The Lungs That Do More

Tropical rainforests cover roughly six percent of Earth's land surface but contain more than half of all terrestrial species. They are the most biologically dense ecosystems on the planet — a single hectare of Amazon rainforest can hold more tree species than exist in all of North America combined.

The "lungs of the Earth" metaphor is partly misleading.

Rainforests also regulate weather far beyond their borders. The Amazon generates up to half of its own rainfall through transpiration — trees releasing water vapor that forms clouds and falls as rain. Clearing the forest breaks this cycle, so deforestation does not just remove trees; it can dry out the land that remains and shrink rainfall hundreds of miles away.