Deforestation is the conversion of forested areas to non-forested land, for uses such as: pasture, urban use, logging purposes, and can result in arid land and wastelands. It is an environmental problem that threatens the survival of the entire biosphere. It is counted among the most important environmental crises facing our planet, not least because of its role in reducing biodiversity, increasing global warming and expanding deserts. It occurs all over the world, but mainly in tropical rainforests.

Although these rainforests only cover 6% of earth, they are home to 70-90% of all insect species in the world, and the destruction of their habitat could cause a widespread extinction of different insect species. The Earth, once, was covered by about 14.8 billion acres of forest 8,000 years ago, and now due to deforestation, only 8.6 billion acres remain. The species of plants and animals that call rainforests home are suffering. Not only is deforestation a problem to the species, it also causes greenhouse gases to be exposed into the air. Rainforest vegetation holds vast reserves of carbon. When trees are burned, or cut and left to decay, the carbon is released into the atmosphere.

This environmental problem needs to be solved in order to save our rainforests and the living things that take place there. Basically, the causes for why deforestation occurs are: uses for urban and construction purposes, to grow crops, to graze cattle, and used for fuel. The major effects are: erosion of soil, loss of biodiversity, flooding and drought, and climate change. Air pollution, deforestation, along with widespread burning of coal, oil and natural gases have all increased.