WWF LIVING FORESTS REPORT: CHAPTER 1

The report advocates for Zero Net Deforestation and Forest Degradation (ZNDD) by 2020 to protect biodiversity and mitigate climate change. Using the Living Forests Model developed with IIASA, it analyzes various scenarios, including a 'Do Nothing' baseline and a 'Target' scenario. The findings suggest that while ZNDD is technically possible in the short term, maintaining it beyond 2030 will require unprecedented increases in agricultural productivity and significant shifts in global consumption patterns, particularly regarding animal calories. The document highlights critical trade-offs, such as the risk of shifting environmental pressure to non-forest biomes like grasslands and the potential for increased agricultural pollution due to intensification.

• WWF defines Zero Net Deforestation and Forest Degradation (ZNDD) as a state of no net forest loss through deforestation and no net decline in forest quality through degradation, targeting achievement by 2020.
• The Living Forests Model indicates that implementing ZNDD by 2020 instead of 2030 could save approximately 69 million hectares of forest globally, reducing CO2 emissions by roughly 29 billion tonnes.
• Under a 'Do Nothing Scenario'—where historical patterns of exploitation and land demand for a growing population continue—the area of forest lost between 2010 and 2050 would exceed the combined current forest areas of Papua New Guinea, Peru, and the Democratic Republic of Congo.
• While ZNDD may be feasible in the immediate future, the model suggests it will no longer be possible after 2030 due to rising populations unless there are unprecedented increases in agricultural productivity.
• Agricultural intensification to save forests may lead to negative environmental trade-offs, including increased freshwater withdrawals for irrigation and higher use of nitrogen and phosphorus fertilizers and pesticides.
• Halting deforestation may cause 'leakage,' where agricultural expansion shifts to other important biomes; for example, the Target Scenario shows a significant decline in shrubland and grasslands.
• Achieving ZNDD without excessive costs to other ecosystems or threats to food security will require essential changes in consumption patterns, particularly among affluent populations regarding meat and dairy.
• A 100% renewable energy scenario by 2050 would require an additional 250 million hectares of land for biofuel crops and 4.5 billion cubic meters of wood per year for bioenergy.

APA

WWF International (2011). WWF LIVING FORESTS REPORT: CHAPTER 1. https://www.worldwildlife.org/documents/606/w0z5crfvu_living_forests_chapter_1_26_4_11.pdf

Chicago

WWF International. WWF LIVING FORESTS REPORT: CHAPTER 1. 2011. https://www.worldwildlife.org/documents/606/w0z5crfvu_living_forests_chapter_1_26_4_11.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=WWF International |title=WWF LIVING FORESTS REPORT: CHAPTER 1 |date=2011 |url=https://www.worldwildlife.org/documents/606/w0z5crfvu_living_forests_chapter_1_26_4_11.pdf |access-date=23 October 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{wwfinternational2011wwf, author = {{WWF International}}, title = {{WWF LIVING FORESTS REPORT: CHAPTER 1}}, institution = {WWF International}, year = {2011}, url = {https://www.worldwildlife.org/documents/606/w0z5crfvu_living_forests_chapter_1_26_4_11.pdf}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }