According to a report by Global Forest Watch, the world will lose an area of forest larger than the United Kingdom by 2021, a trajectory that will fall short of global commitments made by world leaders at the United Nations’ COP26 climate summit in Scotland last year.
According to the research, almost 253,000 square kilometres (97,600 square miles) of forest were destroyed in 2021.
This equates to almost 10 football pitches each minute.
According to the analysis, which analyses forest data collected by the University of Maryland, the rate is around the same as in 2020, which witnessed a significant increase from 2019.
The loss is crucial because forests absorb large amounts of carbon dioxide, which acts as a buffer against climate change.
According to analysts, their rapid decomposition jeopardises global climate goals.
The loss of 37,500 square kilometres (14,500 square miles) of old-growth tropical rainforest, which is home to dense flora that holds significant levels of carbon, is particularly concerning.
Human devastation, particularly land clearance for cattle and crops, was a major contributor to the loss.
According to researchers, the loss of tropical primary rainforests in 2021 resulted in the release of 2.5 gigatonnes of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere, which is equal to India’s yearly fossil fuel emissions.
Brazil accounted for more than 40% of the total loss, with 1.5 million hectares (3.7 million acres) devastated. According to activists, President Jair Bolsonaro’s actions have resulted in a recent increase in devastation.
With 500,000 hectares (1.2 million acres) of tropical primary rainforest lost in 2021, the Democratic Republic of the Congo ranked 2nd. Meanwhile, Bolivia has lost approximately 300,000 hectares (740,000 acres).
According to the research, boreal forests in the far northern parts of Canada, Russia, and Alaska lost more than 80,000 square kilometres (31,000 square miles) of land last year, the highest level since records began in 2001.
According to the paper, the majority of the loss was caused by record fires in Russia, which were fueled by hotter and drier conditions that are likely connected to climate change.
The report did point to some bright spots, particularly in Indonesia, where government policies and private sector measures combined to cut primary forest loss by 25% last year compared to 2020.
That was the country’s fifth consecutive year of reducing devastation, albeit at extremely high rates.
Analysts warned, however, that the expiration of a temporary moratorium on new oil palm farms, along with a 40-year high in palm oil prices, could jeopardise the country’s recent gains.
