Deforestation in Peru is the process of deforestation of natural forest area in Peru. As of 2013, Peru had more than 50% coverage of the country in forest.[1] An important part of this coverage is Peruvian Amazonia. According to the Ministry of Environment (Peru) between 2001 and 2018 the country lost 2.2 million hectares of forest, mostly in the Amazonian regions of Loreto, San Martín and Ucayali.[1][2]According to Global Forest Watch, this was a 3.1% decrease in primary rain forest in that period.[3] In 2014, the Map of the Peruvia Amazon showed that more than 25% of the lost forest area was part of idigenous territories and protected natural areas.[4] During 2020, the Peruvian amazon lost more than 200 000 hectares.[5]
Deforestation leads to a degradation of forests, and their ability to capture carbon in ecosystems creating a source of carbon emissions for Peru[6][2] in 2012, the deforestation processses emitted approximately 80 Gigatons of CO2 equivalent.[2] Peru had a 2018 Forest Landscape Integrity Index mean score of 8.86/10, ranking it 14th globally out of 172 countries.[7]
A recently deforested area in Nueva Cajamarca (Rioja, San Martin, Pérou).
The source of much of the lost forest is expansion of agriculture and cattle grazing, road projects, extraction of wood and population increase .[8] Small scale agriculture is the main cause of the deforestacion, but also pressure from extractive industries and illegal mining and narco trafficking. [2][9][10]
The Peruvian government has said that 8% of Peru's primary forest can be saved or protected. A 2014 estimate suggested that Peru needs about $25 million a year for the next 10 years to be able to conserve at least 54 million hectares. As of 2014, the Peruvian government has committed $5 million a year and is looking for $20 million a year from the international community.[11]
