Key Takeaways: Deforestation: Definitions, Trends, and Policies for Forests and Forest Products

Global Forest Assessment:
The FAO Global Forest Resources Assessment has been reporting on the extent of forest resources, their condition, management and uses since 1948.

International collaboration:
Deforestation is the conversion of forest to other land use - as defined in global forest assessments with the participation of more than 230 countries and territories.

Global Forest:
Today forests cover 31% of the global land area; down from an estimated maximum of 57% at the end of the last ice age.

Policy Changes:
The EU, US, and other nations have COMMITTED to developing policies addressing the trade in products associated with the risk of deforestation.

Forest Trends:
The global rate of net forest loss has SLOWED by 40% since 2000. Reforestation globally exceeds deforestation and forest recovery is stable to increasing.

Agriculture:
Strategies to reduce deforestation require changes to agriculture and the process is well underway. Since 1961, the global human population has increased by 147% but the amount of land used for agriculture has increased only 7%.

Deforestation:
Nearly 90% of deforestation is related to agriculture, 95% of global deforestation occurs in tropical regions, and 60% of tropical forest loss is associated with expansion of three crops - beef, soy, and palm oil.

Read the Full Report