Deforestation is the removal of existing trees from the land; Attributable factors include urbanization, logging, ranching and agriculture, and, to some extent, land speculation. Land speculation can be included since cleared land is more valuable than forested land. Deforestation, carried out in the name of progress, and its devastating long-term effects, are killing our planet. To understand the effects of deforestation it is necessary to understand the reasoning behind the decision to cut down forests. Only in recent history have studies been conducted to measure the impact deforestation has had on the Earth. Urbanization, or the clearing of land for building, is deforestation carried out in the name of progress. The land has been reclaimed for centuries to make way for the construction of cities and homes. In fact, the timber itself is used for the shelter and the furniture inside it. Industrialization can also be included here. Industries often cause air pollution. Without enough trees to process CO2, the air we breathe contains harmful chemicals that thicken the atmosphere and trap radiation from the sun's rays, which in turn warms the planet. Another factor is commercial logging for timber or fuel supplies. Cutting down trees for profit is also depleting our forests. Another travesty of commercial logging is the damage caused to other trees surrounding or in the path of the trees being felled. Logging also increases the destruction of forests in the event of fire, as outlined in the article titled “Deforestation in Brazilian Amazonia: History, Rates and Consequences” written by Philip M. Fearnside, “Logging significantly increases the susceptibility of forests to fire. Once the fire gets in, it kills the trees and increases... half the card... all the people. Only when the Earth's population as a whole contributes to stopping deforestation will this terrible situation be resolved. Deforestation must be stopped; our very survival depends on it. Works Cited Allen, Julia C., and Douglas F. Barnes. "The Cause of Deforestation in Developing Countries." Annals of the Association of American Geographers 1985: 163-184. Print.Borges-Mendez, Ramon. “Sustainable development and participatory practices in community forestry: the case of FUNDECOR in Costa Rica.” Local Environment 13.4 (2008): 367-383. Print.Charles, HRH The Prince. “We only have seven years before we lose the levers of control.” United Nations Climate Change Conference. Copenhagen, Denmark. December 15, 2009. Speech.Fearnside, Philip M. “Deforestation in the Brazilian Amazon: History, Rates, and Consequences.” Conservation Biology 19.3 (2005): 680-688. Press.