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ADVERTISEMENT<\/p>\n\n By Euronews Green<\/b><\/p>\n
\n Published on
\n 12\/06\/2025 – 16:04 GMT+2<\/p>\n
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Humans are used to thinking of trees as a reusable resource, but new analysis suggests that a third of all forest loss this century is irreversible.\u00a0<\/p>\n
The report from the World Resources Institute (WRI) and Google DeepMind offers the most detailed view to date of what\u2019s driving deforestation, by identifying causes of permanent loss like agriculture, mining, and infrastructure.<\/p>\n
It found that 34 per cent (177 million hectares) of all global forest loss between 2001 and 2024 is permanent, as trees in those areas are unlikely to grow back naturally. Ongoing agriculture is responsible for 95 per cent of that total, though there are wide regional differences.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe\u2019ve long known where forests are being lost. Now we better understand why,\u201d says Michelle Sims, research associate at WRI. \u201cThis knowledge is essential to developing smarter actions at the regional, national and even local level – to protect remaining forests and restore degraded ones\u201d.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n
Concerningly, the proportion of forest erasure tied to permanent land use change rises to 61 per cent in tropical rainforests, home to Earth\u2019s most vital ecosystems for biodiversity and carbon storage<\/strong><\/a>. That\u2019s 50.7 million hectares – or an area nearly the size of Thailand – gone for good.<\/p>\n What is the main cause of tree loss in Europe?<\/p>\n In Europe, the researchers found that 91 per cent of tree cover loss is due to timber harvesting, much of it within managed forests where regrowth is planned.\u00a0<\/p>\n In heavily forested Sweden<\/strong><\/a>, for example, the routine harvest of timber caused 98 per cent of all tree cover loss from 2001-2024 (6 million hectares). The Nordic nation is one of the world\u2019s largest producers of wood products, including pulp, paper and other sawn wood materials.\u00a0<\/p>\n After trees are harvested, they are replanted or allowed to naturally regenerate. In theory, this means that tree cover loss is temporary and balanced by regrowth in managed cycles.<\/p>\n But globally speaking, even the two-thirds of forest loss driven by \u2018temporary\u2019 causes, such as logging, wildfires<\/strong><\/a>, natural disturbances or shifting cultivation, can leave deep scars.\u00a0<\/p>\n Forest regeneration depends on how the land is managed afterwards, the type of forest and the degree of environmental stress it faces, the report cautions.\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cJust because trees grow back doesn\u2019t mean forests return to their original state,\u201d says Radost Stanimirova, research associate at WRI.<\/p>\n \u201cThey might store less carbon, have fewer species or be more vulnerable to future damage. And climate change is making many natural events like fires and pest outbreaks more intense and frequent, which makes it harder for forests to recover.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n In temperate and boreal regions such as Russia and North America, logging and wildfires – often triggered by lightning or human activity, then fanned by climate change<\/strong><\/a> – are the primary drivers of forest loss.\u00a0<\/p>\n How can the new data help protect forests?<\/p>\n Thanks to an advanced AI model and satellite<\/strong><\/a> imagery, the findings represent a significant advancement in forest intelligence.\u00a0<\/p>\n By pinpointing the underlying causes of forest loss in different places, the data enables policymakers, companies and communities to design more targeted solutions to tackle deforestation.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n WRI has some immediate recommendations, including strengthening Indigenous<\/strong><\/a> and local land rights, designing policies that reflect local farming and land use realities, improving how forests are managed and monitored, and ensuring infrastructure and agricultural expansion are guided by strong environmental planning.\u00a0<\/p>\n