Global Forest Resource Assessment (GFRA) Report

Global Forest Resource Assessment (GFRA) Report – Explained

Learn about the Global Forest Resource Assessment (GFRA) 2025 by FAO — the UN’s comprehensive report on global forest trends. Know how India rose to 9th globally in forest area and 3rd in forest gain.

Table of Contents

The Global Forest Resource Assessment (GFRA) is a flagship report published by the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United Nations every five years.
It provides a comprehensive overview of the world’s forests, their condition, management, uses, and trends.

The latest edition — GFRA 2025 — highlights global progress and challenges in forest conservation, noting that India has climbed to the 9th position globally in forest area, and maintained 3rd position in annual forest gain.

What is the GFRA?

The Global Forest Resource Assessment (GFRA) is an authoritative global survey that collects, analyses, and reports data on forest resources worldwide.

It is based on official national data submitted by countries and standardized using FAO methodologies to ensure global comparability.

Key Objectives:

To monitor global forest cover and changes over time.
To evaluate progress toward sustainable forest management.
To inform international policies related to forests, climate change, and biodiversity.
To support decision-making at global, regional, and national levels.

Frequency and Coverage

Published by: FAO (Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations)
First Report: 1948
Frequency: Every 5 years (latest in 2025)
Coverage: 236 countries and territories
Data Sources: Official national statistics, remote sensing, and country reports

GFRA 2025: Global Highlights

Parameter	Key Findings
Total Global Forest Area	4.14 billion hectares (32% of Earth’s land area)
Deforestation Rate	10.9 million ha per year (declining but still high)
Fire-Affected Land	261 million ha annually
Forests Damaged by Pests/Weather	41 million ha
Half of world’s forests	Located in 5 countries – Russia, Brazil, Canada, USA, China
Asia’s Role	Only continent with a net forest increase (led by India & China)

India in GFRA 2025

India has made significant progress in forest management and afforestation:

Indicator	India’s Data (GFRA 2025)
Global Rank (Forest Area)	9th
Total Forest Area	72.7 million hectares
Share of Global Forests	~2%
Annual Net Forest Gain	1.91 lakh hectares
Global Rank in Forest Gain	3rd

Key Drivers of India’s Success:

Massive plantation drives under government schemes.
“Ek Ped Maa Ke Naam” campaign promoting tree plantation.
State-level afforestation programs under Green India Mission.
Community and agroforestry initiatives improving rural ecology.

Top 10 Countries by Forest Area (2025)

Rank	Country	Forest Area (Million ha)
1	Russia	832.6
2	Brazil	486
3	Canada	368.8
4	USA	308.8
5	China	227
6	DR Congo	139
7	Australia	133.5
8	Indonesia	96
9	India	72.7
10	Peru	67

Agroforestry in GFRA 2025

The 2025 assessment also highlights the importance of agroforestry — integrating trees with crops and livestock:

Total Global Agroforestry Area: 55.4 million hectares
Asia’s Share: 39.3 million hectares
India & Indonesia: Account for nearly 70% of global total

This shows that India’s rural development and environmental policies are aligned with climate-resilient land use practices.

Global Challenges Identified by GFRA

Despite positive trends, the GFRA warns of several challenges:

High deforestation rates in tropical regions.
Forest fires and pest infestations damaging vast areas.
Climate change leading to severe weather impacts on forests.
Unsustainable land use and illegal logging in developing regions.

Significance of GFRA

The GFRA plays a critical role in global environmental governance:

Importance:

Helps monitor Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) — especially SDG 13 (Climate Action) and SDG 15 (Life on Land).
Guides UNFCCC, Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD), and Paris Agreement implementation.
Provides data for policy formulation, forest financing, and carbon accounting.

Uses:

Supports REDD+ (Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Forest Degradation).
Informs Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) under the Paris Agreement.
Assists countries in tracking forest carbon stocks and ecosystem services.

Conclusion

The Global Forest Resource Assessment 2025 serves as a crucial benchmark for evaluating the health of the planet’s forests.
India’s improvement in ranking reflects its commitment to ecological balance, community participation, and sustainable green policies.

While the world continues to face deforestation and climate challenges, the GFRA emphasizes that sustained global cooperation and local-level afforestation initiatives are key to ensuring a greener and healthier planet.