Tropical forest loss doubles, fire a leading cause: Report

REPORT SAYS INDIA SAW A 6.9% DIP IN TREE COVER LOSS BETWEEN 2023 AND 2024, BUT 5.9% RISE IN LOSS OF HUMID PRIMARY FORESTS

- Jayashree Nandi

NEW DELHI: Fires caused by dry conditions, in turn brought about by the climate crisis resulted in record forest loss in 2024, including in India, according to new data from the University of Maryland's GLAD (Global Land Analysis & Discovery) Lab released by World Resources Institute's Global Forest Watch.

The loss of tropical primary forests reached 6.7 million hectares in the year — nearly twice as much as in 2023 and an area nearly the size of Panama, at the rate of 18 soccer fields every minute, Global Forest Watch said in a statement on Wednesday.

India saw a 6.9% decrease in tree cover loss between 2023 and 2024 but a 5.9% increase in loss of humid primary forests in 2024, according to the data.

One of the factors that may have led to increase in primary forest loss last year in India are forest fires, the data indicates.

Primary forest loss due to fires was around 950 hectares last year compared to 368 hectares in 2023, a 158% rise.