Daily Current Affairs : 10-July-2023

The recently released Global Forest Watch report sheds light on the concerning state of forests worldwide. The report reveals key findings, highlighting the significant loss of tropical forests and the irreversible decline of primary forests. In particular, it emphasizes India’s contribution to forest loss and calls for urgent action to address deforestation and restore degraded forests. This essay will delve into the report’s key findings, discuss the measurement of progress by the World Resources Institute (WRI), and explore the necessary steps to tackle this global crisis.

Forest Loss in Tropical Areas
  1. Magnitude of Loss: In 2022, tropical areas witnessed a devastating loss of 4.1 million hectares of forest cover. This translates to an area equivalent to 11 football fields vanishing every minute.
  2. Carbon Emissions: The forest loss in tropical areas released a staggering 2.7 billion tonnes of carbon dioxide, equivalent to India’s annual emissions from fossil fuel combustion.
  3. Primary Forests at Risk: Primary forests, characterized by their maturity and undisturbed state, experienced a 10% increase in loss compared to 2021. These forests play a crucial role in storing carbon and supporting biodiversity.
  4. Irreversibility of Loss: Once primary forests are lost, the chances of full recovery are slim. Secondary forests that regrow often fail to match the biodiversity and carbon sequestration capabilities of the original primary forests.
India’s Forest Loss
  1. Humid Primary Forests: India lost 43.9 thousand hectares of humid primary forests between 2021 and 2022, accounting for 17% of the country’s total tree cover loss during that period.
  2. Total Tree Cover Loss: The overall tree cover loss in India between 2021 and 2022 amounted to 255,000 hectares.
Measuring Progress: WRI’s Goals
  1. Deforestation by 2030: To achieve the goal of ending deforestation by 2030, global deforestation must be reduced by at least 10% each year.
  2. Forest Restoration: Restoring 350 million hectares of lost and degraded forests by 2030 is another crucial target. This requires an annual increase in tree cover by 22 million hectares between 2021 and 2030.
  3. Net Loss of Tree Cover: Despite some progress, the past 20 years have witnessed a net loss of 100 million hectares of tree cover globally, indicating the need for accelerated efforts to halt deforestation and restore forests.
Actions Needed
  1. Reducing Deforestation: It is imperative to implement measures that reduce global deforestation by a minimum of 10% annually. This entails addressing the main drivers of deforestation, such as illegal logging, agricultural expansion, and infrastructure development.
    • Strengthening law enforcement and forest governance.
    • Promoting sustainable agricultural practices, including agroforestry and responsible land use.
    • Encouraging the use of alternative materials to reduce pressure on timber resources.
  2. Restoring Forests: To restore 350 million hectares by 2030, the world must increase tree cover by 22 million hectares annually. This can be achieved through:
    • Reforestation and afforestation initiatives.
    • Supporting local communities in sustainable land management and forest restoration.
    • Investing in innovative approaches, such as tree-planting drones and technology-assisted reforestation efforts.
    • Promoting sustainable forest management practices that prioritize biodiversity conservation and carbon sequestration.
Global Forest Watch and WRI
  1. Global Forest Watch: An open-source web application that enables near real-time monitoring of global forests. It provides valuable data sets across various categories, including forest change, cover, use, conservation, and people.
  2. World Resources Institute (WRI): A global research non-profit organization established in 1982, dedicated to studying sustainable practices in areas such as food, forests, water, energy, cities, and climate. The WRI’s flagship report series is the World Resources Report.

Important Points:

  • Key Findings:
    • Tropical areas lost 4.1 million hectares of forest cover in 2022, equivalent to 11 football fields per minute.
    • This forest loss resulted in 2.7 billion tonnes of carbon dioxide emissions, similar to India’s annual emissions from fossil fuels.
    • Loss of primary forests in tropical areas increased by 10% compared to the previous year.
    • Primary forests are valuable for carbon storage and biodiversity.
    • Primary forest loss is nearly irreversible, as regrown secondary forests cannot match the original’s biodiversity and carbon sequestration capabilities.
    • India lost 43.9 thousand hectares of humid primary forest between 2021 and 2022, contributing to 17% of the country’s total tree cover loss during that period.
  • Measurement of Progress by WRI:
    • Goal 1: End deforestation by 2030.
      • Reduce global deforestation by at least 10% annually.
      • Address main drivers of deforestation, such as illegal logging and agricultural expansion.
      • Strengthen law enforcement and forest governance.
      • Promote sustainable agricultural practices and responsible land use.
      • Encourage the use of alternative materials to reduce timber resource pressure.
    • Goal 2: Restore 350 million hectares of lost and degraded forests by 2030.
      • Increase tree cover by 22 million hectares annually between 2021 and 2030.
      • Implement reforestation and afforestation initiatives.
      • Support local communities in sustainable land management and forest restoration.
      • Invest in innovative approaches, such as tree-planting drones and technology-assisted reforestation efforts.
      • Promote sustainable forest management practices prioritizing biodiversity conservation and carbon sequestration.
  • Urgency and Action Needed:
    • Reduce global deforestation by at least 10% annually.
    • Increase tree cover by 22 million hectares annually between 2021 and 2030.
    • Address drivers of deforestation, such as illegal logging, agricultural expansion, and infrastructure development.
    • Strengthen law enforcement and forest governance.
    • Promote sustainable agricultural practices and responsible land use.
    • Support reforestation and afforestation initiatives.
    • Invest in innovative approaches for forest restoration.
    • Prioritize sustainable forest management practices for biodiversity conservation and carbon sequestration.
  • Global Forest Watch and WRI:
    • Global Forest Watch (GFW): An open-source web application for near real-time monitoring of global forests.
      • Provides valuable data sets on forest change, cover, use, conservation, and people.
    • World Resources Institute (WRI): A global research non-profit organization.
      • Focuses on sustainable practices in food, forests, water, energy, cities, and climate.
      • Produces the World Resources Report, a flagship report series.
Why In News

The groundbreaking Global Forest Watch report, unveiled just days ago, provides a comprehensive analysis of the state of the world’s forests, highlighting the urgent need for conservation and sustainable management. The report’s findings serve as a wake-up call, underscoring the critical role of global collaboration and immediate action to address deforestation and protect our planet’s invaluable forest ecosystems.

MCQs about The State of Global Forests

  1. Which type of forests are characterized by their maturity and undisturbed state?
    A. Secondary forests
    B. Tropical forests
    C. Primary forests
    D. Humid forests
    Correct Answer: C. Primary forests
    Explanation: Primary forests are mature, natural forests that have remained undisturbed in recent history.
  2. What is one of the goals set by the World Resources Institute (WRI) to address deforestation?
    A. Reduce global deforestation by 10% annually
    B. Restore 350 million hectares of lost and degraded forests by 2030
    C. Increase tree cover by 22 million hectares annually between 2021 and 2030
    D. All of the above
    Correct Answer: D. All of the above
    Explanation: The WRI has set multiple goals, including reducing global deforestation, restoring lost and degraded forests, and increasing tree cover.
  3. What is the purpose of Global Forest Watch (GFW)?
    A. To monitor global forests in near real-time
    B. To measure carbon dioxide emissions
    C. To promote sustainable agricultural practices
    D. To address illegal logging
    Correct Answer: A. To monitor global forests in near real-time
    Explanation: Global Forest Watch (GFW) is an open-source web application designed to monitor global forests in near real-time.

Boost up your confidence by appearing our Weekly Current Affairs Multiple Choice Questions

Loading