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Global tropical forest loss slows, satellite data reveals
Nearly 43,000 square kilometers of old-growth tropical forests vanished worldwide in 2025, a one-third reduction from record losses the previous year, according to new satellite analysis by the World Resources Institute and the University of Maryland.
Key drivers behind the decline
Researchers attribute the drop to a combination of factors, including cooler La Niña conditions that reduced fire risks and strengthened conservation efforts in countries like Brazil, Colombia, and Malaysia.
Brazil, home to the Amazon-the planet's largest rainforest-recorded its lowest deforestation rate since monitoring began in 2002, with approximately 5,700 square kilometers lost when fire-related destruction is excluded.
"The decline in 2025 shows that political will and leadership can deliver real results for forests," said Elizabeth Goldman, co-director of Global Forest Watch at the World Resources Institute.
Elizabeth Goldman, World Resources Institute
Persistent threats loom
Despite the improvement, scientists caution that tropical forests are still disappearing at rates far exceeding those of a decade ago. Climate change and the anticipated return of the El Niño weather pattern later this year could exacerbate fire risks, potentially reversing recent gains.
"Forests are resilient to normal climate variations, but the combination of land clearing and climate-driven droughts and fires is shortening the fuse on global forest fires," warned Prof. Matthew Hansen of the University of Maryland.
Climate change amplifies risks
A separate report from the EU's Copernicus climate service highlighted how rising temperatures fueled extreme weather across Europe in 2025. Over 95% of the continent experienced above-average heat, with wildfires scorching more than 10,000 square kilometers-an area larger than Cyprus.
Alpine glaciers continued to shrink, while Arctic temperatures soared to 30°C in July. The Mediterranean Sea also recorded its highest surface temperatures on record.
Rod Taylor, global director for forest and nature conservation at the World Resources Institute, emphasized the need for urgent action: "We must make forests more resilient to climate and fire to prevent irreversible damage."
Global pledges fall short
World leaders committed at the 2021 COP26 summit to "halt and reverse" forest loss by 2030, but progress remains inadequate. In 2024, tropical deforestation surged to unprecedented levels, driven by climate-amplified fires and El Niño.
The Copernicus report noted some progress, however, with nearly half of Europe's electricity now generated from renewable sources like wind, solar, and hydropower.
