New research indicates that the conversion of land, often to farms and ranches to produce food for people, has a bigger impact on the climate than anticipated. Only about 20 percent of the carbon dioxide that has been added to the atmosphere comes from clearing forests. But land used in the clearing is responsible for about 40 percent of the warming of the planet, according to a study published by Environmental Research Letters. Much of the current effort to meet the goals of the Paris agreement involves cutting the use of carbon-based fossil fuels in favor of sustainable alternatives. These goals may not be met, as the consequences of deforestation on climate change are often underestimated. For the full story seehttps://news.mongabay.com/2017/09/a-lingering-legacy-deforestation-warm…