What is deforestation?
Deforestation is the conversion of forested areas to non-forested lands primarily due to human activities. It is the large-scale removal of trees often undertaken to repurpose land for agriculture, mining, urban development, and other economic pursuits.
Why is deforestation happening?
The main causes are agriculture, mining, manufacturing, urbanisation, and logging for economic reasons, population growth, or demand for resources. While deforestation is mainly deliberate and man-made, it can also occur for natural reasons such as forest fires or severe droughts. Although deforestation has slowed in recent decades in some regions due to conservation efforts, it remains a significant global challenge. Its effects are far-reaching, affecting biodiversity, water cycles, and local communities. Efforts to combat deforestation include reforestation, sustainable land management, and strict regulations enforcement.
What are the effects of deforestation?
Forests cover about a third of the Earth’s land surface. These four billion hectares are vital ecosystems for our planet. They provide habitats for 60,000 different tree species, 75 percent of bird species, and 70 million indigenous people. They also play an important role in mitigating climate change. Forests can absorb billions of tons of CO2 every year. In doing so, they remove harmful greenhouse gases (GHGs) from the atmosphere. Without enough trees to act as carbon sinks, more of these greenhouse gas emissions will be released into the atmosphere, causing temperatures to rise. Forests also help regulate global rainfall patterns, secure water resources and prevent flooding and soil erosion. Despite the positive impact of the world’s green lungs, deforestation continues to increase, albeit at a slower rate than in the past. According to the UN Food and Agriculture Organization, around 420 million hectares of forest were lost between 1990 and 2020. That is equivalent to an area the size of the European Union.
Where does deforestation mainly take place?
More than half of the world’s forests are located in just five countries: Brazil, Canada, the United States, China, and Russia. More than 90 percent of deforestation between 1990 and 2020 occurred in tropical areas such as the Amazon rainforest. As this is one of the world’s most important forests for regulating the water cycle, deforestation in the Amazon rainforest is extremely worrying. It can lead to drier soils that prevent crops from growing and disrupt the earth’s natural weather patterns. Protecting tropical forests is therefore crucial to achieving the climate goals of the Paris Agreement. Brazil is the leading country for tropical primary forest loss with a loss of 1.14 million hectares of forest in 2023. Followed by the Democratic Republic of Congo, Bolivia, Indonesia, Peru, Laos, Madagascar, and Colombia. Each year 15 billion trees are lost to deforestation and forest degradation. In other words, 36 football fields are cut down every minute.
What are ways to reduce deforestation?
Can deforestation be stopped? Yes, it can. But it will take a concerted effort. Not just from companies, politicians, and governments, but also from individuals. At the political level, steps are already being taken. In June 2024, the Nature Restoration Law received green light from the European Environment Council. This law aims to restore 20% of the EU’s land and 20% of its sea by 2030 – including forests. Individuals can take part in tree planting initiatives, reduce paper consumption and single-use products, or opt for paper and wood products certified by recognized sustainable forest management standards. Organisations can set ambitious targets through the Science Based Targets Initiative (SBTi) to reduce emissions from deforestation in their value chains or maximise their use of recycled wood, paper, and fibre. To meet the commitment to increase forest cover and restore 350 million hectares of the world’s deforested and degraded land, organisations can support reforestation, forest restoration, and conservation projects.