A United Nations report has warned that the world faces a “narrowing window” to restore forests, which are essential for food security and resistance to the climate emergency. The UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) urged governments to make forest restoration a national priority.
More than 489 million hectares of forests have been cleared since 1990, with an even greater area degraded, according to the State of the World’s Forests report. While acknowledging some progress in protection and tree planting, the report states that action has not kept pace with commitments.
Over the past two decades, initiatives have pledged to restore more than 1 billion hectares of land, but barely a fifth of this is currently being restored. The report notes that “progress is uneven, and it is insufficient to meet growing global needs.”
Forests cover 4.14 billion hectares, storing 714 gigatonnes of carbon and hosting up to 80% of the world’s terrestrial biodiversity. They also play a role in regulating rainfall and reducing hunger, with nearly one-third of the global population depending on them for livelihoods.
Threats to forests are intensifying, with approximately 127 million hectares affected by fires annually, alongside damage from insects, diseases, and severe weather. This adds to pressures from farm expansion, the climate crisis, pollution, and resource extraction. FAO Director General Qu Dongyu stated that the report “makes clear that forest and landscape restoration is more than an environmental priority – it is a strategic investment in resilient agrifood systems and rural development.”