Based on satellite images and on-site measurements, the report highlights that the loss of forest cover primarily stems from the expansion of small-scale agricultural land.

A report published in August in Nature by a team of African and European researchers reveals that Africa lost 7.4 million hectares of mountain tropical forests between 2003 and 2022. This loss amounts to 18% of the total area of these vital ecosystems, which are crucial for carbon storage and biodiversity.

The report titled “Deforestation Amplifies Climate Change Effects on Warming and Cloud Level Rise in African Montane Forests” shows that the loss mainly occurred at elevations below or equal to 1,800 meters above sea level. This conclusion is based on satellite images and on-site measurements. The primary cause of deforestation in Africa’s mountain regions is the expansion of small-scale agricultural lands. Other factors like urbanization, large-scale industrial crops, and wildfires play a smaller role.

The authors, who are from South Africa, Ethiopia, Finland, and Germany, note that deforestation has intensified the effects of climate change on the continent. Over the past two decades, the loss of millions of hectares of mountain forests has increased air temperatures by 1.37 degrees Celsius. At the same time, the cloud base above these forests has risen by 236 meters, figures that surpass changes attributed solely to climate change.

Mountain tropical forests in Africa store about 150 tons of carbon per hectare when intact. Preserving one hectare of these forests helps avoid CO2 emissions equivalent to powering 100 households for a year.