Berthel Nadine

Protected Areas in Tropical Rainforests Berthel Nadine

The conservation of tropical rainforests is a key factor in mitigating climate change as century old trees and especially peat lands store large quantities of carbon. Furthermore, tropical rainforests play an important role in the conservation of the biodiversity on Earth since they provide habitat for approximately 50% of all species. Protected areas in tropical rainforests in the Amazon, in the Congo basin as well as in Indonesia are threatened by total deforestation, forest degradation and climate change. In the Congo basin the logging industry is the most threatening pressure; in the Amazon it is cattle ranching and in Indonesia it is the palm oil industry as well as legal and illegal logging. This study focuses on the conditions of protected areas in tropical rainforest in Borneo. Based on a literature review it examines whether protected areas can really stop deforestation and degradation within its boundaries. Furthermore, it is examined whether protected areas can effectively help conserving biodiversity when climate change continues.