Story Spark: Deforestation

The document outlines the current state of global deforestation, noting that 8.1 million hectares were lost in 2024 and that the world is off track to meet the COP26 goal of halting and reversing deforestation by 2030. It identifies agriculture as the primary driver, accounting for 86% of global deforestation over the last decade, and highlights the critical role of old-growth forests in carbon storage. The guide also notes that climate-driven risks, particularly wildfires, have become leading causes of forest loss, with fire becoming the principal driver of tropical forest loss for the first time in 2024.

• In 2024, approximately 8.1 million hectares of forest were permanently lost globally, and the world is currently failing to meet the COP26 target to halt and reverse global deforestation by 2030.
• Agriculture is the dominant cause of deforestation, responsible for roughly 86% of global forest loss over the last ten years, with cattle ranching specifically cited as the largest driver of rainforest loss in the Amazon.
• Land-use changes contribute between 12% and 20% of global greenhouse gas emissions, and the loss of old-growth forests is particularly damaging because they are more productive at storing carbon than younger forests.
• Climate change is increasing the prevalence of wildfires, pests, and extreme weather; notably, fire became the primary driver of tropical forest loss for the first time in 2024.
• Specific regional threats include the expansion of pine and spruce beetles in the Northern Hemisphere, the impact of global avocado demand in Michoacán, Mexico, and the potential for US tariffs on China to increase soybean production and deforestation in the Brazilian Amazon.

APA

CCNow (2025). Story Spark: Deforestation. Covering Climate Now. https://coveringclimatenow.org/from-us-story/covering-deforestation/

Chicago

CCNow. Story Spark: Deforestation. Covering Climate Now, 2025. https://coveringclimatenow.org/from-us-story/covering-deforestation/.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=CCNow |title=Story Spark: Deforestation |publisher=Covering Climate Now |date=9 December 2025 |url=https://coveringclimatenow.org/from-us-story/covering-deforestation/ |access-date=23 October 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{ccnow2025story, author = {CCNow}, title = {{Story Spark: Deforestation}}, institution = {Covering Climate Now}, year = {2025}, month = dec, url = {https://coveringclimatenow.org/from-us-story/covering-deforestation/}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }