Alarming new tally
The world lost roughly 8.1 million hectares of forest in 2024, a new assessment finds, leaving governments far off course on pledges to halt forest loss this decade. The annual Forest Declaration Assessment, cited in fresh reporting, points to a surge in fire-related destruction and continued clearing for agriculture as the main drivers. While Brazil has slowed Amazon deforestation, gains there were offset by losses in parts of Southeast Asia and Africa. The report warns that current financial commitments are a fraction of what’s needed to keep forests standing, even as they remain one of the most cost-effective climate tools for storing carbon and shielding biodiversity.

Why money and policy still aren’t matching ambition
Forest nations say climate finance arrives too slowly and with too many strings attached. Private capital is growing, but it still favors carbon credits of uneven quality, creating credibility gaps that undermine markets. Meanwhile, consumer countries have passed deforestation-free import rules for commodities like beef, palm oil and cocoa, but enforcement is just beginning and traceability remains patchy for smallholders. The assessment urges a shift to outcomes-based funding, streamlined approval for credible projects, and aggressive fire management, including early-season controlled burns and community brigades. It also spotlights Brazil’s plan to mobilize $125 billion in forest finance as a template—ambitious in scope, but dependent on investor confidence and political follow-through. Without a rapid pivot, researchers warn the 2030 “halt and reverse” promise will slip out of reach, with knock-on effects for water cycles, food security and global emissions pathways.