Public debate and official figures: deforestation in Colombia reaches its lowest level in two decades

In recent days, a viral video by content creator Mari Terán (@marianateranr) reopened the debate about the evolution of deforestation in Colombia during Gustavo Petro’s government. Terán questioned claims pointing to an increase in forest loss, which led to a review of official data from the IDEAM and the Ministry of Environment.

The figures show that between 2022 and 2024, the country recorded the lowest accumulated deforestation since systematic monitoring began. Although there was an uptick in 2024 compared to the previous year, the overall balance remains the most favorable in two decades.

Annual evolution of deforestation

• 2021 (baseline): 174,103 hectares deforested.
• 2022: 123,517 hectares, a 29% reduction compared to 2021.
• 2023: 79,256 hectares, the lowest figure since 2000 and the first time below 100,000 hectares.
• 2024: 113,608 hectares, a 43% increase compared to 2023, explained by the intensification of armed conflict in the Amazon and the El Niño phenomenon.

In total, between 2022 and 2024, 316,381 hectares were deforested, representing a 39% reduction compared to the 2021 baseline. This result far exceeds the goal of the National Development Plan, which aimed for a 20% reduction in the 2022–2026 period.

Factors behind deforestation

The Ministry of Environment identifies the main causes as:

• Land grabbing through pasturization.
• Expansion of extensive cattle ranching.
• Opening of informal roads.
• Illegal mining.
• Illegal logging.
• Illicit crops, although to a lesser extent compared to the agricultural frontier.

The breakdown of dialogues with armed groups in the Amazon made territorial control difficult in departments such as Caquetá, Guaviare, Meta, and Putumayo, which explains part of the increase in 2024.

Containment strategies

The government attributes the achieved reduction to:

• The Conservar Paga program.
• Conservation agreements with rural, indigenous, and Afro-descendant communities.
• The Comprehensive Deforestation Containment Plan 2023–2026.

These efforts have also allowed for continued international cooperation with countries such as Germany, Norway, and the United Kingdom, which support the protection of Colombian forests.

Importance of the accumulated balance

While 2024 showed an increase compared to 2023, official reports highlight that the accumulated total of the first three years of the current government remains the lowest since Colombia officially began measuring deforestation.

The director of IDEAM, Ghisliane Echeverry, emphasized that this period of government represents “the lowest accumulated deforestation figure” in two decades of systematic monitoring.

Official figures show that generally stating “deforestation increased during the Petro government” does not reflect the complete behavior of the historical series. Although there was an uptick in 2024, the accumulated balance between 2022 and 2024 confirms a significant reduction and the lowest level in twenty years.