The Utility Value of Rainforests

Growing evidence suggests that deforestation will have a significant impact on the global hydrological cycle (Pielke et al. 2002) and the carbon cycle. Although the latter is the focus of most international policy concern, the former also provides a rationale for remedial action to curb deforestation and promote the conservation of the world's tropical forests. The future security of the world's forests rests on accounting for the immense climatic and hydrological value of tropical forests in global markets, rather than on simple carbon arithmetic.