Posted on octubre, 30 2024

At COP16 in Cali, WWF, in collaboration with the Chalmers University of Technology, Trase, and the Stockholm Environment Institute (SEI), launched an eye-opening report, “Uncovering Sub-Regional Drivers of Deforestation in the Amazon.” This pioneering analysis unveils how specific agricultural commodities, from cattle ranching to crops, are driving forest loss at subnational levels throughout the Amazon region.

This report combines top-tier spatial and statistical data, creating a first-ever snapshot of deforestation linked directly to commodities by region, revealing the often-hidden influences of local and international markets. This launch includes an online dashboard where users can explore commodity-driven deforestation data for Amazonian regions, municipalities, and departments. With this information, stakeholders can pursue targeted, region-specific strategies to mitigate deforestation and support the Amazon’s preservation.

This report comes out at a time when the Amazon is nearing an ecological tipping point as forest loss approaches 20-25%, this report emphasizes the urgent need for targeted interventions, underscoring how cattle ranching and crop expansion continue to shape deforestation patterns, according to the Science Panel for The Amazon.

Using the DeDuCE model, the report identifies the commodities behind forest loss, noting that many are consumed locally, traded regionally, or exported. At the same time, sub-national deforestation patterns across the Amazon reveal distinct drivers (2017-2021), with pasture dominating in the eastern and central portions of the Amazon—but advancing into the interior of the region, and crop expansion—particularly soy in Bolivia and staples like maize, rice, and cassava in Peru and Venezuela—prevailing in the western, southern, and northwestern subregions.

Dr. Vivian Ribeiro, one of the authors, notes that these patterns underline the need for tailored, subnational strategies beyond the limitations of national estimates. Kurt Holle, director of WWF Perú and WWF’s Amazon Coordination Unit, stresses that this level of detail empowers leaders to enhance supply chain transparency and drive collaborative solutions to achieve zero deforestation by 2030.

It highlights regional differences: pasture expansion is a major deforestation driver in the east and central Amazon, while crop expansion, including soy in Bolivia and staples like maize, rice, and cassava in other areas, plays a significant role in the western and southern regions.

Key Links: 

Access the Dashboard with commodity deforestation estimates for each country and sub-national region here