Tropical deforestation is not just an environmental concern it is a growing public health crisis. A new global study reveals that the loss of tropical forests is now linked to more than 28,000 heat-related deaths each year, as millions of people across Latin America, Africa, and Southeast Asia are exposed to intensifying local heat.

Between 2001 and 2020, approximately 345 million people lived in areas where forest loss caused noticeable rises in temperature. The research, led by Dr. Carly Reddington and Professor Dominick Spracklen from the University of Leeds, highlights a direct connection between deforestation and excess heat-related mortality adding a new human cost to the deforestation debate.

When Forests Fall, Temperatures Rise

Using satellite data, the researchers tracked where tree cover had disappeared and compared those areas to neighboring regions where forests remained intact. The difference was striking. Areas that lost forest experienced an average increase of 0.81 degrees Fahrenheit, a local warming effect distinct from global climate change.

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This extra heat, concentrated in already warm tropical regions, significantly increases the risks of heat-related illness and death. Southeast Asia, home to large populations and widespread deforestation, recorded the highest estimated mortality from this localized warming.

Trees Are Nature’s Air Conditioner

Forests play a vital role in regulating local temperatures. Through a natural process called evapotranspiration, trees release moisture into the air, which cools the surrounding environment. Their shade also prevents direct solar heating of the ground, keeping local temperatures lower throughout the day.

When forests are cleared, these natural cooling functions are lost. As a result, the land becomes hotter, and nearby communities feel the impact almost immediately. In some regions, deforestation has been shown to account for the majority of the warming people actually experience more than global greenhouse gas-driven temperature increases.

Real-Life Impacts: From Mortality to Lost Livelihoods

The heat-related health effects of deforestation are already being felt. In one example from Berau Regency in Indonesia, forest loss between 2002 and 2018 raised local temperatures by more than 1.5 degrees Fahrenheit. This contributed to as much as 8.5 percent of all deaths in 2018 in the region, according to modeling studies.

The Leeds-led research suggests that in many tropical areas, over a third of heat-related deaths can be directly tied to nearby forest loss.

But the consequences go beyond mortality. Rising temperatures also reduce the number of safe working hours for people in agriculture, construction, and other outdoor jobs. Research shows that nearly 3 million workers across the tropics have already lost safe labor hours due to heat intensified by deforestation. For low-income communities, this means reduced earnings and higher health risks.

The Hidden Cooling Value of Forests

While forests are often praised for their role in storing carbon and preserving biodiversity, their local cooling benefits are equally vital and urgently needed in the face of growing global heat.

The study underscores how crucial it is to protect standing forests, not just for the planet’s climate, but for the immediate wellbeing of people living nearby. In most cases, those closest to deforested land feel a sharper rise in temperature than those living even a short distance away near intact canopy.

A Path Forward: Forest Protection as Climate Adaptation

Heat is already one of the deadliest environmental risks worldwide. Between 2000 and 2019, an estimated 5 million deaths each year were linked to non-optimal temperatures. Deforestation amplifies this threat by stripping away natural defenses in some of the most heat-stressed parts of the world.

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Halting further forest loss could immediately reduce local heat stress. Protecting remaining canopy, restoring degraded lands, and implementing basic public health interventions such as rest breaks, hydration stations, and access to cooling can save lives now and into the future.

For governments, development organizations, and climate advocates, this research sends a clear message: defending tropical forests is not just about saving trees it is about saving people.

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