13 - Destruction of natural habitats
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1Cause
Agriculture requires freeing up areas dedicated to direct human food (or indirectly via animal feed and pastures). This release of surface area leads to the destruction of natural habitats, particularly through deforestation. The vast majority of deforestation is caused by agriculture. Soy cultivation in Brazil (mainly to feed livestock) contributes significantly to deforestation in the Cerrado and Amazon.
4Consequences
The primary cause of decline in terrestrial biodiversity is the change in land use (mainly linked to deforestation and a little to the artificialization of land) of fauna and flora. This destroys species habitats.
The destruction of habitats is one of the causes of land use change. This is also the indicator used to quantify it.
Trees have an important role in regulating humidity and storing water in soils.
Deforestation (primary cause of habitat destruction) consists in most cases (93%) of burning trees on site, which very quickly releases the carbon which had been stored during the growth of the trees. This represents a contribution of 15% of global CO2 emissions.