A recent UN report highlights a positive trend in global deforestation, with five key findings:
Deforestation rates are declining worldwide, with a significant reduction in annual forest loss from 17.6 million hectares (Mha) in 1990-2000 to 10.9 Mha in 2015-2025. This is attributed to various factors, including reduced deforestation in some countries and increased forest expansion in others.
The global net forest loss has more than halved since 1990, from 10.7 Mha to 4.1 Mha. This is due to a combination of factors, including reduced deforestation and increased forest expansion in some countries.
Many countries are increasing their forest area, with significant gains in China, Russia, and Oceania. However, deforestation levels remain high in Brazil, despite a recent drop.
The world's forests hold more than 700 billion tonnes of carbon, with Europe and the Americas accounting for two-thirds of the total forest carbon storage. The amount of carbon stored in forests has remained largely static over the past 35 years, with some regional differences.
Around one-fifth of the world's forests are located in protected areas, with a significant increase in forested land in protected areas across all regions since 1990. Europe holds the largest protected forest area, while Asia has the highest percentage of protected forests.
