In the first half of this year, estimated deforestation in the Amazon region increased by 223%

Although last year Colombia achieved deforestation reduction figures that brought pride and relief to those calling for a halt to forest loss, all indications are that this year will not be the same. According to Ideam's early deforestation detection bulletin, in the first quarter of 2024 deforestation in the departments of the Colombian Amazon (Putumayo, Caquetá, Meta, Guaviare, Amazonas, Vaupés and Guainía) was estimated at around 40,219 hectares, while in the second quarter of this year it was estimated at 1,419 hectares; in other words, a significant increase in deforestation compared to the same semester in 2023 (when it was estimated at 12,869 hectares).

(Lea esta historia en español, aquí)

However, this early warning (technically known as the DTD) is still an estimate, based on a model that monitors hotspots in different regions of the country, and in some cases it may not ultimately lead to forest loss, but in other situations it will. Nevertheless, it is an alarming warning of the forest loss situation in the Amazon. Specifically, in the first quarter of this year, deforestation increased in the departments of Meta (+12,598 hectares), Caquetá (+11,583 hectares) and Guaviare (+4,098 hectares). The largest reduction in deforestation was also recorded in the department of Putumayo (- 1,976 hectares).

During this period, 10,264 deforested areas larger than one hectare were reported in the Amazon region, of which 75% were smaller than 5 hectares and 16% were between 5 and 10 hectares. In addition, 262 areas larger than 20 hectares were identified, mainly concentrated in the departments of Meta (48%) with 73 areas, Caquetá (46%) with 68 areas and Guaviare (35%) with 51 areas.

Against this background, several voices have sounded the alarm about the seriousness of the situation and the urgency of addressing it. One of them is the mayor of Bogotá, Carlos Fernando Galán, who warned and denounced this fact and its consequences for the capital during COP16 as one of his first actions at the summit (see box). However, consulted by EL TIEMPO, the Ideam described Galán's information as "inaccurate", since the mayor stated that "deforestation in the Amazon has increased by 230% (comparing the first quarter of each year)", when technically what has increased are the estimated deforestation alarms.

"Ideam clarifies that these figures are only indicative or early warning to identify a trend in deforestation behaviour, since, as mentioned above, the official deforestation figures for 2024 will be published at the end of the first half of 2025. It is also important to note that deforestation early warning behaviour is influenced by La Niña (increased rainfall in the first quarter of 2023) and El Niño (low rainfall in the first quarter of 2024)," they said.

Every hectare of forest lost in the Amazon means not only the disappearance of a (sometimes unknown) natural treasure, but also an impact on the daily lives of the people, the region and the world. This is because this forest is a global regulator of climate and rainfall, and its degradation is partly responsible for climatological scenarios of extreme drought in the rivers of the basin, which this year experienced the worst drought in more than a century; or the lack of rainfall in the cities of the Andes, where the so-called "flying rivers" come from the jungle, which are nothing more than the evapotranspiration of the trees transformed into clouds.

In this context, Carlos Nobre, one of the world's leading experts on the Amazon ecosystem, who is also attending COP16, told EL TIEMPO that although we still have a window of opportunity to act and save the planet, it is closing. "We are very close to the point of no return, where 50% to 70% of the Amazon will become a very degraded savannah," he said.

EDWIN CAICEDO

Environment an Health Journalist

@CaicedoUcros