Report Warns 10%-33% of Forests Face Compounding Resource Pressures
Updated
Updated · The Guardian · May 20
Report Warns 10%-33% of Forests Face Compounding Resource Pressures
6 articles · Updated · The Guardian · May 20
A Profundo report commissioned by Rainforest Foundation Norway says overlapping demand for beef, gold, fossil fuels, biofuels, pulp and critical minerals is pushing the Amazon, Congo basin and south-east Asian rainforests toward a breaking point.
Mining’s footprint is far wider than previously counted, the report says, because pollution, roads, settlements and other infrastructure can spread impacts across a 50km radius and hit Indigenous territories especially hard.
Brazil’s projected 10.2% rise in beef production could drive at least 57,000 sq km of deforestation by 2034, while gold demand is linked to another 375 sq km in the Brazilian Amazon by 2028.
Newer “green” demand is adding pressure: biofuels may require 52 million extra hectares of cropland by 2030, and EV-related mining could cause 1,500-4,700 sq km of cumulative deforestation by 2050.
The authors say recycling and cleaner supply chains will not be enough on their own, arguing consumer countries must cut overall resource use to preserve forests’ carbon storage, water recycling and biodiversity.
Is the global green energy transition secretly fueling a new rainforest destruction crisis?
With the Amazon's collapse predicted by 2031, are global policies too weak to prevent a catastrophic tipping point?
Indigenous peoples protect 80% of biodiversity. Why isn't their land governance central to our climate strategy?
Global Forests at a Breaking Point: Deforestation Surges Past 10 Million Hectares Annually Amid Compounding Industrial and Consumption Pressures
Overview
Global forests are in an escalating crisis, driven by a complex mix of resource demands and industrial activities. Mining, with its direct extraction, water pollution, and infrastructure development, now affects up to a third of the world’s forests—a figure set to rise. This pressure is compounded by other industries and growing global consumption, leading to rapid deforestation and ecosystem degradation. The crisis is multifaceted, with each driver amplifying the others, pushing forests toward a breaking point. Immediate, coordinated action is needed to address these interconnected threats and secure the future of vital forest ecosystems.