Malaysia has recorded a new fire incident in the Pahang region as of August 16, 2024, amidst a backdrop of significant deforestation trends over the past two decades. The country, which boasts a land area of over 32 million hectares, has seen its tree cover extent reduced by approximately 3.78% net change, despite a stable area of nearly 18.80 million hectares. The total tree cover loss has reached over 2.10 million hectares, with a slight gain of around 1 million hectares, indicating ongoing disturbances to the forest ecosystem.
Forestry activities have consistently been a primary driver of tree cover loss, contributing to significant emissions of CO2 equivalent gases. Urbanization, while responsible for a smaller portion of the tree cover loss, remains a persistent factor. Notably, the data does not specify the impact of shifting agriculture or wildfires on these figures, suggesting other factors are at play in the country's deforestation dynamics.
Explore country profileThe latest incident in Pahang serves as a reminder of the environmental challenges Malaysia faces. The country's rich biodiversity and forest resources continue to be under pressure from human activities, highlighting the need for sustainable management and conservation efforts to protect these vital ecosystems for future generations.
