Rampant deforestation is contributing to approximately 28,000 heat-related deaths annually and rendering outdoor work unsafe for millions.
This was revealed today in a global report made jointly by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) and its partners at the 2025 UN Climate Change Conference (COP30), the report urges a fundamental shift in perspective, positioning forest conservation as a cornerstone of agricultural sustainability, not an obstacle.
The document, titled “Climate and ecosystem service benefits of forests and trees for agriculture,” challenges the conventional view of land-use competition. ‘Conserving and restoring forests is in fact crucial to boosting agricultural productivity,’ stated FAO Forestry Director Zhimin Wu, emphasizing the symbiotic relationship between woodlands and farming.
Evidence presented shows the immediate consequences of forest loss. In Brazil, for example, converting tropical forests to farmland has diminished water transfer to the atmosphere by up to 30 percent, triggering local temperature spikes and disrupting rainfall patterns.
The impact extends far beyond local jurisdictions. The study highlights that agriculture in 155 nations depends on transboundary forests for as much as 40 percent of their yearly precipitation, establishing forest protection as a global strategic priority for food stability.
The human cost of clearing forests is stark. Rising land surface temperatures in deforested tropical regions create hotter microclimates where people live and work. A cited study estimates that temperature increases from this phenomenon contributed to thousands of fatalities between 2001 and 2020 and reduced safe working hours for as many as 2.8 million outdoor laborers between 2003 and 2018.
Conversely, standing forests provide significant cooling benefits that reduce heat stress for both crops and rural communities. The report suggests that restoring just half of the world’s lost tropical forests could lower land surface temperatures by a full degree Celsius, helping to reinstate vital water cycles.
Beyond climate regulation, forests and trees provide a range of indispensable services like pollination, biological pest control, and erosion management, all of which enhance crop yields and sustain ecosystem health.
The publication advocates for integrating trees into agricultural systems through methods like shelterbelts and forest patches to bolster resilience against climate variability. These agroforestry practices are key components of the agrifood system solutions highlighted by FAO at the conference.
Ultimately, the report calls for breaking down administrative silos between environmental protection, agriculture, water resource management, and public health. It urges the creation of integrated policies that recognize the profound link between forests and farming to ensure the prosperity of agricultural communities and the health of the ecosystems they depend upon.