Zambia has been facing a significant challenge with an increasing trend in tree cover loss over the past two decades. A recent incident in the Copperbelt Province underscores the ongoing struggle, with a wildfire alert issued on September 21, 2024. The country's tree cover extent spans over 24 million hectares, which is approximately 32% of its total land area. However, the data reveals a net loss in tree cover of about 3.64 million hectares, which constitutes a 7.30% decrease from the stable tree cover. The primary driver of this loss has been identified as shifting agriculture, accounting for the vast majority of tree cover decline.
The impact of wildfires, although comparatively smaller, remains a concern, with incidents contributing to both tree cover loss and CO2 emissions. Urbanization also plays a role, albeit to a lesser extent. The net effect of these factors has led to a disturbing trend of natural habitat degradation, with significant implications for the country's biodiversity and climate change mitigation efforts.
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