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It is important to track progress towards ending commodity-driven deforestation through shifting to sustainable commodity production, especially in light of the GLD commitment to stop forest loss and land degradation by 2030, and the private sector goal to eliminate deforestation and ecosystem conversion within supply chains by 2025.  
Commodity-driven deforestation is defined as permanent tree cover loss due to the production of agriculture, mining, and energy infrastructure. It is measured using estimates both including and excluding fire-related losses. In 2022, 4.2 to 4.8 million hectares (Mha) of forests were destroyed permanently to make room for commodity production, mostly agriculture. This is an increase of 5.6 to 7.7% compared to 2021. The estimate that includes fire-related loss (4.8 Mha) is a slight decrease compared to a 2018 to 2020 baseline; on the other hand, if fire-related losses are excluded (4.2 Mha), then the 2022 value was 7.7% higher than the average loss in 2018 to 2020. Recent deforestation rates indicate that the world is not likely to eliminate commodity-driven deforestation by 2025 or 2030. 

It is important to track progress towards ending commodity-driven deforestation through shifting to sustainable commodity production, especially in light of the GLD commitment to stop forest loss and land degradation by 2030, and the private sector goal to eliminate deforestation and ecosystem conversion within supply chains by 2025.  
Commodity-driven deforestation is defined as permanent tree cover loss due to the production of agriculture, mining, and energy infrastructure. It is measured using estimates both including and excluding fire-related losses. In 2022, 4.2 to 4.8 million hectares (Mha) of forests were destroyed permanently to make room for commodity production, mostly agriculture. This is an increase of 5.6 to 7.7% compared to 2021. The estimate that includes fire-related loss (4.8 Mha) is a slight decrease compared to a 2018 to 2020 baseline; on the other hand, if fire-related losses are excluded (4.2 Mha), then the 2022 value was 7.7% higher than the average loss in 2018 to 2020. Recent deforestation rates indicate that the world is not likely to eliminate commodity-driven deforestation by 2025 or 2030. 

Although most tropical primary forest loss occurs in just a handful of tropical forested countries, much of this loss is driven by the production of agricultural commodities for international trade, including beef, soy, palm oil, and cocoa; and products made with these commodities such as leather and chocolate. Demand from wealthier countries, in particular, drives much of this unsustainable production. In 2017, for example, almost 1.3 million hectares (Mha) of deforestation were embodied in internationally traded commodities. The countries with the highest levels of imported deforestation that year were China, India, and the United States, responsible for importing a collective 0.49 Mha of embodied deforestation. 

Although most tropical primary forest loss occurs in just a handful of tropical forested countries, much of this loss is driven by the production of agricultural commodities for international trade, including beef, soy, palm oil, and cocoa; and products made with these commodities such as leather and chocolate. Demand from wealthier countries, in particular, drives much of this unsustainable production. In 2017, for example, almost 1.3 million hectares (Mha) of deforestation were embodied in internationally traded commodities. The countries with the highest levels of imported deforestation that year were China, India, and the United States, responsible for importing a collective 0.49 Mha of embodied deforestation. 

Enhancing rural livelihoods depends on eliminating rural poverty. While rates of rural poverty have decreased in recent years, extreme poverty still poses a major challenge in rural areas, especially in countries such as South Sudan, Honduras, and Zambia, where over 50% of the rural population lives below the national poverty line. Reducing rural poverty is particularly important in the context of climate change, since climate-smart, resilient agriculture can require significant up-front investments, expensive inputs, and higher implementation costs – additional expenses that many farmers, particularly smallholder farmers, cannot afford without additional income or financial support. 

Enhancing rural livelihoods depends on eliminating rural poverty. While rates of rural poverty have decreased in recent years, extreme poverty still poses a major challenge in rural areas, especially in countries such as South Sudan, Honduras, and Zambia, where over 50% of the rural population lives below the national poverty line. Reducing rural poverty is particularly important in the context of climate change, since climate-smart, resilient agriculture can require significant up-front investments, expensive inputs, and higher implementation costs – additional expenses that many farmers, particularly smallholder farmers, cannot afford without additional income or financial support. 

Policies and programs to make agricultural production more sustainable must be paired with broader interventions to alleviate hunger and food insecurity, working towards the United Nations Sustainable Development Goal 2.1 to ensure all people have access to safe, nutritious, and sufficient food all year round by 2030. Unfortunately, since the development of the Sustainable Development Goals in 2015, the prevalence of moderate or severe food insecurity has been moving in the wrong direction. As of 2022, 2.4 billion people (30% of the global population) were moderately or severely food insecure. This number has remained steady since 2020, after increasing significantly between 2019 and 2020 at the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic.  

Policies and programs to make agricultural production more sustainable must be paired with broader interventions to alleviate hunger and food insecurity, working towards the United Nations Sustainable Development Goal 2.1 to ensure all people have access to safe, nutritious, and sufficient food all year round by 2030. Unfortunately, since the development of the Sustainable Development Goals in 2015, the prevalence of moderate or severe food insecurity has been moving in the wrong direction. As of 2022, 2.4 billion people (30% of the global population) were moderately or severely food insecure. This number has remained steady since 2020, after increasing significantly between 2019 and 2020 at the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic.  

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Lack of secure land tenure is pervasive worldwide and is a commonly identified barrier to shifting to profitable, sustainable agriculture, and to restoring forest and land ecosystems. Documentation of rights contributes to tenure security and can create incentives for farmers to make longer-term investments in their croplands. Rights that are secure and of a set duration can also be the foundation for investing in restoration efforts where the benefits accrue over time. Yet, in countries where deforestation and forest conversion for commodity agriculture are a pervasive problem, such as Indonesia and Cote d’Ivoire, less than half of all adults have legal documentation of their rights to land.     

Lack of secure land tenure is pervasive worldwide and is a commonly identified barrier to shifting to profitable, sustainable agriculture, and to restoring forest and land ecosystems. Documentation of rights contributes to tenure security and can create incentives for farmers to make longer-term investments in their croplands. Rights that are secure and of a set duration can also be the foundation for investing in restoration efforts where the benefits accrue over time. Yet, in countries where deforestation and forest conversion for commodity agriculture are a pervasive problem, such as Indonesia and Cote d’Ivoire, less than half of all adults have legal documentation of their rights to land.