BOGOTA, Aug 1 (Reuters) – Colombia recorded its lowest deforestation levels in two decades between 2022 and 2025, with forest loss in 2025 falling to 119,483 hectares (295,249 acres), the Environment Ministry and the country’s Institute of Hydrology, Meteorology and Environmental Studies said on Friday.
The 2025 figure represents a 31% reduction from the 2021 baseline of 174,000 hectares (429,963 acres), the government said, exceeding its annual 20% reduction target for the fourth consecutive year.
• Nonetheless, deforestation figures in 2025 exceeded those of 2024, when 113,608 hectares (280,731 acres) of land were razed.
• In the country’s Amazon region, deforestation affected 77,805 hectares (192,260 acres) last year, nearly unchanged from 77,124 hectares (190,578 acres) in 2024.
• The other areas with the highest levels of deforestation in 2025 were Cartagena del Chaira in the state of Caqueta with 16,983 hectares (41,966 acres), Mapiripan in Meta state with 6,782 hectares (16,759 acres), San Vicente del Caguan in Caqueta with 5,976 hectares (14,767 acres), and Calamar in the state of Guaviare with 5,755 hectares (14,220 acres), according to government figures.
• Deforestation within Colombia’s national parks system dropped 19% to 9,388 hectares (23,198 acres), from the 11,544 hectares (28,525 acres) registered in 2024.
• The government report found that the main drivers of deforestation are land grabbing for cattle ranching and unplanned infrastructure, not illicit crops.
• The government of leftist President Gustavo Petro assumed power in 2022 with a green agenda centered around reducing deforestation, renewable energy, and taking a step away from fossil fuels, though he has struggled to deliver on many of those goals.
(Reporting by Julia Symmes Cobb, Writing by Iñigo Alexander, Editing by Rod Nickel)
