The world’s forests are an irreplaceable treasure of biodiversity – 80% of terrestrial species find their home there. Almost 25% of modern medicines are derived from forest plants whereas 1.6 billion people depend on forests for livelihood. Similarly, about 40% of the world’s oxygen is provided by forests, storing 66% of global carbon and covering 30% of the land space. Every minute, the world loses a staggering amount of forests, equivalent to 40 soccer fields, double the number of soccer fields in Italy’s Serie A league. Asked why this year’s conference was on forests, Cauteruccio said that in the world in general, there was a lack of widespread knowledge of the importance of forests in environmental protection.

Source: The Express Tribune March 14, 2019 19:52 UTC