Planetary Boundaries for Forests and Their National Exceedance

Achieving forest sustainability is
a declared sustainable development
goal (SDG 15). Measuring the safe operating spaceplanetary
boundariesof global forests is essential to determine global
forest pressure and manage forests sustainably. Here, we quantify
the forestry planetary boundary (FPB) and national forestry boundaries.
Results show that, in 2015, the FPB was 7.1 billion m3 of
forest stock increments. Global timber harvests account for 58.7%
of the FPB. Timber harvests of 47 nations, mostly in Africa and Asia,
have exceeded their national forestry boundaries. Their boundary-exceeding
timber harvest is mainly driven by the final demand of developed nations
(e.g., the United States and Japan) and emerging economies (e.g.,
India and China) through global supply chains. This study highlights
the importance of the FPB in global forest management and trade-related
policymaking. The findings can guide global and national forest harvesting
activities and help promote international cooperation to mitigate
global deforestation.