The primary forest cleared in 2020 is about the size of the Netherlands

With the rate of tropical deforestation on Earth accelerating despite slowing global economic growth, a study released on March 30 shows that the area of ​​primary forest is burned or cleared in 2020. area of ​​the Netherlands.

The Amazon forest was cut down in Brazil. Documentary photo: AFP / VNA According to a report based on satellite data by the Global Forest Monitoring Organization, Brazil was the most severely damaged, the area of ​​destroyed forest in the country was 3 times higher than that of the second ranked country, the DRC. . In 2020, up to 4.2 million hectares of primary forest in the tropics will be destroyed, 12% higher than the previous year. Altogether in 2020, the tropical regions will lose 12.2 million hectares of greenery, including forests and tree plantations, mainly due to agricultural activities. Researchers also pointed out that extreme heat and drought have also caused wildfires, burning vast forests in Australia, Siberia and deep in the Amazon region. The author of the report, Ms. Frances Seymour of the World Resources Institute said that these losses reflect a state of emergency in climate. This is not only an ecosystem crisis, but also a humanitarian disaster, loss of economic potential. The study has provided some evidence that the restrictions imposed by countries to prevent the COVID-19 epidemic are also impacting this trend worldwide, as it increases the rate of illegal exploitation due to the forests are no longer protected, or more people have returned to the countryside. The researchers warn that the worst consequences will happen if countries stop protecting forests for economic purposes. However, according to Ms Seymour, the “worst sign” of last year was that forests became victims of climate change, according to which wetlands are still burning. According to research, trees and soils absorb up to 30% more carbon produced by human pollution each year, so the rapid disappearance of tropical forests will result. Uncompensable damage to the Earth’s ecosystem. The researchers emphasize that destroying tropical primeval forests in 2020 will emit 2.64 tons of CO2, the equivalent of India’s annual emissions, or 570 million cars, or twice as much. the emissions of all vehicles circulating in the US. Ms. Seymour warned that the more the world is delaying preventing deforestation, or slowly pushing towards the goal of neutralizing emissions, the more likely it is that natural forests that absorb CO2 on Earth will disappear completely. In Brazil, the government has cut budgets for environmental programs, leaving many Amazon lands to be exploited for resources and agribusiness, resulting in 1.7 million hectares of primary forest being destroyed in 2020. , up 25% from 2019. Meanwhile, the Pantanal tropical wetlands, the paradise of ecosystems stretching from Brazil to Bolivia, also suffered many fires. Bolivia is the country with the third highest deforestation rate in the world in 2020. Indonesia is a bright spot when reducing deforestation rate by 17% compared to 2019 and for the first time in 20 years, it escapes the group of three countries with the highest deforestation rate in the world. Deforestation rate in Indonesia has decreased for 4 consecutive years. Last year wet weather, combined with government policies, had had a long-term positive impact on the destruction of primary forests, researchers say. Forests cover more than 30% of the Earth’s area, while tropical forests are home to 50-90% of all terrestrial creatures. Earlier this week, research published in the journal Nature Ecology & Evolution estimated that growing commodity demand in rich countries is accelerating deforestation in tropical regions. Recent studies have warned that to a certain point, deforestation in the Amazon threatens to change the climate of the entire region, turning tropical forests into savannas.