When a change in land use occurs, such as deforestation or the burning of a forest for pasture or agriculture, the stored carbon is released into the atmosphere as CO2, a greenhouse gas.
Between 1990 and 2023, changes in land use emitted at least 47.4 billion tons of CO₂ equivalent. In tropical regions, deforestation can alter the water balance, making the climate drier and hotter, as the forest humidifies the environment through water evaporation and plant transpiration.
The reduction in forest cover decreases evapotranspiration, affecting the hydrological cycle. In the Amazon, studies indicate a possible temperature increase of 5 to 8ºC by 2100 and a reduction of up to 20% in rainfall volume.