Before
Once, the forest breathed. It regulated the climate, sheltered most of terrestrial life, and stored nearly half of the planet’s soil carbon. But since 1990, more than 420 million hectares have disappeared — the equivalent of the entire European Union.
Now
In 2024, the planet lost about 8.1 million hectares of forest. That’s nearly one football field destroyed every second. We’re lagging 63% behind our “zero deforestation by 2030” target.
Fires and Agriculture
Agricultural expansion, especially for livestock, soy, and palm oil, accounts for nearly 90% of global forest loss. Fires, worsened by droughts, finish what the chainsaws started.
The Scars
Roads, mines, monocultures — forests are fragmenting. Every clearing alters water cycles and temperature. These are no longer ecosystems, but isolated archipelagos of life.
Regional Contrasts
In the Amazon, deforestation fell by 31% in 2024, but fires reached record levels under extreme drought. In Bolivia and Central Africa, losses continue to grow, showing that this crisis is still global.
What We’re Losing
Forests absorb about 2 billion tons of CO₂ each year. Their disappearance fuels global warming and kills biodiversity: since 1970, tracked animal populations have dropped by 73%.
The Silence
Where once there were birdsongs and rustling leaves, only wind and dust remain. The ground cracks, the forest fades. And with it, the sounds, the scents, the life.
What If We Acted?
Every action matters: choosing deforestation-free products, supporting local reforestation, protecting the people who guard the forest. Together, we can give the planet back its breath — tree by tree.