Urgent Actions Needed to Reduce CO₂ Emissions from Deforestation and Fires in Bolivia

Bolivia, a country with nearly half of its territory covered by forests, faces significant deforestation and vegetation degradation from fires. According to updated estimations, the country experienced an average annual deforestation of 360.000 hectares and an annual average of 3,7 million hectares affected by fire between 2010 and 2023. The climate implications are significant: cumulated net emissions from deforestation over this period reached about 974 million tons of CO₂, while gross emissions from fireinduced vegetation degradation contributed an additional 1,6 billion tons. These findings align with previous reports and studies, revealing that the country ranks among the highest per capita emitters from land-use change worldwide. It highlights the urgent need to design specific and effective policies to reverse this trend.