Nearly 25% of the world’s population relies directly on forest resources — e.g., food, medicine and fuel — in order to survive. Protecting forests, including mangroves and tropical forests, protects livelihoods for millions of people.
Between 1990 and 2015, the world lost 129 million hectares (318 million acres) of forest cover. That’s an area equivalent to Peru — or Texas, California and Florida combined. The Amazon forest, Earth’s largest, loses 1.5 million hectares (3.7 million acres) each year.
Agriculture is the primary driver of forest loss, accounting for 80% of deforestation worldwide. Most of those trees are cleared for oil palm, soy, cattle and timber. And where there’s agriculture, there are greenhouse gas emissions. Emissions from agriculture have increased significantly over the past 50 years and account for about a third of global emissions.
Quickly calculate your carbon emissions — including those at home and on the go — then offset those emissions by donating to community-focused projects that protect and restore forests all over the world.
Calculate FootprintProtecting and restoring tropical forests represents 30 percent of global action needed to mitigate the worst effects of climate change. That's why Conservation International is committed to preventing deforestation and supporting the restoration of forests around the world.
Conservation International is pursuing a three-pronged approach to stop net deforestation in the Amazon Basin: strengthening existing protected areas, avoiding further deforestation in at-risk areas, and increasing sustainable production in already-deforested areas.
With their ability to store vast amounts of carbon, mangrove forests are key weapons in the fight against climate change.
When a forest is cleared, heat-trapping carbon is released into the atmosphere, exacerbating climate change. REDD+, or Reduced Emissions from Deforestation and forest Degradation, is an initiative aimed at curbing climate change caused by deforestation.
Each day, the world loses about 200,000 acres of forest — an area 14 times the size of Manhattan.
While countries hope to limit global temperature rise to just 2° Celsius, scientists at Conservation International and the UN Foundation warn that may not be good enough.
Nearly half of all wildlife on Earth lives in tropical forests, yet these forests cover just 7 percent of the planet’s surface.
We work around the world to protect nature, from forests to coral reefs, for the benefit of everyone. Join our email list for the latest updates on our work.
