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DESA Voice: How the planet鈥檚 鈥渓ungs鈥� contribute to our health and well-being

Forests make our lives better in countless ways. They sustain us 鈥� from clean air and water, to food and fuel, to medicines and income. Being near trees helps boost our immune systems, lower blood pressure, reduce stress, and improve mood. When forests are healthy and well-managed they safeguard the health of our planet, by mitigating climate change, protecting biodiversity, and building resilience to natural disasters.

Forests cover 31% of all land and are the largest terrestrial carbon sink, absorbing about two billion tonnes of CO2 every year. Globally, 76 million tonnes of food products come from forests, 95% of which are plant-based. Many of the medicines we rely on come from forests. Plant-based medicines account for 25% of medicinal drugs used in developed countries and as much as 80% of medicinal drugs in developing countries.

It is estimated that 75% of the world鈥檚 accessible freshwater comes from forested watersheds and 80% of all land-based species depend on forests for their habitat. When forests are healthy, they can act as protective buffers against the impacts of storms and other natural hazards. Zoonotic diseases typically emerge from the transfer of pathogens from animals to humans, when natural landscapes such as forests are cleared. Yet despite this, forests are often undervalued, and we continue to lose ten million hectares of forests every year.

Reversing the loss of forests and turning the tide on deforestation are essential if we want a healthy future for people and the planet. This is why the theme of this year鈥檚 International Day of Forests on 21 March 2023, is 鈥淔orests and Health鈥�. The fate of the world鈥檚 forests and the health of future generations, depends on the actions that we take today. Learn more at

Source: UN DESA Voice, March 2023