Planet Green Meter

A real-time estimate of global forest loss — based on scientific data from FAO and Global Forest Watch.

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Every second, an estimated 31.75 square meters of forest is lost globally. This number is derived from data provided by the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) and the World Resources Institute (WRI).

Tree Loss and Recovery Per Second

The following table summarizes the estimated number of trees affected globally every second, based on aggregated research from FAO, Global Forest Watch, and Our World in Data:

The Math Behind the Meter

• Annual forest loss worldwide ≈ 10 million hectares
• 1 hectare = 10,000 m² → that’s 100,000,000,000 m² per year
• Seconds in a year = 365 × 24 × 60 × 60 = 31,536,000
• Forest loss per second = 100,000,000,000 ÷ 31,536,000 ≈ 3,172 m²/s
• But we use a more conservative rate of: 31.75 m²/s (FAO filtered)

Forest Loss Trends (2023–2024)

While the long-term estimate of forest loss has hovered around 10 million hectares per year, recent years have seen alarming spikes. According to Global Forest Watch:

• 2023: Tree cover loss reached 28.3 million hectares, a 24% increase from the previous year, largely due to catastrophic wildfires in Canada.
• 2024: The rate of tropical primary forest loss — critical for biodiversity and carbon storage — doubled compared to 2023, particularly in the Amazon and Pantanal regions.

According to Our World in Data, the net deforestation (losses minus regrowth) between 2010 and 2020 was estimated at 4.7 million hectares per year, suggesting that both deforestation and reforestation efforts are in play — but losses are accelerating.

Main Causes of Forest Loss

• Wildfires: Intensified by climate change and El Niño patterns.
• Agricultural expansion: Including clearing for crops like cocoa and palm oil.
• Logging: Both legal and illegal, selective or clear-cutting.
• Infrastructure and mining: Especially in developing nations.

These patterns highlight the urgent need for conservation, reforestation, and responsible land management at a global scale.

About the Data Sources

FAO (Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations) is the leading global organization responsible for collecting and analyzing data on forests and land use. Their Forest Resources Assessment (FRA) is published every five years and used by policymakers worldwide.

Global Forest Watch (GFW) is a platform developed by the World Resources Institute (WRI). It uses satellite imagery and data science to monitor forest change in near-real-time. Their open API allows developers to build visualizations and tools to support transparency and action.

Why This Matters

Forests are not just trees. They’re life support systems that regulate our climate, purify air and water, protect biodiversity, and sustain indigenous communities. By visualizing forest loss in real-time, we hope to inspire urgency, awareness, and action.

“You cannot protect the environment unless you empower people, you inform them, and you help them understand that these resources are their own.” – Wangari Maathai