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 agrifood 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 and pests

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 megatonnes of carbon dioxide.

Specifically, fires in the boreal zone just south of the arctic reached a new high in 2021 and accounted for nearly one-quarter of total wildfire emissions, up from 10 per cent previously, FAO said…………read more

https://news.un.org/en/story/2024/07/1152386

Post Source/Credit/Courtesy: UN News (https://news.un.org/en/story/2024/07/1152386)