X is a human activity which will cause an increase in temperature of Earth's atmosphere leading to global warming. It can cause soil erosion making the soil infertile and lead to desertification. It can decrease rainfall but increase the flooding of rivers. It can also affect the water cycle and lead to the extinction of many wild species. What is X?

X is deforestation—the large-scale clearing of forests for agriculture, urbanization, logging, or infrastructure development. When trees are removed, the carbon they stored is released into the atmosphere as carbon dioxide, while the forest's capacity to absorb future CO₂ emissions is eliminated. This double impact significantly contributes to increased atmospheric carbon dioxide levels, strengthening the greenhouse effect and causing global warming. Trees also release water vapor through transpiration, contributing to cloud formation and rainfall patterns, so their removal disrupts local and regional climate systems.

The environmental consequences of deforestation extend across multiple interconnected systems. Without tree roots to bind soil, rainfall easily washes away the topsoil (erosion), removing nutrients and leaving land infertile and eventually creating desert-like conditions (desertification). Paradoxically, deforestation can decrease overall rainfall due to reduced transpiration while simultaneously increasing flooding because soil without tree cover cannot absorb water effectively, causing rapid runoff into rivers. The disrupted water cycle affects groundwater recharge and seasonal water availability. Additionally, habitat destruction forces wildlife into smaller, fragmented areas, disrupting food chains, breeding patterns, and migration routes, pushing many species toward extinction. This cascade of effects demonstrates why deforestation is considered one of the most serious environmental threats, requiring urgent action through afforestation programs, sustainable forest management, and stricter protection of remaining forest ecosystems.