STATE OF THE WORLD FOREST REPORT 2024 (Syllabus: GS Paper 3 – Environment)

Context: A new report released by the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United Nations has brought both relief and concern regarding the state of the world’s forests.

State of The World Forest Report 2024

• About: It is a comprehensive report, which provide detail information about world forest and its trends.
• Key Finding:

oDecline in Deforestation: Deforestation rates have declined compared to previous decades.

oChallenges from Climate Change: Data reveals ongoing challenges forests face due to climate change.

oGlobal Forest Coverage: In 2020, global forests covered approximately 4.1 billion hectares (ha), which is 31% of Earth's land area.

oForest Area Converted: Approximately 420 million hectares (ha) of forest were converted to land use between 1990 and 2020.

oTotal Mangrove Area: Recorded at 14.8 million hectares (ha) globally, South and Southeast Asia contribute nearly 44 % of the total global mangrove area.

oMajor Contributor: Asia was the major contributor to both mangrove loss and gain

oChange in Mangrove Loss Rate: Gross global mangrove loss rate decreased by 23 % between the decades 2000-2010 and 2010-2020

• About India:

oIndia gained 2,66,000 hectares of forest annually from 2010-2020, ranking third globally in forest area gain.