Colombia’s deforestation soared 43% in 2024, as more than 113,608 hectares of forest were destroyed, mainly in the Amazon, according to the Ministry of Environment and Sustainable Development. This steep rise follows a record low in 2023 and has sparked concern among environmentalists and government officials.

During a July 2025 press conference, Environment Minister Lena Estrada attributed the die-off to several factors: forest fires, land-grabbing for cattle ranching, illegal road construction, and coca cultivation. The Amazon bore the brunt, losing around 75,000 hectares, over 65% of total forest loss, putting the planet’s second most biodiverse country at further risk.

Deforestation Trends (2021–2024)

While the 2024 total is lower than 2021 and 2022, the sudden rise reverses two years of encouraging decline. Despite the setback, Environment Minister Susana Muhamad pointed out earlier this year that it remains the second-lowest in two decades.

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Key Causes of the 2024 Surge

• Forest Fires: Accelerated by drought and El Niño, deforestation rose 40% in quarter 1.
• Cattle Ranching: Widespread forest clearing for pasture, even inside protected areas.
• Illegal Activities: Coca cultivation, mining, and road construction led by armed groups.
• Organized Crime: FARC dissidents and other groups backed by significant capital cleared mid-sized forest patches.
• Policy Conflicts: The government’s Plan Pacifico, encouraging extraction, may have contributed to deforestation.

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Government Action and Setbacks

President Gustavo Petro’s administration has stepped up enforcement of illegal land use, with soldiers cracking down on environmental crime. More than $7 million was awarded after consulting Amazonian Indigenous communities.

Efforts Include:

• Community forest payment programs
• Peace talks with armed groups
• Environmental fines and prosecutions
• Grand Alliance Against Deforestation, uniting civil society and business

Still, obstacles remain. Talks with FARC factions collapsed, and in 2025, a $70 million USAID freeze slowed key conservation work.

Hosting COP16 in 2024 brought visibility but failed to secure $200 billion annually for biodiversity conservation. A proposed fee for genetic resource usage was the summit’s primary policy outcome.

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Impact on Biodiversity and Climate

Colombia, with 10% of all species on earth, is experiencing a critical loss of habitat. Species such as the cotton-top tamarin are threatened with extinction. The destruction of the Amazon also disrupts the world’s carbon storage and exposes the regional climate to floods, droughts, and soil erosion.

Forest loss further disrupts Indigenous communities and worsens rural poverty, droughts, and long-term social risks.

What’s Ahead

Colombia’s deforestation soared 43%, but early 2025 data offers hope: deforestation dropped 33% in Q1, with Amazon national parks seeing a 54% decrease, thanks to community-led protections and more vigorous enforcement.

Yet significant challenges remain: poverty, armed conflict, and weak governance in remote areas. Long-term, stable funding and policy alignment beyond the Petro era are essential to preserve Colombia’s forests as a global climate asset.

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