Amazon Lost 17 Percent to Deforestation in 2020 -Report

The environmental organization Amazon Conservation reported on Wednesday that the South American rainforest lost 17 percent of its area to deforestation in 2020, representing 2.3 million hectares devastated across nine countries.

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According to the latest data, Brazil accounts for 65 percent of the loss, followed by Bolivia, Peru, and Colombia. Moreover, the primary forest loss in Bolivia, Ecuador, and Peru reached unprecedented levels last year.

The study found that "a common phenomenon observed in the satellite imagery through August was that rainforest areas were first deforested and then later burned, causing major fires due to the abundant recently-cut biomass." This data explains why agricultural practices are a significant cause of deforestation in the region.

According to Amazon satellite monitoring project (MAAP) Matt Finer, "the primary cause of deforestation across the Amazon appears to be agriculture and cattle-related, ranging from larger-scale operations in Brazil to the accumulation of smaller-scale clearings throughout the western Amazon."