Illicit Harvest, Complicit Goods

The report highlights that while subsistence agriculture and logging have historically played roles in deforestation, the expansion of large-scale agriculture is now emerging as the main cause of forest loss and greenhouse gas emissions from land use change. Focusing on illegal deforestation associated with commercial agriculture, the report examines its impact globally. Over the period 2013 to 2019, the analysis shows a marked increase in the illegal clearing of forests for cultivation and grazing, highlighting the scale and persistence of this challenge in tropical regions.