38. In the chart we see the decadal losses and gains in global forest cover. Over the decade since 2010, the net loss in forests globally was 4.7 million hectares per year.1 However, deforestation rates were much significantly higher. How many trees are cut down each year in the Amazon rainforest? People cut down 15 billion trees each year and the global tree count has fallen by 46% since the beginning of human civilization. I have reconstructed long-term data using various studies which Ive documented here. The Asia-Pacific region predominantly Indonesia and Malaysia export a higher share: 44%. The research says 15.3 billion trees are chopped down every year. In the United States, thats about 34 million trees cut down each year just for paper. A future with more people and more forest is possible. 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%.We then get high-income countries share of deforestation as: [40% of the 29% that is traded], which is equal to 12%. Nicolas-Jacques Cont, an officer in Napoleon's army, invented the modern pencil by combining graphite and clay for lead durability. 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%. Tree density in primary forests varies from 50,000-100,000 trees per square km, so the math would put this number at 3.5 billion to 7 billion trees cut down each year. 95% of this occurs in the tropics. This might put the responsibility for ending deforestation solely on tropical countries. This interactive map shows deforestation rates across the world. As to the number of trees this represents, its impossible to get an accurate count. To put this in perspective, that would be around one-sixth of the total carbon footprint of the average EU diet.36. Our articles and data visualizations rely on work from many different people and organizations. As we saw previously, this deforestation accounts for around one-quarter of global forest loss. 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? (2017) estimate that the average EU diet, excluding deforestation, is responsible for 0.5 tonnes CO2 per person. To investigate this question, researchers Florence Pendrill et al. When deforestation happens, almost all of the carbon stored in the trees and vegetation called the aboveground carbon loss is lost. The researchers found that 36 million trees are cut down in urban areas each year, and 167,000 acres of impervious areas (concrete, asphalt, etc.) Since year-to-year changes in forest cover can be volatile, the UN FAO provide this annual data averaged over five-year periods. Still, more than half of the worlds habitable land was forested. They first lose lots of forest, but reach a turning point and begin to regain it again. Data from 1990 onwards is sourced from the UNs 2020 Global Forest Resources Assessment 2020.References:Williams, M. (2003). Across temperate forests the world gained 6 million hectares in the last decade. How many trees are lost to deforestation each year? The research says 15.3 billion trees are chopped down every year. The researchers found that 36 million trees are cut down in urban areas each year, and 167,000 acres of impervious areas (concrete, asphalt, etc.) The research says 15.3 billion trees are chopped down every year. As of 2020, the UN estimates the planet is losing over 7,000,000 hectares per year to deforestation.27Between 1990 and 2015, the world lost 129 million hectares of forest an area about the size of South Africa.11 Natural forests lost by continent9include: Africa 3.2 million hectares 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. [4] Forests cover 4.06 billion hectares (just less than 31%) of Because people are starting to see how climate change affects trees. For example, the average German generated half a tonne (510 kilograms) of CO2 per person from domestic and imported foods. The study also finds that human activity negatively affects tree abundance from the boreal forests to the equator. How much deforestation happens every day? The first step in doing this is for rich countries to monitor their deforestation impacts overseas more closely. The rate of deforestation is declining, but we still lost forests at a whopping 10 million hectares per year between 2015-2020. But then the trend turned, and it moved from deforestation to reforestation. Environmental Research Letters, 7(4), 044009. If poorer countries are cutting down forests to make food for rich consumers, then we should just stop trading these goods. It also estimates that 46% of the worlds trees have been cleared over the past 12,000 years. 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. It might seem odd to argue that we should focus our efforts on tackling this quarter of forest loss (rather than the other 73%). Notarnicola et al. But not all of it is to produce products for local markets. Humanitys biggest footprint is due to what we eat, not where we live. Science, 349(6250), 827-832. Scheffers, B. R., Joppa, L. N., Pimm, S. L., & Laurance, W. F. (2012). Deforestation, reforestation, and development, Forest transitions: towards a global understanding of land use change, Economic development and forest cover: evidence from satellite data, Deforestation displaced: trade in forest-risk commodities and the prospects for a global forest transition, Classifying drivers of global forest loss, What we know and dont know about Earths missing biodiversity, Biodiversity: The ravages of guns, nets and bulldozers, Tropical forests and the changing earth system, Types and rates of forest disturbance in Brazilian Legal Amazon, 20002013, Agricultural and forestry trade drives large share of tropical deforestation emissions, Environmental impacts of food consumption in Europe. On the x-axis we have imported deforestation. When we think of the growing pressures on land from modern populations we often picture sprawling megacities. How many trees are cut down each year?. They should keep their domestic reforestation targets in perspective with their net impact on global forests. The paths between these end boxes indicate where emissions are being traded the wider the bar, the more emissions are embedded in these products. That depends on who you ask, but we do know that around 47 million hectares of primary forest were lost between 2000 and 2020. What we know and dont know about Earths missing biodiversity. 82,000 trees are cut down every year to make 14 billion traditional wooden pencils. Some interesting facts state that every second, 1.5 acres of wood are cut down, There is a marked divide in the state of the worlds forests. This means they were responsible for 12% of global deforestation.31 It is therefore true that rich countries are causing deforestation in poorer countries. 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. How many trees have been cut down? Proactive conservation to prevent habitat losses to agricultural expansion. Forest transitions: towards a global understanding of land use change. 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. Economic development and forest cover: evidence from satellite data. Net forest loss is not the same as deforestation it measures deforestation plus any gains in forest over a given period. Lewis, S. L., Edwards, D. P., & Galbraith, D. (2015). 82,000 trees are cut down every year to make 14 billion traditional wooden pencils. Scientific Reports, 7, 40678. The story of both soy and palm oil are complex and its not obvious that eliminating these products will fix the problem. 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. Rural Sociology, 63(4), 533-552. Then things started to speed up. and an argument for why deforestation is worse than degradation. Across the US and Europe the breakdown of products is more varied. Web42 million trees are cut down each day. We then get high-income countries share of deforestation as: [40% of the 29% that is traded], which is equal to 12%. The world has lost one-third of its forest an area twice the size of the United States. Forests still cover about 30 percent of the worlds land area, but they are disappearing at an alarming rate. If you struggle to increase crop yields but want to produce more food, then expanding your agricultural land is the only option. But most emissions are driven by domestic markets this means policies in the major producer countries will be key to tackling this problem. Nearly half (47%) of France was forested 1000 years ago; today thats just under one-third (31.4%). Stage 3 The Late Transition phase is when deforestation rates start to slow down again. Thats one football field of forest lost every single second around the clock. 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. How many trees have been cut down? 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%). Many countries have followed this classic U-shaped pattern. At the beginning of this phase, the forest area is at its lowest point. Not all forest loss is equal: what is the difference between deforestation and forest degradation? Can we bring it to an end? International trade is important for socioeconomic development. The amount of land used for agriculture land to grow crops as well as grazing land for livestock was expanding. 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. Resources Assessment 2020.References: Williams, M. ( 2003 ) to regain it again the option... Modern populations we often picture sprawling megacities how many trees are cut down every year to make for. All forest loss, Joppa, L. N., Pimm, S. L., Edwards, D. P. &. We see the decadal losses and gains in global forest loss is lost begin to regain again... 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