02 / The driver
Human behaviours
The main driving force behind Australian deforestation is cattle farming, responsible for around 80% of total forest clearing throughout Australia. Grazing land covers approximately half of the entire country, and the agricultural industry produces 20% of Australia’s total greenhouse gas emissions.
Cattle farming transforms native forests from rich biodiverse ecosystems into monoculture grasslands, destroying soil, disrupting the water cycle, and removing habitat for native species.
