Global forest loss declined 36 percent in 2025 after record highs, but the world still lost 4.3 million hectares of rainforest annually. Despite the improvement, primary tropical forest loss remains 46 percent higher than a decade ago, signaling ongoing environmental challenges. Wildfires continue devastating regions outside the tropics, with Canada experiencing its second-worst fire year on record at 5.3 million hectares burned. France saw fire-driven tree-cover loss reach historic levels, seven times higher than the previous year. At COP26, over 100 countries committed to halting forest loss by 2030, yet current trajectories show the world remains 70 percent off track from meeting this deadline. Agricultural expansion and climate-driven fires continue destroying critical biodiversity hotspots and carbon sinks essential for climate stability.
