391 million hectares of world’s tropical forest at high risk of loss: UN report

391 Million Hectares of World’s Tropical Forests at High Risk of Loss: UNEP Report

Analysis:

1. A new United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) report warns that 391 million hectares of tropical forests — roughly one-fourth of all tropical forest area globally — are at high risk of deforestation, directly threatening the lives and livelihoods of 53 million people who depend on them.
2. The report titled “High-risk forests, high-value returns — Co-benefits assessment for decision-makers”highlights that these forests are critical for:
   • Carbon storage
   • Water regulation
   • Soil conservation
   • Livelihood support for forest-proximate communities
3. These high-risk forestspossess:
   • High carbon stocks
   • Significant ecosystem services
   • High probability of deforestation due to agricultural expansion, infrastructure, logging, and resource extraction.
4. Collectively, these forests cover 391 million hectares, approximately the land area of the European Union.
5. Regional Distribution:
   • Africa: Highest number of people living near tropical forests (within 5 km).
   • Asia-Pacific: Highest number of people living near high-risk forests specifically.
6. UNEP emphasizes that protecting these forests is vital to meet the global target of reducing emissions by 1 gigatonne of CO₂-equivalent annually while ensuring co-benefits such as water security, biodiversity, and sustainable livelihoods.
7. Deforestation Trends:
   • Over the past two decades, the world has lost 10 million hectares of tropical forests annually — an area equal to South Korea’s size.
   • Between 1990 and 2019, forests absorbed about 13.1 ± 1.4 GtCO₂e per year, roughly half of annual fossil fuel emissions, highlighting their climate importance.
8. Ecological and Climatic Importance:
   • Forests recycle 10–14% of rainfall, ensuring continuous river flow for agriculture, drinking water, and energy.
   • In the Amazon Basin, this rainfall recycling forms “flying rivers” — vast moisture currents that sustain rainfall across South America.
   • Disruption of these systems due to deforestation may trigger irreversible ecological transitions toward savannah-like states, especially if 20–40% of the Amazon is cleared.
9. Ecosystem Services and Economic Value:
   • Annually retain 2.3 million tonnes of nitrogen, preventing nutrient pollution and algal blooms.
   • Prevent 527 million tonnes of soil erosion, equivalent to 150,000 Olympic swimming pools of sediment.
   • Provide 111 million tonnes of fuelwood annually, alongside fruits, fibres, nuts, and medicinal plants, supporting 25 million impoverished people, especially women and Indigenous communities.
   • Prevent $81 billion in annual GDP losses by mitigating floods, landslides, and storm impacts.
10. The report calls for urgent, coordinated protection efforts to conserve high-risk tropical forests as they are approaching critical ecological thresholds. Without intervention, climate and biodiversity goals under the Paris Agreement and Global Biodiversity Framework could be severely undermined.

Static & Conceptual Insight:

1. Tropical Forests: Found near the equator; known for dense vegetation, high biodiversity, and significant role in global carbon sequestration.
2. High-Risk Forests: Defined as regions with high carbon and biodiversity value but facing rapid deforestation.
3. Flying Rivers: Atmospheric moisture streams generated by rainforest evapotranspiration that sustain continental rainfall systems.
4. UNEP Report Objective: To quantify the economic and environmental co-benefits of protecting tropical forests for policymakers.
5. Global Implications: Deforestation at current rates could jeopardize the 1.5°C climate goal and accelerate ecosystem collapse in key tropical regions.
   
   Updated -  15 Oct 2025, 7:14 pm | Down to Earth