Canada is now the world's leading 'deforestation nation'
UXBRIDGE, Canada (IPS) - The world's last remaining forest wilderness is rapidly being lost -- and much of this is taking place in Canada, not in Brazil or Indonesia where deforestation has so far made the headlines.
A new satellite study reveals that since 2000 more than 104 million hectares of forests -- an area three times the size of Germany -- have been destroyed or degraded.
"Every four seconds, an area of the size of a football (soccer) field is lost," said Christoph Thies of Greenpeace International.
The extent of this forest loss, which is clearly visible in satellite images taken in 2000 and 2013, is "absolutely appalling" and has a global impact, Thies told IPS, because forests play a crucial in regulating the climate.
The current level of deforestation is putting more CO2 into the atmosphere than all the world's cars, trucks, ships and planes together, he said, adding that "governments must take urgent action" to protect intact forests by creating more protected areas, strengthening the rights of forest communities and other measures, including convincing lumber, furniture manufacturers and others to refuse to use products from virgin forests.
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