Agricultural Expansion Drives Deforestation, Impacting Food Security and Natural Habitats
The primary driver of deforestation in the 21st century has been the expansion of agriculture, particularly for palm oil plantations. This expansion has led to significant forest loss, impacting food security and natural habitats. Efforts to curb deforestation include corporate commitments from food companies and certification schemes like the Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil, driven by campaigns from non-governmental organizations and public pressure. Over the last two decades, the world has cut down forests at a rate of roughly one Costa Rica per year. The largest driver of deforestation has been the expansion of agriculture. This has been true for millennia, and it remains the case today. A recent study, published in Nature Food by Chandrakant Singh and Martin Persson, answered this question. 
