Global Deforestation Slows for the First Time in Decades

The world’s forests are finally catching a breath. After decades of relentless decline, global deforestation has slowed across every region, signalling hope for the planet’s “green lungs.”

“The data helps inform decisions, policies, and investments related to forests and the ecosystem services they provide,” said Qu Dongyu, Director-General of the UN Food and Agriculture Organization, which compiles the forest assessment every five years using satellite data and country reporting.

The latest UN assessment shows that the world is now losing 10.9 million hectares of forest each year — down from 13.6 million a decade earlier and 17.6 million before that — marking a steady global turnaround for trees and biodiversity. Since 1990, 251 million additional hectares of forest have been brought under legal protection, and half of all forests are now actively managed for sustainable use and conservation. Asia leads the world with 26% forest cover, while Indigenous Peoples and local communities in the Americas now own more than 41 million hectares of forest. With continued global cooperation and protection efforts, the world’s forests are on a path toward recovery and long-term resilience.