In 2023, wildfires were the leading driver of tree cover loss worldwide, amounting to approximately nine million hectares of tree cover loss. Shifting agriculture - where small to medium-scale forest and shrubland conversion for agriculture are later abandoned and followed by subsequent forest regrowth - ranked third, contributing to roughly 6.6 million hectares of loss that year.
Global annual tree cover loss in 2023, by dominant driver
(in million hectares)
values based on original tree cover density greater than 30 percent in 2000.
Supplementary notes
According to the source, tree cover loss includes change in both natural and planted forest, and does not need to be human caused. It does not equate to deforestation.
Tree cover loss from shifting agriculture, forestry, and wildfires refers to temporary loss. Loss from commodity-driven deforestation and urbanization refers to permanent deforestation.
The source does not specify the publication date. The release date given is the date of access.
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GFW. (May 27, 2024). Global annual tree cover loss in 2023, by dominant driver (in million hectares) [Graph]. In Statista. Retrieved December 21, 2024, from https://www.statista.com/statistics/1227308/tree-cover-loss-global-drivers/
GFW. "Global annual tree cover loss in 2023, by dominant driver (in million hectares)." Chart. May 27, 2024. Statista. Accessed December 21, 2024. https://www.statista.com/statistics/1227308/tree-cover-loss-global-drivers/
GFW. (2024). Global annual tree cover loss in 2023, by dominant driver (in million hectares). Statista. Statista Inc.. Accessed: December 21, 2024. https://www.statista.com/statistics/1227308/tree-cover-loss-global-drivers/
GFW. "Global Annual Tree Cover Loss in 2023, by Dominant Driver (in Million Hectares)." Statista, Statista Inc., 27 May 2024, https://www.statista.com/statistics/1227308/tree-cover-loss-global-drivers/
GFW, Global annual tree cover loss in 2023, by dominant driver (in million hectares) Statista, https://www.statista.com/statistics/1227308/tree-cover-loss-global-drivers/ (last visited December 21, 2024)
Global annual tree cover loss in 2023, by dominant driver (in million hectares) [Graph], GFW, May 27, 2024. [Online]. Available: https://www.statista.com/statistics/1227308/tree-cover-loss-global-drivers/
