Climate Change amplifies threats to global forests, FAO report urges urgent innovation for sustainability

A report by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) reveals that climate change is increasing the vulnerability of global forests to stressors such as wildfires and pests. The report, “The State of the World’s Forests 2024: Forest-sector innovations towards a more sustainable future,” was unveiled at the 27th session of the Committee on Forestry (COFO) in Rome. COFO, FAO’s primary forestry governing body, identifies emerging policy and technical issues, finds solutions, and advises on appropriate actions. This year’s session emphasises “Accelerating forest solutions through innovation.”

The report, known as SOFO 2024, provides evidence that climate change is exacerbating forest susceptibility to stressors like wildfires and pests. Wildfire intensity and frequency are on the rise, even in previously unaffected areas, with 2023 seeing an estimated 6,687 megatonnes of carbon dioxide released globally from fires. Boreal fires, which previously accounted for about 10% of global CO2 emissions, saw unprecedented levels in 2021 due to prolonged droughts, increasing fire severity and fuel consumption. These fires alone accounted for nearly one-quarter of total wildfire emissions.

Additionally, climate change is making forests more prone to invasive species. Insects, pests, and pathogens threaten tree growth and survival. The pine wood nematode, for example, has already caused extensive damage to native pine forests in some Asian countries, and parts of North America are projected to experience severe insect and disease damage by 2027.

Despite these challenges, global wood production remains at record levels, bouncing back to around 4 billion cubic meters annually after a brief decline during the COVID-19 pandemic. Nearly 6 billion people depend on non-timber forest products, with 70% of the world’s poor relying on wild species for essential needs like food, medicine, energy, and income. Projections indicate that global roundwood demand could surge by as much as 49% from 2020 to 2050.

The report argues that forest-sector innovation is critical for achieving the Sustainable Development Goals. “FAO recognizes that science and innovation are crucial ingredients for achieving forest-based solutions,” FAO Director-General QU Dongyu wrote in the report’s Forward. “This edition of SOFO will inform FAO’s work to scale up evidence-based innovation in forestry. I believe it will also support FAO Members and other stakeholders in enabling responsible, inclusive, and essential innovation in the forest sector to strengthen sustainability and the resilience of agrifood systems for a better world and a better future for all.”

The report presents 18 global case studies showcasing various forest-sector innovations being tested and implemented in real-world conditions. It highlights five types of innovations to address global challenges in forestry: technological, social, policy, institutional, and financial. 

Reference : https://www.fao.org/newsroom/detail/forests-face-increasing-climate-related-stress-amid-growing-demand-for-their-products–fao-report-warns/en
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