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South Africa is among 10 countries that have significantly decreased deforestation, which helps in the fight against global warming.
According to a report by UK-based Utility Bidder – a company offering advice on energy, gas and electricity to businesses – the country had reduced the areas in which trees were felled from 399 000 hectares per year (during the period between 1990 and 2000) to 199 000ha during the period from 2015 to 2020.
The direct causes of deforestation are usually agricultural expansion, wood extraction (logging or wood harvesting for domestic fuel or charcoal) and infrastructure expansion, such as road construction and urbanisation.
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Utility Bidder found that in 2 105 753ha of forestry loss, cattle were the agricultural resource most responsible for annual deforestation, followed by oilseeds (950 609ha) and logging (678 744ha).
PALM OIL A BIG DRIVER
“Palm oil has been a big driver of deforestation for many years, but it is not the only oil-based product responsible for forestry loss. Soybeans provide us with lots of nutrients and health benefits, but many hectares of grassland and forests have been destroyed to make room for the yielding of this crop,” its report stated.
Chopping down trees may be done for good reasons, such as food security, but the long-term effects are dire.
The report read:
“The effects of climate change can include hotter temperatures and extended periods of drought. Although many of us like to have warm summers, forestry is not suited to these conditions and they can cause trees to die, leading to a vicious circle of environmental destruction.”
Other countries which have shown significant progress in protecting forests include Brazil, Indonesia, Mexico, Australia, Venezuela, China, Myanmar, Argentina and Syria.
BRAZIL IS LEADING DEFORESTER
Brazil tops the list for deforesting less and less since 2015. It has reduced deforestation from 4 254 800ha per year between 1990 and 2000 to 1 695 700ha per year from 2015 to 2020.
During the same period, deforestation was reduced from 2 526 000ha to 650 000ha in Indonesia, from 685 810ha to 165 820ha in Mexico and from 626 200ha to 416 840ha in Australia.
“It is clear that Brazil is being proactive in trying to reduce these figures. Masses of funding has been provided to help protect the Amazonian rainforest, as well as restore those areas affected by deforestation,” the report noted.
To combat greenhouse emissions, it added, businesses were finding more ecoconscious alternatives.
“Another important way businesses can reduce carbon emissions is by choosing the right suppliers. Many countries are taking steps to limit their levels of deforestation, but others are lacking when it comes to sustainability efforts. If you have a supplier who is not taking any steps towards sustainability, this can have harmful effects on the environment and negatively affect your business’s reputation,” it cautioned.
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Nevertheless, some countries have yet to take action against deforestation and showed an increase in that activity between 1990 and 2020.
India was the leading culprit, with increased deforestation of 284 400ha. However, it has since committed itself to restoring its forests, with plans to reestablish over 20 million hectares of land by 2030.
Zambia came second, with a deforestation rate which increased from 36 250ha per annum between 1990 and 2000 to a much higher 189 710ha between 2015 and 2020.
Tanzania was ranked third, having increased its deforestation by 74 000ha. Much of this has been done to support the country’s booming charcoal industry.
