World slips on deforestation, loses cover equal to Ireland's area in 2021

Global gross deforestation amounted to 6.8 million hectares in 2021 with 3.9 giga-tonnes of CO2 equivalent of associated GHG emissions

Despite pledges from 145 nations during the UN Climate Change Conference in Glasgow (COP26) to achieve the twin global goals of halting and reversing deforestation by 2030, the planet might miss the target, according to a report by Forest Declaration Assessment Partners (2022).

“Deforestation rates worldwide declined only modestly in 2021, by 6.3 per cent, as against the 10 per cent annual reduction needed as per 2018-20 baseline to achieve zero deforestation by 2030,” the Forest Declaration Assessment report said. In the humid tropics, which host some of the richest fauna of the world, loss of irreplaceable primary forest decreased