46 / 72
46
due to deforestation and natural events (FAO 2010a). This is
equivalent to an area about the size of 36 football fields being
lost every minute (WWF 2013). When taking into account the
expansion of natural and planted forests, the annual net loss
in forest area between 2000 and 2010 was 5.2 million hectares
(FAO 2010a).
Deforestation rates are highest in the tropical areas of South
America and Africa (FAO 2010a), where the majority of forest
dependent people live (MA 2005; FAO 2012a). Between 2000 and
2010 South America had a net loss of 4 million hectares per year,
while Africa had a net loss of 3.4 million hectares per year. As a
region, Asia had a 2.2 million hectare net increase per year from
2000 to 2010, but thiswasmostlydue toChina’s large contribution
to afforestation as other countries inSouth andSouth East Asia are
still experiencing high rates of net loss (FAO 2010a). While Central
and North America had about the same extent of forests in 2010 as
in 2000, European forests are expanding.
Deforestation is due to a combination of economic, political
and institutional factors (MA 2005). They include agricultural
expansion, timber extraction, illegal logging and land
conversion to grazing land and plantations (FAO 2012a).
Agricultural expansion is by far the main driver, causing about
80 per cent of deforestation worldwide (Kissinger
et al.
2012).