INTRODUCTION

Deforestation is the phenomenon of the decline in areas covered by forests,

whether of human or natural origin,
it is also the action that causes the
permanent disappearance of forests.
If a forest grows back after a cut, an
attack by wood-boring insects or a
fire, we are not talking about
deforestation. The phenomenon of deforestation is often mentioned in
connection with that of degradation (functional or biological) of the forest. The
loss of forest cover refers to the loss of gross forest area, it is often observed by
satellite.

I- DEFINITION OF DEFORESTATION
Deforestation is the phenomenon of reduction of forest areas. We talk about
deforestation when areas of forest are permanently lost (or at least lost in the
long term) to other uses such as agriculture, urbanization or mining activities.

II- THE CAUSES OF DEFORESTATION

Worldwide, the loss of forest areas, deforestation is caused by multiple factors,
some humans and others natural. Natural factors include forest fires, diseases
that can affect trees or pests.
But it is above all human activities that
are responsible for deforestation at the
global level. According to the report on

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the World State of Forests published by FAO in 2016, nearly 80% of global
deforestation is caused by agriculture, the remaining 20% being distributed
between the construction of infrastructure (roads, dams ) first, then mining and
finally urbanization. In detail, here are some of the major causes of
deforestation:
 Agriculture, which accounts for 80% of deforestation. It can be either
commercial agriculture or subsistence agriculture (local peasant agriculture
especially in developing countries).
 Subsistence agriculture represents 30 to 35% of global deforestation
 Commercial or industrial agriculture (field crops and livestock) represents 45
to 50% of deforestation
 Livestock are the cause of around 14% of deforestation globally
 The construction of infrastructure would represent about 8% of deforestation
 Mining activities are responsible for about 6% of forest loss
 And urbanization around 5%
Contrary to what we often hear, forest industries are therefore not among the
main culprits of deforestation. The explanation is simple: companies in the
forest industry most often exploit areas of cultivated forest, that is to say forests
that are regularly replanted in order to be exploited in a sustainable manner.

III- THE CONSEQUENCES OF DEFORESTATION

Deforestation has many consequences on natural ecosystems and this poses
serious problems of resilience.

1- Consequences of deforestation on biodiversity

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The best-known consequence of deforestation is the threat to biodiversity.
Indeed, the forest is a habitat very dense in global biodiversity, some forests
even being true biodiversity hubs among the richest in the world. Whether it is
mammals, birds or even insects, amphibians or plants, the forest is home to
sometimes rare and often fragile species.
By destroying these natural environments, human activities therefore threaten
the existence of these species and this can have significant consequences on
natural balances. For example, in parts of Africa, great apes such as silver
gorillas are endangered due to the gradual reduction of their natural habitat,
particularly due to deforestation.
For more information, see our articles:

2- Consequences of deforestation on soils

Deforestation also weakens soils. Indeed, the presence of a forest on a soil tends
to make that soil richer in organic matter, but also more resistant to weathering
or erosion. As a result, when a forest area is destroyed, the soil gradually
weakens and makes the ecosystem more vulnerable to natural disasters such as
landslides or floods.

3- Consequences of deforestation on climate change

Deforestation also has a very strong impact on climate change. Indeed, trees
store CO2 throughout their life. By destroying these trees, we therefore reduce
the capacity of the global ecosystem to store CO2. Fewer trees means less CO2

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absorbed and therefore more greenhouse effect. As a result, deforestation is
estimated to be responsible globally for the equivalent of 11.3% of
anthropogenic CO2 emissions, making it one of the biggest contributors to
global warming at around equality with road transport and the energy
consumption of buildings.

IV- DEFORESTATION IN THE WORLD

Across the world, deforestation is not uniform. Some regions of the world have
successfully protected their forests from deforestation while others have seen
their forests shrink for years. Here are some examples of the deforestation
situation in the world, especially in the three major zones of global
deforestation: Southeast Asia (Indonesia in particular), the Amazon (Brazil in
particular) and Africa. .

V- DEFORESTATION IN BRAZIL AND THE AMAZON

Brazil and the Amazon basin are also major areas of deforestation globally. The
Amazon rainforest is one of the world's largest forest hotspots, with very
significant biodiversity reserves. It is also considered one of the planet's lungs
for its ability to store carbon and produce oxygen. Since the 1960s, this area has
been subject to rapid deforestation: it has lost nearly 760,000 km2 of forest area
since the 1960s, or nearly 20%
of its initial area. Initially,
before the 1980s and 1990s,
most of the deforestation was
linked to large industrial

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projects (dams, roads, mines) and the subsistence agriculture of small local
farmers. However, for the past thirty years the causes of deforestation have been
evolving. The development of industrial agriculture and especially livestock
farming has led to a rapid acceleration in deforestation.

1- Deforestation and livestock in the Amazon rainforest

According to various reports on the subject (Greenpeace, FAO), livestock are
responsible for around 70 to 80% of deforestation in the Amazon region, if we
include the production of soybeans
or animal feed. The development of
intensive livestock production,
associated with an ever-increasing
consumption of meat in developed countries, would thus be the main cause of
Amazonian deforestation.

2- Deforestation in Southeast Asia, Indonesia and Borneo

Indonesia and the island of Borneo are emblematic of the global phenomenon of
deforestation. Indeed, this region of Southeast Asia is naturally one of the richest
reservoirs of forest and biodiversity in the world. But at the same time, it is also
one of the regions that has suffered most from deforestation in recent decades.
According to the FAO, between 1990 and the 2000s alone, Indonesia lost around
3 million hectares of forests. and the phenomenon is accelerating: the country is
said to have lost another 6 million hectares of forest between 2000 and 2012.

3- Deforestation and palm oil

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One of the most important causes of deforestation in Indonesia and Borneo is
arguably the production of palm oil. According to the FAO, between 1990 and
2000, nearly 6 million hectares of palm oil plantations gradually replaced
Indonesian forests. The palm oil industry has long been one of the biggest
contributors to deforestation in Southeast Asia. 80% of Indonesian deforestation
is said to be practiced illegally. But in the face of pressure from NGOs and new
regulations, as well as from consumers, the situation in the palm oil sector is
slowly starting to normalize. Certifications are starting to appear, including
sustainable palm oil labels. Indonesia is now believed to account for nearly 35%
of global sustainable palm oil production. The industry still poses serious
environmental problems, but the media coverage of this topic is starting to shake
things up.

VI- DEFORESTATION IN AFRICA

Africa is also a large area of deforestation in the world. In fact, Africa suffers
from more deforestation than Asia: around 2 million hectares of forest are lost
every year in Africa. Even if we talk less about African deforestation than about
Asian deforestation, Africa is today extremely threatened by deforestation.

 The causes of deforestation in Africa: local agriculture

Unlike Asia or the Amazon, Africa is suffering from deforestation, the main
causes of which are not linked to commercial agriculture. The majority of
African deforestation is done by small farmers who produce local subsistence
agriculture.

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VII- FIGHT AGAINST DEFORESTATION
Tackling deforestation is a global challenge largely due to unsustainable
agricultural practices that degrade natural ecosystems. The practice of
agroforestry or the establishment of forest carbon projects are two solutions to
remedy this.
• Agroforestry is a method of exploitation integrating trees into agricultural
systems. This practice thus preserves the soil, restores degraded ecosystems and
improves agricultural production conditions.
• Forest carbon projects aim to restore and preserve forests, as well as support
the socio-economic development of disadvantaged communities through tree
planting.
Reforestation is a way to
compensate for part of the losses
due to deforestation. However,
reforestation often results in the
massive planting of trees that are
not suited to the surrounding
environment or that do not
promote rich biodiversity. Reforestation is as much about maintaining the
quantity as the quality of forests. Thus, work to combat deforestation must be
carried out in parallel with reforestation to ensure the maintenance of our
already existing forests.

CONCLUSION

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The concept of imported deforestation tends to link deforestation and
consumption. It is defined as "the import of raw materials or processed products
whose production has contributed, directly or indirectly, to deforestation, forest
degradation or the conversion of natural ecosystems outside the national
territory. ". To use wood while avoiding the excessive consumption of
endangered species, consumers can favor the purchase of eco-certified wood
products. The boycott of non-threatened exotic woods could slow down the
development of the countries concerned and, paradoxically, have the opposite
effect. : The forest, which has become unprofitable, would be cleared and made
available to agriculture.

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