Since 1990, nearly 500 million hectares of forest, equivalent to around 750 million football fields, have been lost. However, according to the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), deforestation has slowed globally over the past decade. Deforestation refers to the loss or conversion of forest areas to other uses such as urban development or wastelands. For the past ten years, approximately 10.9 million hectares of forest have been lost annually. This rate is an improvement from the 13.6 million hectares lost each year in the previous period and the 17.6 million before that.
The latest FAO forest assessment revealed this positive trend, with a report that is published every five years. It offers a comprehensive analysis of global and regional forest trends using remote sensing data and national reports. International agreements like the Paris Agreement promote a collective approach to environmental protection, and assessments like the FAO Forests Report evaluate countries’ adherence to these UN treaties and frameworks. Qu Dongyu, the director general of FAO, stated that the data from these assessments helps inform the global community and supports decisions, policies, and investments related to forests and their ecosystem services.
A fifth of the world’s forests fall within legally established protected areas, and since 1990, 251 million ha of protected forest have been added. Asia leads among regions with 26 percent of forest cover. More than half of all forests are managed, meaning the land is used for various purposes, including wood production, fiber and bioenergy, soil and water protection, biodiversity conservation, or tourism. In Europe, 94 percent of forests are managed. As of 2020, 71 percent of the world’s forests are state-owned, with indigenous peoples and local communities in North and Central America owning 41.6 million hectares.
The FAO has reported increasing risks from wildfires and pests due to climate change. Fires threaten about 261 million hectares of land annually, almost half of which is forested. In 2020, 41 million hectares of forest suffered damage from insects, diseases, and severe weather. To enhance forest monitoring and protection efforts, a Forest Lodge will promote biodiversity conservation and sustainable development at the upcoming UN COP30 climate conference in Brazil next month.
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