Originally, Earth was covered by 15-16 million square kilometers of wild primary forest.

Not anymore.

The world’s original forests are disappearing and they are disappearing fast. We risk only having 10% left by 2030 if we don’t make some serious changes.

What are primary forests?

Primary forests are forests formed naturally over thousands of years as opposed to forests planted and managed by humans. Primary forests are unique ecosystems and important, irreplaceable habitat for a wide range of species. Forests contain more than 80 percent of the world’s terrestrial biodiversity and original tropical rainforests have the highest biodiversity of any place on Earth.

Destruction on a massive scale

Entire forest systems have disappeared in at least 25 countries and have declined by 90 percent in another 29 countries. 

This destruction continues at staggering rates.

Why is the loss of forest a problem?

The loss of the world’s wild and natural forests is a major problem for a number of reasons.

• Loss of forests means loss of species: Forests are home to seventy percent of the world's plants and animals.
• Deforestation contributes to global warming: About 20 percent of the world's greenhouse gas emissions come from the clearing of tropical forests.
• Deforestation messes with the water cycle: Over half the water in rainforests is held within plants.
• Deforestation causes soil erosion and desertification: According to the UN, desertification is potentially the biggest threat to the world's ecosystems.

What are the reasons for the destruction of primary forests?

There are a number of reasons for the loss of primary forests. All linked to human activity and a hungry consumer economy.

• Industrial agriculture: Clearing of forests to make room for the production of palm oil, soy etc.
• Mining and extraction activities: Oil and gas extraction and mining also a major contributor to deforestation.
• Logging industry: Timber for the construction industry,  production of furniture and other goods etc.
• Large-scale infrastructure: Housing, roads, hydropower projects.

What can be done to stop the loss of primary forests?

Protected forest areas are important to maintain primary forests. And some good things are happening here.

• 18.8% of the world's forests are covered by protected areas.
• 16 out of 20 forest types have protected areas of 10% or more.
• Of 670 regions with forests, 54% have 10% or more of the forest cover protected.

The 18.8 percent of the world’s forests that are covered by protected areas is equivalent to about 7.5 million square kilometers, or an area about the size of Australia.

Good things are happening

Many countries are increasing their efforts in conserving forests and more than 100 countries have established national forest programs to manage forests more holistically.

The Paris Agreement on climate change also included initiatives for the protection of forests including the REDD+ framework (Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and forest Degradation and enhancing forest carbon stocks). The REDD+ framework offers funding for forest protection efforts.

BUT...

REDD+ has about a billion USD a year for forest protection projects meaning about $8 billion from 2000 to 2008. In the same period, almost 100 times that amount - $777 billion - was used for financing agriculture and investments that put forests at risk. So there is still a long way to go if the world’s forests are to be saved.

It could go completely wrong...