The Lungs of the Earth
Rainforests are often given nice emotive names like this.
Sure, it would be a shame to see such wilderness trashed, but that is prely an emotional response.
From a CO2 absorbtion POV, that is perhaps not valid though.
CO2 is absorbed in direct proportion to the amount of photosynthesis that is happening, which is governed by:
* The availability of water, CO2 and other nutrients.
* The type of plant.
* The amount of light.
* Other conditions such as temperature etc.
The size of the plants does not matter. Wheat, grass, soy etc can photosythesise as well as, and often better than, rain forest plants, soaking upo that CO2.
What is a bigger concern is the change of water vapour (though our CO2-fixated greenies are ignoring this). In areas where I used to live there were lush pastures that were lightly grazed. Farmers then increased the stocking levels and grazed harder (but put on more fertilisers too). Result: shorter grass which holds soil moisture less, leasing to a change in the valley microclimate.
Cutting down rain forests would do the same.