In 2023, the world lost 6.37 million hectares of forest, which is equivalent to the size of about 9.1 million soccer fields a new report released October 8, 2024 showed.

This loss was 45 per cent higher than the goal set by over 140 countries to eliminate deforestation by 2030, according to the group of civil society and research organisations that published it. The findings of the 2024 Forest Declaration Assessment indicated serious problems in global efforts to stop deforestation and forest damage.

The report looked at strategies to halt deforestation and restore forest areas. It showed an increase in forest loss and stresses the need for stronger actions from world leaders.

Primary tropical forests, essential for storing carbon and protecting biodiversity, lost 3.7 million hectares in 2023, the analysis showed. This means efforts to protect these forests are 38 per cent off track.

Additionally, forest damage without complete destruction is 10 times worse than deforestation itself, affecting 62.6 million hectares in 2022.

The report analyses global trends. While Brazil has made some progress in reducing deforestation, overall trends are negative. Bolivia's deforestation rates are rising and Indonesia has seen a sharp increase, reflecting earlier successes in these regions.

“Deforestation has worsened since the start of the decade,” said Ivan Palmegiani, a biodiversity consultant at Climate Focus in a press release. “With just six years left to meet global goals to end deforestation, forests are being cut down and damaged at alarming rates," he added.

In Indonesia, deforestation increased by 57 per cent in 2023, failing to meet the national goals by 82 per cent. The rising demand for nickel, vital for electric vehicle batteries, has worsened deforestation, as Indonesia produced half of the world's nickel last year and is projected to rise to 80 per cent by 2040. The growth of bioenergy and agricultural plantations adds to the problem.

Bolivia faces a similar crisis primarily driven by agriculture. Production of commodities like soy, beef and palm oil accounted for 57 per cent of global deforestation. Alarmingly, Bolivia is 98 per cent off track from its deforestation targets for 2023, as new farms expand into forests.

In contrast, Brazil has shown some positive changes. Although it remains the world's most deforested country, the Brazilian Amazon saw a 62.2 per cent reduction in deforestation in 2023, with 454,000 hectares lost.

Overall, Brazil has reduced its deforestation by 9 per cent below previous levels, showing that significant progress is possible.

The report noted that forest protection is affected by political and economic changes.

Erin Matson, a consultant at Climate Focus, explained that strong laws and regulations can lead to improvements. However, changes in politics or economics can reverse progress.

The report also introduced metrics to monitor forest degradation caused by logging, construction and fires.

In 2022, 62.6 million hectares of forest were compromised, which is about twice the size of Germany. This degradation particularly threatens forests in developed countries, raising concerns about their ability to support essential ecosystem functions.

The report also emphasizes the loss of Key Biodiversity Areas (KBAs), where more than 1.4 million hectares of forest were lost in 2023. Protecting these areas is critical for wildlife and Indigenous communities that depend on them.

Forest fires are a significant threat, mainly due to intentional land clearing for agriculture. Since 2001, 138 million hectares of tree cover have been lost to fires, with about a third of that occurring between 2019 and 2023.

The report outlined steps for global actors to achieve forest protection goals, which includes:

Ensuring adequate funding for forest conservation efforts.
Reducing the demand for products that cause deforestation.
Recognising the important role of Indigenous and local communities in forest protection.

The urgency of the report is significant for global biodiversity and climate stability.

Continued deforestation and the rise in forest fires threaten crucial ecosystems, especially in tropical areas, where 96 per cent of all deforestation occurred in 2023.

The authors of the report called for immediate action to reverse these alarming trends. They urged stakeholders to focus on protecting and conserving existing forests and ecosystems; understanding that overconsumption drives deforestation; implementing large scale restoration of degraded environments; improving fire management strategies to reduce fire risks.

Simply Put: The dendrological truth