Of the forest lost so far this century, roughly a third was destroyed to make room for farms, a new analysis finds.
Of the forest lost so far this century, roughly a third was destroyed to make room for farms, a new analysis finds. Those woodlands, which spanned an area larger than Mongolia, will likely never be restored, authors say.
The analysis, led by the World Resources Institute, used artificial intelligence to analyze satellite imagery and understand the forces shaping forests. Authors say the findings offer the most detailed view yet of the drivers of deforestation.
The analysis finds that 34 percent of forest loss is permanent, driven almost entirely by the demand for farmland. In tropical rainforests, the permanent loss is even more dramatic, accounting for 61 percent of deforested lands.
Read more at Yale Environment 360
Photo Credit: MolnarSzabolcsErdely via Pixabay
