Tropical forest loss decreased in 2023 but global threats remain, data shows [Video]

Tropical forests have shown improvement in primary forest loss, with a 9 percent decline compared to 2023.
Brazil and Colombia saw reductions in forest loss, attributed to conservation policies and environmental initiatives.
Canada experienced an unprecedented increase in tree cover loss due to massive wildfires.

Tropical forest loss declined last year, but other indicators show that the world’s woodlands remain under tremendous pressure, according to an analysis released on Thursday by the Global Forest Watch monitoring project.

Destruction of forests helps drive global climate change. Because trees absorb climate-warming carbon dioxide and store it as carbon in their wood, that greenhouse gas is released when the wood rots or burns.

This destruction also imperils biodiversity because of how many plant and animal species call forests home.

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Here are key takeaways from Global Forest Watch’s annual forest loss data.