Global Forest Loss Declines in 2025 but Remains High Due to Agricultural Expansion
In 2025, global forest loss decreased by 36% compared to the previous year, yet the world still lost 10.6 million acres of rainforest, according to data from the University of Maryland and the World Resources Institute's Global Forest Watch. Despite this reduction, forest loss remains significantly high, driven primarily by agricultural expansion, including cattle ranching and soy cultivation in Brazil and Bolivia, and other crops in Peru and Laos. The COP26 climate summit in 2021 saw over 100 countries pledge to halt and reverse forest loss by 2030, but current rates are still 70% too high to meet this goal. The report highlights that fires, exacerbated by climate change, continue to pose a significant threat to forests, particularly in the tropics. 
