International Day of Forests: How conserving and restoring forests will lead to a food-secure future

illuminem summarises for you the essential news of the day. Read the full piece on World Economic Forum or enjoy below:

🗞️ Driving the news: Marking the 2025 International Day of Forests, the World Economic Forum highlights how conserving and restoring forests is essential to achieving global food security
• Under the theme “Forests and Foods”, the focus is on how forests support food systems through water regulation, pollination, biodiversity and livelihoods
• Initiatives like 1t.org and ecopreneur-led projects such as Forested are scaling impactful restoration efforts worldwide

🔭 The context: Since 1990, the world has lost 178 million hectares of forest, harming biodiversity, emitting carbon and degrading land
• Over 5 billion people rely on forests for food, medicine or income, while 2 billion depend on wood for cooking
• The World Economic Forum’s 1t.org platform has mobilised 92 companies to commit to growing over 9.7 billion trees

🌍 Why it matters for the planet: Forests are critical to regulating global climate, supporting biodiversity and sustaining agriculture
• Agroforestry practices and forest restoration help sequester carbon, improve soil fertility and protect water sources
• A future without forests risks escalating food insecurity, worsening climate impacts and collapsing rural economies

⏭️ What's next: Global collaboration is essential: governments, businesses and citizens must adopt sustainable land practices and support reforestation
• Initiatives like deforestation-free supply chains and insetting strategies offer scalable solutions
• Continued innovation and cross-sector partnerships will drive the transition toward resilient, nature-positive food systems

💬 One quote: “Losing forests leads directly to increased carbon emissions, loss of biodiversity, the degradation of land and the disappearance of livelihoods in rural communities.” – Florian Vernaz & Lucy Almond, World Economic Forum

📈 One stat: Since 1990, 178 million hectares of forest have been lost globally – an area the size of Libya.

Click for more news covering the latest on biodiversity