Experts forecast that a return to direct military rule in Myanmar could undermine the few existing environmental protections as the regime and its allies seek to fund themselves via resource extraction, according to Mongabay.

Security concerns and communication restrictions have incapacitated journalists trying to report on post-coup Myanmar.

Local reports say that, since the coup, rare-earth mining has ramped up in the Kachin region and illegal logging has swelled in the Sagaing region, causing widespread environmental devastation in locations harboring some of the country’s most biodiverse intact forests.

As Mongabay, which focuses on environmental issues around the world, points out, the political turmoil has effectively halted much forest protection work, in part through restrictions on rights to peaceful assembly. Local environmental watchdogs also report being unable to speak out on forest incursions due to personal security concerns. Neither can they travel to forest areas to complete ongoing monitoring work because of the risks of interrupting illegal activities, the political unrest, and the COVID-19 surge.

The 1 February coup and its aftermath has made it difficult for international organizations and their local partners to strengthen effective forest governance in Myanmar.

The Environmental Investigation Agency (EIA) reports that progress toward transparency in the timber sector and incorporation of communities and civil society in forest protection solutions were destroyed overnight by the coup.

Many NGOs have been facing difficulties operating in Myanmar due to military rule.