Global tropical forest losses in 2024 have reached an unprecedented level due to large-scale fires caused by climate change. According to a new report by the World Resources Institute and the University of Maryland, the main hotspot was Brazil, where millions of hectares of Amazon forests were affected by fire. This is reported by UNN with reference to Reuters.
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Large-scale forest fires, which are a consequence of climate change, caused a record loss of forests in 2024 - according to a report by the World Resources Institute and the University of Maryland.
As the publication adds, the loss of only tropical primary forests in 2024 reached 6.7 million hectares, which is 80% more than the year before last. This is an area comparable to the territory of Panama.
Brazil was the most affected, losing 2.8 million hectares of tropical forest. This was a significant step backwards after 2023, when the country's new president, Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, promised to strengthen the protection of the Amazon.
This was unprecedented, which means that we must adapt all our policies to the new reality,
Bolivia turned out to be the second largest country in terms of forest loss among tropical countries, even surpassing the Democratic Republic of Congo. Forest loss in Bolivia increased by 200% — due to drought, fires and government support for the expansion of agriculture. Similar trends were observed in Peru, Mexico, Nicaragua and Guatemala.
The signals from these data are particularly alarming. There is a fear that climate challenges will exceed our ability to respond effectively,
Among the exceptions is Southeast Asia. In particular, Malaysia, Indonesia and Laos showed a reduction in forest fire losses thanks to the efforts of governments, communities and businesses, according to the publication.
Another example of effective resistance to fires is the territory of the indigenous population of Charagua Iyambae in southern Bolivia. There, thanks to early warning systems and sustainable land use, it was possible to preserve forests, despite record fires in the country.
Losses were not limited to the tropics. 5.2 million hectares of forest were burned in the boreal forests of Canada and Russia — record figures for the year.
Currently, deforestation brings more money than supporting their sustainable development,
He expressed hope that at the next climate summit in Brazil, world leaders will agree on better mechanisms for financing environmental protection measures.
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