change, per the Guardian. According to the study published Wednesday in Nature Climate Change, about 345 million people living in these regions experienced extra heat from deforestation between 2001 and 2020. For 2.6 million residents, the added warming tacked on 3 degrees Celsius, presenting a "major public health concern," per a release.

The researchers, from the University of Leeds, linked this temperature rise directly to roughly 28,330 additional deaths each year, with more than half of those among Southeast Asia's dense and vulnerable populations. About a third of the deaths occurred in tropical Africa, and the rest in Central and South America. The team compared nonaccident mortality rates and temperature data in deforested areas, making this the first study to quantify deaths associated specifically with deforestation-driven warming. Previous research had established that losing forest cover causes local climate impacts, but this paper highlights the human health costs. Researchers say protecting tree cover is essential, not only to reduce heat stress and save lives, but also to maintain rainfall and support local farming.