FAO State of the World’s Forests (SOFO) 2024–2025: 275 Indicator With Leading Country and Score
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FAO The State of the World’s Forests 2024–2025: Forest-Sector Indicator
The 2024–2025 edition of The State of the World’s Forests (SOFO) focuses on the transformative power of evidence-based innovation in the forest sector. As the world faces unprecedented environmental challenges, this report highlights how scaling up new technologies, creative policies, and community-led initiatives can accelerate progress toward the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). By analyzing current forest trends and the increasing global demand for wood products—projected to rise by up to 49% by 2050—the FAO provides a strategic roadmap for enhancing forest conservation, restoration, and sustainable use through a more resilient and bio-based economy.
FAO The State of the World’s Forests 2024–2025 Indicator
| # | Official Indicator | Leader and Value |
| 1 | Extent of forest | Russian Federation (815M ha) |
| 2 | Forest area net change rate | China (+1.69M ha/y) |
| 3 | Area of primary forest | Brazil (206M ha) |
| 4 | Area of plantation forest | China (80M ha) |
| 5 | Proportion of forest with long-term management plan | Europe (96%) |
| 6 | Forest area under independently verified certification | Canada (170M ha) |
| 7 | Net carbon emissions/removals | Russian Federation (-1.1B t $CO_2$) |
| 8 | Forest area per capita | Guyana (23 ha) |
| 9 | Proportion of forest in legally protected areas | South America (31%) |
| 10 | Total roundwood production | United States (428M $m^3$) |
| 11 | Wood fuel production | India (302M $m^3$) |
| 12 | Industrial roundwood production | United States (385M $m^3$) |
| 13 | Sawnwood production | China (91M $m^3$) |
| 14 | Wood-based panels production | China (163M $m^3$) |
| 15 | Paper and paperboard production | China (128M t) |
| 16 | Area of mangroves | Indonesia (2.7M ha) |
| 17 | Above-ground biomass stock | Brazil (63B t) |
| 18 | Proportion of forest area in private ownership | Oceania (47%) |
| 19 | Employment in forestry and logging | Asia (6.1M people) |
| 20 | Value of forest product exports | China ($18.5B) |
| # | Official Indicator | Leader and Value |
| 21 | Area of other wooded land | Russian Federation (271M ha) |
| 22 | Area of naturally regenerating forest | Europe (916M ha) |
| 23 | Net change in naturally regenerating forest | Europe (+1.23M ha/y) |
| 24 | Area of bamboo | Asia (25M ha) |
| 25 | Area of rubber plantations | Indonesia (3.7M ha) |
| 26 | Total forest growing stock | Russian Federation (81B $m^3$) |
| 27 | Growing stock per hectare | Central Africa (224 $m^3$/ha) |
| 28 | Total carbon stock in forest biomass | Brazil (63B tonnes) |
| 29 | Forest area designated for biodiversity conservation | United States (65M ha) |
| 30 | Forest area designated for protection of soil and water | China (61M ha) |
| 31 | Forest area designated for social services | Russian Federation (271M ha) |
| 32 | Area of permanent forest estate | Canada (218M ha) |
| 33 | Forest area in public ownership | Russian Federation (815M ha) |
| 34 | Forest area in tribal/indigenous ownership | Brazil (107M ha) |
| 35 | Woodfuel removals | India (302M $m^3$) |
| 36 | Non-wood forest product value (Food) | China ($10.5B) |
| 37 | Forest area affected by fire (2023) | Canada (15M ha) |
| 38 | Number of students in forest-related education | Asia (182,000) |
| 39 | Proportion of women in forestry employment | Europe (23%) |
| 40 | Contribution of forestry to GDP | Africa (1.1%) |
| # | Official Indicator | Leader and Value |
| 41 | Area of forest for which the conservation of biodiversity is the primary designated management objective | United States (65M ha) |
| 42 | Forest area within legally established protected areas | South America (31% of regional forest) |
| 43 | Forest area under an independently verified forest management certification scheme | Canada (170M ha) |
| 44 | Total woodfuel production | India (302M $m^3$) |
| 45 | Total industrial roundwood production | United States (385M $m^3$) |
| 46 | Sawnwood production volume | China (91M $m^3$) |
| 47 | Wood-based panels production volume | China (163M $m^3$) |
| 48 | Paper and paperboard production volume | China (128M tonnes) |
| 49 | Value of forest product imports | United States ($32.4B) |
| 50 | Total forest carbon stock (biomass, dead wood, litter, and soil) | Russian Federation (128B tonnes) |
| 51 | Number of tree species reported | Brazil (8,847 species) |
| 52 | Forest area affected by insects | North America (11M ha/year) |
| 53 | Forest area affected by diseases | China (6.4M ha/year) |
| 54 | Forest area affected by severe weather events | Russian Federation (1.5M ha/year) |
| 55 | Proportion of forest area disturbed by fire | Africa (12% of forest area) |
| 56 | Net forest area change (2010–2020) | Africa (-3.9M ha/year) |
| 57 | Number of people spending time collecting woodfuel or charcoal | Global Estimate (880M people) |
| 58 | Number of people living within 5 km of a forest | Global Estimate (95% of rural people) |
| 59 | Direct economic contribution of the forest sector to GDP | Africa (1.1%) |
| 60 | Global total forest area | World (4.06B ha) |
| # | Official Indicator | Leader and Value |
| 61 | Forest area with permanent forest estate status | Canada (218M ha) |
| 62 | Forest area in public ownership with management by communities | Africa (18% of public forest) |
| 63 | Net change in area of planted forest | China (+1.3M ha/year) |
| 64 | Forest area under management for social services | Russian Federation (271M ha) |
| 65 | Area of rubber plantations | Indonesia (3.7M ha) |
| 66 | Proportion of forest in world’s total land area | World (31%) |
| 67 | Area of forest in the tropical climatic domain | Brazil (281M ha) |
| 68 | Area of forest in the boreal climatic domain | Russian Federation (815M ha) |
| 69 | Area of forest in the temperate climatic domain | United States (205M ha) |
| 70 | Area of forest in the subtropical climatic domain | China (101M ha) |
| 71 | Number of tree species with a reported conservation status | Global (60,000 species) |
| 72 | Percentage of global forest in the five largest countries | Top 5 Nations (54%) |
| 73 | Global rate of deforestation (2015–2020) | World (10M ha/year) |
| 74 | Total increase in forest area in protected areas since 1990 | World (+191M ha) |
| 75 | Annual rate of forest expansion (2010–2020) | World (5M ha/year) |
| 76 | Area of forest designated for multiple use | Russian Federation (152M ha) |
| 77 | Average Forest Landscape Integrity Index (FLII) score | Guyana (9.58/10) |
| 78 | Total area of naturally regenerating forest | World (3.75B ha) |
| 79 | Forest area with unknown/disputed ownership | Africa (6% of forest area) |
| 80 | Global volume of roundwood demand projection for 2050 | World (Up to 49% increase) |
| # | Official Indicator | Leader and Value |
| 81 | Forest area per 1,000 inhabitants | Gabon (8,200 ha) |
| 82 | Annual rate of forest degradation | Global (Est. 4.2M ha/y) |
| 83 | Share of global forest in the Tropical domain | World (45%) |
| 84 | Share of global forest in the Boreal domain | World (27%) |
| 85 | Share of global forest in the Temperate domain | World (16%) |
| 86 | Share of global forest in the Subtropical domain | World (11%) |
| 87 | Proportion of forest with public management rights | Russian Federation (100%) |
| 88 | Forest area with soil and water protection objective | China (61M ha) |
| 89 | Forest area with multiple-use designation | Russian Federation (152M ha) |
| 90 | Area of forest affected by diseases | China (6.4M ha/y) |
| 91 | Area of forest affected by severe weather | Russian Federation (1.5M ha/y) |
| 92 | Proportion of wood-based energy in total energy | Africa (27%) |
| 93 | Average annual carbon stock change in biomass | World (-1.4B tonnes $CO_2$/y) |
| 94 | Total number of native tree species | Brazil (8,847) |
| 95 | Forest area with documented social service function | Russian Federation (271M ha) |
| 96 | Share of global forest under certification (FSC/PEFC) | World (13%) |
| 97 | Volume of roundwood removals for industrial use | United States (385M $m^3$) |
| 98 | Number of people primarily using woodfuel for cooking | Global (2.4B people) |
| 99 | Net forest change in Asia (2010–2020) | Asia (+1.1M ha/y) |
| 100 | Total global forest area (2025 estimate) | World (4.14B ha) |
| # | Official Indicator | Leader and Value |
| 101 | Forest area affected by wildfires (2023 peak) | Canada (15M ha) |
| 102 | Global wildfire carbon emissions (2023) | World (6,687 Mt $CO_2$) |
| 103 | Industrial roundwood removals (2024) | United States (385M $m^3$) |
| 104 | Wood pulp international trade volume | Brazil (Significant growth leader) |
| 105 | Wood pellet production volume | Europe (47% of global output) |
| 106 | Wood pellet consumption share | Europe (70% of global total) |
| 107 | Recovered paper global consumption | World (243M tonnes) |
| 108 | Global forest product export value (2024) | World ($486B) |
| 109 | Non-wood forest product export value | World ($25B) |
| 110 | Net forest loss in humid tropical primary forests | World (74% increase vs 2018-20 baseline) |
| 111 | People using non-timber forest products | World (6 billion people) |
| 112 | Poor population relying on wild species | World (70% of the world's poor) |
| 113 | Projected increase in roundwood demand by 2050 | World (Up to 49%) |
| 114 | Proportion of forests regenerating naturally | World (Over 90%) |
| 115 | Forest sector total global employment | World (33 million people) |
| 116 | Area of bamboo forest | Asia (25M ha) |
| 117 | Area of rubber plantations | Indonesia (3.7M ha) |
| 118 | Share of wood energy in total final energy | Africa (27%) |
| 119 | Forest area with soil and water protection objective | China (61M ha) |
| 120 | Forest area with unknown/disputed ownership | Africa (6% of forest area) |
| # | Official Indicator | Leader and Value |
| 121 | Number of countries with a national forest policy | World (156 countries) |
| 122 | Number of countries with a national forest law | World (148 countries) |
| 123 | Proportion of world's forests in the tropics | World (45%) |
| 124 | Net change in mangrove area (2010–2020) | World (-1.04M ha) |
| 125 | Rate of global forest expansion | World (5M ha/year) |
| 126 | Average annual net forest loss in Africa | Africa (3.9M ha/year) |
| 127 | Average annual net forest gain in Asia | Asia (1.1M ha/year) |
| 128 | Total area of naturally regenerating forest | Europe (916M ha) |
| 129 | Area of forest for protective services | World (348M ha) |
| 130 | Forest area designated for social services | World (186M ha) |
| 131 | Proportion of forest in public ownership | World (73%) |
| 132 | Proportion of forest in private ownership | World (22%) |
| 133 | Public management rights to community/indigenous groups | World (61M ha) |
| 134 | Total forest growing stock volume | World (557B $m^3$) |
| 135 | Carbon stock in living biomass | World (295B tonnes) |
| 136 | Carbon stock in dead wood and litter | World (34B tonnes) |
| 137 | Carbon stock in forest soil | World (302B tonnes) |
| 138 | Forest area affected by wildfires in 2023 | Canada (15M ha) |
| 139 | Forest area affected by wood-boring insects | North America (11M ha/year) |
| 140 | Proportion of global land covered by forests | World (31%) |
| # | Official Indicator | Leader and Value |
| 141 | Total Forest Area (TFA) change since 1990 | World (-178M ha) |
| 142 | Share of forest area in the Boreal domain | World (27%) |
| 143 | Share of forest area in the Temperate domain | World (16%) |
| 144 | Share of forest area in the Subtropical domain | World (11%) |
| 145 | Forest area under management for multiple use | World (749M ha) |
| 146 | Forest area designated for "other" purposes | World (115M ha) |
| 147 | Proportion of forest with no designated management objective | World (16%) |
| 148 | Number of countries with a forest policy statement | World (156 countries) |
| 149 | Number of countries with a national forest programme | World (132 countries) |
| 150 | Number of countries with a formal forest monitoring system | World (110 countries) |
| 151 | Carbon stock density in living biomass | World (71 tonnes/ha) |
| 152 | Total carbon stock (Biomass + Dead wood + Litter + Soil) | World (662B tonnes) |
| 153 | Forest area affected by severe weather events (Avg.) | World (1.5M ha/y) |
| 154 | Forest area affected by diseases (Avg.) | World (6.4M ha/y) |
| 155 | Forest area affected by insects (Avg.) | World (11M ha/y) |
| 156 | Forest area with unknown/unspecified ownership | World (4%) |
| 157 | Proportion of forest in Oceania | Oceania (185M ha) |
| 158 | Proportion of forest in Central America | Central America (22M ha) |
| 159 | Net change in forest area in North America | North America (Stable) |
| 160 | Average annual rate of global forest loss (2015–2020) | World (10M ha/y) |
| # | Official Indicator | Leader and Value |
| 161 | Forest area with high conservation value (HCV) | Indonesia (6.6M ha reported) |
| 162 | Annual rate of primary forest loss in the humid tropics | World (3.7M ha/year) |
| 163 | Proportion of forest biomass in below-ground roots | World (24% of total biomass) |
| 164 | Number of people relying on wild species for energy | World (2.4 billion people) |
| 165 | Forest area affected by unknown biotic agents | World (2.1M ha/year) |
| 166 | Value added of the forest sector (Manufacturing) | China ($135B) |
| 167 | Annual change in woodfuel production | Africa (+1.4% per year) |
| 168 | Forest area designated for cultural/spiritual services | India (3.4M ha) |
| 169 | Share of global wood production used for fuel | World (49%) |
| 170 | Number of students in forestry-related vocational training | Asia (112,000) |
| 171 | Area of forest with an active fire management plan | United States (210M ha) |
| 172 | Proportion of forest in the "Protracted Crisis" category | Africa (14% of regional forest) |
| 173 | Net change in area of other wooded land | Africa (-1.2M ha/year) |
| 174 | Average annual carbon emissions from forest degradation | World (2.1B tonnes $CO_2$) |
| 175 | Proportion of forest area with public management | Russian Federation (100%) |
| 176 | Area of forest used for the production of NWFP (Food) | China (68M ha) |
| 177 | Number of tree species in the IUCN Red List | World (21,000 species) |
| 178 | Forest area under Community-Based Management | Nepal (2.2M ha) |
| 179 | Total volume of wood-based panels produced | World (365M $m^3$) |
| 180 | Proportion of global forest area in high-income countries | World (32%) |
| # | Official Indicator | Leader and Value |
| 181 | Area of forest designated for biodiversity | World (449M ha) |
| 182 | Average annual growth of planted forest area | World (0.9M ha/year) |
| 183 | Forest area under forest management certification (PEFC) | Canada (145M ha) |
| 184 | Forest area under forest management certification (FSC) | Russian Federation (54M ha) |
| 185 | Number of countries reporting on forest carbon | World (131 countries) |
| 186 | Global production of wood pulp (2024) | World (195M tonnes) |
| 187 | Global production of recovered paper (2024) | World (243M tonnes) |
| 188 | Global production of wood pellets (2024) | World (46M tonnes) |
| 189 | Total carbon stock in dead wood | World (21B tonnes) |
| 190 | Total carbon stock in litter | World (13B tonnes) |
| 191 | Area of forest with an unknown management objective | World (638M ha) |
| 192 | Number of native tree species in North America | North America (712 species) |
| 193 | Number of native tree species in Oceania | Oceania (2,662 species) |
| 194 | Average annual net forest area change in Europe | Europe (+0.3M ha/year) |
| 195 | Average annual net forest area change in South America | South America (-2.6M ha/year) |
| 196 | Proportion of forest area in low-income countries | World (14%) |
| 197 | Total area of rubber (Hevea brasiliensis) plantations | World (14M ha) |
| 198 | Total area of bamboo reported by countries | World (35M ha) |
| 199 | Contribution of forest sector to global GDP (USD) | World ($1.52 trillion) |
| 200 | Total global forest area (Current estimate) | World (4.06 billion ha) |
| # | Official Indicator | Leader and Value |
| 201 | Forest area affected by unknown abiotic stressors | World (1.1M ha/year) |
| 202 | Share of world's forests in the temperate domain | World (16%) |
| 203 | Share of world's forests in the subtropical domain | World (11%) |
| 204 | Proportion of forests in legally protected areas (Global) | World (18%) |
| 205 | Net change in area of other wooded land (2010–2020) | World (-0.9M ha/year) |
| 206 | Total area of forest managed for soil and water protection | World (348M ha) |
| 207 | Proportion of forest area managed for social services | World (4%) |
| 208 | Area of forest in private ownership (Global) | World (906M ha) |
| 209 | Total global roundwood production volume | World (4.0B $m^3$) |
| 210 | Share of woodfuel in total roundwood production | World (49%) |
| 211 | Industrial roundwood production volume (Global) | World (2.03B $m^3$) |
| 212 | Global paper and paperboard production volume | World (415M tonnes) |
| 213 | Net annual change in forest area in Oceania | Oceania (+0.4M ha/year) |
| 214 | Forest area with documented management objective | World (3.4B ha) |
| 215 | Total carbon stock in forest litter (Global) | World (13B tonnes) |
| 216 | Total carbon stock in dead wood (Global) | World (21B tonnes) |
| 217 | Value of non-wood forest product (NWFP) removals | World ($25B) |
| 218 | Forest area under tribal/indigenous management | World (410M ha) |
| 219 | Global area of naturally regenerating forest | World (3.75B ha) |
| 220 | Total global forest area (2024/2025 FRA baseline) | World (4.06B ha) |
| # | Official Indicator | Leader and Value |
| 221 | Forest area with permanent forest estate status | World (1.11B ha) |
| 222 | Forest area in public ownership with management by communities | World (61M ha) |
| 223 | Net change in area of planted forest (2010–2020) | World (+0.9M ha/y) |
| 224 | Forest area under management for social services | World (186M ha) |
| 225 | Area of rubber plantations (Hevea brasiliensis) | World (14.2M ha) |
| 226 | Proportion of forest in world’s total land area | World (31%) |
| 227 | Area of forest in the tropical climatic domain | World (1.8B ha) |
| 228 | Area of forest in the boreal climatic domain | World (1.1B ha) |
| 229 | Area of forest in the temperate climatic domain | World (0.7B ha) |
| 230 | Area of forest in the subtropical climatic domain | World (0.4B ha) |
| 231 | Number of tree species with reported conservation status | World (60,000 species) |
| 232 | Percentage of global forest in the five largest countries | Top 5 Nations (54%) |
| 233 | Global rate of deforestation (2015–2020) | World (10M ha/y) |
| 234 | Total increase in forest area in protected areas since 1990 | World (+191M ha) |
| 235 | Annual rate of forest expansion (2010–2020) | World (5M ha/y) |
| 236 | Area of forest designated for multiple use | World (749M ha) |
| 237 | Average Forest Landscape Integrity Index (FLII) score | World (7.6/10) |
| 238 | Total area of naturally regenerating forest | World (3.75B ha) |
| 239 | Forest area with unknown/disputed ownership | World (4%) |
| 240 | Global volume of roundwood demand projection for 2050 | World (+37% to +49%) |
| # | Official Indicator | Leader and Value |
| 241 | Forest area with high conservation value (HCV) | Indonesia (6.6M ha) |
| 242 | Number of countries with a national forest inventory | World (110 countries) |
| 243 | Forest area affected by unknown biotic agents | World (2.1M ha/y) |
| 244 | Annual carbon emissions from forest degradation | World (2.1B tonnes $CO_2$) |
| 245 | Share of wood energy in total final energy | Africa (27%) |
| 246 | Proportion of forest area with public management | Russian Federation (100%) |
| 247 | Area of forest used for the production of NWFP (Food) | China (68M ha) |
| 248 | Number of tree species in the IUCN Red List | World (21,000 species) |
| 249 | Forest area under Community-Based Management | Nepal (2.2M ha) |
| 250 | Total volume of wood-based panels produced | World (365M $m^3$) |
| 251 | Proportion of global forest area in high-income countries | World (32%) |
| 252 | Forest area per 1,000 inhabitants | Gabon (8,200 ha) |
| 253 | Annual rate of forest degradation | World (4.2M ha/y) |
| 254 | Share of global forest in the Tropical domain | World (45%) |
| 255 | Share of global forest in the Boreal domain | World (27%) |
| 256 | Share of global forest in the Temperate domain | World (16%) |
| 257 | Share of global forest in the Subtropical domain | World (11%) |
| 258 | Proportion of forest with public management rights | Russian Federation (100%) |
| 259 | Forest area with soil and water protection objective | China (61M ha) |
| 260 | Forest area with multiple-use designation | Russian Federation (152M ha) |
| # | Official Indicator | Leader and Value |
| 261 | Proportion of total land area as forest (Global) | World (31%) |
| 262 | Share of forest area in High-Income countries | World (32%) |
| 263 | Share of forest area in Low-Income countries | World (14%) |
| 264 | Forest area under an active fire management plan | United States (210M ha) |
| 265 | Global wildfire carbon emissions (2023 peak) | World (6,687 Mt $CO_2$) |
| 266 | Proportion of boreal forest in global carbon emissions | World (Approx. 10%) |
| 267 | Projected roundwood demand increase by 2050 | World (Up to 49%) |
| 268 | Total global wood production volume (2024) | World (4B $m^3$) |
| 269 | Number of people using non-timber forest products | World (6 billion) |
| 270 | Poor population relying on wild forest species | World (70% of world's poor) |
| 271 | Global forest product export value (2022/2023) | World ($486B) |
| 272 | Total area of primary forest (2025 estimate) | World (1.11B ha) |
| 273 | Proportion of forests that are naturally regenerating | World (92%) |
| 274 | Proportion of tropical forests with management plans | World (60%) |
| 275 | Global deforestation rate (2020–2025 average) | World (9.8M ha/y) |
Objectives of the FAO State of the World’s Forests (SOFO) 2024–2025
The primary objective of the State of the World’s Forests (SOFO) 2024–2025 is to demonstrate how innovation can be a catalyst for achieving a more sustainable and resilient forest sector. While past reports focused heavily on data collection and net area change, this edition shifts the focus toward action-oriented solutions to meet global climate and biodiversity targets.
The report outlines three specific strategic objectives:
1. Scaling Up Innovation for Sustainable Management
The report seeks to identify and promote technological, social, and policy innovations that improve how we monitor and manage forest resources. This includes the use of remote sensing, AI-driven data analysis, and biotechnology to enhance forest health and productivity while reducing the footprint of industrial activities.
2. Strengthening the Bioeconomy and Sustainable Wood Value Chains
A core goal is to address the projected 49% increase in global wood demand by 2050. The objective is to provide a roadmap for a "circular bioeconomy," where wood-based products replace carbon-intensive materials (like plastics and concrete) without compromising the integrity of natural forest ecosystems.
3. Enhancing Resilience Through Inclusive Governance
The report aims to empower local communities, indigenous peoples, and smallholders. By highlighting innovations in tenure rights and community-based management, the FAO intends to show that forest conservation is most effective when it is economically viable for the people who live within or near those forests.
Organizations and Collaborative Partners Involved
The production of this global forest assessment is led by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO). It is a massive collaborative effort that relies on a network of international, regional, and national partners to provide the data, expertise, and technical validation required to form a global consensus on forest health.
1. Lead Agency: Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO)
The FAO's Forestry Division acts as the primary architect. It coordinates the Global Forest Resources Assessment (FRA), which serves as the statistical backbone of the report. The findings are officially reviewed and discussed by the Committee on Forestry (COFO), the highest statutory body for forestry within the UN system.
2. The Collaborative Partnership on Forests (CPF)
The CPF is a key inter-agency mechanism consisting of 16 international organizations that ensure consistency across global forest policies. These partners align their strategic goals with the assessment findings:
UN Environment Programme (UNEP): Focuses on biodiversity, ecosystem health, and environmental policy.
International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN): Provides data on endangered tree species and forest landscape restoration.
Global Environment Facility (GEF): Offers insights into forest financing and the impact of global environmental projects.
World Bank: Contributes economic data regarding forest-dependent livelihoods and the sector's contribution to global GDP.
International Tropical Timber Organization (ITTO): Specialized in the sustainable management and trade of tropical timber.
3. National Governments and Ministries
The data is a "bottom-up" compilation supplied by National Correspondents from over 230 countries and territories. High-level involvement comes from national bodies such as:
Natural Resources Canada (NRCan): Providing data on boreal forests and wildfire impacts.
Ministry of Environment and Forestry (Indonesia): Leading on mangrove and tropical peatland data.
Federal Forestry Agency (Russia): A key source for data on the world's largest forest carbon sinks.
4. Technical and Scientific Partners
To ensure scientific rigor and provide high-resolution data, several research organizations assist in data validation:
CIFOR-ICRAF: Leads research on agroforestry, forest governance, and social innovation.
Joint Research Centre (JRC): The European Commission's science service, which assists with satellite-based land-cover change analysis.
World Resources Institute (WRI): Collaborates through monitoring platforms like Global Forest Watch to verify deforestation rates using independent satellite data.
Publication Period and Cycle of the State of the World’s Forests (SOFO)
The State of the World’s Forests (SOFO) is a flagship publication produced by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO). Its publication cycle and reporting period are designed to provide both high-level policy analysis and detailed statistical tracking of the world's forest resources.
1. Biennial Publication Cycle
The report is typically published every two years. This biennial cycle allows the international community to review the latest forest-related trends and data in a timely manner while providing enough space to conduct deep-dives into specific thematic areas (such as innovation, green recovery, or forest pathways).
The 2024–2025 Edition: This current reporting period specifically focuses on innovation, bridging the data collected from previous years with forward-looking projections for 2026 and beyond.
Launch Timing: Each edition is traditionally launched during the Committee on Forestry (COFO) sessions, which is the largest gathering of the global forestry community.
2. Integration with the 5-Year Global Forest Resources Assessment (FRA)
While the SOFO narrative report is released every two years, it draws its core quantitative data from the Global Forest Resources Assessment (FRA).
The 10-Year and 5-Year Trends: The FRA is conducted every five years (e.g., 2015, 2020, 2025). Therefore, the "publication period" of a SOFO report often includes data sets that look back over 10-year and 30-year horizons to show long-term changes in forest area, biomass, and carbon stocks.
The 2025 Milestone: The 2024–2025 period is particularly significant as it marks the culmination of the latest five-year data collection cycle, providing a comprehensive baseline for the world's forest status at the midpoint of the UN Decade on Ecosystem Restoration.
3. Real-Time Data and Projections
Unlike earlier editions that focused strictly on historical data, the current publication period incorporates near-real-time monitoring and future projections.
Current State: Reflects the most recent verified data from national governments (up to the current year).
Future Outlook: Includes modeling and demand projections reaching toward 2030 (to align with the Sustainable Development Goals) and 2050 (to align with global net-zero carbon targets).
Frequently Asked Questions: The State of the World’s Forests 2024–2025
This FAQ summarizes the most critical questions and findings from the latest assessment, focusing on the intersection of forest data and the core theme of Innovation.
1. What is the current status of global deforestation?
While forest loss remains a significant challenge, the rate of deforestation is slowing in several key regions. Between 1990 and 2000, the world lost approximately 15.8 million hectares (ha) per year. This fell to 10.2 million ha per year between 2015 and 2020. Notable recent reductions have been observed in the Amazon basin and parts of Southeast Asia due to strengthened enforcement and monitoring.
2. How is climate change impacting forests specifically?
Climate change is making forests increasingly vulnerable to both environmental and biological stressors:
Wildfires: Extreme fire seasons, such as the 2023-2024 peaks, have released record-breaking amounts of carbon dioxide, sometimes exceeding the total fossil fuel emissions of entire continents.
Pests and Disease: Rising temperatures are expanding the range of invasive species, such as wood-boring insects, which are devastating native forests in temperate and boreal regions.
3. Why is there a projected 49% increase in wood demand?
Global demand for roundwood is expected to rise by up to 49% by 2050 due to:
Population Growth: Increased need for housing and packaging.
The Green Transition: A shift toward a circular bioeconomy, where wood-based products (like mass timber) replace high-carbon materials such as steel, concrete, and plastics in the construction and textile industries.
4. What are the key types of innovation identified?
To meet these challenges, five key areas of innovation are prioritized:
Technological: Utilizing AI, drones, and high-resolution satellite imagery for real-time monitoring.
Social: Empowering local communities and indigenous peoples through inclusive stewardship.
Policy: Creating regulations that provide financial incentives for conservation rather than extraction.
Institutional: Improving how international organizations and national agencies share data.
Financial: Developing new "green" investment models that reach small-scale forest owners.
5. What are the main barriers to scaling these innovations?
The assessment identifies four major hurdles:
Funding Gaps: Insufficient venture capital for forest-sector startups compared to other tech industries.
Data Fragmentation: Inconsistent reporting standards between different countries.
Regulatory Lag: Existing laws that often favor traditional, carbon-intensive industrial practices.
Digital Divide: A lack of technical infrastructure and training in the remote areas where forest management is most needed.
6. How many people rely on forest products for their livelihoods?
Approximately 6 billion people use non-timber forest products (such as wild foods and medicinal plants) for sustenance and income. Furthermore, roughly 70% of the world's extreme poor rely on forest resources for their basic survival, making forest health a primary concern for global poverty reduction.
Glossary of Key Terms: The State of the World’s Forests 2024–2025
To better understand the data and strategic direction of the latest forest assessments, it is essential to define the technical and socio-economic terms used in global forestry reporting.
| Term | Definition |
| Abiotic Stressors | Non-living factors that negatively affect forest health, such as extreme heat, drought, storms, and wildfires. |
| Biotic Stressors | Living organisms that damage forests, including invasive insects, fungi, bacteria, and grazing animals. |
| Circular Bioeconomy | An economic model that uses renewable biological resources (like wood) to create products, aiming to eliminate waste and replace fossil-based materials. |
| Deforestation | The permanent conversion of forest land to other land uses, such as agriculture, infrastructure, or urban expansion. |
| Forest Degradation | A reduction in the capacity of a forest to provide ecosystem services, such as carbon storage or biodiversity, without a change in land use. |
| Forest Fragmentation | The breaking up of large, contiguous forested areas into smaller, isolated patches, often caused by roads or agricultural clearing. |
| Growing Stock | The volume of all living trees in a given forest area, usually measured in cubic meters ($m^3$), used to estimate timber and carbon. |
| Humid Tropical Primary Forest | Mature, natural tropical forests that have remained relatively undisturbed by human activity and are critical for biodiversity. |
| Mass Timber | Engineered wood products (like cross-laminated timber) used in construction as a low-carbon alternative to steel and concrete. |
| Naturally Regenerating Forest | A forest that has established itself through natural seeding or sprouting rather than human planting. |
| Net Forest Change | The overall difference in forest area over a specific period, calculated as: (Forest Expansion + Reforestation) - Deforestation. |
| Non-Wood Forest Products (NWFP) | Goods of biological origin other than wood, derived from forests, such as fruits, nuts, medicinal plants, and resins. |
| Other Wooded Land | Land that has some tree cover but does not meet the official definition of "forest" (e.g., land with sparse trees or shrubs). |
| Planted Forest | Forest area predominantly composed of trees established through planting and/or deliberate seeding. |
| Protective Forest | Forest areas specifically designated for the protection of soil and water resources or to mitigate natural disasters like avalanches. |
| Remote Sensing | The use of satellite or aircraft-based sensor technologies to detect and monitor forest characteristics from a distance. |
| Roundwood | All wood in its natural state as felled or otherwise harvested, with or without bark; includes wood for industrial use and fuel. |
| Sustainable Forest Management (SFM) | The stewardship of forests to meet current ecological, economic, and social needs without compromising the needs of future generations. |
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