The climate threat|Global challenges

Timber boat in Brazil. Andre Penner / AP  

 

The climate threat|Global challenges  

An area of rainforest equivalent to Switzerland was devastated last year  

 

Deforestation of rainforests increased last year – an area the size of Switzerland was cut down globally. The BBC reports.  

 

Thus, the goal of stopping devastation by 2030, which 100 world leaders signed at the COP26 climate meeting two years ago, is far away. 

 

Brazil dominated deforestation with 1.77 million hectares in 2022, followed by Congo-Kinshasa with 513,000 hectares and Bolivia with 386,000.  

 

However, Indonesia, fourth on the list, shows a positive trend – the island nation has reduced deforestation more than any other country in recent years.

 

 

Illustration image. TT 

 

90 percent of food from the sea is threatened 

 

More than 90 percent of the global marine food supply is threatened due to climate change such as increased temperatures and pollution, according to a new study according to Reuters. 

 

The study examined the "blue food" category, which includes more than 2,190 species of fish, shellfish, plants and algae, as well as over 540 species grown in freshwater. In total, they feed more than 3.2 billion people worldwide.  

 

Not enough is being done to curb these risks, according to the study, published in the journal Nature Sustainability.  

 

- Although we have made progress in terms of climate change, our adaptation strategies for blue food [...] are still underdeveloped and require urgent oversight, says co-author Rebecca Short.