Rainforests are vital for the survival of life on Earth. We depend on the Amazon rainforest alone for 20% of the oxygen we breathe and the freshwater we drink.  They absorb our carbon dioxide, stabilize climate patterns, and are home to half the world’s plant and animal species.

Yet every minute, we lose 40 football fields of rainforests, which threatens our biodiversity and imperils our planet’s health. Deforestation causes 15% of global carbon dioxide emissions that accelerate climate change—more than from all cars in the U.S. and China combined. Natural climate solutions like protecting and restoring forests, however, could reverse global emissions by a third.

World Rainforest Day celebrates this precious natural resource and encourages action to preserve it. Your efforts, together with the actions of others, will have a positive impact on rainforests and the climate worldwide.