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3 Dec 2024

Venezuela Battles Tree Cover Loss Amidst Rising Shifting Agriculture and Wildfires
Venezuela Battles Tree Cover Loss Amidst Rising Shifting Agriculture and Wildfires

Venezuela, a country with an area of over 91 million hectares, has been facing significant challenges in maintaining its tree cover, which extends over 56 million hectares. Analysis of historical data reveals a concerning trend of tree cover loss, primarily driven by shifting agriculture, which has consistently been the leading cause over the years.

From 2001 to 2022, the country experienced a total tree cover loss of approximately 1.86 million hectares, which is a net loss of 2.49%. Shifting agriculture accounted for the majority of this loss, with incidents of wildfires and urbanization also contributing to the decline. The year 2016 marked the highest recorded tree cover loss, with over 207,000 hectares affected, 83.80% of which was due to shifting agriculture.

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Despite some gains in tree cover, the disturbances and losses have outpaced these positive developments, leading to a net negative change. The most recent incident in Guárico, Venezuela, with a single fire alert, underscores the ongoing threat of wildfires to the country's forests.

The loss of tree cover has implications not just for the environment but also for the carbon emissions associated with deforestation. Over the two-decade span, the total CO2e gross emissions from tree cover loss amounted to staggering figures, emphasizing the need for concerted efforts to protect and restore Venezuela's forests.

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