Causes of Deforestation

Human activities associated with economic development and rising resource demands are leading causes of deforestation. The overwhelming amount of deforestation is anthropogenic (human-caused).

Aerial view of farm fields meeting forest edge

Agricultural Expansion

The primary cause is agricultural expansion. This includes cattle ranching and farming cash crops like soy and palm oil. The FAO estimates almost 90 percent of deforestation is attributed to agriculture.

Cattle ranching - driver in the Amazon
Palm oil plantations - destroying rainforests in SE Asia
Soybean farming - expanding into tropical forests
Subsistence farming - small-scale local agriculture

Commercial Logging

Commercial logging provides wood for construction and paper. In tropical areas with weak regulation, it is a major factor in forest loss.

Table 1: Major Drivers of Deforestation by Region
Region	Primary Driver	Secondary Driver
Amazon Basin	Cattle ranching	Soybean farming
Southeast Asia	Palm oil	Commercial logging
Central Africa	Subsistence farming	Commercial logging