Equal to New York: Tens of 1000’s of hectares have been deforested in Colombia final yr

Colombia will lose 79,256 hectares of forest in 2023, an space equal to the town of New York, the federal government introduced on Monday. Nonetheless, it’s down in comparison with the 123,517 hectares deforested in 2022.

In keeping with consultants, FARC dissidents, gathered inside the Central Staff (EMC), set the tempo of deforestation to place stress on the federal government on the negotiating desk (archives).

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“That is the least quantity of deforestation in 23 years,” stated President Gustavo Petro on social community X (previously Twitter). In keeping with him, it has decreased particularly within the Amazon area (southeast), the place 44,274 hectares of forest have been misplaced, or 38% lower than the earlier yr.

“Now we have to get to zero [hectares déboisés] to protect the lungs of the world,” he stated. Nationally, deforestation has been decreased by 36%. In 2022, deforestation had already decreased by 29% in comparison with 2021.

In keeping with the Ministry of the Surroundings, this everlasting decline is partly the results of a authorities program that pays farmers in alternate for nature conservation.

Unlawful crops and minerals

Deforestation was additionally decreased particularly within the areas of Nariño (-65%), Cauca (-75%) and Putumayo (-52%). These areas of southwestern Colombia are residence to armed teams with whom the federal government has been holding peace talks for the reason that finish of 2023.

“Now we have recognized that there’s a direct hyperlink between peace and the end result of deforestation, with situations of peace producing a discount” of the phenomenon, stated Surroundings Minister Susana Muhamad in a press launch.

In April, she warned of a 40% improve in deforestation within the first months of 2024, when peace negotiations went into disaster.

Specialists counsel that one of many armed teams, the dissident FARC (which rejects the peace settlement signed in 2106 with this Marxist guerrilla) merged inside the Central Staff (EMC), the tempo of deforestation to place stress on the federal government on the negotiating desk. .

Nonetheless in accordance with the Ministry of the Surroundings, “intensive breeding practices, unplanned transport infrastructure [les routes illégales]Unlawful crops, unlawful extraction of minerals and timber stay the principle causes of deforestation in Colombia.

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