Deforestation in Colombia rose 35% in 2024 from a 23-year low the previous year, fueled by an uptick in the Amazon region, environment minister Susana Muhamad said on Thursday. The announcement comes days before the country presides over UN nature talks in Rome next week.

Deforestation reached 1,070 square kilometers (413 square miles) last year after falling to just over 792 square kilometers in 2023 from around 1,235 square kilometers in 2022.

“What we’ve seen is an increase in 2024 in medium-sized patches of deforestation that involves operations paid for with large capital,” Muhamad told journalists in Bogota, noting the involvement of organized crime more than rural communities.

The figure has a margin of error of 5% to 10%, Muhamad told journalists following the presentation, adding that a final figure will be published later this year.

Colombia’s COP16 presidency in suspense as minister resigns

Colombia, host of last year’s COP16 United Nations biodiversity summit, is one of the world’s most biodiverse countries. Home to thousands of plant and animal species, the country loses swathes of forest to deforestation each year.

From February 25 to 27, the country will preside over a resumed session of the COP16 negotiations in Rome, after the first COP16 session ended abruptly last year. After an 11-hour final plenary, negotiations lost quorum as smaller delegations had to leave to catch their flights.

Among other pending issues, countries will have to find agreement on how to channel new funds for biodiversity, and particularly where to house them – as some developing countries have opposed keeping the current biodiversity fund under the administration of the Global Environment Facility (GEF). They argue that the GEF’s bureaucracy prevents them from accessing the funds.

Despite the uptick in deforestation, 2024 was the second-lowest figure in the last 23 years, Muhamad said. Earlier this month, she told Reuters the figure would be the third-lowest within that period.

The rise in deforestation was led by the country’s Amazon region, with an increase of more than 50% versus 2023 to 680 square kilometers. Traditionally, most of Colombia’s deforestation takes place in the Amazon.

Last week, Muhamad said some $70 million in environmental funding from the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) had been frozen in Colombia after President Donald Trump moved to gut the organization.

Most of the impact will be felt in the country’s Amazon, she said.

Earlier this month Muhamad announced her resignation from the government of President Gustavo Petro, citing her opposition to Petro’s naming Armando Benedetti to the cabinet because of his alleged violence against women and influence peddling. Benedetti has said false stories are being told about him.

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COP16 host Colombia reports 35% surge in deforestation