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NatureSeverity: Critical

Deforestation in the Colombian Amazon

Forest clearing concentrated in an arc of deforestation threatens connectivity between the Andes and the Amazon.

Colombian Amazon · Colombia

01 · The problem

What is happening

Colombia's official forest monitoring by IDEAM identifies the Amazon region as the country's main deforestation hotspot, concentrated in departments such as Caquetá, Guaviare and Meta. Land grabbing, conversion to cattle pasture, illicit crops and road building are major drivers. The shifting security situation following the 2016 peace agreement changed control over remote forest areas. Chiribiquete National Park, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, has been expanded and is a focus for protection. Colombia has reported declines in deforestation in some recent years, though trends vary.

Critical severity. Severe, persistent harm to health, ecosystems or livelihoods. Severity is descriptive editorial metadata summarising documented effects. It is not a measured index or a score.

02 · Causes

Why it is happening

  1. 01

    Land grabbing and cattle ranching

    Forest is cleared to claim land and establish pasture.

  2. 02

    Illicit crops

    Coca cultivation contributes to clearing in some areas.

  3. 03

    Road construction

    New roads open forests to settlement and clearing.

  4. 04

    Governance gaps

    Weak state presence in remote areas limits enforcement.

03 · Impacts

Who and what it affects

  1. 01

    Biodiversity loss

    The region is one of the most biodiverse on Earth.

  2. 02

    Loss of Andes–Amazon connectivity

    Fragmentation disrupts ecological corridors.

  3. 03

    Impacts on Indigenous peoples

    Indigenous territories and uncontacted peoples face pressure.

  4. 04

    Carbon emissions

    Clearing releases carbon stored in forests.

04 · Solutions

Documented approaches

  1. Protected areas and Indigenous reserves

    Expanding and enforcing protected areas and resguardos.

    Expected effectIndigenous lands and protected areas are associated with lower deforestation.

  2. Forest monitoring and early warnings

    IDEAM's quarterly deforestation early warning bulletins.

    Expected effectEnables targeted enforcement.

  3. Sustainable livelihoods

    Payments for conservation and support for forest-compatible production.

    Expected effectProvides alternatives to clearing.

Explore an illustrative What-If

05 · Key indicators

What can be measured

No reliable quantitative indicator is included for this issue. TerraLens shows figures only where a credible source supports them — consult the sources below for current data.

06 · Sources

Where this comes from

  1. [1]Instituto de Hidrología, Meteorología y Estudios Ambientales (IDEAM)Government of Colombiaideam.gov.co(opens in a new tab)
  2. [2]Chiribiquete National Park — World Heritage ListUNESCO World Heritage Centrewhc.unesco.org(opens in a new tab)
  3. [3]Global Forest WatchWorld Resources Instituteglobalforestwatch.org(opens in a new tab)

Links open the publishing organisation's site. Some point to the publisher's main page, where the named report or dataset can be found.

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