Deforestation in the MERCOSUR Countries: A comparative analysis of trends, policies, and governance (2000–2024)

The countries of MERCOSUR—Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay, and Uruguay (ABPU)—are home to some of South America's most vital and diverse forest ecosystems. These include the globally significant Amazon rainforest, the biodiversity-rich Cerrado savannah, and the expansive and carbon-dense Gran Chaco dry forests. Together, these ecosystems regulate hydrological cycles, support endemic biodiversity, store vast amounts of carbon, and provide critical ecosystem services to rural and urban populations alike. The importance of these forests extends beyond their ecological functions. They are central to the region's climate commitments under the Paris Agreement, to global biodiversity targets under the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD), and to the livelihoods and cultural heritage of indigenous and rural communities. Moreover, forests are increasingly linked with international trade and investment. The European Union Deforestation Regulation (EUDR), for example, imposes new traceability requirements on commodities linked to land-use change, and the EU-MERCOSUR partnership agreement with its trade and sustainable development chapter, further elevating the geopolitical and economic relevance of forest governance in the MERCOSUR countries.