Mexico has witnessed a significant tree cover loss over the years, with the latest incident being a fire alert in the region of Tabasco. The country's tree cover extent spans over 53 million hectares, which is a substantial part of its total area of 195 million hectares. However, the battle against deforestation is ongoing, with a net change in tree cover showing a loss of approximately 2.20 million hectares and a gain of around 1.40 million hectares, resulting in a net loss of nearly 790,000 hectares. This equates to a 1.25% decrease in tree cover.
Shifting agriculture remains the predominant driver of tree cover loss, followed by forestry activities, wildfires, and urbanization. Over the years, shifting agriculture has been responsible for the majority of tree cover loss, with recent data indicating it accounts for over 70% of the total loss. Forestry activities contribute to around 10%, while wildfires and urbanization account for a smaller fraction.
Explore country profileThe impact of these losses on the environment is profound, with millions of metric tons of CO2 equivalent gross emissions associated with the tree cover loss. The latest fire incident in Tabasco is a stark reminder of the continuous threats to Mexico's forests and the need for ongoing vigilance and conservation efforts.
