Nearly three times Belgium’s land area in forests vanished worldwide last year
According to the Forest Declaration Assessment, published on Monday by a coalition of international NGOs, the world lost 8.3 million hectares of forest in 2024. This is an area nearly three times the size of Belgium. Despite promises to reverse the trend, the report warns that deforestation is accelerating globally.
The total area of forest destroyed increased sharply, from 6.6 million hectares in 2022 to 8.3 million hectares in 2024. Scientists described these findings as "sobering", noting that over 140 countries had pledged at the 2021 Glasgow Climate Summit to halt deforestation by 2030. "Despite years of effort, the world remains off track to meet critical forest targets," the study concludes.
Researchers expressed particular concern about the destruction of tropical rainforests. The expansion of agriculture, road building and logging continues to ravage ecosystems, while wildfires - many of which are deliberately set - have wiped out millions of hectares in Latin America, Asia, Africa and the Pacific. Fires in the Amazon alone released an estimated 791 million tonnes of CO₂, which is seven times the annual average.
The gap between promises and reality is growing wider each year
“The gap between promises and reality is growing wider each year, with devastating consequences for people, the climate, and the economy,” said Erin Matson of Climate Focus, who is the report's co-author. Currently, only 5.4 per cent of lost forests are being restored, which is far below what is needed to avoid irreversible damage. Ivan Palmegiani, a biodiversity expert at Climate Focus, warned that forests are approaching a “dangerous tipping point” and called for increased international funding to protect them.
The report coincides with the 'Green to Grey' investigation, which was led by Arena for Journalism in Europe and Norway’s NRK. The investigation reveals that Europe is losing significant green spaces to urbanisation. Between 2018 and 2023, 9,000 km² of natural and agricultural land was lost from the continent. That's the equivalent of 600 football pitches disappearing every day.
© Shawn Goldberg / SOPA
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