More than a hundred countries have set themselves the goal of stopping global deforestation by 2030. But according to a report, that seems a long way off: instead of fewer, more forests were destroyed last year.
Environmentalists see global forest protection goals at risk. Global deforestation did not decrease in 2022 as planned, but increased by four percent overall, it said reportwhich was published by several scientific organizations and civil associations, including the environmental foundation WWF.
The report refers, among other things, to the resolution of the climate summit in Glasgow in 2021: More than a hundred countries had committed to stopping deforestation – in which forests are destroyed in order to use the area for other purposes – by 2030. But the world was a long way from this goal in 2022, it was said. Above all, agriculture, road construction, fires and commercial logging are the drivers of the destruction.
Forest loss the size of Bavaria
In 2022, global gross deforestation was 21 percent above the value that would be required to end deforestation by 2030. So far, not only slow progress has been observed, but also some deterioration, criticized the WWF. Accordingly, a total of 6.6 million hectares of forest area were lost in 2022 – an area almost the size of Bavaria. 96 percent of them were destroyed in tropical regions.
The data situation on global forest restoration efforts is poor. There is also a lack of a global overview of natural forest recreation. “The world’s forests are in crisis,” said Erin Matson, who works at the consulting firm Climate Focus and co-authored the report. “So many promises have been made to stop deforestation and fund forest protection. But the chance for progress is given up every year.”
According to the report, by 2023 deforestation would have to be reduced by almost a third (27.8 percent) in order to keep the promises made. In addition, biological diversity in forests is “decreasing at an alarming rate.”
50 countries on the right track
But there are also positive developments, the report says. 50 countries worldwide are on the way to ending deforestation. Brazil, Indonesia and Malaysia, which are home to large rainforests that are considered important carbon sinks and have important functions in the fight against climate change, also made progress in combating the loss.
With a view to the upcoming climate conference, which begins in Dubai at the end of November, the WWF published a second report at the same time with concrete suggestions for action to protect and restore forests. It is still possible to reverse the developments. The organization called for stopping subsidizing environmentally harmful practices and reforming global trade through supply chain laws. The land rights of indigenous peoples must also be recognized.
Previous calculations are updated
The authors primarily use satellite data to calculate the destruction of forests. The calculation models are recalibrated and updated every year, the authors explained. Previous calculations would then also be partially updated.