Forest near Tapajós River in the Amazon Rainforest. © Valdemir Cunha / Greenpeace

Protecting forests

Ending deforestation is our best chance to conserve wildlife while defending the rights of forest communities. It is also one of the quickest, most cost effective ways to slow the climate crisis.

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Forests are our life support system

We are fighting to protect forests around the globe from destruction—and set them on a path to restoration. Working together with Indigenous Peoples, allies, and supporters like you, we’re calling out the industries and companies destroying our forests, and the governments who have failed to protect them.

Forests help stabilize the climate, sustain a diversity of life, and provide economic opportunity. They are vital to the livelihoods of many Indigenous Peoples and rural communities. Yet, forests and other critical ecosystems are being wiped out and converted to croplands, pasture, and plantations. Existing laws in many countries around the world remain deeply inadequate to protect these forests. The few regulations in place are too often poorly enforced.

Fiby Urskog Nature Reserve in Sweden. © Christian Åslund / Greenpeace
Orangutans on Kaja Island. © Greenpeace / Christian Åslund

From the Amazon to Canada to Indonesia, half of our global forests have already been lost forever to unsustainable industrial practices. The need to protect the world’s remaining forests is more urgent than ever. The loss of these vital ecosystems is displacing communities, threatening the habitats of rare and endangered species, and spewing greenhouse gases into the atmosphere.  The 2024 The State of the World’s Forests report and the Global Biodiversity Outlook 5 report continue to underlined the urgency of saving forests in order to curb the extinction crisis and fight the climate crisis. To avoid further catastrophic consequences, we urgently need to protect and restore forests and recognize the rights of Indigenous Peoples everywhere.

Agribusiness drives deforestation

The food system is broken. Industrial agriculture contributes to 80% of deforestation across the globe, posing a threat to communities and the planet. Greedy companies are literally setting tropical forests on fire to clear land and expand their cattle grazing and feed, fueling the climate crisis.

Keep learning about…

Brazil and the Amazon forest
Canada’s Boreal forest
Indonesian forests and palm oil

Forests research

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