Global Forest Loss Remains High, Despite Recent Progress
Slow progress in protecting tropical forests as wildfires and agricultural expansion counteract efforts, leading to a loss of 9.1 million acres in 2023.
- Bilawal Riaz
- 1 min read
Wildfires in Canada and increased agricultural expansion have negated the progress made in protecting tropical forests last year, according to a report by the World Resources Institute. Despite efforts to safeguard rainforests in countries like Brazil and Colombia, the world lost 9.1 million acres of primary tropical forest in 2023, almost the size of Switzerland. This loss, 9 percent less than the previous year, falls short of the goal set by 145 nations to halt all forest destruction by 2030. The report highlights the urgent need to address deforestation and wildfires in tropical regions, which are primarily driven by human activities and have significant implications for climate change and biodiversity conservation.