Climate 101: Deforestation
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Provided by: National Geographic|Published on: May 16, 2025
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Synopsis
- In this video from National Geographic, students will learn about the impacts of deforestation on the planet.
- Students will learn about the causes of deforestation, the important role of trees in sequestering carbon, and the loss of biodiversity and habitat that is caused by deforestation.
Subjects: Biology, Earth and Space Sciences
Authors: National Geographic
Region: Global
Languages: English
Teaching Materials
Positives
- This video includes helpful graphics and animations to support understanding.
- The video is brief, giving a solid and concise overview of deforestation.
Prerequisites
- The video mentions planting trees as one of the solutions for deforestation. Teachers may want to discuss the fact that old-growth trees are more effective at sequestering carbon than new trees.
- Students may need some terms in the video defined, such as biodiversity, urban sprawl, and others.
- Students should understand climate change, the greenhouse effect, and the fact that carbon dioxide is a greenhouse gas.
Differentiation & Implementation
- After watching the video, students can each select a driver of deforestation discussed in the video to research further. Students can research the degree of deforestation that is caused by each and possible alternative solutions.
- Students can research animals that are in danger of losing their habitat. Students can then create posters to inform others about why these animals are important,
- The video can be used as an introduction to a lesson or unit on solutions to deforestation, such as government policies, planting trees, and managing forest resources.
- Art teachers can pair this video with this piece of art to give students context about what the artist is trying to convey.
The resource highlights how forestry contributes to the earth and how the amount of forest cover worldwide has decreased over time. Because forest coverings are now carbon sources rather than carbon sinks, this has greatly increased the amount of greenhouse gases released into the atmosphere. Additionally, according to this source, 30% of greenhouse gas emissions worldwide came from agriculture and forestry. Due to discrepancies in numerous international reports and the lack of a detailed breakdown of sectoral emissions sources, this data may not be accurate. Therefore, it is recommended that teachers state that their contributions range from 14 to 24 percent. Nonetheless, this resource is enlightening and suggested for use in the classroom.
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Resource Type and Format
Scientist Reviewed
This resource has been reviewed by SubjectToClimate's climate scientists and verified for scientific accuracy and up-to-date information. Our review process ensures that every resource in our library reflects the current state of climate science.
Learn about our review process →
