Indonesia forest cover decreasing faster than Brazil.
A new study has revealed that Indonesia has lost about 60,000 sq km of forest cover in a period of 12 years. The rate of deforestation has increased to such a level that for the first time it has surpassed Brazil in the rate of clearance of tropical forest land.
The study has been published in the Nature Climate Change journal. Scientists kept a track of the deforestation activity between 2000 and 2012 with the help of satellites.
According to their reports, the land was cleared to make way for palm oil plantations and other horticultural plantations. The report added, that by 2012, the loss of primary forests – per year – in Indonesia was estimated to be higher than that in Brazil.
In 2012, Indonesia lost 8,400 sq km of forest compared to Brazil which lost 4,600 sq km. Researchers from the University of Maryland said that the deforestation has led to an increase in greenhouse gas emissions and loss of biodiversity.
The country of Indonesia has 10% of the world’s plants and 12% of the world’s mammals. It is also known for its diverse wildlife which includes orangutans and Sumatran tigers.
Photo Credits: Science progress
