Tropical Forest Loss Plummets, But Climate Threats Loom

0:00It's April 29th, you're listening to Global News today, AI Power Global Coverage. Tropical forest loss slowed big time last year, dropping 36% in 2025, according to satellite data from the world. Resources, Institute, and University of Maryland. Brazil led the charge in the Amazon, with just 5,700 square kilometers of old growth forest lost outside of fires, the lowest. Since tracking started back in 2002, that progress came from stronger policies and enforcement in places like Brazil, Colombia, and Malaysia, plus cooler, La Niña weather easing up after. The brutal fires of 2024. Experts are calling it a win for political will, showing real leaders can deliver results on protecting these vital rainforests that house millions of species and suck up massive carbon dioxide to fight global warming. But heads up, climate change paired with a new El Niño phase later this year could spark worse fires, shortening the fuse on destruction after decades.

1:04Of logging and farming pressures, world leaders pledged to halt forest loss by 2030 at COP 26, but were still way off track. Meanwhile, Europe's Copernicus report highlights how record heat fueled over 10,000 square kilometers of wildfires last year, even as renewables. Like wind and solar, now power nearly half the continent's electricity proof we can pivot. But forests need that same urgency to stay resilient.