Deforestation has greatly affected Earth's temperature by releasing carbon into the atmosphere as trees are cut down. Trees normally take in carbon dioxide and release oxygen, regulating carbon levels. With fewer trees, less carbon dioxide is absorbed, allowing concentrations to increase and trap more heat. While deforestation is a major factor, other human activities like increased land use for agriculture and urbanization as well as industrial activities have also contributed to rising greenhouse gas emissions and global warming over time.

1. To what extent has the earth’s temperature been affected by deforestation?
Support your answer using evidence. [8m]
Earth’s temperature can be affected by natural processes and human
activities. Earth’s temperature has been greatly affected by deforestation. Global
warming has been a recent phenomenon in this world.
Deforestation is the permanent destruction of forest for the land to be used for
other purposes like industrialisation. After the trees are cut down, they release
carbon into the atmosphere. Greenhouse gases trap heat and cause the
temperature to increase.
Cutting of trees also causes result in less carbon dioxide being taken in by
trees. Trees are known as the "Green lungs" of the earth. Trees take in carbon
dioxide during photosynthesis and release oxygen. Lesser trees would mean that
there are lesser producers of oxygen and the carbon concentration would be higher
as trees and plants are the only living organism on earth which regulates the carbon
concentration.
For example activities in South America particularly in Brazil a large part of its
Amazon forest was cut down for human settlement and for materials for factory
productions and for the development of the land.
However, deforestation is not the only factor which affects the earth's
temperature. Another factor affecting it would be the increase of human activities
such as changing land use, increase in demand for food and transportation.
The increased in land use for agricultural, industrials and urbanised areas is
due to increase in world population.
For instance, 2012 shows that the increased in industrial activities in different
parts of the world such as Europe, Americas and Asia have contributed to large
carbon dioxide emissions. Due to increasing demand for food, more agricultural land
are used to cultivate crops such as wet-rice cultivation and rearing of livestock.
Millions of tonnes of methane are released each year from cattle farming
High concentration of cars, buses and even household activities in urban areas also
contribute to the high amount of greenhouse gases to the atmosphere.
The increased in greenhouse gases will absorb more heat in the atmosphere,
increasing the Earth’s temperature
Even though the increase in Earth’s temperature is largely due to
deforestation, many other factors also play a part in affecting the Earth’s temperature.