Tropical forest the size of Switzerland was lost in 2022 as deforestation remains a major issue to tackle

New research has highlighted damning figures as it revealed that an area equivalent to the size of Switzerland was cleared from Earth's rainforests in 2022. The report comes after a number of pledges globally to take definitive steps to end deforestation by 2030.

The report by the World Resources Institute's (WRI) Global Forest Watch said that a massive chunk of the tropical forest disappeared as forest destruction rose by 10 per centcompared to the previous year.

The report also stated that the rate of loss was equivalent to losing 11 soccer fields of forest per minute, as swaths of tropical forest were cleared for farming, mining and other commercial activities.

The report mentioned that tropical primary forest loss in 2022 totalled 4.1 million hectares. It further added that all this forest loss produced 2.7 gigatonnes (Gt) of carbon dioxide emissions, which is equivalent to India's annual fossil fuel emissions.

According to the report, Brazil and the Dominican Republic of Congo are the top countries for primary forest loss by area in 2022, and in nations like Ghana and Bolivia, it rapidly increased. On the other hand, countries like Indonesia and Malaysia have managed to keep rates of primary forest loss near record-low levels.

Dire status of the Brazilian Amazon

According to the report, the rate of primary forest loss increased by 15 per centfrom 2021 to 2022 in Brazil and the vast majority of primary forest loss happened in the Amazon.

The report mentioned that non-fire-related losses reached the highest level since 2005. Such instances in the Brazilian Amazon are most often due to clear-cut deforestation.

During the last year of Brazil President Jair Bolsonaro's administration, a high rate of primary forest loss occurred, which was an important agenda for President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva (Lula) during the election.

After winning the election, he even laid out a plan to end illegal deforestation in the Amazon, which was a major campaign pledge that is a critical step in addressing the country's significant carbon emissions from the region.

Just a few days after the election result, Lula and his Environment Minister Marina Silva unveiled the Action Plan for the Prevention and Control of Deforestation in the Amazon.

Some scientists have issued a warning that the Amazon is approaching a critical tipping point that could see the rainforest transform into a grassy savannah. In case it happened, this would cause a massive impact on the world's ability to tackle the climate crisis.

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All pledges in vain?

At various gatherings of world leaders, such as The Group of Seven (G7), COP26, and more, governments and companies promise to take necessary to put an end to deforestation. Governments have pledged to restore forests, halt deforestation and reverse land degradation numerous times.

The report stated that these ambitious pledges are not backed by the information needed to monitor and deliver on these promises, which limits accountability.

"Information is lacking, including basic maps on exactly where restoration is happening. And in the years since these pledges were made, their impact has not been adequately monitored, leaving a lingering question of how much progress is being made," it further added.

In a statement, Rod Taylor, global director of WRI’s Forest Program, said: “We have seen governments and companies make time-bound commitments to end deforestation, restore degraded forest landscapes, and achieve sustainable forest management."

"But rapid deforestation and forest degradation have continued, driven primarily by growing global demand for food, fuel, and fibre. Climate change impacts, including severe fires and new vectors and outbreaks of forest pests and diseases, exacerbate the decline," he added.

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