Andhra Pradesh lost 468 hectares of primary forest in 2024, marking a slight increase from the 424 hectares lost in 2023, according to data released by Global Forest Watch (GFW), a coalition of over 100 organizations. The data reveals a fluctuating yet steady trend in forest degradation over recent years, with losses recorded at 193 hectares in 2022, 143 hectares in 2021, 225 hectares in 2020, and 363 hectares in 2019. In 2020, the state had approximately 2.46 m hectares of forest, covering nearly 15 per cent of its total land area. However, in 2024 alone, AP lost about 5.73 thousand hectares of natural forest, resulting in an estimated 1.75 million tonnes of carbon dioxide emissions.

Source: https://www.newindianexpress.com/