Since 1960, the world's forest area has decreased by 81.7 million hectares (60% per capita).
Japanese scientists came to this conclusion after analyzing global data on land use.
According to them, this situation threatens ecosystems and human well-being.
"Continuous loss and degradation of forests affects the integrity of ecosystems, reducing their ability to support biodiversity. It also affects 1.6 billion people worldwide, mostly in developing countries, whose livelihoods depend on forests in one way or another.", - the researchers said.