Where Does Deforestation Happen? Global Hotspots & Drivers

Deforestation occurs across all forest biomes, but **tropical rainforests bear the brunt**. Here's the geographic breakdown:

1. Tropical Rainforests (Highest Rate & Impact)

• Amazon (Brazil, Bolivia, Peru, Colombia): Cattle ranching (#1), soy, logging, mining, roads, fires.
• Congo Basin (DRC, Congo, Gabon, Cameroon): Subsistence agriculture, charcoal, logging, mining.
• Southeast Asia (Indonesia, Malaysia, Papua New Guinea): **Palm oil** (primary), pulp/paper (acacia), logging, mining.
• Mesoamerica / Madagascar / West Africa: Similar drivers; high fragmentation.

2. Temperate & Boreal Forests (Large Absolute Area)

• Russia (Siberia/Far East): Logging, fires (increasing), oil/gas.
• Canada: Logging (clearcutting), fires, pests (mountain pine beetle), oil sands.
• USA (SE, PNW, Alaska): Historical agriculture/urban; current logging, development, fires.
• Europe: Largely historical; now net reforestation, but old-growth loss continues.
• China: Historical loss; massive reforestation (Grain for Green), but plantations ≠ natural forest.

3. Secondary & Degraded Forests

• Regenerating forests re-cleared for agriculture, plantations, or development. "Forest" in stats ≠ primary forest.

Key Drivers (Direct & Indirect)

• **Agricultural expansion** (commercial + subsistence) — ~80% globally.
• **Wood extraction** (legal/illegal logging, fuelwood).
• **Infrastructure** (roads, dams, mines, urbanization).
• **Policy/Market failures:** Subsidies, weak tenure, corruption, commodity demand.
• **Climate change:** Fire, pests, dieback — feedback loop.

Response

REDD+, zero-deforestation commitments, Indigenous tenure recognition, supply chain transparency (EUDR), restoration (Bonn Challenge). Progress is uneven.