Global deforestation sparks worldwide red alert

The primary source of natural beauty is trees and forests. Yet due to fires, human exploitation of forests, poverty, and deforestation in the name of development-along with many other factors-the sources of natural beauty are under severe strain. In Bangladesh and across the world, the destruction of these natural scenic resources continues relentlessly. Even as trees cry out amid raging flames and sparks of fire darken the sky, people remain indifferent-along with the administration and governments responsible for forest protection.
Alarming information about forest destruction frequently makes headlines in national and international media. During summer and periods of intense heat, forest fires and wildfires occur in many parts of Europe, Africa, Latin America, the United States, the United Kingdom, Australia, Canada, and various Asian countries.
Recently, several international media outlets, including The Guardian, published reports stating that in 2025 vast areas of South America were engulfed by wildfires. These fires destroyed ecosystems, forced school closures, and disrupted air travel. Bolivia was the worst affected, facing what was described as the most devastating fire season in its history. "We felt helpless and angry because we could not protect what we have," said Isabel Surubi Pessoa. Due to fires and preceding droughts, water sources in the lowlands of eastern Bolivia dried up, forcing local communities to migrate to nearby cities. Large farms and villages often use fire to clear land for cultivation or grazing livestock.
Environmental scientists argue that these fires are driven by the climate crisis, El Niño-related weather patterns causing prolonged drought, and weak environmental governance. Under such conditions, fires easily spread out of control, destroying forests and grasslands. The use of fire to clear large tracts of land for industrial agriculture is also a major cause of deforestation, simultaneously weakening the resilience of communities and ecosystems.
Notably, deforestation in Bolivia and Latin America is part of a broader global trend. According to data published by Global Forest Watch of the World Resources Institute, global deforestation reached a record high in 2024. Compared to 2023, the world lost nearly twice as much tropical primary forest-an area larger than Ireland. In the Amazon, the world's largest rainforest, deforestation is increasing temperatures and reducing rainfall, adversely affecting agriculture and food production. When combined with fires, the situation becomes even more severe, leading to water pollution, respiratory problems from smoke, increased risk of infections, and even school closures.
Bolivian environmentalist Iván Arnold said, "Living amid thousands of hectares of burned land can hardly be considered a healthy environment." After droughts and fires in 2024, heavy rainfall hit Bolivia, flooding cities and destroying crops. In the Surubi community of the country's tropical dry forest region, farming seasons were disrupted, roads and bridges were damaged, and recovery became even more difficult. Peter Potapov, Co-Director of the Global Land Analysis & Discovery (GLAD) Lab at the University of Maryland, warned: "If this trend continues, critical natural areas could be permanently transformed, releasing massive amounts of carbon-further intensifying climate change and fueling even more extreme fires."
For the first time, fire was identified as the leading cause of tropical primary forest loss-an ecosystem where fire is not naturally common (unlike regions such as Australia). These forests are among the most biodiverse on Earth and are vital carbon sinks. Greenhouse gas emissions from tropical primary forests lost in 2024 exceeded India's annual carbon emissions. Severe fires also struck boreal forests in Canada and Russia, while the global rate of tree loss reached an all-time high. Elizabeth Goldman, Co-Director of Global Forest Watch, stated, "This data is a stark warning to the international community. It is a global red alert."
Although vegetation loss is occurring worldwide, Latin America has suffered the greatest damage. Brazil lost more tropical primary forest than any other country. The Amazon experienced its largest decline since 2016, driven mainly by fires and agricultural expansion. After a slight decrease in 2023, Colombia saw a 50% increase in primary forest loss in 2024. Joaquín Carisosa, an advisor to the World Resources Institute Colombia, said, "Most deforestation is driven by transnational criminal networks. This is not just Colombia's problem." Other Latin American countries have also seen rising deforestation. In Belize, Guyana, Guatemala, and Mexico, fire was the primary cause. Nicaragua lost nearly 5% of its primary forest in 2024-the highest proportion globally. In Bolivia, primary forest loss increased by 200%, reaching 15,000 square kilometers. The country now ranks second after Brazil, surpassing even the Democratic Republic of Congo. This indicates that Bolivia has become a major driver of the global climate and environmental crisis. The expansion of industrial agriculture and livestock farming, weak law enforcement, and political structures that prioritize land conversion over forest conservation have further worsened the situation.
It must be remembered that "it is not enough to react only when fires break out; preparation during the off-season is crucial." "We are fighting so that we do not have to endure this suffering from fires again."
"If nature were a bank, everything would already have been done to protect it," or, "Disasters are called 'natural,' as if nature itself were the executioner rather than the victim." These words, spoken 16 years ago by Latin American writer Eduardo Galeano, remain deeply relevant today. They remind us that despite being an inseparable part of nature and growing up in its embrace, we continue to inflict limitless cruelty upon it. There is hope that through local and global collective efforts to protect forests-the true guardians of nature-the world and humanity may yet see a light of hope.
Motaher Hossain is Editor of ClimateJournal24.com and General Secretary of Bangladesh Climate Change Journalist Forum (BCCJF). motaherbd123@gmail.com