Disentangling the numbers behind agriculture-driven tropical deforestation

Abstract

Tropical deforestation continues at alarming rates with profound impacts on ecosystems, climate, and livelihoods, prompting renewed commitments to halt its continuation. Although it is well established that agriculture is a dominant driver of deforestation, rates and mechanisms remain disputed and often lack a clear evidence base. We synthesize the best available pantropical evidence to provide clarity on how agriculture drives deforestation. Although most (90 to 99%) deforestation across the tropics 2011 to 2015 was driven by agriculture, only 45 to 65% of deforested land became productive agriculture within a few years. Therefore, ending deforestation likely requires combining measures to create deforestation-free supply chains with landscape governance interventions. We highlight key remaining evidence gaps including deforestation trends, commodity-specific land-use dynamics, and data from tropical dry forests and forests across Africa.

Dieta Da Saúde Planetária E Mudança Climática Em Confrontos Online No Tiktok

“…Há anos, a indústria da carne bovina tem sido alvo de preocupações e denúncias de agentes sanitaristas e ambientalistas de várias partes do mundo. Contribuem para isso as ameaças da atividade ao desmatamento de florestas e suas altas taxas de emissões de gases de efeito estufa (Pendrill et al, 2022). Para combater tais eventos, reduções no consumo da carne vermelha vêm sendo recomendadas, bem como diferentes campanhas educativas e medidas orientativas passaram a ser adotadas com o respaldo de autoridades médicas e nutrólogos, de diferentes linhas e orientações em saúde coletiva e dietética (The Lancet Commission Report, 2019).…”

Understanding deforestation lock-in: Insights from Land Reform settlements in the Brazilian Amazon

“…Commodity traders, for example, have become major financiers of soy farming while also profiting from price speculation and grain-market volatility (Salerno, 2017). Core companies thereby have not only strengthened their dominance but also promoted the growth of such industrial agri-food systems that result, among others, in agricultural expansion over tropical ecosystems (McMichael, 2012;Clapp, 2021;Pendrill et al, 2022). Akin to greenhouse gas emissions in the case of fossil-based energy, deforestation arises as a noxious product of the system.…”

“…In South America, between 1985 and 2018, as many as 268 Mha of natural ecosystems were cleared to make way for either cropland or pastures (Zalles et al, 2021). Agriculture drives as much as 90-99% of all tropical deforestation worldwide (Pendrill et al, 2022). Such an agricultural expansion meets growing global demand for commodities without necessarily bringing about local development; at times, it drives maldevelopment, with further wealth concentration and social exclusion (Russo Lopes et al, 2021).…”

To clear or not to clear: Unpacking soy farmers' decision-making on deforestation in Brazil's Cerrado

“…Addressing natural ecosystem loss has become fundamental for food system sustainability. Food security is broadly dependent on environmental conservation due to vital ecosystem services, yet agriculture is the primary driver of landuse change and ecosystem loss (Curtis et al, 2018;De Sy et al, 2019;Pendrill et al, 2022). While some of that is for small-scale farming, most agriculture-driven deforestation is due to key export crops such as soy and oil palm, which are responsible for 38-48% of emissions embodied in production (Pendrill et al, 2019).…”