Global warming, coupled with changes in land use, such as deforestation, or extensive terracing, increases the risks.

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That is partly because the treaty left out big emissions sources such as deforestation (see article), but also because potential participants were put off by the idea of internationally binding commitments.

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The United Nations recently raised concerns regarding the health and climatic impacts of particles emitted by vegetation fires in regions subject to land use changes and human driven deforestation such as South-East Asia, where they are responsible for 10, 800 premature deaths per year.

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As well as destroying such native ecosystems, deforestation also diminishes so-called "carbon sinks" -- thereby reducing the Earth's capacity to absorb and re-process atmospheric carbon dioxide -- while also adding to air pollution through the burning of land to clear it for cultivation (sugarcane fields are traditionally fired prior to harvest to remove leaves and drive away snakes).

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DoGoodBuyUs and CharityGiftMarket allow consumers to buy items such as a notebook made by New Forest Earth to prevent deforestation in Mexico and Equador, a rice bowl from Mai Handicrafts to benefit street families in Vietnam or a necklace made by FallingWhistles to promote peace in the Congo.

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While sustainable forestry techniques -- such as selectively culling trees rather than clear-cutting whole areas of forests -- could reduce deforestation of rainforests by millions of acres per year, according to National Geographic, travellers can also play their part.

BBC: The repercussions of rainforest reduction