How Forest Restoration Can Help Tackle Global Crises and Improve Economy

Forests cover over four billion hectares of the earth’s surface. They are complex ecological systems that support life on this planet by absorbing carbon, providing habitats for biodiversity, and helping people’s health and well-being. Forest restoration is essential for recovery contributions when the world grapples with multiple crises.

Current forest state

Globally, forest areas are shrinking. The Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO)’s flagship report titled The State of the World’s Forests (SOFO) 2022 looks into the current forest condition worldwide and suggests pathways to improve agriculture systems.

It is estimated that 420 million hectares of forests were deforested between 1990-2020. Deforestation is defined as “the conversion of forest to other land use independently of whether human-induced or not.” Human activities, forest fires, and climate-related disasters are cited as several causes of forest degradation.

The COVID-19 pandemic has also affected the forest value chains and trade, plunging 124 million more people into extreme poverty. As society and the world depend heavily on forests, forest restoration becomes crucial for halting crises and improving the economy.

Three pathways

In the face of multiple global threats, the world needs cost-effective solutions that can be applied at large-scale. The report reveals three forest-based pathways to tackle the world’s current pressing issues:

Halting deforestation and maintaining forests is deemed cost-effective to avoid emitting approximately 3.6 gigatons of CO2 per year between 2020 and 2050.
Restoring degraded lands and expanding agroforestry could benefit 1.5 billion ha of degraded forest, increase 1 billion ha of agricultural productivity, and take 0.9–1.5 gigatons of CO2 emission annually out of the atmosphere between 2020 and 2050.
Sustainably using forests and building green value chains would help meet future demand for materials, which is expected to reach 190 billion tons in 2060 and create sustainable economies.

Begin with forest restoration

Forest restoration is a large-scale effort that requires collaboration between all related stakeholders, including policymakers, local communities, and businesses. The report states that synergizing efforts between the three pathways can benefit multiple sectors, including climate resilience, environmental restoration, and local, sustainable development potential.

The report concludes with suggestions for the first steps that can be taken to begin the effort:

Allocate funds towards long-term sustainable and green jobs policies and mobilize private-sector investments.
Empower and incentivize local actors and communities to lead the ways for forest restoration.
Raise awareness of sustainable forest use and its economic and environmental benefits through policy dialogues.
Maximize synergies among the three pathways between agricultural, forestry, environmental, and other policies, and minimize trade-offs.

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This article is published to celebrate International Day of Forests on March 21. Read the full report here.

Editor: Nazalea Kusuma

Kresentia Madina

Reporter at Green Network Asia | Website | + posts

Madina is the Assistant Manager of Stakeholder Engagement at Green Network Asia. She holds a bachelor’s degree in English Studies from Universitas Indonesia. As part of the GNA In-House Team, she supports the organization's multi-stakeholder engagement across international organizations, governments, businesses, civil society, and grassroots communities through digital publications, events, capacity building, and research.