The World Bank collected data recording the change in the percentage area of forests (five metres in situ of natural or planted stands of tree) in countries around the world between 1990 to 2016. The data has shown a total increase in deforestation across the globe.
The industries surrounding deforestation is worth collectively over several billions of dollars. Those industries include wood, local and national agriculture, fuel, and urbanisation.
Honduras, Zimbabwe, and Cambodia have seen significant drops in forest land coverage over the past three decades due to illegal logging, agricultural development and lack of governance on forestry matters.
Governments and activists are working to conserve and protect these forest against unethical practices and to improve these nations carbon footprints to help support local communities and the overall economy.
The United Nations is also intervening to help reduce major deforestation across the globe with targets set for completion in 2030 involving projects in Honduras, Cambodia, Timor-Leste, and more.
Some countries have actively invested to protect and expand their forests. With Montenegro and Bhutan leading the way with their initiatives.
Following being declared an Ecological State in 1991, after Montenegro’s independence in 2006, the government has supported sustainable management of forestry and between 2004 to 2010 Montenegro saw a drastic rise in total forest area across the nation.
Bhutan’s Department of Forest and Park Services’ mission is to protect and manage the forests and biodiversity of Bhutan for the wellbeing of its land, its people and economy for all times to come. Bhutan will always maintain at least 60% of its land as forest as stated in its constitution.
Planting trees on a mass scale has become part of the Bhutanese culture. With tree planting records being broken in the country and the nation celebrating the birth of their prince by planting trees.
Vietnam has actively tried to repair the damage done to the country’s forests during the Vietnam War and has campaigned for reforestation to heal the land and to help against the negative impacts of climate change.
In Cabo Verde, Cuba, Dominican Republic, Eswatini, Rwanda, Samoa, and Spain, government and community departments and programs have been promoting and initiating sustainability plans to protect and conserve their nation’s forests with mass tree planting projects and by cultivating natural growth of forest areas.
Efforts to restore forests are yet to overtake the rates of deforestation across the globe. Governments and activists are still campaigning for forest conservation to help protect indigenous communities, animal habitats, and to help stop global warming across the Earth.
Link To Raw Data:
Forest area (% of land area)
Forest area (% of land area) from The World Bank: Data
