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Connecting Brazil’s Atlantic Forest
World Land Trust’s Dan Bradbury shares his journey through the Mata Atlântica.
28 April 2026
Tropical rainforest loss fell 36% in 2025 from the record high of 2024, according to new data from the University of Maryland’s GLAD Lab, available on World Resources Institute’s Global Forest Watch platform and Global Nature Watch.
The findings suggest that strong policies and enforcement can curb forest loss. However, climate-driven fires are a dangerous new normal, threatening to reverse recent gains.
In 2025, the world lost 4.3 million hectares (10.6 million acres) of tropical primary rainforest, an area roughly the size of Denmark. Despite the decline, loss remains 46% higher than a decade ago, with primary forests disappearing at a rate of 11 football fields every minute.
‘A drop of this scale in a single year is encouraging — it shows what decisive government action can achieve. But part of the decline reflects a lull after an extreme fire year. Fires and climate change are feeding off each other, and with El Niño on the horizon for 2026, investments in prevention and response will be critical as extreme fire conditions become the norm.’
ELIZABETH GOLDMAN
Co-director of Global Forest Watch, World Resources Institute
Tropical primary forests are vital for climate stability, biodiversity and the millions who depend on them for food, income and protection from extreme weather. Their loss releases vast amounts of carbon and weakens one of the planet’s most important natural defences against climate change.
Despite recent progress, global forest loss remains far above the level required to meet the 2030 goal of halting and reversing forest loss, a commitment made by more than 140 countries under the Glasgow Leaders’ Declaration. Current levels are about 70% too high.
Much of the global reduction was driven by Brazil, home to the world’s largest rainforest. In 2025, Brazil cut non-fire primary forest loss by 41% compared with 2024, reaching its lowest level on record.
The decline coincides with stronger environmental policies and enforcement under President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, including the relaunch of the PPCDAm federal anti-deforestation plan and increased penalties for environmental crimes.
While Brazil still has the largest absolute area of primary forest loss due to its size, its rate relative to forest area (0.5%) is now lower than that of several other tropical countries.
‘Brazil’s progress shows what’s possible when forest protection is treated as a national priority. But Brazil’s landscape is becoming more flammable, and growing fire risk means enforcement alone won’t be enough. Protecting these gains will require scaling community-led prevention and building an economy that rewards standing forests.’
MIRELA SANDRINI
Executive director, WRI Brasil
Other countries also showed progress. Indonesia and Malaysia maintained relatively low rates of primary forest loss, while Colombia reversed a spike seen in 2024.
Progress in these countries reflected improved governance, recognition of Indigenous land rights and corporate commitments to deforestation-free production.
‘Indonesia managed to keep forest loss largely under control in recent years, supported by policies that limit new forest clearing and give communities greater rights to manage forests’, said Arief Wijaya, managing director of WRI Indonesia. ‘That shows a strong commitment to more sustainable land use. But rising economic pressures could test that progress — and whether it can hold under pressure will depend on how well growth is balanced with climate and nature.’
‘Colombia’s story is one of fragile progress: deforestation slowed not because pressure eased, but because governance held the line, said Joaquín Carrizosa, senior advisor at WRI Colombia. ‘2026 will be the real test — without sustained enforcement and economic alternatives to clearing forests, this progress could quickly reverse. There’s a credible path to lasting change: increase investment in protecting the Amazon, back Indigenous leadership and build local economies that rely on forests staying intact.’
While agricultural expansion remains the leading driver of tree cover loss overall, fires were a major contributor in 2025, accounting for 42% of the 25.5 million hectares (63.1 million acres) of tree cover loss worldwide. That’s an area slightly larger than the United Kingdom.
Climate change is increasing fire risk by creating hotter, drier conditions that allow fires to spread more easily. In turn, these fires release vast amounts of stored carbon, accelerating climate change and reinforcing a dangerous feedback loop.
While fire risk is growing in the tropics — where most fires are human-caused — the most visible impacts in 2025 were in boreal and temperate regions, where climate change is intensifying naturally occurring fire cycles.
Fire-driven loss was especially severe in Canada, where wildfires burned 5.3 million hectares (13.0 million acres), making 2025 the country’s second-worst fire year on record. Significant fires were also recorded in parts of southern Europe.
‘Climate change and land clearing have shortened the fuse on global forest fires. They are turning seasonal disturbances into a near-permanent state of emergency. Without urgent action to stop burning and manage fire more effectively, we risk pushing the world’s most important forests past recovery.’
MATTHEW HANSEN
Professor at the University of Maryland and GLAD Lab Director
Forest loss remained high in countries including Bolivia, the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), Peru, Laos and Madagascar. Drivers vary by region, but include agricultural expansion, mining, fire and local reliance on forests for food and fuel.
Bolivia recorded its second-highest level of primary forest loss on record after severe fires in 2024 and now ranks second for tropical primary forest loss — surpassing the Democratic Republic of the Congo, despite Bolivia having 60% less primary forest.
‘In Bolivia, as in many other countries, forest loss is closely tied to agricultural expansion, with fire often used to clear and prepare land for production. Those ties keep pressure on forests persistently high. Breaking this cycle will require tighter controls on fire and hard restrictions on land conversion in forest areas.’
STASIEK CZAPLICKI CABEZAS
Bolivian researcher and data journalist for Revista Nómadas
In the Congo Basin, primary forest loss continues in several countries. In the DRC, total loss dipped slightly in 2025, but non-fire loss hit a record high, largely linked to small-scale farming, firewood and charcoal production, conflict-related displacement and pressure from mining.
‘There’s progress in parts of the Congo Basin, but in others deforestation remains alarmingly high. Mining is a far greater indirect driver of deforestation than previously recognised, and forest loss is happening even in community-managed areas. Support and investment are essential to making community forest management viable and enabling Indigenous Peoples and local communities to meet their basic needs.’
Teodyl Nkuintchua
Congo Basin Strategy and Engagement Lead, WRI Africa
Meeting global forest goals will depend not only on sustained political leadership and investment, but also on how key policy and financial developments unfold — including whether the Tropical Forest Forever Facility (TFFF) secures sufficient funding and how effectively regulations such as the EU Deforestation Regulation (EUDR) are implemented and enforced.
‘The progress we’re seeing in countries like Brazil and Colombia is heartening — but far from assured. These are inspiring examples of what can be done to curb deforestation, but also a reminder of how much the fate of our forests hinges on political will and the resilience that can be built now in the face of a changing climate.’
ROD TAYLOR
Global Director of Forests, World Resources Institute
2026 will put political will to the test, with El Niño likely to intensify fire risk and national elections in several forest countries poised to shape whether progress continues.
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