Deforestation in Southeast Asia

The area of Southeast Asia is facing one of the worst cases of deforestation in the world. It is stated that, "The region has the highest deforestation rate in the world, losing 1.2% of its forest annually" (2023). This problem goes beyond the typical consequences that come with deforestation due to the fact that Southeast Asia is home to a majority of the worlds tropical forests. This can be seen in the map below. The blue boxes show where integrated deforestation alerts are present and the green sections of the land shows where there are high levels of biodiversity present. This map helps to put into perspective the connection between deforestation and biodiversity in the area of Southeast Asia.

The reason that Southeast Asia is facing such high rates of deforestation is in order to support the region's agricultural and food production as well as other raw material industries. In other words industrialization is causing Southeast Asia to lose its forests. Palm oil production is the leading cause for deforestation in the areas of Southeast Asia. Currently, "84% of global palm oil production occurs in Indonesia and Malaysia, accounting for 57% and 27% respectively, making palm oil the major cause of deforestation in Southeast Asia" (Lai, 2022). Coming in second to palm oil production for the leading causes of deforestation is logging and croplands. This includes logging activities for wood, paper, pulp, and timber plantations with the biggest of these causes being illegal logging. "Between 1991 and 2014, illegal logging provided 219 million cubic metres of timber in Indonesia, and made up 80% of timber exports in the 2000s, costing the nation over $4 billion in annual revenue" (Lai, 2022).

The reason these actions that are leading to deforestation are such a concern is because deforestation has lead to the loss of biodiversity (as stated before), soil erosion, water pollution, climatic instability, displacement of Indigenous communities, and the disruption of ecosystem services. Loss of biodiversity is such a concern when it comes to deforestation in Southeast Asia due to the fact that these tropical forests found in Southeast Asia are so high in biodiversity. When deforestation occurs, "the destruction of forests disrupts delicate ecosystems, leading to the extinction of numerous plant and animal species" (2023). Climatic instability is a concern not only when it comes to deforestation in Southeast Asia but every part of the world because global warming is already a concern for this generation and all deforestation does is exacerbate the greenhouse gas effects. This goes to show just how serious the threat of deforestation can be if not taken seriously.

The good news about this is that there are groups that are working to try and stop the effects of deforestation. Some of these groups include the Mekong River Commission and the Heart of Borneo initiative. These groups are working together, "to facilitates cooperation among parties in protecting, conserving and sustainably managing remaining forests and adjacent areas" (Ardiansyah, 2013). While these efforts are making some progress, due to the demand for commodities such as palm oil and timber the efforts are not enough to make any real change.

My thoughts on this topic are that not enough people realize the long term and permanent effects that we are having on our environment. I believe that the word needs to be more widely spread so that more people are aware and conscious of the impact that we are having on the environment.

Vocabulary Definitions:

Biodiversity: the variety of life in the world or in a particular habitat or ecosystem

Industrialization: the development of industries in a country or region on a wide scale

Climate: the weather conditions prevailing in an area in general or over a long period