New data released today shows the world lost a record-shattering amount of forest in 2024. Tropical primary forests, some of Earth’s most important ecosystems, shrank by 6.7 million hectares. That's equivalent to losing 18 football (soccer) fields of forest every minute.

But it’s not just about the number of trees lost. What’s driving this destruction is also shifting.

Fires were the biggest culprit of tree cover loss in 2024, consuming both tropical and boreal forests. It was the first time in at least the past two decades that fires caused more forest loss in the tropics than agriculture.

It’s clear the world is not doing nearly enough to protect its forests. Over 140 countries pledged to halt deforestation by 2030, but they are alarmingly off track to meet their commitment. This loss affects us all — exacerbating climate change, disrupting weather and water cycles, and endangering livelihoods.  

Yet there were also a few bright spots where countries and communities managed to slow deforestation or curb the spread of wildfires, showing that progress is possible.

Our experts analyzed the new data from University of Maryland’s GLAD lab, available on WRI’s Global Forest Watch platform. We explain which countries lost the most forest in 2024 (and which bucked the trend), what’s behind the sudden increase in forest loss, and what it will take to reverse course.

Join us for an overview of the 2024 tree cover loss data, followed by an expert discussion around the implications of these findings at the country and regional levels and how they could inform major climate decisions this year.