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BBC HomepageSkip to contentAccessibility HelpYour accountNotificationsHomeNewsSportWeatheriPlayerSoundsBitesizeMore menuMore menuSearch BBCHomeNewsSportWeatheriPlayerSoundsBitesizeCBBCCBeebiesFoodClose menuBBC NewsMenuHomeIsrael-Gaza warCost of LivingWar in UkraineClimateUKWorldBusinessPoliticsCultureMoreTechScienceHealthFamily & EducationIn PicturesNewsbeatBBC VerifyDisabilityScience & EnvironmentClimate change: Logging decline after political change in Brazil, ColombiaPublished37 minutes agoShareclose panelShare pageCopy linkAbout sharingRelated TopicsCOP28Image source, Bloomberg via Getty ImagesImage caption, Observers say government action in Colombia has led to a reduction in primary forest lossBy Matt McGrathEnvironment correspondentThe number of trees lost in tropical forests in Brazil and Colombia fell dramatically last year because of political action, a new analysis finds.Researchers say new leaders have prioritised the environment, with tree losses in the Brazilian Amazon down by a huge 39%.However, increased tree felling and fires in Bolivia, Laos and Nicaragua wiped out many of these gains. Global losses were up by a quarter, mainly due to forest fires in Canada.Seagulls ‘charismatic’ not ‘criminal’, say scientistsMammals battle for life in new Attenborough seriesHow do you save the pint from climate change?The intense, long-lasting wildfires that burned across Canada drove five times more tree losses in 2023 than in the previous year. Fires in northern forest areas have a huge impact on the overall global picture of tree cover loss, according to analysts from the University of Maryland’s GLAD lab and the World Resources Institute (WRI) who publish annual data on forest felling.But for these researchers, the intentional clearing of mature rainforests in the tropical regions is the most important measure when it comes to climate change. In locations like the Amazon, these primary forests store vast amounts of carbon critical to the world’s efforts to limit the rise in global temperatures. These tropical regions have also been the main focus for human-driven deforestation over the past five decades. Image source, Getty ImagesImage caption, The return to government of President Lula has coincided with a dramatic drop in forest losses in BrazilIn 2023, the tropics saw 3.7 million hectares of forest lost – equivalent to 10 football fields per minute, a slight decline on last year.These losses would have been far higher if it wasn’t for Brazil and Colombia. According to this new analysis, political action in both countries has had a significant impact on tree felling.President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva came to power in Brazil last year promising to tackle tree losses and end deforestation by 2030. As a result, there has been a 36% drop in primary forest losses in Brazil in 2023, compared to 2022. “I think what we’re seeing in Brazil, for example, is really a case of putting law enforcement back in place that was dismantled during the previous government,” said Rod Taylor from WRI.Given that Brazil was responsible for 43% of all tropical forest loss in 2022, this reduction is significant.While the drop has been welcomed, observers say that tree losses still remain higher than they were in the early 2010s. Not all the forested regions of Brazil saw reductions. In the Cerrado, which is the centre of agricultural production, there was a 6% increase in tree loss. Image source, Getty ImagesImage caption, Wildfires ranged in Canada throughout 2023, pushing up global tree lossesColombia also saw a significant decline with primary forest loss down by almost half compared to 2022.Observers say the actions of President Gustavo Petro Urrego have played an important role in the fall. “The story of deforestation in Colombia is complex and deeply intertwined with the country’s politics, which makes 2023’s historic decrease particularly powerful,” said Alejandra Laina, from WRI, Colombia. “There is no doubt that recent government action and the commitment of the communities has had a profound impact on Colombia’s forests, and we encourage those involved in current peace talks to use this data as a springboard to accelerate further progress.”But elsewhere the picture on tree loss remains poor. Bolivia saw a record loss for the third year in a row with numbers up 27% on 2022. Around half of this was down to fires, as hot weather saw fires started by humans spread into forests. There were also notable upticks in Laos and Nicaragua, mainly due to agricultural expansion. Image source, Getty ImagesImage caption, A worker harvesting Brazil nuts in Bolivia where the expansion of agriculture and wildfire has seen tree losses rise rapidlyIndonesia also saw an increase in losses, but the rate remains historically low compared to a decade ago.Researchers say the overall picture is decidedly mixed, and they point to the fact that the world has just six years left to keep a promise to halt deforestation, made in 2021 at COP26 in Glasgow.”This report appropriately challenges us to balance despair and hope at the same time,” said Dr. Andrew Steer, president and CEO of the Bezos Earth Fund.”The alarmingly high rates of global deforestation remind us how badly off track we are in solving the climate and nature crises.”Related TopicsDeforestation of the Amazon rainforestCOP28COP26ClimateDeforestationTop StoriesCharity boss says Israel targeted staff ‘car by car’Published7 hours agoFears for Gazans as aid groups halt work over air strikePublished4 hours agoTaiwan wakes up to aftermath of worst quake in 25 yearsPublished4 hours agoFeatures‘You see skeletons’ – South Africa’s deadly borderThe Papers: PM’s warning over ECHR and Israel arms ban callsHow might Iran seek to hurt Israel after general’s killing?The unprecedented booing of an Indian cricket starWhat we know about Israeli strike on aid convoySchool shooting brings up tough questions for FinlandParents of murdered stalking victim ‘finally’ feel supportedJeremy Bowen: The Israel-Gaza war is at a crossroadsHow AI is being used to prevent illegal fishingElsewhere on the BBCUnrolling surprising facts about wallpaperJoin Ruth Goodman as she unravels the curious history of this everyday objectAttributionSoundsMind-blowing looks for a career transforming prizeGlow Up is returning with eight aspiring make up artists – here a preview…AttributioniPlayerCould climate change lead to more volcanic eruptions?CrowdScience travels to New Zealand to search for answersAttributionSoundsWhat is a Trad Wife?Poppy and Rubina unpack the internet trend and consider if that lifestyle could be for themAttributionSoundsMost Read1PM’s warning over ECHR and Israel arms ban calls2Charity boss says Israel targeted staff ‘car by car’3Super Bowl champion admits role in Texas car crash4Disney defeats critics after bruising battle5DWP take woman’s inheritance over supermarket job6Airports could take extra year to lift liquids ban7’Fake live stream scammers targeted my dad’s funeral’8Mum’s ashes found in brown paper bag, says son9The unprecedented booing of an Indian cricket star10Taiwan wakes up to aftermath of worst quake in 25 years
[ad_1] Brazil and Colombia curbed logging in 2023, but other countries wiped out many of the gains.
![BBC HomepageSkip to contentAccessibility HelpYour accountLiveNotificationsHomeNewsSportWeatheriPlayerSoundsBitesizeMore menuMore menuSearch BBCHomeNewsSportWeatheriPlayerSoundsBitesizeCBBCCBeebiesFoodClose menuBBC NewsMenuHomeIsrael-Gaza warCost of LivingWar in UkraineClimateUKWorldBusinessPoliticsCultureMoreTechScienceHealthFamily & EducationIn PicturesNewsbeatBBC VerifyDisabilityAsiaChinaIndiaA jailed Imran Khan leaves Pakistan divided ahead of electionPublished7 hours agoShareclose panelShare pageCopy linkAbout sharingImage source, Getty ImagesImage caption, Once seen as the Pakistan army’s golden boy, Imran Khan was ousted in a no-confidence vote widely seen as orchestrated by the armed forcesBy Kelly Ng, Tarhub Asghar & Farhat Javedin Singapore, Lahore and IslamabadIn the Zeshaan household there is a ground rule – conversations about politics are not allowed when the family gets together. It was a rule laid down shortly after Imran Khan was elected Pakistan’s prime minister in July 2018.”I remember my father didn’t vote for Imran Khan in the 2018 elections. My sister and I didn’t talk to him for three months. We couldn’t sit together at meals or anything,” said Nida Zeshaan, who calls herself a “diehard Khan supporter”.While political differences among families and friends are nothing unusual, no other politician has caused as many rifts in relationships in Pakistan as the former cricket star who rose to be PM before being ousted. Khan was elected after he vowed to to fight corruption and fix the ailing economy, but he has been fighting a series of cases since he fell out of power in 2022. Several criminal convictions have now barred him from standing in general elections on Thursday. The 71-year-old claims these are politically motivated to boot him off the ballot.And yet he still dominates conversation ahead of the 8 February vote.’We couldn’t sit together at meals'”I can say it out loud that I love Imran Khan but my father thinks he is not a good politician,” Ms Zeshaan says. The 32-year-old homemaker says she was especially drawn to the ideal of an Islamic welfare state (or Riyasat-e-Madin) championed by Khan “where equality and equity can be for everyone”. What led to Pakistan PM Imran Khan’s downfallFriend to foe: How Imran Khan took on Pakistan’s armyBut her father disapproves of the populist politician because of his perceived close ties to the military at the start of his political career. The military is widely regarded as Pakistan’s most powerful institution and has deep influence on its politics. It has ruled the country directly for more than three decades since its formation in 1947, and has continued to play a big role thereafter. No prime minister in Pakistan has ever finished a five-year term, but three out of four military dictators were able to rule for more than nine years each. “I believe my father was judging Khan for his past life. Whatever it is, political differences are hard to resolve, so we’ve agreed not to discuss politics when we are together,” said Ms Zeshaan, who lives in Pakistan’s second largest city Lahore.It is widely believed that Khan first rose to political prominence with support from Pakistan’s military establishment, but tensions between both sides emerged once he was in office. He allegedly fell out with then-military leaders over the appointment of the head of the country’s intelligence agency. Then, four years into his premiership, Khan was ousted in a no-confidence vote that he alleges was backed by the US in a “foreign conspiracy” that also involved Pakistan’s military. Both the US and the military have rubbished these allegations. This galvanised his supporters, who like Ms Zeshaan, have jumped to his defence.”Unfortunately he did not get enough time and chances to implement all of these things. Also, the circumstances and other powers of the country didn’t let him perform,” she said.Many Pakistanis are frustrated that his economic and anti-corruption pledges have rung hollow, but his popularity has not waned even from behind bars. A Gallup opinion poll in December showed his approval ratings stand at 57%, putting him narrowly ahead of rival Nawaz Sharif with 52% of the votes. A Bloomberg survey last month showed Khan to be the top pick among some Pakistani finance professionals to run the country’s failing economy.Image caption, Muhammad Hafeez, a farmer, says Imran Khan sparked a political awakening by portraying himself as a “change candidate”Some citizens say Khan sparked a political awakening by portraying himself as a “change candidate” who promised to end dynastic politics. “It was Imran Khan and his party who explained to a villager like me how two parties plundered the wealth of the nation. He taught us how to vote for change,” said farmer Muhammad Hafeez, who lives in Nabipura, a village in Punjab.Mr Hafeez was referring to the Pakistan Muslim League (PML-N) and Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) – led by two political families that have dominated Pakistani politics for decades. Once bitter rivals, they united to topple Khan and his PTI in 2022. The PML-N candidate, Nawaz Sharif is widely expected to win the election and become prime minister for a record fourth term. This is being seen as a dramatic turnaround in his political fortunes. He was ousted from his second term in a 1999 military coup and sentenced to life imprisonment on charges of hijacking and terrorism, and also convicted of corruption.He returned to Pakistan from exile in Saudi Arabia in 2007, and was elected prime minister for a third time in 2013. He was removed from power in 2017 following a corruption investigation related to the Panama Papers, and was sentenced to seven years’ jail in a separate graft case a year later. This paved the way for Khan to become prime minister.Now it is Khan who is behind bars and the path for Sharif to become PM is clear. Many believe that he is the military’s preferred candidate this time around. “Khan created awareness. Previously, people were not politically aware enough to speak up for their rights,” Mr Hafeez said.Is Imran Khan’s political future over now he is in jail?Pakistan’s king of comebacks looks set to win againBut other observers allege that Khan’s politics are nothing more than rabble-rousing and populism. “We are supposedly expected to believe this was a wronged man, almost a martyr, who ostensibly had a clean record prior to entering this murky fray,” said Burzine Waghmar from the University of London’s SOAS South Asia Institute.”[But] Khan’s style of governance comprised avoidable squabbles with the military top brass and irresponsible demagoguery.”‘Divided loyalties’Some believe Khan’s biggest offence was challenging the military, which has long been the ultimate arbiter of politics in the country – and is widely referred to as the “establishment”.Other former prime ministers have fallen out with the army in the past but few have come as close to Khan in dividing loyalties there. Image source, Getty ImagesImage caption, Supporters of the Pakistan Muslim League Nawaz, or PML-N, whose candidate Nawaz Sharif is making a comeback after serving time for corruptionSome retired military officers – typically expected to toe the line – have spoken against the army’s political interference.They allege that this has sparked a crackdown by military leaders against them. One retired senior officer said he was instructed to “stop talking in favour of Imran Khan”.”I said I am not speaking in favour of him, nor am I speaking against the military. I am against the policies and interventions of a few individuals who are causing harm to the country,” he claims.Some retired military officers told the BBC they were implicated after Khan fell out of power for not supporting the no-confidence vote against him. Others claim they had their pensions and government benefits suspended, while others received threats that further action could be taken against them.Many have since gone quiet. The BBC reached out to the military regarding these allegations but did not receive a response. A spokesman of the military said last year that retired army officers are “assets of the army but they are not above the law”, warning also that they should not get involved in organisations that “wear the garb of politics”.But with Khan now out of the running and the PTI too dealt a big blow after Pakistan’s election commission banned its iconic cricket bat symbol from ballot papers in January, it may look like Khan has been effectively neutralised. But instead, political divisions across the country look set to deepen. Back in Lahore, Imran Khan supporter Ms Zeshaan said: “Even my friends know my political lines. Whenever any of them tries to cross them I stop meeting them or we usually end up fighting with each other.”Additional reporting by Nicholas Yong in SingaporeRelated TopicsPakistanImran KhanNawaz SharifAsiaBilawal Bhutto ZardariMore on this storyHow Imran Khan plans to win an election from jailPublished2 days ago’My mother doesn’t know if she’s married or a widow’Published3 days agoA jailed star and former convict: Pakistan’s election, explainedPublished5 days agoIs Imran Khan’s political future over now he is in jail?Published6 August 2023Top StoriesLive. 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