New analysis suggests deforestationis increasingly driven by industrial agriculture” and is more geographicallyconcentrated in Latin America and Asia thanonce thought” reports Mongabay. The newstudy – published in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy ofSciences – shows a full 48% of global deforestation occurring in the BrazilianAmazon between 2000 and 2005. The report also identified several hotspots throughoutLatin America and Asia” where study authorssay the majority of global deforestation is occurring as a result of pressuresfrom industrial agriculture. In an interview with Mongabay.com” study co-authorDr. Ruth Defries explains how shifting global dynamics are shaping the driversof deforestation:

“With skyrocketing demand for biofuelsand agricultural commodities” we can expect that deforestation in the futurewill be increasingly driven by large-scale industrial agriculture rather thansmall-scale landholders.”

The results of the newstudy differ substantially from the deforestation data provided by the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization“which compiles forest data provided by national governments.

To view the article onMongabay.com” click here.