Deforestation

 

Rainforest clearing for slash and burn agriculture in central Sulawesi, Indonesia.

Rainforest clearing for slash and burn agriculture in central Sulawesi, Indonesia. Source: www.pbs.org

 

According to a study published in the journal, Nature Climate Change in June 2014, Indonesia has the highest rate of deforestation in the world. Indonesia’s phenomenal rate of deforestation is caused by the global demand for wood pulp and palm oil, and the resulting clearance of forests for plantations. Palm oil is considered a major source of income for Indonesia. Another cause of Indonesia’s massive rate of forest loss is demand for timber globally. In Indonesia, about 80% of timber production is considered to stem from illegal logging. When forest cover is removed by logging or burning, wildlife are deprived of their natural habitat. This particularly affects large mammals like the Sumatran orang-utans and Borneo elephants as such animals require vast areas to survive.