Subarctic boreal forests, vital for the planet, are also at risk
Boreal forests, which are second only to the Amazon in terms of their vital role in ensuring the future of the planet, encircle the Arctic -- and they are in just as much danger from climate change as the South American rainforest. The deep, verdant green ring -- which stretches across Canada, Scandinavia, Russia and Alaska -- has been weakened by increasing forest fires, the melting of permafrost, intensifying insect infestations and warming temperatures. Experts are categorical in their warnings: the forest is encroaching on the tundra, and the prairies are slowly taking the place of the trees.