Deforestation
Deforestation is the permanent conversion of forest to non-forest land use, such as agriculture, pasture, urban areas, or bare land. Global deforestation occurs at approximately 10 million hectares annually, destroying forest ecosystems and releasing stored carbon.
Real World
Between 2019 and 2020, Brazil lost approximately 11,000 km² of Amazon rainforest — an area larger than Jamaica — driven largely by cattle ranching and soy cultivation, releasing vast stores of carbon into the atmosphere.
Exam Focus
Always specify the cause of deforestation (commercial agriculture, logging, subsistence farming) — generic answers about 'tree cutting' will not access higher mark bands.
How well did you know this?