In a call to world leaders to boost protection of forests as they prepare for the COP-30 climate summit in Belem, Brazil, the UN Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE) noted that carbon storage in forests has risen by 11 per cent since 1990.

“The message is clear: what we have achieved over the last three decades is now at serious risk from the climate emergency. We cannot afford to lose the planet’s most powerful natural defence,” said UNECE Executive Secretary Tatiana Molcean.

Amid a rising number of wildfires and droughts globally linked to warmer temperatures, drier conditions and pest infestation, Ms. Molclean maintained that the world’s forests risk being damaged and overexploited beyond repair.

“The international community, especially leaders gathering in Belém, must recognize that forest protection is no longer an environmental issue – it is a cornerstone of global carbon security,” the UNECE chief insisted.

Across Europe, North America, the Caucasus and Central Asia – the region covered by UNECE – there are more than 1.76 billion hectares of forest. This represents more than 40 per cent of the global total encompassing three biomes: boreal, temperate and subtropical.

And although forests in the UNECE region have expanded by an impressive 60 million hectares – with the largest growth in Central Asia and Europe – this is not the case worldwide, where around 10.9 million hectares of forests are lost annually.

Increasing wildfire danger

In 2021, an astonishing 12.6 million hectares burned, “comparable to an area of Greece”, said UNECE’s Paola Deda, Director, Forests, Land and Housing Division. Estimates indicate in addition that 73,000,000 hectares, are affected by insects and diseases – comparable to the area of Spain and Portugal together.

“If these trends continue, forests that have been a vital carbon sink could become a source of emissions, undermining global climate goals,” Ms. Deda told journalists in Geneva.

Ongoing forest protection measures supported by UNECE Member States include action to tackle “acid rain” across central Europe which has historically devastated forests, depleted freshwater fish populations and threatened entire ecosystems across the northern hemisphere.

Ticking carbon clock

These and other measures have contributed to a doubling in areas designated for biodiversity conservation and soil and water protection since 1990. Today, more than 300 million hectares – approximately the size of Italy – of forests benefit from legal protection.

But climate change impacts “are accelerating forest destruction, threatening to overturn decades of ecological gains”, UNECE warns in a new report released once every five years. It highlights in particular:

• Massive destruction from fire, pests and drought. In 2021 alone, wildfires scorched 12.6 million hectares in the region. Damage caused by insects, diseases and other factors affected 73 million hectares in 2019 and this trend has persisted.
• Carbon sink reversal: Data from several countries indicates that forest expansion and growth are slowing down. Experts fear that catastrophic wildfires in particular could transform forests into a source of carbon emissions, severely undermining the ability of the world to meet the Paris Agreement targets, the 2015 international agreement to limit global warming.
• Irreversible damage: Prolonged drought and heat are pushing forest ecosystems to their limits. Combined with slowing growth, it will be impossible to achieve forest-related Sustainable Development Goals – deadline 2030 – without beefed-up policy changes, the UN agency says.
• Boreal forests that circle the Arctic are key to climate action: These green expanses contain about 32 per cent of global terrestrial carbon stocks,  significantly impacting atmospheric carbon levels. They are highly sensitive to climate impacts, including rising temperatures, thawing permafrost and wildfires, which will require concerted policy responses to counter, UNECE says.

Policy prescription

Ahead of the climate summit in Belem, the UN commission is urging more support for forest-protection strategies which include enhanced fire prevention, pest management, large-scale restoration efforts and re-evaluating priorities to ensure forests continue to provide their vital environmental, social, and economic benefits.

“The largest forest country in the world, is not Brazil is Russia, so this is our first message,” said Ms. Deda, adding that although the UN climate conference was taking place in the southern hemisphere, the forests of the northern hemispheres are of “crucial importance when it comes to climate”.