The State of the World’s Forests 2024 Report

The Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United Nations released the “State of the World’s Forests” report on July 22, 2024, detailing the global condition of forests. The report highlights both positive and negative trends: while the rate of deforestation has slowed, climate change continues to pose significant threats. The global forest area is approximately 4.1 billion hectares, or 31% of the Earth’s land, with the USA, Canada, Russia, and China covering 54% of this area. From 1990 to 2020, 420 million hectares of forest were lost, though the annual deforestation rate improved from 15.8 million hectares (1990-2002) to 10.2 million hectares (2015-2020). Countries like China and India reported annual forest growth by 2020, and measures in Indonesia and Brazil have notably reduced deforestation. Mangrove ecosystems, covering 14.8 million hectares, show resilience despite net losses from 2000 to 2020. The FAO, established in 1945 and headquartered in Rome, Italy, focuses on sustainable agricultural practices and climate resilience, with a mission to combat hunger and improve nutrition globally.