Colombia has succeeded in slashing deforestation by 36% in one year, setting a new record for low felling in the South American republic.
One third of the Amazon, one of the Earth’s most important green lungs, lies in Colombia and campaigners have long called for protections for not just the forest but its Indigenous population and their homes. But deforestation rates reached record highs in 2017 after the retreat of the Farc guerilla group left instability and rivalry among armed groups that enabled unregulated agribusiness to make incursions into the forest and carry out rampant felling.
44,262 hectares of forest saved
Since 2022 however, and the election of President Gustavo Petro, a left-winger who promised to put a halt to the devastation, logging rates have fallen, by 29% in 2022 and 36% in 2023. That represents “44,262 hectares of forest” saved according to Colombian Environment Minister Susana Muhamad.
It is very good news, but we definitely cannot say that the battle is won. We continue to confront illicit economies.
Susana Muhamad, Colombian Environment Minister
The administration has had to tread several paths to slash the deforestation rate and has used a range of hard and soft persuasive tools along the way, including increased surveillance, armed government presence at key sites, conservation projects with farmers incentivised to take part, as well as peace talks and mediation with guerilla groups. “Peaceful conditions lead to reduced deforestation,” Muhamad said.
Calling the achievement so far “a truly iconic year in this fight against deforestation” the Minister insisted the downward pressure would continue but noted that predictions for next year show challenging times ahead.
Difficult times continue
The drying effect of the El Niño weather system has already been seen to increase deforestation which is spiking accordingly in 2024. And activities that encroach upon the Amazon, such as cattle ranching, mining, logging and the planting of drug crops, continue, the Minister said. A détente with armed rebels, the Central General Staff (EMC), appears to have broken down and the group have not only renegued on promises to protect the forest but are now promoting deforestation.
But with the fast-growing southwestern Colombian city of Cali set to welcome the COP16 United Nations biodiversity summit this autumn, and Colombia’s voice on the environment therefore growing in volume, the Petro government has used the platform to call for developed nations to cancel foreign debt in return for environmental action taken in countries on the front line of climate change.