Deforestation is a concern in Indonesia, as during 2024 the Asian country experienced a significant increase in logging and clearing, according to a report published days ago by the Auriga Nusantara NGO, based on satellite images and fieldwork.
According to the organization, in 2024 approximately 261,575 hectares of primary and secondary forests were lost, representing an increase of 4,000 hectares compared to 2023.
Due to these figures, Indonesia remains one of the countries with the highest deforestation rates in the world, mainly driven by the timber industry, oil palm plantations, and mining. These forests harbor unique biodiversity and play a crucial role as carbon sinks, besides being essential habitats for endangered species.
According to the Auriga Nusantara report, deforestation increased for the third consecutive year, mainly affecting government-authorized exploitation areas. “It is worrisome, as this demonstrates that legal deforestation continues to advance,” warned Timer Manurung, president of the NGO.
deforestation
Deforestation in Indonesia, an alarming practice
Faced with the report’s results, the expert made an urgent call to protect the forests of Kalimantan, on the island of Borneo, where the greatest losses were recorded. Additionally, he urged Indonesia’s President, Prabowo Subianto, to take measures to halt forest destruction.
On the other hand, the government announced in January its plan to transform millions of hectares of forest areas into reserves for food, energy, and water production. For this reason, President Subianto reaffirmed his commitment to the country’s food and energy self-sufficiency, especially promoting the use of biofuels to reduce dependence on fossil fuel imports.
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Deforestation: these are the two countries leading the ranking
Deforestation for various reasons is one of the factors that vigorously accelerate global warming. Practically, no country in the world is exempt from forest loss, but there are some that top this negative ranking.
According to a report by the international consultancy Climate Focus, Bolivia and Indonesia are the two countries with the worst deforestation rates. In the latter, deforestation had reached a low point between 2020 and 2022, but the trend rose considerably again last year.
This is especially done to produce materials presented as “ecological”, such as viscose, or to make room for nickel mines, used for electric vehicle batteries and renewable energies worldwide.
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