Even as it slows, it remains deeply worrying, according to the latest Global Forest Watch study.
Eleven Soccer Fields Per Minute
A promising slowdown but not enough in 2025… The destruction of tropical primary forests has seen a notable retreat, with 4.3 million hectares lost. An area roughly the size of Denmark. According to the latest data from Global Forest Watch, this marks a significant 36% drop from the record year 2024, which saw 6.7 million hectares disappear.
This lull must nonetheless be put in perspective against the 2030 targets. Indeed, the global situation remains alarming: every minute, the equivalent of 11 primary-forest soccer fields disappears, with losses 46% higher than ten years ago.
Agricultural and Mining Expansion
Consequently, the global goal of halting deforestation by 2030 appears difficult to achieve, with current levels still 70% too high relative to the required trajectory. This progress is largely driven by Brazil, which reduced deforestation by 41% thanks to proactive anti-deforestation policies, followed by other countries like Colombia, Malaysia, and Indonesia.
However, these gains remain precarious in the face of pressures from agricultural and mining expansion. Moreover, destruction remains at critical levels in other regions such as Bolivia or the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
The Strong Impact of Fires
We must also account for the major and growing impact of fires on tropical forest destruction. Indeed, beyond agricultural expansion, fires played a determining role in 2025, representing 42% of total losses and causing a 14% drop in global tree cover.
Even though they are clearly amplified by climate change, these fires are predominantly human-caused. They have harshly affected boreal regions, notably in Canada where 5.3 million hectares were ravaged, marking the second-worst year in the country’s history.
