Deforestation
Wood products contributed $100 billion per year to the global economy from 2003–2007 and the value of non-wood forest products (mostly food) was estimated at US$18.5 billion in 2005. Yet forest areas are predicted to decline by 13 percent from 2005 to 2030, mostly in South Asia and Africa.
The timber industry and downstream sectors such as pulp and paper are vulnerable to potential regulation to slow or reverse deforestation. Companies may also find themselves under increasing pressure from customers to prove that their products are sustainable. Opportunities may arise through market mechanisms and incentives to reduce the rate of deforestation.