This year, the International Day of Forests 2024 focuses on the theme “Forests and Innovation: New Solutions for a Better World.” It is a call to action to harness technological innovation for our forests to address the growing threat of deforestation, habitat loss and climate change, and to protect forest ecosystems.
According to Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations New technologies can be used to monitor forests, and drones, a prominent example of innovation, can help combat forest fires and deforestation, as well as mapping to protect biodiversity. Forest conservation is important because forest products help create sustainable alternatives to materials such as steel, plastics and synthetic fibers.
Why is the International Day of Forests celebrated?
Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations estimates that forests cover one-third of the earth and are one of nature's major providers of essential functions for the preservation of the planet and life:
- They stop climate change – trees store carbon, which helps mitigate the impacts of climate change. It is estimated that the world’s forests contain 662 billion tonnes of carbon, making up more than half of the world’s carbon stocks found in soils and vegetation. They are also a natural air conditioner, lowering air temperatures by 2 to 8 degrees.
- They form a noise barrier
- They are a source of water
- Provide energy – Wood fuels are a potentially renewable energy source. Worldwide, 2.6 billion people rely on wood and other traditional fuels for household cooking.
- They are home to many species – they play a key role in preserving life on the planet and are the Earth's most biodiverse ecosystems, harboring 80% of the world's plant and animal species.
- They determine our survival – between 3.5 billion and 5.76 billion people use non-timber forest products for their own consumption or to sustain their livelihoods. In addition, forests enable and contribute to improving mental health and preventing disease.
- They contribute to environmental sustainability, reducing soil erosion and the risk of avalanches, landslides and natural disasters.
Globally, the threat is from deforestation – The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations notes that many forests are being converted to farmland, pastures, reservoirs and urban areas, and this is the main risk to the future of these ecosystems. Deforestation is progressing at a rate of 13 million hectares per year and is responsible for 12-20% of the greenhouse gas emissions that contribute to global warming. The organization estimates that since 1990, 420 million hectares of forests have been lost worldwide due to these threats, which, although decreasing, are not decreasing at a sufficient rate to ensure the protection of the planet.
The other major threat to these ecosystems, according to the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF), is the degradation, which is the reduction in the capacity of forests to provide goods and services following damage due to human activity (e.g. illegal logging, climate change) or natural (e.g. fire, pests).
Forests are a natural resource that keeps the air and water clean and provides a habitat for a variety of plants and animals. In addition, forests have important economic importance. Therefore, everyone is responsible for the protection of this natural resource, its development and rational use.