Do you know how much forest exists in Southeast Asia? Around a third of our land is covered by forests, and these forests make up almost 15% of the world’s tropical forests. Our forests are also some of the most biodiverse, which means we have some of a variety of plants and animals in our forests.
Yet, our lush forests are increasingly being destroyed. Southeast Asia has the highest rate of deforestation around the world, losing 1.2% of our forest every year. Combined, we have already lost over half of our original forests today.
The consequences of losing our forests are severe. First, forests secretly provide us with many services we rely on – clean waters, clean air, prevent floods and provide us with food. Losing our forests is equivalent to harming the hand that took care of us and fed us. Second, over 40% of Southeast Asian biodiversity will be extinct by 2100 should current deforestation trends continue. Without these plants and animals, 63% of our economy will not be able to operate, making everyone poorer in the long term. Third, deforestation will worsen climate change. Cutting down forests releases carbon from the soil our trees once absorbed. Deforestation in our region releases around 2.5 billion tonnes of carbon dioxide every year. Even if we only consider emissions from deforestation, it would make Southeast Asia the fourth largest carbon emitter in the world – just right behind India at 2.7 billion tonnes.
We must do something to stop deforestation in Southeast Asia. Everyone, including businesses, farmers, policy makers, have to do their part. Cutting down forests for money will make us poorer; cutting down forests for farms will make us hungrier, cutting down forests for houses will make us homeless. Recognising this, Recycle Dalat partnered with Joy Foundation to plant trees throughout Vietnam. These forests will benefit the locals and we hope to spread awareness on the importance of forests so that more people will protect them. Can we, Southeast Asians, protect the remaining forests we have? Only time will tell.