Final answer:
The claim that rainforests in Cote d'Ivoire and Madagascar have seen reductions exceeding 70% is true. Deforestation in these countries is part of a disturbing global trend where rainforest biodiversity is severely threatened. If the current rate continues, the majority of tropical rainforest ecosystems might be lost by 2020.
Step-by-step explanation:
The statement that rainforests in Cote d'Ivoire and Madagascar have been reduced by 70% or more is true. The deforestation rates in these regions are alarmingly high. For example, in Madagascar, severe losses of dry forest have been experienced, resembling the significant deforestation seen in parts of Southeast Asia.
Furthermore, tropical rainforests, which are rich in biodiversity and once covered much larger areas, have been rapidly disappearing worldwide due to various reasons, including illegal logging, slash-and-burn agriculture, and the need for land for cattle production and plantation agriculture. If deforestation continues at current rates, it is estimated that 80-90% of tropical rainforest ecosystems will be destroyed by the year 2020.
Countries in various parts of the world are struggling with the effects of deforestation. In many developing regions, economic pressures force the exploitation of natural resources, leading to extensive clearing of forests.