(MENAFN) A new study commissioned by the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) reports that EU consumption caused the destruction of 149 million trees globally between 2021 and 2023, averaging roughly 50 million trees per year — or 100 trees every minute.

The research examined the EU’s demand for key commodities such as soy, palm oil, cocoa, coffee, beef, leather, rubber, and industrial roundwood. WWF emphasizes that the findings underscore the urgency of fully implementing the EU Deforestation Regulation (EUDR) without delays or weakening of the rules.

According to the report, chocolate consumption alone accounts for over 10 million trees lost annually. Beef and leather products contribute an additional 10 million, while palm oil use drives the removal of more than 6 million trees per year. Soy imports — primarily for animal feed used in products like fish, cheese, and eggs — result in the loss of around 6.4 million trees, and coffee consumption causes more than 3 million trees to be felled each year.

Germany has the largest national footprint, with an estimated annual loss of 13 million trees, followed by Spain (6.5 million) and France (6.3 million). On a per-capita basis, the Netherlands leads with 272 trees lost per 1,000 residents annually, ahead of Luxembourg (226) and Finland (177).

The study also assessed the carbon impact of delaying EUDR enforcement. A one-year postponement could add 16.8 million tons of imported emissions — roughly equivalent to every London resident flying to New York three times in a year. WWF estimates that full implementation of the EUDR could prevent 387 million tons of greenhouse gas emissions by 2035, equivalent to permanently shutting down eight large coal-fired power plants. Without prompt enforcement, growing imports could raise emissions even further, by an additional 17.4 million tons of CO₂ equivalent.

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