2017

Returning to an environmental theme, 2017 was the second-worst year on record for tropical tree cover loss (2016 being the worst). In total, the tropics experienced 39 million acres of tree cover loss, the equivalent of losing 40 football fields of trees every minute for an entire year.

Despite efforts to reduce tropical deforestation, tree cover loss has been rising steadily in the tropics. Natural disasters like fires and tropical storms are playing an increasing role, especially as climate change increases their frequency and severity, but clearing of forests for agriculture and other uses continues to drive large-scale deforestation.