Area of land deforested by the organization during the reporting period.
Organizations should footnote the reasons and methods for deforestation, as well as all assumptions used. See usage guidance for further information.
This metric is intended to capture the area of land controlled or monitored by the organization that has been deforested. Above- and below-ground food networks in forests have developed over hundreds of years. Forests provide habitats for species and provide a range of ecosystem services. Their disappearance leads to loss in biodiversity, decline in soil quality (for example, erosion and nutrients), and intensification of climate change.
Land may be deforested for multiple reasons and using multiple methods (e.g., clear-cutting, burning). Organizations should footnote these details.
Organizations can report this metric in conjunction with Area of Land Reforested (PI4907).
Organizations are encouraged to closely monitor deforestation and its causes through remote sensing data, tracking the evolution and speed of deforestation over time. Organizations should also track the consequences for forests of natural disasters, harvesting, illegal logging, and other negative outcomes.
June 2022 - IRIS v5.3 Released (current version)
Immaterial change. Minor revisions to definition and usage guidance for clarity.
January 2020 - IRIS v5.1 Released
No change.
May 2019 - IRIS v5.0 Released
No change.
March 2016 - IRIS v4.0 Released
New metric. Area of Land Deforested (PI1489) was developed via the IRIS Taxonomy Group.
IRIS Metrics Work Better in Sets
To use IRIS metrics—and the resulting data—to understand impact performance, IRIS metrics should be used and analyzed in generally accepted sets and according to well-defined objectives. IRIS+ gives you access to generally accepted Core Metrics Sets aligned to common Impact Themes and Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).