The world's forests, a vital tapestry of life, cover nearly a third of the global land area, encompassing a magnificent 4.06 billion hectares. This vast expanse translates to roughly 0.52 hectares of forest for every person on the planet, though this green mantle is distributed unevenly across the globe. Tropical zones hold the largest share, accounting for 45 percent of the world's forests, with the remainder spread across boreal, temperate, and subtropical regions. More than half of this global forest area, a staggering 54 percent, is concentrated within just five nations: the Russian Federation, Brazil, Canada, the United States of America, and China.
Despite their immense value, the world has witnessed a significant decline in forest area since 1990, with an estimated loss of 420 million hectares to deforestation. This is an area roughly the size of Libya. While the overall loss is substantial, there is a glimmer of hope as the rate of deforestation has slowed considerably. The annual rate of net forest loss, which accounts for both losses and gains, decreased from 7.8 million hectares per year in the 1990s to 4.7 million hectares per year in the most recent decade (2010–2020). This deceleration is attributed to a reduction in deforestation in some countries, coupled with increases in forest area in others through afforestation and natural expansion.
Africa, however, continues to bear the brunt of forest loss, recording the largest annual rate of net forest loss in 2010–2020 at 3.9 million hectares. The rate of loss in Africa has, in fact, increased in each of the three decades since 1990. South America also experienced significant losses, with an annual net forest loss of 2.6 million hectares in the same period, though its rate of loss has substantially declined compared to previous decades. In contrast, Asia saw the highest net gain in forest area, followed by Oceania and Europe, although both Europe and Asia recorded lower rates of net gain in the last decade compared to the preceding one.
Delving deeper into forest types, naturally regenerating forests constitute the vast majority, making up 93 percent of the global forest area, or 3.75 billion hectares. The remaining 7 percent, or 290 million hectares, are planted forests. While the area of naturally regenerating forests has decreased since 1990, albeit at a declining rate of loss, the area of planted forests has notably increased by 123 million hectares. Forest plantations specifically account for approximately 131 million hectares, representing 3 percent of the world's forest area and 45 percent of the total planted forest area. Notably, 44 percent of the world's forest plantations are composed primarily of introduced species, with significant regional variations.
The commitment to protecting these vital ecosystems is evident in the increasing area of forests designated as protected. An estimated 726 million hectares of forest are now within legally established protected areas globally, representing a substantial increase of 191 million hectares since 1990. South America leads in this regard, with 31 percent of its forests located in protected areas. Furthermore, the practice of sustainable forest management is gaining traction, with the area of forests under management plans increasing across all regions. Globally, this figure has risen by 233 million hectares since 2000, reaching 2.05 billion hectares in 2020.
However, the total carbon stock within forests has seen a decline from 668 gigatonnes in 1990 to 662 gigatonnes in 2020, directly linked to the decreasing forest cover. Yet, the carbon stock density per hectare has shown a slight increase over the same period, rising from 159 to 163 tonnes per hectare, indicating improved carbon sequestration efficiency in remaining or newly established forests. This complex interplay of loss and gain, coupled with evolving management practices, paints a nuanced picture of the world's forests - a critical resource constantly adapting to both human impact and dedicated conservation efforts.
