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News: A The United Nations released the Global Forest Goals Report 2026 during the 21st session of the UN Forum on Forests.
About Global Forest Goals Report 2026
- It is a UN assessment report on progress under the UN Strategic Plan for Forests 2017-2030.
- Released by: The report was released by the United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs (DESA) and the UN Forum on Forests Secretariat.
- UN Forum on Forests: It is an intergovernmental body established in 2000 that includes all UN member states and members of specialised agencies for promoting conservation, sustainable management, and development of all types of forests.
- Key Findings and Trends:
- Global Forest Cover: Forests cover 4.14 billion hectares, which accounts for nearly 32 per cent of the world’s land area and around 0.50 hectare per person.
- Forest Distribution: Around 45 per cent of forests are located in tropical regions, followed by 28 per cent in boreal regions, 17 per cent in temperate regions, and 11 per cent in subtropical regions.
- Concentration in Few Countries: Nearly 54 per cent of global forests are concentrated in five countries, including the Russian Federation, Brazil, Canada, the United States of America, and China.
- Primary Forest Loss: The world lost nearly 16 million hectares of primary forests between 2015 and 2025, while South America recorded the largest decline.
- Major Drivers of Degradation: Agricultural expansion, rising demand for fuelwood and charcoal, illegal trade, and weak governance continued to increase forest degradation.
- Climate-linked Pressures: Droughts, heatwaves, wildfires, pests, and diseases accelerated forest degradation in many regions.
- Restoration and Finance Gap: Although 91 countries pledged to restore 190 million hectares, only 44 million hectares were restored, while sustainable forest finance remained far below the required annual target.
- Recommendations: The report recommends stronger coordination, higher forest financing, deforestation-free supply chains, cleaner energy access, restoration of degraded lands, and stronger forest governance for sustainable management.
About UN Strategic Plan for Forests 2017-2030
- It is a global framework adopted by the UN General Assembly to promote sustainable forest management, stop deforestation, and reverse forest degradation through six voluntary Global Forest Goals and 26 targets to be achieved by 2030.
- Six Global Forest Goals (GFGs):
- GFGs 1: It focuses on reversing forest loss through sustainable forest management and restoration.
- GFGs 2: It aims to enhance forest-based economic, social and environmental benefits.
- GFGs 3: It seeks to increase protected forests and sustainably managed forests worldwide.
- GFGs 4: It focuses on mobilising financial resources for sustainable forest management.
- GFGs5: It aims to promote governance frameworks for sustainable forest management.
- GFGs 6: It seeks to strengthen cooperation and coordination on forest-related issues.
