By Ed JONES / AFP It burns, it drifts, it falls victim to insects. And it’s shrinking. It burns, it drifts, it falls victim to insects. And it’s shrinking. The boreal forest, which is second only to the Amazon in terms of its vital role in ensuring the future of the planet, encircles the Arctic — and it is 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…