Mozambique has been facing a significant challenge with escalating tree cover loss over the years. The latest incident reported on October 31, 2024, involved a fire in the Nampula Province, highlighting the continuous strain on the country's natural resources. Mozambique, with an area of approximately 78.70 million hectares, has a tree cover extent of around 28.90 million hectares. However, the country has experienced a net loss in tree cover of over 4.30 million hectares, which is a concerning change of more than 10%.
Shifting agriculture has been identified as the primary driver of tree cover loss, accounting for a vast majority of the total loss each year. Other contributing factors include urbanization and forestry activities, though their impact is significantly smaller in comparison. The loss of tree cover has not only ecological consequences but also contributes to greenhouse gas emissions, with millions of metric tons of CO2 equivalent released into the atmosphere annually.
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