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Data limitations make it difficult to assess progress made towards the 2030 goal of halting and reversing forest degradation globally. Here, we rely on two indicators to approximate trends in forest degradation: forest landscape integrity, as estimated by the Forest Landscape Integrity Index (FLII), and tree cover loss within intact forest landscapes. 
Intact forest landscapes are mosaics of forested and naturally treeless ecosystems that show very few signs of human activity or habitat fragmentation. Occupying a minimum area of 50,000 hectares, they are large enough to play a critical role in helping to maintain native biodiversity. Accordingly, these ecosystems are hotspots for biodiversity and contain large carbon stores. Reducing tree cover loss within these natural terrestrial ecosystems is a key part of halting forest loss and land degradation by 2030.  
Yet, annual rates of tree cover loss across these intact forest landscapes have been on the rise since 2001. In 2022 alone, 3.9 million hectares were lost – a 19% increase relative to average annual losses from 2018 to 2022. Though not all tree cover loss is permanent, the increasing trend likely indicates more degradation and fragmentation of these ecosystems, as well as a rise in human activity. Efforts to address tree cover loss in intact forest landscapes must be accelerated, urgently and rapidly, to reverse this concerning trend. 

Data limitations make it difficult to assess progress made towards the 2030 goal of halting and reversing forest degradation globally. Here, we rely on two indicators to approximate trends in forest degradation: forest landscape integrity, as estimated by the Forest Landscape Integrity Index (FLII), and tree cover loss within intact forest landscapes. 
Intact forest landscapes are mosaics of forested and naturally treeless ecosystems that show very few signs of human activity or habitat fragmentation. Occupying a minimum area of 50,000 hectares, they are large enough to play a critical role in helping to maintain native biodiversity. Accordingly, these ecosystems are hotspots for biodiversity and contain large carbon stores. Reducing tree cover loss within these natural terrestrial ecosystems is a key part of halting forest loss and land degradation by 2030.  
Yet, annual rates of tree cover loss across these intact forest landscapes have been on the rise since 2001. In 2022 alone, 3.9 million hectares were lost – a 19% increase relative to average annual losses from 2018 to 2022. Though not all tree cover loss is permanent, the increasing trend likely indicates more degradation and fragmentation of these ecosystems, as well as a rise in human activity. Efforts to address tree cover loss in intact forest landscapes must be accelerated, urgently and rapidly, to reverse this concerning trend. 

Forest cover loss in key biodiversity areas is particularly concerning, as these areas play an outsized role in conserving biodiversity, due to, for example, being ecologically intact, or hosting species that live in just a few geographies. But in 2022, the world’s forested key biodiversity areas lost 1.2 million hectares (Mha) of forests. The good news is that this is a 30% decrease in forest loss relative to the annual average from 2018 to 2020, indicating that the world is making strides forward in eliminating tree cover loss in these critical biodiversity sites. The bad news is that even small amounts of loss within these key biodiversity areas can significantly harm biodiversity.  

Forest cover loss in key biodiversity areas is particularly concerning, as these areas play an outsized role in conserving biodiversity, due to, for example, being ecologically intact, or hosting species that live in just a few geographies. But in 2022, the world’s forested key biodiversity areas lost 1.2 million hectares (Mha) of forests. The good news is that this is a 30% decrease in forest loss relative to the annual average from 2018 to 2020, indicating that the world is making strides forward in eliminating tree cover loss in these critical biodiversity sites. The bad news is that even small amounts of loss within these key biodiversity areas can significantly harm biodiversity.  

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. 

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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Secure land rights play an essential role in enabling the restoration of ecosystems; defending lands that are under threat; supporting the development of profitable, sustainable agriculture; and reducing vulnerability to the impacts of climate change. In addition to formal documentation of land rights, communities and individuals need assurances that their land rights are secure and that they will accrue the benefits of, for example, improving cropland and pasture productivity, reestablishing trees, rewetting peatlands, or restoring mangroves. Without believing that they have long-term rights to land, they may have little incentive to devote their time, labor, and resources to such projects, particularly those that generate benefits over longer periods of time. Yet nearly one billion people worldwide believe they could lose part of their land or their right to use it within five years.  

Secure land rights play an essential role in enabling the restoration of ecosystems; defending lands that are under threat; supporting the development of profitable, sustainable agriculture; and reducing vulnerability to the impacts of climate change. In addition to formal documentation of land rights, communities and individuals need assurances that their land rights are secure and that they will accrue the benefits of, for example, improving cropland and pasture productivity, reestablishing trees, rewetting peatlands, or restoring mangroves. Without believing that they have long-term rights to land, they may have little incentive to devote their time, labor, and resources to such projects, particularly those that generate benefits over longer periods of time. Yet nearly one billion people worldwide believe they could lose part of their land or their right to use it within five years.