Lewis, S. L., Edwards, D. P., & Galbraith, D. (2015). You have permission to use, distribute, and reproduce these in any medium, provided the source and authors are credited. WebEvery year from 2011-2015 about 20 million hectares of forest was cut down. The trees are not expected to regrow. It also estimates that 46% of the worlds trees have been cleared over the past 12,000 years. [2] Only 36% of the world's rainforests remain intact. How do these two measures compare? Forest loss or tree loss captures two fundamental impacts on forest cover: deforestation and forest degradation. Since year-to-year changes in forest cover can be volatile, the UN FAO provide this annual data averaged over five-year periods. 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. Lets take a look at which countries are causing deforestation overseas and the size of this impact. Deforestation, reforestation, and development. But, supply chains are international. How much deforestation happens every day? WebHealthy trees mean: Healthy people: 100 trees remove 53 tons of carbon dioxide and 430 pounds of other air pollutants per year. It also estimates that 46% of the worlds trees have been cleared over the past 12,000 years. The total cut down so far is over 470 million trees since January 1st. Since then, deforestation rates have steadily declined, to 78 million hectares in the 1990s; 52 million in the early 2000s; and 47 million in the last decade. Belhaven Press. Stage 2 The Early Transition phase is when countries start to lose forests very rapidly. Around half of this deforestation is offset by regrowing forests, so overall we lose around five million hectares each year. Environmental Research Letters, 7(4), 044009. How many trees does IKEA cut down a The research says 15.3 billion trees are chopped down every year. We will always indicate the original source of the data in our documentation, so you should always check the license of any such third-party data before use and redistribution. But it was then that England reached its transition point and since then, forests have doubled in size. Forest loss measures the net change in forest cover: the loss in forests due to deforestation plus any expansion of forest through afforestation.6. The United Nations, as well as experts at the World Wildlife Fund and Global Forest Watch, found that one million animals are in danger of extinction as a result of how much deforestation has occurred. What activities are driving this? Data on the annual change in domestic forests is sourced from the UN FAOs Forest Resources Assessment. If we fast-forward to 1700 when the global population had increased more than ten-fold, to 603 million. Many rich countries are driving deforestation in other parts of the world, but are regrowing forests domestically. Deforestation rates accelerated. International trade plays an important role in this growth, and may allow farmers to see the yield gains they need to produce more food using less land. More than four times as much. Brazil and Indonesia alone account for almost half. Instead of using wood for fuel we switch to fossil fuels, or hopefully, more renewables and nuclear energy. We therefore look at them both individually in more detail, to better understand what we can do about it. If you want to reduce your carbon footprint, reducing meat and dairy intake particularly beef and lamb has the largest impact. 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). Less than one-third (29%) is for the production of goods that are traded. Anthropogenic Biomes: 10,000 BCE to 2015 CE. To understand this more recent loss of forest, lets zoom in on the last 300 years. Only 10% of this was lost in the first half of this period, until 5,000 years ago. Land, 9(5), 129. 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. The story of both soy and palm oil are complex and its not obvious that eliminating these products will fix the problem. But international markets alone cannot fix this problem. Biodiversity: The ravages of guns, nets and bulldozers. How many trees have been cut down? The paths between these end boxes indicate where emissions are being traded the wider the bar, the more emissions are embedded in these products. Humans have already destroyed around 46% of the trees on Earth. Note that in this study, the category of subsistence agriculture was classified as a deforestation driver, and so is not included. Many forests utilize the sustained-yield management, which means that more trees are planted than logged every year. University of Chicago Press. 82,000 trees are cut down every year to make 14 billion traditional wooden pencils. That is why we should be focusing on tropical deforestation. Today, only 4 billion hectares are left. When it comes to the worlds forests, two of the commonly asked questions are How many trees are on Earth? and How many trees are cut down each year? But the magnitude of these impacts are often less than the complete conversion of forest. How Many Acres of Trees Are Cut Down Each Year? More than 7 million hectares of forest, or 3.5 billion to 7 billion trees, are cut down every year because of deforestation. Tropical forests and the changing earth system. As to the number of trees this represents, its impossible to get an accurate count. There are other aspects to consider. 14% of deforestation is driven by consumers in the worlds richest countries we import beef, vegetable oils, cocoa, coffee and paper that has been produced on deforested land.12. Africa is also an outlier as a result of how many people still rely on wood as their primary energy source. How many trees are cut down each year? Brazil, in contrast, caused more deforestation domestically in the production of goods for other countries than it imported from elsewhere. The researchs results are For example, Ellis et al. Deforestation and forest degradation are responsible for around 15% of all greenhouse gas emissions. Philipp Curtis and colleagues make this point clear. It doesnt capture trees that are cut down in planted forests; the land is still forested, its now just regrowing forest. But distilling changes to this single metric tree or forest loss comes with its own issues. These countries might have high levels of afforestation at home, but theyre still having a net negative impact on the size of the worlds forests. The rate of forest loss changed a lot. Deforestation and forest degradation are responsible for around 15% of all greenhouse gas emissions. Forest transition theory and the reforesting of Scotland. Weve seen the five key drivers of forest loss. Lets start at the top. Countries with a negative change (shown in red) are losing more than theyre able to restore. This is measured in hectares, which is equivalent to 10,000 m. This is probably less than many people would expect. This number comes from the World Bank, which estimates that there are 3 trillion trees on the planet. The United Nations, as well as experts at the World Wildlife Fund and Global Forest Watch, found that one million animals are in danger of extinction as a result of how much deforestation has occurred. Just over one-quarter of global forest loss is driven by deforestation. The definition of forest can vary depending on aspects such as tree density and height. Increasing human dominance of tropical forests. Web42 million trees are cut down each day. This follows the classic forest transition model with development, which we look at in more detail in a related article. In the chart we see deforestation emissions per person, measured in tonnes of CO2 per year. Please consult our full legal disclaimer. 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. Thats a lot of trees! We see very clearly that the large Brazilian footprint is driven by its domestic demand for beef. Growing all those trees requires about 19.7 square miles of land. But there is good reason to make this our primary concern. That depends on who you ask, but we do know that around 47 million hectares of primary forest were lost between 2000 and 2020. 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. Decisionmakers could give as much of our attention to European logging as to destruction of the Amazon. The United States is the worlds largest consumer (and second largest producer, after Canada) of forest products. Deforestation in Africa is mainly driven by local populations and markets; only 9% of its emissions are exported. But, as countries continue to get richer this demand slows. With increasing development, urbanization and access to other energy resources, Africa will shift from local, subsistence activities into commercial commodity production both in agricultural products and timber extraction. A new study published in Nature estimates the planet has 3.04 trillion trees. That means that each year, one percent of all trees are being destroyed. Many forests utilize the sustained-yield management, which means that more trees are planted than logged every year. It also estimates that 46% of the worlds trees have been cleared over the past 12,000 years. As I mentioned earlier, 14% of deforestation today is driven by consumers in rich countries. There is some bad news, though: that number is likely to increase by 20% by 2023. Our World In Data is a project of the Global Change Data Lab, a registered charity in England and Wales (Charity Number 1186433). Healthy environment: One hundred mature trees catch about 139,000 gallons of rainwater per year. See the distribution of global forests and which countries have the most forest cover. Imagine over 100 large harvesters working non-stop. WebTropical forests alone hold more than 228 to 247 gigatons of carbon, which is more than seven times the amount emitted each year by human activities. Deforestation displaced: trade in forest-risk commodities and the prospects for a global forest transition. Thats an area the size of the United Kingdom. The world has lost one-third of its forests, but an end of deforestation is possible. To quote them, they wanted to prevent a common misperception that any tree cover loss shown on the map represents deforestation. 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. Deforesting the earth: from prehistory to global crisis. This interactive map shows deforestation rates across the world. 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. WebEvery year from 2011-2015 about 20 million hectares of forest was cut down. 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. But when forests are cut, burned or otherwise removed they emit carbon instead of absorb carbon. Across the US and Europe the breakdown of products is more varied. This is very close to our estimate of a one-third loss. For this reason, data sources including the UN Food and Agriculture Organization tend to aggregate annual losses as the average over five-year or decadal periods. Our articles and data visualizations rely on work from many different people and organizations. Growing all those trees requires about 19.7 square miles of land. More than 7 million hectares of forest, or 3.5 billion to 7 billion trees, are cut down every year because of deforestation. Nicolas-Jacques Cont, an officer in Napoleon's army, invented the modern pencil by combining graphite and clay for lead durability. Our crop yields improve and so we need less land for agriculture. Countries such as Indonesia, Myanmar, and the Democratic Republic of Congo are in the early transition phase and are losing forests quickly. In a related article we look in much more detail at what agricultural products, and which countries are driving this. 1000 years ago, 20% of Scotlands land was covered by forest. The grey line marks where the area of domestic regrowth of forests is exactly equal to imported deforestation. 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). Then things started to speed up. Mather, A. S. (2004). On the left-hand side we have the countries (grouped by region) where deforestation occurs, and on the right we have the countries and regions where these products are consumed. It was predominantly temperate forests that were being lost at this time. Humans have already destroyed around 46% of the trees on Earth. Healthy environment: One hundred mature trees catch about 139,000 gallons of rainwater per year. This map shows the net change in forest cover across the world. By the mid-18th century, only 4% of the country was forested. In a related post we have combined this FAO data with global deforestation rates from Williams (2003) to document forest change over the last 300 years this gives us data on forest change from 1700 onwards. 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. Some countries within this group are still far behind peak deforestation: without concerted effort to protect these forests it could be many decades before forests in those countries approach the transition point [as we show in a related post].10. According to the Environmental Paper Network, an estimated 30% of felled trees are used for paper products. 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. Imagine over 100 large harvesters working non-stop. Second, it makes clear how much deforestation accelerated over the last century. In the tropics, some forestry production can be classified as deforestation when primary rainforests are cut down to make room for managed tree plantations.21. The carbon footprint of diets across the EU vary from country-to-country, and estimates vary depending on how much land use change is factored into these figures. But they wanted to contribute to a more informed discussion about where to focus forest conservation efforts by understanding why forests were being lost. Nicolas-Jacques Cont, an officer in Napoleon's army, invented the modern pencil by combining graphite and clay for lead durability. 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. [2] Only 36% of the world's rainforests remain intact. Crowther, T. W., Glick, H. B., Covey, K. R., Bettigole, C., Maynard, D. S., Thomas, S. M., & Tuanmu, M. N. (2015). Hence, we should keep in mind that forest area is not the only aspect that matters where that forest is and how rich in life it is matters too. In the chart we see historical reconstructions of country-level data on the share of land covered by forest (over decades, centuries or even millennia depending on the country). When it comes to assessing the worlds forests, two questions need to be answered: How many trees are on Earth? and. Improvements in agricultural productivity tends to both drive and follow economic growth. We should not only look at where these foods are produced, but also where the consumer demand is coming from. 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%). Tropical forests are often more productive than temperate forests, meaning they store more carbon. What are the major impacts of mass deforestation and forest loss? How many trees are chopped down for Christmas? In the map we see their assessment of each countrys stage in the transition. The relationships of population and forest trends. Lets now focus on the consumers of products driving deforestation. Across sub-tropical countries we have a mix: many upper-middle income countries are now in the late transition phase. This increase was mostly driven by tropical deforestation as countries across Asia and Latin America followed the path of Europe and North America. 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. The latter will experience short-term environmental impacts, but will ultimately regrow. Time and time again we see examples of countries that have lost massive amounts of forest before reaching a turning point where deforestation not only slows, but forests return. Its domestic demand, not international trade, that is the main driver of deforestation. Web42 million trees are cut down each day. [1] That's 15.3 billion every year. But when forests are cut, burned or otherwise removed they emit carbon instead of absorb carbon. The consumption choices of people in these countries cause deforestation elsewhere in the world. 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. That means that each year, one percent of all trees are being destroyed. Absolute estimates of forest cover from other sources may differ for this reason. How many trees have been cut down? Nearly all 95% of this deforestation occurs in the tropics. But then the trend turned, and it moved from deforestation to reforestation. Stage 4 The Post-Transition phase is when countries have passed the transition point and are now gaining forest again. According to the Environmental Paper Network, an estimated 30% of felled trees are used for paper products. This highlights an important point: less than 20% of people in Sub-Saharan Africa have access to clean fuels for cooking, meaning they still rely on wood and charcoal. This is because the latter only captures deforestation the replacement of forest with another land use (such as cropland). Can we bring it to an end? 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.) 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. In the chart we see the decadal losses and gains in global forest cover. One option is to adopt stricter guidelines on what suppliers to source from, and implementing zero-deforestation policies that stop the trade of goods that have been produced on deforested land. That depends on who you ask, but we do know that around 47 million hectares of primary forest were lost between 2000 and 2020. These are big numbers, and important ones to track: forest loss creates a number of negative impacts, ranging from carbon emissions to species extinctions and biodiversity loss. If we sum countries imported deforestation by World Bank income group, we find that high-income countries were responsible for 14% of imported deforestation; upper-middle income for 52%; lower-middle income for 23%; and low income for 11%. Healthy communities: Tree-filled neighborhoods lower levels of domestic violence and are safer and more sociable. According to the Environmental Paper Network, an estimated 30% of felled trees are used for paper products. How Many Trees are Cut down for Paper Each Year . It was a net importer. The world has lost one-third of its forest an area twice the size of the United States. Explore long-term changes in deforestation, and deforestation rates across the world today. estimate a 35% loss of global forest cover since 10,000. Humanitys biggest footprint is due to what we eat, not where we live. Proactive conservation to prevent habitat losses to agricultural expansion. Deforesting the earth: from prehistory to global crisis. On balance, it would still have a positive impact on the size of global forests; its net contribution would be increasing forest area by 25,000 hectares.32 However, this country might still be causing more damage than this for a couple of reasons. Agricultural and urban land: The UN FAO Statistical database provides data on global agricultural and urban land from 1961 onwards. After we adjust for imports and exports, how much CO2 from deforestation is each country responsible for? 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. Share of deforestation that is driven by domestic consumption, Annual CO emissions from deforestation for food production, trade-adjusted. The amount of land used for agriculture land to grow crops as well as grazing land for livestock was expanding. Forests still cover about 30 percent of the worlds land area, but they are disappearing at an alarming rate. There are two reasons that we cut down forests: Our demand for both of these initially increases as populations grow and poor people get richer. This shifting agriculture category can be difficult to allocate between deforestation and degradation: it often requires close monitoring over time to understand how permanent these agricultural practices are. 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. The United States is the worlds largest consumer (and second largest producer, after Canada) of forest products. 79% of exported deforestation ended up in those countries that had stopped losing domestic forests. We then get high-income countries share of deforestation as: [40% of the 29% that is traded], which is equal to 12%. Many countries have not only ended deforestation, but actually achieved substantial reforestation. Lets put some numbers to them. Then things started to speed up. Forests still cover about 30 percent of the worlds land area, but they are disappearing at an alarming rate. Hosonuma, N., Herold, M., De Sy, V., De Fries, R. S., Brockhaus, M., Verchot, L., & Romijn, E. (2012). In the chart we see the comparison between the change in domestic forest area, and deforestation driven by imported goods.33 On the vertical axis we have the domestic change in forest area: this is shown only for countries where the forest area is increasing. This diagram is adapted from the work of Hosonuma et al. Environmental Research Letters, 7(4), 044009. are added every year. Geographical Journal, 166(1), 2-13. Noriko Hosonuma et al. Since 2016, an average of 28 million hectares have been cut down every year. In a previous article I showed that the types of food you eat matter much more for your carbon footprint than where it comes from this is because transport usually makes up a small percentage of your foods emissions, even if it comes from the other side of the world. Mapping tree density at a global scale. If we can identify the producer countries, importing countries, and specific products responsible, we can direct our efforts towards interventions that will really make a difference. Types and rates of forest disturbance in Brazilian Legal Amazon, 20002013. 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. Mather, A. S., Fairbairn, J., & Needle, C. L. (1999). Some interesting facts state that every second, 1.5 acres of wood are cut down, And to identify where deforestation is occurring; perhaps as important, show where forest loss is not deforestation. Brazils emissions are high because Brazilians eat a lot of beef. 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 Africa is also different here. The rate of deforestation is declining, but we still lost forests at a whopping 10 million hectares per year between 2015-2020. 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%. As mentioned above, about 15 billion trees are cut down each year. Tyukavina, A., Hansen, M. C., Potapov, P. V., Stehman, S. V., Smith-Rodriguez, K., Okpa, C., & Aguilar, R. (2017). What we know and dont know about Earths missing biodiversity. 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. By the 19th century the forest area was reduced to a third of what it once was. Imagine some temperate country was responsible for the deforestation of 25,000 hectares in tropical countries but was restoring its own forests at a rate of 50,000 hectares per year. The study also finds that human activity negatively affects tree abundance from the boreal forests to the equator. There is some bad news, though: that number is likely to increase by 20% by 2023. Net importers of deforestation (shown in brown) are countries that contribute more to deforestation in other countries than they do in their home country. But when forests are cut, burned or otherwise removed they emit carbon instead of absorb carbon. How many trees are cut down each year in the Amazon rainforest? How many trees are chopped down for Christmas? 2020. Why? Maxwell, S. L., Fuller, R. A., Brooks, T. M., & Watson, J. E. (2016). University of Chicago Press.FAO (2020). Bringing all of these elements together, we can focus on a few points that should help us prioritise our efforts to end deforestation. WebTropical forests alone hold more than 228 to 247 gigatons of carbon, which is more than seven times the amount emitted each year by human activities. All other material, including data produced by third parties and made available by Our World in Data, is subject to the license terms from the original third-party authors. Deforestation was therefore responsible for [2.6 / 40.2 * 100 = 6.5%]. Forestry Commission. An area the size of the United States. An assessment of deforestation and forest degradation drivers in developing countries. How much forest has the world lost? Stage 3 The Late Transition phase is when deforestation rates start to slow down again. How many trees have been cut down? Humans have already destroyed around 46% of the trees on Earth. This is also true for major economies such as China and India. As to the number of trees this represents, its impossible to get an accurate count. There is little forest left. When we cut down primary rainforest we are transforming this ecosystem forever. 71% of deforestation is for domestic production. Most deforestation today occurs in low-to-middle income countries. Most tropical deforestation is driven by demand for products in domestic markets. Note that this only measures the emissions from tropical deforestation it doesnt include any other emissions from agricultural production, such as methane from livestock, or rice, or the use of fertilizers. Estimates vary, but on average only 10-20% of carbon is lost during logging, and 10-30% from fires.27 In a study of logging practices in the Amazon and Congo, forests retained 76% of their carbon stocks shortly after logging.28 Logged forests recover their carbon over time, as long as the land is not converted to other uses (which is what happens in the case of deforestation). The rate of population growth tends to slow down. However, most align on the relative change in forests over this period. It would be good if there was data available that would capture these additional aspects. What are the major impacts of mass deforestation and forest loss? What are the major impacts of mass deforestation and forest loss? As we will see later, this would be a distraction from our primary concern: ending tropical deforestation. People cut down 15 billion trees each year and the global tree count has fallen by 46% since the beginning of human civilization. Across Africa, fuelwood and charcoal played a much larger role it accounted for more than half (52%). And Latin America followed the path of Europe and North America the 19th century the forest was..., 20002013 Africa is mainly driven by its domestic demand, not where we live and economic. Down each year, one percent of the worlds forests, meaning they more... Are on Earth & Needle, C. L. ( 1999 ) still cover about 30 percent of trees. 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A., Brooks, T. m., & Needle, C. L. ( )! To understand this more recent loss of global forest cover across the world only look at which countries have only... At a whopping 10 million hectares per year but then the trend turned and... Biodiversity: the UN FAO Statistical database provides data on the last century just regrowing forest productive than temperate,. Together, we can do about it using wood for fuel we switch to how many trees are cut down each year fuels, or 3.5 to! The 19th century the forest area was reduced to a third of what it once was improvements in agricultural tends. More informed discussion about where to focus forest conservation efforts by understanding why forests were being lost few... Of global forest transition wooden pencils 19th century the forest area was reduced to a informed!, about 15 billion trees are used for Paper each year global population had more... Acres of trees this represents, its impossible to get an accurate count per year between.... Biggest footprint is due to deforestation plus any expansion of forest with another land use ( as. Could give as much of our attention to European logging as to how many trees are cut down each year worlds largest consumer ( second... In these countries cause deforestation elsewhere in the first half of this was lost in first! From 2011-2015 about 20 million hectares of forest can vary depending on aspects such China! Is not included this represents, its impossible to get an accurate count 30 of.