Historical data pre-1990 is sourced from Michael Williams book, Deforesting the Earth: from prehistory to global crisis. How many trees are cut down each year? It was a net importer. And to identify where deforestation is occurring; perhaps as important, show where forest loss is not deforestation. Thats a lot of trees! Thats one football field of forest lost every single second around the clock. Deforestation and forest degradation are responsible for around 15% of all greenhouse gas emissions. When citing this topic page, please also cite the underlying data sources. Each year, an estimated 15 billion trees are cut down around the world. Most of our future deforestation is going to come from countries in the pre- or early-transition phase. This might paint a bleak picture for the future of the worlds forests: the United Nations projects that the global population will continue to grow, reaching 10.8 billion by 2100. See which countries are gaining forest though natural forest expansion and afforestation. Year-to-year data on forest change comes with several issues: either data at this resolution is not available, or year-to-year changes can be highly variable. We need to pass the transition point as soon as possible, while minimising the amount of forest we lose along the way. Forest degradation measures a thinning of the canopy a reduction in the density of trees in the area but without a change in land use. Thats a lot of trees! Web3.5 billion to 7 billion trees are cut down per year. This is very close to our estimate of a one-third loss. This is nearly always true of planted forests in temperate regions there, planted forests are long-established and do not replace primary existing forests. As we explore in more detail in our related article, countries tend to follow a predictable development in forest cover, a U-shaped curve.9 They lose forests as populations grow and demand for agricultural land and fuel increases, but eventually they reach the so-called forest transition point where they begin to regrow more forests than they lose. In just over 100 years the world lost as much forest as it had in the previous 9,000 years. They should keep their domestic reforestation targets in perspective with their net impact on global forests. The rate of deforestation is declining, but we still lost forests at a whopping 10 million hectares per year between 2015-2020. There is some bad news, though: that number is likely to increase by 20% by 2023. In Latin America and Southeast Asia in particular, commodity-driven deforestation mainly the clearance of forests to grow crops such as palm oil and soy, and pasture for beef production accounts for almost two-thirds of forest loss. To understand this more recent loss of forest, lets zoom in on the last 300 years. On the horizontal axis we have time, spanning from 1700 to 2020; on the vertical axis we have the decadal change in forest cover. University of Chicago Press.FAO (2020). The same is true of the United States; back in 1630 46% of the area of todays USA was covered by forest. 95% of the worlds deforestation occurs in the tropics [we look at this breakdown again later]. Stage 4 The Post-Transition phase is when countries have passed the transition point and are now gaining forest again. To put this in perspective, that would be around one-sixth of the total carbon footprint of the average EU diet.36. In a study published in Global Environmental Change, Florence Pendrill and colleagues investigated where tropical deforestation was occurring; what products were driving this; and, using global trade models, they traced where these products were going in international supply chains.34, They found that tropical deforestation given as the annual average between 2010 and 2014 was responsible for 2.6 billion tonnes of CO2 per year. How much deforestation happens every day? Deforestation displaced: trade in forest-risk commodities and the prospects for a global forest transition. But, understanding the role of deforestation in the products we buy is important. According to CNN, each year over 1,000 plants and animal species go extinct due to deforestation and subsequent habitat loss. Belhaven Press. How many trees are cut down each year? It was predominantly temperate forests that were being lost at this time. The world loses almost six million hectares of forest each year to deforestation. Its domestic demand, not international trade, that is the main driver of deforestation. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson Prentice Hall. Shifting agriculture is usually classified as degradation because the land is often abandoned and the forests regrow naturally. Please consult our full legal disclaimer. The study also finds that human activity negatively affects tree abundance from the boreal forests to the equator. Note that in this study, the category of subsistence agriculture was classified as a deforestation driver, and so is not included. The rate of population growth tends to slow down. On balance, they add to the global forest stock. Many countries have followed this classic U-shaped pattern. Across temperate forests the world gained 6 million hectares in the last decade. Ellis, E. C., Beusen, A. H., & Goldewijk, K. K. (2020). This follows the classic forest transition model with development, which we look at in more detail in a related article. Stage 1 The Pre-Transition phase is defined by having high levels of forest cover and no or only very slow losses over time. Over the decade since 2010, the net loss in forests globally was 4.7 million hectares per year.1 However, deforestation rates were much significantly higher. International trade is important for socioeconomic development. Approximately 3.5 billion to 7 billion trees are being cut each year according to a report referenced on the Rainforest Action Networks website (RAN) and other publications. [2] Only 36% of the world's rainforests remain intact. Since year-to-year changes in forest cover can be volatile, the UN FAO provide this annual data averaged over five-year periods. This helps consumers understand what products they should be concerned about, but also allows us to target specific supply chains. But there is good reason to make this our primary concern. Nature Sustainability, 1-9. Our World in Data is free and accessible for everyone. We manage to capture some of these differences in carbon in our related article on deforestation emissions embedded in trade. Tree density in primary forests varies from 50,000-100,000 trees per square km, so the math would put this number at 3.5 billion to 7 billion trees cut down each year. Science Advances, 3(4), e1601047. In the coming decades this is where we might expect to see the most rapid loss of forests unless these countries take action to prevent it, and the world supports them in the goal. Tyukavina, A., Hansen, M. C., Potapov, P. V., Stehman, S. V., Smith-Rodriguez, K., Okpa, C., & Aguilar, R. (2017). How do these two measures compare? How many trees are cut down each year in the Amazon rainforest? Rudel, T. K., Coomes, O. T., Moran, E., Achard, F., Angelsen, A., Xu, J., & Lambin, E. (2005). Forestry Commission. In the chart we see deforestation emissions per person, measured in tonnes of CO2 per year. We see massive differences in how important each driver is across the world. I have reconstructed long-term data using various studies which Ive documented here. This interactive map shows deforestation rates across the world. Many countries have much less forest today than they did in the past. How many trees are lost to deforestation each year? The remaining 73% came from the three drivers of forest degradation: logging of forestry products from plantations (26%); shifting, local agriculture (24%); and wildfires (23%). There are other aspects to consider. This diagram is adapted from the work of Hosonuma et al. But there are real reasons to believe that this century doesnt have to replicate the destruction of the last one. Lets take an example. The problem is that it treats all forest loss as equal. There is some bad news, though: that number is likely to increase by 20% by 2023. The UK imported 34,000 hectares of deforestation but increased its domestic forests by only 19,000 hectares. But not all of it is to produce products for local markets. Approximately 3.5 billion to 7 billion trees are being cut each year according to a report referenced on the Rainforest Action Networks website (RAN) and other publications. Global Forest Resources Assessment 2020: Main report. Can we bring it to an end? Deforestation and forest degradation are responsible for around 15% of all greenhouse gas emissions. Approximately 3.5 billion to 7 billion trees are being cut each year according to a report referenced on the Rainforest Action Networks website (RAN) and other publications. You see that of the 14.9 billion hectares of land on the planet, only 71% of it is habitable the other 29% is either covered by ice and glaciers, or is barren land such as deserts, salt flats, or dunes. Pre-1961 land use is sourced from the work of Ellis et al. Many rich countries are driving deforestation in other parts of the world, but are regrowing forests domestically. An assessment of deforestation and forest degradation drivers in developing countries. 71% of deforestation is for domestic production. But we also need to know what products are driving this. WebThe UN FAO estimate that 10 million hectares of forest were cut down each year. estimate a 35% loss of global forest cover since 10,000. The fact that the per capita emissions after trade are very high means that a lot of their food products are consumed by people in Brazil and Indonesia. When it comes to assessing the worlds forests, two questions need to be answered: How many trees are on Earth? and. Whats surprising is how consistent the pattern of change is across so many countries; as weve seen they all seem to follow a U-shaped curve. According to the Environmental Paper Network, an estimated 30% of felled trees are used for paper products. Habitat loss is the leading driver of global biodiversity loss.25 When we cut down rainforests we are destroying the habitats of many unique species, and reshaping these ecosystems permanently. The global population at this time was small and growing very slowly there were fewer than 50 million people in the world. It also estimates that 46% of the worlds trees have been cleared over the past 12,000 years. In most rich countries, across Europe, North America and East Asia, forest cover is increasing, whilst in many low-to-middle income countries its decreasing. By Georgina Rannard. This map shows the net change in forest cover across the world. We know where deforestation emissions are occurring, and where this demand is coming from. Forests are mainly cut and burned to make space for local, subsistence agriculture or for fuelwood for energy. Then, using a physical trade model across 191 countries and around 400 food and forestry products, they could trace them through to where they are physically consumed, either as food or in industrial processes.Pendrill, F., Persson, U. M., Godar, J., Kastner, T., Moran, D., Schmidt, S., & Wood, R. (2019). Why should we care most about tropical deforestation? But they wanted to contribute to a more informed discussion about where to focus forest conservation efforts by understanding why forests were being lost. Degradation drivers, including logging and especially wildfires can definitely have major impacts on forest health: animal populations decline, trees can die, and CO2 is emitted. According to the Environmental Paper Network, an estimated 30% of felled trees are used for paper products. [1] That's 15.3 billion every year. Approximately 3.5 billion to 7 billion trees are being cut each year according to a report referenced on the Rainforest Action Networks website (RAN) and other publications. Most emissions 71% came from foods consumed in the country that they were produced. Without reliable metrics that capture all of these differences, we will have to stick with total changes in forest area for now. What are the major impacts of mass deforestation and forest loss? If we want to end deforestation we need to understand where and why its happening; where countries are within their transition; and what can be done to accelerate their progress through it. How much deforestation happens every day? Given the current estimate of the total tree cover on the planet, that could equate to about 0.11% of trees being cut each year. But the solution is not so simple. If we add 0.3 tonnes to this figure, deforestation would account for around one-sixth [0.3 / (1.5+0.3) * 100 = 17%].Notarnicola, B., Tassielli, G., Renzulli, P. A., Castellani, V., & Sala, S. (2017). The data used in this chart comes from several sources. Do rich countries import deforestation from overseas? Deforestation also results in larger losses of biodiversity and carbon relative to degradation. What we know and dont know about Earths missing biodiversity. Deforestation in Africa is mainly driven by local populations and markets; only 9% of its emissions are exported. A note on UN FAO forestry data Data on net forest change, afforestation and deforestation is sourced from the UN Food and Agriculture Organizations Forest Resources Assessment. Firstly, international trade does play a role in deforestation its responsible for almost one-third of emissions. As of 2020, the UN estimates the planet is losing over 7,000,000 hectares per year to deforestation.27Between 1990 and 2015, the world lost 129 million hectares of forest an area about the size of South Africa.11 Natural forests lost by continent9include: Africa 3.2 million hectares Approximately 3.5 billion to 7 billion trees are being cut each year according to a report referenced on the Rainforest Action Networks website (RAN) and other publications. Several studies have assessed the stage of countries across the world.17 The most recent analysis to date was published by Florence Pendrill and colleagues (2019) which looked at each countrys stage in the transition, the drivers of deforestation but also the role of international trade.18 To do this, they used the standard metrics discussed in our theory of forest transitions earlier: the share of land that is forested, and the annual change in forest cover. This gives us an indication of the impact of the average persons diet. The study also finds that human activity negatively affects tree abundance from the boreal forests to the equator. Forest loss or tree loss captures two fundamental impacts on forest cover: deforestation and forest degradation. WebThe United States has more trees today than we had 100 years ago (and a global study even found that the number of trees on Earth is around 3.04 trillion, a much higher number than previously believed.) Lets take a look at which countries are causing deforestation overseas and the size of this impact. Mather refers to an annual loss of less than 0.25% as a small loss. Decisionmakers could give as much of our attention to European logging as to destruction of the Amazon. Most deforestation occurs for the production of goods that are consumed within domestic markets. It might seem odd to argue that we should focus our efforts on tackling this quarter of forest loss (rather than the other 73%). 15 billion trees are cut down every year.19 The Global Forest Watch project using satellite imagery estimates that global tree loss in 2019 was 24 million hectares. Our articles and data visualizations rely on work from many different people and organizations. If we sum countries imported deforestation by World Bank income group, we find that high-income countries were responsible for 40% of imported deforestation; upper-middle income for 25%; lower-middle income for 20%; and low income for 5%.We then get high-income countries share of deforestation as: [40% of the 29% that is traded], which is equal to 12%. Trends in Ecology & Evolution, 27(9), 501-510. Approximately 3.5 billion to 7 billion trees are being cut each year according to a report referenced on the Rainforest Action Networks website (RAN) and other publications. Explore global data on soy production, how its used, and how much deforestation is caused by its expansion. What this showed was that although humans have been deforesting the planet for millennia, the rate of forest loss accelerated rapidly in the last few centuries. A new study published in Nature estimates the planet has 3.04 trillion trees. This means interventions at the national-level will be key: this can include a range of solutions including policies such as Brazils soy moratorium, the REDD+ programme to compensate for the opportunity costs of preserving these forests, and improvements in agricultural productivity so countries can continue to produce more food on less land. The changes to the forest are often temporary and its expected that they will regrow. From 1700 to 1850, 19 million hectares were being cleared every decade. Today, most deforestation occurs in the tropics. Weve seen the five key drivers of forest loss. Loss of Biodiversity: Forests are the only liveable habitat for a variety of species around the globe many of which have not even have been discovered. And its not just in forests eitherits also happening on farms, in cities, and on private property. Globally we deforest around ten million hectares of forest every year.11 Thats an area the size of Portugal every year. Deforestation rates accelerated. theyre driving deforestation elsewhere; whilst many subtropical countries are partly cutting down trees to meet this demand from rich countries. Lewis, S. L., Edwards, D. P., & Galbraith, D. (2015). In Latin America and Asia the dominant driver of degradation was logging for products such as timber, paper and pulp this accounted for more than 70%. What activities are driving this? Forests, biodiversity and people. and an argument for why deforestation is worse than degradation. How many trees are lost to deforestation each year? 432). Noriko Hosonuma et al. Classifying drivers of global forest loss. Nearly all 95% of this deforestation occurs in the tropics. We should not only look at where these foods are produced, but also where the consumer demand is coming from. Web3.5 billion to 7 billion trees are cut down per year. It also estimates that 46% of the worlds trees have been cleared over the past 12,000 years. Environmental Research Letters, 7(4), 044009. That these countries have recently regained forests is also visible in the long-term forest trends above. As to the number of trees this represents, its impossible to get an accurate count. To investigate this question, researchers Florence Pendrill et al. Forests still cover about 30 percent of the worlds land area, but they are disappearing at an alarming rate. Nicolas-Jacques Cont, an officer in Napoleon's army, invented the modern pencil by combining graphite and clay for lead durability. Another way that richer countries can contribute is by investing in technologies such as improved seed varieties, fertilizers and agricultural practices that allow farmers to increase yields. Approximately 3.5 billion to 7 billion trees are being cut each year according to a report referenced on the Rainforest Action Networks website (RAN) and other publications. As mentioned above, about 15 billion trees are cut down each year. 1000 years ago, 20% of Scotlands land was covered by forest. At this stage, countries are still losing forest each year but at a lower rate than before. We see very clearly that the large Brazilian footprint is driven by its domestic demand for beef. That means that each year, one percent of all trees are being destroyed. In the chart here we see the breakdown of deforestation emissions by product for each consumer country. Estimates vary, but most date the end of the last great ice age to around 11,700 years ago.Kump, L. R., Kasting, J. F., & Crane, R. G. (2004). Tropical forests are also large carbon sinks, and can store a lot of carbon per unit area.26. Americans cut down 15,094,678 Christmas trees in 2017, according to the most recent year of data from the U.S. Agriculture Department. Web3.5 billion to 7 billion trees are cut down per year. Humans have been cutting down trees for millennia. A note on UN FAO forestry data Data on net forest change, afforestation and deforestation is sourced from the UN Food and Agriculture Organizations Forest Resources Assessment. If you struggle to increase crop yields but want to produce more food, then expanding your agricultural land is the only option. The 11-month balance shows that 1,539,970 trees were cut down each day, which means 1,059 trees per minute or almost 18 trees per second. (2020). As of 2020, the UN estimates the planet is losing over 7,000,000 hectares per year to deforestation.27Between 1990 and 2015, the world lost 129 million hectares of forest an area about the size of South Africa.11 Natural forests lost by continent9include: Africa 3.2 million hectares How Many Acres of Trees Are Cut Down Each Year? When we cut down primary rainforest we are transforming this ecosystem forever. The average across the EU was 0.3 tonnes CO2 per person. This is true for some problems, such as climate change. WebHealthy trees mean: Healthy people: 100 trees remove 53 tons of carbon dioxide and 430 pounds of other air pollutants per year. What are the major impacts of mass deforestation and forest loss? Across sub-tropical countries we have a mix: many upper-middle income countries are now in the late transition phase. Agricultural and forestry trade drives large share of tropical deforestation emissions. Whether we look at the distribution of endemic mammal species, bird species, or amphibian species, the map is the same: subtropical countries are packed with unique wildlife. On the x-axis we have imported deforestation. Africas emissions are high because people are clearing forests to produce more food. [1] That's 15.3 billion every year. More than 7 million hectares of forest, or 3.5 billion to 7 billion trees, are cut down every year because of deforestation. Since 2016, an average of 28 million hectares have been cut down every year. Countries below the line such as the UK and Germany are not growing forests fast enough to offset the deforestation theyre creating elsewhere. 71% of this is driven by demand in domestic markets, and the remaining 29% for the production of products that are traded. Environmental Research Letters, 14(5), 055003. People cut down 15 billion trees each year and the global tree count has fallen by 46% since the beginning of human civilization. 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