More than a third of all tree species worldwide are at risk of extinction, threatening ecosystems, plants, animals and economies around the world, experts warned Monday.
In total, 38% of trees are at risk, according to the International Union for Conservation of Nature’s global assessment. They face threats in almost every country in the world from climate change, deforestation, invasive species, pests and diseases.
Trees account for more than a quarter of the species on the International Union for Conservation of Nature’s Red List. The number of endangered trees is more than double the number of endangered birds, mammals, reptiles and amphibians.
According to the organization, the loss of trees poses a threat to thousands of plants, fungi and animals. Trees are considered a “defining part of many ecosystems” because of their role in carbon, water and nutrient cycling, soil formation and climate regulation. According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, 100 trees can remove 54 tons of carbon monoxide and 430 pounds of other air pollutants per year.
“Trees provide a direct basis for the survival of so many species – including many species on the IUCN Red List. Thriving, naturally diverse forests are essential in combating both climate change and biodiversity loss, and as such, solutions to one crisis often have mutually reinforcing benefits for the entire world. others,” says Dr. Dave Hole, vice president for global solutions at Conservation International’s Moore Center for Science. “This makes the growing number of threatened tree species on the Red List all the more troubling. Without biodiverse ecosystems that include healthy and diverse tree populations, the world will face an even greater climate threat than the one we already face.”
People are also economically dependent on trees. According to IUCN, more than 5,000 of the tree species on the Red List are used for timber in construction. More than 2,000 species are used for medicine, food and fuel.
In 2021, world leaders representing more than 85% of the world’s forests pledged to do this end deforestation by 2030. Yet last year, 6.37 million hectares of forests were permanently lost worldwide, according to The Forest Declaration Assessment 2024.
“We are now a third of the way through this decade, and collectively we have barely made a dent in reducing deforestation,” the Forest Declaration Assessment said.
A 2022 assessment of tree species native to the contiguous US found that 11-16% of species are threatened with extinction. The biggest threats are invasive pests and diseases.
More than 1,000 tree experts were involved in the International Union for Conservation of Nature’s global assessment, which was largely funded by the nonprofit Fondation Franklinia. Foundation Director General Jean-Christophe Vié urged the world to act on the tree assessment.
“Trees are seen as an easy solution to climate change and trees are being planted everywhere; but the way reforestation is done needs to be significantly improved, diversifying species and including endangered species in tree planting programs,” said Vié. “Governments and their forestry departments, businesses and anyone planting trees could easily do this and quickly make a positive impact, tackling both climate change and biodiversity crises.”
