Approximately 15-20% of global greenhouse gas emissions are caused by degradation and deforestation. Trees play a huge role in the carbon cycle. They convert the CO2 in the air to oxygen through the process of photosynthesis, and consequently, they are viewed as a natural regulator of carbon dioxide. The existence of a larger amount of trees will no doubt lead to the reduced presence of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere and the increased existence of oxygen. Unfortunately, deforestation is preventing this process from being fully accomplished. And with half of the Earth's forests gone, the amount of carbon dioxide is progressively rising. With more carbon dioxide in the atmosphere, more of the sun's radiation is being reflected back to Earth instead of being released into space, and this is causing the planet's average temperature to rise. Accordingly, deforestation is a major issue when it comes to global warming.