Deforestation is a considerable threat in today’s world, but have you ever thought about what are the countries with the highest deforestation rates in the world? Many of us are not aware of how trees are helpful to our environment and our safety.
Deforestation means clearance or clearing is the removal of a forest or stand of trees where the land is after that converted to a non-forest use. Laos is the first on the list. Deforestation Rate is 5.3%. Laos has very rich and diverse forest areas. A lot of wood there is harvested for their variety, and the country contains some of the best materials that have continuously been logged. Another European country is Portugal. Deforestation Rate is 5.6% A lot of researchers have used Portugal to point out the adverse effects of deforestation. This is because in recent years Portugal has been experiencing a high deforestation rate. About 30% of Earth’s land surface is covered by forests. The most concentrated deforestation occurs in tropical rainforests. Deforestation occurs for multiple reasons: trees are cut down to be used for building or sold as fuel, while cleared land is used as pasture for livestock and plantation. The removal of trees without sufficient reforestation has resulted in damage to habitat, biodiversity loss and aridity. It has adverse impacts on biosequestration of atmospheric carbon dioxide. Deforestation has also been used in war to deprive the enemy of cover for its forces and also vital resources. Between 2000 and 2012, 2.3 million square kilometers of forests around the world were cut down. As a result of deforestation, only 6.2 million square kilometers remain of the original 16 million square kilometers of forest that formerly covered the Earth. The biggest problem with deforestation is that deforestation is a contributor to global warming, and is often cited as one of the leading causes of the enhanced greenhouse effect. Tropical deforestation is responsible for approximately 20% of world greenhouse gas emissions.
If you want to see what are the countries with the highest deforestation rates in the world, check Insider Monkey’s list of 10 Countries with the Highest Deforestation Rates in the World and expand your knowledge more about this topic.