The Unesco Courier (2023_3): The call of the forest

Forests are hotbeds of biodiversity, harbouring over 70 per cent of all terrestrial animal species. We now know just how essential they are to water cycles and climate regulation.

But this precious ecosystem – which supports 1.6 billion people – is under threat through massive deforestation, fires, and diseases caused by the proliferation of pests.

Solutions to halt this decline need to be commensurate with the urgency of the situation. It's not just the future of the planet that's at stake – it's the future of humanity itself.