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FOREST IN FACTSbite-size analysis of forest increase and decrease in the world

Forest covers 31% of the land on earth and has declinedwith -3.1% in the last 25 years.

Land Suface 2015(M hectare)

In 2015, forest is 31% of total land with an above average share of forest in Americas and Europe.

Land Suface as % of total

Source: data analysed from FAO, Global Forest Resources Assessment 2015. Data 1995 extropalted from data 1990 and 2000.

The total forest surface on earth has declined with -3.1% between 1990-2015

Forest Suface(M hectare)

net slow down in decline

CAGR 1990-2020

-0.1%

Net decline in forest

-3.1%

Africa and the Americas have contributed most to the deforestation.

Forest declines fastest in Africa (-12%) and In the Americas (-5%) between 1990 and 2015.

Africa and the Americas are also the largest absolute contributors to the loss of forest.

Decline1990-2015

-2%

Forest Suface(M hectare)

Deforestation between 1990-2015(M hectare)

Africa and Americas together a loss of - 172 million hectare= 41 x the Netherlands

+2%

+4%

-5%

-12%

Total = -3.1%

Source: data analysed from FAO, Global Forest Resources Assessment 2015.

Looking closer to Asia, we see a mixed picture. Forestation in China ‘compensates’ for the loss in other parts.

Net effect(M hectare)

+25 +21 -3-82 -91

Deforestation between 1990-2015per continent(M hectare)


Forest type not the same!

The biggest decline in the world is in Brazil and Indonesia.

Deforestation 1990-2015(M hectare)

Photography: http://blog.cifor.org/17663/interactive-web-map-makes-facts-behind-sumatra-fires-transparent

Palm oil*

Pasture (land for cattle) and soy for animal feed *

* Primary causes in these areas mentioned in the WWF Living ForestsReport 2015


A 2004 image released by Greenpeace shows an area deforested by soybean farmers in Brazil. The Responsible Soy Project calls for replanting trees on deforested croplands.

China is by far the most positive contributor to forest increase in the world.

Forestation 1990-2015(M hectare)

“The increase in vegetation primarily came from a lucky combination of environmental and economic factors and massive tree-planting projects in China,” said Dr Yi Liu a lead author and remote sensing scientist from the Centre of Excellence for Climate System Science at UNSW Australia.

“Vegetation increased on the savannas in Australia, Africa and South America as a result of increasing rainfall, while in Russia and former Soviet republics we have seen the regrowth of forests on abandoned farmland. China was the only country to intentionally increase its vegetation with tree planting projects.”

http://newsroom.unsw.edu.au/news/science-tech/good-luck-reverses-global-forest-loss

Photo : CC: CSIRO Science Images

Tree planting projects


The WWF has identified a risk to lose 127-170 million hectare of forest in these 11 areas between 2010-2030.

Map of 11 fronts with high risk of deforestation between 2010-2030 if continued ‘business-as-usual’.

Forest at risk in these areas: 127-170M hectare between 2010-2030

Source: WWF Living Forest Report 2015, Chapter 5

http://wwf.panda.org/about_our_earth/deforestation/forest_publications_news_and_reports/living_forests_report/

Living Forests Report

That is why the World Wide Fund for nature earns our support.

More information can be found at:

http://www.fao.org/3/a-i4808e.pdf

Global Forest Resources Assessment 2015





Justification

Brentjens offers strategy consulting services to (global) companies in food & drinks.

This presentation has been used in combination with a book from the WWF as a gift for business relations.

I am not pretending to be a specialist on forestation at all, but just caring about nature. If you have a question or remark, please feel free to contact me [email protected].

Photography on title slide: http://www.itsjustlight.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/05/rainforest-photography-morning-sunlight.jpg

mailto:[email protected]