Australia Faces Environmental Challenges as Wildfires and Tree Cover Loss Escalate

Australia Faces Environmental Challenges as Wildfires and Tree Cover Loss Escalate

Australia has been grappling with significant environmental challenges, as recent data indicates a worrying trend in tree cover loss and wildfire incidents. Over the past two decades, the country has experienced a net loss in tree cover of approximately 0.92 million hectares, which is about a 1.03% decrease from its original tree cover extent. Notably, wildfires have been the predominant driver of this loss, accounting for a staggering majority of the total tree cover loss over the years.

In 2020 alone, wildfires were responsible for the loss of over 1.95 million hectares of tree cover, which is a significant increase from the previous years. This has not only affected the natural landscape but also contributed to a considerable amount of greenhouse gas emissions. The total emissions from all drivers of tree cover loss in 2020 were estimated at over 685 million metric tons of CO2 equivalent.