South Africa has witnessed a significant decline in tree cover over the past two decades. The latest incident, a fire alert in Gauteng on September 14, 2024, adds to the country's environmental challenges. With an area of over 121 million hectares, South Africa's tree cover extent stands at approximately 5.98 million hectares. However, the country has experienced a net loss of 141,776 hectares, marking a negative change of 1.86% in tree cover.
The primary drivers of tree cover loss include shifting agriculture, forestry, wildfires, and urbanization. Forestry activities have been the most significant contributor, followed by shifting agriculture, which alone accounted for a loss of over 12,000 hectares in 2022. Wildfires, although less extensive in area, remain a persistent threat, as evidenced by the recent incident in Gauteng.
Explore country profileThe cumulative impact of these drivers has not only reduced the tree cover but also led to substantial CO2 emissions. In 2022, the total CO2 emissions from tree cover loss were over 32 million metric tons, with forestry and shifting agriculture as the leading causes. This environmental trend poses a threat to biodiversity, climate regulation, and the well-being of South African communities.
