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A recent global report shows that tropical forest loss declined sharply in the past year, mainly due to stronger policy action in Brazil. However, overall deforestation levels remain higher than global targets, with agricultural expansion continuing to be the biggest driver. Climate change is also worsening forest conditions, leading to more frequent and intense fires. While some countries have managed to control forest loss through consistent policies, emerging policy changes and environmental pressures could reverse recent gains and slow progress towards global forest conservation goals.
A new global assessment has shown that the loss of tropical forests declined significantly in the past year compared to the record levels seen the year before. Around 4.3 million hectares of pristine tropical forests were lost globally, marking a 36% reduction. The improvement was largely driven by Brazil’s stronger enforcement measures to reduce deforestation, following commitments made when President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva assumed office in 2023. Advertisement
Data released by Global Forest Watch, prepared in collaboration with the World Resources Institute and the University of Maryland, indicated that policy interventions can deliver measurable results even as environmental pressures increase. Elizabeth Goldman, co-director of Global Forest Watch, noted that despite the scale of the challenge, targeted actions are showing impact on the ground.
At the same time, the report highlighted that global deforestation rates are still about 70% higher than what is required to meet the international commitment made by most countries in 2023 to halt and reverse forest loss by 2030. Goldman indicated that reaching this target will remain difficult in the coming years.
Agricultural expansion continued to be the leading cause of forest loss worldwide. Large-scale farming linked to commodities such as soy and palm oil remained a major factor in countries including Brazil, Bolivia, and Indonesia, while subsistence farming played a significant role in regions like the Democratic Republic of Congo.
In Southeast Asia, long-standing conservation policies helped control primary forest loss in Malaysia and Indonesia. However, Indonesia saw a rise in deforestation due to policy shifts. The government’s push to expand its food estate programme, aimed at boosting domestic food production, contributed to increased forest clearing.
Environmental groups have also raised concerns about Brazil, where the planned end of the Amazon soy moratorium an industry agreement that restricted the purchase of soy grown on recently deforested land could lead to higher deforestation levels in the coming years.
Beyond the tropics, global forest loss, including other ecosystems, declined by 14% in the past year. However, climate-related risks are increasing. Canada recorded one of its worst fire seasons on record, with boreal forest fires over the past three years burning nearly five times the average seen over the previous two decades.
In tropical regions, where fires are often started by human activity, changing climate conditions have made forests more vulnerable. Drier conditions have intensified fires, turning what were once smaller incidents into large-scale events.
Rod Taylor, global director for forests at the World Resources Institute, explained that forests have traditionally acted as carbon sinks, helping to absorb greenhouse gases. However, increasing instances of fires and droughts are gradually shifting this balance, turning forests into sources of emissions instead.
Source Reuters
5th Jun, 2025
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