Report raises alarm: 63% behind target

The report states that 8.1 million hectares of forest were permanently lost last year alone. It also emphasizes that the annual limit was exceeded by more than 3 million hectares.

“The gap between promises and reality is growing every year,” said Erin Matson, lead author of the study, adding that forests provide vital infrastructure not only for nature but for all of humanity.

These striking findings were released just before the COP30 Climate Summit, to be held in the Amazon in November, where forests will be central to the agenda.

SIGNATURES WERE MADE, STEPS WERE NOT TAKEN

The Glasgow Declaration on Forests and Land Use, signed by world leaders in 2021, pledged to halt forest loss and restore 350 million hectares of land by 2030. However, the latest data shows that this target is 63 percent behind, and deforestation is accelerating in some regions.

In 2024, wildfires destroyed 6.7 million hectares. Fires in Latin America, Southeast Asia, and Africa released 3.1 billion tons of greenhouse gases—equivalent to 150 percent of the annual emissions of the U.S. energy sector.

“Degraded forests may disappear faster than those that are cut down, but such destruction often goes unnoticed or unreported,” said climate expert Ivan Palmegiani, highlighting monitoring challenges.

ECONOMY IS AT THE HEART OF THE PROBLEM

According to the report, while an average of €5 billion is allocated annually for forest protection, €353 billion is subsidized for industries that destroy forests. This imbalance points to a systemic problem.

“We’re stuck with superficial solutions that look good on paper but don’t change the system,” says Franziska Haupt of Climate Focus, emphasizing that the current economic order rewards deforestation.

THERE ARE ALSO STEPS THAT GIVE HOPE

Despite the gloom and doom, there are glimmers of hope. Brazil has succeeded in slowing deforestation in the Amazon under President Lula and has established new funds to secure private financing. The Democratic Republic of Congo has recognized the rights of indigenous peoples with its new land law.

Additionally, countries in Latin America continue to implement the Escazú Agreement, which safeguards environmental rights. The "Forest Financing Action Roadmap," announced by 34 countries ahead of the COP30 summit, aims to close an annual financing gap of €58 billion.