Bolivia is facing an escalating challenge with tree cover loss, which has seen a significant increase over the past two decades. The latest incident data reveals a wildfire alert in the La Paz Department, highlighting the ongoing threat to the country's forests. Bolivia's tree cover extent spans over 64 million hectares, representing a substantial portion of the country's land area. However, the country has experienced a net tree cover loss of approximately 3.94 million hectares, which is a concerning 5.61% decrease from the stable tree cover.
Shifting agriculture remains the primary driver of tree cover loss, followed by forestry activities and wildfires. In 2022 alone, shifting agriculture accounted for a loss of over 156,000 hectares, contributing significantly to the nearly 596,000 hectares of total tree cover loss for the year. This loss represents a staggering increase in comparison to previous years, with wildfires also showing a worrying upward trend.
Explore country profileThe cumulative impact of these losses is substantial, with the total gross emissions of CO2 equivalent reaching nearly 298 million megagrams in 2022. The data underscores the urgency of addressing the drivers of deforestation and forest degradation to mitigate their impact on climate change and preserve Bolivia's rich biodiversity.
