Latin America on fire: record fires destroyed millions of hectares of tropical forests in 2024

The world has lost a Forest record in 2024powered by A catastrophic increase in fires. The new glad laboratory data of the University of Maryland, available on the global forest watches platform of the World Resources Institute (WRI), show that the loss of tropical primary forests only reached 6.7 million hectares last yeardouble it in 2023 and a surface almost the size of Panama. This involves the loss of about 18 football fields every 18 minutes.

For the first time since there are records, fires, and not agriculture, They were the main cause of this loss, which represented almost half of any destruction. In 2024 they burned five times more tropical primary forests than 2023. Latin America has been particularly affected. In total, these fires have emitted 4.1 greenhouse gigatons, more than four times the emissions of all air transport in 2023.

“This level of loss of forests It doesn’t seem anything that we have seen in more than 20 years of data“Says Elizabeth Goldman, co -director of Global Forest Wri clock.” It is a world red alert, an invitation to collective action for all countries, for all companies and all people who take care of a habitable planet. Our economies, our communities, our health, none of them can survive without forests. “

Extreme climate feeds forest bropical fires

Although forest fires They are natural in some ecosystemsIn the tropical regions they are mainly caused by man. Fires have generally started for agricultural reasons or to prepare new areas for agriculture.

Last year it was The hottest ever recordedWith extreme conditions such as a serious generalized drought fueled by climate change and the climatic phenomenon of El Niño. Some countries, in particular those of Latin America, suffered in 2024 The worst drought you have a constancy. According to the report, these conditions have made the fires more intense and difficult to control in many parts of the world.

Although some forests can recover from these fires, the combined pressure of the conversion of the soil and climate change Makes this healing difficult. It also creates a cycle of feedback that increases the probability of future fires.

Which countries will lose more forests in 2024?

Brazilwhich will host the Cop30 Climate Conference at the end of this year, lost the largest tropical forest surface in 2024according to data. In total, last year it represented 42% of all the loss of the tropical primary forest. Fires, powered by the worst drought recorded In the country, they caused 66% of that loss. Other causes, such as the cultivation of soy and cattle, increased by 13%, well below the maximum recorded in the early 2000s.

“Brazil has progressed under the presidency of LulaBut the threat to the forests persists “, says Mariana Oliveira, director of the forest and use of the land of Brazil Wri.

Without an investment supported in the prevention of the firefires of the community, a more severe application of the state law e An approach to sustainable use of the earthThe results achieved with so many efforts are at risk of getting lost. “

Also loss of forests 200% was shot in Bolivia last yearup to a total of 1.5 million hectares. For the first time in history, he remained in second place behind Brazil, overcoming the Democratic Republic of the Congo (RDC), despite having less than half of the forest area.

Stasiek Czapappii Cabezas, Bolivian researcher and data journalist from the “Nomadas magazine”, says that the fires of 2024 “They left deep scars“, Not only on earth but for those who depend on this.” The damage may require centuries to get rid. “

Despite the fact that it fell into the classification, the RDC has been recorded Higher levels of loss of primary forests Never recorded, with an increase of 150% compared to 2023. The fire, aggravated by unusually hot and dry conditions, caused 45% of the damage. Like the Amazon, the Congo basin acts like A crucial carbon sinkBut the increase in fires and the loss of forests now threaten their vital function.

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In Colombia There was also an increase in Almost 50% in the loss of primary forestsBut the fires were not the main cause. The instability caused by Peace conversations rupture He caused the growth of activities such as illegal extraction and coca production (main ingredient of cocaine).

Fire also causes loss of forests to other places

The increase in the loss of forests It extended well beyond the tropics in 2024With a 5% increase in the total loss of the coverage of trees all over the world compared to 2023. Last year 30 million hectares were lost, an area similar to that of Italy.

An intense fire season in Russia and Canada was partly responsible for this increase. Although forest fires are part of the natural dynamics of these regions, In recent years they have been more intense and durablewhich reduced the recovery time of the tree coverage.

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Research has shown that these northern forests are increasingly susceptible to drought and the fires due to climate change, which creates a feedback circuit of Worsening of fire carbon emissions. Last year, for the first time since Global Forest Watch began to present records, the fires were produced both in the tropics and in the northern forests.

These data should shake our car -Commitment

In the relationship Not everything is bad newssince some countries have made progress in such a difficult year. In Indonesia, for example, the loss of primary forests has been reduced by 11%. The efforts of former president Joko Widodo for Restore the earth and stop the fires They contributed to maintaining fire rates, also in drought in general.

Ariet Wijaya, CEO of Wri Indonesia, says that although the deforestation remains a concern, They are proud that it was one of the few countries In reducing the loss of the primary forest in 2024. “We hope that the current administration can maintain the impulse”.

Also Malaysia recorded a 13% reduction And he left the group of the 10 countries for the first time with the maximum loss of primary tropical forests. The leaders of over 140 countries have signed the Declaration of Glasgow leaders In 2021, promising to stop and reverse the loss of forests by 2030. To do this, the world must reduce the deforestation of 20% every year onwards.

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But we are alarming far from the fulfillment to this commitment: of the 20 countries with the most high primary forest surface, 17 today have a loss of primary forests compared to when the agreement was signed. According to the authors of the relationship, It is urgent to strengthen fire preventionEstablish supply chains without deforestation, apply commercial regulations and increase funding for the protection of forests, in particular through indigenous initiatives.

The cartography shows that one of those initiatives, the protected area just created Charagua Lyambae de Boliviamaintained the fires in 2024.

His investments in Early alarm systems And the application of soil use policies contributed to avoiding propagation while the forest burned around the second consecutive year. A testimony of what fire prevention can do by the natives.

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“The countries have repeatedly engaged Stop the deforestation and degradation of the forest“, Says Kelly Levin, data scientist leader and the change in the systems of the Bezos Fund for the Earth.

“However, the data reveal A marked gap between the promises made and the progress achieved, together with the growing impact of global warming. This should shake the car -Commitment. “