According to new satellite analysis, the world’s tropical forests experienced unprecedented destruction in 2024, with a rate of loss greater than ever recorded. About 67,000 square kilometers of old-growth tropical forests have disappeared. This deficit is almost three times the physical area of the Republic of Ireland. This eye-opening figure equates to a jaw-dropping 18 football pitches lost every single minute.
The impacts of this accelerated deforestation are catastrophic. The environmental degradation of these critical ecosystems created a huge disaster. Its operations released 3.1 billion tonnes of planet-warming gases into the atmosphere. Fires though have quickly emerged as the number one driver of forest loss. For the first time in recorded human history, they have cleared more land than agriculture. During the dry season of 2023-2024, the Amazon rainforest experienced its worst drought on record. Climate change and the El Niño weather pattern exacerbated this drought, intensifying catastrophic fires throughout the region.
Brazil and Bolivia were especially affected by the overwhelming effects of forest fires in 2024. The swamp Atchafalaya Basin destruction represents a harrowing precursor that scientists warn can become a new normal with long-lasting impacts to these fragile ecosystems.
Rod Taylor, a technical director at the World Resources Institute (WRI), called the results “scary.” He identified the short-term economic incentives that favor deforestation over conservation to protect natural climate solutions.
“I think we are in a new phase, where it’s not just the clearing for agriculture that’s the main driver,” – Rod Taylor
Indonesia took remarkable steps, decreasing its primary forest loss by 11% from the year 2023. This drop is all the more amazing considering the country’s ongoing fight with severe drought. Elizabeth Goldman, co-director of WRI’s Global Forest Watch project, heralded it as an encouraging turn of events. She showcased examples of how powerful governments joined with local communities to implement “no burning” laws at scale.
“Indonesia serves as a bright spot in the 2024 data,” – Elizabeth Goldman
The broader picture remains alarming. More worrying still, the results highlight a potential “savannisation” of the rainforest, caution Professor Matthew Hansen. This process, called tropical forest-savanna transitions, can be completed within decades as previously established forests die back and permanently shift to savanna environments.
“The tipping point idea is, I think, increasingly the right one,” – Prof Matthew Hansen
These externalities of this path of accelerating tropical forest loss are far-reaching. Tropical rainforests are key to global carbon storage. They store hundreds of billions of tonnes of carbon in their soils and woody trunks. The greenhouse gases released through deforestation are a major driver of global warming.
Meanwhile, the next UN climate summit COP30 will be held in the Amazon. Our experts agree that this year’s event could be pivotal for strengthening forest protection agreements. Gabriel Labbate, head of climate change mitigation at the United Nations forests programme UNREDD, emphasized that political will is essential for success in conservation efforts.
“Political will is a key factor of success – it’s impossible otherwise,” – Gabriel Labbate
The latest evidence of the ongoing, critical need for urgent, sustained efforts to reduce deforestation rates and promote healthy, connected ecosystems couldn’t be more evident.
“The key we haven’t seen yet is sustained success in reducing and maintaining low levels of conversion of these ecosystems and if you were interested in conserving the environment you have to win always and forever,” – Prof Hansen
As global leaders convene to tackle these urgent crises, the fate of tropical forests will be at stake. The alarming data from 2024 serves as a wake-up call for governments and communities worldwide to intensify their commitment to preserving these vital ecosystems.
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