Forests face increasing risk of wildfires and pests due to climate change
By Winfred Watenya
The world’s forests are becoming increasingly susceptible to wildfires and pests due to climate change, according to a new report by the UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), released Monday.
“Forests and trees are essential components of agri-food systems.
The removal of forest cover, especially in the tropics, increases local temperatures and disrupts rainfall patterns in ways that compound the local effects of global climate change, with potentially severe consequences for agricultural productivity,” the report warned.
The report is calling for innovation in the forestry sector alongside urgent action from the international community in order to face these challenges and progress toward achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
Wildfires around the world are more intense and frequent than ever before, even in areas that were previously unaffected.
In 2023 alone, wildfires released an estimated 6,687 megatons of carbon dioxide.
This destruction of forests is a serious threat given that demand for global wood production is at record levels, at four billion cubic meters a year. Projections show global round wood demand could grow by up to 49 per cent between 2020 and 2050.
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