Tropical deforestation is responsible for about one-fifth of global greenhouse gas emissions, more than the emissions of the world’s entire transport sector. Although tropical forests cover only 7% of the Earth’s land surface, they store vast amounts of carbon. This makes them a crucial buffer against climate change - the more of this carbon lost into the atmosphere, the more severe the impact on the global climate; the loss of even a small fraction could be devastating. In addition, forests, especially those in the tropics, provide habitat for half or more of the world's known terrestrial plant and animal species. Amazonia is home to the world’s largest tropical forest, and so is a key battleground in the fight against climate change and manmade mass extinction