Satellite records expose fire driving Gran Chaco transformation

At ESA's Living Planet Symposium, scientists have unveiled how the combination of different long-term, high-resolution satellite datasets from ESA's Climate Change Initiative is shedding new light on the South American Gran Chaco—one of the world's most endangered dry forest ecosystems. These data reveal, in remarkable clarity, that fire is the primary driver of widespread, accelerating deforestation across the region.

Jun 26, 2025 - 16:20
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At ESA's Living Planet Symposium, scientists have unveiled how the combination of different long-term, high-resolution satellite datasets from ESA's Climate Change Initiative is shedding new light on the South American Gran Chaco—one of the world's most endangered dry forest ecosystems. These data reveal, in remarkable clarity, that fire is the primary driver of widespread, accelerating deforestation across the region.