• Burmese
Saturday, July 12, 2025
No Result
View All Result
NEWSLETTER
The Irrawaddy
25 °c
Yangon
  • Home
  • News
    • Burma
    • Politics
    • World
    • Asia
    • Myanmar’s Crisis & the World
    • Ethnic Issues
    • War Against the Junta
    • Junta Cronies
    • Conflicts In Numbers
    • Junta Watch
    • Fact Check
    • Investigation
    • Myanmar-China Watch
    • Obituaries
  • Politics
  • Business
  • Opinion
    • Commentary
    • Guest Column
    • Analysis
    • Editorial
    • Stories That Shaped Us
    • Letters
  • Junta Watch
  • Ethnic Issues
  • War Against the Junta
  • In Person
    • Interview
    • Profile
  • Books
  • Donation
  • Home
  • News
    • Burma
    • Politics
    • World
    • Asia
    • Myanmar’s Crisis & the World
    • Ethnic Issues
    • War Against the Junta
    • Junta Cronies
    • Conflicts In Numbers
    • Junta Watch
    • Fact Check
    • Investigation
    • Myanmar-China Watch
    • Obituaries
  • Politics
  • Business
  • Opinion
    • Commentary
    • Guest Column
    • Analysis
    • Editorial
    • Stories That Shaped Us
    • Letters
  • Junta Watch
  • Ethnic Issues
  • War Against the Junta
  • In Person
    • Interview
    • Profile
  • Books
  • Donation
No Result
View All Result
The Irrawaddy
No Result
View All Result
Home News Asia

Urbanization, Commercial Farms Threaten Asia’s Forests, UN Warns

Thomson Reuters Foundation by Thomson Reuters Foundation
June 19, 2019
in Asia
Reading Time: 2 mins read
0 0
A A
An aerial photo of a palm oil plantation in Batanghari, Jambi Province, Sumatra Island, Indonesia, on Nov. 28, 2018. / Reuters

An aerial photo of a palm oil plantation in Batanghari, Jambi Province, Sumatra Island, Indonesia, on Nov. 28, 2018. / Reuters

5k
VIEWS
Share on FacebookShare on Twitter

BANGKOK—Sprawling urban areas and expanding plantations are placing greater pressure on forests and resources in Asia-Pacific, hurting rural communities and exacerbating the effects of climate change, the United Nations food agency said on Tuesday.

The region has the world’s lowest per capita forest area of 19 percent compared to the global average of 32 percent, even as the total forest area increased by nearly 18 million hectares (44 million acres) between 1990 and 2015, a report by the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) said.

While some Asian countries have introduced policies to conserve forests and give more rights to indigenous people, the area of planted forest nearly doubled between 1990 and 2015 at the expense of more critical primary forests, it said.

RelatedPosts

UN Rapporteur Urges Rejection of Myanmar Election ‘Fraud’

UN Rapporteur Urges Rejection of Myanmar Election ‘Fraud’

June 26, 2025
854
Tree-Planting Hides Logging Frenzy; Moving Mountains for Steel Production; and More

Tree-Planting Hides Logging Frenzy; Moving Mountains for Steel Production; and More

June 14, 2025
1.3k
China Defends Myanmar Junta on Human Rights at UN

China Defends Myanmar Junta on Human Rights at UN

June 12, 2025
2.1k

“We are worried about the lack of forest quality in our region—as primary forests are rich in biodiversity—and once that’s gone, it’s gone,” said Kundhavi Kadiresan, FAO assistant director-general and regional representative in Bangkok.

“Unfortunately, conservation of forests in one country often just shifts deforestation to another,” she said.

Forests have been recognized as key to climate-change mitigation and adaptation, yet expanding populations and increasing demand for minerals and other resources are placing greater stress on them, according to conservationists.

Governments control more than two-thirds of global forest area, much of which is claimed by local communities, according to advocacy group Rights and Resources Initiative.

This has led to greater conflicts pitting smallholder farmers and villagers against governments and industry.

Global demand for commodities like rubber and palm oil have driven changes in land use, especially in countries such as Indonesia and Papua New Guinea, where governments have granted businesses leases and land concessions to boost their economies.

The area of planted forests, which included plantations, almost doubled in the region between 1990 and 2015, and made up 17 percent of total forest area, compared to the global average of 7 percent, according to the FAO.

Meanwhile, the area designated for or owned by indigenous people and local communities grew by about 17 million hectares between 2002 and 2017, the FAO said.

“Nevertheless, conflicts related to protected areas, land-grabbing, tenure and benefit sharing, are prevalent in the region and may be exacerbated by climate change,” it said.

Advanced technologies such as satellite imagery, remote sensing, artificial intelligence and robotics are helping governments improve forest monitoring and management, and protecting rural communities, the FAO added.

India’s Forest Rights Act, Indonesia’s Social Forestry Program and Cambodia’s social land concessions are examples of legislation that have tried to restore rights to communities.

“Governments have recognized the role of people in forest landscapes, and a few have accepted stronger civil society and community-based organisations,” said David Ganz, executive director of advocacy group The Center for People and Forests (RECOFTC).

“But many others are tightening their control. This is diluting social and environmental safeguards, and could change forest landscapes irretrievably,” he told the Thomson Reuters Foundation.

You may also like these stories:

Top Food Firms Spot Supply-Chain Risks to Forests in Real Time

Indonesian Activists Abseil Down Palm Refinery Tanks in Deforestation Protest

Palm Oil Watchdog Urged to Take ‘Giant Leap’ to Save Forests

Your Thoughts …
Tags: AsiaDeforestationUNUrbanization
Thomson Reuters Foundation

Thomson Reuters Foundation

Agency

Similar Picks:

Singapore Called On to Stop Feeding Myanmar Junta’s War Machine
Myanmar’s Crisis & the World

Singapore Called On to Stop Feeding Myanmar Junta’s War Machine

by The Irrawaddy
August 24, 2023
10.2k

Over 200 civil society organizations demand that city-state block regime’s access to arms, dual-use goods, technology and funds.

Read moreDetails
UN Slams Aid Abuse After ‘Rice Bunkers’ Found at Myanmar Junta Base
Burma

UN Slams Aid Abuse After ‘Rice Bunkers’ Found at Myanmar Junta Base

by Hein Htoo Zan
December 19, 2024
5.8k

Fortifications built from rice sacks reportedly discovered at Border Guard Force Battalion seized by Arakan Army in famine-threatened Rakhine State.

Read moreDetails
Yingluck Shinawatra to Be UN Special Envoy on Myanmar?
Burma

Yingluck Shinawatra to Be UN Special Envoy on Myanmar?

by The Irrawaddy
April 1, 2024
5.5k

Selection of former Thai PM hailed as ‘bold, maverick’ choice by noted Myanmar analyst.

Read moreDetails
UN Condemns Looting and Burning of WFP Warehouse by Myanmar Junta in Rakhine
Burma

UN Condemns Looting and Burning of WFP Warehouse by Myanmar Junta in Rakhine

by The Irrawaddy
June 25, 2024
4.2k

Border Guard troops stole rice then torched building while retreating from Arakan Army, say local reports.

Read moreDetails
Myanmar Junta Slams Global Condemnation on Anniversary of Rohingya Genocide 
Burma

Myanmar Junta Slams Global Condemnation on Anniversary of Rohingya Genocide 

by The Irrawaddy
August 29, 2023
3.9k

Military regime dismisses accusations of ethnic cleansing, while parallel civilian government pledges safe return and justice for ethnic minority.  

Read moreDetails
Don’t Give a Wild Beast a Taste of Blood
Guest Column

Don’t Give a Wild Beast a Taste of Blood

by Ye Myo Hein
October 20, 2023
3.7k

Having chosen to engage with a junta at war with its civilian population, international ‘peacemakers’ are complicit in repeated crimes...

Read moreDetails
Load More
Next Post
A policeman stands next to electronic waste hidden in a freight container during a search at Leam Chabang industrial estate, Chonburi province, Thailand on May 29, 2018. / REUTERS

SE Asia Should Ban Imports of Foreign Trash: Environmentalists

Taiwan flags are seen near protesters attending a demonstration to demand the resignation of Hong Kong leader Carrie Lam and the withdrawal of the extradition bill, in Hong Kong on June 16, 2019. / REUTERS

Many in Hong Kong, Fearful of China's Grasp, Flee to Taiwan

No Result
View All Result

Recommended

‘Reforms Are Not Optional’: Prominent Activist Urges NUG to Act Before It’s Too Late

‘Reforms Are Not Optional’: Prominent Activist Urges NUG to Act Before It’s Too Late

2 days ago
996
Trump’s Tariffs to Hit Myanmar’s Garment Manufacturers Hard

Trump’s Tariffs to Hit Myanmar’s Garment Manufacturers Hard

3 days ago
994

Most Read

  • Chinese Investment Reshapes Myanmar’s N. Shan as MNDAA Consolidates Power

    Chinese Investment Reshapes Myanmar’s N. Shan as MNDAA Consolidates Power

    shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0
  • Myanmar Junta Deploying Conscripts in Major Push to Reclaim Lost Territory

    shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0
  • Myanmar Junta Chief Thanks Trump for Shutting Down VOA and RFA

    shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0
  • KIA Denies Rumor Chief Under House Arrest in China

    shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0
  • Two Prominent Myanmar Ex-Political Prisoners Die Hours Apart in Yangon

    shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0

Newsletter

Get The Irrawaddy’s latest news, analyses and opinion pieces on Myanmar in your inbox.

Subscribe here for daily updates.

Contents

  • News
  • Politics
  • War Against the Junta
  • Myanmar’s Crisis & the World
  • Conflicts In Numbers
  • Junta Crony
  • Ethnic Issues
  • Asia
  • World
  • Business
  • Economy
  • Election 2020
  • Elections in History
  • Cartoons
  • Features
  • Opinion
  • Editorial
  • Commentary
  • Guest Column
  • Analysis
  • Letters
  • In Person
  • Interview
  • Profile
  • Dateline
  • Specials
  • Myanmar Diary
  • Women & Gender
  • Places in History
  • On This Day
  • From the Archive
  • Myanmar & COVID-19
  • Intelligence
  • Myanmar-China Watch
  • Lifestyle
  • Travel
  • Food
  • Fashion & Design
  • Videos
  • Photos
  • Photo Essay
  • Donation

About The Irrawaddy

Founded in 1993 by a group of Myanmar journalists living in exile in Thailand, The Irrawaddy is a leading source of reliable news, information, and analysis on Burma/Myanmar and the Southeast Asian region. From its inception, The Irrawaddy has been an independent news media group, unaffiliated with any political party, organization or government. We believe that media must be free and independent and we strive to preserve press freedom.

  • Copyright
  • Code of Ethics
  • Privacy Policy
  • Team
  • About Us
  • Careers
  • Contact
  • Burmese

© 2023 Irrawaddy Publishing Group. All Rights Reserved

Welcome Back!

Login to your account below

Forgotten Password?

Retrieve your password

Please enter your username or email address to reset your password.

Log In
No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • News
    • Burma
    • Politics
    • World
    • Asia
    • Myanmar’s Crisis & the World
    • Ethnic Issues
    • War Against the Junta
    • Junta Cronies
    • Conflicts In Numbers
    • Junta Watch
    • Fact Check
    • Investigation
    • Myanmar-China Watch
    • Obituaries
  • Politics
  • Opinion
    • Commentary
    • Guest Column
    • Analysis
    • Editorial
    • Stories That Shaped Us
    • Letters
  • Ethnic Issues
  • War Against the Junta
  • In Person
    • Interview
    • Profile
  • Business
    • Economy
    • Business Roundup
  • Books
  • Donation

© 2023 Irrawaddy Publishing Group. All Rights Reserved

This website uses cookies. By continuing to use this website you are giving consent to cookies being used. Visit our Privacy and Cookie Policy.