Deforestation falling worldwide but Congo Basin losses grow, report finds
- Global deforestation slowed last year, helped by gains in Latin America, but rising forest loss in Central Africa and an exceptionally strong El Nino weather pattern mean the improvement is unlikely to last, a study on Wednesday found.
- Issued on: 14/10/2026 - 18:28 2 min Reading time Seven million hectares of forest – roughly the size of Ireland – were lost to deforestation in 2025, down 15 percent from 2024, according to the Forest Declaration Assessment.
- The drop still leaves the world off track to meet a pledge, made at the UN climate talks in 2021, to end deforestation by 2030.
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- Global deforestation slowed last year, helped by gains in Latin America, but rising forest loss in Central Africa and an exceptionally strong El Nino weather pattern mean the improvement is unlikely to last, a study on Wednesday found.
- Issued on: 14/10/2026 - 18:28 2 min Reading time Seven million hectares of forest – roughly the size of Ireland – were lost to deforestation in 2025, down 15 percent from 2024, according to the Forest Declaration Assessment.
- The drop still leaves the world off track to meet a pledge, made at the UN climate talks in 2021, to end deforestation by 2030.
Sources: RFI