UN warns of narrowing window to restore world’s forests

The world faces a “narrowing window” to restore forests essential for food security and resilience to the climate emergency, the UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) has warned.

More than 489 million hectares of forests have been cleared since 1990, while an even larger area has been degraded, according to the FAO’s State of the World’s Forests report. It called on governments to make forest restoration a national priority.

The report noted progress in forest protection and tree planting but said action has fallen short of international commitments. Over the past two decades, initiatives have pledged to restore more than 1 billion hectares, but only about a fifth is currently being restored.

Forests cover 4.14 billion hectares, roughly a third of the Earth’s land surface, and store 714 gigatonnes of carbon. They support up to 80% of the world’s terrestrial biodiversity, help regulate rainfall and provide livelihoods for nearly one-third of the global population.

The FAO said forests are facing growing pressure from agricultural expansion, climate change, pollution and the extraction of fossil fuels and other resources. About 127 million hectares of forest are affected by fires each year, with insects, diseases and severe weather causing further damage.

The report said restoration of 1 billion hectares could generate an estimated $1.8 trillion in benefits annually, including gains for people, food security and the economy.

FAO Director General Qu Dongyu said forest and landscape restoration was a strategic investment in resilient agrifood systems and rural development. He warned that delays or poorly designed restoration efforts could increase long-term costs, worsen inequalities and leave landscapes on unsustainable paths.