With each passing day, the effects of deforestation on the climate are being seen and felt with increasing severity. We look at how, since the last Ice Age, humanity destroyed over a third of the world’s forests by expanding agriculture. Here’s how the Earth’s forest has shrunk over the past 10,000 years. (Image: News18 Creative)

A look at what the Earth’s surface is made of. (Image: News18 Creative)

Here’s how Earth’s habitable land has changed over 10 millennia. (Image: News18 Creative)

With only three major civilisations in Indus Valley, Egypt and Mesopotamia, most of the habitable land remained unused. Major ancient civilisations developed around river valleys suitable for early agriculture. (Image: News18 Creative)

As civilisations spread, more and more land began to be repurposed for agriculture. (Image: News18 Creative)

Rise of industrialization and mass agriculture begins. Initially most of the land for grazing and crops came from grasslands. (Image: News18 Creative)

As easily accessible grasslands began to be used up, fertile forest were cleared up to make room for crops and livestock. (Image: News18 Creative)

Half of the Earth’s forest was lost before 1900, the other half was lost in just the first half of the 20th century. (Image: News18 Creative)

Over the last 10,000 years the world has lost one-third of its forests. An area twice the size of the United States. (Image: News18 Creative)

The general belief is that humanity’s destruction of nature and ecosystems is a result of very recent population growth and increasing consumption. (Image: News18 Creative)

Improvements in crop yields mean the per capita demand for agricultural land continues to fall. A consolidated pledge by countries to stop deforestation is our only hope towards restoring our forests. (Image: News18 Creative)

In Pics | A look at Earth’s surface cover over 10 millennia