is the rate of deforestation changing

• during the first decade of the 21st century, rates of deforestation increased in all three continents: asia, africa and south america
• in indonesia and peru the increases in deforestation were particularly alarming
• in indonesia, the rate of deforestation between 2005 and 2010 was double the rate between 2000 and 2005
• in peru the rate of deforestation almost doubled between 2000 and 2005
• however the rate of deforestation decreased in 7 countries
• it decreased in brazil where the rate of deforestation has fallen to a record low, it is estimated that about half of brazils remaining rainforest now has some form of protected status
• the bad news is that 20% of the amazon rainforest has been cleared since 1970: an area of 761,000 square kilometers
• today, the global rate at which the tropical rainforest is being cleared is estimated to be:

  • 1 hectare a second
  • 60 hectares a minute
  • 86,000 hectares a day
  • 31 million hectares per year