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Commercial Agriculture “Contributes” To Deforestation

By Countercurrents.org

27 September, 2012
Countercurrents.org

In Latin America , commercial agriculture is responsible for 2/3 of all cut forests while in Africa and tropical Asia commercial agriculture and subsistence agriculture both account for one third of deforestation. Mining, infrastructure and urban expansion are important drivers worldwide.

ScienceDaily 's report “Agriculture Is the Direct Driver for Worldwide Deforestation” [1] on September 25, 2012 said:

A new synthesis on drivers of deforestation and forest degradation was published during the Bangkok climate change negotiations in September by researchers from Canada and from Wageningen University , Netherlands .

The report [2] informs:

Agriculture is estimated to be the direct driver for around 80% of deforestation worldwide. In Latin America , commercial agriculture is the main direct driver, responsible for 2/3 of all cut forests, while in Africa and tropical Asia commercial agriculture and subsistence agriculture both account for one third of deforestation. Mining, infrastructure and urban expansion are important but less prominent drivers worldwide. It concluded that economic growth based on the export of primary commodities and an increasing demand for timber and agricultural products in a globalizing economy are critical indirect drivers.

Degradation of forest means a decrease in quality of forest, and is in over 70% of cases caused by (commercial) timber extraction and logging activities in Latin America and tropical and sub-tropical Asia . In Africa , fuel wood collection, charcoal production, and, to a lesser extent, livestock grazing in forests are the most important drivers of degradation.

The report 'Drivers of Deforestation and Forest Degradation' distinguishes between direct drivers, that directly cause deforestation and forest degradation, and indirect drivers, forces at the background such as changing market prices, population growth or policies and governance.

Source:

[1] http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/09/120925091608.htm

[2] Wageningen University and Research Centre (2012, September 25). Agriculture is the direct driver for worldwide deforestation.

The report is available at http://www.decc.gov.uk/assets/decc/11/tackling-climate-change/international-climate-change/6316-drivers-deforestation-report.pdf

 




 

 


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