Status of the sector, development trends including production and consumption, and implications
Global forest cover is 3952 million ha (Table TS.12), about 30% of the world’s land area. Most relevant for the carbon cycle is that between 2000 and 2005 gross deforestation continued at a rate of 12.9 million ha/yr, mainly as a result of converting forests to agricultural land, but also due to expansion of settlements and infrastructure, often for logging. In the 1990s, gross deforestation was slightly higher, 13.1 million ha/yr. Due to afforestation, landscape restoration and natural expansion of forests, the net loss of forest between 2000 and 2005 was 7.3 million ha/yr, with the largest losses in South America, Africa and Southeast Asia. This net rate of loss was lower than the 8.9 million ha/yr loss in the 1990s (medium agreement, medium evidence) [9.2.1].
Table TS.12: Estimates of forest area, net changes in forest area (negative numbers indicating decrease), carbon stock in living biomass and growing stock in 1990, 2000 and 2005 [Table 9.1].
| Region | Forest area (mill. ha) | Annual change (mill. ha/yr) | Carbon stock in living biomass (MtCO2) | Growing stock in 2005 |
|---|
| 2005 | 1990-2000 | 2000-2005 | 1990 | 2000 | 2005 | (million m3) |
|---|
| Africa | 635.412 | -4.4 | -4.0 | 241267 | 228067 | 222933 | 64957 |
| Asia | 571.577 | -0.8 | 1.0 | 150700 | 130533 | 119533 | 47111 |
| Europe a) | 1001.394 | 0.9 | 0.7 | 154000 | 158033 | 160967 | 107264 |
| North and Central America | 705.849 | -0.3 | -0.3 | 150333 | 153633 | 155467 | 78582 |
| Oceania | 206.254 | -0.4 | -0.4 | 42533 | 41800 | 41800 | 7361 |
| South America | 831.540 | -3.8 | -4.3 | 358233 | 345400 | 335500 | 128944 |
| World | 3952.026 | -8.9 | -7.3 | 1097067 | 1057467 | 1036200 | 434219 |