All You Need to Know About Deforestation

Deforestation is a key driver of global warming.¹ If tropical deforestation was a country, it would rank third in the world for carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions.² Without forests acting as carbon sinks, we could not achieve the goals of the Paris Agreement.³

Significant progress has been made to protect forests over the past 25 years.⁴ Net global forest loss has slowed by over 50 per cent.⁵ But our forests remain under threat of the axe.

The annual deforestation rate is still around 10 million hectares per year.⁶ Tree cover loss in the Brazilian Amazon in 2020 surged to its highest level since 2008.⁷ In Southeast Asia, Indonesia recently passed a deregulation bill that makes land conversion easier for companies.⁸ Deforestation is also on the rise in the Congo Basin.⁹ Our forests will not be safe until we stop cutting down trees.

What is deforestation?

Deforestation is the permanent conversion of forested land to other purposes.¹⁰ The expansion of agriculture is behind the vast majority of deforestation.¹¹ Trees and other vegetation are removed to make space for grazing cattle or growing crops, such as soybeans and palm oil.¹²

How can we stop deforestation?

We can protect our forests with a coordinated effort from governments, companies and individuals.

Governmental influence on our forests and tropical forests

The approach taken by governments can have a huge influence. For example, Brazil’s rate of losing forests has soared by as much as 92 per cent since Brazilian President Bolsonaro’s inauguration.¹³ 11,088 square kilometres of rainforest was lost between August 2019 and July 2020.¹⁴ This represents an increase of 9.5 per cent when compared to the previous year.¹⁵

^{The rise of greenhouse gas emissions when deforestation occurs}

Bolsonaro has declared the Amazon “open for business”.¹⁶ He has hamstrung the environmental protection agency IBAMA. 21 out of 27 IBAMA state superintendents responsible for imposing most of the fines have been fired or left without a replacement.¹⁷ Funding for activities under Brazil’s national climate change plan has been slashed by more than 40 per cent.¹⁸ Great swathes of the country have been left without conservation leadership, with 47 conservation units lacking directors.¹⁹

Consequently, fines for illegal deforestation in the first five months of 2019 decreased 34 per cent compared to the same period in 2018.²⁰ This is the largest percentage drop ever recorded.²¹ Throughout 2020, IBAMA issued 20 per cent fewer fines than in 2019.²² It is no surprise that forest loss and forest degradation have exploded as a result.²³

Forest degradation: Brazil between 2004 and 2012

Two-thirds of forest cover loss worldwide occurs in tropic and subtropic regions. This area of the world is known for its clusters of deforestation areas, also known as deforestation fronts.

In contrast, between 2004 and 2012, annual forest loss in Brazil declined by roughly eighty per cent.²⁴ Increased law enforcement, pressure from environmentalists, private and public sector initiatives and other factors were responsible for this success.²⁵ Strong international pressure against environmental crimes was also instrumental.²⁶

2004 saw the launch of the Action Plan for the Prevention and Control of Deforestation in the Legal Amazon (PPCDAm). Their aim was to reduce deforestation rates and support a transition towards a sustainable economic development model. Among other measures, they increased enforcement of environmental laws and expanded protected areas and Indigenous reserves.²⁷

The combination of factors was a triumph. Between 2010 and 2011, the rate of Amazonian deforestation fell to its lowest level since records started in 1988.²⁸

Unfortunately, from 2012 onwards, deforestation has increased in the Amazon again.²⁹ We need more economic incentives to maintain forest cover.³⁰ This is where companies and individuals can affect events in South America and across the globe.

Why is deforestation happening?

Just four products are largely to blame for the majority of global deforestation. Cattle ranching, soy, palm oil and timber products are the economic incentive for clearing forests.³¹ Despite the incredible climate mitigation that trees provide, it is more profitable to cut them down and convert the land for pasture, crops or speculation.³²

^{Agriculture and its effects on forest degradation}

Avoiding products that come from palm oil plantations and such places can help prevent tree felling and soil erosion. Companies, in particular, can make a big impact by aiming for ‘zero deforestation’ supply chains. To achieve this, they must hold their suppliers accountable for avoiding deforestation and soil erosion when producing commodities. Their economic influence can be pivotal in transforming economies to ensure nature is protected.³³

^{How can the consumer protect our forests?}

But, individuals also possess buying power. Everyone can choose to maximise the use of recycled products in their shopping. We can also purchase items with third-party certification, like the Forest Stewardship Council, to ensure that they are deforestation-free.³⁴ Furthermore, simply avoiding all meat and dairy products is the single biggest way to reduce your environmental impact.³⁵

What does deforestation mean for our carbon dioxide levels?

Deforestation means missing the goals of the Paris Agreement to limit global warming to 1.5°C. Scientists have found that forests and agriculture can provide at least a quarter of the climate mitigation needed to achieve this objective.³⁶ The Amazon rainforest alone stores four to five years worth of human-made carbon emissions. The effects of reducing our forests include a significant increase in greenhouse gas emissions.³⁷ This would inflate the greenhouse effect and raise global temperatures.

Forests and our animals: Deforestation affects everyone

Forests are also home to about 80 per cent of all land-based species of animals, plants and insects.³⁸ Deforestation affects their habitats and could decimate the planet’s biodiversity. 137 species already go extinct every day due to deforestation.³⁹ We must stop this destructive practice before it is too late.

Deforestation puts us at risk

Finally, razing forests also means eradicating something we all need. According to the Food and Agriculture Organisation, the entire human population depends upon forests and their biodiversity to varying degrees.⁴⁰ Over 90 per cent of those living in extreme poverty rely on forests for at least part of their livelihoods.⁴¹

About one billion people around the world need forests for their sustenance.⁴² 2.4 billion people use wood-based energy for cooking.⁴³ 35 per cent of global food production benefits from animal pollination for fruit, vegetable or seed production.⁴⁴

Deforestation means risking starvation. For everyone on Earth, forests are a vital part of the natural world we cannot live without. We need to protect and enhance our remaining trees for the good of each other, our planet and the natural world.

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