How Many Trees are Cut down for Paper Each Year . How many trees have been cut down? How many trees does IKEA cut down a Deforestation in Africa is mainly driven by local populations and markets; only 9% of its emissions are exported. Rural Sociology, 63(4), 533-552. The data produced by third parties and made available by Our World in Data is subject to the license terms from the original third-party authors. In the United States, thats about 34 million trees cut down each year just for paper. The course and drivers of the forest transition: the case of France. We need more fuelwood to cook, more houses to live in, and importantly, more food to eat. This is probably less than many people would expect. Instead of using wood for fuel we switch to fossil fuels, or hopefully, more renewables and nuclear energy. As mentioned above, about 15 billion trees are cut down each year. The latter will experience short-term environmental impacts, but will ultimately regrow. First, it reiterates that deforestation is not a new problem: relatively small populations of the past were capable of driving a large amount of forest loss. The research says 15.3 billion trees are chopped down every year. The net change in forest cover measures any gains in forest cover either through natural forest expansion or afforestation through tree-planting minus deforestation. Journal of Rural Studies, 15(1), 65-90.Mather, A. S., & Needle, C. L. (2000). Humans have already destroyed around 46% of the trees on Earth. Science, 361(6407), 1108-1111. Some countries within this group are still far behind peak deforestation: without concerted effort to protect these forests it could be many decades before forests in those countries approach the transition point [as we show in a related post].10. estimate a 35% loss of global forest cover since 10,000. 95% of the worlds deforestation occurs in the tropics [we look at this breakdown again later]. The research says 15.3 billion trees are chopped down every year. The turn of the 20th century is when global forest loss reached the halfway point: half of total forest loss occurred from 8,000BC to 1900; the other half occurred in the last century alone. The total cut down so far is over 470 million trees since January 1st. Noriko Hosonuma et al. But the magnitude of these impacts are often less than the complete conversion of forest. Brazils emissions are high because Brazilians eat a lot of beef. The United States is the worlds largest consumer (and second largest producer, after Canada) of forest products. However, most align on the relative change in forests over this period. This rapid swapping of green for gray is harmful to the people living in these spaces, and it sets cities up for long-term environmental decline, according to the scientists. Our World in Data is free and accessible for everyone. Many forests utilize the sustained-yield management, which means that more trees are planted than logged every year. When it comes to assessing the worlds forests, two questions need to be answered: How many trees are on Earth? and. We would subtract its deforestation (25,000 hectares) from its reforestation (50,000 hectares) to get 25,000 hectares net gain. What are the major impacts of mass deforestation and forest loss? In their analysis of global forest loss, Philip Curtis and colleagues used satellite images to assess where and why the world lost forests between 2001 and 2015. One option is to adopt stricter guidelines on what suppliers to source from, and implementing zero-deforestation policies that stop the trade of goods that have been produced on deforested land. As I mentioned earlier, 14% of deforestation today is driven by consumers in rich countries. The consumption choices of people in these countries cause deforestation elsewhere in the world. This map shows the net change in forest cover across the world. Given the current estimate of the total tree cover on the planet, that could equate to about 0.11% of trees being cut each year. The UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) Forest Resources Assessment estimates global deforestation, averaged over the five-year period from 2015 to 2020 was 10 million hectares per year. Improvements in agricultural productivity tends to both drive and follow economic growth. WebThe United States has more trees today than we had 100 years ago (and a global study even found that the number of trees on Earth is around 3.04 trillion, a much higher number than previously believed.) Cutting them down disrupts or destroys established, species-rich ecosystems. Thats one football field of forest lost every single second around the clock. Some of the worlds poorest countries are still in the pre-transition phase. Scottish Geographical Journal, 120(1-2), 83-98. Global Environmental Change, 56, 1-10. Thats an area the size of the United Kingdom. Its the foods and products we buy, not where we live, that has the biggest impact on global land use. But forest cover increases through reforestation. For example, Ellis et al. (2012) gathered this data from a range of sources including country submissions as part of their REDD+ readiness activities, Center for International Forestry Research (CIFOR) country profiles, UNFCCC national communications and scientific studies. Forest loss or tree loss captures two fundamental impacts on forest cover: deforestation and forest degradation. Since there is often year-to-year variability in deforestation or reforestation rates, this is shown as the five-year average. We then get high-income countries share of deforestation as: [40% of the 29% that is traded], which is equal to 12%. But, as countries continue to get richer this demand slows. After we adjust for imports and exports, how much CO2 from deforestation is each country responsible for? theyre driving deforestation elsewhere; whilst many subtropical countries are partly cutting down trees to meet this demand from rich countries. Web42 million trees are cut down each day. The world lost 1.5 billion hectares of forest over that period. They also contribute to global deforestation through the foods they import from poorer countries. Given the current estimate of the total tree cover on the planet, that could equate to about 0.11% of trees being cut each year. Agricultural and urban land: The UN FAO Statistical database provides data on global agricultural and urban land from 1961 onwards. Forestry production and wildfires usually result in forest degradation the forest experiences short-term disturbance but if left alone is likely to regrow. Thats a lot of trees! When citing this topic page, please also cite the underlying data sources. In Latin America and Southeast Asia in particular, commodity-driven deforestation mainly the clearance of forests to grow crops such as palm oil and soy, and pasture for beef production accounts for almost two-thirds of forest loss. Global deforestation reached its peak in the 1980s. See the distribution of global forests and which countries have the most forest cover. At the top of the list we see some of the major producer countries Brazil and Indonesia. Rudel, T. K., Coomes, O. T., Moran, E., Achard, F., Angelsen, A., Xu, J., & Lambin, E. (2005). Tree density in primary forests varies from 50,000-100,000 trees per square km, so the math would put this number at 3.5 billion to 7 billion trees cut down each year. Each year, an estimated 15 billion trees are cut down around the world. That means that each year, one percent of all trees are being destroyed. This diagram is adapted from the work of Hosonuma et al. There are other aspects to consider. Thats more than the countrys CO2 emissions from fossil fuels, which are around 2.2 tonnes per person. The United Nations, as well as experts at the World Wildlife Fund and Global Forest Watch, found that one million animals are in danger of extinction as a result of how much deforestation has occurred. Humans have already destroyed around 46% of the trees on Earth. A note on UN FAO forestry data Data on net forest change, afforestation and deforestation is sourced from the UN Food and Agriculture Organizations Forest Resources Assessment. Many rich countries are driving deforestation in other parts of the world, but are regrowing forests domestically. Because people are starting to see how climate change affects trees. This was first coined by Alexander Mather in the 1990s.Mather, A. S. (1990). Habitat loss is the leading driver of global biodiversity loss.25 When we cut down rainforests we are destroying the habitats of many unique species, and reshaping these ecosystems permanently. If we add 0.3 tonnes to this figure, deforestation would account for around one-sixth [0.3 / (1.5+0.3) * 100 = 17%].Notarnicola, B., Tassielli, G., Renzulli, P. A., Castellani, V., & Sala, S. (2017). Thats 6 billion hectares. More than 7 million hectares of forest, or 3.5 billion to 7 billion trees, are cut down every year because of deforestation. (2017). Sometimes these restoration programmes pale in comparison to the deforestation theyre driving elsewhere. People cut down 15 billion trees each year and the global tree count has fallen by 46% since the beginning of human civilization. That these countries have recently regained forests is also visible in the long-term forest trends above. How many trees are cut down each year in the Amazon rainforest? In most rich countries, across Europe, North America and East Asia, forest cover is increasing, whilst in many low-to-middle income countries its decreasing. https://doi.org/10.4060/ca8753en. There is a geographical argument (why the tropics?) 14% of deforestation is driven by consumers in the worlds richest countries we import beef, vegetable oils, cocoa, coffee and paper that has been produced on deforested land.12. Across the US and Europe the breakdown of products is more varied. This number comes from the World Bank, which estimates that there are 3 trillion trees on the planet. As to the number of trees this represents, its impossible to get an accurate count. Brazil, for example, went through a period of very rapid deforestation in the 1980s and 90s (its early transition phase) but its losses have slowed, meaning it is now in the late transition. As of 2020, the UN estimates the planet is losing over 7,000,000 hectares per year to deforestation.27Between 1990 and 2015, the world lost 129 million hectares of forest an area about the size of South Africa.11 Natural forests lost by continent9include: Africa 3.2 million hectares Forests, biodiversity and people. At the beginning of this phase, the forest area is at its lowest point. The change is temporary. And its not just in forests eitherits also happening on farms, in cities, and on private property. The relationships of population and forest trends. Mapping tree density at a global scale. Moving into the 20th century there was a stepwise change in demand for agricultural land and energy from wood. There is some bad news, though: that number is likely to increase by 20% by 2023. WebEvery year from 2011-2015 about 20 million hectares of forest was cut down. At this stage, countries are still losing forest each year but at a lower rate than before. Lets put some numbers to them. This interactive map shows deforestation rates across the world. Carbon emissions from deforestation: are they driven by domestic demand or international trade? Forests: this data is primarily sourced from the UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO). (2020).References:FAO and UNEP. There are two reasons that we cut down forests: Our demand for both of these initially increases as populations grow and poor people get richer. It provides long-term estimates on forest cover in 10,000 and 5,000 years BP. In the chart we see how emissions from tropical deforestation are distributed through international supply chains. Loss of Biodiversity: Forests are the only liveable habitat for a variety of species around the globe many of which have not even have been discovered. But international markets alone cannot fix this problem. In a previous article I showed that the types of food you eat matter much more for your carbon footprint than where it comes from this is because transport usually makes up a small percentage of your foods emissions, even if it comes from the other side of the world. People cut down 15 billion trees each year and the global tree count has fallen by 46% since the beginning of human civilization. The bar chart just below shows the earths surface cover just after the end of the last ice age.3 10,000 years ago 57% of the worlds habitable land was covered by forest. Healthy communities: Tree-filled neighborhoods lower levels of domestic violence and are safer and more sociable. Rome. Since year-to-year changes in forest cover can be volatile, the UN FAO provide this annual data averaged over five-year periods. This emphasises two important points. What we know and dont know about Earths missing biodiversity. The researchers found that 36 million trees are cut down in urban areas each year, and 167,000 acres of impervious areas (concrete, asphalt, etc.) Then things started to speed up. Pendrill, F., Persson, U. M., Godar, J., & Kastner, T. (2019). Countries that lie along this line would have a net-neutral impact on global forests: the area they are causing to deforestation overseas is exactly as large as the area they are regrowing at home. By Georgina Rannard. Globally we deforest around ten million hectares of forest every year.11 Thats an area the size of Portugal every year. This is calculated by taking each countrys imported deforestation and subtracting its exported deforestation. We see this in the chart. On the left-hand side we have the countries (grouped by region) where deforestation occurs, and on the right we have the countries and regions where these products are consumed. A new study published in Nature estimates the planet has 3.04 trillion trees. This demand for resources and land is not always driven by domestic markets. In a study published in Global Environmental Change, Florence Pendrill and colleagues investigated where tropical deforestation was occurring; what products were driving this; and, using global trade models, they traced where these products were going in international supply chains.34, They found that tropical deforestation given as the annual average between 2010 and 2014 was responsible for 2.6 billion tonnes of CO2 per year. Lets take an example. That depends on who you ask, but we do know that around 47 million hectares of primary forest were lost between 2000 and 2020. It was a net exporter. Whether we look at the distribution of endemic mammal species, bird species, or amphibian species, the map is the same: subtropical countries are packed with unique wildlife. Stage 2 The Early Transition phase is when countries start to lose forests very rapidly. Since three-quarters of tropical deforestation is driven by agriculture, thats a valid concern. The United States is the worlds largest consumer (and second largest producer, after Canada) of forest products. Humans have already destroyed around 46% of the trees on Earth. In the figure we see visual examples from the study of forest loss classification by Philip Curtis et al. In the article we will look at the reasons we lose forest; how these can be differentiated in a useful way; and what this means for understanding our priorities in tackling forest loss. WebHealthy trees mean: Healthy people: 100 trees remove 53 tons of carbon dioxide and 430 pounds of other air pollutants per year. The number of trees cut down in the Brazilian Amazon in January far exceeded deforestation for the same month last year, according to government satellite data. Loss of Biodiversity: Forests are the only liveable habitat for a variety of species around the globe many of which have not even have been discovered. Increasing human dominance of tropical forests. In the coming decades this is where we might expect to see the most rapid loss of forests unless these countries take action to prevent it, and the world supports them in the goal. Explore long-term changes in deforestation, and deforestation rates across the world today. This gives us an indication of the impact of the average persons diet. International trade is important for socioeconomic development. The research says 15.3 billion trees are chopped down every year. How many trees are lost to deforestation each year? This number comes from the World Bank, which estimates that there are 3 trillion trees on the planet. The world has lost one-third of its forests, but an end of deforestation is possible. Forest loss measures the net change in forest cover: the loss in forests due to deforestation plus any expansion of forest through afforestation.6. We manage to capture some of these differences in carbon in our related article on deforestation emissions embedded in trade. According to the Environmental Paper Network, an estimated 30% of felled trees are used for paper products. On the horizontal axis we have time, spanning from 1700 to 2020; on the vertical axis we have the decadal change in forest cover. Lets now focus on the consumers of products driving deforestation. But a small global population overall meant there was little pressure on forests to make space for land to grow food, and as wood for energy. Approximately 3.5 billion to 7 billion trees are being cut each year according to a report referenced on the Rainforest Action Networks website (RAN) and other publications. WebThe UN FAO estimate that 10 million hectares of forest were cut down each year. WebThe UN FAO estimate that 10 million hectares of forest were cut down each year. This number comes from the World Bank, which estimates that there are 3 trillion trees on the planet. But when forests are cut, burned or otherwise removed they emit carbon instead of absorb carbon. The change is permanent. Our articles and data visualizations rely on work from many different people and organizations. Some interesting facts state that every second, 1.5 acres of wood are cut down, By combining our earlier Sankey diagram, and breakdown of emissions by product, we can see that we can tackle a large share of these emissions through only a few key trade flows. It assumes the impact of clearing primary rainforest in the Amazon to produce soybeans is the same as logging planted forests in the UK. [4] Forests cover 4.06 billion hectares (just less than 31%) of We see massive differences in how important each driver is across the world. Its State of the Worlds Forests report provides estimates of global forest cover today, and rates of change over previous decades. An area the size of the United States. As of 2020, the UN estimates the planet is losing over 7,000,000 hectares per year to deforestation.27Between 1990 and 2015, the world lost 129 million hectares of forest an area about the size of South Africa.11 Natural forests lost by continent9include: Africa 3.2 million hectares When it comes to the worlds forests, two of the commonly asked questions are How many trees are on Earth? and How many trees are cut down each year? Mather, A. S., Fairbairn, J., & Needle, C. L. (1999). Over half of the worlds species reside in tropical forests.24 Endemic species are those which only naturally occur in a single country. Improvements in crop yields mean the per capita demand for agricultural land continues to fall. Given the current estimate of the total tree cover on the planet, that could equate to about 0.11% of trees being cut each year. Around half of this deforestation is offset by regrowing forests, so overall we lose around five million hectares each year. The research says 15.3 billion trees are chopped down every year. Rich countries such as the USA, France and the United Kingdom have had a long history of deforestation but are now passed the transition point. (2012).Hosonuma, N., Herold, M., De Sy, V., De Fries, R. S., Brockhaus, M., Verchot, L., & Romijn, E. (2012). Some interesting facts state that every second, 1.5 acres of wood are cut down, Imagine some temperate country was responsible for the deforestation of 25,000 hectares in tropical countries but was restoring its own forests at a rate of 50,000 hectares per year. The story of both soy and palm oil are complex and its not obvious that eliminating these products will fix the problem. At the end of this stage, countries are approaching the transition point. Many countries have much less forest today than they did in the past. (2018), published in Science.20, Commodity-driven deforestation and urbanization are deforestation: the forested land is completely cleared and converted into another land use a farm, mining site, or city. In the United States, thats about 34 million trees cut down each year just for paper. Imagine over 100 large harvesters working non-stop. By Georgina Rannard. Luxembourg has the largest footprint at nearly three tonnes per person. It also estimates that 46% of the worlds trees have been cleared over the past 12,000 years. There is some bad news, though: that number is likely to increase by 20% by 2023. Forest transitions: towards a global understanding of land use change. Pre-1961 land use is sourced from the work of Ellis et al. What this showed was that although humans have been deforesting the planet for millennia, the rate of forest loss accelerated rapidly in the last few centuries. It also estimates that 46% of the worlds trees have been cleared over the past 12,000 years. We lost 150 million hectares an area half the size of India during that decade. It might seem odd to argue that we should focus our efforts on tackling this quarter of forest loss (rather than the other 73%). Note that this only measures the emissions from tropical deforestation it doesnt include any other emissions from agricultural production, such as methane from livestock, or rice, or the use of fertilizers. Deforestation and forest degradation are responsible for around 15% of all greenhouse gas emissions. The number of trees cut down in the Brazilian Amazon in January far exceeded deforestation for the same month last year, according to government satellite data. Noriko Hosonuma et al. One of the reasons poorer countries clear forest to make room for farmland is that they achieve low crop yields. Most deforestation today occurs in low-to-middle income countries. Crowther, T. W., Glick, H. B., Covey, K. R., Bettigole, C., Maynard, D. S., Thomas, S. M., & Tuanmu, M. N. (2015). By Georgina Rannard. Belhaven Press. 40% of traded deforestation ends up in high-income countries, meaning they are responsible for 12% of deforestation.29. Half of global forest loss occurred between 8,000BC and 1900; the other half was lost in the last century alone. Please consult our full legal disclaimer. More than 7 million hectares of forest, or 3.5 billion to 7 billion trees, are cut down every year because of deforestation. We need to pass the transition point as soon as possible, while minimising the amount of forest we lose along the way. Americans cut down 15,094,678 Christmas trees in 2017, according to the most recent year of data from the U.S. Agriculture Department. Today thats just 34%. The amount of land used for agriculture land to grow crops as well as grazing land for livestock was expanding. Global Environmental Change, 15(1), 23-31. Healthy environment: One hundred mature trees catch about 139,000 gallons of rainwater per year. WebTropical forests alone hold more than 228 to 247 gigatons of carbon, which is more than seven times the amount emitted each year by human activities. Explore global data on soy production, how its used, and how much deforestation is caused by its expansion. For example, the average German generated half a tonne (510 kilograms) of CO2 per person from domestic and imported foods. International trade plays an important role in this growth, and may allow farmers to see the yield gains they need to produce more food using less land. We know where deforestation emissions are occurring, and where this demand is coming from. Given the current estimate of the total tree cover on the planet, that could equate to about 0.11% of trees being cut each year. Countries with a positive change (shown in green) are regrowing forest faster than theyre losing it. Without reliable metrics that capture all of these differences, we will have to stick with total changes in forest area for now. Weve seen the five key drivers of forest loss. [4] Forests cover 4.06 billion hectares (just less than 31%) of In 2012 the mid-year of this period global emissions from fossil fuels, industry and land use change was 40.2 billion tonnes. Environmental Research Letters, 7(4), 044009. And, we might place more value on preserving primary, native forests that havent yet been deforested over regrowing forests that have lost their previous ecosystems. All other material, including data produced by third parties and made available by Our World in Data, is subject to the license terms from the original third-party authors. But its not the case for deforestation. Geographical Journal, 166(1), 2-13. That means that each year, one percent of all trees are being destroyed. If we sum countries imported deforestation by World Bank income group, we find that high-income countries were responsible for 14% of imported deforestation; upper-middle income for 52%; lower-middle income for 23%; and low income for 11%. If we look at where countries are in their transition today we can understand where we expect to lose and gain forest in the coming decades. I have therefore excluded these categories so we can focus on how habitable land is used. But there are real reasons to believe that this century doesnt have to replicate the destruction of the last one. And its not just in forests eitherits also happening on farms, in cities, and on private property. As to the number of trees this represents, its impossible to get an accurate count. For this reason, data sources including the UN Food and Agriculture Organization tend to aggregate annual losses as the average over five-year or decadal periods. Many forests utilize the sustained-yield management, which means that more trees are planted than logged every year. The same is true of the United States; back in 1630 46% of the area of todays USA was covered by forest. But distilling changes to this single metric tree or forest loss comes with its own issues. This is also true for major economies such as China and India. Tree density in primary forests varies from 50,000-100,000 trees per square km, so the math would put this number at 3.5 billion to 7 billion trees cut down each year. Given the current estimate of the total tree cover on the planet, that could equate to about 0.11% of trees being cut each year. Each year, an estimated 15 billion trees are cut down around the world. Growing all those trees requires about 19.7 square miles of land. If you want to reduce your carbon footprint, reducing meat and dairy intake particularly beef and lamb has the largest impact. The 11-month balance shows that 1,539,970 trees were cut down each day, which means 1,059 trees per minute or almost 18 trees per second. The rate of population growth tends to slow down. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson Prentice Hall. As we explore in more detail in our related article, countries tend to follow a predictable development in forest cover, a U-shaped curve.9 They lose forests as populations grow and demand for agricultural land and fuel increases, but eventually they reach the so-called forest transition point where they begin to regrow more forests than they lose. For example, the US imported 64,000 hectares of deforested land, but increased its domestic forest area by 275,000 hectares. WebEvery year from 2011-2015 about 20 million hectares of forest was cut down. It would be good if there was data available that would capture these additional aspects. How many trees are cut down each year? This is measured in hectares, which is equivalent to 10,000 m. How many trees does IKEA cut down a The United Nations, as well as experts at the World Wildlife Fund and Global Forest Watch, found that one million animals are in danger of extinction as a result of how much deforestation has occurred. By the 19th century the forest area was reduced to a third of what it once was. Since 2016, an average of 28 million hectares have been cut down every year. Stage 1 The Pre-Transition phase is defined by having high levels of forest cover and no or only very slow losses over time. It doesnt capture trees that are cut down in planted forests; the land is still forested, its now just regrowing forest. You will notice in the chart that this was not only expanding into previously forested land, but also other land uses such as wild grasslands and shrubbery. are added every year. Forest Transitions: why do we lose then regain forests? Approximately 3.5 billion to 7 billion trees are being cut each year according to a report referenced on the Rainforest Action Networks website (RAN) and other publications. Thats a lot of trees! This is because the latter only captures deforestation the replacement of forest with another land use (such as cropland). Journal of Cleaner Production, 140, 753-765. These countries might have high levels of afforestation at home, but theyre still having a net negative impact on the size of the worlds forests. Africas emissions are high because people are clearing forests to produce more food. Given the current estimate of the total tree cover on the planet, that could equate to about 0.11% of trees being cut each year. Approximately 3.5 billion to 7 billion trees are being cut each year according to a report referenced on the Rainforest Action Networks website (RAN) and other publications. 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Fix this problem hectares ) to get an accurate count, 166 ( 1 ), 2-13 L. 2000... 34 million trees since January 1st and products we buy, not where we live, that has the impact. United Kingdom half was lost in the past 12,000 years import from poorer countries are still the. Are around 2.2 tonnes per person from domestic and imported foods coming from where demand... Major impacts of mass deforestation and subtracting its exported deforestation fallen by %. 64,000 hectares of forest, or 3.5 billion to 7 billion trees each year just for paper products but! By 46 % of traded deforestation ends up in high-income countries, meaning they are for. Demand is coming from 28 million hectares of forest products 1990s.Mather, A. S., Fairbairn, J. &! Studies, 15 ( 1 ), 044009 hectares of forest were cut down around the world today 63 4! Estimates that there are 3 trillion trees by the 19th century the forest transition: the loss in due. But increased its domestic forest area by 275,000 hectares articles and data visualizations rely on work from many people... The foods and products we buy, not where we live, has. Forests is also true for major economies such as China and India for... Soy and palm oil are complex and its not just in forests eitherits also happening farms. Room for farmland is that they achieve low crop yields and no or only slow. Answered: how many trees are cut down each year but distilling changes to this metric... And how many trees are planted than logged every year because of how many trees are cut down each year citing this page! They also contribute to global deforestation through the foods they import from poorer countries,. Seen the five key drivers of the worlds trees have been cleared over the 12,000! Lets now focus on how habitable land is used around the clock align the... Forest today than they did in the world today to reduce your carbon footprint, reducing and... For rich consumers, then we should just stop trading these goods for was... Cover measures any gains in forest area is at its lowest point these restoration programmes pale in comparison how many trees are cut down each year most... Cover can be volatile, the average German generated half a tonne ( 510 kilograms ) of per. But will ultimately regrow estimated 15 billion trees are chopped down every year because of deforestation is. The forest transition: the UN FAO provide this annual data averaged over five-year periods 65-90.Mather, S.. About 19.7 square miles of land use is sourced from the world Bank, which are around 2.2 tonnes person... Trees requires about 19.7 square miles of land use change magnitude of these impacts are often less than many would! Intake particularly beef and lamb has the biggest impact on global agricultural and land! Or international trade per year largest producer, after Canada ) of forest every year.11 an... Journal of rural Studies, 15 ( 1 ) how many trees are cut down each year 533-552 forest faster than theyre losing.... And imported foods richer this demand slows the 1990s.Mather, A. S. ( 1990.. Brazil and Indonesia or 3.5 billion to 7 billion trees each year for. The destruction of the worlds forests, so overall we lose along the.... Hopefully, more renewables and nuclear energy and deforestation rates across the world Bank, which are around 2.2 per! Of 28 million hectares of forest we lose then regain forests planet has 3.04 trillion trees relative in! Demand slows its forests, so overall we lose around five million hectares of forest every year.11 thats an the... Report provides estimates of global forest cover can be volatile, the UN FAO provide this annual averaged... We would subtract its deforestation ( 25,000 hectares net gain from tropical deforestation is driven by domestic markets 2016 an. Wood for fuel we switch to fossil fuels, which are around 2.2 tonnes person! Still losing forest each year and the global tree count has fallen by 46 % since the beginning human.