The Gran Chaco, the Brazilian amazon and the Chocó-Darien They are some of the areas with the highest deforestation rates in the world. The growth of cities, the expansion of agriculture and the presence of extractive activities are some of the threats to the planet’s forests.
A study published by the FWorld Wildlife Fund (WWF) identifies 24 places on Earth that have a significant concentration of deforestation points. In these, more than 43 million hectares of forest have been lost in the last 13 years. This figure is equivalent to the size of the state of California, in the United States, or that of a country like Morocco.
Jorge Rivas, Director of Conservation of Landscapes at WWF Ecuador, explains that this research is of great importance, since it places on the world map the areas that should be prioritized to implement conservation actions.
The report shows that nine of the 24 fronts are in South America. Sub-Saharan Africa has eight and Southeast Asia and Oceania have seven.
The Brazilian Amazon is one of the places with the most critical points, since it would be about to reach a point of no return. The fires registered in 2019 in this region caused 1.1% of global carbon emissions, responsible for climate change.
Ecuador is also in this group. The Chocó-Darién zone, which begins in Panama, crosses Colombia and covers the northern part of Ecuadorian territory, has lost forests due to cattle ranching, small and large-scale agriculture, and mining.
Rivas explains that this area is characterized by pressure from the industrial sector and the presence of crops such as bananas, African palm and sugar cane. Esmeraldas, especially, is known for the extraction of wood.
According to data from Ministry of the Environment and Water, from 2000 to 2014, 63,000 ha / year were lost, on average. In the same period, the loss of 18,513.68 ha / year was recorded in the lowlands of the Ecuadorian Chocó.
The effects of deforestation not only impact the flora and fauna of these places. Marco Lambertini, director general of WWF International, explains that the loss of forests is a factor that drives the appearance of zoonotic diseases, such as covid-19.
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