The world is off course to save forests and reach global climate targets, but positive policies are helping
13 May 2026
Figures showing the latest trends in global forest loss are out: the World Research Institute’s Global Forest Watch (GFW) has just published Forest Pulse. Compiled from recent data and analysis, it reveals the dominant drivers of primary forest loss, region by region. The news is daunting: In 2025 we lost 4.3 million hectares of primary forest – more than 11 football pitches of forest per minute, a total area the size of Denmark. Tropical primary forest loss remains 46% higher than a decade ago.
That commendable global commitment to halt and reverse forest loss by 2030? Countries are deforesting 70% more than they can if we are to meet the target.
GFW’s presentation of deforestation data and regional drivers makes the causes of deforestation colourfully clear. All over the world, wildfires are increasing and fire seasons worsening – including across Europe, where soaring summer heat and drought drove record forest loss in 2025. Global forest loss to fires is so stunning overall (52% North America, 57% Oceania, 63% Asia), that GFW separates out fire loss, in order to consider other drivers.
This separation show that in Europe, a shocking 90% of tree cover loss is due to logging, earning us the dismal distinction of being the only northern hemisphere continent where fire loss is not the principal cause.
This 90% figure belies industry narratives that pin European forest loss to climate change. EU public authorities should therefore weigh the falseness of industry claim that land-use and climate targets are too high to be met (LULUCF), and industry demands to gut the EU Deforestation Regulation (FW 310), instil greater corporate responsibility (CSDDD), or rein in the sky-rocketing use of packaging (FW 291).
In Africa, some 50% of tree cover loss is driven by small-scale shifting cultivation — short-term crop clearing followed by fallow recovery – and 42% by permanent (industrial) agriculture. Tree cover loss is even increasing in the Congo Basin, the world’s largest remaining carbon sink.
In the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), GFW found that non-fire loss was the highest on record. Shifting cultivation caused 86% of primary forest loss between 2002 -2025, and permanent agriculture is growing; wood-harvesting for firewood and charcoal was also a major driver, and in Eastern DRC, mining is flagged as both a direct and indirect driver. Notably, Fern partner AFREWATCH came to similar conclusions when they analysed mining-driven deforestation in DRC’s Lobito Corridor, and issued recommendations for EU undertakings there (FW 314).
The news is not all bad.
Considering non-fire tree cover loss separately also reveals the policy initiatives having a positive impact.
In Brazil, for example, permanent agriculture (soy and cattle, mostly) is responsible for 73% of loss between 2002 and 2025. But recent policy changes have brought human-activity driven forest loss down by 41% compared to 2024: President Lula da Silva relaunched an anti-deforestation coordination framework across 19 federal agencies and expanded coverage to all biomes, and from 2023-2025, stepped up environmental enforcement action (notifying violations rose by 81%; fines by 63%).
Colombia also saw a 17% decline in forest loss from 2024 to 2025 due to policy initiatives that limit forest clearing, recognise Indigenous lands and empower Indigenous Peoples to defend them, and establish rural community forest concessions as a forest conservation tool.
In Malaysia, which has lost a fifth of its primary forests since 2002, primary forest loss also slowed due to policy changes; GFW points to limits on oil palm expansion into forests, a 50% forest cover commitment combined with voluntary corporate pledges.
GFW data demonstrate that policies can help, but only if we allow them to. In Brazil, national policy gains may still be defeated by agriculture sector pushback; regional states are punishing responsible companies by removing tax incentives for applying the Soy Moratorium (FW 304).
The EU’s recent record illustrates how swiftly policy gains can be undone – ‘simplified’ out of existence. Meeting our share of global forest and climate targets will depend on our willingness to tackle our own over-harvesting, and on how key policy developments unfold — whether the EUDR is effectively implemented and enforced, LULUCF climate targets are maintained and emerging threats, such as mining, are properly addressed.
Image: Cacio Murilo/Shutterstock
Categories: News, Forest Watch
