Over half of the worlds species reside in tropical forests.24 Endemic species are those which only naturally occur in a single country. The Forest Transition therefore tends to follow a development pathway.16 As a country achieves economic growth it moves through each of the four stages. We need to pass the transition point as soon as possible, while minimising the amount of forest we lose along the way. The rate of deforestation is declining, but we still lost forests at a whopping 10 million hectares per year between 2015-2020. How many trees are cut down each year?. How many trees are cut down each year?. In the chart we see the decadal losses and gains in global forest cover. Thats a lot of trees! In fact, the world may have already passed peak agricultural land [we will look at this in more detail in an upcoming post]. Science, 361(6407), 1108-1111. Scheffers, B. R., Joppa, L. N., Pimm, S. L., & Laurance, W. F. (2012). When citing this topic page, please also cite the underlying data sources. Around half of this deforestation is offset by regrowing forests, so overall we lose around five million hectares each year. The problem is that it treats all forest loss as equal. After we adjust for imports and exports, how much CO2 from deforestation is each country responsible for? Geographical Journal, 166(1), 2-13. On the x-axis we have imported deforestation. Global Environmental Change, 15(1), 23-31. Improvements in agricultural productivity tends to both drive and follow economic growth. Countries below the line such as the UK and Germany are not growing forests fast enough to offset the deforestation theyre creating elsewhere. Imagine over 100 large harvesters working non-stop. There are other aspects to consider. Environmental Research Letters, 7(4), 044009. If you struggle to increase crop yields but want to produce more food, then expanding your agricultural land is the only option. When we think of the growing pressures on land from modern populations we often picture sprawling megacities. Loss of Biodiversity: Forests are the only liveable habitat for a variety of species around the globe many of which have not even have been discovered. The world lost 1.5 billion hectares of forest over that period. Web3.5 billion to 7 billion trees are cut down per year. Biodiversity: The ravages of guns, nets and bulldozers. Global Forest Resources Assessment 2020 Key findings. The rate of forest loss changed a lot. It was a net exporter. How many trees are cut down each year? The world passed peaked deforestation in the 1980s and it has been on the decline since then we take a look at rates of forest loss since 1700 in our follow-up post. Lets take a look at which countries are causing deforestation overseas and the size of this impact. And its not just in forests eitherits also happening on farms, in cities, and on private property. Deforestation and forest degradation are responsible for around 15% of all greenhouse gas emissions. Nature, 525(7568), 201-205. How many trees are cut down each year? [4] Forests cover 4.06 billion hectares (just less than 31%) of The rate of population growth tends to slow down. They should keep their domestic reforestation targets in perspective with their net impact on global forests. If we fast-forward to 1700 when the global population had increased more than ten-fold, to 603 million. But, it would be wrong to think that the only impact rich countries have on global forests is through changes in their domestic forests. 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. The 11-month balance shows that 1,539,970 trees were cut down each day, which means 1,059 trees per minute or almost 18 trees per second. 15 billion trees are cut down every year.19 The Global Forest Watch project using satellite imagery estimates that global tree loss in 2019 was 24 million hectares. The average across the EU was 0.3 tonnes CO2 per person. 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. Today thats just 34%. Forest degradation measures a thinning of the canopy a reduction in the density of trees in the area but without a change in land use. 2020. But a small global population overall meant there was little pressure on forests to make space for land to grow food, and as wood for energy. But we also need to know what products are driving this. Williams, M. (2003). The UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) Forest Resources Assessment estimates global deforestation, averaged over the five-year period from 2015 to 2020 was 10 million hectares per year. We see very clearly that the large Brazilian footprint is driven by its domestic demand for beef. (2020). Stage 1 The Pre-Transition phase is defined by having high levels of forest cover and no or only very slow losses over time. If you want to reduce your carbon footprint, reducing meat and dairy intake particularly beef and lamb has the largest impact. [1] That's 15.3 billion every year. It feeds into the popular idea that eating local is one of the best ways to reduce your carbon footprint. Proactive conservation to prevent habitat losses to agricultural expansion. Countries that lie along this line would have a net-neutral impact on global forests: the area they are causing to deforestation overseas is exactly as large as the area they are regrowing at home. Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences, 361(1465), 195-210. In the chart we see how the cover of the earths surface has changed over the past 10,000 years. I have therefore excluded these categories so we can focus on how habitable land is used. Web3.5 billion to 7 billion trees are cut down per year. In the map we see the net deforestation embedded in trade for each country. How Many Trees are Cut down for Paper Each Year . Centuries ago it was mainly temperate regions that were driving global deforestation [we take a look at this longer history of deforestation in a related article]. Each year, an estimated 15 billion trees are cut down around the world. Types and rates of forest disturbance in Brazilian Legal Amazon, 20002013. A new study published in Nature estimates the planet has 3.04 trillion trees. You will notice in the chart that this was not only expanding into previously forested land, but also other land uses such as wild grasslands and shrubbery. Stage 2 The Early Transition phase is when countries start to lose forests very rapidly. According to CNN, each year over 1,000 plants and animal species go extinct due to deforestation and subsequent habitat loss. When it comes to assessing the worlds forests, two questions need to be answered: How many trees are on Earth? and. According to the Environmental Paper Network, an estimated 30% of felled trees are used for paper products. Historical data pre-1990 is sourced from Michael Williams book, Deforesting the Earth: from prehistory to global crisis. Tropical forests, on aggregate, have also passed peak deforestation in the 1980s the longest of all bars but have not passed the transition to reforestation. 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%). 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? Many countries have not only ended deforestation, but actually achieved substantial reforestation. It also estimates that 46% of the worlds trees have been cleared over the past 12,000 years. Deforestation also results in larger losses of biodiversity and carbon relative to degradation. The Earth System (Vol. Anthropogenic Biomes: 10,000 BCE to 2015 CE. People cut down 15 billion trees each year and the global tree count has fallen by 46% since the beginning of human civilization. Clearing of the Brazilian Amazon for pasture and croplands was a major driver of this loss. Whats surprising is how consistent the pattern of change is across so many countries; as weve seen they all seem to follow a U-shaped curve. Trends in Ecology & Evolution, 27(9), 501-510. 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). Science Advances, 3(4), e1601047. Environmental Research Letters, 7(4), 044009. Its State of the Worlds Forests report provides estimates of global forest cover today, and rates of change over previous decades. 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. 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. Luxembourg has the largest footprint at nearly three tonnes per person. In the chart we see how emissions from tropical deforestation are distributed through international supply chains. The number of trees cut down in the Brazilian Amazon in January far exceeded deforestation for the same month last year, according to government satellite data. Forestry production and wildfires usually result in forest degradation the forest experiences short-term disturbance but if left alone is likely to regrow. But, supply chains are international. Global forest resources. It results in a permanent conversion of forest into an alternative land use. [1] That's 15.3 billion every year. 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. This gives us an indication of the impact of the average persons diet. Forestry Commission. But most emissions are driven by domestic markets this means policies in the major producer countries will be key to tackling this problem. But we also see that some countries which import a lot of food have high emissions. The United States is the worlds largest consumer (and second largest producer, after Canada) of forest products. Bringing all of these elements together, we can focus on a few points that should help us prioritise our efforts to end deforestation. How many trees are cut down each year?. Land, 9(5), 129. Our crop yields improve and so we need less land for agriculture. The study also finds that human activity negatively affects tree abundance from the boreal forests to the equator. Our World in Data is free and accessible for everyone. Rural Sociology, 63(4), 533-552. Note that in this study, the category of subsistence agriculture was classified as a deforestation driver, and so is not included. 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. This number comes from the World Bank, which estimates that there are 3 trillion trees on the planet. And to identify where deforestation is occurring; perhaps as important, show where forest loss is not deforestation. Since three-quarters of tropical deforestation is driven by agriculture, thats a valid concern. FAO. When we treat these impacts equally we make it difficult to prioritize our efforts in the fight against deforestation. Web42 million trees are cut down each day. Countries may lose some forest each year, but this is at a very slow rate. Thats more than the countrys CO2 emissions from fossil fuels, which are around 2.2 tonnes per person. Thats equivalent to the area of South Africa. What are the major impacts of mass deforestation and forest loss? But by studying how forests have changed over time, theres good reason to think that a way forward is possible. Forest Transitions: why do we lose then regain forests? Explore global data on soy production, how its used, and how much deforestation is caused by its expansion. Since the end of the last great ice age 10,000 years ago the world has lost one-third of its forests.5 Two billion hectares of forest an area twice the size of the United States has been cleared to grow crops, raise livestock, and use for fuelwood. 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%. Forests, biodiversity and people. But when forests are cut, burned or otherwise removed they emit carbon instead of absorb carbon. 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. In a related article we look in much more detail at what agricultural products, and which countries are driving this. The data used in this chart comes from several sources. High-income countries were the largest importers of deforestation, accounting for 40% of it. 71% of deforestation is for domestic production. This number comes from the World Bank, which estimates that there are 3 trillion trees on the planet. This topic page can be cited as: All visualizations, data, and code produced by Our World in Data are completely open access under the Creative Commons BY license. 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.) Since 2016, an average of 28 million hectares have been cut down every year. 38. Across temperate forests the world gained 6 million hectares in the last decade. The diet of the average Brazilian creates 2.7 tonnes of CO2 from deforestation alone. Rich countries such as the USA, France and the United Kingdom have had a long history of deforestation but are now passed the transition point. This number comes from the World Bank, which estimates that there are 3 trillion trees on the planet. (2017) estimate that the average EU diet, excluding deforestation, is responsible for 0.5 tonnes CO2 per person. At this stage, countries are still losing forest each year but at a lower rate than before. The research says 15.3 billion trees are chopped down every year. According to the Environmental Paper Network, an estimated 30% of felled trees are used for paper products. This rapid swapping of green for gray is harmful to the people living in these spaces, and it sets cities up for long-term environmental decline, according to the scientists. Tropical forests and the changing earth system. 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. Thats one football field of forest lost every single second around the clock. How much forest has the world lost? To understand this more recent loss of forest, lets zoom in on the last 300 years. It was a net importer. 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. An assessment of deforestation and forest degradation drivers in developing countries. There is some bad news, though: that number is likely to increase by 20% by 2023. To put this in perspective, that would be around one-sixth of the total carbon footprint of the average EU diet.36. The change is temporary. Thats one football field of forest lost every single second around the clock. We therefore look at them both individually in more detail, to better understand what we can do about it. According to the Environmental Paper Network, an estimated 30% of felled trees are used for paper products. This increase was mostly driven by tropical deforestation as countries across Asia and Latin America followed the path of Europe and North America. To do this, they quantified where deforestation was occurring due to the expansion of croplands, pasture and tree plantations (for logging), and what commodities were produced on this converted land. 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. How many trees are cut down each year in the Amazon rainforest? (2020).References:FAO and UNEP. See which countries are gaining forest though natural forest expansion and afforestation. How Many Acres of Trees Are Cut Down Each Year? 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). University of Chicago Press. 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 combining our earlier Sankey diagram, and breakdown of emissions by product, we can see that we can tackle a large share of these emissions through only a few key trade flows. 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. Humans have already destroyed around 46% of the trees on Earth. It breaks the change in forests into four stages, explained by two variables: the amount of forest cover a region has, and the annual change in cover (how quickly it is losing or gaining forest).15. After long periods of forest clearance in the past, most of todays richest countries are increasing tree cover through afforestation. The world has lost one-third of its forest an area twice the size of the United States. But international markets alone cannot fix this problem. The global population at this time was small and growing very slowly there were fewer than 50 million people in the world. Which countries are gaining, and which are losing forest? Why? 59% occurs in Latin America, with a further 28% from Southeast Asia. Stage 3 The Late Transition phase is when deforestation rates start to slow down again. We manage to capture some of these differences in carbon in our related article on deforestation emissions embedded in trade. The United States is the worlds largest consumer (and second largest producer, after Canada) of forest products. As we saw previously, this deforestation accounts for around one-quarter of global forest loss. Nearly all 95% of this deforestation occurs in the tropics. Each year, an estimated 15 billion trees are cut down around the world. Growing all those trees requires about 19.7 square miles of land. This is because the latter only captures deforestation the replacement of forest with another land use (such as cropland). Forest loss measures the net change in forest cover: the loss in forests due to deforestation plus any expansion of forest through afforestation.6. Our related article on deforestation emissions embedded in trade global population had increased more than ten-fold, better. As countries across Asia and Latin America, with a further how many trees are cut down each year from. Across temperate forests the world Bank, which how many trees are cut down each year losing forest each year an. In agricultural productivity tends to both drive and follow economic growth it moves through each the. 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