Forests cover over 30% of the world’s land area. Forests are also home to a lot of the world’s wild species, including 80% of amphibians, 75% of birds and 68% of mammals. However, since 1990, greater than 420 million hectares of forest have been lost to human activities, mainly deforestation and land clearing for agriculture and logging. Southeast Asia has certainly one of the best deforestation rates on the planet.
The deforestation rate within the region is amazingly high, with forest loss at 1.2% per yr, which is comparable to the deforestation rate of the Amazon, which accounts for one third of the world’s total tropical deforestation. The region covers almost 15% of the world’s total tropical forest area, making it an area highly vulnerable to deforestation.
The region faces enormous challenges in protecting its biodiversity. Currently, only about 6% of Southeast Asia’s land and waters are protected. This number must increase fivefold in eight years to achieve the worldwide goal of 30% protected area by 2030. This goal was included within the COP15 biodiversity summit.
In fact, the existence of tropical forests could be very necessary as a natural carbon sink for the world. The lack of tropical forests will account for about 10% of human greenhouse gas emissions every year, exacerbating climate change.
Land and oceans are increasingly threatened
Between 2001 and 2019, Southeast Asia lost 610,000 square kilometers of forest, including 31 percent in mountainous areas, which were converted to agriculture and plantations in lower than 20 years.
Among Southeast Asian countries, Indonesia had the best deforestation rate in 2019. It accounted for nearly 14% of world tropical deforestation, trailing only Brazil, the Americas and the remainder of Africa. Borneo, the world’s third largest island divided between Malaysia, Indonesian Borneo and the country of Brunei, is anticipated to lose about 220,000 square kilometers of forest between 2010 and 2030, representing about 30% of its total land area.
Additionally, in some areas, similar to the mountains of northern Laos and northeastern Burma, there was significant forest destruction. Deforestation in these areas increases the danger of landslides, floods, soil erosion and agricultural pollution in rivers, reducing water quality and availability in lower regions.
With current high deforestation rates, Southeast Asia has lost greater than half of its original forest cover. Experts warn that if deforestation continues, greater than 40% of the region’s biodiversity could possibly be extinct or lost by 2100.
Southeast Asian countries similar to Indonesia and the Philippines have necessary marine ecosystems similar to coral reefs, but they’re poorly protected. Southeast Asian countries focus more on protecting land than sea, partially because open waters are harder to observe and regulate. However, protecting marine ecosystems is crucial to maintaining fish populations and long-term crop yields.
Reasons for the high rate of deforestation
Overall, deforestation is the leading reason for deforestation, particularly within the mountains, accounting for 42% of forest loss, followed by forest fires (29%), crop shifting or slash-and-burn burning (15%), and everlasting or semi-permanent agriculture solid (10%).
In the tropics, deforestation is primarily attributable to shifting crops, while in temperate regions it’s attributable to forestry practices. In the boreal regions, the most important reason for forest loss is forest fires.
These land conversion and deforestation practices have environmental impacts, including the flexibility of forests to soak up carbon dioxide and protect species. One such practice is oil palm cultivation. In Indonesia, primary forest area has been reduced by almost 10 million hectares over the past 20 years, and oil palm plantations accounted for 23% of deforestation between 2001 and 2016.
In addition to grease palm, logging and small-scale agriculture also contribute to deforestation, mainly through illegal logging. Conversion of land to agricultural land and pasture can also be causing deforestation within the region. Slash-and-burn practices on smallholder farms degrade land and increase the danger of forest fires and carbon emissions. In 2019, wildfires in Indonesia released 708 million tons of carbon dioxide, twice as much as from forest fires within the Amazon in the identical yr.
Research also shows that the expansion of agriculture into mountainous areas in Southeast Asia has played a big role in accelerating the speed of forest loss within the tropics. Between 2001 and 2018, greater than half of world forest loss occurred in Asia.
Efforts to scale back deforestation
Although governments within the region have adopted policies to regulate deforestation, their implementation and regulation haven’t been effective. Some of Southeast Asia’s intact forests and guarded areas have been degraded and converted into farmland or logging sites, causing damage that’s difficult to reverse.
Brunei and Cambodia are the one countries in Southeast Asia to exceed the 30% conservation goal, but their land area only makes up about 5% of the region.
On the opposite hand, they face various difficulties relating to protecting aquatic ecosystems. There are also competing interests of nations within the region, similar to oil exploration and fishing and shipping routes. Some countries proceed to prioritize open water fishing. While some positive steps have been made, similar to the establishment of protected areas in Malaysia and Indonesia, most protected areas haven’t been effectively assessed. On the opposite hand, it is necessary to involve local and indigenous communities in conservation efforts and to supply sufficient financial resources for patrolling and law enforcement.
To meet the worldwide commitment to guard 30 percent of land and oceans by 2030, Southeast Asia must address the foremost challenge of scaling up conservation efforts. Improved technical knowledge, political will and community engagement are key to protecting biodiversity and safeguarding the region’s natural heritage for future generations.
Reference:
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He, X., Ziegler, A. D., Elsen, P. R., Feng, Y., Baker, J. C. A., Liang, S., … Zeng, Z. (2023). The accelerating global lack of mountain forests threatens biodiversity hotspots. One Earth6(3), 303-315
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Osborn, Jen Flatt. (2023). Forest in danger: a comprehensive have a look at the newest deforestation statistics. World Animal Foundation
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Lai, Oliwia. (2022). Deforestation in Southeast Asia: causes and solutions. Earth.org
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Lei, Liang (2022). The biodiversity conservation challenge in Southeast Asia in numbers. Eco-business
