Why in News
The World Resources Institute (WRI) released its Global Forest Watch (GFW) annual report (data for 2025, released April-May 2026). Key finding: 4.3 million hectares of tropical primary forest are still being lost every year — equivalent to the area of Denmark — at a rate of 11 football fields per minute. While this is a 36% decline from the 2024 peak, the pace remains far above what is needed to meet the Glasgow Leaders’ Declaration commitment of halting deforestation by 2030.
Key Figures
| Metric | Figure |
|---|---|
| Annual tropical primary forest loss (2025 data) | 4.3 million hectares |
| Equivalent area | Size of Denmark |
| Rate | 11 football fields per minute |
| Change from 2024 | −36% decline (improvement) |
| Brazil’s change (non-fire losses) | −41% reduction |
| Still above Glasgow target pace | +70% faster than 2030 goal requires |
| Global deforestation goal | Glasgow Leaders’ Declaration (COP26, 2021) — halt deforestation by 2030 |
What Is Primary Tropical Forest?
Primary tropical forest refers to naturally regenerated forest of native species with no clearly visible signs of human activity. It is the most ecologically valuable forest type because:
- Stores the most carbon per hectare
- Contains the greatest biodiversity including endemic species
- Cannot be replaced by plantations in terms of ecosystem function
Once primary forest is lost, the carbon stored over centuries is released, and the ecosystem services — water regulation, species habitat, soil retention — are severely degraded. Secondary forest (regrowth) stores far less carbon and supports less biodiversity.
Why the Drop in 2025 Data?
The 36% decline from 2024 is primarily attributed to Brazil’s performance:
- Brazil achieved a 41% reduction in non-fire primary forest loss in 2025 under President Lula da Silva’s stricter enforcement of the Amazon Fund and IBAMA (Brazil’s environmental protection agency) after the reversal of Bolsonaro-era policies.
- Brazil accounts for approximately 40% of all remaining tropical primary forest.
- The Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and Indonesia also saw slight improvements.
However, fire-related losses and losses in other parts of Africa (Côte d’Ivoire, Ghana, Cameroon) offset some gains.
Still Far From Glasgow Goals
Despite the improvement, the world is not on track for the Glasgow Leaders’ Declaration — signed at COP26 (Glasgow, November 2021) by over 140 countries (representing 90% of the world’s forests) to halt and reverse deforestation by 2030. Current loss rates are 70% higher than the Glasgow trajectory requires.
Key obstacles:
- Agricultural expansion — palm oil, soy, beef, cocoa still drive deforestation in Southeast Asia, Amazon, and West Africa
- Fire — deliberate burning for land clearance, plus climate-change-driven wildfire
- Weak governance — enforcement gaps, corruption in forest departments
- Commodity supply chains — international demand drives local deforestation; forest-risk commodities reach EU, US, China markets
India and Forest Cover
India’s deforestation profile is distinct from tropical rainforest countries:
- India’s forest cover = approximately 21.76% of geographic area (State of Forest Report 2023, FSI)
- India’s target = 33% of geographic area under forest/tree cover (National Forest Policy 1988)
- India is one of the few countries that has seen net increase in tree cover — though environmentalists dispute “tree cover” methodology (plantations vs. natural forest)
India’s relevant commitments:
- NDC target — create an additional carbon sink of 2.5–3 billion tonnes of CO₂ equivalent through additional forest and tree cover by 2030
- India is a signatory to the Glasgow Leaders’ Declaration but with caveats on implementation constraints
Key Institutions — Forests
| Body | Role |
|---|---|
| WRI (World Resources Institute) | US-based global research NGO; publishes Global Forest Watch |
| Global Forest Watch | WRI’s near-real-time forest monitoring platform using satellite data |
| UNFCCC | Climate convention under which Glasgow Declaration was signed |
| FSI (Forest Survey of India) | GoI body — State of Forest Report every 2 years |
| National Forest Policy, 1988 | India’s core forest policy document — 33% cover target |
| Van Mahotsav | Annual tree-planting campaign in India — July first week |
| Green India Mission | Part of National Action Plan on Climate Change — expand forest cover |
UPSC Relevance
| Paper | Angle |
|---|---|
| GS3 — Environment & Ecology | Tropical forests, deforestation, biodiversity loss, carbon sinks |
| GS3 — Climate Change | Glasgow COP26, REDD+, India’s NDC forest targets |
| GS2 — International Relations | India’s forest diplomacy, Glasgow signatory, Green Climate Fund |
Mains Keywords: WRI Global Forest Watch, tropical primary forest, Glasgow Leaders’ Declaration, COP26, deforestation, carbon sink, REDD+ (Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Forest Degradation), India’s NDC, National Forest Policy 1988, 33% cover target, FSI State of Forest Report
Prelims Facts Corner
| Item | Fact |
|---|---|
| WRI Global Forest Watch release | Annual (2025 data released 2026) |
| Annual tropical forest loss | 4.3 million hectares (2025) |
| Rate | 11 football fields per minute |
| Change from 2024 | −36% |
| Brazil improvement | −41% non-fire losses |
| Remaining above Glasgow target | +70% above required pace |
| Glasgow Leaders’ Declaration | COP26 (Nov 2021) — halt deforestation by 2030 |
| India’s forest cover | ~21.76% (State of Forest Report 2023, FSI) |
| India’s target | 33% (National Forest Policy 1988) |
| REDD+ | Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Forest Degradation — UNFCCC mechanism |
