???

[diudiu]

When we cut down huge areas of forests,will the sea level rise?

[meredith101]

probably.
trees suck up C02
if we cut them down more C02 around that aint been sucked up
leads to warmer atmosphere (greenhouse gas effect)
leads to melting icecaps
leads to rising sea levels.

[jake-the-peg]

It's more complicated than that.

If a tree grows it soaks up carbon but that carbon's only permanently removed from the system if it gets swallowed up into coal production.

If it's burnt or made into furniture that's eventually burnt it releases CO2 back again and it it rots it produces methane which is 30 times or so worse than C02.

If it's deciduous it may even be taking CO2 from the air and making leaves which rot into methane!

This is why carbon offset schemes that involve planting trees are so silly

[meredith101]

yeah but them forests look so pretty jake.
ban beans, that's what I say.

[mibn2cweus]

There is evidence to suggest that dinosaur farts may have triggered global warming leading to a self-imposed extinction.

[Robb Phoenix]

It depends where you cut them, i remember reading that planting trees in the northern icy regions contribute to global warming as they cover the white ice which reflects heat back into space.Trees which are darker absorb heat.But trees also absorb green house gases like CO2. The net effect is unknown.