February 21, 2025 4:00 PM

Colombia deforestation rose 35% in 2024, minister says

Deforestation in Colombia rose 35% in 2024 from a 23-year low the previous year, fueled by an uptick in the Amazon region, Environment Minister Susana Muhamad said on Thursday. Deforestation reached 1,070 square kilometers (413 square miles) last year after falling to just over 792 square kilometers in 2023 from around 1,235 square kilometers in 2022. "What we've seen is an increase in 2024 in medium-sized patches of deforestation that involves operations paid for with large capital," Muhamad ...