Colombian deforestation unlikely to slow in 2022, say environmentalists

6/8/2022 6:13

        Deforestation in Colombia shows no signs of abating in 2022 versus 2021, warned environmental groups this week, with destruction of the country's Amazon
        region increasing slightly through the end of July.
        
        Colombia's environment ministry last month reported that deforestation rose 1.5% in 2021 compared with 2020, totaling 174,103 hectares (430,218 acres).
        
        Deforestation in the country's Amazon rose 3.3% last year to 112,899 hectares, accounting for more than two thirds of total damage nationally.
        
        Preservation of the Amazon, the world's largest rainforest, is considered vital to curbing catastrophic climate change because of the vast amount of greenhouse gas it absorbs.
        
        The trend showed no signs of slowing in the first seven months of this year, according to monitoring group Amazon Conservation.