Increase in Colombia's deforestation by 43%, Amazon region bearing the brunt of this destruction
Colombia's deforestation rates, which hit a 23-year low in 2023, saw a concerning reversal in 2024 with a 43% increase year-over-year. Despite this spike, the country's deforestation levels in 2024 remain below those of 2021, showing some continued net reduction compared to earlier years.
In 2024, a total of 113,608 hectares (about 280,700 acres) of forest were destroyed. The Amazon region was the most affected area, accounting for over 65% of the total forest loss, with around 75,000 hectares destroyed.
Key factors driving this increase include land grabbing for pasture expansion and livestock farming, illegal construction and infrastructure development, growth in illicit crop cultivation, especially coca, and wildfires exacerbated by drought linked to climate change.
The worst-affected areas include Meta, Caquetá, Guaviare, and Putumayo within the Amazon Arc, where illegal cattle ranching, land grabbing, and road construction have expanded. Even protected national parks such as Tinigua, La Macarena, and the UNESCO-designated Chiribiquete saw increased deforestation.
Authorities in Colombia blame increasing land-grabbing for pastures, the expansion of livestock farming, illegal constructions, and more growing of illicit crops such as coca for the rise in deforestation. They also point to wildfires during a drought intensified by climate change as a significant contributor to this spike.
It's important to note that Colombia is one of the countries with the greatest biodiversity in the world, with approximately 59.1 million hectares of forest, covering more than half its territory. This makes the ongoing deforestation a significant concern not just for Colombia, but for the global environment as well.
While the recent increase in deforestation is a setback, it's crucial to continue efforts to protect Colombia's forests. This includes enforcement of laws against illegal activities, promoting sustainable farming practices, and addressing the root causes of deforestation, such as poverty and lack of alternative livelihoods.
Sources: [1] Deforestation in Colombia surges in 2024 [2] Colombia's Amazon rainforest hit hard by deforestation in 2024 [3] Colombia's deforestation: A setback in 2024 after 23-year low in 2023
- The global government, particularly those with a focus on climate change and environmental science, should be concerned about the surge in deforestation in Colombia in 2024, due to its significant impact on biodiversity.
- The increase in deforestation in Colombia in 2024 can be attributed to factors such as land-grabbing for pastures, the expansion of livestock farming, illegal constructions, the growth of illicit crops like coca, and wildfires exacerbated by climate change.
- Despite the concerning reversal in Colombia's deforestation rates in 2024, the world of health-and-wellness advocates the continued focus on protecting Colombia's forests, through the enforcement of anti-illegal activity laws and the promotion of sustainable farming practices.
- Colombia's ongoing deforestation is not just a national issue, but a global one, given the country's immense environmental significance, with its forests covering more than half its territory and housing a large portion of the world's biodiversity.
