Tropical Forest Loss Falls 36% in 2025, But Fires and Farming Persist
Researchers said 4.3 million hectares were lost, with agriculture still the main driver and fires accounting for 42% of destruction worldwide.
- On Wednesday, researchers reported global tropical primary forest loss fell 36% in 2025, though the world still lost 4.3 million hectares—an area larger than Switzerland—leaving countries far off track from 2030 goals.
- Brazil's forest loss dropped 41% from 2024, its lowest rate on record, reflecting stronger environmental enforcement since President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva took office in 2023 and relaunched an anti-deforestation framework.
- Fires drove 42% of global tree cover loss in 2025, with researchers warning that climate change and land clearing have created a "dangerous new normal," turning seasonal disturbances into a "near-permanent state of emergency."
- Despite recent gains, countries are deforesting 70% more than needed to meet the 2030 goal; Elizabeth Goldman, co-director of Global Forest Watch, said "Achieving this goal in the coming years will not be easy."
- Rising risks in 2026 include a potential El Niño, which could push temperatures higher, while Indonesia recorded a 14% increase in forest loss last year, largely due to agricultural expansion and food estate programs.
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65 Articles
Global deforestation slows, analysis finds. But fires remain a major threat
Global tree loss fell 14% in 2025 from the year before, according to a report published Wednesday by World Resources Institute, with the decline largely driven by progress in protecting tropical forests. The post Global deforestation slows, analysis finds. But fires remain a major threat appeared first on West Hawaii Today.
The destruction of virgin tropical forests showed moderation during 2025.This phenomenon occurred after a record period of loss on the planet.The Global Forest Watch Observatory issued the announcement on Wednesday.The tropical regions lost 4.3 million hectares of primary forest the previous year.This area is equivalent to the total extent of Denmark.The data comes from a laboratory at the University of Maryland.The figure represents a 36% decre…
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In the past year, a little less tropical primary forest has been lost worldwide than in 2024.
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