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Today, we celebrate the International Day of Forests, which was proclaimed by the United Nations General Assembly in 2012. Since then, millions of people have used this day to celebrate all types of forests, recognizing their importance. The green space of the forests acts as the planet’s lungs as they purify the air and reduce the CO2 emissions. The forests provide essential foods and fundamental resources to everyone. Its function also includes, but is not limited to, being a crucial source of energy, climate regulation, and biodiversity conservation. Additionally, forests also provide fresh water for more than 85% of the world’s major cities, according to the United Nations (UN). This essentially means that forests are crucial ecosystems that provide us with many benefits. Unfortunately, the forests are under threat, and this has to change now.
THE FORESTS ARE IN DANGER, THUS SO ARE WE
Forests are facing significant threats from deforestation—the clearing of forests for other uses—and degradation. The UN Food Agriculture Organization (FAO) estimates that 13 million hectares of forest are lost each year to deforestation. This is because there are more conversions to agriculture due to increased demand and shifts in diets toward meat consumption. Infrastructure such as roads, railways, and canals, when poorly built or planned, also contribute to deforestation. Deforestation could happen from wildfires as well. This fire not only alters the structure of forests but also opens up forests to invasive species, threatens biological diversity, and destroys the inhabitant areas around the forests. As a result of deforestation and degradation, there is an increase in greenhouse gas emissions. When the forests are cut, burned, or removed, they are emitting carbon instead of absorbing it. According to the World Wildlife Fund (WWF), in 2022, deforestation accounted for about 7% of global emissions. Consequently, the emissions also contribute to climate change, making the temperature higher. In addition, the biodiversity of forests is compromised due to global threats as well. Native species are left to survive in smaller, isolated areas and less suitable habitats, along with facing a decline in resources. As a result, some species disappear altogether.
HOW WE CAN HELP
To effectively tackle deforestation and support reforestation, action is needed at all levels—from individual behavior to corporate responsibility and government policy. Here are a few ways we can all contribute. As individuals, we can consume less, avoid single-use packaging, and opt for recycled or responsibly produced wood products. We can also advocate for reforestation by donating to or supporting organizations such as the WWF, or even joining local tree-planting initiatives to directly contribute to restoring forests. As a private sector, we can integrate sustainable practices such as adopting zero-deforestation commitments by eliminating deforestation from the supply chain and set targets to achieve this goal. Private sectors can also invest in conservation and reforestation by partnering with reforestation projects, ensuring that their supply chains do not contribute to deforestation, and offering financial support to restore damaged landscapes. For example, Iberdrola, a Spanish multinational electric utility company, has a program called the Árboles program, which promotes the planting of 20 million trees by 2030. This will capture approximately 6 million tons of CO2 in 30 years. As for the governments, they should implement policies that improve supply chain traceability and transparency, and prohibit imports linked to illegal deforestation. Stronger enforcement of deforestation-free trade agreements is also crucial to protecting forests.
The forests are crucial to our planet; thus, it is important to protect them. With global deforestation, the forests are under threat because of the expansion of agriculture, wildfires, and poorly planned infrastructure. As a result, the temperature is rising as well as the biodiversity being lost. If this continues, we are expecting increased climate change, food scarcity, and potentially the extinction of various species. To prevent these from happening, BRANDi believes collaboration across all sectors will help reduce the deforestation and, hopefully, restore the forests. By integrating sustainable practices such as consuming less and eliminating deforestation in the supply chain along with a change in policies, the restoration could be a success in no time. It is crucial for us to work together to bring back the healthy forests for the sake of future generations.
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