elaborate on this piece of evidence of deforestation on a 8th grade level

Question

“In the last decade, the largest amounts of deforestation occurred across the humid tropics, mostly in Africa, followed by South America. The UN Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) estimates that around 420 million hectares of forest were lost between 1990 and 2020 (or 178 million hectares net, i.e. taking into account afforestation and the natural expansion of forests). The annual rate of deforestation has since slowed but was still 10 million hectares per year between 2015 and 2020. The most important driver of deforestation is the global demand for agricultural commodities: agribusinesses clear huge tracts of forest and use the land to plant high-value cash crops like palm oil and soya, and for cattle ranching.”

Answer 1

Deforestation is a serious problem that affects our planet, and it has been happening a lot over the last ten years, especially in warm and wet places called humid tropics, mainly in Africa and South America. The United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) reported some shocking numbers: from 1990 to 2020, about 420 million hectares of forest were lost! To put that into perspective, a hectare is about the size of a soccer field, so that’s like losing millions of soccer fields of trees over those years.

Although the rate of deforestation has slowed down a bit recently, it’s still a significant issue. Between 2015 and 2020, forests continued to disappear at a rate of about 10 million hectares each year. That’s like losing an area of forest the size of a small country every year!

So, why is this happening? The main reason for deforestation is the increasing demand for agricultural products around the world. Businesses that grow these crops need more land, so they cut down trees to create space for farming. They often plant valuable crops like palm oil and soybeans, which are used in a lot of our food and products. Additionally, forested areas are cleared to make room for cattle ranching, where cows are raised for beef.

All of this deforestation can have serious effects on the environment, including the loss of wildlife habitats, changes in climate, and the release of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere. As we learn more about these issues, it’s important for us to find ways to protect our forests and make smarter choices about how we use land.