Since 1990, 420 million hectares of forest have been lost as a result of human activity including land clearing for agricultural farming and logging. As of 2020, forest cover accounts for about 31% of the world’s total land area. Though the rate of deforestation has decreased over the past three decades, we’re losing thousands of hectares more with every passing day. September 2022 went down in history as a record-breaking month for deforestation in the Amazon, the world’s largest and most important rainforest. Here are 10 stunning deforestation facts you need to know and why we need to protect our forests more than ever.
10 Deforestation Facts
1. We Lose Around 10 Million
Hectares of Forest Every Single Year
The world has been chopping down 10 million
hectares of trees every year to make space to grow crops and livestock, and to
produce materials such as paper. This accounts for about 16% of total tree loss
cover. 96% of deforestation takes place in tropical forests.
2. Deforestation Contributes
about 4.8 Billion Tonnes of Carbon Dioxide A Year
One of the most stunning deforestation facts is
that forest loss contributes nearly 5 billion tons of carbon dioxide into the
atmosphere every year, which is equivalent to nearly 10% of annual human
emissions. NASA researchers found that accelerated slashing and burning methods
of land clearing in Borneo, the third-largest island in the world and home to
one of the oldest rainforests in the world, contributed to the largest
single-year global increase in carbon emissions in two millenniums, driving
Indonesia up towards a leading source of carbon emissions.
3.75 million hectares of tropical primary
rainforests were lost in 2021 alone. This resulted in 2.5 billion tonnes of
carbon dioxide emissions, equivalent to the annual fossil fuel emissions of
India and nearly 10 soccer pitches a minute.
The farming industry needs to clear substantial
pasture lands for cattle (and livestock) in order to keep up with global demand
for beef. An estimated 81,081 square miles of forest land is lost every year
for meat production, 80% of which occurs in the Amazon. Developed countries
such as the US and China, the latter happens to be the world’s biggest beef
consumer, devouring almost one-third of the world’s meat, are some of the
biggest culprits of deforestation. But developing countries are catching up and
are on track to rise by four times as much as in the developed world by 2028.
Many are calling for people to adopt a plant-based diet as a method of combat
deforestation, which will also help slash greenhouse gas emissions from the
agricultural industry and slow down global warming.
4. Chocolate and Biscuits are
Major Contributors to Deforestation
Aside from beef production, the palm oil
industry is also responsible for a significant amount of deforestation around
the world. Palm oil is used in over two thirds of the food products that we
consume everyday, from vegetable oil to chocolate to biscuits, as well as in
other household products like soap and shampoo. To keep up with the demand,
forest land equivalent to 300 football fields is being cleared every hour to
make room for palm plantations, destroying important habitats of critically
endangered species such as the orangutan and Sumatran tiger.
Many forests have also been converted into
monoculture plantations, meaning planting the same single plant species across
the land, which not only threatens biodiversity of the ecosystem, but increases
the risks of soil erosion while reducing nutrient content.
5. Brazil and Indonesia
Account for Almost Half of Tropical Deforestation
And one-third of tropical deforestation happens
in Brazil alone. That amounts to approximately 1.7 million hectares each year.
Both Brazil and Indonesia are home to some of the world’s largest and
biodiverse tropical forests in the world. As the agricultural industry continues
to practice land clearing for crop and livestock farming, the threat to
biodiversity only worsens. Studies say observed animal populations have
experienced an average 68% decline in population numbers. In Borneo, Indonesia,
the critically endangered orangutan lost nearly 80% of its population within
the last 50 years.
6. Soy Plays a Big Role in Deforestation
While most think of soy in the form of soy
milk, tofu and other soybean products that make up a plant-based diet, soy in
fact has been mostly used as animal feed and to support the massive demand of
meat production. Animal feed makes up 77% of soy production, while only 19.2%
goes directly into human food products. Globally, soy is responsible for about
12% of deforestation. Due to the fact that soy only offers one yield per life
cycle, soy cultivation requires a lot more land use, where the total area of
land used to cultivate soy takes up the combined area of the Netherlands,
Belgium, France and Germany. Seeking an alternative source of animal feed and
reducing global meat consumption could both significantly drive down the rate
of deforestation.
7. Deforestation Has Turned
the Amazon Rainforest into a Carbon Source
One of the most shocking deforestation facts in
recent years is that the Amazon, the world’s most biologically diverse
ecosystems and important carbon sinks, is found to emit a greater amount of
carbon dioxide than it is absorbing as a result of deforestation, wildfires and
climate change. According to a study between 2010 and 2018, deforestation in
eastern Amazonia has led to greater warming and moisture stress to the forest
especially during dry seasons, making it more susceptible to wildfires. Forest
fires, in turn, produce three times more carbon than the forests can absorb,
creating a negative loop. The study also revealed that the forest emitted about
a billion tonnes of carbon dioxide a year, equal to the annual emissions
released in Japan, the world’s fifth-biggest polluter.
8. No Company in the World
Achieved Its Net Zero Deforestation Commitment
A 2020 analysis found that more than half of
the 100 most significant tropical timber and pulp companies have failed to
commit to protecting biodiversity and 44% have yet to publicly commit to net
zero deforestation (meaning the rate of land clearing is equal to the rate of
reforestation or replanting). Out of the companies that have pledged to reach
net zero deforestation by 2020, only eight companies were found to have
deployed comprehensive forest and land-use management practices but none were
able to successfully achieve net zero.
9. Leading Banks Financed $119
Billion to Companies Linked to Deforestation
One of the most shocking facts about
deforestation is that the world’s top global banks and lenders have extended a
total of USD$119 billion of financing to 20 major agricultural companies linked
to deforestation in just the span of five years. Banks such as JPMorgan, HSBC,
and Bank of America were among the biggest investors, backing projects and
businesses including Brazilian meat producer JBS to support its cattle and
poultry farms. Each of the banks have reportedly struck dozens of funding deals
between 2016 and 2020 despite a number of firms having adopted
‘no-deforestation’ policies. There is a glaring lack of monitoring and
enforcing mechanisms in the financial sector, allowing widespread land
degradation to persist.
10. More Than 100 Countries
Have Pledged to End Deforestation by 2030
Despite the current state of deforestation,
there is good news. At last year’s COP26 climate conference, a UN summit for
world leaders to conduct and negotiate policy agreements on emissions reduction
and climate change mitigation, more than 100 countries have joined a pledge to
stop and reverse deforestation by the end of the decade. Combined, these 100+
countries make up 85% of the world’s forests. Some of the most notable signatories
include Brazil, Russia, Colombia, Indonesia and the Democratic Republic of the
Congo. The pact will see US$19.2 billion of private and public funds to help
combat this global environmental problem, from restoring degraded land and
supporting indigenous communities to mitigating wildfire damage.
About the Author
Olivia is a journalist and
editor based in Hong Kong with previous experience covering politics, art and
culture. She is passionate about wildlife and ocean conservation, with a keen
interest in climate diplomacy. She’s also a graduate of University of Edinburgh
in International Relations with a Master’s degree from The University of Hong
Kong in Journalism. Olivia was the former Managing Editor at Earth.Org.
Fontes/Links:
https://earth.org/deforestation-facts/
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Do not burn forests to make energy!
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