Political action in Brazil and Colombia has led to a big decrease in tree loss in tropical forests, according to a new study. The Brazilian Amazon saw 39% less trees being cut down, while Colombia had almost 50% less loss of primary forests. These countries have made protecting the environment a priority under new leaders, and it’s showing positive results. However, the progress made in Brazil and Colombia was offset by more tree cutting and fires in Bolivia, Laos, and Nicaragua. Overall, tree loss worldwide increased by 25%, mostly because of forest fires in Canada.
The wildfires in Canada had a big impact on tree loss around the world, causing a fivefold increase compared to the previous year. But experts say that intentionally clearing mature rainforests in tropical areas is the most important factor in dealing with climate change. These primary forests store a lot of carbon, which is crucial for preventing global temperatures from rising too much. Tropical regions have been the main focus of deforestation caused by humans over the past 50 years.
In 2023, the tropics lost 3.7 million hectares of forest, which is like losing 10 football fields every minute. However, the losses would have been even higher if it wasn’t for the efforts of Brazil and Colombia. President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva’s government in Brazil reduced primary forest loss by 36% compared to the previous year. Similarly, President Gustavo Petro Urrego’s actions in Colombia led to almost 50% less loss of primary forests.
Although the reductions in tree loss in Brazil and Colombia are important, they are still higher than in the early 2010s. Not all regions in Brazil saw improvements, with the Cerrado experiencing a 6% increase in tree loss. Bolivia, Laos, and Nicaragua also had more tree loss, mainly because of fires and expanding agriculture. Indonesia had more losses too, but the rate is still lower compared to ten years ago.
Overall, the study shows that tree loss worldwide is a mixed picture. The world has only six years left to fulfill the promise made at COP26 in 2021 to stop deforestation. Experts stress the need for urgent action to deal with the climate and nature crises, as the high rates of deforestation show that progress is not going as planned.
Original news source: Dramatic drop in logging in key Amazon countries (BBC)
🎧 Listen:
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📖 Vocabulary:
| 1 | tropical | Related to the regions of the Earth near the equator where it’s usually hot |
| 2 | decrease | To make something become less in amount, number, or degree |
| 3 | priority | Something that is considered more important than other things |
| 4 | offset | To balance one thing with another so that the effects of the first thing are less noticeable |
| 5 | wildfires | Very large fires that spread quickly over a forest or brush area |
| 6 | mature | Fully developed to its fullest size or age |
| 7 | carbon | A chemical element that all living things are made of, and it’s also in the air and some rocks |
| 8 | crucial | Extremely important and necessary |
| 9 | deforestation | The action of clearing a wide area of trees |
| 10 | hectares | A unit of area measurement equal to 10,000 square meters, used mainly in measuring land |
| 11 | efforts | Attempts to do something, especially when it’s hard or takes a lot of energy |
| 12 | reductions | Making something less in size, amount, or degree |
| 13 | agriculture | The science or practice of farming, including growing crops and raising animals for food, wool, and other products |
| 14 | fulfill | To achieve or complete something that you promised or agreed to do |
| 15 | urgent | Something that needs to be dealt with very quickly because it’s important |
Group or Classroom Activities
Warm-up Activities:
– News Summary
Instructions: Divide the class into small groups. Give each group a copy of the article. Instruct them to read the article together and create a concise summary of the main points. After a set amount of time, have each group share their summary with the class.
– Opinion Poll
Instructions: Write the following question on the board: “Do you think political action is effective in reducing tree loss?” Ask each student to write down their opinion (yes or no) and a brief explanation. Then, divide the class into pairs or small groups and have them discuss their opinions. After the discussion, conduct a poll by asking each student to share their opinion and explanation with the class.
– Vocabulary Pictionary
Instructions: Create a list of key vocabulary words from the article, such as deforestation, primary forests, climate change, etc. Divide the class into two teams. One student from each team will come to the front of the class and be given a vocabulary word. They must draw a picture that represents the word without using any letters or numbers. The rest of their team must guess the word within a set time limit. The team that guesses the most words correctly wins.
– Sketch It
Instructions: Divide the class into pairs. Give each pair a different section of the article. Instruct them to create a visual representation of their section through a sketch or drawing. After they have finished, have each pair present their sketch to the class, explaining the key points and main ideas from their section.
– Future Predictions
Instructions: Instruct the class to imagine they are environmental experts. Ask them to discuss in pairs or small groups what they believe will happen in the future regarding tree loss and deforestation. They should consider factors such as political action, climate change, and global efforts to protect the environment. After the discussion, have each group share their predictions with the class. Encourage them to support their predictions with evidence from the article or their own knowledge.
🤔 Comprehension Questions:
1. According to the study, which two countries have seen a decrease in tree loss in their tropical forests?
2. What has been the main cause of the increase in tree loss worldwide?
3. Why are mature rainforests in tropical areas important for dealing with climate change?
4. How many hectares of forest did the tropics lose in 2023?
5. Which two countries’ efforts helped to reduce tree loss in the tropics?
6. Are the reductions in tree loss in Brazil and Colombia higher or lower than they were in the early 2010s?
7. Which regions in Brazil saw an increase in tree loss?
8. What does the study show about the progress made in stopping deforestation worldwide?
Go to answers ⇩
🎧✍️ Listen and Fill in the Gaps:
Political action in Brazil and Colombia has led to a big decrease in tree loss in tropical forests, according to a new study. The (1)______ Amazon saw 39% less (2)______ being cut down, while Colombia had almost 50% less loss of primary forests. These (3)______ have made protecting the environment a priority under new leaders, and it’s showing positive results. However, the progress made in Brazil and Colombia was offset by more tree cutting and fires in Bolivia, Laos, and (4)______. Overall, tree loss worldwide increased by 25%, mostly because of forest fires in Canada.
The (5)______ in Canada had a big impact on tree loss around the world, (6)______ a (7)______ increase compared to the previous year. But experts say that intentionally clearing mature rainforests in tropical areas is the most important factor in dealing with climate change. These primary forests store a lot of carbon, which is crucial for preventing global temperatures from rising too much. Tropical regions have been the main focus of deforestation caused by humans over the past 50 years.
In 2023, the tropics lost 3.7 million (8)______ of forest, which is like losing 10 football fields every minute. However, the (9)______ would have been even higher if it wasn’t for the efforts of Brazil and Colombia. President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva’s government in Brazil (10)______ primary forest loss by 36% compared to the previous year. Similarly, President Gustavo Petro Urrego’s actions in Colombia led to almost 50% less loss of primary forests.
Although the reductions in tree loss in Brazil and Colombia are (11)______, they are still higher than in the early 2010s. Not all (12)______ in Brazil saw improvements, with the Cerrado experiencing a 6% increase in tree loss. (13)______, Laos, and Nicaragua also had more tree loss, mainly because of fires and expanding agriculture. Indonesia had more losses too, but the rate is still lower compared to ten years ago.
Overall, the study shows that tree loss worldwide is a mixed picture. The world has only six years left to fulfill the promise made at COP26 in 2021 to stop deforestation. Experts (14)______ the need for (15)______ action to deal with the climate and nature crises, as the high (16)______ of deforestation show that progress is not going as planned.
Go to answers ⇩
💬 Discussion Questions:
Students can ask a partner these questions, or discuss them as a group.
1. What is deforestation and why is it a problem?
2. How would you feel if you lived in a country with a lot of tree loss?
3. Do you think protecting the environment should be a priority for all countries? Why or why not?
4. What actions do you think countries can take to reduce tree loss?
5. Do you like the idea of intentionally clearing mature rainforests? Why or why not?
6. How do you think tree loss affects climate change?
7. What can individuals do to help prevent deforestation?
8. Why do you think tree loss increased worldwide by 25%?
9. How would you feel if your country had a high rate of deforestation?
10. Do you think the efforts of Brazil and Colombia are enough to combat deforestation? Why or why not?
11. How do you think deforestation affects wildlife and biodiversity?
12. What would happen if we didn’t have any trees in the world?
13. Why do you think some regions in Brazil didn’t see improvements in tree loss?
14. How do you think deforestation affects indigenous communities?
15. What can we do as global citizens to stop deforestation?
Individual Activities
📖💭 Vocabulary Meanings:
Match each word to its meaning.
Words:
1. tropical
2. decrease
3. priority
4. offset
5. wildfires
6. mature
7. carbon
8. crucial
9. deforestation
10. hectares
11. efforts
12. reductions
13. agriculture
14. fulfill
15. urgent
Meanings:
(A) Attempts to do something, especially when it’s hard or takes a lot of energy
(B) To balance one thing with another so that the effects of the first thing are less noticeable
(C) To make something become less in amount, number, or degree
(D) Extremely important and necessary
(E) Fully developed to its fullest size or age
(F) Making something less in size, amount, or degree
(G) A chemical element that all living things are made of, and it’s also in the air and some rocks
(H) The science or practice of farming, including growing crops and raising animals for food, wool, and other products
(I) Related to the regions of the Earth near the equator where it’s usually hot
(J) Very large fires that spread quickly over a forest or brush area
(K) To achieve or complete something that you promised or agreed to do
(L) Something that is considered more important than other things
(M) A unit of area measurement equal to 10,000 square meters, used mainly in measuring land
(N) The action of clearing a wide area of trees
(O) Something that needs to be dealt with very quickly because it’s important
Go to answers ⇩
🔡 Multiple Choice Questions:
1. Which two countries saw a decrease in tree loss in tropical forests?
(a) Brazil and Colombia
(b) Bolivia and Laos
(c) Canada and Nicaragua
(d) Indonesia and Brazil
2. What was the main cause of the increase in tree loss worldwide?
(a) Tree cutting in Brazil
(b) Fires in Bolivia, Laos, and Nicaragua
(c) Forest fires in Canada
(d) Expansion of agriculture in Indonesia
3. What is the most important factor in dealing with climate change, according to experts?
(a) Protecting primary forests in Canada
(b) Reducing tree loss in Brazil and Colombia
(c) Increasing tree planting efforts worldwide
(d) Intentionally clearing mature rainforests in tropical areas
4. How much forest did the tropics lose in 2023?
(a) 10 football fields every minute
(b) 3.7 million hectares
(c) 36% less than the previous year
(d) More than in the early 2010s
5. Which region in Brazil saw an increase in tree loss?
(a) The Cerrado
(b) The Brazilian Amazon
(c) Colombia
(d) Indonesia
6. Which country had more losses but at a lower rate compared to ten years ago?
(a) Brazil
(b) Indonesia
(c) Canada
(d) Bolivia
7. What does the study show about tree loss worldwide?
(a) It has significantly decreased
(b) It is mostly caused by deforestation in Canada
(c) It is going as planned to stop deforestation
(d) It is a mixed picture
8. How much time is left to fulfill the promise made at COP26 in 2021 to stop deforestation?
(a) Ten years
(b) One year
(c) Six years
(d) It has already been fulfilled
Go to answers ⇩
🕵️ True or False Questions:
1. The Brazilian Amazon saw a 39% increase in trees being cut down, while Colombia had almost 50% more loss of primary forests.
2. Tropical regions have not been the main focus of deforestation caused by humans over the past 50 years.
3. Urgent action is needed to address the climate and nature crises, as the high rates of deforestation show that progress is not going as planned.
4. However, the progress made in Brazil and Colombia was offset by more tree cutting and fires in Bolivia, Laos, and Nicaragua.
5. Protecting the environment has become a priority for these countries under new leaders, and it’s showing positive results.
6. Intentionally clearing mature rainforests in tropical areas is the most important factor in dealing with climate change, according to experts.
7. Political inaction in Brazil and Colombia has led to a significant increase in tree loss in tropical forests.
8. Overall, tree loss worldwide decreased by 25%, mostly due to forest fires in Canada.
Go to answers ⇩
📝 Write a Summary:
Write a summary of this news article in two sentences.
Writing Questions:
Answer the following questions. Write as much as you can for each answer.
1. What has led to a decrease in tree loss in tropical forests in Brazil and Colombia?
2. Which countries had more tree cutting and fires, offsetting the progress made in Brazil and Colombia?
3. What is the most important factor in dealing with climate change, according to experts?
4. How much forest did the tropics lose in 2023, and what does that equate to in terms of football fields?
5. How have the actions of the leaders in Brazil and Colombia affected tree loss in their countries?
✅ Answers
🤔✅ Comprehension Question Answers:
1. According to the study, Brazil and Colombia have seen a decrease in tree loss in their tropical forests.
2. The main cause of the increase in tree loss worldwide has been forest fires, particularly in Canada.
3. Mature rainforests in tropical areas are important for dealing with climate change because they store a lot of carbon, which helps prevent global temperatures from rising too much.
4. The tropics lost 3.7 million hectares of forest in 2023.
5. The efforts of Brazil and Colombia helped to reduce tree loss in the tropics.
6. The reductions in tree loss in Brazil and Colombia are still higher than they were in the early 2010s.
7. The Cerrado region in Brazil saw an increase in tree loss.
8. The study shows that the progress made in stopping deforestation worldwide is not going as planned, as the high rates of deforestation indicate.
Go back to questions ⇧
🎧✍️✅ Listen and Fill in the Gaps Answers:
(1) Brazilian
(2) trees
(3) countries
(4) Nicaragua
(5) wildfires
(6) causing
(7) fivefold
(8) hectares
(9) losses
(10) reduced
(11) important
(12) regions
(13) Bolivia
(14) stress
(15) urgent
(16) rates
Go back to questions ⇧
📖💭✅ Vocabulary Meanings Answers:
1. tropical
Answer: (I) Related to the regions of the Earth near the equator where it’s usually hot
2. decrease
Answer: (C) To make something become less in amount, number, or degree
3. priority
Answer: (L) Something that is considered more important than other things
4. offset
Answer: (B) To balance one thing with another so that the effects of the first thing are less noticeable
5. wildfires
Answer: (J) Very large fires that spread quickly over a forest or brush area
6. mature
Answer: (E) Fully developed to its fullest size or age
7. carbon
Answer: (G) A chemical element that all living things are made of, and it’s also in the air and some rocks
8. crucial
Answer: (D) Extremely important and necessary
9. deforestation
Answer: (N) The action of clearing a wide area of trees
10. hectares
Answer: (M) A unit of area measurement equal to 10,000 square meters, used mainly in measuring land
11. efforts
Answer: (A) Attempts to do something, especially when it’s hard or takes a lot of energy
12. reductions
Answer: (F) Making something less in size, amount, or degree
13. agriculture
Answer: (H) The science or practice of farming, including growing crops and raising animals for food, wool, and other products
14. fulfill
Answer: (K) To achieve or complete something that you promised or agreed to do
15. urgent
Answer: (O) Something that needs to be dealt with very quickly because it’s important
Go back to questions ⇧
🔡✅ Multiple Choice Answers:
1. Which two countries saw a decrease in tree loss in tropical forests?
Answer: (a) Brazil and Colombia
2. What was the main cause of the increase in tree loss worldwide?
Answer: (c) Forest fires in Canada
3. What is the most important factor in dealing with climate change, according to experts?
Answer: (d) Intentionally clearing mature rainforests in tropical areas
4. How much forest did the tropics lose in 2023?
Answer: (b) 3.7 million hectares
5. Which region in Brazil saw an increase in tree loss?
Answer: (a) The Cerrado
6. Which country had more losses but at a lower rate compared to ten years ago?
Answer: (b) Indonesia
7. What does the study show about tree loss worldwide?
Answer: (d) It is a mixed picture
8. How much time is left to fulfill the promise made at COP26 in 2021 to stop deforestation?
Answer: (c) Six years
Go back to questions ⇧
🕵️✅ True or False Answers:
1. The Brazilian Amazon saw a 39% increase in trees being cut down, while Colombia had almost 50% more loss of primary forests. (Answer: False)
2. Tropical regions have not been the main focus of deforestation caused by humans over the past 50 years. (Answer: False)
3. Urgent action is needed to address the climate and nature crises, as the high rates of deforestation show that progress is not going as planned. (Answer: True)
4. However, the progress made in Brazil and Colombia was offset by more tree cutting and fires in Bolivia, Laos, and Nicaragua. (Answer: True)
5. Protecting the environment has become a priority for these countries under new leaders, and it’s showing positive results. (Answer: True)
6. Intentionally clearing mature rainforests in tropical areas is the most important factor in dealing with climate change, according to experts. (Answer: True)
7. Political inaction in Brazil and Colombia has led to a significant increase in tree loss in tropical forests. (Answer: False)
8. Overall, tree loss worldwide decreased by 25%, mostly due to forest fires in Canada. (Answer: False)
Go back to questions ⇧
