As the sun dips low in Wama and the shadows of the cedars grow long, Dilaram picks up his chainsaw and checks the fuel tank. Climate change also looms: South Sudan is highly vulnerable, with impacts already being felt it was the 8th most affected country in 2019. Poverty, the lack of alternative sources of income, and little awareness of the environmental damage deforestation causes, have fuelled illegal trade. . We would be very happy if the government subsidised the companies that sell gas.. The committees also brokered agreements with specific villages regarding the cutting and sale of timber, Haji Muhammad says. Furthermore, a recent study in Nature indicates DRC is particularly vulnerable to the amplification effects of climate change, and concluded the future of the countrys forest is the most uncertain in all of central Africa. (b) and (c) are from the Global Forest Watch platform and the green box highlights the bounding box of the example case in Figure 3. Ghana has earned $4.8 million for reducing nearly 1 million tons of carbon emissions caused by deforestation and forest degradation---with up to $45 million expected by the end of 2024. Forests have been depleted by centuries of grazing and farming, practices which have only increased with modern population growth. These programmes have had mixed success, but the intention is to be lauded. Table 1. But so far, government support for clean fuel is a distant dream. In 20 years of doing this work, he says, no one from any Afghan government has ever bothered me or tried to stop me from cutting down trees.. Reviews of the global forest dynamics can be found elsewhere, but in this report we focus on conflict areas and summarise the losses and trends. b) GLAD deforestation alerts in southern Myanmar since February 2021. c) The high forest integrity index overlain over the example case area. Years of hard labor have left their mark on Dilarams body. Deep root systems create porous openings in the soil that absorb rainwater hundreds of times faster than soil with no vegetation. Powerful exposs of human rights abuses, war and deforestation are being screened in New York City May 31-June 8, and available nationwide via streaming June 5-11. The aim ought to be hitting the sweet spot where forests are sustainably managed with significant economic, livelihood and climate contributions, with the right trees planted, or allowed to regenerate, in the right locations. b) Tree cover loss in 2020 with Protected Areas overlain. In this report, Eoghan Darbyshire assesses the current state of forest loss in conflict areas, surveying the changes and hotspots in the past 15 months during the COVID-19 pandemic. Already there are sanctions from the US, Britain, Canada and the EU, international companies are cutting links, and to avoid complicity, blacklists of companies linked to the military have been compiled. Such research can be academic but in addition, given the open nature of the data, interested citizen scientists can get involved either formally though programmes like ForestEyes, or informally. The timber trade was central to the conflict dynamics that U.S. forces faced when operating in eastern Afghanistan in the mid-2000s. Climate change has changed Afghanistan and people know very little about its effects, they just know they can cut the trees and sell to Pakistan. Every summer Dilaram bids farewell to his wife and children at his family home in neighboring Kunar and makes the bone-jarring 10-hour journey to Nuristan in a battered Toyota Corolla taxi. Under the 20042021 Islamic Republic of Afghanistan government, he spent 15 years as governor of southern Nuristans Wama district. Over the past three decades conflict has been ever present, and instability has been exacerbated during the COVID-19 pandemic the economy has crashed as oil exports fell, leaving many without pay. [17] [18] [19] Denser forests in the eastern Nangarhar, Kunar, Nuristan and other provinces are at risk from timber harvesting by timber mafia. FAO 17/06/2021 FAO is promoting high conservation value forest species to help contain deforestation and reduce greenhouse gas emissions in Paktia province Tree cover loss was the greatest in the satellite record in 2020 the 758 ha lost was nearly double that of the next highest year on record (2017), and nearly all located in the Ziguinchor district of Casamance (Figure 14). Given the remoteness of the location 20 km to the nearest village (Nan Taung) and reporting conditions on the ground, at this stage we are unable to provide any more context. Incredible footage of the trade was captured by the BBC in March 2020. Because local people don't invest time to replant the trees, we are in a crisis. Years of war and fighting have had a devastating effect on forests. For example, neighbouring Cambodia has followed a different path, despite some shared similarities. The country of most immediate concern is Myanmar. On the ground, the Taliban government has failed to streamline Afghanistan's. Along with the neighboring province of Kunar, Nuristan is home to some of the regions densest, oldest and most ecologically diverse forests. The landscape in Casamance is dry forest in contrast to the dense humid forests in the other countries discussed in this report and the selective logging of rosewood is not always clear on satellite imagery. One of the most pressing environmental issues facing Afghanistan is deforestation. Malaysia FTA talks stalled since 2012 Priority is fair deal over deforestation law - minister Indonesia, Malaysia make up 85% of global palm oil exports Last Indonesia-EU talks held in 2021 June 1 . Between 1977 and 2002,the total area of Kunars forest cover had shrunk by nearly 30 percent. Dilaram doesnt take this work for granted. He was based in Kabul, Afghanistan, from 2017 to 2021, and he now lives in Istanbul. Then he pulls the starter cord, and the chainsaw cuts through the silence once again. Data from the Global Forest Watch platform analysis functionality, based on University of Maryland Global Forest Loss data. The net rate of deforestation in Afghanistan has been measured as 0.15% and 0.04% annually from 1930 to 1975 and 1975-1985 respectively. There have also been accusations from Gambian civil society in January 2021 that the practice is still ongoing, although this may be the export of stockpiles. Along with the universities of Edinburgh and Leeds, CEOBS will help a PhD student investigate this issue in relation to carbon storage. Since the military coup in February, there has been a proliferation of logging of primary rainforest, reportedly being illegally exported to the surrounding countries. Since 2001, the U.S. has led a war against the Taliban and the Al Qaeda terrorist network in Afghanistan. Local criminal networks, funded largely by cash from the timber trade, have long held immense power over local officials and would bribe or threaten anyone who moved to restrict their business. Cocoa farmers in Ghana are improving yields and mitigating climate change by adopting climate-smart cocoa practices while curbing deforestation. Timber trade has become a profitable business. Since the Afghan government has limited control over large swaths of land in these areas, it has been difficult to control and tame the practice. This has continued following the 2016 peace agreement but with new actors in the form of Mexican cartels. The DRC has a complex history of conflicts that defies simple explanation, but today is characterised by fragmented and proliferating armed groups, with violence tightly interwoven with resource extraction. What we do Where we work Since 2002, UN Environment has taken an active role in laying the environmental foundations for sustainable development in Afghanistan. In reality, the situation is likely to be complex, perhaps following different narratives entirely. There are still areas where people illegally cut the trees, but we work together with the ministry of interior and the ministry of defence to prevent the practice.. In the Amazon, he pointed to a 32 per cent reduction in deforestation in the month of August, when compared to the same month last year. As smallholder clearing is tightly coupled to population growth, there is concern at the effect of the DRCs increasing population at current rates all of the DRCs primary forests will be lost by 2100. Recommendations . Furthermore, 70% of the population lives in rural areas and is dependent on the forests for their livelihoods. Imagery from Sentinel-2 contains modified Copernicus Sentinel data [2021] processed by Sentinel Hub. The smoke plume visible in Figure 3 suggests slash and burn satellite fire monitoring shows many burns in 2021 whilst there are recent reports that poaching is on the rise. This study found overall decrease in the annual deforestation rate when the figures for the first period were compared with . The scale of the associated forest loss is uncertain estimates range from 14-44%. Nonetheless, an estimated 4.2 million ha of forests have been planted, roughly a quarter of all Vietnams forests. Meanwhile, by 2013, at least half of Afghanistans forests had disappeared. In fact, the only countries with lower forest loss rates than both 2019 and the 2000-2019 average are South Sudan and Ethiopia. Eco-tourism ought to be a major income stream and help preserve forestry however the sectors growth has been restricted by the conflict and incidences of tourist kidnappings. The country still suffers from extreme economic underdevelopment after more than 30 years of war and poor management of billions of dollars in international aid. Alishah Arman, a 28-year-old student of Russian literature, and his flatmates buy Asefs wood to heat up their house, especially in winter. This acceleration of forest loss will have serious implications for climate emissions, and for Colombias implementation of both the New York Declaration on Forests, and the Paris Agreement the aim for which is a 51% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions by 2030 via reducing deforestation and mass tree planting by 2022. If I give up this work, well all be finished.. And whats left remains under serious threat, with residents of these valleys growing increasingly desperate for income amid dire economic circumstances. The rough topography makes it difficult to cultivate crops on a large scale, and many communities survive on an eat what you grow model, with little left to sell. I know that this logging is impacting the forest, he adds, turning his eyes to the nearest treetops. The practice started in rebel areas, protected by landmines and enabled by a climate of fear, but has since expanded to include the wider populace coping with the conflict-ravaged economy. We are unable to ascertain if the mining is artisanal or a more organised operation although the former has declined during COVID-19, which may itself be fuelling further insecurity. In Rakhine state, from where the Rohingya fled, there was a 12% reduction in forests following widespread burning and a denuding of the landscape. In Iraq, increases in cancer, birth defects, and other conditions have been associated with war-related environmental damage and toxins. Furthermore, the dataset does not cover all forestry only that which is greater than 5 m in height. It would be beneficial to have a concurrent annual dataset on degradation and disturbance, to help understand future change. For its part, the United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) has long warned that desertification is harming over three-quarters of the country's north, south, and west, rural areas over which Afghan authorities can rarely exert control. The Maryland dataset indicates that 3,505 ha of forest were lost in Syria in 2020, a 159% increase on 2019, which means that nearly 20% of Syrias forests have been lost since 2000. There is little information on the state of secondary natural forests. Reflecting on the political landscape, recent ministerial appointments may not be positive, and the public rhetoric on sustainability is not matched by actions. For example, as a direct result of the recent fighting in Nagorno-Karabakh, approximately 10,000 ha of biodiverse forest was burned this damage is not clear in the dataset. Deforestation is an ongoing concern in many conflict-affected and post-conflict countries, with many of the drivers linked either directly or indirectly to the conflict. People are switching to gas these days, Asef told Al Jazeera. The machine looks out of place amid such tranquil beauty, even if evidence of its violent work is all around. However, there are instances of continued payments even where forest areas have declined, and these threaten to undermine the system. The country with the largest percentage change relative to 2019 is Syria, where forest loss increased by 159%, followed by Afghanistan (111%), Ukraine (78%), Angola (44%) and Lebanon (26%). With so much money involved, illegal logging often flourishes amid economic instability, poverty and chronic underdevelopment. Loggers themselvesmany of them poor laborers with no alternative incomeface an increasingly difficult choice: either abandon their only reliable way of feeding their families or continue destroying their own environment, endangering their communities and defying the notoriously brutal Taliban governments ban on logging. A recent United Nations report estimated that 97 percent of Afghans were likely living in abject poverty by mid-2022. The deep green pine and cedar forests are often the only real resource available to the communities who live in them. Based on the University of Maryland global forest loss maps and analysis via the GFW platform, Table 1 summarises the forest loss status in 2020 in conflict-affected and post-conflict countries. Figure 3. COVID-19 lockdowns during 2020 are likely partly responsible for the increased deforestation rates particularly of primary forest. The spatial distribution of historical and recent forest loss in conflict-affected countries is illustrated in Figure 1, with each image showing a closer view of a hotspot area of concern. Thanks for reading Scientific American. As conflict has forced people deep into the rainforest, causing environmental destruction on route, these losses are evident even away from urban centres. There has reportedly been a decrease in monitoring and enforcement, both from the state which is focused on combating the pandemic and international watchdogs. Without education, he has few alternatives. The drivers are diverse, but they have in common that they are allowed to flourish by weak institutional environments. The outcome of the charcoal industry is deforestation and fires many of which are suspicious. Nearly 30 local businesses were destroyed, along with three mosques, seven bridges, more than 890 acres of valuable agricultural land and 3,200 fruit trees. Summer is short in the mountains, and he needs to earn a years worth of savings in two or three months. This includes intentional fires, for charcoal production and land clearance, and accidental fires arising from additional population pressures and under-resourced fire services. The countrys economy remains on a knife edge, gutted by international sanctions against the Taliban governmentincluding the U.S.s freezing of $7 billion in Afghan government funds. Thanks for reading Scientific American. Before/after high resolution satellite imagery for example forest loss case in southern Vietnam. There also remains a legacy from explosive remnants of war, which ironically may now be providing some protection. The impacts of these long-term forest losses are recently been felt, and are seen as the major contributing factor to recent landslides and record-breaking flooding. Figure 8. Fighting has resulted in forest loss primarily through illegal charcoal burning by those it has displaced, but also via the illegal, armed and unsustainable trading of timber by foreign firms.4. Summary Land cover Forest change Biodiversity Land Use Fires Climate Explore interactive charts and maps that summarize key statistics about forests in Afghanistan. Gas is so expensive so we often use wood. Whats more, this value is possibly conservative, as it does not include other carbon losses associated with the forest loss, such as fire, soil degradation, post-clearance land use (such as cattle ranching), or future additional CO2 sequestration. (a) and (b) are from the Global Forest Watch platform and the white box highlights the bounding box of the example case in Figure 7. Despite the rhetoric, however, the Taliban so far seems to have taken few practical steps to address deforestationor other climate or environmental issues. Bushmeat hunting represents a significant threat to wildlife and humans too, through the spread of zoonotic disease. Follow him on Instagram @kernhendricks and Twitter @kernhendricks. But Fatemeh is one of an estimated 13.5 million Afghans who remain severely food insecure. The corresponding annual net rate of deforestation was 0.01% during 2005-2014. The conflict has impacted tree cover via direct attacks for example, it is reported that half a million olive trees have been destroyed since March 2018. The location for our case study is within the Tanintharyi region, and in an area of high structural integrity primary forest, which is within the proposed site of the Lenya National Park. Once the snow arrives, the opportunity to earn will vanish for another year. In relation to the concept of sustainable resource exploitation, Afghanistan's deforestation limits the ability of future generations of Afghan people to enjoy the benefits derived from the presence and access to timber reserves. Deforestation is both a cause and effect of natural disasters like floods and drought in Afghanistan. The 2020 global forest loss maps were recently released by the University of Maryland, extending a forest loss data set going back to 2001. Furthermore, there are often adverse health outcomes for the campesinos, through exposure to smoke emissions or heavy metals like mercury following artisanal mining. The alerts automatically compare recent and historical satellite data to identify areas where the forest canopy has been disturbed. This is achieved by combining recently released global forest loss maps, deforestation alerts on the Global Forest Watch platform, and high-resolution imagery recently made publicly available by the Norwegian government. Although the DRC is a signatory to 29 international conventions, and has enacted more than 40 domestic environmental laws, there is weak implementation. I do what I can to cut the oldest trees to make room for the younger ones, and I dont cause any more damage than I need to. The primary mechanism for forest loss is through fire. Discover world-changing science. Deforestation is an ongoing issue in many conflict-affected and post-conflict countries, and is often associated with a location-dependent mix of drivers linked to insecurity. Once he arrives, he pitches camp in whichever stretch of the forest hes been hired to log that season and sets to work. But as Liberias experience shows, a legal and policy framework is not enough on its own, good governance and addressing the underlying drivers of deforestation, such as land rights, are also vital. Reforestation is seen as a key national strategy to protect against climate change, especially the restoration of mangroves to protect low-lying coastal areas such as the Mekong delta. Imagery 2021 Google Earth, 2021 CNES/Airbus. Wood has long been one of Afghanistans main sources of energy, which over the years has had numerous consequences deforestation and pollution reportedly kill at least 3,000 people a year. Corruption is very high. Further, the data does not give an indication of selective logging or forest degradation a recent study underlined the scale and importance of degradation as a precursor to loss. During the liberalisation in the late 1980s and early 1990s, forests were classified either as special use (national parks), protection (watersheds or storm barriers), or production (for industry). Deforestation and the associated power shifts have also reinforced the unequal access to land and water for Colombias landless peasants. 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