June 22 is World Rainforest Day

Let’s start with the basics. Rainforests are a type of forest with continuous and abundant rainfall year-round. Most of our planet’s rainforests are in the tropics, but they can also be found in temperate zones, like the Pacific Northwest of North America or Tasmania. Despite covering only 6% of the Earth’s surface, rainforests are home to about 50% of all terrestrial biodiversity. 
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‍Scientists continue to discover new species of plants, insects, and animals. It is estimated that the Amazon Rainforest alone contains up to 80,000 plant species. This biodiversity, besides harboring invaluable genetic resources, is the source of many products we use in our daily lives, from our morning coffee and fruits to our shampoos and painkillers– and that’s just scratching the surface. 

Rainforests play a critical role in climate regulation and carbon sequestration. Through transpiration—the process of releasing water vapor from leaves—rainforests contribute to the formation of atmospheric rivers that transport moisture across continents, influencing weather patterns and providing vital precipitation to distant regions.

Rainforests are key carbon sinks, effectively removing carbon dioxide (CO2) from the atmosphere through photosynthesis. Trees absorb CO2 and convert it into oxygen, while storing carbon within their biomass and in the soil. The Amazon Rainforest alone is estimated to store tens of billions of tons of carbon. This process not only helps mitigate the greenhouse effect by reducing atmospheric CO2 levels but also supports the carbon cycle, a fundamental natural process that maintains Earth's climate stability.

Their capacity to absorb and store carbon and to regulate climate over entire continents makes rainforests our greatest allies when it comes to countering and reversing some of the worst effects of climate change.

Rainforests are repositories of invaluable knowledge, traditions, and cultural diversity. The Amazon Rainforest alone is home to over 30 million people, including 350 Indigenous and ethnic groups with distinct cultural identities and traditions. In Papua New Guinea, a rainforest country of 10 million, over 800 languages are spoken. The rainforests of Central Africa, including the Congo Basin, are also linguistic and cultural hotspots. 

Many of these people directly depend on the rainforest for their livelihoods. Activities like farming, fishing, and hunting are deeply intertwined with cultural traditions and social structures. Indigenous rainforest communities possess valuable traditional knowledge related to forest management, sustainable agriculture, and biodiversity conservation. This knowledge is passed down through generations and plays a crucial role in maintaining ecological balance and community resilience.

‍Indigenous and local rainforest communities are crucial in the protection of our planet’s rainforests and biodiversity, and their knowledge and participation are key assets in restructuring systems and developing sustainable, lasting nature-based solutions. Recognizing and supporting the rights, knowledge, and participation of indigenous and local communities are essential.