Zambia has experienced a significant surge in tree cover loss over the past two decades, with the latest incident being a wildfire in Muchinga Province on November 3, 2024. The country, which boasts an area of over 75 million hectares, has a tree cover extent of approximately 24 million hectares. However, the net change in tree cover has been negative, with a 7.31% decrease, indicating a loss of over 3.60 million hectares and a gain of only about 768,000 hectares.
Shifting agriculture has been identified as the primary driver of tree cover loss, accounting for an overwhelming majority of the deforestation. Urbanization, while contributing to a lesser extent, has also played a significant role in the depletion of Zambia's tree cover. Wildfires have been another contributing factor, though they account for a smaller portion of the loss compared to other drivers.
Explore country profileThe environmental impact of these losses is substantial, with millions of metric tons of CO2 equivalent emissions released into the atmosphere, exacerbating climate change and its associated effects. The latest fire alert in Muchinga Province is a stark reminder of the ongoing challenges Zambia faces in managing its natural resources and mitigating the effects of climate change.
