To save the planet, curbing deforestation would be a significant step.

As climate change accelerates, deforestation emerges as one of the most pressing and complex challenges facing the global community. Forests, which cover roughly four billion hectares—or about 31% of Earth’s land surface—serve as the planet’s lungs. They not only absorb massive amounts of carbon dioxide (CO₂) but also maintain ecological balance, shelter biodiversity, and produce around 28% of the world’s oxygen. Every year, they sequester approximately 7.6 billion metric tonnes of CO₂, accounting for nearly one-third of emissions generated from fossil fuel combustion.

Yet forests are vanishing at a staggering pace. The primary drivers—agriculture, logging, urban expansion, and mining—are responsible for deforestation on an industrial scale, with agriculture alone accounting for an estimated 80% of global tree loss. The consequences are dire: when trees are cleared, their stored carbon is released back into the atmosphere, further intensifying global warming. A 2024 report by the International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD) highlights this point, warning that despite their ecological indispensability, forests are disappearing at a rapid rate. Over the past three decades, the world has lost 420 million hectares of forest—an area larger than India.

Nonetheless, a few nations have emerged as models of effective forest stewardship. Costa Rica, for instance, reversed years of deforestation and achieved remarkable progress between 1997 and 2015, avoiding 166 million tonnes of CO₂ emissions. Since 2013, over half of its land has become a carbon sink. This turnaround was driven by an innovative blend of public and private financial incentives, including payments for environmental services that encouraged forest preservation. Costa Rica also promoted agroforestry and silvopastoral systems—land management approaches that combine forests with agriculture and livestock—transforming agriculture itself into a tool for carbon capture.

Rwanda offers another compelling example. From just 10.7% forest coverage in 2010, the country now boasts 30.4% as of 2024. Partnering with organizations like the World Resources Institute and the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), Rwanda developed a Forest Landscape Restoration Opportunities Assessment (FLROA), aligning ecological, social, and economic priorities to chart a path forward. It also established a National Forest Monitoring System (NFMS), using satellite technology to track forest health, biodiversity, and ecosystem dynamics in real-time.

Indonesia, home to one of the world’s largest tropical rainforests, has also made notable strides. Between 2015 and 2022, the country slashed its deforestation rate by 64%, reaching its lowest-ever level of primary forest loss in 2022. This progress advances Indonesia’s commitments under Article 5 of the Paris Climate Agreement, which recognizes the role of forests and promotes REDD+ (Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Forest Degradation). The country’s 2011 forest moratorium, aimed at preserving peatlands and primary forests, has become a cornerstone of its policy framework.

Pakistan, despite contributing less than 1% to global greenhouse gas emissions, remains one of the nations most vulnerable to climate change. Ranked fifth in the 2024 Global Climate Risk Index, Pakistan has seen a consistent 4% annual decrease in forest cover over the past two decades, according to Global Forest Watch. The Pakistan Institute of Development Economics (PIDE) notes that while a healthy environment ideally requires 25% forest coverage, Pakistan’s current forest area stands at just 4.8%, down from 5.9% in 2000. Approximately 27,000 hectares of forest are lost each year.

The regional distribution of Pakistan’s forests is highly uneven. Khyber Pakhtunkhwa holds the largest share at 32.7%, trailed by Sindh (14.8%), Punjab (12.4%), Balochistan (11.1%), Azad Jammu and Kashmir (9.6%), and Gilgit-Baltistan (7%). In the Swat region alone, experts estimate that up to 40% of trees have been felled in recent years. According to journalist Adnan Bacha, 500 to 1,000 trees are cut daily across the district. In the final quarter of 2024, environmental assessments suggest that more than 75,000 trees were removed from this area alone.

Urban centers are equally culpable. Between 2001 and 2023, cities in Sindh—particularly Hyderabad, Karachi, and Sukkur—accounted for 60% of the province’s tree cover loss. In Punjab, Lahore, Faisalabad, Sargodha, and Gujranwala were responsible for 57% of deforestation, resulting in a spike in carbon emissions and further destabilization of local climates.

Recognizing the urgency, the Sindh government launched an ambitious afforestation initiative in 2024, aiming to green 34,995 acres in Jamshoro and Matiari. The Forest and Wildlife Department has also identified riverine districts—including Dadu, Shaheed Benazirabad, and Larkana—for reforestation across 88,002 hectares. Such efforts, if expanded and sustained, could significantly curb greenhouse gas emissions.

Still, Pakistan has one of the lowest tree counts globally, with fewer than one billion trees. In contrast, countries with vast landmasses dominate global tree inventories: Russia leads with 642 billion, followed by Canada (318 billion), Brazil (302 billion), and the United States (228 billion). According to a 2023 satellite analysis by the Forest Survey of India (FSI), India boasts tree cover spanning over 827,000 square kilometers—approximately 25% of its total land area.

Beyond their environmental benefits, forests also represent untapped economic value through carbon credits. The Ecosystem Marketplace reports that a single carbon credit—representing the removal of one metric tonne of CO₂—was worth $4.73 in 2021, $7.37 in 2022, and $6.97 in 2023. Grow Billion Trees estimates that 50 trees are needed to offset one tonne of CO₂. Under its newly approved Carbon Market Policy (January 2025), Pakistan hopes to capitalize on afforestation by generating and trading carbon credits. This approach could not only enhance forest cover and biodiversity but also position the country as a contributor to global climate mitigation.

As the climate clock ticks louder, forests remain among the few natural allies humanity can still rely on. But preserving them—let alone expanding them—requires more than planting trees. It demands policy foresight, international cooperation, and the political will to confront an issue quite literally rooted in the ground.