FAO: Deforestation rate slows, but remains alarming

Global deforestation has slowed in recent years, but continues to occur at a pace considered dangerous for the planet's ecological balance, according to a new report by the UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), cited by AFP. According to the five-year assessment of world forest resources, net forest losses - that is, the difference between areas deforested and those replanted or regenerated - amounted to 4.12 million hectares annually between 2015 and 2025. Although this level is 2-3 times lower than that of 1990-2000, the current rate of forest destruction remains "still too fast," warns the FAO.

Globally, an average of 10.9 million hectares of forest are lost each year, the equivalent of over 12 square kilometers destroyed every hour. The FAO emphasizes that these figures reflect the "complexity of land use dynamics” and that deforestation is largely linked to the expansion of agricultural land, uncontrolled logging and increasingly frequent fires in tropical regions.

• Amazon, the epicenter of forest loss

Tropical regions concentrate about 88% of global forest loss, and the Amazon continues to be the most affected. Brazil, which has about 12% of the planet's forests, is responsible for more than 70% of the global net loss, or 2.94 million hectares per year, according to the FAO.

However, the institution notes a positive development: "Brazil reported a significant reduction in the rate of net forest loss”, which decreased by almost 49% compared to the last decade of the 20th century.

• Fires and climate change amplify degradation

According to Global Forest Watch, 2024 saw the highest level of destruction of virgin tropical forests since 2002, mainly due to fires. However, 2023 brought a temporary decrease in the rate of deforestation in the Amazon, thanks to environmental policies adopted under the presidency of Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva. Brazil is now preparing to host the UN climate conference (COP30, in Belem) in November 2025, where the protection of tropical forests will be one of the central topics. In this context, the Brazilian government is proposing the creation of the Tropical Forests Forever Facility (TFFF) - an international fund designed to mobilize financial resources for forest conservation.

• Forests - a pillar of planetary balance

"Forests are home to much of the planet's biodiversity, help regulate global carbon and water cycles, and can reduce the risks and frequency of drought, desertification, soil erosion, landslides and floods,” said Qu Dongyu, FAO Director-General. Forests currently cover 4.14 billion hectares, or about 32% of the Earth's surface. Five countries own more than half of the world's forests: Russia, Brazil, Canada, the United States and China.

Although FAO data shows a slowdown in deforestation, the organization warns that this progress is not enough to halt the accelerating loss of biodiversity and the capacity of forests to absorb carbon dioxide. "Without additional conservation, reforestation and transition to sustainable agricultural practices, the planet risks losing some of its most valuable ecosystems within a single generation,” the FAO report warns.