Global tree cover loss 2023, by leading country

In 2023, more than 8.5 million hectares of tree cover was lost in Canada. Tree cover loss does not just refer to deforestation; it can also occur due to natural causes to trees in plantations and natural forests. Therefore, by definition, tree cover loss is the removal of tree canopy due to human or natural causes, including fire. Canada was followed by Russia, with roughly 3.4 million hectares of tree cover lost.

Impacts of tree cover loss

Forests have an essential role in mitigating climate change and are rich in biodiversity. Nevertheless, annual tree cover loss has risen since the beginning of the century, remaining above 20 million hectares per year for most of the past decade. The loss of trees impacts both carbon emissions and the carbon storage capacity of these forest ecosystems. For example, the Southeast Asian rainforest was estimated to be a net carbon emitter as of 2021, with its emissions surpassing its removal capacity. In the Amazon, emissions and sinks were almost balanced out.

Drivers of tree cover loss

In 2022, the dominant driver of tree cover loss was large-scale forestry operations occurring within managed forests and tree plantations. That year, around 6.7 billion hectares of tree cover were lost due to forestry activities. Meanwhile, permanent conversion of forest and shrubland to non-forest land use for commodity-driven deforestation and urbanization contributed some 4.9 million hectares of tree cover loss.