Conclusion
Is the world making enough progress in the effort to end deforestation?
No. Driven almost entirely by the expansion of agriculture, deforestation continues at a breakneck pace. The world has lost 420 million hectares of forests since 1990, found the Food and Agriculture Organization. That is an area about half the size of China. From 2015-2020, the rate of deforestation was 10 million hectares a year, an area about the size of Portugal.
How can national climate plans help counter deforestation?
All 195 signatories of the Paris Agreement climate treaty adopted in 2015 must submit Nationally Determined Contributions. These climate plans outline how countries are going to reduce emissions and can include everything from investments in renewable energy to the promotion of more sustainable farming practices.
Despite the climate-change-fighting ability of forests, only 40 percent of the most deforestation-prone countries have measures to protect forests in their nationally determined contributions, found a recent UN-REDD report.
With a new round of pledges due in 2025, Atallah says this is a “golden opportunity” for policymakers to incorporate concrete targets for protecting and restoring forests.
How can countries improve plans to halt deforestation?
The first step is to set clearly defined targets for stopping deforestation and restoring forests within nationally determined contributions, says Atallah. The often-complex drivers of deforestation, including resource extraction and the unchecked expansion of agriculture, will require national dialogues and trade-offs.
National climate plans should also consider the diverse perspectives of Indigenous Peoples, rural communities, women and young people, found the UN-REDD report.
Developing countries, which are home to the vast majority of deforestation, also need technical and financial support to live up to their commitments to protect forests. UNEP News
