Causes of Tropical Rainforest Deforestation
- Deforestation is the felling and clearance of trees
- Malaysia, Brazil, India and Indonesia are experiencing the highest levels of deforestation in the world
- The Malaysian government has in the past failed to provide the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) with figures for forest loss
- There are six main human causes of deforestation
- Wildfires are a natural cause of deforestation:
- The frequency and severity of wildfires have increased this is linked to human induced climate change
Exam Tip
It is important to remember that deforestation is often the result of a combination of factors which are linked together rather than any one cause. For example, the growth of settlements also leads to more land being cleared for agriculture to support the people in the settlements.